Original subtitles

'Previously on St Elsewhere:'

Six of them in here. That's enough to tide you over.

Someone at St Eligius is about to brought upon charges

for the improper dispensing of controlled drugs.

The woman was so desperate. I just wanted to help her.

You shouldn't have released those drugs without a prescription.

He's proposing marriage to you.

I accept! So do I.

Mazel tov.

We don't know anything except she's in a lot of pain.

'Tonight on St Elsewhere:'

In theory, a deaf guy is as capable as anyone.

Are you saying he can't do the job?

You're trying to make me quit!

I'm just trying to get the job done.

This is an official hearing.

If it comes out that you threw Peter the keys...

I'm finished.

You could, in some way, soften your testimony.

You're actually suggesting that I perjure myself on the witness stand?

You know where would be a fabulous place for a wedding?

Where? Where?

Dr Craig's house.

I need to obtain some cannabis.

What?!

So this is what the fuss is all about.

Anybody got a match?

What'd they get this time, Rudy?

Half a bottle of Muscatel and a shopping cart with all my stuff.

Well, the Muscatel you could do without.

Hey... I never touch that stuff. I was just holding it for my buddy.

Take it easy, lady. >

I... I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong.

SHE SCREAMS IN PAIN

Where does it hurt?

You're really going to have to start taking better care of yourself, OK?

All right. I'll try and find you a bed.

What's the problem?

That's the mystery question.

She's obviously in a lot of pain but she won't tell me where.

Point to where it hurts.

I think maybe she's deaf.

Oh, great. What do we do now?

She's really suffering.

Isn't there a guy in radiology who knows how to sign?

I'll see if I can get a hold of him.

DEAF WOMAN GROANS

It's going to be all right now. It's going to be OK.

HE WHISTLES

Finally.

Hm. Yeah. The graffiti was the last straw.

I got the board to pony up for the whole room.

Donald, I won't be able attend Peter White's hearing tomorrow.

That's all right. Don't worry. We're in good shape.

I'm having a meeting this morning

with Burt Michelson and Peter and figure out the legal situation.

I want them to be well-prepared.

Good.

I'm starting another dose of chemotherapy this afternoon.

How's that going?

Terrible.

Haven't had a cup of coffee or any meat or liquor in three weeks.

On top of which, the chemo's like a roller coaster,

and unfortunately, I'm coming to one of the dips.

Still, it's better than doing nothing at all.

Last time I suffered in silence. This time I intend to bitch.

Helen.

Glad you're here. I need some advice.

About the wedding. So far, all we know is that my oldest friend Docker

is flying in from Santa Cruz to be best man.

That's if I front him the plane fare. The big question is,

where are we going to hold it?

Philadelphia. That's where Roberta's parent's are from, isn't it?

That's what I'm trying to tell you, Helen.

We don't want it in Philadelphia.

We want to do this our way, here in Boston.

We're going to make all the plans exactly the way we want.

I'll bet there are lots of wonderful places in Boston to get married.

You've been through it so many times,

I figured you know the places to stay away from.

I mean, all your weddings couldn't have been pearls, right?

I've only been married four times.

You make it sound like I'm neck and neck with Elizabeth Taylor.

Helen, wait a minute. I'm sorry. That's not what I mean.

I'm sorry. This whole thing's got me so crazy.

You see, Roberta's parents are arriving tomorrow,

and unless I have a battle plan,

this is going to be the Randall and Judith Sloane wedding.

Oh, come on, Victor. Everyone has problems with their in-laws.

Huh.

Helen, you don't really understand these people.

This is not Randy and Judy from Philly.

This is Mr and Mrs Randall Pier-Sloane from Bryn Mawr, thank you very much.

He's some big real estate tycoon,

she's heavily into historical preservation.

They get their own way.

Victor, you haven't even met them.

It doesn't matter. From Roberta's description,

I know what they're like. Trust me.

I've seen snapshots of their place. It's unbelievable.

It's this humongous thing built in 1773 by Roberta's ancestors.

Look up the word 'snooty' in the dictionary,

you'll find their picture. You got to help me.

So how big is this wedding going to be?

175... 100?

75?

You know where I've thought would be a fabulous place for a wedding?

