Synopsis of He's Come Undone
Written by TK
Sydney is having a dream in which she's Cinderella, Kyle is her prince, and they're dancing at a beautiful ball. Her mother interrupts, and Syd tells her to go away. Her mother warns her that she only has until midnight, at it's getting pretty close to that time. Sydney says she doesn't have to worry, because this is the happily ever after part of the fairy tale. She shows her mother that she's already wearing both glass slippers. Her mother insists that she only has until midnight, but this is the adult version of the fairy tale, and it's not Sydney who will go through a transformation at midnight. The clock strikes, and Kyle changes from a prince into a chauffeur. Sydney insists that she'll stay by his side. Lynda gives Sydney a motorcycle helmet to wear because "it's going to be a bumpy ride."
It's morning, and Sydney and Joanie are in the kitchen. While Sydney is still celebrating her post-coital liss, Joanie is freaking out over the fact that her rent was raised at the Barkery and she's simply not making enough money to pay it. Syd offers her a loan, but Joanie says a loan will only help short-term, and she'd need that loan every month at this rate. Jim and Robbie come in and also offer Joanie financial help, but Joanie insists she just needs to goose her business, not take hand-outs. They come up with the idea that Jim should give a Pet Talk at the Barkery. Jim reluctantly agrees.
Syd brings coffee to Kyle in the guest apartment. Kyle is worried about his dog, Tinker, who wouldn't eat breakfast and wouldn't leave Kyle alone this morning. Syd hugs Kyle and mentions that he feels a bit warm. Kyle blows it off and shows Sydney the Bruce Springsteen tickets he got for that night. Syd mentions she has a new doctor starting at the clinic and might actually have time to go to the concert. As Kyle goes to sip his coffee, his arm shakes and he drops the cup. He grabs his arm in pain, but insists that there's no problem and won't let Syd check him out.
At the clinic, Dr. Wesley, Syd's new hire, comes running in with a baby in her arms, introduces herself, and says that the baby is severely dehydrated and the mother is outside in her car doubled over with cramps. Syd sends someone to go check on the mom, and she and Dr. Wesley quickly get an IV into the baby to get it hydrated. Syd and Dr. Wesley work well together, and appreciate each other's styles.
Joanie and Robbie are in the Barkery. Joanie's land lord comes in and is totally condescending to Joanie and is already showing her space to another potential tenant. Joanie says she's eight days late on the rent, and after ten days her landlord can evict her. She yells at her land lord and he's totally rude to her and asks for his rent check. When she doesn't have it, he says she only has two days left.
Cynthia Blake is in Jim's waiting room with her dog. Heather is on the phone explaining to another client that Jim will be busy tomorrow morning giving a Pet Talk at the Barkery. Cynthia is excited to go see Jim speak. Jim comes out and Cynthia tells him that she'll be at the Barkery tomorrow. Jim says it's really not a big deal, but Cynthia, flirting with Jim blatantly, says that she'd really like to show her support.
Dr. Wesley and Sydney talk in Sydney's office. When Sydney hears where Dr. Wesley used to work, she drops a name of a physician she knew there, and Dr. Wesley covers the fact that she doesn't really know who that person is. Sydney hasn't had a chance to check Dr. Wesley's references yet, but she can't see why there would be a problem. She happily hires Dr. Wesley.
Kyle comes into the Hansens' kitchen with is dog, Tinker, to ask Jim if he knows what might be wrong with the canine. Jim says dogs do sort of have a sixth sense, and maybe Tinker knows something bad is going to happen. When Syd comes in and they talk about the Springsteen concert tonight, Jim thinks that Tinker might just be depressed because Kyle has a new relationship. Kyle mentions that Tinker does like Springsteen, so Jim says he and Tinker will listen to a little Springsteen concert of their own tonight.
At the Springsteen concert, Kyle and Syd are waiting in the concession line. Kyle is sweating and looking worse and worse. Syd tries to get him to go sit down, and he keeps refusing. He faints.
Syd is sleeping in a chair next to Kyle's hospital bed. She's remembering all the good times they've had together over the last year. She goes to the vending machines and busts a boy in a wheelchair who is ripping off the vending machines. The boy has cancer, and he spends a lot of time in the hospital and has a big attitude. He bribes Syd with candy to keep quiet about him ripping off the machines.
Back in Kyle's room, Syd talks to Dr. Jordan about Kyle's condition. He has a bone infection. The condition is very rare. Dr. Jordan has only seen one other case in the last seven years, and in that case the limb had to be amputated. Dr. Jordan says they'll get an MRI and see what that shows before making any decisions.
At home, Syd tells Jim about Kyle's condition. Jim acknowledges that Tinker probably knew Kyle was really sick, but couldn't speak to tell anyone. Jim says he'll take care of Tinker while Kyle's in the hospital.
Syd gets to the clinic at 8am, and Dr. Wesley has already opened, changed the way paperwork is done, and setup a whole triage system. Dr. Wesley has also charmed Syd's most difficult patient. Syd is impressed. She still can't get in touch with any of Dr. Wesley's references.
