“AS THE WORLD TURNS”
TELEPLAY
<FADE IN>
SCENE: AL'S DINER
LUKE IS SITTING AT A TABLE, WRITING IN HIS JOURNAL.
HE SEEMS UNUSUALLY HAPPY.
VIENNA EXITS THE KITCHEN.
VIENNA (EXCITED):
Luke, how are you? No, don't tell me.
You're looking good.
LUKE LAUGHS:
I actually feel pretty good.
VIENNA:
Well let me know what you're taking.
I could use some of it around here.
LUKE SHRUGS, SHAKING HIS HEAD.
VIENNA:
You mean, you're not taking anything?
LUKE LAUGHS:
Nope.
VIENNA SIGHS, LOOKING AT LUKE MISERABLY:
What do you want then?
LUKE SMILES:
Something greasy...
with a Swedish flair.
VIENNA:
Ah! I know just the thing.
VIENNA DISAPPEARS INTO THE KITCHEN.
HENRY COMES OUT.
HENRY:
Luke! How have you been?
Haven't seen you since last fall.
<FADE OUT>
<OPENING TITLES>
<COMMERCIAL>
<FADE IN>
SCENE: THE SIDEWALK SHOPS OF OAKDALE
DUSTY WALKS IN, OBVIOUSLY LOOKING FOR SOMEONE.
OAKDALE RESIDENTS ATTEMPT TO AVOID
BEING NEAR HIM.
A YOUNG MAN IS SITTING AT A TABLE,
HIS BACK TO DUSTY.
DUSTY:
Excuse me.
THE YOUNG MAN TURNS AROUND. IT'S JASON.
JASON:
Oh, hello. I didn't know you were there.
DUSTY SMILES SLOWLY:
Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.
I'm trying to find Noah Mayer.
Have you seen him, lately?
JASON:
I know who he is, but I haven't
seen him in a while. He's
usually hanging out with that Snyder kid.
DUSTY:
I think they do a bit more than
hanging out.
JASON (CONFUSED):
Umm, yeah.
DUSTY:
So you do know about them then?
JASON:
It's kind of hard to miss...
DUSTY NODS:
I need you to do me a favor.
<FADE OUT>
<COMMERCIAL>
<FADE IN>
JASON (SUSPICIOUS):
What type of favor?
DUSTY LIFTS A HAND IN A COMFORTING GESTURE:
It's nothing bad....
I just need you to give Noah
a message for me.
JASON:
Umm, okay.
What do you want me to tell him?
DUSTY:
Tell him...
DUSTY PAUSES FOR A MOMENT
DUSTY (CONT'D):
Tell him that his father
is looking down on him from heaven
and sends his angels to protect him.
JASON:
That's kind of cryptic...
Are you sure you don't have a clearer message.
DUSTY:
I think
he'll know what it means.
JASON:
Okay.
What does it mean, anyway?
DUSTY SMILES AND LOOKS OFF IN THE DISTANCE:
It means things are going
to get a lot more... interesting.
JASON IS CONFUSED, BUT SHRUGS AND SITS
TURNS BACK AROUND, WRITING IN A SPIRAL.
DUSTY LOOKS AROUND AND NOTICES MOST
EVERYONE ELSE STARING AT HIM OR AVOIDING HIM.
HE QUICKLY EXITS.
<FADE OUT>
<COMMERCIAL>
<FADE IN>
SCENE: AL'S DINER.
LUKE IS SITTING AT A TABLE, ENJOYING
WHATEVER VIENNA MADE FOR HIM.
HENRY BRINGS HIM A GLASS OF SODA.
HENRY:
There you go, Luke.
I can't believe Vienna forgot to
bring your drink.
LUKE (SMILING):
Oh that's okay, Henry.
HENRY LOOKS AT LUKE AND SMILES:
You're different...
you look good, healthy.
What are you doing, hiding in
a tower while the rest of
us get the cold and the flu?
LUKE LAUGHS:
Nope.
HENRY PUTS HIS HANDS ON HIS HIPS, SMILING:
Okay, that's just... disgusting.
