[Air
date mid-October 1989]
SCENE ONE: JACK GOES TO VISIT KAYLA.
JACK: Kayla.
KAYLA: I have nothing to say to you Jack.
JACK: Before you slam the door in my face, I have something
for you.
KAYLA: I don't want to hear anything you have to say Jack.
JACK: I know where Steve is. You want to find out or don't
you? (Waving a piece of paper) This is going to tell you exactly
where Steve is.
KAYLA: I don't want to know.
JACK: Come on. Of course you do. Kayla, you've got to go
to Italy and you've got to see Steve.
SHE WALKS OUTSIDE AND SITS ON THE PORCH SWING. JACK FOLLOWS HER.
KAYLA: I can't do that.
JACK: Of course you can.
KAYLA: If I could, I would have before. But I have to think
of my baby and I just can't be under any more stress right now.
JACK: You're not under stress now? You don't know where
Steve is. You don't know what's going on between Steve and Marina.
KAYLA: Nothing is going on. I trust Steve and I don't need
this. I don't need to know where he is so I can go checking up on
him.
KAYLA RIPS UP THE ADDRESS. JACK WATCHES DISAPPOINTEDLY.
KAYLA: Now you're wasting your time Jack.
JACK: I'm just trying to help.
KAYLA: All you're trying to do is make me think that something
is going on between Steve and Marina.
JACK: No, I'm not.
KAYLA: Then why did you make that phone call?
JACK: I don't know about any phone call.
 KAYLA:
You don't do a very good job of trying to being innocent Jack.
JACK: I'm telling you. I don't know about any phone call.
KAYLA: You'll never change will you?
JACK: Well, if I change, nobody's going to notice.
KAYLA: Just forget it alright. You have tried to hurt me
enough. I'm not going to play your games anymore.
JACK: Kayla, at this point, the only one you're hurting
is yourself.
JACK WALKS AWAY.
SCENE TWO: MEANWHILE JENNIFER GOES TO SEE EMILIO AND HE QUESTIONS
HER ABOUT "HER BOYFRIEND." SHE SAYS THAT IF HE MEANS
JACK, THEN HE IS WRONG, JACK IS NOT HER BOYFRIEND. EMILIO SAYS
THAT SHE HANGS OUT WITH HIM SO MUCH THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK
SO. EMILIO SAYS HE WANTS JACK TO PUBLISH AN ARTICLE ON ALL THE
GOOD STUFF THAT HAPPENS ON THE RIVERFRONT. JENNIFER IS CONVINCED
AND SAYS SHE WOULD LIKE TO WRITE A SERIES AND THAT SHE WILL TALK
TO JACK ABOUT IT.
SCENE THREE: JO COMES IN TO HELP. EMILIO TAKES SOME THINGS
OUT TO THE CAR, LEAVING JO AND JENNIFER ALONE. JENNIFER TELLS
HER THAT SHE HOPES TO WRITE A SERIES OF ARTICLES ABOUT THE BARRIO,
*IF* JACK WOULD LET HER. JO DOES NOT SEE WHY HE WOULD REFUSE.
SHE KNOWS JACK IS IMPRESSED WITH HER WRITING. JENNIFER TELLS JO
THAT JACK IS TRYING TO HELP STEVE AND KAYLA. JO IS GLAD, BUT IS
NOT SURPRISED. JUST THEN, UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM, EMILIO WALKS IN.
JO SAYS THAT THEY KNOW THAT JACK IS TRYING TO HELP, TO CHANGE.
JENNIFER TURNS HER BACK AND HAS A KNOWING SMILE. THEY BOTH HOPE
THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT THEY SEE IN JACK. EMILIO LOOKS
HURT THAT JENNIFER SEEMS TO CARE FOR JACK.
SCENE FOUR: AFTER JACK LEAVES KAYLA GOES INSIDE AND TRIES
TO PUT BACK TOGETHER THE NOTE SHE RIPPED UP.
[Air date
mid-October 1989]
SCENE ONE: THE NEXT DAY AT THE SPECTATOR.
JENNIFER: Oh, Jack, hi. How did it go with Kayla?
JACK: Don't you have better things to do than worry about
what's going on in other people's lives?
JENNIFER: I was just wondering.
 JACK:
Well wonder somewhere else. You wouldn't understand it anyway.
JENNIFER: What do you mean.
JACK: I mean, forget it!
JENNIFER: Well, obviously it didn't go very well then.
JACK LOOKS AT HER ANNOYED.
JENNIFER: Sorry.
JACK: Don't be sorry, we've got nothing to be sorry about.
If Steve and Kayla want to be miserable that's there own problem.
JENNIFER: Jack, wait a minute. I have to talk to you about
something before you go anywhere.
JACK: Oh good.
JENNIFER: Emilio has this great idea....
JACK: Oh no, don't tell me, don't tell me. He wants Funnies
on every page.
JENNIFER: No. He thinks we should do a feature on all the
good things being done in the Barrio. You know like people helping
other people. What do you think?
JACK: I think I'll have to give it some more thought.
JENNIFER: What thought is there? It's positive, it's upbeat.
