ER s04e06 Episode Script

ER Previously on ER - Want a bite? - No, I'll just watch you eat it.
- Where is that going? - What do you mean? - You and the desk clerk.
- Do you think your grand mother - would consider this clinic idea? - She'd probably look at it.
I have to pay my landlord, the med school bills, my phone bill, the gas bill, that should leave me about four bucks.
- Oh, yeah, me too.
- You've not worked - with Dr.
Romano, have you? - Rocket Romano? Rocket's sponsoring my BTA.
Damn you people! - Hold him down! - Son of a bitch! That's enough! Believe me, it won't get any better.
He belongs in jail.
I wish it was me who kicked your white ass! "Ground Zero" - I hope I didn't wake you.
- No.
No.
I smelled the coffee.
Well, let me get you a cup.
Okay.
You're cheerful this morning.
Did you talk to the foreman yet? Yeah.
He gave me the same old, same old.
All crewed up.
But I talked to Tommy Styles.
Tommy? I thought he moved to Atlanta.
Yeah.
He's a general manager of a construction company down there and got some contracts during the Olympics.
And things just grew from there.
They can't get enough guys to fill their gigs.
- Good for him.
- Yeah.
He said He said a guy with my skills could make some real good money the first year out.
In Atlanta? Yeah.
I mean, it could be a chance for a fresh start.
Better job opportunities.
Better weather.
We already know Tommy.
My sister's down there.
And it's a chocolate city, so socially- - Sounds great.
- But? But we're not kids anymore.
We can't just start over.
Why not? Why can't we just wipe the slate clean? Because we have a mortgage and I have a job.
But I don't.
I'm being frozen out up here.
And after that fight with Bill, I can't just hang out watch a football game with the guys.
My life is over up here.
In Atlanta, we wouldn't have to tell anybody.
Nobody would know.
Hey, how many patients do you think we see every year? Too many.
Could you be a little more specific? It's for my grant proposal.
Tonight's the Carter Family Foundation night.
You nervous? No, the worst she'll say is no, and I'm back to clueless and penniless.
- Good morning.
- Hey.
You in a good mood? The hospital settled the Kenny Law malpractice suit.
No more process servers.
No more depositions.
And after today, no more work because I've got three days of vacation time before me.
Any plans? Sleep, sleep and sleep.
Mark, how many patients do we see here every year? Would that be real patients or turkeys? Forget I asked.
Your count will be about 95 percent higher if you count all the wackos.
It's a little harsh.
All right, I'll make you a wager.
A wager on the turkey-to-patient ratio over the next 12 hours.
- No, thanks.
- Two-1 odds.
Can I get a doctor quickly? Help, please! Anyone! See? Here's a real patient now.
You're already up by one.
Anna? - Anna? - Hey, Carter.
I'm running late.
Sorry.
I misread your handwriting.
I thought this said 4D.
It does.
Come in.
I had to get my shower in before the guy in 4G.
He stands in there for an hour listening to Howard Stern.
Can I get a ride to Journal Club? - Sure.
- Thanks.
Make yourself comfortable.
I'm gonna go get dressed.
This is a nice place.
Please, it's a dump.
But you get what you pay for, right? What can you do? Especially on what we're paid.
Right.
If you want, there's some Pop-Tarts on the counter.
Can I make you one? No, it's okay.
I like them cold.
- Me too.
- Really? Damn landlord won't fumigate the place.
I write letters, call the management office.
Bet he doesn't have roaches around his fat-cat estates.
Report him to the health department.
Roaches are a health hazard.
Really? That works? You tried it? Yeah.
I never would have pegged you for a guy who knew slumlord politics.
You seem so milk-fed middle-class.
You know, my family always had enough to get by.
Never went hungry or anything.
Let's go over this journal stuff at breakfast.
I know a place that's got a $1.
99 pancake special.
- You buying? - My treat.
All right.
Thanks.
- Type and cross for 4 units.
- X-ray.
AP and lateral on that knee.
- What happened? - A performance piece- I did "William Tell," taking the risk that the average Philistine wouldn't.
