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Date: 09 Feb 1998 04:17:42 -0500
From: pitman@anotherwayout.com (Kent M Pitman)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.soaps.cbs
Subject: Y&R: AWO#85: "Snap Draggin's"
Message-ID: <sfwbtwhb0i1.fsf@world.std.com>
INSIDE... * Is the special bond between Ryan and Nina about to snap?
* Will Dru find a secret way to make Neil snap out of his bad attitude?
* Can Cassie find what's bugging Grace with a mere snap of her finger?
* Will Veronica finally snap?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANOTHER WAY OUT, Episode 85, 09-Feb-98 by Kent Pitman (kmp@harlequin.com)
"Snap Draggin's"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You went through her things?" Joshua asks with surprise as Nikki tells the
tale of her scavenger hunt through Sarah's belongings. "Well, sweetheart, as
I said, that's my standard policy for all the hired help." "Well, then, no
wonder it's so hard to find help around here--word's probably gotten around
that you have a fetish for other people's undergarments." "Joshua!" "Wellll,
I just think it's creepy and... rude... you know, going through her stuff that
way." "Oh, really? Rude? And just what am I supposed to do--live in a house
with a stranger who might have drugs or a gun or ..." Joshua gives her a
``you can't be serious'' look. "Nikki. We ARE talking about Sarah here. Do
you really think a concern about drugs and guns is warranted?" Nikki looks
indignant. "Well, I--" He cuts her off. "And she's been with us quite a
while--but only now you're checking? I'd think by now we'd have noticed.
I've spent a lot of time with her, and she seems nothing but sweet to me."
"Oh, right. Have you considered the possibility that it's you who's getting
sweet on her?" "Me?" "Admit it Joshua, you have a crush on Sarah." "I do
not!" he protests. "Do too! And I'm going to prove it..."
In the kitchen, Miguel is washing some vegetables as Nikki enters. "Oh,
hello, Sen~ora," he says to her. "Hello, Miguel." "Is there something I can
do for you?" "Well, actually, Miguel there is." "Oh, a small snack perhaps?"
"No, it's not that kind of thing. I have a favor to ask." "A favor?" "Yes,
something... out of the ordinary. I'm very much hoping it's something you
can help me with." "Well, I'll certainly try. What is it?" Nikki looks
around cautiously and then says, "It's about Sarah." "Ah," says Miguel,
"I've noticed you seem somehow uncomfortable about her." "Yes, well, I was
going through her things and--" Miguel looks alarmed. "Going through her
things??" She cringes a little. "Uh, yes, well, that's another thing.
Miguel, I told her that was a regular policy. I hope you won't give me away
on this." "You won't be going through my things then?" "No, of course not,
Miguel. Why would I do that?" Miguel looks relieved. "Nada de importancia,
sen~ora," he mutters. "Certainly, I will be happy to play along with your
little deception. Now, you said you had some favor to ask?" "Yes, it's
about Sarah--she has a bag in her room. I need to know what's in it."
"That's all?" "Well, it's going to be a little tricky. The key is on her
necklace, which I suspect she never removes. She mustn't know, Miguel."
"I understand, Sen~ora. I think I can arrange what you want."
Sarah is in the living room watching television. Miguel enters behind her
carrying a tray of cheese and crackers, which he sets on a serving table near
the door. "Is there anything I can get for you?" Sarah turns with a start,
looking to see if Joshua or Nikki has come in without her noticing, but is
relieved to see they have not. "You scared me for a moment," she says to
Miguel. "Not used to someone waiting on you?" Miguel asks with a smile. "I
guess not," she says. "Sorry, about that," Miguel says. "I guess after all
these years it's just part of my personality. By the way, I brought in some
cheese and crackers--I thought you might like some." He cuts her a few slices
of cheese and hands them to her on a plate with some crackers. Sarah takes a
bite and remarks, "These are quite good." "Thank you," Miguel says, still
standing behind the couch. She puts the plate down on the table and laments,
"But I'm afraid I'm not very hungry..." "You seem very distracted," Miguel
notes. "I'm just a little tired, I guess," she says apologetically. "Well, I
also give a very mean backrub," Miguel says. "Backrub?" she says, moving her
eyes back and forth as if suddenly terrified. "No, I don't think so," she
says. A few moments pass. She peers back over her shoulder at his
strong-looking hands, waiting to go into action. She turns back and smiles to
herself. A moment later she wriggles her shoulders a little and says,
"Actually... you know, ... my shoulders HAVE been a little tight. I don't
suppose you could..." "Certainly," Miguel says. "Just sit back and--" But
she is already sitting back, so he goes straight to work.
