ER s07e02 Episode Script

E.
R.
Previously on E.
R.
Abby, you're seen things.
Maybe you're on drugs.
I thin0k I saw you with a needle once.
I'll work it out with the registrar- Once a clerkship is pulled, it's pulled.
Nothing I can do.
You have to wait till the next academyc quarter.
I just lost three months of med school.
Three months I can't make up - This is about your tuition.
- Yes, it is about my tuition! If I'm gonna give you a faculty position, I've gotta be sure that you are gonna be part of the team.
You are having a boy.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
E.
R.
7x02 "SAND AND WATER" - Did you catch her? - Oh, yes, I caught her.
But once she starts writing, she can't stop.
Heaven forbid.
I should have jammed that pen into her carotid artery.
They double the fine once you draw blood.
You need a building with guest parking.
- Take my spot.
- I don't want your spot.
Damn! What? No milk.
Want some of mine? A grown man.
You put an empty milk carton back into the refrigerator.
It's not empty.
Now it's empty.
Not that it chills anything cooler than room temperature, anyway.
- It's just a parking ticket.
- It's not the ticket.
I had to go chasing down there half-dressed with my hair wet.
- I said I'd go.
- But you didn't, did you? - You didn't give me a chance.
- You weren't fast enough! I'll pay the ticket.
Okay? Calm down.
I paid the other ones.
What? Let's just say it wasn't your first ticket.
- You stole tickets off my windshield? - Two.
- And paid them without telling me? - I was trying to avoid this.
- I'm not staying here anymore.
- Here we go.
- Every faucet leaks, your toilet rocks.
- I like that.
There are creatures in the walls.
Do you know what scurries in walls? Bunnies? Do you want to take the El train, or shall we drive? - Is this the AA meeting? - How'd you guess? - I'm Brant.
- Hi, I'm John.
Thanks, John.
Welcome.
to believe a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Step Three: Made a decision to turn our will - A lot of coffee.
- This is backup.
- First time? - Here? Yeah.
It's a good group.
a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Step Five: Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the nature of our wrongs.
Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all of these defects of character.
Step Seven: Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.
Step Eight: Made a list of all persons whom we have harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
Step Nine: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible except when to do so would harm them or others.
E.
R.
Take this guy.
He is driving me crazy.
- Same here.
- Oh, no.
He missed his dialysis appointment.
Mr.
Fletcher, only one day late? - You? No, not you.
- You know him? He's one of our favorites.
Hey, Cleo? Can you take Mr.
Fletcher? - I see you called 911 again.
- They're faster than the El train.
- My arm stopped buzzing.
- No thrill, no bruit.
Talk English.
- Mark, ready? - In a second.
- Raise your right foot.
- I can't.
- I don't want to keep him waiting.
- I'll be there.
Okay.
- Have you started teaching rounds? - No.
The residents are waiting in ICU.
All right, tell them I'll be there in a minute.
And you need to schedule the surgical service committee meeting.
- Tomorrow.
- You have a mastectomy.
- Well, whenever.
- Dr.
Benton.
- Carter.
What are you doing here? - I have a meeting.
- Right.
- Hi, Shirley.
Hi.
I need you to sign off on last month's O.
R.
expenditure report.
- I've never done that.
- I take care of it.
You just sign it.
Suit yourself.
I need it by 4.
It's good to see you, Carter.
Important Attending stuff? - Yeah.
- Congratulations.
Thanks.
Man, you look good.
Couldn't look much worse than the last time.
- He's gotten big.
- Yeah.
- Hi, Reece.
- Hey.
Well, hey, you're in a hurry - Yeah.
I'll see you later, all right? - I don't know.
Maybe.
We'll see.
Good luck, Carter.
- When does he want to start? - Soon.
I don't think that's a good idea.
also weak grip in right hand.
- Any history of stroke? - Yes.
A lacunar infarct.
She got worse.
- He's eager to work.
- So we just throw him in? We'll start him on half-shifts, limited responsibilities.
- In the same place he started using.
- He's doing the program every day.
Good.
Make him take time.
He can afford it.