Where? Where?

Dr Craig's house.

You're not helping.

No, I'm serious, really. You should ask him.

What's wrong, Shirley?

Come in here.

Did you get a subpoena?

It's ridiculous. I wasn't even on call that night.

Good luck.

Oh, it'll work out. You'll see. As soon as they realise

that Peter made a mistake in judgement...

That's great for Peter. What about me?

You got your wrist slapped here at the hospital.

Jack, this is an official hearing.

The nursing board gets a copy of the transcript.

If it comes out that you threw Peter the keys...

I'm finished.

I trusted him.

I was dealing with a burn patient and I'm the one who got burned.

No... You both had the best of intentions.

Take it easy. You're jumping to conclusions.

That fact is, the drugs in that cabinet were my responsibility.

Sorry, but we better clean up Mr Billings for his 2:30 thorascopy.

Sure. That's what I love about working on the wards.

WOMAN SOBS

They said you needed someone who could sign.

Oh, am I glad to see you. I'm Dr Fiscus.

Lee. Do you know her name?

Erm, no.

We don't know anything except she's in a lot of pain.

Her name's Carla.

Hello, Carla.

It's her stomach.

Ask her how long she's been in pain.

Since yesterday morning. It's been getting worse.

It could be appendix. I have to run some tests...

I'm sorry, you have to face me when you speak.

I read lips not back of heads.

I'm sorry, Lee.

Tell Carla that I've got to examine her and take some blood.

We'll need abdominal obstruction series, stat.

I'll take her when you're ready.

Thank you, Lee. Wait right here.

Daniel? Martin.

Sorry, I got hung up with a patient downstairs.

You realise that I've just gotten over the side effects from last time.

We had you on Atarax, right?

It usually works pretty well, at least with nausea.

It was totally worthless.

All right. Let's try Revlimid.

I already did. I break out in hives.

Morton, this is ridiculous. I can't take any time off this round.

I need to stay active.

Want to try some Compazine,

jump on a Percodan or Demerol for the pain?

Why don't you try smoking marijuana?

They tell me it works like a charm.

Morton, I'm your patient, remember?

I wish I could help you out by writing a prescription,

but unfortunately, THC capsules are illegal in Massachusetts.

Are you suggesting that I circumvent the law to obtain the cannabis?

Using it may... take the edge off.

Drugs can be a problem in any hospital.

But when they send in these spies and phony patients,

it becomes impossible to practice medicine decently.

You'll be up against an experienced prosecutor, Ralph Tanner.

He's council to the board, so keep your answers short and to the point.

Everything's done in an even-handed way.

Any idea who's hearing the case?

Dr Lisa Purcell. I trust her.

She knows the rules of evidence inside and out.

She determines the facts

then she reports her findings to the full board.

You get a verdict the next day.

You did say there would be nothing in the press, right?

Well, not at this stage.

You'll also have a chance to call witnesses on your own behalf,

Dr Westphall for one.

I'll try and explain the extenuating circumstances in the case.

Now, there are a number of possible punishments,

from an informal admonishment on up to a formal censure.

They could even take away your license to practice medicine.

But don't worry. That's not even a remote possibility in this case.

In the meantime, why don't we focus on your state of mind

when the undercover agent asked you for the drugs.

What we're seeing here?

A branch below the origin of the anterior tibial artery.

Bring out the taele, please. What are we going to do about it?

Well, we could go femoral posterior tibial.

Uh-uh. Too much plaque in that direction. Go around it.

You know, that reminds me. I guess you heard I'm getting married.

Well, most people like to get both feet on the ground first.

Well, I'm feeling pretty confident about work these days.

Confident enough to let this man bleed to death?

Sorry?

Your stich, Ehrlich. Hatchet, stat.

I suppose you're going to have one of those spaced-out ceremonies

on a beach in California.

Actually, we're planning on getting married here in Boston. Some place.

Well, that's the most sensible thought you've had in a long time.

The ceremony we're planning is, you know, pretty traditional.

You know, "Do you take this woman", bridesmaids, best man.

I think you'd like it. Cut please.

I've got family back on the coast, a few good friends,

but Boston is where we live, so it's where we're going to get married.

