oldEpisode Three-hundred-thirty-six: Using
Jack's Obsession with the Stock Market,
Hawk Sets It up That Jack Forgets Jennifer's
Birthday. He Gives Her a Gift, So That
He Will Look Good and Jack Will Look Bad.

---

[Air date early September 1991]

 

SCENE ONE: 11TH SEPTEMBER AND JACK IS IN HIS OFFICE. HE HAS JUST POURED HIMSELF A CUP OF COFFEE AND IT IS HOT.

 

JACK: Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.

 

HE RIPS OFF THE CALENDAR PAGE OF THE DAY BEFORE AND SEES THAT THE 11TH IS CIRCLED. HE LOOKS PUZZLED AS VERN ENTERS.

 

VERN: Jack I gotta tell you, you really out did yourself in this editorial about Bo and Carly.

 

JACK STILL HAS A PUZZLED FROWN ON HIS FACE.

 

VERN: I mean the switchboard is blowing out out there. I mean we got all kinds of.... (Beat).... Jack? Hello in there. Anybody home?

JACK: Vern, is something special going on today?

VERN: Not that I know of. Why?

JACK: Because I've got it circled on my calendar. I mean I must have marked it for some reason. I just can't remember if it was something important.

SCENE TWO: BACK AT THE PENTHOUSE, JENNIFER IS TIDYING UP AND WHISTLING AT THE SAME TIME.

 

JENNIFER: Hey Hawk, good morning, how are you feeling today?

HAWK: Well, feeling better, feeling better.

JENNIFER: Good, good.

HAWK: Sure not as good as you are though.

JENNIFER: Well I guess I am in a pretty good mood.

HAWK: Any particular reason?

JENNIFER: Well....

 

THE DOORBELL RINGS.

 

JENNIFER: Oh I'll get that. I'll tell you in a minute. Excuse me. Who is it?

 

JENNIFER OPENS THE DOOR AND CARLY IS THERE.

 

CARLY: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

CARLY IS HOLDING A HUGE BUNCH OF BALLOONS AND A GIFT.

 

JENNIFER: Oh my gosh, Carly. Get in here. I don't believe you.

CARLY: These are for you.

JENNIFER: Oh my goodness, thank you.

HAWK: Oh se now, that's what all that humming and smiling was about.

JENNIFER: Oh Carly, you haven't met Hawk yet, have you?

CARLY: No I haven't, but I've heard a lot about you.

JENNIFER: Hawk, this is my best friend in the whole world, Carly Manning.

HAWK: Well it's a pleasure to meet you Miss Manning.

CARLY: Me too.

JENNIFER: That's Dr. Manning.

HAWK: You're a doctor?

JENNIFER: Yes, she was always the brain in school. You know what, maybe she could examine you and see how your progress is coming?

 

HAWK DOES NOT LOOK TOO PLEASED ABOUT THAT.

 

HAWK: Oh well, I really don't want to put you out.

CARLY: Oh that's okay. Orthopedics isn't really my specialty but I did some physically therapy work.

HAWK: Well I don't want to, you know, rain on the birthday celebration here. So maybe another time though.

CARLY: Sure.

HAWK: It was nice meeting you.

CARLY: Okay.

JENNIFER: Alright Hawk, you take it slow, okay.

 

HAWK SHUFFLES OF TO HIS ROOM.

 

JENNIFER: I can't believe it. You remembered my birthday.

CARLY: Oh give it a break. How could I forget especially since you wouldn't let anybody forget in school.

JENNIFER: I didn't do that.

CARLY: Oh you did too. You used to bring these catalogues out and lay them out on the pages at exactly what you wanted and then you take would take this big red marker and you go around mark everyone's calendar.

JENNIFER: Okay, okay, you made your point. But I don't do that anymore. I don't care that much about my birthday anymore.

CARLY: You're no fun. Give me my balloons.

JENNIFER: NO! Don't you dare touch my balloons. I was just kidding okay. Maybe I care a little bit. But I know that you have a lot more important things on your mind than my birthday right now. Like how valid is this case that Victor is trying to make against Bo?

SCENE THREE: CARLY TELLS JENNIFER THAT VICTOR'S PLAN WILL NOT WORK BECAUSE BO GOT OUT OF JAIL ON BAIL. HE IS GOING TO STAY OUT. JENNIFER AND CARLY TALK FOR A WHILE ABOUT VICTOR'S PLAN TO GET BACK AT HER BY KEEPING CARLY AND BO APART. CARLY SAYS THAT JACK'S EDITORIAL REALLY HELPED. THEN CARLY GIVES JENNIFER A GIFT OF EARRINGS THAT JENNIFER ADMIRED ONE DAY WHEN THEY WERE SHOPPING.