No one is allowed to be that happy
without sharing secrets.
LUKE SHRUGS:
I don't know really.
Hey, have you seen Noah...?
he was supposed to join me here.
HENRY SHAKES HIS HEAD:
Not since the fall.
You kids abandoned me all winter,
left me here with the witch
in the kitchen.
VIENNA SHOUTS OUT:
I heard that.
HENRY YELLS BACK:
Yes, darling, your beauty is bewitching.
VIENNA STICKS HER HEAD OUT OF THE KITCHEN:
Hummph.
LUKE BURSTS OUT LAUGHING HAPPILY.
NOAH ENTERS.
NOAH (HAPPILY):
What's so funny.
LUKE AND NOAH MAKE EYE CONTACT
FROM ACROSS THE ROOM.
<UPSWELL IN MUSIC>
HENRY IS STUNNED, ALMOST TAKES A STEP
BACKWARD.
HENRY (UNDERSTANDING):
Okay...
NOAH MAKES HIS WAY TO LUKE'S TABLE.
HENRY LOOKS AT LUKE AND NOAH,
EXAMINING THEM FROM A DISTANCE.
HENRY SWALLOWS:
Vienna?!
VIENNA RUSHES OUT OF THE KITCHEN:
Is something wro – oh.
LUKE AND NOAH SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT
HENRY AND VIENNA FOR A MOMENT AS LUKE STANDS UP.
LUKE AND NOAH KISS, DEEPLY.
HENRY LOOKS AROUND, THEN
TURNS BACK TO WATCH THEM, MESMERIZED.
VIENNA:
Oh my!
<FADE OUT>
<COMMERCIAL>
<FADE IN>
SCENE: OAKDALE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
DUSTY:
...so you can see what I'm concerned about.
If Noah's grades suffer because
of this difficult time in his life
right now, I'd never forgive myself.
COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR:
Yes, it does seem like a
legitimate concern.
Unfortunately, there's nothing
we can do.
We have counseling services
available to our students, of course.
But it's not mandatory.
DUSTY:
But he's still a minor.
COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR:
Yes, well we would need written permission
from his legal guardian.
DUSTY:
I can get that.
And would it be possible
for me to speak to the counselors?
COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR:
Yes, of course.
<TRANSITION>
SCENE: AL'S DINER.
VIENNA AND HENRY ARE BOTH WATCHING LUKE AND NOAH KISS.
VIENNA (WHISPERS):
How come you never kiss me like that?
HENRY TURNS TO HER, SURPRISED:
Darling, we kiss all the time.
VIENNA:
Yes, but not like that!
HENRY TURNS BACK TO WATCH LUKE AND NOAH.
HENRY:
As soon as I figure out how it's different,
we'll try it out, okay, sweetheart?
VIENNA NODS.
HENRY:
He.. just had to enter the room... and
everything changed...
VIENNA:
I think I can see that....
VIENNA GASPS.
VIENNA:
Oh god, Henry. They're in love.
HENRY:
Well I already knew-
VIENNA GRABS HENRY'S HEAD AND MAKES
HER PAY ATTENTION TO HIM.
VIENNA:
They are in love – blissful, happy-ever-after, I
hear wedding bells in my head, soulmates forever, love.
HENRY SLOWLY TURNS BACK TO LUKE AND NOAH,
WHO HAVE FINALLY STOPPED KISSING AND SIT DOWN.
NOAH (LAUGHING HAPPILY):
Hey, what do I have to do to get some
service around here?
HENRY:
Oh sorry, Noah... Do you want to see a menu?
NOAH:
No. I'll just have what he's having.
VIENNA HEADS BACK INTO THE KITCHEN:
You and me both, kid.
HENRY OVERHEARS VIENNA BUT LUKE AND NOAH
ARE OBLIVIOUS.
<FADE OUT>
<COMMERCIAL>
<FADE IN>
SCENE: A PSYCHOLOGIST'S OFFICE
DUSTY AND DR. REINALD WEARING A GRAY SUIT
ARE STANDING NEAR THE DOORWAY.