It's the kind of thing people want to read about Jack.
JACK: Well, we'll check our budget. We'll talk to the story
fairy and we'll see what we get, huh?
JENNIFER FOLLOWS JACK INTO HIS OFFICE.
JENNIFER: Jack, how much could it cost? I'll be writing
it and you don't pay me hardly anything so it can't cost anything.
JACK: OH! It sounds like we've got a little insult in the
air. Are we asking for a raise?
JENNIFER: No.
JACK: Good.
JENNIFER: I would write this for free.
JACK: Better.
JENNIFER: Because it's what the community needs.
JACK: No, it sounds to me what Emilio needs.
JENNIFER: Emilio doesn't want this for himself. He doesn't
want anymore publicity.
JACK: Oh everybody wants more publicity. Jennifer, Emilio's
the only reason that you even know about the Barrio. You wouldn't
even what it is.
JENNIFER: That's not true. I would know a lot about the
Barrio because I would have read about it in The Spectator.
JACK: That's right.
JENNIFER: I would know about the gangs, the crimes, the
drugs. What I wouldn't know about is the community spirit. People
getting together to make it a better place and nice place to live.
JACK: That's true, you wouldn't.
JENNIFER: It can be done. Look at Emilio, how he changed.
JACK: You still buying into that stuff?
JENNIFER: Yes. And if there's some positive press on the
neighborhood, it can change too.
JACK: Okay. Lois Lane let me give you a little scoop. (Speaking
more personally than about Emilio) When people have an impression,
especially a bad impression, it doesn't go away, no matter how hard
you try.
JENNIFER: I don't believe that.
JACK: Oh, look who's wearing little rose colored lenses
now.
 JENNIFER:
I'm going to prove you're wrong. Come down to Mercado Street with
me right now. Help me with my story. I will show you how wrong you
are.
JACK: Forget it!
JENNIFER: Why not?
JACK: Cause I don't want to. You can write this story to
your heart's content. I've got better things to do.
JENNIFER: Why won't you come with me?
JACK: Look. I'll fund this story for you but I've got better
things to do. You just do it on your own. It's your baby.
JENNIFER: I need your help, Jack.
JACK: Look, you've already got the inside scoop. You know
what to do.
JENNIFER: What if I screw it up?
JACK: I have every confidence in you, right?
JENNIFER: But there's a lot of material to cover.
JENNIFER WANTS JACK TO HELP HER, ANY EXCUSE TO BE NEAR HIM.
HE IS UNCOMFORTABLE, AND IT APPEARS THAT HE SENSES HER TRUE REASONS,
AS WELL AS BEING A LITTLE JEALOUS OF HER AND EMILIO. JENNIFER
IS DETERMINED, BUT JACK STAYS FIRM.
JACK: I'll send Vern with you.
JENNIFER: Why won't you come with me?
JACK: Because I'm busy.
JENNIFER: With what?
JACK: With a sh....with a meeting.
JENNIFER: A meeting? Who are you meeting Jack?
JACK: A meeting with the advertisers who are going to give
me the money so that you can write this story.
JENNIFER: It's because of me, isn't it?
JACK: What?
JENNIFER: You won't go because of me.
JACK: No, no. I told you why I wouldn't go.
JENNIFER REALIZES THAT JACK IS ACTING THE WAY HE IS BECAUSE
HE SENSES THEIR GROWING CLOSENESS. SHE CALLS HIM ON IT. HE IS
EMBARRASSED BY HOW ACCURATE SHE REALLY IS. AND HE PROTESTS EVEN
STRONGER.
JENNIFER: I know what you told me but I don't believe that.
I think this is a good thing for us to do together. You know....
because.... because we're getting closer.
JACK: Oh, what gave you that idea?
JENNIFER: You keep pushing me away.
JACK: Well now that really doesn't make any sense Jennifer.
JENNIFER: Jack if you didn't think we were getting closer
too, you wouldn't be pushing me away.
 JACK:
I'm not doing.... I'm not pushing anybody.
JENNIFER: Yes you are pushing me away or you'd go with me.
JACK: Look, You're going to be in very good company, so
don't worry.
JENNIFER: Are you jealous of Emilio?
JACK: Emilio? Why?
JENNIFER: If you weren't jealous, you'd be going with me.
JACK: No, would you just lay off this going with, coming
with.
JENNIFER: You're doing it again.
JACK: I'm not doing anything.
JENNIFER: You're pushing me away, Jack.
JACK: I don't push.
JENNIFER: You are. You are pushing me away.
JACK: I'm not a pushy person.
JENNIFER: Yes you are. You're pushing me.
JACK: You want to see push? I'll push you.
JACK GRABS JENNIFER AND KISSES HER PASSIONATELY ON THE LIPS.
THEN HE BREAKS AWAY FOR A SECOND, BOTH SEEM AFFECTED BY WHAT
HAPPENED.
AND THEN KISSES HER AGAIN. SHE GOES ALONG WITH IT FOR A SHORT
WHILE . THEN PUSHES HIM AWAY.
