Original subtitles

Now, don't let that spoil your dinner, OK, Tanya?

OK.

OK.

Look out, coming through!

Put her in number three.

Jenny, where is Dr Morrison?

Across the hall.

Jack, we need you!

BP is falling. She must've swallowed the whole bottle.

OK, I'll be right with you. Jack, wake up! Drug overdose. Come on!

When am I supposed to study?

You got two days until the boards, right now we have to pump her out.

What do I do when I flunk and get dropped from residency?

Come on, you won't flunk. Besides, that's only one part of evaluations.

They're just cutting five residents.

One could be me.

You know, Dr Craig, with all this uncertainty in the air

with the Board exams coming up, I'm wondering...

Pacemaker.

We all know the residency programme calls for a big cut at the end

of the first year.

And since you and I have probably worked together more closely

than any other...

Two oral prolene, please.

I was just wondering if, you know, off the record,

you might have some unofficial idea of what my chances might be.

I hear you have been obnoxious in surgery when I'm not around.

Obnoxious?

Insensitive comments, raunchy jokes,

offending the nurses with your personality.

That's a good capture there.

I think you'll find as you go along, that you'll never do really well

in surgery without the respect of your colleagues in OR.

Wait, as I go along, what do you mean?

Into the second year residency?

Not necessarily.

I mean, as you get older,

as you have different professional experiences.

What do you mean? At different hospitals?

Dr Craig, are you saying I might not make the cut?

Don't do this to me, I've got a lot of studying tomorrow.

Not to worry, Victor.

In my opinion, the Department Of Surgery is critically understaffed.

Your opinion only counts when we talk chutney.

Irrigation.

What I'm getting at is, if I'm to make other plans,

it might be nice to have a little advanced warning.

The life of a resident wasn't designed to be nice, Ehrlich.

&lt It was designed to make sure that you know

what you're doing and that you respond under pressure.

I'm not complaining, I'm was just hoping.

Stitch.

You realise, Victor? &gt.

Dr Craig is just trying to give you the business.

Kochar, keep your nose out of the nitrous. And, Ehrlich,

I can't do your studying for you.

I can't write a recommendation for you.

And I am only one vote on the committee.

What you're saying is, I'm not out of the woods.

Right.

Right.

Right.

You sure you want to do this?

If there's a chance it'll get me off, I'll do anything.

Just remember, the trial starts tomorrow.

The results of this test automatically go to the jury,

whether you pass it or not.

I'm ready.

I'll be watching to make sure he doesn't throw you any curves.

Please take a seat, Dr.

Please remain as still as possible.

Tell me a lie, Dr, don't answer truthfully.

Are you wearing a watch?

No. &gt.

Now answer truthfully this time. Are you wearing a watch?

Yes. &gt.

Tell me a lie, don't answer truthfully.

Did you graduate from college in 1976?

No. &gt.

Now, answer truthfully, did you graduate from college in 1976?

Yes.

&lt Tell me a lie, don't answer truthfully, have you taken pills,

&lt medication or narcotic for the purpose of passing this test?

Yes.

Now, answer truthfully, have you taken any pills,

medication or narcotic for the purpose of passing this test?

No.

&lt Tell me a lie, don't answer truthfully.

&lt Are you the one who raped Cathy Martin?

Yes.

I've just taken over this case from Dr Helfmann, who's away in New York.

All right, go ahead.

Well, Dr Helfmann suspected pulmonary embolism.

Started him on heparin, IV.

How long ago was that?

72 hours. &gt

with associated nausea and vomiting.

For which Dr Helfmann prescribed Compazine,

25 mg every six hours.

What about the twitching?

He's now experiencing an oculogyric crisis,

origin unknown.

Indicating?

Central nervous system defect.

Metabolic?

Possible stroke in evolution.

Right.

I want you to order a CAT scan.

I have him down for 11:30 this morning.

Mm-hm.

And get a cerebral arteriogram.

Yes, sir.

The next time you see signs of a central nervous system defect,

I suggest you move a hell of a lot faster, Doctor.

Yes, sir.

Mortality conference at six.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Oh, no thanks. I'm on the wagon.

Excuse me.

This is St Eligius, isn't it?

You said it.

It's hard to tell in the rain.

Listen, Cheryl, I am looking for a doctor Victor Ehrlich.

You're Victor's aunt, right?

Right.

He's upstairs. Should I page him for you?

That's a lot of trouble.

No, nothing to it.

Yeah, Lisa, this is Shirley.

