The Black Box (2014) s01e05 Episode Script
Jerusalem
1 Previously on "Black Box" Okay.
Not that I'm obsessed with him.
Oh, my God! It's a closed-circuit infrared 400,000-CCD-pixel resolution.
I have known Reynaud since I interned under him.
He had an undiagnosed brain tumor.
I want your advice.
Yes, you have the surgery.
- You remove as much of the - What if I don't want to live? No, buy as much time as you can, and then you spend it with your son.
You repair what is broken between you.
Peter? Dad? Daddy? Ralphie's dead.
Ohh, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry, bubele.
Shall we say kaddish for him, huh? What's a "cad dish"? Kaddish is a sacred prayer for the dead that will send Ralphie to a blessed life in Olam Ha-Ba where Hashem will welcome him.
Please don't talk gibberish to our son, Jacob.
Sweetie, Ralphie died 'cause fish don't live as long as people do.
We'll get you another one, okay? - Tie your shoes.
- I want I want Ralphie.
Well, we'll get you a better one.
What is your problem? All he needed was a hug.
You're late for the partner's meeting.
Your shoes are polished, Mr.
Myers.
I ironed your blue sea island cotton shirt.
Cufflink choices are here.
Thank you, Rosalinda.
Yesterday, I noticed you didn't eat your strawberries I-I don't really like them.
So, today, I put in bananas and peanut butter, okay? You got to promise to eat it.
Daddy? Mr.
Myers? Bezeh hammaqom tehi b'rakhah v'shalom.
That means, "may this home be filled with the blessing of joy and peace.
" Rosalinda For your kindness and hard work over so many years The penthouse is yours.
Mommy! Daddy just gave away our house! Oh, really? Did he? Who'd he give it to? Shalom.
So, I got assigned Rautavaara's "Piano Sonata No.
2" - You know, "The Fire Sermon"? - Yeah, it's wonderful.
Sounds like a piece of cake for you.
Are you kidding me? - It's the hardest in the canon.
- We'll get together later.
Who's that? That's Miles.
He's a junior.
He studies guitar and composition, and he deejays in Chinatown on the weekends.
He's cute.
Yeah, he's okay.
Oh, my God.
He's looking over here.
What's wrong with him looking at you? I don't want him to see me in this.
This outfit is stupid.
You'll freeze to death.
Here.
No.
Easy.
We'll swap.
Oh, my God! This is Helmut Lang.
- Are you sure? - Uh-huh.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Dripping with edge.
- You know you're never gonna get it back, right? - Fine.
I'm gonna rock this forever 16 jacket forever.
You know you're cooler than any guy, right? Let him know that.
- I love you.
- I love you.
Bye.
Yeah, now would be good.
Thanks.
So, Tracy, how long has this been going on? Three weeks, and it's getting worse every day.
All he talks about is God, God, God.
This morning, he gave away our house and $12 million.
Gone.
Oh, you remember that? That's the shelter you helped fund in Port-au-Prince after the earthquake.
You know, they're still housing 30 homeless people a day thanks to your generosity.
Adonai machasi u'metzudati.
Come on, man.
You know I don't speak Hebrew.
"The lord is my refuge and my fortress" Psalm 91.
Well, I doubt all those homeless kids feel the same way, Jacob.
"He that dwelleth in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty.
" - Hey, what's up? - Oh, hey, come in.
This is Dr.
Black.
Tracy and Jacob Myers.
They're very good friends.
- Hello.
Lovely to meet you.
- Hello.
Dr.
Black is our star brainiac here at the Cube.
Oh.
"May the source of strength who blessed the ones before us help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing.
" So, Jacob's experienced a sudden spiritual conversion.
He's bonkers.
We've always been bad Jews.
I can count on one hand the times we've gone to temple.
All of a sudden I'm enlightened.
Beautiful office.
I think we need a full neurological work-up.
I'm happy to help.
Would you like to come to my office? You can tell me all about it.
- Thank you.
Thank you so much.
- It's okay.
- Oh.
- What are you doing? - The Myers are philanthropists - I'm just standing here.
- You're standing in the hallway.
- And they've just recently joined the board at the Cube, - so make sure they get VIP treatment.
- You worry too much.
All our patients get VIP treatment, Bick.
God is blessed.
- Hello, Arthur.
- Ah.
Owen.
I heard you were here getting your second cycle of temozolomide.
Yes.
Yes, I finished my last fraction of radiation one month ago.
And look at you.
You look terrific.
Well, uh The therapy is working beautifully.
Uh the last brain scan showed no tumor enhancement.
- That's wonderful, news.
- Mm-hmm.
- Now, is there any dizziness, fatigue, - No.
Weakness seizure activity? No to all three.
I feel like a new man.
And if I, uh, may ask, h-how's the, uh, reconciliation going? My son, Peter, he's forgiven me.
I plan to use every day I've got left to make up for the ones I wasn't here.
Okay, now, as a fellow doctor, you'll be interested in this.
We have a new medication that we can add to your treatment regimen.
What is it? It's experimental.
Valganciclovir.
The antiviral? Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
A team of researchers in Sweden gave it to a small group of glioblastoma patients, and they lived a remarkably long time.
- Yeah, h-how long? - More than two years.
Yeah.
That's twice as long as the patients that didn't receive it.
Two years? What I What I could do with that time.
I was hoping for a good six months.
Shall I arrange it? Oh, sign me up! I'm gonna fight this thing with everything I've got.
Look.
- My grandson.
- Mm.
He was three last week.
How's that for a reason to live? Give me that.
Can you look at me, please, Mr.
Myers? Uh, please, call me Jacob Descendant of our tribe's forefather of the Israelites.
Or, for short, the Messiah.
So, just for the sake of clarity You are the Messiah? I am chosen by Hashem, who calls on me to walk with angels.
The only thing you should walk with is our dog, which you haven't done once since this started.
You have any headaches recently? No, I've never felt better.
