Josh Reveals Bartlet's MS Secret to Joey Lucas
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Josh intercepts Joey Lucas and her new interpreter, Dale Bracket, in the bustling airport terminal, signaling urgency.
Josh dismisses Dale, insisting on a private conversation with Joey, heightening the secrecy of his mission.
Josh reveals the gravity of the situation, disclosing the President's undisclosed illness, MS, to Joey.
Joey reacts with silent concern as the weight of the President's secret illness settles between them.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Neutral and compliant
Dale Bracket walks protectively with Joey through surging terminal crowds, taps her shoulder to alert her to Josh, shakes hands introducing himself crisply, stands by as substitute interpreter until firmly dismissed by Josh to wait at a distance, lingering out of lip-reading range.
- • Facilitate Joey's smooth airport navigation and introductions
- • Respect boundaries set by Josh for private communication
- • His role is to interpret without interfering in sensitive talks
- • Joey can manage lip-reading independently when directed
Perplexed and amenable evolving to slightly annoyed then deeply sad and concerned
Joey Lucas deplanes into terminal chaos, lip-reads Josh's tense approach and dismissal of Dale, follows to bar table, drops bags, scribbles urgent questions on napkin—'What's important?' and 'Is it serious?'—absorbs MS revelation calmly before shifting to sad concern as drinks arrive.
- • Uncover the true purpose beyond agriculture polling
- • Assess the gravity and implications of the presidential secret
- • Josh Lyman is trustworthy given Leo and Toby's endorsement
- • She can handle high-stakes political secrets with composure
apprehensive and stressed
spots Joey and Dale in the terminal, approaches them, dismisses Dale for privacy, engages Joey in lip-reading conversation at a bar table, reveals the President's MS diagnosis eight years ago by signing the letters
- • secure total privacy by dismissing Dale and positioning to block lip-reading
- • reveal the President's undisclosed MS diagnosis to induct Joey into the inner circle for covert polling
Detached and mechanical
PA Announcer's voice booms overhead, declaring Airlines Flight 1106 from Los Angeles now at Gate Six, herding deplaning crowds including Joey and Dale into the terminal frenzy where Josh intercepts them.
- • Inform passengers of gate arrivals
- • Maintain terminal operational flow
- • Announcements ensure efficient crowd movement
- • Standard protocol overrides individual contexts
Professionally neutral
Unnamed Airport Waitress approaches the bar table amid rising tension, takes Josh's drink orders for cranberry juice, club soda, and ice water, then returns to serve them precisely as Joey processes the MS bombshell silently.
- • Fulfill table orders promptly
- • Provide seamless service in busy terminal
- • Customer needs come first regardless of patrons' urgency
- • Routine service punctuates terminal transience
Absent and neutral
Kenny Thurman referenced briefly in passing as Joey's usual interpreter currently on vacation, explaining Dale's substitute presence without further involvement.
Off-screen authoritative
Leo McGarry invoked by Josh as the authority figure he convinced of Joey's trustworthiness, bolstering the rationale for sharing the MS secret.
Off-screen supportive
Toby Ziegler cited by Josh as backing his endorsement of Joey's reliability to Leo, framing her induction into the conspiracy.
referenced as having been diagnosed with an undisclosed illness (MS) eight years ago
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Joey Lucas grabs napkin from bar table, scribbles 'What's important?' and slides to Josh, then adds 'Is it serious?' for him to read; vital communication aid enabling silent interrogation amid lip-reading limits and privacy needs, underscoring tension of covert disclosure in public space.
Joey drops her bulky luggage bags heavily next to her chair at the terminal bar table upon sitting with Josh, grounding her traveler status amid escalating secrecy; props visually anchoring the impromptu high-stakes huddle in transient airport bustle.
Cranberry juice ordered by Josh for Joey, delivered chilled by waitress to bar table precisely as Joey registers MS diagnosis via signed letters; untouched prop heightening mundane normalcy against seismic revelation, beads of condensation mirroring unfolding emotional sweat.
Josh orders large glass of ice water for himself, served clinking by waitress amid Joey's deepening concern post-MS reveal; sweating glass serves as tense fidget prop on table, amplifying discomfort of public conspiracy induction without consumption.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Gate Six serves as deplaning epicenter where Flight 1106 disgorges Joey and Dale into terminal waves, PA announcement drawing Josh's intercept; embodies arrival vulnerability priming secretive recruitment amid herded anonymity.
Terminal bar provides makeshift enclave where Josh positions Joey to block Dale's view, enabling lip-read/napkin MS disclosure amid clinking glasses and foot traffic; chaotic publicity forces improvised intimacy, waitress interruptions punctuating gravity.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Josh's insistence on privacy with Joey underscores the secrecy and danger of their mission, consistent across both beats."
Themes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"JOSH: "I told Leo McGarry that we could trust you, and Toby backed me up.""
"JOSH: "Eight years ago, the President was diagnosed with an illness that was never disclosed.""
"JOEY (written): "Is it serious?" JOSH: "Yes." JOEY: "What is it?" (Josh signs 'M' and 'S')"