ROCKLAND COUNTY – EPISODE #45 – NOVEMBER 18, 2005 “TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS”

 

WRITTEN BY

Roger Newcomb

 

STARRING

Stephen Seidel as Dante Ramos

Nick Sullivan as Paul Ramos

Kelly Christopher as Karen Grissom

Jeffrey Richardson as Dr. Brian Morgan

Delaina Dixon as Dr. Angela Givens

Jason Nishimoto-Thompson as Cyrus Connor

Erika Crocco as Caroline Hart

Brandon Delaurentiis as Ian Levin

 

INT. PAUL’S OFFICE AT L&R CONTRUCTION - DAY

DANTE has just arrived to see PAUL.

 

DANTE

Hello Dad.

 

PAUL

Hi, son.  I was surprised to get your call, but hopeful nonetheless.

 

DANTE

Dad, before you even ask, I have not made any decisions about my future so don’t even ask.

 

PAUL

Time is running out, Dante.  You promised me you would either come to work here at L&R or enroll back in school.  Classes start in January at Rockland College.

 

DANTE

Believe me, I know.  But like I said, I’m not here to discuss that.

 

PAUL

Alright.  So what brings you by my office today?

 

DANTE

I want to talk to you about Thanksgiving.  I’ve been thinking that with Arden and Brian around, we should have a big family dinner this year, instead of just the two of us like always.

 

PAUL

Why I think that is an excellent idea.  I know Barbara will be pleased to have her family around that day.

 

DANTE

I’m glad you agree.  And I also thought I’d invite Manny and Caroline as well.

 

PAUL

You thought what? 

 

DANTE

Dad, Manny is my uncle, and Caroline is my aunt.  Now that Manny is back in Rockland, why can’t we just have a happy family Thanksgiving for once in my life?

 

PAUL

Maybe because we’re not one big happy family. 

 

DANTE

Manny has not caused any trouble for you since he came back to town, right?  And it’s time that you ended your feud with Caroline.

 

PAUL

I think you’d better talk to Caroline about that one, not me.  She is the one obsessed with revenge against me.

 

DANTE

She’s never gotten over Mom’s death.  I know she shouldn’t blame you, but it’s been hard on her.

 

PAUL

After all the nasty things she’s said and done to me over the years, I’m not too keen on inviting her into my home and pretending none of it ever happened.

 

DANTE

Dad, do this for me.  I want to show Arden that the Ramos family is not as dysfunctional as we seem.

 

PAUL

You really like this girl, don’t you?

 

DANTE

I love her, Dad.  Very much.  Now what do you say?

 

INT. DR. ANGELA GIVENS OFFICE AT THE ROCKLAND PSYCH CENTER - DAY

ANGELA is talking with KAREN in her office when BRIAN walks in.

 

KAREN

So what are you going to do, Angela?

 

BRIAN

I’d like to know that myself.

 

ANGELA

Brian!

 

KAREN

I have to get out of here.

 

BRIAN

No, Karen.  I think we both need to talk to Angela about what happened last night.

 

ANGELA

Brian, Karen told me that you got angry with her, even physical.  My intern, Cyrus, said he saw the whole thing.

 

BRIAN

What?!!  Phsyical?  Are you nuts, Karen?  I didn’t touch you.  Angela, I would never do something like that.

 

ANGELA

Then tell me what happened.

 

BRIAN

I stopped by the hospital to talk to Karen, to clear up any kind of misunderstanding we might have had between us at dinner, and she freaked out on me.

 

KAREN

That’s not true.  You told me I had to keep my mouth shut to Angela about what happened.  That’s when I got upset.

 

BRIAN

My God, Karen, that’s a complete lie.  Angela, she’s lying.

 

ANGELA

Brian, why would she do that?

 

BRIAN

I have no idea.

 

KAREN

Brian, it was you that sent me that anonymous letter, wasn’t it?

 

BRIAN

(getting more angry)

Karen, have you lost your mind?  I didn’t come on to you, I didn’t send you any stupid love letter, and I certainly didn’t get physical with you lat night. 

 

ANGELA

I’m at a complete loss here.  How can the two of you be so far apart on your stories?  This is more than just a simple misunderstanding.

 

BRIAN

I’ll tell you how.  She’s lying.  Your best friend is lying, Angela.  The only question is, why?

 

INT. ROCKLAND PSYCH CENTER - DAY

CAROLINE is talking to CYRUS and IAN after being informed that DAN cannot have visitors today.

 

CYRUS

I’m sorry, Ms. Hart.  I could have told you if you called that Dan wasn’t allowed to have visitors today.

 

CAROLINE

That’s alright.  I was in the area anyway.  And look, why don’t you call me Caroline?  Ms. Hart makes me sound so ancient.

 

CYRUS

Okay.  Caroline.  And this is Ian Thompson by the way.  He’s a new intern here.

 

CAROLINE

Hello, Ian.  You look familiar to me.

 

IAN

I get that a lot.  I guess I must have one of those faces.

 

CYRUS

Hey, I’m sorry, but I have to run.  I’ll see you around, Caroline.

 

CAROLINE

Sure.  Take it easy, Cyrus.

 

Cyrus walks away.

 

IAN

So, Caroline.  I heard about your from Cyrus.  He told me all about his premonition and how you were almost hit by that car.

 

CAROLINE

Yeah, that had to be one of the strangest experiences of my life.

 

IAN

It seems like you spend a lot of time here at the hospital, talking to Dan Levin.

 

CAROLINE

Dan and I are friends.  We go way back.

 

IAN

What’s he like?  I mean, I know he has a lot of problems, but is he a good guy?

 

CAROLINE

Ian, why do you ask?  (gasps) Wait a minute.  Ian?  As in Ian Levin? (Lev-in)

 

IAN

Shhhhhh.  That would be me.  But no one here knows my real last name.

 

CAROLINE

I saw you in Dee Levin’s office a few weeks ago.  I didn’t realize who you were.

 

IAN
I’m working here to try to see my father.  My Aunt Dee won’t let me see him, and my Mom would go crazy if she knew.  She has no idea I’m working in the psych ward.

 

CAROLINE

Ian, if your family doesn’t want you to see your father, maybe that is for the best.

 

IAN

I’m not a kid anymore, Caroline.  I should be able to make my own decisions.  You’re the only person allowed to see my father other than my Aunt Dee.  Maybe you can help me.  Even working here, I haven’t been able to catch a glimpse of him.

 

CAROLINE

What can I do?

 

IAN

Tell him that I’m here.  Help me find a way to talk to him.  Can you do that?