It doesn't take long and Sarah is quite relaxed. As Miguel works her,
however, we also note that he has been inching her key necklace along her back
until the key is within his grasp. Skillfully, and without her noticing, he
takes the wax cover from the cheese and presses the key into it, making an
impression. Then he deposits the wax back onto the tray for later removal.
As manipulates the key back around her neck, it slips and falls beneath her
shirt. Suddenly, she realizes that it's in danger. She clutches herself to
be sure the key is still there, and says, "I don't think this was a very good
idea." Miguel feigns surprise and says, "Sarah? I'm sorry if I--" "It's not
you Miguel," she says, not wanting to reveal the real issue. "I just--I have
to go," she says, and she rushes out.
It's the next afternoon. Tony and Cassie show up at Grace's office. "Hi,
Mommy!" Cassie says. "Cassie!" Grace says, opening her arms for Cassie to run
to. "We were actually looking for Nick and Sharon," Tony says, "but we
thought we'd stop in and say `hi'." Grace glares at Tony and the idea Sharon
might get to see Cassie. She punches a button on her desk. Daphne enters.
"Yes, Ms. Turner?" "Daphne, could you give Cassie here a tour around the
building?" "Sure!" Daphne says. "That would be neat!" Cassie says, and goes
with her, leaving Grace to bawl out Tony.
In the hallway, Cassie sees Daphne's desk. "Is this where YOU sit?" she asks.
Daphne nods. "Wow, you must be REALLY important," Cassie says. "What makes
you say that?" Daphne asks. "Because you get to be out here in front while
Grace is hidden away in the back room!" Cassie says. Daphne laughs. "Well,
secretaries are important, but--" Cassie is looking at the things on her desk.
"Is this the intercom?" she asks. Daphne nods. "Yep." "So you can listen
in on Grace's conversations?" "Well, I..." "Oh, come on. I've seen it in all
the movies. Show me how!" Cassie says. Daphne looks around to make sure no
one is watching and then says. "Ok..." She punches a button and suddenly
Grace and Tony are audible through the box. "That little girl's gotta get
used to her proper surroundings..." Tony is saying. Cassie looks to Daphne.
"This is what they're always talking about at home, but I can never quite
hear. I wish I had one of these." "She never has to know," comes Grace's
voice. "Know what? What don't I have to know?" asks a frustrated Cassie.
"Are you out of your mind, Grace? Sharon is her real mother. How can you not
tell Cassie that?" Cassie's eyes grow very wide and she looks to Daphne,
"Sharon is my REAL MOM? That must be the secret they've known all along.
Tony used to always say `Grace, ya gotta tell her' but I never knew what it
was!" Daphne switches off the speaker. "That's enough for today," Daphne
says. "I bet I'm going to be in trouble for this one." Cassie shakes her
head. "Nope, I won't tell, Daphne. They never have to know HOW I found out.
I'm just glad I FINALLY know."
At the Newman ranch, we see Miguel at the top of the stairs. He looks down to
see Nikki peeking around the corner. The camera follows Nikki's gaze to
Sarah, behind another wall, looking into the living room. The camera follows
her gaze to Joshua, who reads a newspaper, unaware that he is such a center of
focus. Nikki turns back up to Miguel and nods. Moments later, carrying a
copy of the key he's had made that morning, Miguel enters Sarah's room.
