[Air
date 2-5-89]
SCENE ONE: EMILIO HAS BEEN SECRETLY TRAINING A HORSE
BELONGING TO NEIL CURTIS. EMILIO WANTS TO TAKE THE HORSE TO FLORIDA
AND SAYS THAT NEIL WILL NOT LET HIM.
JENNIFER MAKES A BET WITH EMILIO THAT NEIL WILL LET HIM TAKE
THE HORSE IF HE TELLS THE TRUTH. THEY MAKE THE BET AND HE GOES TO
ASK NEIL. SHE GOES TO THE SPECTATOR TO ASK PERMISSION
TO GO TO FLORIDA AND WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.
SCENE TWO: JENNIFER ARRIVES AT THE SPECTATOR
AND GOES INTO DIANA'S OFFICE.
JENNIFER: Diana?
THE CHAIR SPINS AROUND AND JACK IS SITTING THERE.
JACK: Come in.
JENNIFER: Er.... hi.
JACK: (Jack seems intrigued) What can I do for you?
JENNIFER: Nothing. There's nothing that you can do for me.
I must have made some sort of mistake.
JACK: (Jack seems to be having fun trying to make her nervous,
but not in a sinister way) Oh, no, no, no. No mistake made. There's
standing orders to send anything blonde and under thirty into me.
(Beat) That is a joke.... Miss Horton. You can laugh or maybe even
attempt to smile.
JENNIFER: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything.
I was looking for Diana.
JACK: Well she's not here today. She's at the hospital.
Of course you've heard about Caroline Brady?
JENNIFER: Oh, yes, yes. You know what, I'll come back at
another time.
JACK: No, no, no, no. Don't go. I'm sure you wanted to talk
to Diana about something. Maybe about the paper?
JENNIFER: Um, sort of, yeah. I just wanted to talk to her
about an article that I was thinking about writing.
JACK: Well, tell me all about your article.
JENNIFER: Um....
JACK: Cup of coffee?
JENNIFER: No thanks. I just really wanted to talk to Diana
about it.
JACK: Diana's not in charge here. I am.
JENNIFER: Well, she's still the editor of the paper.
JACK: She owns 49 percent of the paper. I own 51. I don't
know, you tell me. Who's got the upper hand?
JENNIFER: I don't really know. I'd just rather wait and
talk to Diana, that's all.
JACK: The idea must be pretty weak.
JENNIFER: What makes you say that?
JACK: Well, you obviously don't have enough faith in it to
tell somebody who's not going to give you Brownie points just because
they're.... your friend.
JENNIFER: Well, you're wrong because I happen to think that
my idea would be a fantastic story.
JACK: Good. That's a good start. Now, if
you want to see your article in print, convince me.
SCENE THREE: THE SPECTATOR, CONTINUATION
OF PREVIOUS SCENE. THROUGHOUT THE SCENE JACK SEEMS TO ENJOY GIVING
HER A HARD TIME, BUT ALSO IS INTRIGUED BY JENNIFER, AND MAYBE
A LITTLE IMPRESSED AND INTERESTED WITH HER; HE SEEMS TO LIKE THAT
SHE IS NERVOUS BUT THAT SHE IS NOT BACKING DOWN.
JACK : So, you want to write a story about a horse?
 JENNIFER:
Well, not just one. You see I'd like to do a whole series. I would
like to take this one horse's career and just follow it from the
day she started training all the way up to her first win.
JACK: It doesn't sound like news to me.
JENNIFER: Well, I know that it's not page one material but
it's the kind of feature that people get caught up in, you know.
And with the race at the end, the drama is built right in. And anyone
who's ever taken Journalism 101 knows that the only thing that sells
more papers than pictures of babies, is pictures of animals.
JACK: (Jack seems to be impressed with that she is not backing
down nor seems intimidated by him) I'm not wild about either. But
you've made your point. Go on.
JENNIFER: Um, well I don't know what else to tell you. I
mean, it's a good story.
JACK: It's not a story. There's no angle. You've got this
little.... little horse who at some point or other is going to run
a race.
JENNIFER: Um, what if I told you that this horse already
ran and won?
JACK: What are you saying? They put him out to pasture and
now he's going to make a comeback?