Could you page Dr Ehrlich and tell him his aunt is down in ER?

Right.

Thanks. He'll be here...

in a jiffy.

(WHISPERS)

You said the man in the ski mask knocked you down.

Yes.

Mm-hm. Had you pulled the mask from his face by then?

I must have by then.

You don't remember?

You knew the exact time of day, the colour of the mask, the kind

of coat he was wearing, yet you don't remember what happened when.

I was terrified.

Uh-huh.

Hadn't you lost your temper at Peter White that same morning?

Oh, he had ruined some valuable slides.

That you had been working on for a long time.

Yes.

In other words, you resented him being reassigned to the morgue?

Not really. In fact, I was glad to have more help.

Oh, I see, with all those handsome doctors around St Eligius,

you were happy to finally have one at your beck and call.

What? Objection.

He's putting words in the witness's mouth.

Leading the witness, Mr Ashman. Sustained.

Your Honour, I am just trying to reconstruct.

Now he's baiting the witness.

Not at all. I'll allow it.

&lt Go on.

No.

How many other times have you had sexual relations at the morgue?

That's none of your damn business!

Objection. This entire line of questioning violates...

Sustained.

You're a little late, Mr Ashman.

Jury will disregard Dr Martin's answer.

Why did you wait three weeks to report it?

He said...

he'd kill me.

How come you changed your mind and decided to accuse Dr White?

Because...

I didn't want other women to suffer...

the way I have.

I have no further questions.

Have you been having these fevers mostly at night?

Headaches, nausea.

Yeah, I have been feeling awfully tired.

Have you had problems with your eyes?

Any blurring or double vision?

Only when my kids start acting up.

I bet they're excited about the baby.

Yeah, that's all they talk about.

OK, let me just listen here.

Can I see your hands, please?

We were moving some keypunch equipment at work last week.

Patty, see if you can get her chart from the prenatal clinic, OK?

Sure. Thanks.

Take her right over there.

Mrs Chambers?

Yes.

Wayne, could I talk to you for a moment, please?

Sure. Excuse me.

Look, I've seen her a couple of times in the prenatal clinic.

She is always coming up with some new complaint.

She's your patient?

She's a clinic patient.

I happened to be on last week when she came in for a check-up.

Did you see the splinter haemorrhages under her nails?

No. Look,

she is mildly anaemic,

she probably hasn't taken the iron pills they gave her.

What about the murmur in the tricuspid valve?

I didn't hear it.

And the spots on her retina?

Look, we're getting stacked up out there.

Take my word for it, she's as healthy as you are.

You're probably right, but I'd like to admit her for observation.

I'd appreciate it if you'd get a consult.

Wendy, I realise your antsy about testifying...

Yeah, wouldn't you be?

I haven't heard from the DA, will they call me?

How am I supposed to know? I'm no legal expert!

OK.

But I do know medicine.

OK.

What's the problem?

Nothing we can't handle.

Good, just cut out the bickering.

Look, she is a moaner, groaner and there is no reason to tie up a bed.

Chronic hypochondriasis?

That's my diagnosis.

Fine, you covered your rear end,

that's always been your greatest strength.

Aunt Charise?

Hello?

Leaving town before the boards?

I wish. Have you seen my aunt Charise?

What does she look like?

She, um... You didn't see her, you'd remember.

Ehrlich.

E-H-R-L-I-C-H.

Now, he's a wonderful doctor.

Do you know that when he was eight he would take frogs apart

and sew them back together?

Do you know that once I took him to this farm in Sonoma.

Well, there was this pig...

You should call a code.

Aunt Charise!

Victor!

Hi. I've been looking everywhere for you. What's all this?

Mr Kopeski couldn't take the excitement.

He's OK, he just fainted.

Get an ammonium capsule.

OK.

I was just telling him about your childhood, about the frogs and all.

Victor, we should schedule a session about the pig.

You told them about the pig?

Victor, it is so good to see you.

Yeah.

You are looking for me, Phil?

Yes, I'm just trying to get on top of this case

I inherited from Dr Helfmann.

Frankly, I don't see anything unusual.

But then you would know a lot more about him than I do.

Have you had much experience with iatrogenic diseases?

Unfortunately.

Doctor-caused illness is far too common.

Well, I was going over all the lab reports Dr Helfmann ordered.

It suddenly occurred to me that every one of Mr Kremmins' symptoms

could also be a side effect of the medication he was given.

Including the neurological problem?

