Michael: Every Day (2011) s02e02 Episode Script

So this came out of the blue, this panic attack? I told you, I haven't had one in years.
But you've had anxiety? Escalators, crowds No, no.
I'm fine.
I've been doing really well.
No freak-outs of any kind until the airport.
Michael, this isn't a criticism.
- That's weird.
- What's weird? Being called Michael.
That's, that's your name.
You know, in Toronto, they call me Mike.
- Should I call you Mike? - No, I just I need to focus on the fly.
People are depending - on me.
- Well, OK.
Um, let's talk about your work and-and-and your life.
No talking.
We spent 15 years talking, - and where did it get me? - Well, to Toronto arguably.
Let's just focus on the stupid fear of flying.
It's not about writing another book.
OK.
Well, well, we'll focus on the flying, but we need to set realistic expectations, - we need to discuss a schedule - Look, I need to get to Sudbury in two weeks; can you get me there? Yes, that's doable.
I-I can get you to Sudbury.
You're gonna see Claire while you're here? Uh, you know, I don't want to bother her.
She's so busy with the whole article thing.
- Where are you staying? - The Marriott, on Kent.
Oh! A hotel, excellent! - How do you sleep? - Well, I'm fine.
I'm better now.
Hotels don't bother me anymore, so Well, it's good to acknowledge these things.
So, shall we book our next appointment? Uh, yeah.
I'd like to come in as soon as possible.
- Beth? - Name your time.
Uh, what about, uh, this afternoon, 2 o'clock? 2 o'clock it is.
Wow! Even after five years, I feel - like I'm your only patient.
- Ha! I wish I wish that were true.
- You couldn't have pretended? - Lied? Pretended that I have a full schedule to protect the dignity of your employer.
They don't - teach you that in college? - Pretending? Not at Queen's.
Look, this is an unusual situation for me.
Having no patients, it's unusual.
- It's unusual for me, too.
- And temporary.
Just I just have to get back into the right headspace.
Well, I hope that happens quickly because you have a severe cash-flow problem.
Money flowing out, no money coming in.
There's money coming in.
I'm talking to my insurance adjuster this afternoon about the apartment.
And I'm going to get a partner to share the space and you, your services.
So I-I-I need to ask you to do me a favour.
Put together a list of therapists that might be appropriate to partner with and get quotes from contractors - about dividing the space? - No.
Get me a coffee.
And those those other things too, those other things too.
So, you're happy this boy has returned? Yes.
My mood is is slightly elevated.
That's good, isn't it? But this is a risky thing you're embarking on.
You fail, this boy will lose his job, his self-esteem, and you'll feel a failure as a physician.
And if you win, you'll never see him again.
Well, I better win then.
I tasked you with addressing your depression.
It seems to me you're digging an even deeper hole than ever.
No, no.
I'm dealing with the depression.
I'm, uh, I'm scheduling, and I've started the Paroxetine, and, uh, I've-I've taken on a partner.
- We're sharing the office space.
- Good.
Good.
It started off as a cost cutting measure, but I think, I think, maybe, you know - What?! - Ah, I think I might, uh I might Complete your sentences, damn you! Make a friend.
I might make a friend.
Uhhh You'll have a colleague.
- With whom I might be friendly.
- Friendship in a financial arrangement is not a friendship.
It's more like a marriage, and you're not good at those.
Still, it's something.
Good work.
Thank you.
Hi! Oh, hi.
Uh, it's me.
I know.
Hi.
So, hey.
Guess what.
I'm in town.
this room is a complete - write-off.
- Yes.
It's why I've been using the washroom in the lobby.
What? You're not still living here? - Yes.
- Well, you don't have - anyone you could stay with? - Uh, no.
Not really.
David, we'll put you up in a hotel, we'll buy you whatever toiletries, whatever you need, - but you cannot live here.
- Oh, that's nice, - but it's unnecessary.
- No, no, that's company policy.
That's what we do.
Anyway, I can't see a guy like you living like this.
- You seem like a good guy.
- Oh, well, I appreciate it.
And I think I could get you more on your claim too.
Is there a lot of stuff you lost that you didn't declare? Well, I wasn't sure how it worked, and I was trying to be honest.
"Trying to be honest.
" Of course you were.
So this is what we'll do: suits, how many? - Suits? - Suits.