JENNIFER: You see, in a way. They kind of wrote her off
the books when she hurt her leg but then someone came along who
had enough faith to put her back in shape. Now he's ready to put
that all on the line again. What do you think about that?
JACK: I think it's about the sappiest, most sentimental
story I've ever heard. (Beat) It'll work.
JENNIFER: Really. You're going to okay this.
JACK: No, no, no. Not so fast. You've got to think about
something that 101 didn't prepare you for. The money.
JENNIFER: Yeah, er, I need some money for my trip.
JACK: Trip?
JENNIFER: Well, the race tracks in Florida.
JACK: (Laughing) Oh, well, you better be prepared to stay
in some of the cheapest fleabag no-tell motels on the Eastern Seaboard.
JENNIFER: I don't care. I don't care. As long as we have
a deal.
JACK: Okay. I'll put it in writing if you will. Cash on
delivery of course. (Beat) Now tell me, why are you so interested
in horses?
JENNIFER: Ah.... because it's very interesting.
JENNIFER SEEMS TO BE THINKING ABOUT EMILIO.
JACK: Hmmm. To bookies and greasy old men maybe but most women
aren't interested in sports unless there's a man involved. Of course
I know you're an exception to the rule. JENNIFER: Ah, thanks
for everything.
JACK: No, no. One more thing. What's the horse's name?
JENNIFER: (Embarrassed, she hesitates) Ah.... Jennifer's
Beauty.
JENNIFER RUSHES OUT OF THE OFFICE. JACK SEEMS
TAKEN BY MISS HORTON.
JACK: She certainly is.
SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER MEETS
EMILIO BACK AT SHENANIGAN'S AND SHE TELLS HIM SHE WANTS TO WRITE
AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE TRAINING AND ABOUT HIM. HE AGREES TO LET HER
COME.
SCENE ONE: DIANA IS WITH
RUSTY AT THE SPECTATOR.
DIANA: Thanks for everything, Rusty.
RUSTY: No problem, Miss Colville. I'm glad to be able to
help.
JACK COMES IN THE OFFICE.
JACK: Diana, I think that we ought to..... well what have we
here?
RUSTY: I'm just leaving.
JACK: Alright, Diana, what do you think you're up to?
DIANA: I don't have time to exchange clever little barbs
with you today, Jack. I have to get to the hospital.
JACK: What was Rusty doing here?
DIANA: I don't owe you an explanation.
JACK: You do if it was about me and that is what it was
about, wasn't it?
DIANA: You're starting to get paranoid Jack.
JACK: Paranoid. Well paranoia can be a very healthy thing
when they're are known people walking around spreading lies about
you.
DIANA: Lies. Well if they're lies then why are you so worried?
JACK: Worried? No I'm not worried. In fact you should be
worried because you know what a bad idea it is to sneak around behind
my back. Diana, I am checking every single word that's goes in and
out of this place. You're not going to get away with a thing.
DIANA: We'll see. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important
items to attend to.
JACK: Diana?
DIANA: Goodbye Jack.
JACK: Diana.
DIANA LEAVES AND JACK FRANTICALLY STARTS SEARCHING
HER DESK THEN HE STOPS.
JACK: Well, it would help to know what I was looking for
wouldn't it? (Beat) Yeah.
HE HURRIES OUT OF THE OFFICE.
SCENE TWO: A SHORT TIME LATER JACK
MEETS RUSTY ON THE PIER.
JACK: You're a smart man Rusty. You remember to jump when I
call.
RUSTY: What to you want now, Jack?
JACK: Tell me. What did you talk to Diana about?
RUSTY: None of your business.
JACK: You damn well better believe it's my business when
you sneak around behind my back talking about me.
RUSTY: Yeah? Well maybe if you kept your nose clean there
wouldn't be so much to tell.
 JACK:
Well, I guess you were talking about me weren't you?
RUSTY: I didn't say that.
JACK: You didn't have to. I can tell. You and Diana have
been going behind my back trying to bring me down.
RUSTY: Oh, yeah? You know you're beginning to sound like
you got a screw loose or something.
JACK: Rusty, you got this idea that you're going to walk
away from this thing, scott free. I warned you. I guess you didn't
hear the message.
RUSTY: What are you talking about?
JACK REMOVES AN ENVELOPE FROM HIS POCKET.
JACK: This.