We'll monitor his progress.
If he gets into trouble, we'll cut back.
If he gets in trouble, it's too late.
Please, somebody! - What? - I'm having contractions! - Are you pregnant? - Only 22 weeks.
Come here.
Try to relax, okay? Here, you're gonna sit down.
Sit here.
Wait one second, okay? Dr.
Chen, I need you over here.
No, now.
- How did you get here? - Taxi.
I was shopping.
- What? - She's having contractions.
- How far along are you? -22 weeks.
You're probably having what are called Braxton Hicks contractions.
They're coming every three minutes.
Get a gurney, clear a trauma room, start an IV and call OB.
- What's your name? - Regina.
Regina, don't push.
Whatever you do, don't push.
Okay? - How much? - Four, almost 5.
That can't be right.
I was 4 centimeters two hours ago.
- You're doing fine.
- Can Dr.
Coburn take a look? She was called in to do a C-section.
- How long will that take? - We have time.
Why don't we roll you on your side and get you more comfortable.
Abby, they need someone downstairs.
- Where? - ER.
They have a preterm labor.
- Get a resident.
- Simons and Perry are delivering.
Lift your leg.
Where's Dana? She's on break.
Not back for another five.
- You're not leaving? - It sounded urgent.
Do you know where you are, Mrs.
Walton? Let the doctor check you first.
What does she say? - She wants to go home.
- Pulse ox is 92.
She's in A-fib.
It probably triggered the new stroke.
- Do you provide 24-hour care? - Yes.
- Does she have any family? - No.
Not that she's in contact with.
- Connie, call Psych.
- Psych? After this she might not be competent to make her own medical decisions.
- Preterm labor? - Next door.
EKG, Chem-7, UA, culture urine, blood and sputum.
- Your husband's on his way.
- Ok.
- How far along? - Twenty-two weeks.
- Let's hope it's a couple more.
- Please, stop it! - Where's the resident? - You got me instead.
Membranes are intact, but she's fully dilated to 6 centimeters.
Can you stop it? - What's her name? - Regina.
- Regina, did you have any ultrasounds? - My doctor said everything was okay.
- Who's your doctor? - He's in Indianapolis.
Why is this happening? Sometimes women go into preterm labor for no reason.
- I should have stayed home.
- This is not your fault.
This happens.
Ok, we are giving you medicine to stop de contractions.
Your membranes haven't ruptured yet, which is a good sign.
We're also giving you something to help your baby's lungs mature.
No! I feel pressure.
- Contraction.
- She's leaking amniotic fluid.
- Make them stop.
It's too early.
- Two grams of amp.
- Get a baby warmer in here.
- No! It's too early! - Random urine tests.
- Yes.
And I get to pay for them too, I see.
- Is that a problem? - No.
In addition to the state meetings we'll require 90 NA or AA meetings during the first 90 days.
- That's not a problem.
I'm going anyway.
- Good.
And the three of us will meet once a week just to check in.
Make sure you're handling the stress.
Okay.
I came prepared.
- The naltrexone binds to your opiate- - I know what it does.
It protects you.
It blocks the euphoric effects.
It protects all of us.
You need to begin today if you want to begin work next week.
- You want me to take it in front of you? - We'll monitor your regimen.
- How much? - Fifty milligrams a day.
- Sorry.
That was - It's okay.
It's gonna be difficult at first.
We'll work it out.
We'll put you on the schedule for next week.
Tuesday.
Start out very light.
No trauma.
Whatever you say.
- Kerry, I gotta go.
- Yeah.
- See you.
- Welcome back.
Thank you.
- Thank you both.
- Sure thing.
Baby's cephalic.
Normal anatomy.
- Progressed to 8.
- Please stop it.
- Father's here.
- Regina, what happened? I was at the mall.
It started hurting.
I didn't know what to do.
- Is she in labor? - My water broke.
Her OB confirms previous ultrasounds put her at 21 weeks.
- That's too soon.
- She's got rales.
- Pulmonary edema.
No more terbutaline.
- What's wrong? The medication is causing your lungs to fill.