How many did you lose? - Oh, uh, maybe five.
- Six? Did you say six? And shoes? - Four-five pairs.
- We'll put seven.
Can you do that? That's the way it works.
Nobody knows exactly what they have in their closet, right? Nobody counts their socks.
- Some people do actually.
- You'd be surprised.
Hahaha! I bet they do.
I bet they do, right? I bet you see all kinds of people, - don't you? - I do.
I do.
My work is weirdly isolating, but, um, I see a lot of people, talk to them.
It's just not conventional interaction.
Anyway.
"Conventional interaction," is that what they call it? I could use some conventional interaction.
Everybody could use some conventional interaction.
You want to grab a drink later, David? Oh! That doesn't make me sound weird, does it? Oh! No, no, that'd be great.
I just need to unwind, but I don't like to drink alone.
Yes, drinking alone is really, really sad.
Tomorrow, I'm gonna give you a call, and we'll interact! In a conventional way! - It's not a plane, is it? - Yes.
Ahem.
Take this.
And this.
OK, first, I want you to listen to this recording.
- I-I can't tell what that is.
- Oh, it's a plane engine.
An older one.
These are older psychiatric tapes.
I-I had trouble finding a modern But I just want you to listen to this until you become comfortable with it.
Wait.
Is that a ? Machine gun, yes.
Just ignore that.
These tapes were developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
As, as I say, I had trouble finding, uh Ladies and gentlemen, our inflight entertainment - is about to begin.
- Oh! How did you ? Well, I just searched plane ambient noises, and I clicked on video and in the seat pocket in front of you.
Oh, well No, that's good.
Listen to that.
OK, what's after this? Uh, well, um, you listen to these sounds while writing on a crowded bus.
And then? Well, after a week or two, when you're comfortable with that, we'll watch plane-crash videos together until you feel desensitized.
We only have two weeks.
Less than that.
It's important that we familiarize you with all of the worst-case scenarios regarding air travel.
We have to identify them - and then disempower them.
- OK.
Here's a question: why is it always the worst-case scenario and never the best? - What? - I mean, wouldn't it be equally therapeutic to concentrate on the best-case scenario? That I'll have a wonderful flight, and I'll come off the plane, and people will be cheering and throwing money at me? Well, that's just as unlikely as the plane crashing.
I mean, life falls somewhere between the best-case scenario - and the worst-case scenario.
- The point of therapy is to remind us that life is mediocre.
Basically, yes.
I told you, I just need to deal with this family emergency, and I'll be right back.
Yes, I read your e-mail as soon as I woke up.
Just just send it to me, and I'll look it over, OK? - Bye.
Sorry.
Hi.
- Hi! Look at you.
Your hair is so long, I like it.
You look sharp in that shirt.
You look more like a like a Mike.
Sophie, do you remember my friend? - Uh Hi, Sophie.
- I'm Mike Michael.
Uh, I knew you when you were a baby.
OK OK.
How is the big city treating you? It's amazing! Um Hey, listen, are those my things? Like, yeah, yeah.
- A lot of hoodies.
- Ha! Yeah.
I missed hoodies.
- We made the right decision.
- Yeah, we did.
Yeah.
- Where are you staying? - At the Marriott, on Kent.
- Wait, at a hotel?! - Yeah.
What? I thought the smell of bleach makes you crazy.
Hey, I'm fine with it now.
I'm good.
I'm good.
You are.
You look really good.
Oh, shit! I'm gonna be late for work.
Sophie, honey, give me a hug.
I'm looking to partner with a physician who has a similar working philosophy.
- Oh, great.
Me too.
- I've been practicing CB for about 30 years, leaning towards Ellis and his behavioural- rational-emotive approach.
I'm from the Aaron Beck school, the cognitive approach.
I go back and forth between Beck and Ellis, Ellis and Beck.
I'll dabble in Ellis when necessary.
Whatever's necessary.
Maybe a bit of old-school monk when the going gets rough.
Ah.
And, uh, you've been practicing - for what ? - 30 years, give or take.
- Thank you.
We'll be in touch.
- Thanks.
- Yes.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
Any luck? - They're all the same man.
- Sorry? They're all the same sad, dull, old man.
Is there anybody different on the list? - Different? - Interesting in any way? Not depressing? Looking at these men is like gazing into a magic aging mirror.