RUSTY: What is this?
JACK: (Laughing, he removes some photographs.) You know
what these are. Apparently, that hallowed number on the campaign
trail wasn't the only woman that you were sleeping around with.
You know Rusty, you're quite the ladies' man.
RUSTY: Give me those.
JACK: Go ahead, Rusty. Tear them up. I've got negatives.
I can flood the whole town with pictures if I want. I wonder what
your wife and friends are going to think of you now?
RUSTY: What do you want from me?
JACK: Nothing. You had your chance and you blew it. There
is nothing you can do now.
RUSTY: Jack, Jack, Jack. I'll do anything but you can't
tell my wife.
JACK: Rusty, I'm sorry, I got no other choice.
RUSTY: Jack, you don't understand, she'll not only leave
me. She'll take me for every last red cent.
JACK: Maybe I should get out my little violin?
RUSTY: Jack, I'm serious. This'll ruin me.
JACK: Rusty, you should have thought of that before you
went to Diana.
RUSTY: Jack, you can't do this.
JACK: Rusty, I can do it. And I'm going to do it and there's
nothing you can do to stop me.
RUSTY WALKS A LITTLE WAY FROM JACK AND PULLS OUT A
POCKET KNIFE. JACK IS STANDING LAUGHING TO HIMSELF.
RUSTY: I wouldn't be so sure of that.
RUSTY TURNS AROUND AND STABS JACK IN HIS LEFT SIDE.
JACK FALLS TO THE GROUND.
SCENE THREE: JACK HOLDS A
HANDKERCHIEF ON HIS WOUND AND STAGGERS TO THE DOOR OF THE EMERGENCY
CENTER. THE DOOR IS LOCKED BUT KAYLA WALKS UP.
KAYLA: Jack, what are you doing here?
JACK: Kayla, I need your help.
KAYLA: I'm sorry but whatever you're mixed up in I don't
want to be a part of it, right.
JACK: Kayla, please. I'm hurt. Kayla....
JACK BEGINS TO FALL AS HE WALKS IN THE DOOR. KAYLA
GRABS HIM AND HELPS HIM INSIDE.
KAYLA: What did you do? Here put your hand over my shoulder.
JACK: Oooh.
KAYLA: Here, take your coat off.
JACK: Kayla, am I going to be alright?
KAYLA: I'm sure you will be Jack.
JACK: Kayla can you help me?
KAYLA: I'm.... I'm going to get another nurse.
 JACK:
No, no, Kayla, I need you. I need your help. Please. (Beat) Kayla
please, I want you to help me. I need your help.
KAYLA: Alright Jack. I'll help. Take your shirt off and
I'll see what I can do.
JACK: I won't.... I won't forget this Kayla.
KAYLA: Look your a patient. I'm a nurse. That's all there
is too it, alright? Nothing more.
JACK: Fine. Whatever your reasons are, I appreciate them.
KAYLA: So, what happened?
JACK: I.... er.... I was on the waterfront and some people
stabbed me. I guess they were trying to rob me.
KAYLA: Ah, well as soon as we're done here we can call the
police.
JACK: No! Don't. Er....that won't be necessary.
KAYLA: Why? Don't you want whoever did this to be caught?
JACK: I er.... I er.... I er.... don't want the publicity.
KAYLA: Since when didn't Jack Deveraux want publicity? What's
going on here Jack?
JACK: I told you Kayla. I was.... I was on the waterfront
and somebody stabbed me....
KAYLA: But it wasn't a stranger was it? That's why you didn't
want to call the police because you knew who it was. And knowing
you, you probably deserved it.
SCENE FOUR: KAYLA PROCEEDS
TO DRESS HIS WOUND IN A NOT SUCH A SOFT MANNER.
KAYLA: There, that ought to do it.  JACK:
Are you sure?
KAYLA: Well, you can have a doctor check it if you like.
JACK: No. No, no, no, no. I believe you. Kayla I really
appreciate all your help.
KAYLA: Just doing my job.
JACK: Can't you accept a simple thank you. I was just trying
to be nice.
KAYLA: And if you think that your being nice is going to
make me forget everything that you did, you're wrong.
JACK: I didn't say anything about forget. (Beat) I'm so
sick of this.