All this idiot had to do was shoot the apple from in between my legs.
- Lucky he didn't aim higher.
- It makes it even edgier.
- You shed blood for your work.
- Are you Max Prole? No.
It's just, the blood on the gallery wall made a bold splatter- - Do I look like Jackson Pollock? - I'm sorry, sir.
I just think- Carol, let's give him Wait.
The piece can go on and live and breathe on its own.
I will be the canvas.
No morphine.
Experience the sensation.
You have a bullet hole in your leg.
Now take the drug.
Sorry, Carol.
Score one for me.
When is Dr.
Hicks doing her 8 a.
m.
gastroplasty? - Did.
- Excuse me? She pushed it up to 6.
They should be done by now.
Hey, what's going on? - Finishing up my note.
- Dr.
Hicks changed her surgery? She made rounds for Dr.
Sloman.
You weren't here yet.
- Why wasn't I called? - I didn't want to disturb you.
That was my gastroplasty.
I know.
But you have limited time with your family, so Is that what you told Dr.
Hicks? Peter, I thought I was doing you a favor.
If you think I wanted this- Hey, did you? Look, why don't you take my ischemic bowel at 11, and we'll call it a trade.
- Okay, yeah.
Why don't we do that.
- Good.
You smell like talcum powder.
That's so sweet.
Hey, Jeanie.
Your husband called.
- Did he leave a message? - Yeah, I wrote it down.
"Mint juleps, night-blooming jasmine and warm southern breezes.
" - That was it? - Yeah.
He sounds like a real romantic.
Sometimes I wish he wasn't as much of a romantic.
You don't like being swept off your feet? - It's the landing that's a problem.
- This Synergix Group Its balanced budget's deeper in the red than ours.
- I've made real progress.
- That's laudable.
- But hear what they have to say.
- What if I don't like it? I'd plan on liking it.
Or you can explain to the board of directors the ER's massive deficit.
They're looking for scapegoats.
Don't be one.
It was a complete accident.
Mr.
Prole made me do it.
- This is your guy.
- A couple of questions.
I was a bad shot.
He wouldn't listen! - Gotta love the crackpots.
- Can you cover me for a few hours? Anspaugh's sending me to some dog-and-pony show for these ER management groups.
- If I have to.
- He just zeroed in on the budget.
Said we're overstaffed, ordering too many tests.
He wants it turned around.
- Sounds bad.
- There's no money.
Resources are stretched as it is.
He still wants me to lose another 98,000.
- Something's gotta give.
- Yeah.
I just don't know what or who.
Let me know when you're back.
- What have you got? - Matthew Lindermulder.
His spotter at the gym dropped a free-weight bar on his head.
Now I know why I let my gym membership lapse.
BP's 120/80.
Pulse 88.
- Pupils equal, round and reactive.
- Babinski's down-going.
He withdraws to pain.
Okay.
Let's get a CBC, cross-table C- spine, and a non-contrast head CT.
- Oh, man.
- What's that? It's a Klan tattoo.
Can you hear me? How long was he seizing? His cellmates screamed for us an hour ago.
All the way here.
It stopped as we pulled up.
BP's 100/70.
Pulse 100.
- Has he been here before? - Don't know.
- Wet himself in the van on the way.
- Okay.
- Can you not use those cuffs? - Okay, but I gotta stay with him.
He's waking up! I hear it ringing.
- Any history of epilepsy? - No.
- I smell rubber.
- How are you feeling there? I don't know.
I don't know.
Hang on.
Hang on.
That's all right.
Hang on.
He's bit his tongue.
Get a head CT and a tox screen.
Can I talk to you outside? Sure.
- What do you think? - Textbook seizure symptoms.
- A little too textbook.
- A convincing performance.
I've seen Oscar-winning performances for a "Get out of Jail Free" card.
Maybe Mark Greene's rubbing off on us.
He's seizing again.
The labs are back on that weird guy in 1.
- Anna, weird guy in 1.
- Okay.