JENNIFER: JACK! (Beat) I'm sorry.
JACK: Oh, don't be sorry. Don't apologize, please.
JENNIFER: No, it's just that you caught me by surprise.
JACK: No, you don't need to make any excuses.
JENNIFER PUTS HER HAND ON HIS SHOULDER.
JENNIFER: Jack. I don't want you to get the wrong idea.
JACK: (Sitting on his desk) No, no, no, no. No wrong ideas.
I was just trying to prove a point.
JENNIFER: You kissed me so you could prove a point?
JACK: About "pushy," right.
JENNIFER: Oh, well you made your point.
JACK: Good. I hope we understand each other.
JACK ESCAPES OUT OF HIS OFFICE AND JENNIFER TOUCHES HER LIPS.
JENNIFER: (To herself) I don't understand you at all Jack.
OUTSIDE THE OFFICE JACK STOPS AND SIGHS IN RELIEF FOR GETTING
OUT OF THE REAL REASON HE KISSED HER.
JACK: PHEW!
SCENE TWO: THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO SECRETLY VISITED STEVE AND
KAYLA'S HOUSE IS SEEN AGAIN, LEAVING A ROOM, IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE
A HOSPITAL.
SCENE THREE: A SHORT TIME LATER JACK IS SITTING AT HIS DESK
FIDDLING WITH A PENCIL.
HE BENDS IT UNTIL IT BREAKS.
JO: Is it as bad as all that?
JACK: Oh, Mrs. Johnson!
JO: Yes, Mrs. Johnson, your mother.
JACK: How are we doing?
JO: Just fine. Actually I'm here to see Jennifer.
JACK: I don't believe she's here.
JO: Well, do you know where she is?
JACK: It's really none of my business.
JO: Oh, I don't know about that. I was talking to her earlier
and she spoke pretty highly of you.
JACK: I think maybe she was talking about somebody else.
JO: No she wa.... Jack why don't you believe me?
JACK: Ah, I think maybe I know better.
JO: Why do you keep putting yourself down?
JACK ROLLS HIS EYES.
JACK: Why don't you ask Kayla?
JO: Now listen. That was a long time ago. You're a different
person now.
JACK: Nah, I think I'm still the same old Happy Jack.
JO: No, no. You have changed, you have. I've noticed it.
Jennifer, Jennifer's noticed it.
JACK: Jennifer doesn't know what the hell's going on. She
doesn't know. She's wrong.
JO: Are you going to keep punishing yourself for the rest
of your life?
JACK: No, I'm going to change my life. I'm going to wipe it
out like it never happened.
JO: Well, you can't do that because it did happen and there's nothing
you can do to change it. But you can change your future?
JACK: How?
JO: Keep doing good things.
JACK: I tried a lot of good things. Didn't get any takers.
JO: Oh but Jack, keep trying. You will. I don't like to
compare my children....
JACK: Then don't.
JO: Look at Steve. He changed and if he can I know you can.
Think about it.
JO LEAVES. VERN COMES IN.
VERN: Jack how is that budget coming? Is it done yet?
JACK: Forget about the budget Vern. I'm going out of town
for a little while.
VERN: Oh not again. What is a little while?
JACK: I'll let you know when I get back.
VERN: Well at least tell me where you're going.
JACK: Italy.
VERN: Italy! What the hell's in Italy? Jack this
is not the way to run a newspaper.
AS VERN IS YELLING, JACK JUST KEEPS ON WALKING OUT
OF THE OFFICE COMPLETELY.
SCENE FOUR: EMILIO IS COMING OUT OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER WHEN JENNIFER
WALKS UP. EMILIO REMINDS HER THAT SHE HAS TO "TALK WITH THE BOSS
MAN" ABOUT HIS ARTICLE. HE IS SURE JACK "NIXED THE IDEA."
SHE TELLS EMILIO THAT JACK AGREED, BUT SHE JUST HAS TO TALK TO HIM
ABOUT A SERIES OF ARTICLES. SHE IS STILL UPSET AFTER WHAT HAPPENED
WITH JACK, EMILIO PICKS UP ON THIS. SHE TELLS HIM THAT SHE HAS
TO DEALWITH THE PROBLEM ON HER OWN. THERE MAY BE PROBLEMS GETTING
MONEY FOR THE BLOCK PARTY, IT SEEMS AS IF HE IS TRYING TO MAKE EXCUSES
TO BE WITH HER. HE ASKS HER TO HELP HIM.. SHE TURNS HIM DOWN, USING
THE EXCUSE THAT SHE HAS TO WRITE THE ARTICLE. HE TELLS HER SHE CAN
WRITE THE ARTICLE AFTER THE PARTY. SHE MAKES ANOTHER EXCUSE, SAYING
SHE NEEDS TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE INVOLVED FIRST. HE OFFERS TO GO WITH
HER, AND SHE SOMEWHAT RELUCTANTLY AGREES.
AFTER THEY LEAVE TWO OF THE STINGRAYS TURN THE CORNER AND WATCH THEM.
THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY OUT FOR REVENGE FOR EMILIO TURNING ON THEM. |