And does God talk to you? If you're asking do I hear voices, no, I'm not crazy.
But God and I have an understanding.
I see.
Uh, how long has this been going on? Ever since we got back from vacation.
It was not a vacation.
It was an aliyah.
That's a pilgrimage to Israel.
Where did you visit when you were in Israel? We shopped in Tel Aviv.
We swam in the dead sea.
It was wonderful.
They have spa treatments there.
- Then we went to the wailing wall - Oh! - Where this one went bananas.
- I-I mean, I was brought to my knees.
- And I was moved to tears.
- He was on his knees.
- B-being there, praying there - It was very scary, actually.
That is as close to heaven as I've ever felt.
It changed me forever.
Jerusalem syndrome? Mm, it's been around since ancient times.
Apparently, people go to these holy sites, like the wailing wall, and they start relinquishing possessions, - wearing togas, sermonizing.
- Yeah, but it's It's temporary.
And they usually recover in a couple of days.
Yeah, but this has been going on for three weeks with this guy.
Tracy said it's getting worse every day.
He's such a show-off.
You're eating doughnuts for lunch? Whatever, corn chip man.
You got a problem with that? No, but It's kind of low rent in the era of the cronut.
"Cronuts"? What's a cronut? Imagine a croissant had a baby with a doughnut.
- Oh, that sounds like a delicious baby.
- Mm-hmm.
Well, let's go right now.
The only bakery that makes them is, uh, a few blocks away.
Fresh cronuts Full day's calories in one bite.
I can't.
I-I'm swamped.
I can't leave.
You always say that.
You know, the only time I see you is when I come here.
Well, I-I practically live here.
You're gonna have to deal with that.
At some point soon You're gonna have to let me take you on a proper date so we can, you know, move this thing forward.
Thing? What thing? Hey, hey! Nice! Dad, you look tired.
Would you like to lie down? Well, I am tired a little bit after chemo, but I'm stronger than I have been.
Being with you and Jackson is the best medicine I've got.
This new treatment sounds so hopeful.
It is.
Well, with a diagnosis like mine, the goal is to keep the patient alive long enough for some new miracle drug to appear.
Daddy.
Yes, my man? I want to play with you.
Okay.
Well, I want to play with you, too.
Let's do it.
Oh.
Dad.
What's happening? Take me back to the Cube.
The E.
R.
stopped the bleeding.
He's resting comfortably in his room.
What happened? Nose and mouth bleeds are common side effects of chemotherapy, but they can lower his platelet count, so your dad may need a platelet infusion.
That's all it is? Mm-hmm.
They'll run some tests to be sure.
All right, come on.
Show me what you got.
Wait for it.
- There it is.
- Oh, touchdown! - Right on cue.
- No, no, no, what am I missing? Spike in cerebral blood flow in his precuneus area, also known as "the God spot.
" It's one of the several areas of the brain linked to spirituality.
You see, as Jacob listens to music, his right brain is shutting down because he's entering a trance state.
So, why is this happening to a man who's never been spiritual before? - I don't know, but look at that.
- Mm.
Oh, wow.
Decreased activity in his left culmen, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate.
Jacob is communing with his God right now.
There's nothing that you could label as abnormal in the scans.
But we haven't got all the tests results back yet.
Something is wrong.
This makes no sense.
Jacob always rebelled against his parents' religion.
Were his parents orthodox? Oh, yes, hard-core.
A tendency to believe in God can be inherited.
There's there's even a specific gene, VMAT2, linked to religiosity.
Maybe your trip to Jerusalem triggered something that was already there in him.
I always knew his parents would ruin our marriage.
Ahh Oh, please tell me that's what I think it is.
Your very own cronut.
I had to wait an hour in line to get it.
They are officially a thing now.
Mmm! I think I just found the key to enlightenment.
So, has the cronut earned me a walk to my place? Oh, we don't have to go that far.
All right, if we need an elvish riddle to get through that door, I'm gonna marry you.
This is the electronic age.
Okay.
This is, uh most definitely enlightening.
What's up? Reynaud's blood work came back.
We did a complete metabolic panel.
His platelets are normal, but the INR is 6.
0.
Oh, my God.
The AST, the ALT It's eight times over normal.
Yeah.
He was doing so well.
He said his last scan was clear.
I did a flawless job on that glioblastoma.
I can't help it if the damn thing had already spread.
The LFTs suggest metastasis to the liver.
God.
Never even got a chance to start the antiviral protocol.
I just wish I wouldn't have held out that hope.
He's gonna go fast.
So, uh Who's gonna tell him? Oh.
Thank you.
Yeah.
I'll be back to check on you.
Yeah, I know, I know Low platelets.
I'm surprised it hasn't happened before.
When's the transfusion? Well, just say it.
Your LFTs were through the roof.
You're sure? We'll do an abdominal sonogram just to be certain.
Cancer has spread to my liver.
Yes.
How long do you think I've got? Not long.
- We'll make you as comfortable as possible.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, - I'm gonna get a palliative-care specialist - There must be something else you can do.
- To come down here and discuss your options.
- I will try anything anything.
I will try an experimental drug, uh, uh, more surgery.
Uh, anything! I-I-I have to spend more time with my family.
I am not ready for this! You I'm sorry, Arthur.
You're sorry?! You're s-sorry.
Mr.
Janson, you need to wait in your room.
- Dr.
Black will be with you.
- I'm, uh I'm trying to get to the elevator.
I heard there's a lobster truck outside.
I'm from Maine.
I-I can't pass up lobster.
Oh, I-I can take him.
Hello.
I'm Jacob.
I'm a fellow traveler here.
Uh, Larry Larry Janson.
Do you like lobster? Well, my my religion forbids shellfish, but I-I-I'd be happy to take you.
You just wait right here.
I'm just gonna get my coat.
God bless you.
And you.
Uh Lobster truck is here.
Hm.
An hour ago, I found Mr.
Myers down in the E.