- Thanks again for breakfast.
- Sure.
- Could you wrap up a patient for me? - Is he stinky? No.
A straightforward concussion.
Just makes me uncomfortable.
You're passing him off because he makes you feel uncomfortable? Dr.
Carter? It's the lab.
- He's a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
- Did he make any remarks? No.
He's unconscious.
But I noticed he had a KKK tattoo.
If we all waited for the perfect patient, the lounge would be standing-room only.
Any problem, call security.
Until then, try and remember Hippocrates.
No pupil dilation.
Oral mucosa's intact.
Lucky landing.
Sorry, officer, it doesn't look good.
Will you prepare the H20-Na treatment, please? Doctor, that's experimental.
- What doesn't look good? - Well, it's our only hope.
Officer, do you have the name of Mr.
Steiff's next of kin? Either he'll snap out of it, or he'll be forced into an irreversible coma.
Coma? Wait a few seconds.
If it doesn't work, call the coma team.
What? What? Who? - Amazing.
- Yeah.
- Saltwater.
- Where am I? Right now, you're in a hospital but you'll soon be on a bus headed for prison in very wet pants.
We got your Gram's stain back, Mr.
La Fontaine.
Please, for you, Vinnie.
Okay, Vinnie.
You have gonorrhea.
From your chart, you're familiar with the protocol.
Occupational hazard.
Price of being a player.
- You sing? - No.
That's a damn shame because I've been in the entertainment industry for numerous years.
And with a face like yours, you could sell a lot of platters.
This is a single dose of Floxin and Zithromax.
They do the same thing as the antibiotics you're used to.
I remember when it used to be an elephant gun of penicillin in the ass.
Have you been tested recently for HIV or syphilis? Oh, yeah, I get tested at Southside Clinic.
I am clean and pristine.
- Is the coast clear? - What? Fake seizure kid.
I'd rather Dr.
Greene not see him.
Not a patient I should bring up to your grandmother, right? Oh, jeez! Your clinic proposal.
That's tonight, isn't it? Yeah, Oak Park, 7:00.
That's what we said.
Yeah, we did.
I just spaced it.
I made plans with Anna.
I can change them.
- Plans with Anna? - Yeah, Journal Club.
- So it's a colleague kind of thing? - So far.
You got all your facts and figures? Gamma loves those.
- Just waiting for census numbers.
- That's cool.
You'll do fine.
Don't talk politics or religion and you'll stay on her good side.
Politics, religion.
Or baseball.
She's pissed off over that inter-league play.
- Anything else? - No.
You're a natural.
How long has your wrist hurt? About two weeks.
Think it might be- - I'll take a look.
- Can you hold this? - I'll just set it down- - Consider yourself served.
- Excuse me? - If you have questions - an attorney's number is inside.
- Too late, bud.
This case was settled.
But I have a suggestion of where to stick this.
- Another process server? - Unbelievable.
Impersonating a patient.
That's gotta be illegal.
They should get their story straight.
Mark, it's not a malpractice summons.
It's a civil suit.
- What? - Yeah.
Chris Law's claiming you violated his brother's civil rights.
He's not suing the hospital.
He's suing you.
So I think the facts speak for themselves.
When you partner with Synergix Physicians' Group we will increase revenues streamline management and cut costs making your department a center of excellence.
I'm sure that some of you have questions.
So- Yes, sir.
Eric Norris, director of St.
Joseph's ER- The principal author on thrombolytics and pulmonary embolism in the September Annals.
Welcome.
Yes.
What are your billing charges? Now, that is the beauty of the SPG system.
Collective billing of 125 facilities enables us to keep billing costs down below 5 percent.
- Yes? - I have a few questions.
The first- I'm sorry.
And you are? Kerry Weaver, Chief of Emergency Services at County General.
Five percent is an impressive number.
But what's the actual percentage Synergix retains in management fees? We retain the current physicians' salaries.
We balance your budget by maximizing reimbursement and cutting costs.
I'm sure you've heard of the Pentagon and the $5,000 hammer- Yeah, I'm not talking about hammers.