Dr Craig, I don't know how to ask this...

You don't have to, Ehrlich.

It would be my pleasure.

All right.

Dr Craig, I don't know what to say.

It reminds of the time Bob Oberman asked me the same thing.

He was my old roommate at Penn.

Poor guy, just got a divorce.

That was 30 years ago. I haven't been anyone's best man since.

Er... Dr Craig?

Ehrlich, let's make sure everyone wears real bowties,

not those tacky clip-on kind.

Er... Real bowties, huh?

If you'd waited for maintenance on this you'd be in the dark for weeks.

Believe me, I know.

Robert, there's certainly no signs of metastasis here.

Was planning to swing a deltoid flap up from the neck.

Still like to see a CAT scan before you start?

Never get her in today. Radiology's booked solid.

It's OK. I'll do it myself for 12:30.

Thanks. I'll have her ready.

Al, you have a line of patients all the way down the hall.

I've never seen it that bad, what's the problem?

Yesterday I couldn't give an X-ray away,

today you'd think there's a two-for-one sale on.

When we get jammed up like this, we're understaffed.

Oh, no, come on, we hired a new man for you, what, a few weeks ago?

I know. Believe me, we needed someone, but...

But what?

In theory, a deaf guy is as capable as anyone.

But not in practice?

Look. Lee slows everything down.

He's a nice guy, but like you said, we're backed up pretty bad.

Are you telling me he can't do the job?

I'm telling you that he can't do it fast.

Besides, I know a lot of guys get bumped from jobs

just because they're normal to make room for guys like him.

Now we didn't bump anybody, and you know it.

And I can vouch for the training programme that Lee attended

at Rochester, it's first class.

Why don't you tell that to the patients?

It's just that he's...

He makes them nervous.

You're going outside like that?

The temperature outside doesn't matter that much.

Once I get going, legs warm right up.

See you later.

All the best.

Yeah. Thanks.

You know, I feel like I'm in good hands with Michaelson guy.

With Westphall showing up, how can I miss, huh?

We're all going to do what we can, Peter.

I guess you realise how upset Shirley is about the spot she's in.

And if those whole business about the keys comes out at the hearing,

she could be brought up on charges herself.

Yeah, I know, I know.

I keep thinking that if I was on call that night,

I'd be on trial right now instead of you. But the fact is...

the woman was your patient.

No, no, she was nobody's patient.

That's why we're in all this trouble.

All right. The point is that Shirley only threw you the keys

because she trusted you. And now she's in a jam.

And I guess she feels you owe her one.

One what?

Well, maybe if you could in some way soften your testimony

to put Shirley in a better light.

Wait a minute...

Is this the real Jack Morrison speaking here?

Mr Integrity?

I mean, you're actually suggesting that I perjure myself

on the witness stand? Jack, it's not just the two of us testifying.

The undercover agent's testifying too. I mean, she was there.

Let me think about it. All right?

CHATTERING

You look terrible.

I don't know why they call them the side effects,

they hit you square in the face.

I took some medication...

about 12 hours ago.

And now my legs are so swollen, I feel like a stuffed sausage.

Well, what are you going to do?

Stop the chemo? It's the only thing that's keeping you alive.

I know.

I have to think of some other way to cope with this.

The medications don't help.

Bed rest, Daniel. Don't try to be a hero.

If anyone has told me that I would come to the end of my life

in intermittent agony...

that I would deny myself every known earthly pleasure

just to try and keep things from getting worse...

What would you have done?

I would've told them they were out of their minds.

May I sit?

My name's Vijay Kochar.

I'm sorry. I don't understand.

Oh. Very few do.

No, no - I don't hear.

Should I talk loud?

Oh, just slowly. It helps if you use your hands.

Oh. Pass the salt, please.

What's your name?

Lee Touvan.

I started about a month ago in Radiology.

Do you enjoy it there?

You know, everyone was new here once.

It's hard at first.

With so many people.

When I first arrived here from India, I was in the oncol room.

I was so bewildered.

Where do you work?

I'm an anaesthesiologist.

There's a surgical nurse there. Scottie Galloway?

Ah, yes.

She always waves hi to me in the hallways. Great eyes.

That's not all!

I'd like to get to know her, but how?

