Steve Reads the Annual Christmas Story
It's still Christmas morning, and everyone's gathering for the Annual Christmas party at GH.  The scene opens at the Nurses' station on the Lobby floor where lots of people are waiting for the children's procession.  Derek, Mike Webber, & the camera crew are ready.   All hear Frisco, Tony, & the children singing as they come down the corridor.  This is taken from a script, so the actual aired scene maybe a little different, depending on how much the scene was ad-libbed from the script.

Derek: "Here they come... roll it, guys."

Mike (into the camera): "Welcome to Christmas Day at General Hospital.  You can hear the signing in the background, and here comes the carolers... they've been going from floor to floor, singing for the patients.  Some of the kids are patients themselves, and if you're feeling sorry for them because they're in the hospital on Christmas... don't.  I was patient, too, but long ago, and General Hospital saved my life.  I think you can see they're pretty happy today.  Let's listen."  (The carolers have come into the lobby. Anna has rejoined Robin and Gee Sung, who excitedly join the singing.  Sean and Monica watch while Sean's guard is still down the corridor on the payphone.  Bryan and Claudia each hold one of their twin children.   The carols then ends as all cheer.)

Frisco:   "That was great, you guys.  Now, it's time to go to the party... and guess what?  I have it on good authority that somebody's in there you want to see."  

Tony: "You know who it is, don't you?"  (All the kids cry "Santa Clause" and everyone starts moving to the Board Room singing another carol.   Mike, Derek, and camera crew follow, along with the other adults, Bryan, Claudia, their children, a nurse wheeling a child in a wheelchair, etc.  Monica turns to Sean.)

Monica: "Would you like to go to the party?" 

Sean: "I don't really feel up to being in a crowd, Monica."  

Monica: "We can stay here, if you like."  

Sean: "You go on, have fun."

Monica: "I told the guard I'd be responsible, remember?  I'll see you back to your room." 

Sean: "All right.  Do you mind if we take the long way?  I'd like to stop in the solarium."  

Monica: "That's fine with me."

Sean: "You're sure you don't mind being late for the party?

Monica: "I don't mind if I miss it."

Scene switches to the Hospital Board Room where the kids are trooping into the room, finishing their carol.  The children are thrilled to see Dan in his santa suit, standing next to a sleigh full of presents.

Dan: "Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas, children!  Merry Christmas!"  

Child #1:   "Look at all the presents!" 

Frisco: "Santa's going to pass them out, too, but not until Doctor Steve Hardy tells his special Christmas Story, so gather round."  (The children gather around Steve, who takes Robin on his lap.  Frisco moves over to Felicia, Tony to Tania; Rick and Ginny are with Bobbie; Anna with Buzz; Audrey, Jessie, Claudia, Bryan, and their twins stand.  Amy comes back in with the sign-out book, and seeing that the story's about to begin, she goes over to Anna.  Mike and Derek with the camera crew tape the activities.)

Steve: "This is a story about the first Christmas, almost two thousand years ago.   It's also a story about a very special baby."

Robin (who's seated on Steve's lap): "The baby Jesus."  

Steve: "Yes, indeed.  But, we're getting ahead of ourselves.  It was a bitter cold winter night, and the wind was blowing so hard it made tears come to your eyes.  And on that night, a yound couple was traveling on their way to Bethlehem.   They were very cold and very tired.  These two travelers were so poor, they had only one donkey.  Thae man was a carpenter named..."

Gee Sung: "Joseph."  

Steve: "And his wife's name was..."  

Robin: "Mary."  

Steve: "And Mary was going to have a baby, but they had a long, long distance to travel.  Finally after miles and miles, Joseph came to a small inn.  And he told Mary that everything was going to be all right..."   

The scene fades out to commerical, then returns to the Board Room where Steve is nearing the end of the story.

Steve: "... And when there was no room at the inn, poor Joseph didn't know what to do.  Then, he had a brillant idea."  

Robin: "The stable!"  

Steve: "That's right, so they went to the stable.  It was warm, that's for sure, but the place was crowded with animals."

Gee Sung: "Donkeys!"  

Child #!: "Horses."  

Child #2: "Cows!"  

Robin: "Sheep!"  

Steve: "And so many more that for a while it looked as though Joseph and Mary wouldn't be able to squeeze in.  But then a very strange thing happened."  

Robin: "The animals moved over and made room for Mary."  

Steve: "It was wonderful!  And Joseph got some fresh straw and fixed Mary a bed.   She lay down, and then a hush come over the stable.  The donkeys didn't bray and the cows didn't moo, and in that hush, a baby was born.  They called him..."  

all the children: "Jesus."  