And you haven't answered my question, Mr.
West.
Well, it's Dr.
West.
But please call me Ellis.
The number you're looking for is dependent upon a multitude of factors.
Payer mix, daily census, physician reimbursement, just to name a few.
But we should talk about this later.
Right now I'd like to answer a few more questions, if I may.
Yes? In the back.
- Dr.
Romano.
- Lizzie, just the person I wanted to see.
Someone will be limping for a while.
Some wacky artist got shot.
Completely imploded his cartilage.
There's a cylindrical defect to the femoral condyle.
You called it.
Perfect candidate for your research.
He's all yours if you got the time.
I have, but we'd need to get his consent, look for a donor femur.
Consent's taken care of.
And I trolled the morgue.
Found a femur that matches.
All you need to do is grow culture cells.
An osteochondral allograft.
I didn't think I'd ever get to do one.
I'll start the cultures right away.
- Thank you so much.
- Who looks out for you, huh? I talked to Ivan Sheldon.
Remember him? A night court judge from Evanston with a 6 handicap.
He gave me the name of a good attorney.
He defended the civil-rights case against the Kallenback Meatpacking Company.
You're discussing my legal problems with golfing buddies? Sheldon is a judge.
I didn't ask you to save my ass, or whatever it is you're trying to do.
I'm trying to be your friend, which is tougher to do these days.
Mark, that environmental-allergy woman is waiting.
And why is that? You've been in a bad mood.
I don't know how to talk to you.
- Then don't.
- Okay.
What's the statute of limitations on posttraumatic stress? Cut him some slack.
We've all cut him plenty.
He needs some help.
He needs friends who are supportive.
He's not gonna have any friends if he keeps this up.
- Your guy is back from CT.
- The grand wizard.
He's regained consciousness.
Needs a scalp and shoulder suture.
- He'll be cross-burning in no time.
- I hate to say it, but he's actually very polite.
You're gonna need sutures.
Now you're gonna make me look like Frankenstein's monster, huh? First your shoulder.
Please lower your gown.
Could the nurse do them? That little blond lady who was in here before? It's not her job.
You'll have to settle for me.
It's no offense.
It's just Go ahead.
- I gotta hand it to you people.
- "You people"? Paramedics, nurses, physicians' assistants.
A dumb ox like me gets a barbell dropped on his head and I get the best care on Earth.
Well, we treat everybody here.
- Have you been saved, Miss? - Boulet.
Do you walk with the Lord? What's that tattoo have to do with the Lord? I'm sorry you had to see it.
That's why I asked for the nurse.
It's a reminder of what I left behind.
Intolerance, ignorance, hate.
I was reborn through the love of Jesus Christ.
I've built a new life.
You don't believe that's possible, do you? Sure I do.
We didn't finish our discussion.
I think I heard everything I need to hear.
But I haven't.
Listen, Kerry, I'm surrounded by number-crunchers all day long.
When an intelligent and attractive woman walks in - I must ask her to lunch.
- Yeah.
I have to get back to work.
I'll tell Chicago not to get sick for an hour.
We'll go to the Oak Room, and I'll tell you my dirty management secrets.
- and the Japanese strain of staph is resistant to the most powerful antibiotics.
- Scary stuff.
- Yeah.
Hi.
I'm Dr.
Greene.
- What are you doing? - There are germs, doctor.
You can put that away now.
Dr.
Greene is very sanitary.
Don't worry.
- I'll be the judge of that.
- Take off the mask.
This is a charcoal-filter mask.
20 percent of people get sicker in the hospital.
I don't wanna become another statistic.
You're complaining of fatigue, dry mouth, shortness of breath.
Heart rate's 130.
Resps 32.
You've been here before for anxiety attacks.
This is not an anxiety attack.
I'm allergic to my apartment building.
- Why don't you move? - Is that your medical opinion, doctor? I have environmentally based allergies! Or you're looking for a little attention.
Mark.
Why don't you get a blood gas and call me with the results.
I see Dr.