R.
washing the feet of a homeless guy.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
Reminds me of my Uncle Ben Goes to mass every day, twice on Sundays.
Nobody calls him crazy or that he has some syndrome.
You believe in God? I was raised Catholic.
It never leaves you.
I pray sometimes mostly for the mets.
God's record there is pretty spotty.
- What's going on? - Anything? Who brought Mr.
Janson out here? - I can see! - You can see? Jacob brought him for lobster.
Ha! Jacob, I can see! I can see! All praise to Hashem! I can see! It's a miracle! I touched Larry, and Larry can see.
This is a fact.
Look, as scientists, you have to accept hard evidence.
Larry has graves' disease.
That's why he was blind.
We treated him with a steroid that reduced the swelling The medicine cured him, Jacob.
- Not faith healing.
- That's your version.
Mine is that I experienced God's love moving through me to Larry.
Now, wait a minute.
Aren't faith healers frowned upon in judaism? Religious dogma is meaningless in the face of God's new revelations! I have a power to heal! And more than that I understand things.
You are missing something from your life.
Perhaps it is God's grace.
May we pray together? That's a very lovely offer, but no, thank you.
So, we have all of Jacob's test results back.
He's completely healthy.
No.
He's barking mad.
You know, I bet they said that about Joan of Arc.
Just because we don't share in Jacob's faith, it doesn't mean that it's a condition, right? Just out of curiosity, does anyone in this room believe in God? Have you seen me operate? - I am God.
- Mm.
I believe in God.
- She's awesome.
- I am a scientist, and I am trained to equate truth with things that can be proven.
Not only does faith ask you to accept things that are impossible to prove, it's just they defy all reason.
But isn't that the very definition of faith? That you believe without proof? Then why not believe in leprechauns or unicorns? Santa Claus, bigfoot.
Vampires.
I do envy true believers.
I do.
I wish I could get out of my brain and experience a real Spiritual ecstasy or That's what Tequila's for.
You really feel that way? I do.
I would love to feel God's presence.
Ah, so you admit the possibility that God exists.
Well, it can't be proved, but it can't be disproved, either.
So, therefore, I I think God may exist.
This is the last of the cinnamon, by the way.
I'll pick you up some tomorrow.
Thank you.
See, this this may be proof that God exists.
Must have cinnamon with with Will's special hot chocolate.
Not work, I hope.
No, it's Esme.
I gave her a jacket today to impress a boy.
"Jacket worked.
We hung out after school.
Miles is awesome.
" I'd forgotten how macabre this office is.
Well, under the circumstances, the decor seems appropriate.
Well, you know, I'm just one of those guys.
I'm not I am simply not afraid of death.
I don't know why.
I see it as either a beautiful release or a start of a great, unknown adventure.
That's easy for you to say.
Yes.
Carlotta told me that you're feeling anxious.
More like, uh, terrified.
I have seen so many patients die.
You'd think that I'd know how to do this.
I-I Okay.
We're We're here to help, and we we want to, so we've set up hospice care in your home.
But what else can we do? Uh, antidepressants or No, no, no.
Antidepressants take up to two weeks to work.
By then, I'll be dead.
Ohh.
There must be something.
I'll try anything.
Okay.
I have a a colleague at a palliative care center.
And he's in clinical trials, treating terminally ill patients with psilocybin.
What? Hallucinogenic mushrooms? - No, I know, Owen.
- Are you serious? I know what you're thinking, Owen, but it Psilocybin has been tested all over the world to treat anxiety and depression in terminally ill patients.
Apparently, people are having life-altering experiences.
What what What kind of experiences? As far as I can tell, they're starting to see themselves as part of a larger whole.
It's very spiritual, and And afterwards, death seems less frightening.
May I ask if you have any data on this? My colleague, he he administered this drug to 18 volunteers, and 72% of them said that they had these profoundly spiritual experiences.
Where where where can we get these mushrooms? It's not mushrooms.
We would be using medical-grade psilocybin.
When can I try this? Good afternoon.
So, we have some news.
Uh We have all of Jacob's test results back, and, um, we can't find anything.
S-so this means everything is fine.
Well, that's awful.
There's nothing you can fix? - I'm afraid not.
- We can't find anything, so we have to assume that this is Jerusalem syndrome.
Look at him.
He's had a spiritual conversion.
- Ian, is that man sane? - Fortify you.
Religious ecstasy isn't considered insanity.
As much as we want to fix it, if Jacob's not ill - she'asah il kol tzorki.
- There's nothing that we could do.
I have nowhere to go.
He gave away our house.
Barukh attah adonai melkh ha-olam she-asah il kol tzorki.
This is not what I signed up for! You are supposed to take care of me! Not me you.
I gave up my career because of you.
I can't even get groceries.
- How is that saintly? - she-asah il kol tzorki.
My love, Jacob.
If you ever loved me, stop.
- Stop.
- She-asah il kol tzorki.
Stop.
Jacob? Jacob? Jacob? Jacob, you've had a complex partial seizure, which can cause psychosis, including religious psychosis.
Which means that this never was Jerusalem syndrome.
And I'm sure you're aware that were having these episodes.
Yes.
What do you mean, you knew? How long has it been going on? Since a few months before we went to the holy land.
That's when God first made himself known to me.
- No.
- Oh, my God.
It isn't God.
It's epileptiform activity.
Your brain has had spontaneous neural activity, and that's that's what feels like God.
We can't convince you of this right now, but what's more important is that we get you on the anti-seizure medication.
- And once the seizures stop - God will go away? I don't want God to go away.
Repeat seizures can cause brain damage.
Listen to me.
Yes, you are.
We need to section him.
He's not competent to make this decision.
We're not praying.
We're taking the medication, and we're gonna get you home.
And you're gonna be all better.
Shh.
This stuff is hard to come by Psilocybin cubensis.
Where did you get it? From a colleague running a clinical trial.
I have to send back what's left over.
I'm packing it into a gelatin capsule.
The trick is to get just the right amount.