Meanwhile, Sharon is with Nick in his office. "Nick, there's something I have
to tell you." Nick looks up. "Ok, what is it?" "Well, you have to promise
you won't tell." "Won't tell?" "I promised someone I wouldn't tell but I'm
going to tell you, so now YOU have to promise not to tell." "I do?" "Yes, so
then it'll still be a secret." Nick eyes her uncertainly. "Ok, but then do I
get to tell anyway as long as I make them promise not to tell?" Sharen scowls
at him. "No, Nick." "Why?" "Because then it wouldn't be a secret!" Nick
shakes his head. "Ok, ok, I promise. Just tell me." "Ok, well, you know
that little boy or girl I gave up for adoption so many years ago?" "How could
I forget? You mention him or her all the time." Nick says. "Well, I--I found
out where--and who--she is..." "She? Not he or she?" "Well, when you know
who he or she is, you don't have to call him or her he or she any more." "Oh,"
Nick says. "So he or she's your daughter?" Sharon shakes her head. "No,
Nick, he or she isn't--SHE is! And her name is Cassie." "Cassie? The same
as Grace's little girl?" "It IS Grace's little girl--only she's not really
Grace's." "Oh, so now she's not he or she any more but she IS Grace's little
girl or your little girl." "No, Nick, he or she used to be Grace's little girl
but now she's just mine." "Only she lives with Grace." "Well, Grace hasn't
agreed to give her back yet." "I see. So she belongs to someone else but
she's yours." "Yes, exactly!" Sharon says. "But you mustn't tell!" Nick
sits down in his desk chair and heaves a huge sigh.. "Tell? Are you kidding?
A story like that? I wouldn't have the words for it!"
John Silva picks up the phone at his office. "Mr. Silva?" a woman's voice
asks. "This is he," says John. "This is the attorney representing Ryan
McNeil." "Oh, finally, great--I hope there are no problems?" "No, no problem
at all. In fact, we'd like to move along as quickly as possible with this
matter of the divorce. But Ryan seems to have misplaced his copy of the
papers you served him--I wonder if you could send another copy." "I'll have a
copy messengered right away. What's your address?" "Just send them to his
apartment--Mr. McNeil is sick today and will be home waiting." "Oh. Well,
tell him I hope he feels better. I'll send them right over." Trisha hangs up
the phone and looks to the bed, which is empty. She smiles. "I'd tell him,
but he seems to have made a sudden miraculous recovery. Oh well. Good thing
he has me to take care of business for him in his absence," she says with a
twinkle in her eye.
Sharon is leaving Nick's office just as Grace is entering. "On your way out,
Shar?" "Yes, I'm on my way back to the ranch. I promised Cassie we'd go
horseback riding later." Grace glares at Sharon. "Sharon, I--" "Grace, let's
not get into it here, ok?" Grace looks over and sees Nick. "Alright. You're
right. I'll talk to you later." Sharon leaves. Grace shakes her head and
says to Nick, "I think your wife is getting too attached to Cassie." Nick
says, "Something wrong with that?" "I don't know--it's just that, well, she
gave away a little girl for adoption once--" "Boy or girl," Nick corrects her.
"Right. Boy or girl," Grace says, "but now she seems to think Cassie will
fill that void." Nick says, "Grace, can you keep a secret?" Grace looks
surprised. "Secret?" "You know, something you can't tell anyone..." Grace is
uncertain but nods. "Ok..." "Well, I know, Grace. Sharon told me." "Sharon
told you what?" "About Cassie. But don't worry, I promised I wouldn't tell."
"So why are you telling me? It's supposed to be a secret." "It was a secret.
And it still is--because I promised not to tell. But... well,... you already
knew, right? So it's still a secret..." Grace sighs but says nothing. Nick
asks, "So what's the problem. Sharon gets back her kid and--"
Grace gets hot-tempered and slams her fist on the desk. "No! You and Sharon
have a child--a beautiful child--little Noah. Cassie is mine now. Besides, I
thought you didn't want another kid." "I didn't -- but mostly it's that thing
with the diapers. And kids are a lot of commitment--18 years. This one is
already 7, so it's only 11 years more, depending on where she goes to school,
and--" Grace stops him again. "No! You will NOT allow it." "*I* won't allow
it??" Nick asks. "You are to tell your wife you do not want another child."
"I?? You want me to lie to my wife?" "Lie? No, I just don't want you to
tell her the truth." "But isn't that the same thing?" Grace shakes her head.
"No, it is not the same thing. Good grief, don't you watch the news? Call up
President Clinton, he'll explain the subtleties to you." "But I don't--"
"Listen here, Nick, if you REALLY want to play Mr. Truth, we can come REALLY
clean and tell Sharon all about our little affair." "Affair?" "Tryst? Menage
a deux? The night we spent together in little Noah's room?" "Oh, that. I
thought you'd forgotten all about that." "No, I have not forgotten. I have a
frozen, fertilized egg I'm prepared to defrost and have reimplanted in me if
there's need to prove it. But I won't, as long as Cassie stays mine. So you
are to tell Sharon to stop sharing her little secret--Cassie must NEVER know.