KAYLA: You're so sick of it? Jack you tried to ruin my life
and you act as if nothing ever really happened. I don't understand
you.
JACK: Kayla, you don't even try.
THE PHONE RINGS AND KAYLA ANSWERS IT. IT IS ROMAN
TELLING HER THAT HER MOTHER IS GOING TO BE OKAY. MEANWHILE JACK
PUTS HIS COAT BACK ON.
JACK: So is your mom going to be okay?
KAYLA: Yeah, she regained consciousness and....
JACK: Kayla, it's okay, you can tell me about it.
KAYLA: Why would you care Jack?
JACK: I care a lot. Your mother treated me like a son when
we were married. Like part of the family. And that's not something
I forget easily.
KAYLA: What about your own family Jack? You don't even admit
that they exist.
JACK: We weren't talking about the Johnsons.
KAYLA: Well I'm talking about the Johnsons. They are your family,
Jack, whether you want to admit it or now. Whenever they reach out
to you, you turn your back on them. You act like you're just too good
for them. Well, I've got news for you. It's the other way round. You
don't deserve them.
KAYLA GOES TO WALK AWAY AND JACK GRABS HER.
JACK: I've had all that I can take from you.
KAYLA: Let go of me, Jack.
JACK: No, not until you hear me out. You act like I set
out to destroy your whole life. Like I plotted this whole thing
and you know.... we both know that is not true. When I came to Salem,
I had a plan, yes. A plan to find you and marry you. Because I loved
you.
JACK CRYING, LOOKS DOWN AND SEES HE IS GRABBING HER
WRIST, AND GENTLY LETS LOOSENS HIS GRIP.
KAYLA: Jack, I don't want to hear this.
JACK: Kayla, I want you to hear this.
You've got to hear this. You talk about me ruining your life, what
about what you did to mine. Before all this happened I was a pretty
good guy, remember that? I was the kind of guy that everybody looked
up to, that.... everybody loved. Everybody but you. But you couldn't
love me. If you could it would have been a whole lot better for
both of us.
KAYLA: Not for me.
JACK: I know you didn't know what you were doing to me.
You didn't know how much it would hurt.
KAYLA: Jack, people get rejected every day but they don't
do what you did. Not to somebody that they....
JACK: Kayla don't.... don't bring up the past.
KAYLA: I didn't bring this up. Look I don't want to have
this conversation with you.
JACK: Kayla, I never set out to do the things that I did. I
was losing you.... (Crying) I was losing you to.... to my worst enemy....
my brother. Then all this just came down on top of me. It dropped.
KAYLA: It's no excuse.
 JACK:
(Jack actually sounds contrite and sincere) I know. I know that now.
But it's not going to change what happened. Maybe I can change. See
another side. I want to Kayla. I just don't know.... I don't know
how.
KAYLA: Well, if you really want to, you'll find a way. You
always do.
JACK: I don't know if I can.
KAYLA: It's your problem, Jack.
JACK: Well thank you for your.... thank you for taking care
of me.... thank you.
JACK WALKS OUTSIDE HOLDING HIS SIDE.
JACK: (With emotion) I want to make a difference Kayla. I do.
SCENE FIVE: AS JACK IS STANDING
THERE HE HEARS STEVE'S HARMONICA SO HE HIDES AS STEVE GOES IN TO
SEE KAYLA. SHE TELLS STEVE THAT JACK WAS STABBED AND STEVE IS IMMEDIATELY
CONCERNED.
SCENE ONE: JENNIFER AND EMILIO
ARRIVE IN FLORIDA. THE MOTEL IS VERY DOWN GRADE AND SHE GETS SCARED
OF A COCKROACH WHICH EMILIO SQUASHES.
SCENE TWO: MEANWHILE, CAROLINE
BRADY IS RECOVERING IN HOSPITAL; SHAWN IS THERE, AND STEVE AND KAYLA
HAVE COME TO VISIT HER. WHILE THEY ARE THERE JACK TURNS UP WITH
A BUNCH OF FLOWERS.
JACK: Good morning.
KAYLA: Jack.
JACK: Mrs. Brady, hello.
STEVE: What do you want?
JACK LOOKS AROUND AT ALL THE OTHER FLOWERS.
JACK: I guess I should have brought a vase, huh? Well it's
the thought that counts anyway.
