Top Gun


connie15starring Steve Kanaly and Michele Scarabelli

After yet another extended delay without a word from her new lover, Connie telephones Ray. Ray explains that he’s been really busy and that’s why he hasn’t called. Connie begins the proverb “All work and no play…” and tells Ray that she’s missing him. When Ray says that she barely even knows him, Connie suggests that they remedy that by meeting up for some dinner followed by “…who knows…”. Ray quickly makes an excuse saying that he’s waiting for a ‘phone call – from his wife.

“I’m starting to get the feeling our relationship is a little ‘one-sided’…”

Ray tells Connie that he can’t see her and that he’s got her number. With an underlying meaning, Connie replies “I think I have yours…”. Ray hangs up first leaving Connie deep in thought.

Mconnie16uch, much, later…

Ray’s antique clock approaches midnight as a furtive shadow encroaches upon the darkness. The moonlight that breaks through the windows enhances the outline of a gorgeously feminine silhouette creeping about in the gloom. Stark moonbeams dance across her beautiful face as Connie Hall reaches the foot of Ray’s stairs.

With deft footfalls, Connie slowly makes her way up the stairs without a sound…

Ray is asleep on his bed as the bedroom door opens and Connie stands for a moment to watch him. With her silent footfalls slowly turning from the cautious to the mischievous, the young woman spies a nearby pillow as she reaches the side of the bed closest to Ray. With a girlish grin, Connie grasps the pillow. She clutches it like a shield before her and dives onto Ray’s back.

Ray wakes up…

connie17Fearing he’s being attacked, Ray struggles hard until he manages to restrain the figure that is revealed to be Connie. Ray asks if Connie is crazy but Connie tells him she was only having a bit of fun. When asked how she got into the house she explains that the door was open.

“I was going to sneak up and slip into bed beside you but then I saw you lying there and I saw the pillow… I couldn’t resist…”

Ray has come to a decision and this involves Connie leaving his house. Connie, however, has other ideas as she points out that she and he are alone in the house together. Ray is not going to be swayed this time as he snaps…

“You don’t understand. I want you to leave – NOW..!”

Being both coy and sweet at the same time, Connie doesn’t believe that Ray will throw her out of the house in the middle of the night but is stunned when Ray retorts…

“You came in the middle of the night… You can leave in the middle of the night.”

Connie asks why Ray is treating her like this using the fact that they’ve already been to bed together as her argument. When Ray asks what’s wrong with her, Connie appears horrified at the suggestion as she raises her voice…

“There’s nothing wrong with me! We were lovers and now you just want to throw me out?!”

connie19Ray reminds her of his wife and family but, as Connie is quick to point out, that didn’t stop him before. Connie continues to defend their relationship by saying that it just happened, she doesn’t chase after married men or sleep with them “right off the bat”. With a combination of words and physical motions, Connie tries to convince Ray that what they have is real but Ray pushes her away telling her that it is all wrong and that he wants her to leave.

“What kind of man are you? Don’t tell me you don’t want me right now!”

“I don’t want you now… or ever!”

Ray then practicallyy throws Connie out of the house with the distressed woman telling him that he can’t treat her in this way.

When Ray leaves his house the next morning he comes face-to-face with a leaving message from Connie… It appears that their relationship is far from over!

THE MICHELE SCARABELLI FACTOR

connie18Although it once seemed as though Connie was literally throwing herself at Ray for no readily apparent reason, this episode defines the young woman as someone who just wants to have a bit of fun with her new lover. Ray, however, has come to the conclusion that their relationship is a mistake and begins to take his foolishness out on Connie by making out that everything that’s happened is all due to her.

It is no wonder that Connie leaves the house hurt and paints the message on his door.

The partnership between Steve Kanaly and Michele Scarabelli continues in this episode. This time, however, Michele is the one given more scope with her character as Ray seems too rigidly defined to allow Kanaly much flexibility while the relationship between Ray and Connie turns from a whirlwind romance into sudden harsh reality.

This is another sterling episode in the lives of Connie and Ray in which Michele just keeps on getting better and better…