Corday handed you off one nasty ileum.
I'm just helping her out.
I'm glad that you two have some camaraderie.
- It will come in handy with Dr.
Romano.
- Excuse me? He's looking for another surgeon for his team and I recommended you.
Well, thank you.
But- Stapler.
Thanks but what? I'm more interested in working with surgeons who challenge my skills - than dazzle me with technology.
- Technology is the new technique.
And if you don't master it, somebody else will.
When I saw how the flaws in the system trickled down and affected the day-to-day operations of an ER - I knew I should be in management.
- Then you got your MBA.
And then up the corporate ladder.
Blah, blah, blah.
I didn't kidnap you out of that conference to tell you my life story.
I wanna find out more about you.
Pick your brain a little bit.
Grapevine says you're doing great things.
I don't know about great.
My spies tell me about your waste-reduction program.
Yeah, well, saving a syringe and some gauze is not the dent my bosses are looking for.
Sounds serious.
You wanna bend my ear? Maybe I can help.
The board is convening at the end of the week.
- That's tomorrow.
- Don't remind me.
They need to cut 10 percent of the budget.
We're already to the bone.
Are they making suggestions or handing you the ax? They figure I can chop 8 percent by firing half of the physicians' assistants.
- That's not a bad idea.
- On paper maybe.
Not so great if you have to fire a friend.
So this is about more than just the bottom line.
Well, it's never easy letting people go, Kerry.
But there are ways to make it less painful and sometimes less permanent.
Shall we get some coffee? Sure.
With what I have waiting for me, I'm in no rush to get back.
Do you think people are capable of change? Starting their lives over? - Yeah, sure.
Why not? - I did.
I used to have deadbeat jobs and go out with loser guys.
Now look at me.
Did the blood gas come up on that germ lady? Yeah.
In Curtain 2.
Dr.
Greene, she seemed a little upset when she left.
Wanted to get out of here.
- She left before the test results? - Yeah.
She made a quick call, sprayed the phone with disinfectant and walked out.
- She left AMA.
- Why would she do that? Maybe because Mark was rude, dismissive and patronizing.
I'm sure that's not true.
Not my job to be their best friend.
No.
Just their caregiver.
What's all the brouha? Dr.
Romano and Dr.
Corday are doing an osteochondral allograft.
Well, hot damn.
That's our first ever here at County.
Even Channel Five News is here covering it for the sci-tech segment.
See what I mean, Peter? The future is now.
Excuse me.
- Excuse me.
- Oh, sorry.
Excuse me.
Vincent Scarletti, 82, found in his bathroom.
He was in full arrest.
We shocked him twice got a rhythm and a pulse.
How long between the time you found your husband - and the paramedics arrived? - What? - She's hard of hearing.
- How long was he unconscious? Oh, I don't know.
Ten minutes, 15 maybe.
He was here two weeks ago.
They said he was fine.
We'll do everything we can.
On my count.
One.
Two.
Three.
BP's 80/50.
- Pulse ox 90.
Pulse is 48.
- All right.
Start dopamine, titrate to a systolic of 100.
Atropine 0.
5 mgs.
His pupils are fixed and dilated.
No deep tendon reflexes.
Carol, get a CBC, Chem-7, EKG, blood gas and a portable chest.
Call Respiratory.
Have them set up a vent.
- What's wrong with my Vincenzo? - It's okay.
Please stand back.
He's a good man.
We have six children, Mrs.
Scarletti, you need to wait outside.
- I need to what? - Carol, can I get an assist? Mrs.
Scarletti, come on.
Let's go wait in the hall.
Carol.
Come on.
We need to let the doctor do his job.
Come on.
Come with me.
- Where's Anspaugh? He's late.
- He's doing a Triple-A.
Those can slog on.
You got something juicy? Yeah.
Hernia repair.
Mine's a hot appendix.
They can't all be newsworthy, eh? Unlike your osteochondral allograft this afternoon, huh? You intentionally sidelined me for that.
What? Handing me off to Anspaugh so you could be with Romano.