Well, have you tried saying... hi?

It's hard for me to communicate with anyone in a surgical mask.

I know.

Dr Fiscus.

Dr Fiscus, I wondered if I might have a word with you.

Sure thing.

I want to try a little experiment...

on myself.

And I was wondering if you might not be in a position to do me a favour.

OK.

I need to know how to obtain some cannabis.

What?!

Marijuana. Pot. Smoke. Reefer.

Something to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy.

Of course.

I wouldn't want you to do anything illegal.

It's just that I'm in a bit of a rush.

I thought that perhaps you might be in a position

to point me in the right direction.

If that's not possible, I'll certainly understand.

Hello.

Hello. Hi.

Want a doughnut?

No. Thanks.

Peter will land on his feet.

He always does.

I think we can trust the system.

In my dealings with the board, they've always been extremely fair.

They told us the undercover agent's on the stand.

This was your kid you brought to the ER.

Alison, she's two-and-a-half.

You felt you needed her as part of the scam?

These things are very carefully worked out.

In other words, you didn't think you could get the pills without her.

That was my supervisor's decision.

You knew there was nothing wrong with the child medically,

and still you dragged her out in the middle of the night

in order to bamboozle some unsuspecting doctor...

Nobody... nobody got bamboozled.

How often do you subject your child to this kind of thing?

Objection.

Sustained.

Totally irrelevant, Mr Michaelson.

We're not interested in how frequently the state police

run their undercover operations.

Could you tell us, Mrs Russ,

exactly how Dr White obtained the Seconal for you?

I have no idea, really, I was busy with Alison.

Oh. Well, um...

you came in and you complained of a sleeping problem,

and then you showed him a prescription bottle

with an out-of-town doctor's name on it, right?

That's right.

If Dr White had charged you another $55

and admitted you as an outpatient, we wouldn't be here.

Objection, that's not a question, that's a speech.

Sustained.

No further speeches.

How long have you held your present position, Dr Westphall?

Since 1975.

And in all that time, sir,

have occurred at the St Eligius?

Objection.

The question doesn't relate to the case at hand.

Dr Priscilla,

I'm trying to elicit the context in which this event took place.

I'll allow it.

How many other irregularities are you aware of?

On the part of the professional staff,

there have been other incidents, but when we find out about them,

we try to put a stop to it as quickly as we can.

Mm-hmm. Can you confirm for us, Dr Westphall,

Dr White completed

a drug rehabilitation programme this summer. Quite successfully.

Can you confirm for us that Dr was involved

in numerous incidents at the hospital,

where his fitness to practice medicine

has been called into question?

He's made remarkable progress, both as a physician and a human being.

Are you going to answer the question or not?

I don't know what you mean by numerous.

Well, isn't it true that he once sold his sperm

in order to support his drug habit?

I have no idea.

A copy of the receipt from the lab.

How do you know what he spent the money for?

Can you confirm that he was once involved in an automobile accident

while under the influence of drugs,

Objection.

This whole line of questioning has nothing to do with the case!

Overruled.

Please report on the incident.

Yes, I was aware of it.

Well, in view of all of this, did you ever consider

dropping Dr from the residency programme at St Eligius?

These horror stories are at least six months old. Now since that...

All right. Did you consider dropping him six months ago?

I'm going to tell you something.

This man has a remarkable gift for a clinical diagnosis.

It's a very precious gift, it's just now growing into maturity.

You're not answering the question, Dr Westphall.

Did you consider dropping Dr at the time?

Yes, I did.

That'll be all, Dr Westphall.

How did it go?

He got chewed alive.

Yeah, they ask anything about the case?

They just kept hammering away at White's personal life

and all those nurses he slept with behind his wife's back.

They asked me the same things.

I can't believe it. What has that got to do with anything?

I'm really worried, Jack.

I mean, suppose he panics and decides to hang me?

He's got to be pretty desperate, who knows what he's going to say?

Want a ride back?

Yeah, I'll go crazy hanging around here.

So I referred her to the family practice clinic.

It's there on the chart.

And the family practice clinic was closed?

That's right. So was the pharmacy.

That why you didn't write her a prescription?

She wasn't my patient. Her daughter was.