I don't care! Stop the contractions! I can't have this baby.
- I'll try 50 mgs of indomethacin.
If the baby's born, can it survive? - It's coming! - The baby's crowning.
- You're gonna deliver this baby.
- No! No! Yes.
There's nothing else we can do.
- What have we got? - Preemie.
- Okay.
Regina, go ahead and push.
- No! No! - You okay there, Dr.
Chen? - The head's out.
- My God! My God! - It's a boy.
- Is he breathing? - Yes.
- Can someone help me? - You okay? Dilute it in 1000 cc's, - I don't hear anything.
Is he alive? - Yes.
Let's get a weight.
- He's so little.
- BP, 100/60.
Okay.
Let's give the mom 40 of Lasix.
Take her temp.
Please save him.
Please save my baby.
You're doing charts? Yeah, I needed to catch up.
Look, I'm really sorry about With the baby.
It's all right.
Our reactions can surprise us sometimes.
But you need to go back in there and manage your patient.
I can't.
You should know you're being considered for chief resident next year.
People need to be able to look to you for leadership.
I'm pregnant.
I didn't know what to do and then eight weeks became 12 and 12 became 20.
So you're 20 weeks pregnant? Twenty-two.
You know, that baby was the size of mine.
Oh, sweetie Why did you wait so long to tell me? My parents are gonna kill me.
- You should go home.
- No.
Go home.
I'll cover the rest of your shift.
We'll work out your schedule tomorrow.
Okay.
Good.
- Not fair.
Not in the workplace.
- I found a spot I'm going to exploit.
- I'll exploit you.
You know I will.
- Bring it on.
Time and place.
Clotted-off fistula needs a new shunt.
- Renal failure? - Missed his dialysis.
- Mr.
Fletcher? - Who else? - Give him to somebody else.
- I got stuck with him.
- The man yelled in my stethoscope.
- He grabbed my ass.
Suck it up.
Come on.
Be a man.
- That's not right.
- You crying? That's not right.
- You guys got a baby? -22-week preemie.
- Still breathing? - For now.
What took you so long? I need to take a dump.
It's good to see you, Mr.
Fletcher.
- Is he hypothermic? - Yeah.
- Okay.
Order another lamp.
- It's on its way down.
- What's his pulse? - Down to 90.
This is some heated saline to keep him warm while you hold him.
- Did your husband leave? - He went to call a priest.
We want to baptize our baby.
There's a priest on call with the hospital, unless you had someone specific in mind.
No, we're just in town for a few days.
My doctor said I could travel during my second trimester.
This probably would have happened whether you were traveling or not.
We tried for almost two years to get pregnant and finally gave up.
And then suddenly, I was.
Look at him.
He's hanging on.
I counted 10 little fingers and 10 little toes.
He looks perfect.
He's just a little small.
Even if your baby was a few weeks older and somehow managed to survive- I know that that's what you say because that's what you've seen but maybe he's meant to be a miracle.
Sometimes you have to help a miracle along.
And sometimes you have to let go.
- What took so long? - They had us holding.
- Are we still in Trauma 1? - Yeah, sure.
How bad is it? - I'm not sure I should discuss this.
- Why? I can't share medical information with anyone but family.
- Glenda and I are family.
- I thought you were her nurse.
No, I'm- We're partners.
Right.
We should sit down.
- Hey.
- You're safe.
I've had my coffee.
- Good.
How about a date? - As long as it's at my place.
- The going-out kind.
- We're going out Friday.
I moved up a reservation.
- What reservation? - It's a surprise.
Look, I'm fine.
I just had an episode this morning.
I know.
I'm used to them.
Trust me.
You'll like the place.
Your patient has an abscess around L4 and L5.
- Who? - Patterson.
I was in Radiology.
- Bored? - What? Poaching my patients? There can be improvement in the first 24 hours after a stroke.
In Glenda's case, I'm afraid there's too much brain damage.
- She won't recover? - Maybe slightly.
Dr.
Kovac? Her sats are dropping to 86.
- Glenda? - Yes.
- What does that mean? - She's not getting enough oxygen.