That's the silliest thing I've ever heard.
He called me in to consult.
Not the other way around.
If you say so.
No.
It's not just what I say.
That's the way it was.
When did Anspaugh start the Triple-A? An hour ago.
My patient's prepped.
I hate to get backed up.
Yeah.
You are busy today.
Anspaugh wouldn't mind if I just started, would he? It's painting by numbers.
I haven't seen him mind yet.
So you're okay finding another ride? - I can still take you home.
- No problem.
I just totally spaced it.
I agreed to have dinner with my grandmother tonight.
So this is just an appetizer? - Well, her cooking's not exactly- - Carter, Anna, over here! Help me.
- I can't breathe.
- Just relax.
Hang on.
- I'm taking this off.
- No! It's for my allergies.
- I told the other doctor! - What other doctor? Let's get a gurney.
- Is that Mr.
Scarletti? - Yup.
- Advanced lung cancer.
- Did you pull his records? He was in two weeks ago.
They told him the cancer's inoperable.
- He never told his wife.
- Apparently not.
What's her name? Margaret Scarletti.
Do you want me to go talk to her? I'll do it.
Mark, I apologize for being late.
I had lunch with a rep from Synergix.
- He had interesting ideas.
- We're slammed here- - That crackhead in 3 is screaming- - Wait.
I'd like to discuss the staffing situation since it affects us both.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Write it down in a memo.
This woman collapsed outside.
She said she saw you.
Probably anaphylactic shock.
I'll be there.
- I'll get it.
- The back pain wants more Demerol.
- In a minute.
- Can you sign off on this for me? - No.
- We could use the beds.
- What should I do about the back pain? - Ask Doyle.
- It's the hospital's insurance attorney.
- Take a message.
- Mrs.
Scarletti, could you come with me? - My husband, will he be okay? Will he live? How is he? I don't think we should discuss this here.
- What did you say? Will he live? - We need to find a place to talk.
I'm worried about Vincenzo.
Please, can I go see him? No.
No, no, no.
Not now.
- I just wanna see him.
- Mrs.
Scarletti your husband has no chance for a meaningful recovery.
- He'll recover okay? Oh, thank you- - No, no, no.
I said, your husband has no chance for a meaningful recovery.
I don't understand.
What are you saying? I'm saying that your husband lied to you about his condition! He's going to die! Jeanie, can you explain it to her? Mark, come on.
Let's talk for a second.
Come here.
Shouldn't somebody go after him? Dr.
Corday.
Heard you were elbow-deep in a rather dicey Triple-A.
I heard you were doing the appy.
All finished.
Twenty minutes and done.
You operated without an Attending present? Just an appendicectomy.
There weren't complications.
The complication is that you disregarded hospital policy.
With something as basic as this, I assumed there was leeway.
You've been here several months.
Have you seen any surgery performed without an Attending? No.
I apologize.
In Britain we do minor surgery without supervision.
I was led to believe the same standards applied here.
By whom? I was mistaken.
That's all.
It won't happen again.
- Is it true he just walked out? - Cynthia hot on his heels.
He seemed like such a sensitive guy.
He is.
Doesn't everybody have some work to do? Can't do anything until he does something for himself.
I'm not gonna make it home to change.
Big plans? I'm asking this foundation for a lot of money.
- I don't have anything to wear.
- I have a jacket you can borrow.
It's from Goodwill, but it's decent.
- Thanks, that'd be great.
- Sure.
From what Carter says, his grandma's tough.
- Carter, meaning John Carter? - Yeah.
It's called the Carter Family Foundation but she holds the purse strings with an iron claw.
- The Carter Family Foundation? - Yeah, they're loaded.
Carter's real blue blood.
It's this whole Upstairs, Downstairs thing.
It might help you to take a doctor along with you to make your case.
I wrote some Pedes clinic grants at CHOP.
- You sure? - I'd love to come along.
Okay.
It's like I can't breathe.
It's like something inside of my head pushing, trying to get out.
And I Every time I think I have things under control, it just goes south.