Little late to realise that now, isn't it, Doctor?

I was thinking mostly of the child.

She needed her mother's care, I wanted to be sure she got it.

Can you tell us, Dr,

why all Class 3 drugs are kept under lock and key?

Because of their potential for abuse.

To prevent this very kind of casual distribution.

I put in over a thousand hours in the ER.

I don't distribute drugs casually.

The fact that you had to go through two locks to get them

didn't that make you think twice?

I wish it had.

At what point in all of this did you approach Nurse Daniels for the keys?

Dr Priscilla, there's one thing I'd like to clarify before...

You'll have plenty of chances to clear things up

when Mr Michael son's asking the questions.

It was three o'clock in the morning,

I'd been at the hospital since noon the previous day.

Just a simple, coherent answer, Dr.

What was the question?

At what point did you approach Nurse Daniels for the keys?

She was busy treating a burn patient,

a guy who'd been set on fire.

So I looked around and I noticed that the keys were pinned

to her sweater over the back of a chair.

And then what did you do?

She was in the middle of an emergency procedure, Mr Tanny.

I couldn't justify interrupting her.

And then what did you do?

So I...

I took the keys from the sweater,

and I removed the drugs from the cabinet myself.

I have no further questions.

This is supposed to be a rush job, Lee.

What do I have to do to get your attention?

You have to face me.

I don't have the time!

I don't know this machine.

I had to trace the wiring by hand.

Last week you overexposed the chest films,

today you had to trace the wires.

It's always something with you, isn't it?

That film was not labelled properly.

Why don't you take a break?

I just had a break.

Well, then take another one, I'm busy.

If you're trying to make me quit, it won't work.

I'm just trying to get the job done.

Hey, what is your problem?

You want to know what my problem is?

My problem is people like you, who are constantly...

Hey, you are nuts, buddy.

I'm staying right where I am.

You understand? Right here.

Wayne.

W-A-Y-N-E.

Yeah, I'm an old friend of George's from college,

but I haven't seen him in a long time.

Moved to Columbia?

No, this can't wait till '85.

Dr Craig.

Hey, Dr Craig.

What is it, Ehrlich?

I have a little problem. I was wondering if you could help with it.

Ehrlich, I'm sure there will be a lot of little problems

right up to the ceremony.

If I can help in any way, I will.

Oh, boy.

OK, um...

I have this friend.

And he's asked a big favour of someone who's very important to him.

But it turns out,

this other person totally misunderstood what my friend meant.

Now...

the problem is that my friend doesn't want to hurt this person's feelings.

But he's in a real pickle,

and he's got to figure some way to straighten it out. Um...

You see, if he tells this other person directly,

it could cause a lot of, um, embarrassment.

Embarrassment, basically.

Spit it out, Ehrlich.

OK. Fine, um...

I can't have you as my best man.

This car's full. Take the next one.

Then what was all that crap about in the OR?

OK. You see, I was going to ask you

if Roberta and I could have our wedding at your home.

It's just that Dogger and I have been best friends since junior high.

No, no, it's OK.

I'm very sorry about the misunderstanding.

It's fine.

The last thing I'd ever want is for you to feel bad.

Ehrlich, did you hear what I said?

Sir?

I said it's fine.

I mean, just work out the details with Mrs Craig.

The details?

You want to have your wedding at my place, don't you?

Do you mean it?

Well, look, if you want someone for a best man

who has a similar outlook on life, a similar vision...

a guy named Dogger...

Well, I guess that's perfectly understandable.

Dr Craig.

I just want you to know that if I ever get married again,

I want to have you as my best man.

Rough, huh?

Yeah, it was the pits. But I think I've still got a pretty good chance.

I took care of it. You got nothing to worry about.

Now, listen, listen. I told them the keys were pinned to your sweater.

All right? Just in case somebody ever asks you.

Thank you, Peter.

All right.

I didn't know Roberta and Victor were so serious.

I just hope she's prepared for the white glove inspections.

I lived with him.

Obsessive compulsive like you wouldn't believe.

He makes my mother look like a slob!

Wish I knew what to give him.

I think they could really use an observation deck

in the bedroom for Dr Weiss.

(LAUGHS)

Oh, Luther!