 

JENNIFER: You know, these are going to match the dress that I'm wearing later.

CARLY: Oh so tell me, what's going on? Is Jack taking you somewhere special?

JENNIFER: Well, actually, it's the family get together at Wings.

CARLY: Well that's good but what about Jack? What's he doing?

JENNIFER: I don't know, I don't know, but I think that he's planning a big surprise. And I marked it on his calendar.

CARLY: Well then I'm sure he has something very special for you up his sleeve.

SCENE FOUR: BACK AT THE SPECTATOR, JACK IS STILL WONDERING WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT TODAY.

 

JACK: Did I have a meeting today Vern?

VERN: Well if you did, you didn't mention it to me.

JACK: Huh.

VERN: Haircut?

JACK: No, no, I got one last week.

VERN: Let me think now. What could be important about today? (Beat) OH! I know. It was day the US beat the British Forces at Lake Champagne in War of 1812.

 

JACK IS SUITABLY UNIMPRESSED WITH THIS AS A REASON TO CIRCLE THE DATE.

 

VERN: Well.... I guess you wouldn't mark a date on your calendar for that, huh.

 

JACK GIVES VERN ANOTHER DROLL LOOK.

 

JACK: I'm going to pretend I never heard that. I'll just check with Jennifer. She seems to know it all anyway.

 

THE PHONE RINGS AND JACK PICKS IT UP.

 

JACK: Jennifer, could you tell my why today's date is circled on the calendar?

 

A STRANGE VOICE ANSWERS.

 

MAN: Hello?

JACK: This isn't Jennifer. Where is she?

MAN: I don't know. I'm trying to get in touch with Jack Deveraux.

JACK: Ah, well you already have. You did. This is Jack Deveraux, who is this?

MAN: I need to meet with you.

JACK: Ah.... oh, you're one of those guys. Alright, then.... that's what today's about of course. I didn't forget. It's just.... when were we meeting?

 

JACK IS MAKING IT UP AS HE GOES ALONG.

 

MAN: We weren't. This just came up. I've got a hot news tip that I think you just might be interested in.

JACK: Well I've got my editor right here. I'll just hand you over to him.

MAN: No, I only talk to you.

 

JACK COVERS THE PHONE TO SPEAK TO VERN.

 

JACK: These deep throats are all the same.

 

BACK TO THE MAN ON THE PHONE.

 

JACK: Let me tell you something pal. If this is about Sean Young dressing up like Catwoman I don't want to hear it.

MAN: This is about a big business merger and it's not going to be made public until tomorrow. So if we meet, you'll be able to scoop everyone else.

JACK: (Whisper) And make a killing in the market.

MAN: What?

JACK: I said, I hope you know where to park it, the car. When you show up. Who did you say this was?

MAN: I didn't. I'll meet you at Wings, by the payphone, in a half an hour.

JACK: Payphone, half an hour. Are you sure about this?

MAN: I'll be there and I have documents to prove it.

JACK: Ah, good, let's make it half an hour then.

MAN: And one more thing, don't breathe a word of this to anyone or all bets are off. You got that?

JACK: Oh no, you can trust me with your grandmother's bra size.

 

JACK LAUGHS AND HANGS UP. HE'S SURE HE IS ONTO A GOOD THING AS HE GRABS HIS COAT.

 

VERN: Where you going?

JACK: Easy street.

SCENE FIVE: HALF AN HOUR LATER, JACK IS WAITING AT WINGS JUST AS JENNIFER ARRIVES. SHE GRABS HIM ROUND THE NECK.

 

JENNIFER: Jack, you're here!

 

HE IS TOTALLY SURPRISED TO SEE HER.

 

JACK: Don't do that, don't....

JENNIFER: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just surprised to see you. I didn't expect you to be here.

JACK: I didn't expect you to be here either.

JENNIFER: Why not?

JACK: Ah.... why are you here?

JENNIFER: You don't have to act all nervous Jack. I already know.

JACK: You know.... what?

JENNIFER: It's not a surprise. I mean Grandma told me all about it.

JACK: Your grandmother knows?

JENNIFER: Well of course she knows. Why wouldn't she know about it?

JACK: (Beat) Ah.... ah.... are we talking about the same thing here?

JENNIFER: I don't know. Why don't you tell me what you're talking about and I'll tell you if it's the same thing I'm talking about.

JACK: No, why don't you tell me what.... no! Just suffice to say that if don't mess this up we will really have something to celebrate tonight.

JENNIFER: Tonight? What about this afternoon?

JACK: This afternoon I'm doing business. I'm here for a meeting.

JENNIFER: Hmmm, with?

JACK: I'll tell you later, at home.