- I'm babbling.
- If you don't wanna talk about it- A few months ago, I was attacked in the men's room in the ER by this gangbanger who blames me for his brother dying of a gunshot wound.
Oh, my God! That's the creep who's suing you? They settled the malpractice suit for three million dollars.
And now the bastard's suing me for violating his brother's civil rights.
I mean, figure that one out.
I can't believe it.
He attacked me from behind.
I tried to fight back, but I- He could've had a gun or been on drugs or- I didn't even think about that.
My adrenaline was pumping so hard.
You're right.
People on PCP, they He could've killed you.
Mark you're so used to handling everyone else's problems that you're not used to asking for help.
- Jeanie.
- Hi.
These horse pills are the hardest to swallow.
We should talk.
I know, today's been insane.
Heard from Mark? I've talked to Dr.
Anspaugh about the ER budget.
He's very concerned about our deficit.
The overages can be contained with structural changes if we pursue industrial contracts- Kerry, wait.
What are you saying? I have to lay off some of the staff including two PAs.
The fairest way to do that is to give preference to those with seniority.
Are you firing me? Jeanie, I'm sorry.
I don't have a choice.
You were the last one hired.
You can work to the end of the month.
COBRA insurance will cover your meds.
I've talked to Physical Therapy.
They'll have an opening in the next few months.
Except it pays about a third less than here.
I want this to be short-term.
We're pursuing contracts.
When the new system is up, I want you back.
So I'm supposed to wait by the phone? Jeanie, you know I value you professionally and as a friend.
And I'm going to try to work this out.
No, please don't go to any more trouble.
Do I look okay? You look great.
Miss Hathaway and? - Dr.
Del Amico.
Anna.
- Mrs.
Carter will be a few moments.
But she insists you have a cocktail.
What may I bring you? - Spring water would be fine.
- Yes.
And you, ma'am? What kind of beer do you have? - Heineken, Grolsch, Amstel Light- - Just make that another spring water.
Certainly.
Will you follow me to the music room? Please.
Oh, my God.
That's Mr.
Carter in 1985.
He and Marigold took home blue ribbons at Tempel Farms that year.
Marigold? His thoroughbred.
Please, make yourself comfortable.
Hey, Carol.
Did you find the place okay? Hey, Carter.
Nice place you have here.
- ER.
- Any word from Mark? No, but everybody else keeps calling.
- ER.
- Could you sign off on this? - Mark never got to it.
- Some day, huh? Yeah.
Some day.
This is a horrible job.
When is that temp clerk coming? - ER.
What do you want? - I am out of here.
Oh, Doug.
It's for you.
- Tell them I already left.
- It's long-distance, collect.
Hello.
This is Doug Ross.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
When? Okay.
Are you sure? Is it-? Okay.
Yeah.
Hang on.
Could you? Okay.
Thank you.
- Is everything okay? - Everything is fine.
No.
I mean, I've seen it.
I've seen what she's talking about.
An ER is about emergent cases.
It's about speed.
Patients that need continuity of care tend to fall through the cracks.
I had a diabetic- I'm sure your diabetic is fascinating.
But I'd like to speak to the lady.
Sure, of course.
I'm sorry.
Alone.
- Right.
- Me too? - Give her a tour of the grounds.
- Okay.
Excuse me.
Dr.
Corday, I'm changing.
- Shedding your skin, Dr.
Snake? - I beg your pardon.
You knew I wasn't permitted to perform that appy.
But you let me walk right in there anyway.
Like you knew I should have been notified this morning, right? You were home.
Hicks wanted to go.
Somebody needed to step in.
Like you needed someone to step into the ischemic bowel so you'd be with Romano.
How dare you accuse me of manipulation! I deserve better than that! Besides, if I had really wanted to you wouldn't even have been aware of it.
All right.
I suppose I could've called you.
But with your being at home and my- You are not the only one who likes to cut.
But if I'm the only one here, then I won't be ashamed of doing it.
Then I'll make sure you're not in that position again.
Why, thank you, Dr.
Benton.
