Alice's D & C (dilation and curettage) is over at last, Tom prays that Alice will be found healthy. Downstairs in the pathology lab, Tommy begins his work. After one look in his microscope, he grimly picks up the phone to call Dr. Carlin. What are his findings? Does Alice have cancer? Was Walter Griffin correct in his diagnosis and Bill mistaken?
Walter Griffin is a lonely, very lonely man. His wife died some years ago leaving him with a daughter, now sixteen years old. Did Griffin's wife die because her doctor made a mistake that Griffin is determined never to duplicate? Does that explain his reputation?
REVENGE IS SWEET
Poor Neil. His manhood predicated on such a shallow foundation, is
beginning to doubt he has "it" any more. Phyl bluntly tells him she
finds him sexually boring; his nurse flatly rebuffs his overtures;
and Amanda becomes incensed when he confesses that marrying Phyl was
a drastic mistake. To cap off the day Mary phones to demand that he
stop sending gifts like the music box. What music box? He does not
know Phyl sent it to Mary without a note.
Phyl is quite relieved to see that Chris Kositchek has developed an interest in her daughter. Mary is very busy trying to keep their standing on a strictly business basis. She may succeed.
Mickey thinks that "someone down at City Hall" out to make a name for himself is behind the trouble Doug is having with his license. Doug has glimmerings of suspicion that Larry Atwood is at the bottom of his trouble, but they are not concrete enough to articulate, even to himself.
Trish and David's marriage has the promise of developing into something beautiful and worthwhile. Too bad that David, in Washington on business for the firm, decides to see Valerie, and tell her face-to-face why he married Trish. To his horror, he learns that she came to Salem-JUST TO SEE HIM-while Trish was in the hospital. She came to tell him she was prepared to see things his way. Too late, David realizes that his marriage to Trish was not as necessary as it seemed at the time. What will happen now? Will Mike be proved right? Is the marriage doomed?
Linda's ploy seems to be working. By telling Bob that Tommy has proposed to her, by talking of her need to think of security, she has primed Bob to take the bait.
Samantha is carrying it off. She has managed to avoid the workaday problems of Marlena's practice b y taking time off (due to the stress of committing "Samantha"); she has a handy supply of uppers and downers (the office drug Supply)', she has even, by a stroke of incredible luck, managed to alienate Don. Don is the only one who can tell the twins apart . Marlena's only hope of rescue is gone, vanished.
The worthy medical types at Bayview have swallowed Samantha's - story-hook, line and sinker.They are keeping Marlena heavily sedated on thorazine,a very potent drug. Marlena knows that Sam is more than sick: she is criminally insane. Mired in a pit, from which she can find no escape because NO ONE BELIEVES THE TRUTH, Marlena knows that no one believes which twin has the deep psychosis!
A PRAYER IS ANSWERED
The Hortons must wait for an agonizing 24 hours to learn what their
fate will be. Bill suffers: did he let his ego get in the way of a
diagnosis? If he was wrong, and Griffin right, Alice will be the one
to pay for his mistake with her life.
The seconds, the minutes I and finally the hours, drag on. At last the waiting is over. Alice and Tom have both, privately , prayed for the grace to accept the news-whatever it is.
Alice does not have cancer' The, relief of the Hortons and all who care for them is immense.
Doug refuses Larry Atwood's offer to put in the right word to the right people. He will not owe Atwood a favor-the man is as friendly as a full-grown cobra!
But Atwood is tenacious and patient . He intends to get control of Doug's place, and of the clientele it attracts. He will bring gambling to Salem by, ultimately, blackmailing that clientele into giving him all the protection a gambling house will need: photos and IOU's will do that.
THE GAME BEGINS
Mary is bowled over by Chris. He has taken it into his head that she
needs his help, and will not take no for an answer. They have a
lovely dinner at Doug's Place which is ruined for Mary by the
untimely arrival of Neil. When she gets home she immediately
confronts her mother. "Why," she asked Phyl, "did you humiliate me by
telling Chris I have problems with men" I don't understand what's
going on around here!" "Give it a little thought," says Phyl
innocently, "and you might." Mary regards Chris as a
rhinestone-in-tbe-rough, but he is winning her over, although neither
realizes it as yet.
David and Trish talk quietly of their baby, their marriage. They are both quietly sure that their marriage is going to work out.
Out at Bayview, Marlena is in still more desperate straits. She has been pumped with so many drugs that she is close to becoming addicted herself The condescension of the staff, the hell of being in isolation (she will do some things differently, now that she has learned at first hand what hell can be) is more than she can stand. She manages to call Laura for help, but when Laura does come to see her, she is befogged by thorazine and cannot recognize her visitor.
While Laura feels that "Samantha" is sicker than they thought, Dr. Powell has come to the same conclusion and he puts "Dr. Evans" on the spot by saying her sister must be removed from isolation and her treatment changed because she is deteriorating. Squirming inside, the real Samantha must give in.
As Marlena is moved to the open section of the sanitarium, Don receives the letter she managed to smuggle out, asking for his help. Instead of reading the intimate details she included as clues to her real identity, he reads into the letter betrayal. He takes it to Laura.
Laura reads the letter as a desperate cry for help, explaining that "Marlena" (who has certainly not been herself lately) is suffering from the intense fear that she also may be schizophrenic-potentially. The plea is desperate, but they are still unaware of who is sending it.
Marlena's first act, when moved to an open room, is to escape! Where will she go?