You wouldn't know where we can score some dope, would you?

Dope, what do you mean, dope?

We're talking smoke here.

Believe it or not, it's for Dr Auschlander.

Sure, Fiscus, and I'm running for lieutenant governor(!)

No, I'm serious.

Mm-hm. The man's got to be at least 70 years old.

I have no place to turn, and the guy's in kind of a hurry.

Oh, I get it. Because I'm black and happen to live in the ghetto,

you automatically figure I can get my hands on some drugs, right?

You're right. And I'm sorry.

But the guy's suffering the side effects of chemo.

I don't know.

It's not going to be easy. Let me see what I can do.

Lee!

Good news. I just spoke to Scottie.

She'd love to meet you.

So what?

Aren't you pleased?

It wouldn't work out anyhow.

It's been this way all my life and always will be this way.

I am always going to lose.

Take it easy. What's the problem?

I can't take my supervisor any more.

He hates me.

The chief of surgery here never gives me the time of day.

Insults every chance he gets!

Last week I saved his feet from frostbite.

He still treats me like gravel!

So why do you stay here? It's stupid.

No, no, no, no. It's logic.

If I left in the face of his abuse,

it would prove to him that he's right.

And he isn't.

I have no intention of quitting.

Al will have to get used to me.

Maybe you should speak to Dr Westphall.

I want to do this on my own.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Come in.

Have you got a minute, sir?

Of course.

Hello, Luther.

How's it going?

Um, we managed to get our hands on the cannabis.

That's wonderful.

I hope you didn't run any great risk.

Oh, well, a friend of mine's uncle's barber knows his way around

pretty good.

How much do I owe you?

No, no, it's a get-well present from the two of us.

Oh... that's lovely.

Well, thank you.

There's a couple of them in there, so you can take them home,

put on your headphones and relax.

So this is what the fuss is all about, then?

Anybody got a match?

I don't know why you're so upset. Everything's going great.

How can you say that?

Well, the best man thing's all straightened out,

and we have a whole week off for the honeymoon,

and we found a fabulous place to have the wedding. So cheer up.

I'm hysterical about meeting your parents tomorrow.

I know that.

Everything's going to be OK.

This is insane.

OK, you know, ultimately we have nothing to worry about.

Are you kidding?

I wanted them to meet you, but this is ridiculous.

I mean, they find out that we're not getting married in Philadelphia,

then announce that they're going to spend the entire week here with us.

I know, what a bummer.

That's seven times longer than I invited them for.

I'm scared, Victor.

I'm terrified I'm going to run away.

If you're having second thoughts, I want you to tell me about them.

Oh, no, no.

It's not you, Victor.

It's just that, well, whenever I'm around my parents,

I turn into this zombie, you see?

I don't want to be like them and so I end up being like nobody.

Roberta.

They think that I'm this stupid little waif

who's made all the wrong choices in life.

So naturally they assume our getting married is part of the same pattern

and by the time they leave, I will too.

That's crazy.

I am crazy. And I'm about to run away.

Victor, tie me up.

I am not going to tie you up, Roberta.

I've got some gauze, we could play Doctor.

Forget it.

Masking tape?

Not even dental floss.

I guess I should've seen Dr Weiss today.

Forget Weiss, we've got to start working these things out on our own.

Oh, what do you want to bet my mother shows up

with a ticket for me back to Philadelphia?

I won't let her take you.

Really.

I love you, Victor.

I love you, honey.

Victor?

Mm-hm?

No.

Not until we get married.

OK, food.

Er, cookies?

Ah, forget about it, Sam. I think what he needs

is a jar of marshmallow fluff.

(CACKLES)

It just occurs to me... (CHUCKLES)

Here we are, three intelligent people on this Earth...

and we can't find a single thing to eat. (GIGGLES)

This is some problem, huh? (LAUGHS)

Th-th-this problem is a million years old!

(LAUGHS)

Ever notice how these places have a sort of buzz?

Just try and keep it together, Dr Auschlander,

we don't want to create a scene.

Quite right.

But what I really need is a...

chocolate Fudgsical bar, do they still make them? (LAUGHS)

Wayne, Wayne. Maybe we should wait outside for you, OK?