He was given an awful lot of Compazine.

100 mg over the past three days.

So, you could take him off everything.

Yes. And run the risk that he could easily kick into a stroke.

It is a tricky thing, Phil, but no-one can do the thinking for you.

I'm afraid it's the kind of choice you'll have to get used to making.

'Nurse Rowe, ER. Nurse Helen Rowe, ER.'

What? It can't be that bad.

I've got Westphall and Auschlander contradicting each other.

Both of them looking over my shoulder.

Catch-22.

There's no way I can avoid not looking bad to someone.

Relax, Phil, you can always get a job running...

a car wash.

Have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honour.

Will the defendant please rise?

How do you find as to the defendant, Peter?

On the first count of rape, we find the defendant not guilty.

On the second count of rape, we find the defendant not guilty.

On the third count of rape, we find the defendant not guilty.

On a single count of assault, we find the defendant not guilty.

Case dismissed.

One for the books.

How did you do it?

Do what?

Criminal justice is a lot like Donkey Kong, Dr White.

How come you didn't get hit with the bricks?

Why do you think I wanted you on my side this time after the way

you chopped me up in the entrapment hearing?

I'm not saying I did a lousy job here,

although the DA certainly did, not even calling Fiscus to the stand.

The jury knew what it was doing.

They were also impressed with the fact that you passed

the lie detector test.

How did you pull that off?

I read in a book somewhere that it's the questions that set off

the involuntary response, not the answers.

So, I just sat there and listened to the questions very carefully...

and then I told the truth.

Congratulations.

I wonder how you are going to live with it.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Wendy, turn that thing off. &gt.

I lost my appetite after I testified, so I skipped lunch.

At least, I'm not smoking or drinking.

Sugar fix.

Don't overdo it.

It was awful being on the stand.

Yeah.

That DA was pathetic.

He didn't even have the medical records there.

Now that it's over, I feel like a different person,

as if I'd been through some sort of catharsis.

I'm glad I testified.

That's how I would like to feel, different.

When I was a kid, I had one thought in my head -

to get out of my hometown.

You see, medicine was going to be my magic carpet.

Where did you grow up?

Tallahassee.

Not too many Asians there, or girls with a lot of ambition.

I guess I didn't have as many choices as other kids.

That's a dumb excuse, isn't it?

Wendy, take it easy on yourself.

I mean, I turned out great, right?

Yeah.

So, how come I don't feel so great?

If it's not one thing, it's another.

It is not rounds, it's ER

or some cry-baby patient or tests or getting beat up.

Where does my satisfaction come in?

Stupid... stupid waste of eight years. I'm fed up.

Did you ever want to be anything else?

Don't laugh.

A dancer.

What happened?

'Dr Armstrong, 5542. Dr Wendy Armstrong, 5542.'

I wasn't good enough.

How come?

Too fat.

And the kids called me tutu face.

Armstrong.

When?

No, I will be right there.

Watch that for me, would you?

Sure.

Hiya, Wendy.

Come on, come on!

Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Let's get a better seal on the mask. Suction.

Nine, ten, ll, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 11,

12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Still blue, no response.

Annie, what happened?

Five, six, seven, eight.

Mrs Chambers went into spontaneous labour 20 minutes ago.

You did a C-section? What about the baby?

The baby is dead.

What if I call Neonatal Intensive Care?

Wendy, we never even heard a cry.

Let's re-gown and glove, get ready to close.

Why defend such a dumb mistake when you're so obviously wrong?

Armstrong is a perfectionist.

I get it, that's why she stonewalled me

after overlooking half of Mrs Chambers' history.

Don't tell me you never tried to cover your tracks.

I'm sick of Wendy. I mean, she is more trouble than she's worth.

She's probably saying the same thing about you.

'Mr Klein, utility room, 4 West.'

So, when Victor and I came into the cafeteria,

and then I saw you across the room, I nearly dropped my tray.

Do you remember our talk at Victor's wedding?

How could I forget it?

I told Aunt Charise about Roberta and I breaking up.

She came all this way just to console me.

Some consolation(!)

Excuse me, you'll be at the mortality conference?

Six sharp. That sounds awful.

Dr Westphall, this is my aunt Charise from California.

Oh, nice to meet you.

Oh, please, join us.

Oh, boy. Thank you.

I don't remember you from the wedding.

No, I'm afraid I couldn't make it, I was stuck here at the hospital.

Oh. You know, they ended up getting married in the emergency room.

You could have just come downstairs.