Dr.
Storper? - Oh.
- Dr.
Meredith Lawson.
It's wonderful to meet you.
I have read all your books.
Books? The Death book as well? I loved it! Well, as much as you can love a book about death.
- Oh! - You know, honestly, I can't believe it did as poorly as it did.
Well, it just hasn't found its audience.
You have a real gift with words.
- And this space is beautiful.
- Well, come on in, and we'll discuss your technique, your, your, your various te your selected approach.
Have a seat.
- Shall I draw up the contract? - We'll see.
Probably.
- Yes, do that.
- OK.
Oh! Oh, God! - Missed me already? - Haha.
- Yes.
- Oh, my God! - What are you doing? - Just getting off work.
You? I'm just hanging around the hotel room.
It's funny.
Now, all I can smell is bleach.
Thank you for that.
Hmm Do you want to grab a drink? My mom has Sophie for the night, - so I thought - Oh, my God! No! No! Sure.
Hold the door.
- Oh! Ah! - Oh! Weird! - What are you doing here? - Uh My apartment is being renovated, and, and so I'm staying here for a couple of nights.
Sorry.
It's just strange seeing you out of context.
- It it is, yes.
- Oh.
Ahem! Oh, hey, you're riding in an elevator.
Yeah, I'm I'm fine.
I keep telling you I'm good! Good.
That's good that you're good.
- Hmm.
Hm.
- Well, it was nice - bumping into you.
- Yeah, it was good to see you.
Oh, you're you're going to the bar.
Yes, I'm meeting somebody for a drink.
- Yeah, me too.
- Would it be - weird if I didn't join you? - No.
It would be weird - if you did.
- Ah.
- Hey, David.
Hey.
- Hey, Garry! Uh this is Michael.
He's my, um He's I've known him for 20 years.
And he's We've known each other.
He's a - I'm his patient.
- Alright.
Alright.
And this is Garry.
He's, he's, uh He's helping me live actually while my apartment He's a guy I just met.
I'm a claims adjuster.
Ah, cool, cool! Uh, yeah, I'm gonna get going over there.
- Yeah, OK.
- It was nice meeting you.
- Yeah, you too, man.
- See you, Dr.
Storper.
Yes.
It's always a little, uh, weird - bumping into a patient.
- Yeah, I get it.
How about we drink the weirdness away? Be careful 'cause I can drink a lot.
Well, not I don't have a But yeah, sure, yes.
First round's on me.
I'll have a bucket of booze.
- Alright.
- Whoo! You're a funny guy.
You're a funny guy.
Thank you.
The hours are insane! I had no idea.
- I barely see Sophie.
- She'll forgive you when you're a rich lawyer and you buy her a pony.
- A gold pony.
- A solid-gold, robot pony.
- A robot pony.
- Yeah.
Hmm! I brought you something.
Hey, I've always felt alone.
- A welcome-back gift.
- Aha.
That's, uh, that's great.
Thank you.
Hmm Do you want to go to my room and help me put them on the bed? Yeah, sure.
- All the time.
- It's the same as psychiatry.
- No, it's not.
- Do you mind if we, uh, sneak by Dr.
Storper? - I was gonna suggest that.
- You know, they're, they're destitute.
You know, I see people in immense pain.
- You know.
- Yeah, well, so do I.
We both deal with people on their worst day.
Yes.
Yeah.
And nobody comes to me because they're functioning at a high level.
- That's it.
- It's when they're in crisis.
It's when they're in crisis.
That's the problem.
I only meet people when they're in crisis mode, so I'm not really meeting them.
You know what I mean? - Oh yeah, absolutely.
- They act all nice, but it's only because they don't want me - to deny their claim.
- Mm-hmm.
They put on a face.
You're not doing that? What, me? No, no.
It's my face.
It's my real, nice face.
Not "nice face," but, you know, it's my - So you're just a nice guy! - I-I am a nice person - most of the time, yes.
- A lot of people aren't nice.
There's a lot of cheaters out there.
- I bet.
- In my business, you learn - to read people, just - Why, I went to school for that actually - Reading people seven years.
- Yeah.
I'm just saying we got a lot of stuff in common.
That's why we're hitting it off.
This isn't strange, is it? Oh! Whooo! No, just a couple of friends in a hotel room, not strange at all.
