October 31, 1996- Fog has moved in thick and heavy overnight but according to Fritz Cooler's forcast from the night before, it will be sunny and clear with high's in the 70's. Starting today construction will begin on the remodeling of 3000 W. Alameda Avenue because of earthquake damage done months earlier.

As Kent Underdesk, co-anchor of Today Around L.A.,comes into work that morning whistling the USC Fight Song, he bounces up the walkway and runs into Kathy Vee who is just opening the door to the building. "Hello Kathy, What a beautiful morning", Kent cheerfully says to his co-anchor. "And good morning to you Kent". But passing through the threshold, Kent turns to Kathy and says "what's that supoosed to mean?" A puzzled Kathy just shrugs her shoulders and keeps walking. "KATHY! I asked you a question", says Kent running after her with a dark expression on his face. All the way up the elevator this bickering occurs between the two people who are usually quite cheery and friendly towards each other.

Throughout the Today Around L.A. broadcast, snickering, snide and rude comments are passed between the two friends. As Christopher Dances is telling his weather forcast, Kent and Kathy actually break out into a fist fight. Everyone was in shock and they found themselves with dead air to fill, so Christopher hopped onto a nearby piano bench and started to play a tune while telling one of his children stories.

Meanwhile behind the scenes, Paul Metro, the traffic reporter and weekend weatherman, is watching the freeeways of L.A. on the monitors. While checking one freeway, he watches as a car sideswipe another car making it spin out of control and hit the center divider. It seemed to happen in slow motion. His heart started pounding hard as he zoomed in to check for injuries. As the camera focused he thought to himself that that was more exciting than appearing in the motion picture "Paint Your Wagon."The excitement turned to fear as he turned pale and his palms began to swaet as he realizes that the driver is himself. Shock and disbelief made him look away. When he looked back the only thing on the screen was the usual bumper to bumper traffic on northbound 405.

© 1995-2005 Kathryn Bowyer and Phillip E. Bowyer

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