The real Samantha is near panic when Dr. Powell calls and tells her of her sister's escape. The best defense being a good offense, she threatens to sue the hospital for negligence. . . . As soon as she can, she grabs a handful of pills. She is terrified that Marlena will be able to contact either Don or Laura. Certain doom. . . .
Marlene, however, close to exhaustion when she flags down a ride, has the luck to find a henpecked husband out for a good time. At her firm and repeated refusal to go to The Red Barn, he finally lets her out of the car. She is miles from nowhere, but finally makes it to an all-night cafe. She tries calling for help -- Don doesn't answer, Laura isn't home.... Don ultimately comes out to the cafe to help "Samantha" but the police get there first and return her to Bayview.
The next day, Dr. Powell sadly tells Laura that "Samantha" had to be placed in restraints. He is close to siding with "Dr. Evans" in,the recommendation of Shock Therapy.
Laura is shocked. She would very much like to talk to Samantha, but quietly accepts "Dr. Evans" dictum that her sister receive visits from no one but herself and the staff psychiatrist.
How much more can Marlena take and not become truly certifiable?
COFFEE HOUSE- OR POORHOUSE?
The conversion underway, Julie and Doug, for the other's benefit,
pretend to great enthusians and confidence in the project. Privately,
each wonders how they are possibly going to survive.
Mickey's attitude towards the Bartons changes when the violence begins to hit home. Billy Barton has taken to hitting himself, and Janice Horton gets a cut lip in the process. Quite angry when Fred come to apologize for his boy and threatens to beat the daylights out of him, Mickey suggests that the boy would be better served by a good example from his father. As he later wonders if he has made matters worse, Fred takes his fury out not only on Billy, but on Jean He beats her so badly that even she, now, has had enough She resolves to take no more abuse.
Bill and Laura are beginning to realize that they are more like two ships that pass in the night than husband and wife. They never see each other! Their one precious night together, they argue-he wants to stay home, alone, she wants to go to the Art Benefit-Bill can mend some fences there. It turns out to be academic. Kate Winograd calls asking Bill to come in-there is no one to assist in surgery.
While Laura is at the Benefit-alone and miserable-Bill confides in Kate that this graveyard shift is beginning to get on his nerves. He alludes to difficulties brewing between him and Laura. Still, he is determined to stick it out-as long as Griffin wants to hand it out, Bill will take it.
Marie will remain in Salem, working at the Good Samaritan Home.
It won't be long now before the baby is born, and Trish and David have been practicing the proper procedures they will use in preparation for a natural childbirth. With David as her coach, Trish practices her breathing exercises. Trish is upset about the planned baby shower she is being given by Julie. Trish is afraid she might see Michael. David, however, persuades her to go.
Before the shower, Trish gets a surprise visit from one of her dearest and closest friends, Toni, who is also quite far along in a pregnancy of her own! Trish and Toni have a nice visit. Toni tells Trish that Mrs. Remick has asked Toni to stay on at the home after the baby is born, to work as a kind of all-round counselor and morale booster to the other young, unwed mothers-to-be!
Toni says it may not sound like much; but at least she now has a job and a roof over her head until some- thing better comes along. Trish is very happy for Toni; but not all the talk is so sweet. A perceptive Toni gets the feeling that all is not well between Trish and David, and Trish reiterates the hard facts of her reality. Trish tells Toni that Toni knows quite well why she and David got married-because of the baby. Toni responds cheerfully that David is such a sweetheart, and tells Trish that Trish is a whole lot better off with David instead of that character Michael! Needless to say, that outburst doesn't sit too well with Trish. Trish admonishes Toni that Toni cannot have a proper opinion of Michael as Toni never knew Michael very well...
MANIPULATING MOTHER
The baby shower is a smashing success -not only for Trish; but for
Toni! It turns out that it was a surprise "double" shower-for both
Toni and Trish! And it looks like Toni may very well become a more
permanent part of Salem! Help has been offered to find Toni a job
within the community family services agencies.
Michael, meantime, continues to be upset about Trish and David being married. His mother tries to help him by pointing out that he mustn't let the whole affair stop him from growing. She tells him he must learn from it and benefit from it. But her words are of no help. Michael angrily accuses her of using him to practice her psychiatry on.
Chris gets a letter with an enclosed check from Phyllis Curtis. The money is for Chris, and the letter instructs him to ask her daughter, Mary, for a date! The letter intimates that there is more money forthcoming if Chris will continue to see Mary! Chris is incensed! He feels he is being asked to perform as a mere gigolo. He tries to call up Phyllis; but she is not at home... and as Chris quite thoughtfully hangs up the phone, he seems to have second thoughts regarding the suggested arrangement. He pockets the check.
CHRIS TAKES CHARGE
Chris then goes to see Bob Anderson, who requests Chris' presence at
a business party for Gen. Rollins. He asks Chris who he would like to
bring as a date, and Chris says Mary! Bob is surprised, but pleased.
Bob has good feelings about Chris - in fact, his feelings seem to be
quite fatherly where Chris is concerned. Bob tells Chris he sees in
him the potential to go all the way to the top in the
business!
Chris, now, has to persuade Mary to go to the party with him. It's not easy, as she is furious to learn that Bob asked Linda Phillips to be his hostess! Mary feels that she should have been asked to be her father's hostess. Chris placates her and gets her to accept his date by telling her that if she want to get ahead in business; it's better for her to be at the party as the head of her department than as a social butterfly.
From Soap Opera Digest