You hear me? NEVER!"
Dru is with Neil discussing what is to become of their marriage. Suddenly the
phone rings. It's Sid. Dru realizes this is the moment of truth. Neil
stares at her waiting to hear her decision. Sid waits on the other end of the
phone, too. To both she says, "I can't decide right now... I can't!" She
slams down the phone and races out of the room.
Nick and Grace come back into Grace's office. Sharon is with Tony. "Hi,
honey!" Sharon says to Nick. "Where's Cassie?" Grace asks Tony. Tony
answers, "Still out with Daphne, touring the building. Look who I saw walking
by," Tony says. "I was on my way to meet Cassie at the ranch, but Tony says
she's--" Cassie enters and yells a pleased "Mommy!" Grace kneels to receive
her but she runs past to Sharon. World War III has begun!
It's later in the day. Nikki enters the kitchen to find Miguel. "What did
you find out?" she whispers anxiously. "I'm afraid it's quite
extraordinary," Miguel says. "Are you certain that you want to know?" he
asks. "Well, OF COURSE I want to know, Miguel. Why do you think I had you go
to all that trouble?" Miguel sighs and shakes his head. "Very well. In her
suitcase are some letters." "Letters?" Nikki says. She expected something
more exotic. "What kind of letters." "Love letters, I'm afraid." "Well,
that's not very unusual," Nikki says. "I'm afraid it is," Miguel says.
"Well, at least I hope it's unusual," he adds. "What's unusual about love
letters? I have some, too." "Yes, I'm sure you do," Miguel says. "That's
what concerns me." "Miguel, you're not making any sense." "Well, Sen~ora,
these letters are from your husband." "Victor?" she says suddenly. "Uh, no,
ma'am. Dr. Landers." "Oh, right. Sorry about that little mistake, Miguel.
Please don't tell Joshua I said that." "I understand ma'am." "Joshua wrote
Sarah love letters?" "I'm afraid so." "Well, does he say anything about ME
in them?" "No, he does not. That is something I don't quite understand--but
it is as if you don't exist at all. I'm sorry, Mrs. Landers." Nikki is
starting to look angry but not at Miguel. "Well, thank you, Miguel. That's
very... interesting. I'll take it from here." "Yes, ma'am. Will there be
anything else?" "No, Miguel, thank you. You may have the night off, in fact.
I think I'll need to speak to Joshua alone tonight."
Dru enters the church and kneels. "God," she says aloud, "it's me, Dru."
God's voice booms and says, "Thank you for identifying yourself, Dru. Please
thank your friend, Grace, too. I have so many followers and they are so hard
to keep track of--it would be impossible if they didn't, like you, give me
hints about their names." "Yes, well, God--I'm here to ask for guidance...
I've given up my job for my man, but my man still doesn't want me. I don't
know what to do. I have my child--Lily--but I feel like my marriage is
crumbling, and--" Mary Williams sits down next to Dru. "Oh, sorry," says
Dru to Mary. "I thought I was the only one in here--I didn't mean to be
making all that noise." "It's ok," says Mary. "I think I can help you." Dru
brightens. "You can?" "Yes, I think so..."
That evening, Nikki sits beside Joshua on the couch. "Joshua..." she says.
He looks up at her for a moment. "Yes?" "Do you have something you've been
wanting to tell me?" "No," he says, appearing slightly confused, and then
goes back to his reading. "Nice try," Nikki says, growing a bit more short
with him, "but I've learned about your little secret." "Secret?" he asks,
looking up at her, confused at her level of agitation. "About Sarah..."
"Sarah?" "And your FEELINGS for her?" "Feelings? I know you think I have a
crush on her, and I admit I find her kind of attractive, but--where is this
coming from, Nikki?" Nikki looks disappointed at this feeble claim. "Oh,
spare me a repeat of the story about how sweet she is. I know about the
letters," Nikki says. "Letters?" "Yes, LETTERS. The LOVE letters... don't
try to deny it." "Deny what? Nikki, I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh no? Well, I have it from a VERY reliable source. So, I think you'd
better just march upstairs and talk to your little crush and get your stories
straight. Because I'm tired of all the secrets around here!"