Are you married?

Aunt Charise, come on.

No, that's OK. My wife died some time ago.

Oh, I am so sorry.

Well, listen, Aunt Charise didn't get to see much

of the city last time.

With your schedule, she won't see much of it this time either.

You know, I've lived in Boston most of my life, it still surprises me.

I love surprises.

Well, I'm sure Dr Westphall will be delighted to show you

some of the sights.

Really?

That would be wonderful. You mean, like tonight?

Unfortunately, I won't be out of here until 8:00 at least.

Oh.

I can wait.

Well, maybe if you had shown up for the preliminary hearing,

they wouldn't have cut White's bail.

If there's one thing I don't need right now

it's another cross-examination.

You'd think, with all the women Peter had...

I know.

He's one of the last guys I would've picked for a rapist.

You wouldn't defend him if he hadn't done you a favour.

Such as?

Perjuring himself in the entrapment case.

You came out of that all right.

Look, the cafeteria is not a great place to discuss this.

Maybe White picked up on your signals, Cathy -

body language, reputation.

You saying I led him on?

That's ridiculous.

You made it with half the men here.

Including Wayne Fiscus. Sorry I came between the two of you.

Cathy, take it easy.

No, I won't take it easy.

I wonder what you would've said had Peter White asked you

to sleep with him.

I'd have said no.

No.

The autopsy results showed end-stage cirrhosis with fibrotic regeneration

throughout the liver.

The cause of death -

massive haemorrhaging from oesophageal varices.

Restricted to dietary sodium and fluids?

Yes.

Why did Dr Penning recommend vasopressin?

Because the Blakemore tube didn't work.

The patient also suffered from jandis, pleural effusion

and intermittent obstruction of the bowel.

Questions?

Did you consider a cervical shunt?

The patient was 83 years old.

The risk of surgical mortality was totally unacceptable.

I think that's very clear.

Anything else? All right, thank you, Dr Wade.

Get the lights for us, please.

It never lets up, does it?

Uh-uh.

One more case to go.

This is our last mortality conference before the National Boards.

It has been a long day,

I know it, and I know you all want to get home and study.

Amen.

But I just wanted to wish you all the very best of luck.

And I'm sure you're going to be surprised at how much you now.

Dr Fiscus.

Chambers, baby boy, delivered three months premature.

Apgar score, zero out of ten.

Infant succumbed well before parturition.

Your initial diagnosis on the mother was anaemia?

Well, not exactly.

It says so right here.

That was my diagnosis.

I saw Mrs Chambers originally in the prenatal clinic.

Then Dr Fiscus dealt with her for the first time yesterday?

That's right.

Well, when he picked up on the tricuspid murmur in ER,

you didn't rethink?

I didn't hear the murmur.

You overlooked a history of rheumatic fever and you

referred Mrs Chambers to a dental clinic for chronic gingivitis.

It didn't seem that severe.

Oh, boy.

Something to contribute, Dr Chandler?

No, sir.

Then, in short, Dr Armstrong, you never acknowledged the possibility

of a genuine heart condition,

in this case, infective endocarditus,

which crossed the placenta and triggered premature labour.

I...

I...

To be honest, Mrs Chambers' valve murmur was almost inaudible.

I must have big ears.

It hardly seems the time for wisecracks.

I'm sorry.

I'm having trouble concentrating. I was in court earlier today...

I think we all understand that, Wendy.

The point is had you spotted her condition earlier in the clinic,

she could have been put on IV antibiotics.

And probably she'd still be carrying that child.

Yeah.

(SOBS)

That's all.

That was fun(!)

I'm just glad none of my patients died this week.

I'm telling you. Let me ask you something.

If you had an instinct about a case,

even though you knew there was nothing to back it up medically,

which way would you go?

I'd go by the book.

You're the last person I ever thought would say that.

I know, me, too.

I don't like what this pressure is doing to me.

I don't like what it's doing to any of us.

Desperate to impress.

I know I would do anything to be asked back next year,

especially after screwing up all year long.

But what the...?

I'm going to go home and take care of Pete. Good night.

Good night.

I am changing Mr Kremmins' medication order.

I want neuro checks every half hour.

And I am taking him off everything, starting right now.

I tell you what, give me A through H, you take I through P.

And we'll leave the rest for Daniel.

Fine.

That way he gets Peter's folder.

Mm. We'll trade around over the weekend

and make the cut decisions on Monday.

KNOCKING

Yes, come in.