No, no, no, I'll be fine.

We'll just go at this thing systematically.

Oh, Katherine always loved beef jerky.

(GIGGLES)

Oh, and now Goobers!

I-I-I truly am supposed to be on a kind of diet.

I wonder if you have any salt-free buttermilk back there?

Or some... raw...

fresh liver? (LAUGHS)

I guess that ought to do it.

Excuse me, sir, are you all right?

Medically speaking, I'm under the influence.

Don't you know that that's against the law?

We have everything under control, officer.

Take my word for it, this is a legitimate medical experiment.

All right, what's your story?

When I was a little boy in New York, my father used to take me

to the Metropolitan Opera House.

We always bought standing room,

because we didn't have enough money for seats.

He's on chemotherapy and it was driving him nuts,

and the fact is, he is a doctor. I am too. And...

You sure don't look like a doctor.

OK?

I asked my father, "Why are you crying, Pop?"

And he turned to me and said...

"Be quiet. Listen."

If this guy's at 50,000 feet...

We'll take real good care of him.

I wouldn't want to see him doing any driving in this condition.

Absolutely not.

That's why we're here.

(LAUGHS) Wait till you get a taste of this beef jerky!

(CACKLES)

I don't know where Victor is.

He said he'd be here by 12:30.

Victor Ehrlich. Is that his real name?

Now, the telegram should go out the first thing tomorrow morning.

Randall's composing the text. Er... Flowers.

That's a telephone call, darling.

The obvious question marks are the caterers, the orchestra...

It's all been worked out, Dad. Including the telegrams.

I see.

We sent funny postcards.

They went out last week.

Mm.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Forgive me, folks.

There was a small emergency at the hospital that needed my attention.

Boy, very smart luggage.

Louis Vuitton.

(LAUGHS) Victor Ehrlich. Hello.

Mom. Victor, I'd like you to meet my mother, Judith.

Oh, my gosh, Mrs Sloan.

Look at this, you two could be sisters.

Thank you, Victor.

Why don't we sit down?

Yes.

Oh, thank you.

You know, just before I came here, I was with a patient.

Look at this, will you? How embarrassing.

I was in such a hurry!

As I understand it, this is a city hospital you two work at?

Yes, it's called St Eligius.

And you do surgery there?

All the time.

I would've thought Boston General

would be the place to do a surgical residency.

Well, it certainly has the bigger name.

Mm.

They tell me that good surgical practice

depends on making the right contacts.

Hey. This isn't the Inquisition.

(LAUGHS)

This is my fiance, Dad, shouldn't we be celebrating?

(LAUGHS) It's wonderful news, it's...

rather sudden, that's all.

Sure.

We're really very pleased.

It's just that you're all we've got,

and we've invested a great deal in your happiness.

Then why don't you ask me how I feel?

Roberta, we barely got here.

I don't care if Victor works in a doll hospital.

I've never met a more natural or honest man.

I love Victor.

And I want to spend my life with him, and I feel very, very lucky.

Mom, I'm getting married.

KNOCK ON DOOR

(CLEARS THROAT) You wanted to see me about Lee Touvan?

Yes, I did, Al, come in and sit down.

I've been here six years.

I've got zero budget, calluses on my feet and a gutful of ulcers,

but at least you always let me run my own department, no interference.

Now, all of a sudden...

Wait a minute.

Al, I didn't order you to hire this man.

You were there at the interview. Now give him a chance.

I did. But he's just not...

normal.

Now that's baloney and you know it.

Al, we can't treat disabled people like they're contagious.

They have rights, they have feelings, just like everyone else.

And a hell of a lot more courage in their day-to-day existence

than you or I will ever know about.

It's not my fault he's handicapped.

It's not Lee's fault either. But you're punishing him for it.

He needs more help than I'm able to give him.

I don't believe it.

Now for the time being, your job is going to be to give that man

as much help as he needs. Clear?

PHONE RINGS

Yeah?

Not a very dignified evening, I'm afraid.

But...

thank you.

Did you get any sleep?

I hallucinated all night, on top of which,

the junk food really laid me low.

What a drag.

This stuff may work for some people, Wayne.

But not for me.

I had this recurring image that I was in the middle of a battle.