It lessens the chance of a bad reaction.
Great.
Here's the leftovers.
- Put them in a safe place.
- Thanks, I appreciate it.
My pleasure.
Most people experience some nausea, but don't worry.
It soon passes.
I've set you up with five hours' worth of beautiful music.
- Ah.
- Listening to music helps, so Can I have the remote? Thank you.
Manuel will be standing by at all times with a tranquilizer, so if there's anything that feels uncomfortable or you feel any fear, you you just speak up.
- You say so, all right? - All right.
Okay.
How's the volume? You let me know if there's any problems right away.
Well, it's real sweet of you to keep coming here for lunch.
And for dinner.
Your secret room rocked my world.
Yeah, it did.
But I am gonna give you a deadline.
A deadline? For our date A real date.
It's got to happen tonight.
You get dressed up.
So do I.
I pick you up not here, but at your apartment.
Where is that, by the way? - Oh, it's not far at all.
- Okay, good.
And we'll go to my favorite restaurant.
And afterwards, I show you my place.
Mm.
I-I need a little bit more advance notice.
How how about the last Saturday of this month, - 'cause tonight I have this - Cancel it.
Look, if you don't do this for me, I I don't know.
Because your life is here, but mine is not.
I got it.
You're right.
- I'll meet you by the elevators.
- Mm-hmm.
6:00 P.
M.
? And if you aren't there I won't be back again.
Mother.
Oh.
You made my favorite, mommy.
Alan? I thought you were dead.
I am.
What's it like? Lovely.
Come with me, and I'll tell you all about it.
Oh, wait.
Not yet.
There were lots of doors.
And and Each door led to a different loved one from my life.
My mother.
Mom.
And my brother, who died last year.
I-I moved easily from room to room.
And I knew that there were many more rooms ahead that, in time, I would get to.
I wanted to go through those doors.
Makes no sense, but I feel that I will be going through them Soon.
And I'm looking forward to it.
Gosh.
You have any more of that, uh psilocybin lying around? - You serious? - I want to see my mom.
You're just as likely to see zombies.
- Well, I would love to see zombies.
- I knew you would.
Don't you ever, you know, want to have a spiritual experience? Yes.
That's what I was telling you.
I only did mushrooms once, in high school, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
I'm returning what's left over tomorrow.
Excuse me.
Here.
Good news.
Dr.
Black says you haven't had any seizure activity in 24 hours.
- You can go home now.
- Good.
And as it turns out, we still have a home.
Our lawyer says, if you're psychotic when you give away everything you own, it doesn't count.
The nurse doesn't need to hear our problems, sweetheart.
I'm sorry.
You're right.
You seem quite different today, Mr.
Myers.
How are you feeling now? Like I need to get back to the office.
We're fighting a hostile takeover.
We're in the middle of a new ad campaign.
I haven't been away from my desk this long in years.
Hear that? I have my baby back.
- Mr.
Myers.
- Ian.
- U look terrific.
- Thank you, sir.
Well, I turned in my toga.
Ian.
- God, thank you so much for everything.
- Yeah, yeah.
We're thinking what this place needs is a donor wall.
- Yeah.
- Jacob.
I heard you were leaving.
- Can you give me one last blessing? - Sure.
May the force be with you.
That that's it? Yeah, I'm afraid so.
For more details, see your local priest or rabbi.
Take care.
- So, you all good? - Yeah, I'm good.
- Good, good - More or less.
Just, um I mean, you know, crazy as it sounds, I-I miss God.
Well, if it's of any comfort, I'm sure God would be thrilled at your recovery.
Really? How do you figure? 'Cause you serve God's neediest people by making tons of money and giving it away.
- God loves charity.
- All right.
If you wandered the world with a begging bowl, who would that help? - Absolutely no one.
- Nobody.
In fact, it'd be a sin.
So go forth, continue to do God's work.
- All right.
Golf next week.
- Done.
So, uh, is there anybody home? No.
No, my mom's out of town, and my dad's working late.
You busy? For you? Never.
I just want to say that I thought you were great with the Myers.
Well, they're good people.
I owe them a lot.
Tracy told me that you were the one that introduced them that shelter in Haiti.
People are complicated.
Well, you maybe.
Not me.
- I think you're complicated.
- Well, you're wrong.
You just don't understand me.
Where are you headed? Got a date.
Does that give you a twinge? No.
Liar.
Honey, you home? Shh! Okay.
Shh! Hi, dad.
Um, this is my friend Miles.
You think I don't recognize the smell of weed.
Dad.
Get out.
Hey.
What is it? What do you mean? Okay, I'm on my way.
Josh needs my help.
Esme's stoned.
- What? - Yeah.
He wants me to go over and give her a talk.
- Really? - Mm.
The first thing I got into trouble with as a teenager was smoking weed.
Mmm.
Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
It's delicious.
- Wish me luck.
- Good luck.
I'm glad you called.
Guess you want me to come down pretty hard, right? Yeah.
She'll listen to you I hope.
- She's pretty stoned.
- Is she? It's not funny.
No, I know.
For three, and it's good.
He is just 3 of 13 behind the arch, and he puts up a big three to give his team a four-point lead.
This is a high-resolution S.
P.
E.
C.
T.
Image of a chronic marijuana user.
Okay, so, here you can see the decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex.
This is bad.
Oh.
The, uh Weed, it can, uh can trigger psychosis.
Aunt Kate? Are are you okay? Are you okay? Dad! Hey, baby.
It's me.
I There's something strange going on in here.
There's a zoo in your fridge.
You okay? No, I think I ate something bad.
So I'm gonna I'm gonna get out of here.
This is to be continued.
Bye.
Peter.
He's going.
He can still hear you, if you have anything you'd like to say to him.
Dad.
I love you.
But what about Jackson? I don't want to leave him.
He'll be fine.
Come on, Arthur.
It's time.
Wow.
- Who is this? - It's Owen.
Arthur just passed.
Knew you'd want to know.