Well, hello again.

Hi. Boston At Night.

I thought you might be able to give me a few pointers on where to go.

I have the perfect suggestion(!)

I just mean that Victor, you know, is busy, you're busy...

I'm busy.

Yeah, so I thought I might just try a night on the town by myself.

Well, I would love to show you around,

but I'm going to be home with my kids.

Come on, Donald, what's the big deal?

Put another TV dinner in the oven.

That's funny cos, you now,

I love TV dinners. What time?

8:30.

Oh, 8:30 is perfect. That's just perfect. OK.

8:30, yeah.

I'm so excited! I'm so excited!

Bye.

One suggestion,

lock the liquor cabinet.

Hi. You look terrific.

Why, thanks, I feel terrific.

No more regrets about having a breast implant?

Yeah, there are some. But do you want to know something, Michael?

After everything I've been through,

I feel like I can get through anything else blindfolded.

Well, it's good to have you back at your battle station.

Thanks.

See you later. Yeah.

Yeah, can I help you?

Hi, Helen.

Have you seen Jack Morrison?

I think he went to Oncol.

Peter.

They acquitted me.

Are you serious?

Even heard it on the radio.

The assault charge, too?

The whole shooting match.

Now, there's still some creep running around out in the city

that deserves to be shot, but it's a big city.

In other words, Wendy and Cathy are both...

Don't expect me to forgive those two.

I mean, somebody raped them, all right, but it wasn't me.

Well, I don't know what to say, Peter.

I mean, I'm glad. You had a really rough time.

It has been one raw deal after another.

But finally, finally something has turned out all right.

Well, I got to get cracking.

I've got boards tomorrow just like everybody.

Yeah.

Be happy for me, man. Come on.

I'll see you later.

OK.

Donald.

What's up?

I want you to see something.

Do you recall a case in rounds this morning, a patient of Chandler's.

Mr Kremmins, some sort of central nervous system defect.

It's quite remarkable.

So it was the Compazine.

And the heparin before that.

What about the chest pain?

Chandler had some new films taken.

Apparently, he cracked rib in a fall last week.

Keeps you humble, doesn't it?

Sure does.

This morning I chewed Phil out over Mr Kremmins' treatment

look how it turned out.

The man could have been patched up with adhesive tape

and he damn near has a stroke.

Good thing Phil Chandler saw it for what it was.

At times a young doctor can show us the way.

Thank heaven, three faces looking forward to their evening.

Vijay has convinced us,

we're going to try a new Indian restaurant in Braintree he swears by.

Shrimp vindaloo, the best in New England.

That's not saying much, is it?

I guess everyone else is hitting the books tonight.

Count your blessings.

Uh-huh. Good night.

Have a good time.

When I was a resident, there were fewer than 1,500 diagnostic tests,

now there are more than 15,000.

Uh-huh. Some of them invaluable.

Like the one that could have saved Dora Chambers' baby.

I'm just saying, there's a tendency to rely too much on technology.

To misuse it, I do it myself.

Our residency programme reflects that bias, don't you think?

Of course it does, and frankly, we don't have any choice.

I was looking for you.

Why?

Well, I know you both thought I was guilty.

Now the trial is over,

I wanted to let you know there are no hard feelings.

That's big of you(!)

Well, with evaluations coming up,

I just wanted to make sure I got a clean shot.

I mean, I'm innocent.

And it's only fair.

You are entitled to the benefit of the doubt.

That's what I wanted to hear.

Good night.

Cut the crap, Jack!

I mean, you're his real good buddy, aren't you?

You probably welcomed him back with a big kiss.

'..Shortly after midnight

'and reportedly blew out windows as far as two blocks away.

'Tensions have been high in this neighbourhood

'and it's likely a curfew will once again be enforced.

'In an effort to prevent those incidents of violence,

'senior officials said plans call for disengagement.'

Hey, Dad, don't do that, I'll get it later.

All right.

She sure talks a lot, doesn't she?

Yeah.

Hi. &gt.

So, where was I?

Ah... um...

Could I have just a touch more wine? Just a touch.

Sure.

Oh, perfect.

OK...

So, my advice to Victor

every time he wrote or called was...

shop around.

Right.

Look before you leap.

Absolutely.

But he didn't listen.

No.

No wonder the marriage was a bust.

Right?

Coffee, Dad?

Yes, thank you. How about you?

Oh, no. This is just fine.

Really just fine, really.

Besides, I'm not driving or anything like that.

Oh, Lizzie.