Joshua knocks lightly on Sarah's door. "Sarah?" he asks gently. She spruces
her wig and peers out. "Yes, Dr. Landers?" "Uh, this is rather awkward.
Apparently Nikki has picked up some vibes that the two of us might be
interested in each other..." "I'm sorry," she says, clutching at her necklace.
"Don't be--it was going to come out sooner or later." "It was?" She asks.
Her eyes are flitting back and forth with paranoia now; she doesn't know what
IT is but she is panicked nevertheless. "Yes, and it's me who should be the
one apologizing." "You?" she asks. "As your boss, and as your gynecologist,
it's really inappropriate for me to have developed such a ..." Her eyes flit
down, but he lifts her chin to look into her eyes as he finishes, "... crush
on you. I don't know what it is--perhaps it's that red wig." "Wig? You know
this is a wig?" she asks. "Sarah, I'm your gynecologist. I KNOW your true
hair color..." "Oh... right..." she says blushing. "So I have to ask
you--what is it about these letters of yours that has Nikki so upset?"
"Letters? She knows about the letters?" "So she says." Sarah rushes to the
suitcase and opens it to find the letters. She clutches them against her
chest as a child would its favorite teddy bear.
Joshua looks at the letters Sarah is holding. "Could I see those?" he asks.
She draws back, afraid. "Please? It won't change anything." "You promise?"
"Of course." "You'll still like me?" "Of course I will, Sarah. Why wouldn't
I? Can I see?" She nods slowly and eventually hands them to him. As he
flips through them, she awaits anxiously ... then suddenly and impulsively,
she removes her wig. As she does, he is saying "I wrote these. How did
Nikki... how did YOU--" He looks up to see Veronica. "Oh my God," he says.
"I'm glad you still find me a heavenly sight, my husband," she says with a
smile that might better be called devilish. "Veronica," he says, and starts
to protest. "Ah, ah!" she warns him. "Remember--you promised, it wouldn't
change that little crush you were developing on me. So just be happy to see
me. If you're VERY, very good--I'll still wear the red wig for you once in a
while... But come on, now, Josh, let's go tell Nikki the bad news--that her
marriage to you is a sham and you're still married to me. I can't WAIT to see
her face..."
Dru follows Mary down a hallway at the Williams household and opens a door
that leads into darkness. She turns on a lightswitch to reveal stairs going
down. At the bottom of the stairs, they see a very high-tech computer setup.
A large chair swivels around to reveal Carl Williams. He stands and extends
his hand to greet her. "Dru, this is my husband, Carl Williams." "The Chief
of Genoa City Police? I thought you were--" He raises his finger to his
mouth to shhh her. "It's a well-kept secret," he explains. "And you could
be part of it, Drucilla," Mary adds. "I could?" she asks. "That's right.
We need to be recruiting more people, and for that we need a very specialized
advertising campaign. You could be our spokesmodel." "I could?" "That's
right." "But there's just this little problem," Dru expalains, "because my
husband--he'd never go for it." "Well," says Carl, "that's just perfect.
Because you see, he'd never have to know. This marketing campaign is
super-secret--on a need-to-know basis. And your husband has no need to know."
Dru looks stunned. "So, lemme get this straight--you're saying I could be
this famous model, but like--no one would have to know?" Mary and Carl nod.
"But what about my high-powered agent--Sid. He's a really great guy, and I
just couldn't work without him." Carl smiles. "It's ok, Drucilla. I've
checked with Sid already, and he's agreed." "Agreed?" "Yes, Drucilla, he'll
be your SECRET agent."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright 1998 Kent M. Pitman. All Rights Reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Another Way Out" takes plotline state at time of publication and shows that
there are interesting places right around the corner. The goal, besides
having some fun with good-natured parody, is to challenge the notion that we
must be mired in certain tired plotlines for months just to have a good time.
There is always another way out...
Archives of this and older episodes of "Another Way Out"
as well as the more serious "morals" that underly them,
can be found at: http://world.std.com/~pitman/awo/index.html
Don't forget to try the "character index" and "ratings index"!