- Eight ET tube, 10 cc syringe.
- BP's 110/90.
Pulse is 110.
- Put her on a 100% non-rebreather.
- This your patient? Large CVA with dense hemiparesis.
X- ray shows an aspiration pneumonia.
We may have to put a tube down your throat to help you breathe.
- Do you know where you are? - She's not competent.
- She's confused.
- Does she have an advance directive? - What do you mean? - Like a "Do Not Resuscitate" order.
I don't think she'd want a ventilator.
Suction.
I'll put in an airway.
- Are you a family member? - No, she's her They're together.
- Do you have power of attorney? - No, I guess I should - Sats are climbing.
- Let's keep her on 50 liters by mask.
- She's okay? - For now.
But we'll have to intubate her unless a family member directs us not to.
- Or a spouse? - One recognized by law.
- Can you do it by phone? - Yes.
Yes, if you can verify an out-of-town relative.
She has a brother in Houston.
I've never seen one so small.
You can hold it in one hand.
I delivered a 700-gram baby in med school.
Had a brain-bleed.
- I don't even want to look.
- Can you page the chaplain? The father already asked.
He's gonna be a few hours.
Well, we don't have a few hours.
He needs to get here.
Well, he's helping talk down a jumper.
I Then start calling parishes till you can find someone who can get over here.
- You want me to cold-call priests? - Yes.
Now, please.
- Okay.
- No, I just need the coags.
- Dr.
Benton? - I don't care what the computer says.
Is this about Mr.
Fletcher? I'll tell you what.
When they're ready, page me, all right? Maureen Conway, Financial.
We can't admit Mr.
Fletcher.
- Why not? He's got Medicare.
- Which he sold to a bankrupt HMO.
That's not his fault.
But in nine months, they have not paid claims Mr.
Fletcher has run up $200,000 in unrecouped charges.
- He needs a new dialysis shunt.
- Dr.
Romano left strict orders.
- Stabilize in the ER and then transfer.
- Wait a minute.
- Do you have an M.
D.
? - No.
You're gonna tell me how to treat my patients? I've got a pheochromocytoma, How do you suggest I treat him? Do whatever is necessary.
We won't admit Mr.
Fletcher.
Now, if you have any concerns, take them up with Dr.
Romano.
We took Regina to get cleaned up.
Believe it or not, a shower can help.
She did everything right.
She read that damn Expecting book.
It's important that she knows it's not her fault.
- What happened? Did he die? - No.
You wait here.
Did they find something? Neonatology examines every preemie.
- They might do something? - Wait.
Note how the thinness makes thermal regulation impossible.
- The eyes remain closed- - What are you doing? - We heard you had a micro-preemie.
- This isn't show-and-tell.
No, it's a teaching hospital.
As you can see, the heart, limbs and palate are fully formed.
We might be able to see the heart beating.
Okay, put him down.
- Excuse me? - Put him down.
He is not a science experiment.
He isn't.
But I need to examine every birth for congenital anomalies.
- You examined him.
Now go.
- When I'm finished.
The father is standing outside thinking that you are saving his baby.
How long would you like to torture him? Are there any questions? No? Good.
- Transfer him to the fifth floor.
- No.
You can't keep him here.
I'm not sending the parents upstairs with the mothers.
The NICU then.
He's staying here with his parents so they can have some privacy.
- In the ER? - Yes.
- Is there anything you can do? - No.
I'm sorry.
He's too young.
Get Mr.
Morgan a chair so he can sit next to his son.
Sure.
I know this is difficult.
Don't be afraid to touch him.
- He's not suffering, is he? - No.
- We got multiple MVAs coming up.
- Find someplace else.
- This is a Trauma Room.
- I don't care.
This room's off-limits.
Titrate the phentolamine to M.
A.
P.
120.
Mr.
Robertson, you are in good hands.
- Dr.
Romano.
- Hello, Peter.
I heard you're hoarding the field down here.
An Attending for a week and already you're stealing the fascinomas, huh? - You can have him.
- I wasn't asking permission.
We have a problem with a patient.
