KACL Radio (Monday, 2:30pm)
"Well Roz, who's our next caller?" Frasier asked.
"We have Gordon from Magnolia on Line One." Roz said.
"And?"
"Well, let me put it this way..." Roz said. "When I asked what his problem was, he gave me a response that I
can't repeat on the radio."
"Oh... I see." Frasier said. "Well... send him on through."
Roz shrugged. "Okay... Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Hello, Gordon." Frasier said putting on his best smile. "Thank you for calling my show. I'm Dr. Frasier Crane
and... I'm listening."
"Well you listen to this, you psychotic moron!" Gordon yelled. "You have some nerve, doing what you did!"
"Excuse me?" Frasier said, taken aback.
"There is no excuse for this!" Gordon yelled.
"I'm sorry but you'll have to forgive me because I have no idea what you're talking about." Frasier said.
"You don't, huh? Well, let me refresh your memory! Last week, my 2nd grade son was having trouble with some
kids bullying him at school, so he asked me what he should do about it. Apparently he wasn't happy with my
advice to just ignore them, so he called your show."
"I see..." Frasier said.
"I don't think you do see!" Gordon said. "When he called your show, you told him to defend himself."
"Well I do believe that children should learn to stand on their own two feet and not be influenced by others."
Frasier said. "But I hardly think that's cause for-."
"Just shut it, okay?" Gordon snapped. "I wasn't finished!"
"I'm sorry for interrupting. Go on." Frasier said, glancing at Roz.
"I had no idea that he'd called your show... that is until I got the call from the school yesterday afternoon about
my son. They wanted to know where he'd gotten the idea to fight sixth-graders who are much bigger than he
is!"
"I applaud him for being so brave, and as his father you should be proud of him."
"Yeah, I'll be sure and tell him that this afternoon when I visit him in the hospital! That is if the surgery goes
well!" Gordon yelled.
"Th-the hospital? Surgery? Oh, Dear God! I had no idea... " Frasier asked. He glanced at Roz, who was staring
at him in horror with her hand over her mouth.
"Listen Gordon, I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear-."
It was several seconds before he realized that he was listening to the dial tone.
Roz, clearly shaken by the call, quickly cut to commercial. She looked through the window, her heart aching for
her friend.
Feeling helpless, she rose from her chair and went to him. Frasier sat at the microphone, his head in his hands.
"Frasier?" Roz said gently, putting her hand on his back.
But he didn't move.
"Frasier are you okay? I'm so sorry! If I had any idea that the guy was a complete nutcase, I would have never
let him on the air!"
Frasier remained silent.
Slowly he rose and turned to her, more distraught than she'd ever seen him before.
"Frasier, please... talk to me!" Roz said, suddenly more afraid than she'd been in a very long time. "Please! I
want to be sure you're okay!"
But he didn't budge.
"Look Frasier, I'm your friend and-Oh damn, there's the phone!" She ran into the booth to answer it.
"Roz Doyle speaking. Oh, Lilith. Yes, he's here but he's a little preoccupied right now and isn't able to-Oh... Well
okay. I'll go get him."
Reluctantly she put down the phone and walked back to where Frasier still sat in his depressed state.
"Frasier, I really hate to bother you with this, but Lilith is on the phone and she's insistent on talking to you."
"I can't, Roz." He said softly.
"Look, I know how much you dislike her, but maybe talking to her will get your mind off of this. Just for a little
bit."
When he looked away sadly, she put her hand on his shoulder. "Please? For me?"
Finally he turned to her and nodded. "Okay."
Why don't you come into the booth and I'll leave you alone? I started a Best Of show to fill in the rest of our
time slot."
"Thank you, Roz." Frasier said, so softly she could barely hear him.
He rose from his chair and followed her into the booth where she handed him the phone.
"I'll be right outside, okay? And I'll make sure that nobody bothers you." She said.
She watched with worry as Frasier picked up the phone.
"What's the matter Roz? You look upset." Bulldog said with a sly grin. "Why don't you come over later and I'll
make you forget your problems?"
When Roz was silent, Bulldog raised his eyebrows. "What, no sarcastic comeback or smack against the back of
my head? You get dumped or something?"
She glared at him and then looked back at Frasier who looked sadder than she'd ever seen him.
"What's his problem?" Bulldog asked, watching Frasier through the window.
"Oh I had to cut the show short because of a caller we got. Guy was a complete nutcase and Frasier's pretty
shaken up."
"He's a shrink! He should be used to jerks calling him! Should have just hung up on the guy! I would have."
"You know that's not a crazy idea. " Roz said, unable to believe that she was actually agreeing with Bulldog.
"This is all my fault, and I feel terrible for even sending the call through! Then Lilith called and insisted on talking
to him!"
"What's the big deal?" Bulldog asked.
"Bulldog, she's an impossible person to deal with! I told her he couldn't come to the phone but she was
insistent! She was instant on talking to him, but he's not himself right now."
"Don't worry about it! He'll be fine!" Bulldog said.
Roz sighed as she watched Frasier, who was still staring at the phone. "God, I hope you're right."
"Well, if he's not, he can always find his own shrink!" Bulldog said, laughing hysterically at his own joke.
"God, you're pathetic!" Roz said. "Frasier's hurting and you're making jokes?"
"Hey, it's what I do." Bulldog said.
Roz pushed him away forcefully. "Get out of here, you jackass!"
Bulldog laughed. "I knew you wanted me! You're just playing hard to get."
She returned her gaze to Frasier who was still staring at the phone.
"God I hope everything's okay. I've never seen him like this before."
"You worry too much, Babe." Bulldog said, slapping Roz a little too forcefully on the back. "He'll be fine."
"I hope you're right, Bulldog." Roz said, wishing she could believe him.
But deep down, she knew that her friend may never be the same...