At the Barkery, tons of people are gathering to hear Jim's Pet Talk. Jim sees the crowd and immediately has a panic attack and hides in the bathroom. Of course, Cynthia offers mouth to mouth for his condition.
Kyle is on his way to his MRI. He asks Syd how bad things really are, and Syd is frank with him, but says they should wait until after the MRI. Syd leaves Kyle to go back to the clinic, and Kyle meets the boy from the vending machine room, Ben. Ben is sneaky and tries to tell the nurse he was waiting for the MRI first when he blatantly wasn't. Ben and Kyle get to talking about baseball and their various treatments. Then Kyle starts to sweat and get very pale and Ben calls for the nurse.
At the Barkery, Jim is still hiding in the bathroom, but people are buying tons of stuff. Joanie says they'll reschedule the talk for two days later. Robbie wonders how their dad will pull it off. Joanie tells her brother that he can usually talk their dad into anything. Robbie says he'll talk Jim into it if Joanie gives him another 10% of the Barkery.
Dr. Jordan tells Syd that it looks like Kyle is going to have to lose his arm. Syd refuses to accept it. Dr. Jordan points out that it's Kyle's arm or his life at this point.
Jim joins Joanie in the kitchen the next morning. He apologizes for his panic attack of before. Sydney comes in and tells everything that Kyle had his arm amputated. Tinker comes over to Syd sadly and she pats his head.
Robbie comes into Jim's office with Jim's favorite sandwich from the bar. Jim asks what the occassion is and Robbie says there isn't one. Jim says Joanie said the same thing when she gave him homemade cookies earlier. Cynthia comes rushing in with gazpacho and Jim starts to get frustrated, reminding everyone that he had a panic attack, not malnutrition. Cynthia tries to be comforting, but just makes things worse.
Ben wheels himself into Kyle's room and gives him a pile of candy from his own private stash. Kyle doesn't say a word.
Dr. Wesley is still working miracles at the clinic. Syd mentions that she can't reach her reference because he's on vacation. Dr. Wesley remembers that they guys always goes fishing in Montana this time of year. She tells Syd she'll get her another name. Syd mentions that she saw her friend from Dr. Wesley's last job, and her friend didn't remember Dr. Wesley. Dr. Wesley says that's 'cause she was using her married name then, and since her divorce she's gone back to her maiden name.
Joanie tells Jim that she promised her customers he would be back to speak tomorrow. Jim is upset and says he absolutely can't do it. Robbie reminds his father that it would sort of be outreach to all those pet owners that don't regularly visit the vet, and Jim could helps many pets' lives. Jim knows he's being manipulated, but can't deny that Robbie has a point.
Syd goes to visit Kyle, but he's angry and kicks her out.
Jim stops by Syd's room in the morning to pick up Tinker for a morning walk. They talk briefly about the new doctor Syd hired and Jim points out that when you're desperate for help, you'll often overlook things about your hirees and end up with the wrong people. This gets Syd thinking.
Joanie is lamenting the fact that Mr. Varo is on his way over to discuss the rent. Jim finally agrees to try giving his talk again.
Syd comes in just as Dr. Wesley is about to release a patient that she sutured. The patient was bitten by her brother. Syd pulls Dr. Wesley aside and asks a nurse to make sure the girl Dr. Wesley sutured doesn't leave. Syd tells Dr. Wesley that all doctors know you never suture a human bite wound because there's just too much bacteria. Wesley admits she's really a nurse. Syd says she'll have to report Wesley to the authorities, but perhaps Wesley could be sentenced to community service and work it off as a nurse in the clinic.
At the Barkery, Jim is gearing up and getting more and more nervous. Cynthia is trying to help, but as usual is just making things worse. Robbie gets rid of Cynthia and prepares to give his father the pep talk of his life.
Syd is watching Kyle through the window in his room. Ben comes over and says Kyle will be moved back to his own room soon. He says Kyle seems like a nice guy, and asks if he's Syd's boyfriend. Syd says he is. Ben says he's going home tomorrow, and even though home isn't that great, that's all he can think about when he's in the hospital, even though the hospital's not that bad.
Robbie is talking to Jim, and giving him the old "picture them in their underwear" speech. Jim says he can't do that, so Robbie gives him a variation and tells him to picture them all as dogs. He pushes Jim out in front of the gathered crowd and Jim looks at the floor and mumbles. Joanie fears she's going to have to jump in and save him, but suddenly Jim looks out at the crowd and pictures them all as dogs. He starts conversing casually about whether it's better to get a house-sitter or put your dog in a kennel when you go away for a vacation.
Ben comes to see Kyle with an orderly and a wheelchair. He bullies Kyle into the wheelchair and they head outside. Ben tells Kyle that he wanted to say goodbye since he's being discharged tomorrow. He reaches out his left hand to Kyle, and when Kyle doesn't reach back, he asks Kyle to shake his hand. Kyle puts out his left hand and shakes Ben's. Ben and the orderly then leave, and Kyle sees Syd approach him. He tells Syd that he's sorry for yelling at her, and he knows that his losing his arm isn't her fault. She says that she brought Kyle a little reminder of home, and at first Kyle says not to bother until he realizes that it's Tinker. Tinker runs to Kyle.
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