It was very peaceful.
His son was with him.
Oh, thank you.
Not that I'm obsessed with him.
Oh, my God! It's a closed-circuit infrared 400,000-CCD-pixel resolution.
I have known Reynaud since I interned under him.
He had an undiagnosed brain tumor.
I want your advice.
Yes, you have the surgery.
- You remove as much of the - What if I don't want to live? No, buy as much time as you can, and then you spend it with your son.
You repair what is broken between you.
Peter? Dad? Daddy? Ralphie's dead.
Ohh, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry, bubele.
Shall we say kaddish for him, huh? What's a "cad dish"? Kaddish is a sacred prayer for the dead that will send Ralphie to a blessed life in Olam Ha-Ba where Hashem will welcome him.
Please don't talk gibberish to our son, Jacob.
Sweetie, Ralphie died 'cause fish don't live as long as people do.
We'll get you another one, okay? - Tie your shoes.
- I want I want Ralphie.
Well, we'll get you a better one.
What is your problem? All he needed was a hug.
You're late for the partner's meeting.
Your shoes are polished, Mr.
Myers.
I ironed your blue sea island cotton shirt.
Cufflink choices are here.
Thank you, Rosalinda.
Yesterday, I noticed you didn't eat your strawberries I-I don't really like them.
So, today, I put in bananas and peanut butter, okay? You got to promise to eat it.
Daddy? Mr.
Myers? Bezeh hammaqom tehi b'rakhah v'shalom.
That means, "may this home be filled with the blessing of joy and peace.
" Rosalinda For your kindness and hard work over so many years The penthouse is yours.
Mommy! Daddy just gave away our house! Oh, really? Did he? Who'd he give it to? Shalom.
So, I got assigned Rautavaara's "Piano Sonata No.
2" - You know, "The Fire Sermon"? - Yeah, it's wonderful.
Sounds like a piece of cake for you.
Are you kidding me? - It's the hardest in the canon.
- We'll get together later.
Who's that? That's Miles.
He's a junior.
He studies guitar and composition, and he deejays in Chinatown on the weekends.
He's cute.
Yeah, he's okay.
Oh, my God.
He's looking over here.
What's wrong with him looking at you? I don't want him to see me in this.
This outfit is stupid.
You'll freeze to death.
Here.
No.
Easy.
We'll swap.
Oh, my God! This is Helmut Lang.
- Are you sure? - Uh-huh.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Dripping with edge.
- You know you're never gonna get it back, right? - Fine.
I'm gonna rock this forever 16 jacket forever.
You know you're cooler than any guy, right? Let him know that.
- I love you.
- I love you.
Bye.
Yeah, now would be good.
Thanks.
So, Tracy, how long has this been going on? Three weeks, and it's getting worse every day.
All he talks about is God, God, God.
This morning, he gave away our house and $12 million.
Gone.
Oh, you remember that? That's the shelter you helped fund in Port-au-Prince after the earthquake.
You know, they're still housing 30 homeless people a day thanks to your generosity.
Adonai machasi u'metzudati.
Come on, man.
You know I don't speak Hebrew.
"The lord is my refuge and my fortress" Psalm 91.
Well, I doubt all those homeless kids feel the same way, Jacob.
"He that dwelleth in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty.
" - Hey, what's up? - Oh, hey, come in.
This is Dr.
Black.
Tracy and Jacob Myers.
They're very good friends.
- Hello.
Lovely to meet you.
- Hello.
Dr.
Black is our star brainiac here at the Cube.
Oh.
"May the source of strength who blessed the ones before us help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing.
" So, Jacob's experienced a sudden spiritual conversion.
He's bonkers.
We've always been bad Jews.
I can count on one hand the times we've gone to temple.
All of a sudden I'm enlightened.
Beautiful office.
I think we need a full neurological work-up.
I'm happy to help.
Would you like to come to my office? You can tell me all about it.
- Thank you.
Thank you so much.
- It's okay.
- Oh.
- What are you doing? - The Myers are philanthropists - I'm just standing here.
- You're standing in the hallway.
- And they've just recently joined the board at the Cube, - so make sure they get VIP treatment.
- You worry too much.
All our patients get VIP treatment, Bick.
God is blessed.
- Hello, Arthur.
- Ah.
Owen.
I heard you were here getting your second cycle of temozolomide.
Yes.
Yes, I finished my last fraction of radiation one month ago.
And look at you.
You look terrific.
Well, uh The therapy is working beautifully.
Uh the last brain scan showed no tumor enhancement.
- That's wonderful, news.
- Mm-hmm.
- Now, is there any dizziness, fatigue, - No.
Weakness seizure activity? No to all three.
I feel like a new man.
And if I, uh, may ask, h-how's the, uh, reconciliation going? My son, Peter, he's forgiven me.
I plan to use every day I've got left to make up for the ones I wasn't here.
Okay, now, as a fellow doctor, you'll be interested in this.
We have a new medication that we can add to your treatment regimen.
What is it? It's experimental.
Valganciclovir.
The antiviral? Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
A team of researchers in Sweden gave it to a small group of glioblastoma patients, and they lived a remarkably long time.
- Yeah, h-how long? - More than two years.
Yeah.
That's twice as long as the patients that didn't receive it.
Two years? What I What I could do with that time.
I was hoping for a good six months.
Shall I arrange it? Oh, sign me up! I'm gonna fight this thing with everything I've got.
Look.
- My grandson.
- Mm.
He was three last week.
How's that for a reason to live? Give me that.
Can you look at me, please, Mr.
Myers? Uh, please, call me Jacob Descendant of our tribe's forefather of the Israelites.
Or, for short, the Messiah.
So, just for the sake of clarity You are the Messiah? I am chosen by Hashem, who calls on me to walk with angels.
The only thing you should walk with is our dog, which you haven't done once since this started.
You have any headaches recently? No, I've never felt better.
And does God talk to you? If you're asking do I hear voices, no, I'm not crazy.