DR. REINALD:
No, no. Homosexual behavior hasn't been
a behavioral disorder for seventeen years now.
DUSTY:
Seventeen years?
DR. REINALD NODS:
Yes, I mean there are a few
who still hold on to the belief,
but for the most part we've given up
on trying to cure a natural part
of human sexuality.
DUSTY:
Right, that's good to hear.
I hope all of the psychologists here
are as prescient in that regard.
DR. REINALD:
Well, Dr. Adams has some doubts
regarding that behavioral philosophy.
But everyone else here is on the
same page.
DUSTY NODS (THOUGHTFUL):
Well thank you, Dr. Reinald.
I think I have all the information
I need now.
DR. REINALD:
Of course, any time.
DUSTY WALKS OUT.
<FADE OUT>
<COMMERCIAL>
<FADE IN>
SCENE: AL'S DINER
HENRY IS WATCHING LUKE AND NOAH. THEY'RE CONTINUALLY TOUCHING, LAUGHING, SMILING AT ONE ANOTHER, TALKING IN HUSHED TONES.
THEY'RE COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO EVERYONE ELSE.
LUKE SAYS SOMETHING PARTICULARLY FUNNY AND NOAH LAUGHS LOUDLY,
TAKING NOAH'S HAND AND RAISING IT TO HIS LIPS.
HENRY:
Hey, hey, hey! You two...
Keep the public displays at a minimum!
NOAH BLUSHES:
Sorry, Mr. Coleman.
VIENNA RUSHES OUT:
Did I miss something good?
HENRY SIGHS, EXASPERATED:
No.
VIENNA LOOKS AT HENRY SOURLY:
You spoilsport.. Let them have their...
I forget, there's no English for that.
Let them have their fun?
No – too weak...
HENRY:
Vienna, I know what you're trying to say,
and believe me, I would... but
this isn't Europe. Americans look a little
differently on that type of stuff.
VIENNA, WAVING A KITCHEN KNIFE AROUND:
Oh don't I know it.. You Americans
go over all the world and wave your
Puritan flags and go into shock
whenever you see two people in love.
HENRY, GENTLY PRIES THE KNIFE FROM HER HAND:
Vienna, that's not going to help any
right now.
VIENNA:
Fine. I'm going back into the kitchen,
but don't you do anything to break that up!
It's sacred! You Americans keep forgetting that.
<FADE OUT>
<COMMERCIAL>
<FADE IN>
SCENE: THE SNYDER FARMHOUSE.
HOLDEN, FAITH, AND NATALIE ARE EATING ICE CREAM.
LILY ENTERS THROUGH THE SCREEN DOOR.
LILY:
Hey! Nobody got any for me?
HOLDEN:
Lily, good to see you.
How'd the day go?
LILY WALKS OVER AND HUGS FAITH AND NATALIE:
Pretty good, actually.
The meeting at WOAK was something
about program line up for the spring,
and I wasn't really sure why I
was needed, but I got Noah in
as that Director's assistant.
HOLDEN:
Thanks for that, Lily, I know
it means so much to him.
LILY:
Speaking of Noah, how'd it go last night?
HOLDEN SMILES AT LILY:
Oh Lily, Luke is an
entirely different person than
the one we've known the past
two years. He's much more relaxed now
and not as pensive about everything.
But...
LILY IS HAPPILY SURPRISED:
Oh Holden... that sounds wonderful.
What's the problem?
HOLDEN SIGHS:
Nothing really...
unless Noah and Luke are in the same room.
LILY:
Why? What's wrong?
HOLDEN:
I don't think “wrong” is the right word,
but its definitely a lot more... emotional.
LILY:
Emotional in a good way?
HOLDEN NODS VIGOROUSLY:
Oh yeah! But it's much more... distracting.
It's just something you're going to
have to experience for yourself,
because there's no way I can describe it.
Luke is happier and freer than
I've seen him be in a very long time,
and that's the most important thing.
LILY:
I hope Noah feels the same way?
HOLDEN CHUCKLES:
Oh Lily, just wait til
you see them.
<FADE OUT>
<END>