So there's no sheets on the bed.
They're hanging in the bathroom because of the bleach smell.
You were right.
You remind me of the kind of guy I used to hang out with in high school.
- Ah! - I was crazy back then.
Oh, man, were you crazy? - Ah, well, you know - Were you crazy? - Well, I had some issues.
- You were crazy? - I-I was - You were crazy! - Not according to the test.
- We gotta blow off some steam.
- Are you up for that? - Oh, man! I got steam.
- I got lots of steam.
- I can see it coming out of your ears! Hahaha! - Ah, whaaa?! - Let's go.
- What? - What? What? Nothing.
You're looking at me weird.
You're looking at me weird.
What are you thinking? That we are going to do something crazy.
Who? Us? We are two responsible adults.
We are not gonna do anything crazy.
Come on, it's this way.
- Insane! They didn't know! - Come on! They didn't know why people were knocking on the door.
Excuse me.
I-I seem to have lost my key.
I-I had it here, and I was just coming there.
And I Oh! Wait a minute.
I got it.
It's right here in my pocket.
Thanks a lot.
Hello? - What's happening? I can't see.
- It's good.
It's sexy.
Oh, boy! Oh, running start! Whoah! Ho! Ho! Ho! Haha! Haha! Faster! Don't stop! Oh! Jesus Christ! Crazy! Crazy! Crazy! I told you! I told you! Look at this! Whoo! Whoo! - Aaah! - Whoo! I have not had this kind of fun in ages - and I so needed it to feel - Yeah.
Off you go.
- alive.
- I know what you mean, man.
All I've been doing is staring at older, balding versions of myself.
I know what you What are you talking about? What? I don't even know what I'm talking about.
Hey! I haven't got high in a while.
You don't got any pot, do you? - I don't smoke pot.
- Oh, come on! Never?! I don't know a single guy our age who doesn't get high every now and then.
We got stress, - we got ex-wives! - Oh yeah! - You know? Well? - Well, OK, I got - I got high the other night.
- Yeah? - It was a crazy night.
- Tell me everything.
Hahaha! Ha! Ha! Well - Yeah? - I, uh, - poured a hot bath.
- Yeah? OK.
- And I lit some candles.
- Uh-huh.
- I smoked a big joint.
- Yeah? And I burnt down my apartment.
That night! Oh, man! - Oh, man.
- I guess I passed out or something, and something happened with the candles.
I don't know.
Yeah.
Well, it could have been worse, right? You could have drowned.
Shit! I gotta go.
I got a meeting at 8:30.
- Am I gonna see you again? - David, my friend, I promise you, you'll hear from me soon.
Hey, hey! Can we take one more trip? I'll drive this time.
- Let's go! - Crazy train! This wasn't a bad idea, was it? No.
Do you think this was a bad idea? No.
I just didn't want you to think that.
No.
This would be a bad idea if we thought that we could start something new when we both know - Both know that we can't start something - Yeah.
That has nothing to do with whether we may or may not have feelings for each other.
Exactly.
This is a real-life, adult-decision thing.
Crazy! You're crazy! God, I hate this hotel.
It's so noisy, it's like a frat house.
- Yeah, baby! - So my place then? I have a spare room.
- Strictly platonic.
- Massively platonic.
- OK.
Great.
- Alright.
Good, yeah.
so noisy at the hotel last night.
Kids, they're thoughtless.
I complained.
I could barely concentrate on the plane crash videos.
Michael, you have to follow the hierarchy.
I am.
I listened to cabin noises for a bit, and then I moved on to phase two.
We don't have a lot of time.
The weird thing is that watching those videos did nothing to raise my anxiety.
What does that mean? Well, it it means you're not afraid of the planes crashing.
No.
If the plane crashed, it would be a relief.
- From what? - No, that was a joke.
No, but that is the point.
We have to find out exactly what it would be a relief from.
From what it would be a relief exactly, from what you would - You know what I mean.
- Yeah.
- Any messages? - A Garry called.
- Oh, my pal Garry.
- Yeah.
Well, your "pal" Garry called and denied your insurance claim.
- Will you have a seat? - Yeah.
And I'll be in in a second.
What?! What-what did he say? He said that you admitted to burning down your apartment, and it nullifies your claim.
- Shitty pal.
- Yes, Beth, shitty pal.