But God and I have an understanding.
I see.
Uh, how long has this been going on? Ever since we got back from vacation.
It was not a vacation.
It was an aliyah.
That's a pilgrimage to Israel.
Where did you visit when you were in Israel? We shopped in Tel Aviv.
We swam in the dead sea.
It was wonderful.
They have spa treatments there.
- Then we went to the wailing wall - Oh! - Where this one went bananas.
- I-I mean, I was brought to my knees.
- And I was moved to tears.
- He was on his knees.
- B-being there, praying there - It was very scary, actually.
That is as close to heaven as I've ever felt.
It changed me forever.
Jerusalem syndrome? Mm, it's been around since ancient times.
Apparently, people go to these holy sites, like the wailing wall, and they start relinquishing possessions, - wearing togas, sermonizing.
- Yeah, but it's It's temporary.
And they usually recover in a couple of days.
Yeah, but this has been going on for three weeks with this guy.
Tracy said it's getting worse every day.
He's such a show-off.
You're eating doughnuts for lunch? Whatever, corn chip man.
You got a problem with that? No, but It's kind of low rent in the era of the cronut.
"Cronuts"? What's a cronut? Imagine a croissant had a baby with a doughnut.
- Oh, that sounds like a delicious baby.
- Mm-hmm.
Well, let's go right now.
The only bakery that makes them is, uh, a few blocks away.
Fresh cronuts Full day's calories in one bite.
I can't.
I-I'm swamped.
I can't leave.
You always say that.
You know, the only time I see you is when I come here.
Well, I-I practically live here.
You're gonna have to deal with that.
At some point soon You're gonna have to let me take you on a proper date so we can, you know, move this thing forward.
Thing? What thing? Hey, hey! Nice! Dad, you look tired.
Would you like to lie down? Well, I am tired a little bit after chemo, but I'm stronger than I have been.
Being with you and Jackson is the best medicine I've got.
This new treatment sounds so hopeful.
It is.
Well, with a diagnosis like mine, the goal is to keep the patient alive long enough for some new miracle drug to appear.
Daddy.
Yes, my man? I want to play with you.
Okay.
Well, I want to play with you, too.
Let's do it.
Oh.
Dad.
What's happening? Take me back to the Cube.
The E.
R.
stopped the bleeding.
He's resting comfortably in his room.
What happened? Nose and mouth bleeds are common side effects of chemotherapy, but they can lower his platelet count, so your dad may need a platelet infusion.
That's all it is? Mm-hmm.
They'll run some tests to be sure.
All right, come on.
Show me what you got.
Wait for it.
- There it is.
- Oh, touchdown! - Right on cue.
- No, no, no, what am I missing? Spike in cerebral blood flow in his precuneus area, also known as "the God spot.
" It's one of the several areas of the brain linked to spirituality.
You see, as Jacob listens to music, his right brain is shutting down because he's entering a trance state.
So, why is this happening to a man who's never been spiritual before? - I don't know, but look at that.
- Mm.
Oh, wow.
Decreased activity in his left culmen, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate.
Jacob is communing with his God right now.
There's nothing that you could label as abnormal in the scans.
But we haven't got all the tests results back yet.
Something is wrong.
This makes no sense.
Jacob always rebelled against his parents' religion.
Were his parents orthodox? Oh, yes, hard-core.
A tendency to believe in God can be inherited.
There's there's even a specific gene, VMAT2, linked to religiosity.
Maybe your trip to Jerusalem triggered something that was already there in him.
I always knew his parents would ruin our marriage.
Ahh Oh, please tell me that's what I think it is.
Your very own cronut.
I had to wait an hour in line to get it.
They are officially a thing now.
Mmm! I think I just found the key to enlightenment.
So, has the cronut earned me a walk to my place? Oh, we don't have to go that far.
All right, if we need an elvish riddle to get through that door, I'm gonna marry you.
This is the electronic age.
Okay.
This is, uh most definitely enlightening.
What's up? Reynaud's blood work came back.
We did a complete metabolic panel.
His platelets are normal, but the INR is 6.
0.
Oh, my God.
The AST, the ALT It's eight times over normal.
Yeah.
He was doing so well.
He said his last scan was clear.
I did a flawless job on that glioblastoma.
I can't help it if the damn thing had already spread.
The LFTs suggest metastasis to the liver.
God.
Never even got a chance to start the antiviral protocol.
I just wish I wouldn't have held out that hope.
He's gonna go fast.
So, uh Who's gonna tell him? Oh.
Thank you.
Yeah.
I'll be back to check on you.
Yeah, I know, I know Low platelets.
I'm surprised it hasn't happened before.
When's the transfusion? Well, just say it.
Your LFTs were through the roof.
You're sure? We'll do an abdominal sonogram just to be certain.
Cancer has spread to my liver.
Yes.
How long do you think I've got? Not long.
- We'll make you as comfortable as possible.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, - I'm gonna get a palliative-care specialist - There must be something else you can do.
- To come down here and discuss your options.
- I will try anything anything.
I will try an experimental drug, uh, uh, more surgery.
Uh, anything! I-I-I have to spend more time with my family.
I am not ready for this! You I'm sorry, Arthur.
You're sorry?! You're s-sorry.
Mr.
Janson, you need to wait in your room.
- Dr.
Black will be with you.
- I'm, uh I'm trying to get to the elevator.
I heard there's a lobster truck outside.
I'm from Maine.
I-I can't pass up lobster.
Oh, I-I can take him.
Hello.
I'm Jacob.
I'm a fellow traveler here.
Uh, Larry Larry Janson.
Do you like lobster? Well, my my religion forbids shellfish, but I-I-I'd be happy to take you.
You just wait right here.
I'm just gonna get my coat.
God bless you.
And you.
Uh Lobster truck is here.
Hm.
An hour ago, I found Mr.
Myers down in the E.
R.
washing the feet of a homeless guy.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
Reminds me of my Uncle Ben Goes to mass every day, twice on Sundays.
