Synopsis of Sisters
Written by TK
Jim reads an article by his old partner about a lethargic chimp in the zoo. The article states the problem is probably psychological. Jim thinks it's probably medical. Jim goes to see the chimp and argues with his old partner about what should be done. His old partner promises to call a meeting that evening, but then bumps it to next Tuesday at the last minute. Jim doesn't think the chimp should have to wait that long, so he employs the breaking and entering skills of Robbie and they steal the chimp from the zoo. Jim tests for meningitis, which is what he thought the chimp probably had. The chimp tests negative. Jim can't figure it out, and tests for everything he can think of. He's getting worried that maybe he made a mistake by stealing the chimp, and then Robbie comments on how much gas the chimp seems to have. Jim remembers that that is a sign of lead poisoning, and tests for lead. The chimp is positive. Jim treats the chimp for lead poisoning, and his old partner comes to take the chimp away. Robbie and Jim refuse to give up the chimp unless the zoo promises to clean the lead out of the cage, and give the chimp some trees and stuff to climb on.
A girl who is just looking for drugs comes to the clinic and sees Sydney. Syndey recognizes her as Darla, an old high-school friend of Joanie's. When it's clear that Darla can't get the drugs she came for, she tries to take off, but Sydney suspects that the girl might have AIDS, and tries to get her stick around. Darla tries to leave, and when Sydney suggests she might be really sick, she insists that she's not, hits Sydney in the nose, and takes off. Sydney decides to check her white blood cells (from an earlier blood sample). She can't do an actual HIV antibody test without consent, but the white blood cell count will help her know whether or not Darla has AIDS. She asks to have the results faxed home. At home, she tells Joanie what happened. When the results come in on the home fax machine, Joanie is the only one home. She sees the results and decides to try to find Darla. She goes to see Darla's older sister, Tracy, who in high-school was the same too-perfect overachiever that Sydney was. Tracy says she's a single mother, teaching painting at night, and that she's tried to help Darla in the past and Darla just resented her for it. Joanie tries to convince Tracy that Darla didn't really resent her, it was just hard growing up with such a perfect older sister. She tells Tracy that Darla might have AIDS. Tracy is shocked, but still doesn't want to reach out. Joanie hunts Darla down in a bar, and tries to remind her of the good ol' days. When Darla is obviously not interested in talking about the past, Joanie suggest she should go back and see Sydney. Darla insists she isn't sick and takes off. When Joanie gets home and tells Sydney what happened, Sydney freaks out, because the test she did wasn't entirely ethical. She goes hunting for Darla, and when she finds her, Darla again takes off. However, Tracy shows up and takes Darla home with her. Sydney goes home and tells Joanie that everything worked out okay.
Sydney is still having high-school fantasies about Kyle. He comes by the clinic and she notices that his shoulder is bothering him. She invites him to come by the house later in the day and she'll help him with his shoulder. He comes by, and she fixes his shoulder (he has to take his shirt off), and they almost kiss except that Joanie walks in on them. Sydney tells him now that his shoulder is better, he can row again. He says he hasn't rowed in years, but he notices that she's focusing on that. She asks him out to dinner and he says yes. They go out to dinner, and he decides to fulfill her fantasy by taking her to the boat house. The break into the boat house, and again they're about to kiss when he decides to get a boat down. His shoulder gives out, and he falls into the water with the boat, hitting his head. Sydney saves him, and he tells her that feels a little like he's trapped in a weird high-school fantasy. She suggests that they try having an adult relationship.
Sydney's ex-boyfriend in Los Angeles has recorded a video for her, with his latest client, Howie Mandel, telling her that he misses her and showing her all she's missing in California. Even though it's marked private, everyone in her family manages to see it before Sydney does, and she isn't interested in watching it when she finally does get it.
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