JENNIFER: Oh, are you trying to get rid of me?

JACK: Ah.... yes!

 

JENNIFER THINKS HE IS ORGANIZING A SURPRISE FOR HER BIRTHDAY.

 

JENNIFER: Okay, I'll let you stay here and have your little business meeting and I'm just going to go on home.

JACK: Good.

JENNIFER: I'm just going to on and wait for you.

JACK: Good.

JENNIFER: I'll be at home.

JACK: Good.

 

SHE GIVES HIM A BIG KISS ON THE CHEEK.

JACK: What was that for?

JENNIFER: Nothing, nothing. Have fun, bye Jack.

 

SHE HAS A BIG GRIN ON HER FACE.

SCENE SIX: AS SHE GOES IN TO SEE JULIE BEFORE SHE LEAVES. JULIE WISHES HER HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND SAYS THAT SHE DID NOT KNOW JACK WAS COMING TO THE LUNCHTIME FAMILY PARTY. JENNIFER SAYS THAT HE IS NOT COMING AND THAT SHE IS NOT EITHER. SHE HAS TO LEAVE BECAUSE JACK IS ORGANIZING A SURPRISE FOR HER. JULIE CANCELS THE FAMILY PLAN SO THAT JACK CAN HAVE HIS SURPRISE.

SCENE SEVEN: JACK HANGS AROUND FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL THE NEW MANAGER AT WINGS COMES OVER.

 

MANAGER: Mr. Deveraux?

JACK: Well it's about time.... You ? You're the one with the information?

MANAGER: I sure am.

JACK: I never would have figured you for the type.

MANAGER: Well I'm a Jack of all trades.

JACK: Yeah I'm only interested in one trade right now, the inside type.

MANAGER: Pardon me?

JACK: Come on, inside information on the stock market. That's why we're meeting isn't it?

MANAGER: I didn't ask you to meet me here.

JACK: You didn't?

MANAGER: I just came over to tell you you had a phone call.

JACK: Hahahah, oh, I was just joking. It was a joke, it was funny, right?

MANAGER: Playing around with the market's no joke.

JACK: What, are you some kind of cop in training?

MANAGER: Lawyer.

JACK: Even worse.

 

JACK PICKS UP THE PHONE.

 

JACK: Alright, where the hell are you?

MAN: I'm sorry, I couldn't make it over there.

JACK: Well that's obvious. I don't want to hear an excuse.

MAN: I wasn't going to offer one. We'll have to meet back at your office.

JACK: Wait a minute, you said you didn't want to be seen.

MAN: I'm sure you can come up with a good cover.

JACK: Do you know who you're dealing with here? You can't just run me all over town, all day and night.

MAN: I'm sorry, I guess if you're just not interested....

JACK: Oh no, no, no, no. I'm.... I didn't say that. I am interested. I...actually I'm heading back to the office right now and you better be there. I tell you something, I'm a very busy man with lots of things to do.

 

JACK HANGS UP.

 

JACK: I just wish I could remember what they all were.

 

HE HEADS BACK TO THE SPECTATOR.

SCENE EIGHT: JENNIFER ARRIVES BACK AT THE PENTHOUSE.

 

HAWK: Jennifer, what are you doing home? I thought you had that party with your family.

JENNIFER: Well I had to cancel because Jack is planning something very special and I had to come home and get ready.

HAWK: For what?

JENNIFER: Well I don't know. I think it's going to be a big surprise.

HAWK: Well I'm sure it's something big, knowing that husband of yours.

JENNIFER: Or something very weird. You know Jack can come up with snowmen in the middle of summer or fake bears in a cabin in the woods somewhere. I never know.

HAWK: Yeah well you still married this guy, huh.

JENNIFER: Well I know it's not everybody's idea of romance but it works for us.

HAWK: Well it seems to me like flowers and some soft music and a little candlelight dinner would be a lot easier.

JENNIFER: Well that's sounds beautiful but Jack would have to have a violinist. No actually he would have a polka band. That's more like it.

HAWK: Well it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun for you, whatever it is.

JENNIFER: Yeah. I'm going to take a nice hot bath and I'm going to soak in some bubbles. I'm going to put on my nicest outfit and get all fixed up. This is going to be a really special birthday. It's my first one as Jack's wife and I know it's going to be a birthday I'll never forget.

 

SHE RUNS INTO HER BEDROOM AND HAWK SMILES TO HIMSELF. HE IS VERY SURE IT IS GOING TO BE A BIRTHDAY SHE WILL NEVER FORGET.

SCENE NINE: HAWK GOES OUT AFTER THAT AND SEES HOWARD. HOWARD IS SURE THAT HAWK IS BECOMING TOO ATTRACTED TO JENNIFER TO REMAIN ON TRACK WITH THEIR PLAN. HAWK DENIES IT ALL AND RETURNS TO THE PENTHOUSE.