Oh, Lizzie, dinner was fantastic.

Thanks.

Thank God for that one.

She really holds down the fort. For the next few months, anyway.

Then what?

Oh, I start Vassar in the fall.

Oh, Lizzie!

How good!

What happens to the fort?

I guess I manage by myself.

Tommy is asleep, is he?

Yeah.

I'm all alone in California.

Well, if I had my way, I'd hang onto everything I have,

keep my life just the way it is.

But I have no choice, kids grow up and they leave,

and that's the way it's supposed to be.

So, I guess we just enjoy them while we can.

Does that mean I have to go do the dishes now?

Uh-huh.

No.

That's lovely.

That's really lovely.

Could you excuse me for a few minutes, please?

Sure.

You know I change my mind, Dad?

About what, pal?

I know I said you should date more,

maybe that's not such a good idea after all.

All right.

Let's see. Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Budd Chiari, lousy knuckleballer for the Mets.

Shh. Signs are jaundice, splenomegaly, ascites.

Clinical signs may include a prominent caudate lobe.

Perfect. You get the Cy Young award.

My turn.

Your turn.

All right, get this one right and you make MVP.

Paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia, please.

Thanks, Victor.

OK. Heart rate, 160 up to 240.

Occurs after mild cardio infarction.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or mitral valve prolapse.

Preventative drugs are quinidine, Lidocaine and, um...

Try disopyramide.

And don't forget digitalis.

Dr Craig. We're doing a little last-minute cramming.

Well, if you don't know it now, Ehrlich, you never will.

I guess we figured you can always pick something up last-minute.

Well, you can never tell about the National Boards.

When I went in for mine in '63, I was edgy as hell.

When I came out, I was positive that I accidentally skipped one box

and filled in every answer wrong.

No! Did you?

No, no. In fact, I missed only one question on the entire test.

Do you remember the subject?

How could I forget? Amnesia.

Well, don't stay up too late.

You are due in 8:30 sharp.

Good night.

Good night.

That was nice. I feel better.

I don't.

Amnesia...

'This concludes the broadcast day...'

TOILET FLUSHING

I wish I could have driven you.

Victor, it's nearly 9 o'clock, you've got a test to take.

I worry about you in airports.

I've got it all worked out.

Hey, Victor. Oh, I loved seeing you so much again.

I love you, too, I just wish I had more time.

For once, Victor, will you please shut up. Now come here.

What?

Come here! I have a confession to make.

What, now?

Victor, remember when your mother and father died

and you came to live with me in Sonoma?

Sure.

Think back to the morning

when the man in the white suit woke you up.

The guy with the skinny moustache?

Yeah, Ramon.

And later on when you asked me who he was?

You said the milkman. Wasn't he?

In a way.

Ramon wasn't the only milkman.

That's who all those guys were coming in and out?

I thought you had bad luck with appliances.

Why lay this on me now?

Victor, look, last night taught me a big lesson.

I mean, there I was having dinner at Dr Westphall's house

and I broke my promise to myself, I got drunk.

And I acted as if he were just another good-looking guy.

And then when I got back to the hotel, I said to myself,

"Oh, my God, I've wrecked Victor's chances."

Aunt Charise, please don't say any more, I'm teetering on the brink.

So, I apologise.

I don't want to spoil your future at St Eligius,

that's why I'm going home.

But you'll come again soon?

We have to live our own lives, Victor.

I mean, meeting once a year maybe is bad enough.

Oh, Aunt Charise, come on.

Now you listen to me, you must stop thinking of me

as the person who just tucks you in and makes you cocoa.

And one more thing, you quit moping around.

And you just whoop it up!

Meaning what?

Meaning Roberta.

Roberta was great for a while,

but there are a lot of other wonderful girls out there.

So, stop feeling sorry for yourself.

OK, OK, bye-bye.

And Victor, you just remember one more thing.

As we speak, your life is nearly half over.

Now get moving.

I will.

You, too!

Bye.

Bye.

You will have exactly four hours for the morning section

of the exam, with a 20 minute break at 10:15.

Books down there, please.

Name?

Victor Ehrlich.

Seat 23.

23.

On this separate answer sheet provided, you will note that

each question number is followed by five small rectangles.

Using any standard number two pencil,

blacken the rectangles that correspond to the answer

or answers you have chosen.

Please be sure that you totally fill the rectangles

and that your erasures are clean and complete.

Do not break the seal until I give the signal.

Any questions?

Begin.