- Dr.
Romano.
Do you have a minute? - Yeah.
Absolutely.
I was wondering if you were still looking for an extra set of hands.
Would those be Benton hands? Yes.
You're thinking you like the looks of the 21 st century, is that it? He simply wants to keep an eye on me.
Don't you, Dr.
Benton? Someone needs to.
I'll give it some thought.
We'll talk more.
You remember Weebles? Those little egg-looking things? "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down"? Gamma used to hate it.
I'd take the Fabergé eggs, and I'd put them with my Weeble family as pets.
All right.
I'm sorry.
I should've said something.
But you were so anti-rich people.
I'm even more anti-liars.
I wanted you to get to know me first.
Okay.
And meanwhile, I take you to my favorite thrift store give you a tour of Roach Manor this morning and you must have been laughing your head off.
- Not at all.
I love that stuff.
- A little slumming, is that it? Before you knew all this, you saw me for what I am, a regular guy.
"A regular guy" doesn't patronize people.
You made me look like an idiot.
Anna, I'm sorry.
Forget it, Carter.
So that's it? My family has a few bucks and everything changes? - A few bucks? That's what it is to you? - It's a figure of speech.
That's exactly what I'm talking about.
To you, this is all a figure of speech.
To me I'm just gonna go wait outside until Carol gets done.
Mark? It's Doug.
Hi.
Cynthia, I'm looking for Mark.
He might be asleep.
But I'll check.
- Who is it? - Come on in.
- Hey.
- Hi.
What's going on? Might be a bad time.
Yeah, yeah, kind of.
- You okay? - Yeah.
I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
I'm fine.
We're all a little worried about you.
I'm okay.
Okay.
I'll be taking a few days off.
I got a call from California.
My dad died.
What? What happened? It was a car wreck or something.
They weren't clear on the details.
But I gotta go claim the body and stuff like that.
So I'm sorry.
- I'll talk to you later.
- No.
Come on in.
That's okay.
No, no, no.
Come on in.
I'll make some coffee.
Come on.
All right.
I looked him dead in the eye, and I said "That might fly with your Hollywood chippies, Mr.
President but I am a lady.
" What did he do? He took his hand off my rear and apologized.
And that was it? Then I slept with him.
May I freshen you up? - No, thank you.
I have to drive.
- And it's getting late.
Time for the fat lady to sing.
I like you, Carol.
You remind me of me.
Thank you.
I think you might just possess the extreme bullheaded stubbornness to make this clinic thing work.
How would you like some seed money to start you off? $75,000? You haven't even read my proposal.
It's my foundation.
Just don't tell my grandson.
I have a stern, unapproachable image to keep up.
Well, then, this meeting was hell from beginning to end.
- Exactly.
- Thank you so much.
Good, good.
You're not too late.
I wanted to get the celebration rolling.
Celebration? I got a supersaver ticket to Atlanta.
Tommy's introducing me to some people.
And his sister-in-law is a realtor.
- So you had a good day.
- No.
Not just me.
Tommy knows some doctors at the county hospital.
Sounds too good to be true.
We can make this happen.
We can make this work.
Hey what's wrong? Hi, Kerry.
Ellis.
I know this is strange.
We just met and here I am calling you up to come have a drink.
- I hope you don't misunderstand.
- Oh, no.
You saved me from having to watch the local news.
I don't usually do this kind of thing.
Sure.
That's what they all say.
What's on your mind? I had to lay off a pretty close friend this afternoon and she didn't appreciate my suggestions for getting through this.
She just felt fired.
Which is exactly what she was.
That's right.
When you try to get her job back, she won't appreciate that, either.
Welcome to the wonderful world of management.
Get you another drink? That'd be great.
Thanks.
- I wish you'd wait and leave tomorrow.
- I just want to get on with it.
- Let me take you to the airport.
- I'll just leave it in Parking.
- Pick Mark up too.
- I'm glad he's going with you.
It's a good idea for him to get out of town for a while.
I'm gonna miss you.
I love you, Carol.
I love you too.