Nobody calls him crazy or that he has some syndrome.
You believe in God? I was raised Catholic.
It never leaves you.
I pray sometimes mostly for the mets.
God's record there is pretty spotty.
- What's going on? - Anything? Who brought Mr.
Janson out here? - I can see! - You can see? Jacob brought him for lobster.
Ha! Jacob, I can see! I can see! All praise to Hashem! I can see! It's a miracle! I touched Larry, and Larry can see.
This is a fact.
Look, as scientists, you have to accept hard evidence.
Larry has graves' disease.
That's why he was blind.
We treated him with a steroid that reduced the swelling The medicine cured him, Jacob.
- Not faith healing.
- That's your version.
Mine is that I experienced God's love moving through me to Larry.
Now, wait a minute.
Aren't faith healers frowned upon in judaism? Religious dogma is meaningless in the face of God's new revelations! I have a power to heal! And more than that I understand things.
You are missing something from your life.
Perhaps it is God's grace.
May we pray together? That's a very lovely offer, but no, thank you.
So, we have all of Jacob's test results back.
He's completely healthy.
No.
He's barking mad.
You know, I bet they said that about Joan of Arc.
Just because we don't share in Jacob's faith, it doesn't mean that it's a condition, right? Just out of curiosity, does anyone in this room believe in God? Have you seen me operate? - I am God.
- Mm.
I believe in God.
- She's awesome.
- I am a scientist, and I am trained to equate truth with things that can be proven.
Not only does faith ask you to accept things that are impossible to prove, it's just they defy all reason.
But isn't that the very definition of faith? That you believe without proof? Then why not believe in leprechauns or unicorns? Santa Claus, bigfoot.
Vampires.
I do envy true believers.
I do.
I wish I could get out of my brain and experience a real Spiritual ecstasy or That's what Tequila's for.
You really feel that way? I do.
I would love to feel God's presence.
Ah, so you admit the possibility that God exists.
Well, it can't be proved, but it can't be disproved, either.
So, therefore, I I think God may exist.
This is the last of the cinnamon, by the way.
I'll pick you up some tomorrow.
Thank you.
See, this this may be proof that God exists.
Must have cinnamon with with Will's special hot chocolate.
Not work, I hope.
No, it's Esme.
I gave her a jacket today to impress a boy.
"Jacket worked.
We hung out after school.
Miles is awesome.
" I'd forgotten how macabre this office is.
Well, under the circumstances, the decor seems appropriate.
Well, you know, I'm just one of those guys.
I'm not I am simply not afraid of death.
I don't know why.
I see it as either a beautiful release or a start of a great, unknown adventure.
That's easy for you to say.
Yes.
Carlotta told me that you're feeling anxious.
More like, uh, terrified.
I have seen so many patients die.
You'd think that I'd know how to do this.
I-I Okay.
We're We're here to help, and we we want to, so we've set up hospice care in your home.
But what else can we do? Uh, antidepressants or No, no, no.
Antidepressants take up to two weeks to work.
By then, I'll be dead.
Ohh.
There must be something.
I'll try anything.
Okay.
I have a a colleague at a palliative care center.
And he's in clinical trials, treating terminally ill patients with psilocybin.
What? Hallucinogenic mushrooms? - No, I know, Owen.
- Are you serious? I know what you're thinking, Owen, but it Psilocybin has been tested all over the world to treat anxiety and depression in terminally ill patients.
Apparently, people are having life-altering experiences.
What what What kind of experiences? As far as I can tell, they're starting to see themselves as part of a larger whole.
It's very spiritual, and And afterwards, death seems less frightening.
May I ask if you have any data on this? My colleague, he he administered this drug to 18 volunteers, and 72% of them said that they had these profoundly spiritual experiences.
Where where where can we get these mushrooms? It's not mushrooms.
We would be using medical-grade psilocybin.
When can I try this? Good afternoon.
So, we have some news.
Uh We have all of Jacob's test results back, and, um, we can't find anything.
S-so this means everything is fine.
Well, that's awful.
There's nothing you can fix? - I'm afraid not.
- We can't find anything, so we have to assume that this is Jerusalem syndrome.
Look at him.
He's had a spiritual conversion.
- Ian, is that man sane? - Fortify you.
Religious ecstasy isn't considered insanity.
As much as we want to fix it, if Jacob's not ill - she'asah il kol tzorki.
- There's nothing that we could do.
I have nowhere to go.
He gave away our house.
Barukh attah adonai melkh ha-olam she-asah il kol tzorki.
This is not what I signed up for! You are supposed to take care of me! Not me you.
I gave up my career because of you.
I can't even get groceries.
- How is that saintly? - she-asah il kol tzorki.
My love, Jacob.
If you ever loved me, stop.
- Stop.
- She-asah il kol tzorki.
Stop.
Jacob? Jacob? Jacob? Jacob, you've had a complex partial seizure, which can cause psychosis, including religious psychosis.
Which means that this never was Jerusalem syndrome.
And I'm sure you're aware that were having these episodes.
Yes.
What do you mean, you knew? How long has it been going on? Since a few months before we went to the holy land.
That's when God first made himself known to me.
- No.
- Oh, my God.
It isn't God.
It's epileptiform activity.
Your brain has had spontaneous neural activity, and that's that's what feels like God.
We can't convince you of this right now, but what's more important is that we get you on the anti-seizure medication.
- And once the seizures stop - God will go away? I don't want God to go away.
Repeat seizures can cause brain damage.
Listen to me.
Yes, you are.
We need to section him.
He's not competent to make this decision.
We're not praying.
We're taking the medication, and we're gonna get you home.
And you're gonna be all better.
Shh.
This stuff is hard to come by Psilocybin cubensis.
Where did you get it? From a colleague running a clinical trial.
I have to send back what's left over.
I'm packing it into a gelatin capsule.
The trick is to get just the right amount.
It lessens the chance of a bad reaction.
Great.
Here's the leftovers.