SCENE TEN: HAWK ARRIVES BACK AT THE PENTHOUSE, JENNIFER IS ALL DRESSED UP IN A PAL PINK SEQUIN COCKTAIL DRESS AND IS WAITING FOR JACK.

SCENE ELEVEN: MEANWHILE, JACK IS STILL AT WORK WAITING FOR THE MAN TO ARRIVE WITH THE STOCK INFORMATION.

 

JACK: Finally.... oh Vern it's you.

VERN: Well it's nice to see you too Jack. What are you doing here so late?

JACK: You want an answer to that, I'll give you an answer to that. Nothing! Not a zip. I've had it and I'm leaving. I've had it up to here with people who give me inside information to help me get a scoop onevery newspaper in the country not to mention the stock.... market. (Beat) You know it might not hurt actually if I stay a couple more minutes.

VERN: Did you ever find out why you circled that date on the calendar?

JACK: What this? No, no, it's the end of the day, nothing happened. It's probably nothing at all.

 

JACK RIPS OFF THE DATE.

 

VERN: Well goodnight Jack.

JACK: Right.

 

JACK THROWS THE DATE IN THE TRASH AND THEN SITS DOWN. HE STILL CANNOT GET HIS MIND OFF WHAT IT COULD BE.

SCENE TWELVE: BACK AT THE PENTHOUSE, HAWK IS ON THE PHONE TO THE MAN WHO HAS BEEN CALLING JACK ALL DAY.

 

HAWK: You did a good job.

MAN: It was no problem.

HAWK: Yeah, well good. It was nice doing business with you.

 

HAWK HANGS UP AND JENNIFER COMES OUT AGAIN, STILL WAITING FOR JACK.

 

JENNIFER: Jack? (Beat) Oh is Jack home?

HAWK: No Jennifer, sorry he's not.

JENNIFER: Oh I thought I just heard voices though.

HAWK: Oh it must have been the TV.

JENNIFER: Oh yeah. Excuse me, I just need some air.

 

SHE WALKS OUT ONTO THE BALCONY AND HAWK FOLLOWS CARRYING A SMALL BOX.

 

JENNIFER: I mean I don't know where he could be. I called Julie at Wings and she said he left a while ago and he hasn't come back.

HAWK: Well did you call his office?

JENNIFER: No, well I don't want to hound him or anything. If he forgot or something then....

HAWK: Oh, no, I can't believe that. You know I think he probably just got wrapped up in his work and he lost track of time.

JENNIFER: Well you know he did say that we had something to celebrate tonight. So what else could he have meant right?

HAWK: That's right, what else?

JENNIFER: I mean I just hope nothing's happened to him. I hope he didn't get in an accident or anything.

HAWK: I'm sure he's on his way home to you right now.

JENNIFER: You're right, you're right. I'm just being silly.

HAWK: You know while we're waiting Jennifer, I would like to give you my present.

JENNIFER: Oh Hawk, you didn't have to do this

. HAWK: Oh it's the least I could do, you know. After everything that you've done for me.

JENNIFER: Oh gosh.

 

JENNIFER, ONCE AGAIN, FALLS FOR HAWK'S LINES. SHE OPENS THE BOX AND IT IS A VERY CHESSEY BOLO.

 

JENNIFER: Hawk, I don't believe this. This is your bolo. I can't take this.

HAWK: Yeah sure you can.

JENNIFER: No I can't. I know how much you love this.

HAWK: Listen, back in Montana they've got plenty of these things and when I go back there I'm going to probably pick up four or five dozen of them.

JENNIFER: Oh alright. In that case, thank you. I guess I'm just going to have to go shopping and buy myself an outfit to go with it, huh.

HAWK: I just wish I could have given you something more.

JENNIFER: Hawk, you gave me something from the heart and you can't give a person anything more than that.

HAWK: Glad you like it.

JENNIFER: I do, I really do. It made my day.

HAWK: Yeah well it's nice to hear you say that and everything but I'm sure it would have meant a lot more coming from Jack.

 

HAWK HAS PURPOSEFULLY SAID THAT TO FURTHER HIS PLANS OF MAKING JACK THE BAD GUY, AND HIM THE GOOD GUY. JENNIFER EYES FILLS WITH TEARS.

 

HAWK: Oh wait a minute, I'm sorry. That didn't come out right.

JENNIFER: No, it's okay. I know what you meant. I just want to thank you for thinking of me. You really made tonight special even if.... even if Jack wasn't able to.

HAWK: Oh I didn't do anything.

JENNIFER: Yes you did.... more than you know.