Two armies surging back and forth across an open field.

A cancer army consisting of huge, buzzing insects.

They had this terrifying ability to regenerate.

I'm going to try and fight this battle again tonight

without chemical enhancement.

And this time, I have no intention of losing.

Well, you might as well flush that stuff.

Oh.

Unless of course you want to...

Oh, no.

Just going to... flush it.

You still in one piece?

Oh. I get the feeling your parents think I'm from Saturn.

They do not.

Victor, this was such a breakthrough for me.

Do you realise I've never, ever told them how I felt?

You were sensational. Now, did you get them set up at The Ritz?

Better.

I convinced them to take the rest of the week in Bermuda.

Oh, boy.

Yeah. Their flight leaves in an hour. They're downstairs.

Great.

Look. I know you went through the ringer at my place,

but they'd like to say goodbye.

OK.

Did you talk to Al?

I could've handled this myself, believe me.

Lee, we all need help from time to time

to get over the rough spots, right? Now, don't be offended.

I'm sorry, Dr Westphall. I'm just so used to people looking down on me,

either by being mean or patronising.

I understand. And I'm not going to tell you that those problems

are going to go away.

Then respect. I'm like everybody else.

That's right. I'll see you later.

Later.

Victor...

All my life I've worked with numbers.

Sometimes I think it's a blessing, sometimes a curse.

Still, for whatever reason,

putting things into equations, somehow it all makes sense.

The fact is...

you surgeons are all...

very temperamental.

You put in terrible hours, you work around chemicals all day.

The bottom line is

you'll never make as much as your local newscaster.

So what you're saying is...

Not to mention the fact that you...

you dress like a carnival barker.

I'm a bad risk?

On paper, it would seem that way, yes.

But...

It's obvious that you love my daughter.

Roberta evidently loves you.

Yes.

I guess that's more important than money.

I wouldn't know, really.

You see, when Judith and I got married, we were both very wealthy.

Ah.

Hello, Victor. We got these at rather nice gift shop.

Darling, I believe the driver's waiting for us.

Oh. Well...

We'll see you at the wedding.

Bye, Mrs Sloan.

Oh, Victor, you're so formal.

Call me Mother.

Go ahead.

OK... Mother. (CHUCKLES)

Son.

Yes.

Judith.

Bye.

Bye.

Ah...

Weren't they everything I said they were?

And more. (LAUGHS)

But on the other hand, these are the people

we're going to be spending Thanksgiving with.

Good old Mom and Dad.

They'll be back next week.

Terrific(!)

The last one of these I saw was a dermoid cyst,

but you'd need a mediastinoscopy to be sure.

Mm.

You mean take a bite surgically.

I'd show it to Dr Pennant if I were you.

Yeah.

PHONE RINGS

Yeah?

Yeah.

OK, I'll tell him.

It's Alisa.

Dr Westphall wants to talk to you.

That's OK.

I still can't believe it.

Apparently the vote was unanimous.

It's totally unfair.

What they really hung him on were those incidents from his past.

KNOCK ON DOOR

You heard?

It's a tragedy.

The fact is, he's just a scapegoat for a larger problem

the board has no idea how to handle.

Well, with these restrictions,

there's no way he can continue in the emergency room.

Or internal medicine.

It's devastating. They'll report their findings to every state board,

all the malpractice insurance companies.

He'll be explaining this for the rest of his life.

(PANTS)

Peter, I got a call from the clerk at the board a few minutes ago.

Yeah?

I'm afraid it's bad news.

They voted for formal censure.

Formal censure?

Two years probation

and suspension of your authority to write prescriptions.

It's a highly political issue.

Apparently the board felt they couldn't let this go unpunished.

No question, Peter, that you were a victim of circumstance.

And that there was no malicious intent on your part.

You do have the right to appeal to the state courts,

but in my experience no decision of the board has ever been overturned.

Frankly all it'll get you is lots of aggravation and a huge legal bill.

Does this mean you're... going to get rid of me?

No. I'm going to find a place for you here,

where the probation won't get in your way.

Look, I really appreciate everything you've done for me.

I'm really very sorry, Peter.

(QUIETLY) Thanks a lot.

(SOBS)