- Put them in a safe place.
- Thanks, I appreciate it.
My pleasure.
Most people experience some nausea, but don't worry.
It soon passes.
I've set you up with five hours' worth of beautiful music.
- Ah.
- Listening to music helps, so Can I have the remote? Thank you.
Manuel will be standing by at all times with a tranquilizer, so if there's anything that feels uncomfortable or you feel any fear, you you just speak up.
- You say so, all right? - All right.
Okay.
How's the volume? You let me know if there's any problems right away.
Well, it's real sweet of you to keep coming here for lunch.
And for dinner.
Your secret room rocked my world.
Yeah, it did.
But I am gonna give you a deadline.
A deadline? For our date A real date.
It's got to happen tonight.
You get dressed up.
So do I.
I pick you up not here, but at your apartment.
Where is that, by the way? - Oh, it's not far at all.
- Okay, good.
And we'll go to my favorite restaurant.
And afterwards, I show you my place.
Mm.
I-I need a little bit more advance notice.
How how about the last Saturday of this month, - 'cause tonight I have this - Cancel it.
Look, if you don't do this for me, I I don't know.
Because your life is here, but mine is not.
I got it.
You're right.
- I'll meet you by the elevators.
- Mm-hmm.
6:00 P.
M.
? And if you aren't there I won't be back again.
Mother.
Oh.
You made my favorite, mommy.
Alan? I thought you were dead.
I am.
What's it like? Lovely.
Come with me, and I'll tell you all about it.
Oh, wait.
Not yet.
There were lots of doors.
And and Each door led to a different loved one from my life.
My mother.
Mom.
And my brother, who died last year.
I-I moved easily from room to room.
And I knew that there were many more rooms ahead that, in time, I would get to.
I wanted to go through those doors.
Makes no sense, but I feel that I will be going through them Soon.
And I'm looking forward to it.
Gosh.
You have any more of that, uh psilocybin lying around? - You serious? - I want to see my mom.
You're just as likely to see zombies.
- Well, I would love to see zombies.
- I knew you would.
Don't you ever, you know, want to have a spiritual experience? Yes.
That's what I was telling you.
I only did mushrooms once, in high school, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
I'm returning what's left over tomorrow.
Excuse me.
Here.
Good news.
Dr.
Black says you haven't had any seizure activity in 24 hours.
- You can go home now.
- Good.
And as it turns out, we still have a home.
Our lawyer says, if you're psychotic when you give away everything you own, it doesn't count.
The nurse doesn't need to hear our problems, sweetheart.
I'm sorry.
You're right.
You seem quite different today, Mr.
Myers.
How are you feeling now? Like I need to get back to the office.
We're fighting a hostile takeover.
We're in the middle of a new ad campaign.
I haven't been away from my desk this long in years.
Hear that? I have my baby back.
- Mr.
Myers.
- Ian.
- U look terrific.
- Thank you, sir.
Well, I turned in my toga.
Ian.
- God, thank you so much for everything.
- Yeah, yeah.
We're thinking what this place needs is a donor wall.
- Yeah.
- Jacob.
I heard you were leaving.
- Can you give me one last blessing? - Sure.
May the force be with you.
That that's it? Yeah, I'm afraid so.
For more details, see your local priest or rabbi.
Take care.
- So, you all good? - Yeah, I'm good.
- Good, good - More or less.
Just, um I mean, you know, crazy as it sounds, I-I miss God.
Well, if it's of any comfort, I'm sure God would be thrilled at your recovery.
Really? How do you figure? 'Cause you serve God's neediest people by making tons of money and giving it away.
- God loves charity.
- All right.
If you wandered the world with a begging bowl, who would that help? - Absolutely no one.
- Nobody.
In fact, it'd be a sin.
So go forth, continue to do God's work.
- All right.
Golf next week.
- Done.
So, uh, is there anybody home? No.
No, my mom's out of town, and my dad's working late.
You busy? For you? Never.
I just want to say that I thought you were great with the Myers.
Well, they're good people.
I owe them a lot.
Tracy told me that you were the one that introduced them that shelter in Haiti.
People are complicated.
Well, you maybe.
Not me.
- I think you're complicated.
- Well, you're wrong.
You just don't understand me.
Where are you headed? Got a date.
Does that give you a twinge? No.
Liar.
Honey, you home? Shh! Okay.
Shh! Hi, dad.
Um, this is my friend Miles.
You think I don't recognize the smell of weed.
Dad.
Get out.
Hey.
What is it? What do you mean? Okay, I'm on my way.
Josh needs my help.
Esme's stoned.
- What? - Yeah.
He wants me to go over and give her a talk.
- Really? - Mm.
The first thing I got into trouble with as a teenager was smoking weed.
Mmm.
Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
It's delicious.
- Wish me luck.
- Good luck.
I'm glad you called.
Guess you want me to come down pretty hard, right? Yeah.
She'll listen to you I hope.
- She's pretty stoned.
- Is she? It's not funny.
No, I know.
For three, and it's good.
He is just 3 of 13 behind the arch, and he puts up a big three to give his team a four-point lead.
This is a high-resolution S.
P.
E.
C.
T.
Image of a chronic marijuana user.
Okay, so, here you can see the decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex.
This is bad.
Oh.
The, uh Weed, it can, uh can trigger psychosis.
Aunt Kate? Are are you okay? Are you okay? Dad! Hey, baby.
It's me.
I There's something strange going on in here.
There's a zoo in your fridge.
You okay? No, I think I ate something bad.
So I'm gonna I'm gonna get out of here.
This is to be continued.
Bye.
Peter.
He's going.
He can still hear you, if you have anything you'd like to say to him.
Dad.
I love you.
But what about Jackson? I don't want to leave him.
He'll be fine.
Come on, Arthur.
It's time.
Wow.
- Who is this? - It's Owen.
Arthur just passed.
Knew you'd want to know.
It was very peaceful.
His son was with him.
Oh, thank you.