Steve: "And he grew up to teach us that there's good in all of us, that we can always improve our lives no matter what has happened in the past.  He also taught us the most important thing in the world."

Robin: "That we should all love one another!"  

Steve: "That's right, Robin.  And that we should understand and forgive each other, too.  That's what this day is all about.  The all-forgiving spirit of Christmas."  (Frisco then comes forward, leading everyone in the singing of "Away in a Manager" and then "Joy to the World".  At the end of the carols, Dan steps in.)

Dan (as Santa): "That was wonderful!  Now, it's time for your presents!"   (The children all cheer, running happily to the sleigh.  The room's abuzz with cheerful chatter.  Mike and Derek finish tpaing.)

Steve: "How'd we do?"  

Mike: "It was even better than last year, Doctor Hardy."  

Bobbie: "And it gets better every year."  

Derek: "I think we've got a winner in this show."

Buzz: "Steve, that was very special.  And I'm happy to be a part of General this Christmas."  

Anna: "So am I."

Audrey: "Well, we have tons of food, so everybody please, help yourselves."   (As the children start opening presents, other go to the buffet.  Jake arrives and goes over to Bobbie, Rick, and Ginny.)  

Rick: "Jake, glad you could make it."  

Jake: "Thanks, Rick.  Ginny, Merry Christmas."  

Ginny: "Happy Hannukah."  

Bobbie: "Jake, how's Terry?"

Jake: "She's all right.  Kevin's with her now."

Ginny: "Bobbie, I'm so sorry for what you and Terry are going through."  

Rick: "And very concerned.  Are you okay?"

Bobbie: "I guess so, Rick.  We still don't have any answers about anything, though.  It's like a nightmare."  

Rick: "If there's anything we can do..."

Bobbie: "No, but thank you, both."  

Mike: "Dad.. Mom, how'd I do?"  

Ginny: "You were terrific.  I'd better watch out, or you'll have my job."   (The camera then focuses on the door as Edward, Alan, Lila, and the boys enter.)  

Steve: "Merry Christmas, Edward, Lila."

Edward: "Merry Christmas."  

Lila: "Doesn't everything look wonderful?"  

Audrey (joining them): "Welcome.  You're just in time for the buffet."  

Alan: "Sorry we're late."  

Edward: "Alan couldn't tear himself away from the electric trains the boys got for Christmas."

Alan: "That's because I had to wait until you finished with them."  (The camera then pans over to Anna as Amy brings her the sign-out book.)

Amy: "Here's the sign-out book, Anna."  

Anna: "Thank you, Amy.  Can you show me what time people signed out night before last?"  

Amy: "Sure.  Right here."  (Anna looks at the book, as Steve comes over to join them.)  

Anna: "It checks.  Patrick O'Connor signed out when he said he did."  

Amy: "Patrick?  He's not a suspect in the murder, is he?"  

Anna: "No more than anyone else, Amy.  I'm checking all alibis."  (The camera then pans over to Felicia and Frisco who are joining Bobbie and Jake.)  

Frisco: "Jake, how's Terry?"  

Jake: "I couldn't talk her into coming today."  

Felicia: "I don't blame her for being shaken up, but I wish she'd been here."  

Bobbie: "So do I.  It might have helped for a few hours, anyway."  (The camera then pans over to Tony and Tania who are standing arm in arm, watching Claudia and Bryan help Dan distribute the presents.  Tony sees Tania's wistful smile, and gives her a squeeze.)

Tony: "I know what you're thinking."  

Tania: "What?"

Tony: "About our baby."  

Tania: "He'd have been born by now."  

Tony: "We're going to have more babies.  Lots of them, I promise."   (They hug.  The camea switches over to Edward and Lila at the buffet, as a little boy grabs a handful of cookies.)

Edward (taking some back): "Here, now, you'll make yourself sick."  

Lila (giving the cookies back to the little boy): "Edward, don't be a scrooge.  It's Christmas day."  

Edward: "I don't want to see the child get sick, Lila.  What time are we having dinner, anyway?"  

Lila: "How can you worry about dinner with all this food?"  

Edward: "I like to plan ahead."

Lila: "Well, I've a surprise for you and the family tonight."  

Alan (joining them with Jessie): "Has anyone seen Monica?"  

Jessie: "She was in the lobby earlier.  She'll probably be along soon.  

Alan: "I guess she's with a patient."  

Back to the ScorpioFiles Transcript Index
Back to the ScorpioFiles homepage