CAROLINE: How are you Jack? How are you feeling? We heard
about what happened.
JACK: You mean about.... Actually I'm fine, I'm fine, thanks
to Kayla.
CAROLINE: I'm glad to hear that.
JACK: I know I should have come sooner. Actually it was hard
to come at all. I'm sure.... I'm sure that you understand that.
STEVE CLEARS HIS THROAT LOUDLY AND STARES AT JACK
INTENTLY. JACK TRIES TO CARRY ON A NORMAL CONVERSATION BUT STEVE
CONTINUES TO STARE AT HIM.
JACK: I wanted you to know that I was thinking about you.
CAROLINE: I appreciate that Jack.
JACK: You're welcome. (Beat) Anyway I guess I'll be going.
STEVE: I'll walk you out.
JACK: That's alright, you don't need to do that.
STEVE: Yes I do.
JACK: Mrs. Brady, you keep getting better and better and if
there's anything that I can do, anything at all.....
STEVE PUSHES JACK OUTSIDE.
STEVE: Now what the hell was that all about?
JACK: Believe it or not I care about that lady in there.
STEVE: You can't even put two nice words together for your
own mother. Now how is anybody going to believe that you care about
Caroline Brady?
JACK: Can't I do something nice for somebody without having
an ulterior motive?
 STEVE:
No, no. I don't think you can. I don't think you know how to.
JACK: Well, maybe I'm learning how to. Maybe you'll give
me the benefit of the doubt for a change.
STEVE: I've been down that road before. Before I make that
mistake again, I'm going to have to see some proof out of you.
JACK: Well, I don't have to show you any proof, but for your
information, when I was married to Kayla, Mrs. Brady was very kind
to me. She took me in as a member of the family and out of appreciation
I'm here today. So, you see, you're wrong about my motivation Big
Brother. It is sincere. Not that I give a damn what you think.
JACK LEAVES AND KAYLA COMES OUT.
KAYLA: What was that all about?
STEVE: Great performances by Jack Deveraux.
KAYLA: You don't think he was sincere?
STEVE: No, no. Same old Jack.
KAYLA: What if you're wrong? What if Jack really is making
an effort to change? Could you forgive him?
STEVE SAYS THAT THERE IS NO WAY HE COULD EVER FORGIVE
JACK BUT KAYLA THINKS HE IS BEING TOO HARD.
AFTER STEVE LEAVES KAYLA TELLS ROMAN THAT SHE THINKS STEVE
REJECTS JACK BECAUSE HE THINKS TO ACCEPT HIM WOULD BE TO BETRAY
HER.
SCENE THREE: A BIT LATER
DIANA IS AT THE FISH MARKET READING THE PAPER.
DIANA: Where did this come from?
JACK: Excuse me.
DIANA: Jack.
JACK: Why do people say my name and stop dead in their tracks
when I walk into the room?
DIANA: What do you want?
JACK: A hundred pounds of smoked salmon. (Beat) It's a joke!
You know, HA HA!
DIANA: Ha, ha, ha.
JACK: Okay. You haven't seen Kayla around here have you?
DIANA: (She looks around the shop.) Do you see her?
JACK: Alright, Diana. Is this jousting really necessary?
I mean I left my lance outside. Checked it at the door. See, notice,
no weapons. Even had my nails trimmed this morning.
DIANA: Okay. She might be by with Steve a little later if
you'd like to wait.
JACK: Nah, nah. I think I'll just wander the streets friendless
if it's just the same to you?
DIANA: Jack, wait a minute. What do you know about this?
JACK: About what?
DIANA: About this unauthorized article about the poor riverfront
family barely getting by. Everybody pulling together to get the
eldest to college?
JACK: Hmmm. Doesn't sound like my work, does it?
DIANA: Uh, uh.
JACK: Who could that be? (Beat) I know it must be the newsprint
fairy! Well, Diana, don't you worry, I'm going to get Vern out with
some flypaper and we'll just get that little bugger.
DIANA: Who wrote this?
JACK: Well.... a writer that I owed a favor to. He brought
it in and I printed it. But don't worry, I paid him out of my own
pocket so your budget is safe. (Beat) Well, you know newsprint. Human
interest. It sells. It's good. It sells papers. You know. Plain and
simple. Simple. (He backs out the door.) |