- Why do you say "we"? - Financial won't let me admit him.
Don't let those geeks push you around, Peter.
Show a little backbone, before you come crying.
Otherwise they'll never respect you.
They're blocking him on your orders.
That's different.
Let's take a look.
I've cleared him for surgery.
I can have him out in 24 hours.
-28 admissions for renal failure? - He frequently misses dialysis.
Street him.
I am done carrying these parasites.
- That's an EMT ALA violation.
- No.
He's not emergent.
How do you know? You haven't looked at him.
Okay, Peter.
Let's take a look.
Where is he? Curtain Two.
Too late, Lizzie.
- What? - Nothing.
Have you seen Mark? He has a patient for me.
- He said something about Radiology.
- I'm Dr.
Romano.
- How are you feeling? - Like crap.
- Can I take a look? - You're the seventh person to look.
What am I, a freak show? - Why did you miss your dialysis? - I was busy.
- Doing what? - None of your business.
- More important things to do? - I don't like you.
I didn't like you when you sliced my foot open and I don't like you now.
I'm hurt, Mr.
Fletcher.
What about my pain pill? - I need my pill! - The nurse is gonna bring it.
She's too slow.
I need a new nurse.
- Put him on a bus to Milwaukee.
- He's fluid-overloaded.
This guy knows exactly what's gonna happen if he misses his dialysis and he still blows it off.
He's not gonna stop abusing the system till we draw the line.
- What's this? - This is for his bus ticket.
You serious? New state, new Medicaid and a new set of doctors to piss off.
- He lives in Chicago.
- Cry me a river.
Oh, man Please call back immediately.
Thank you.
Machine.
- Do you have a pager number? - No.
- A next-door neighbor? Another relative? - No.
Well, her breathing has stabilized.
- How long have you been together? - Twenty-seven years.
Kerry? - Could you excuse us for a moment? - Sure.
What are you doing? She talked to her brother twice in 10 years.
She didn't grant her partner power of attorney.
I'm trying to find a legal way to fulfill her wishes.
-27 years should count for something.
- She has a chance of survival.
But what kind of life? Intubation is an appropriate step.
The only one who can change that is the next of kin.
She is the next of kin.
They lived their lives together.
- We should treat them like a couple.
- I agree.
The law doesn't.
If her sats drop below 80, tube her.
No.
What? If you want to manage it this way, then you should manage it.
Okay.
Fine.
Give me the chart.
Thank you.
I just- I need a picture.
I understand.
- Should we use the name? - You don't want to? No, I think we should.
There's only one boy's name we could agree on.
- What's that? - Julian.
- It's a nice name.
- Yeah.
How much longer? I don't know.
It could be a few minutes.
It could be a few hours.
- Let's take him outside.
- What? We'll take him to a lake or a park.
If he's gonna die, I don't want him to die in here.
We have to wait for the priest.
- Is he coming? - I'll check again.
Abby.
Excuse me.
I'll be right back.
- I paged you three times.
- We had a 22-week birth here.
You had a patient upstairs who needed you.
- Did she deliver? - Yes, she delivered.
- Shoulder dystocia.
- Is the baby okay? Well, apart from a broken clavicle, he'll be fine.
She was scared and asking for you.
If you take shifts as a nurse, I need you to work as a nurse.
You cannot let these women grow dependent on you and then walk out.
I was taking care of this woman and her baby.
There are other people down here who can do that.
Janet, I'm sorry, it was my call.
I asked Abby to stay.
These parents are distraught.
There's nothing we can do but they need support, and Abby's been with them since the birth.
- Just don't ignore my page.
- I'm sorry.
Thank you.
No.
You're doing the hard part.
- Is he still breathing? - Agonally.
- Let me know when you pronounce.
- Okay.
Last time I got heated blankets and an extra pillow.
- What's open? - Depends on what you have.
Revision of an AV graft, left forearm.
- Fletcher? - How did you know? Dr.
Romano warned me you'd try to bring him.
- It's my call.
Just give me a room.
- I'm sorry, Dr.
Benton.
I can't.
- I'll be out in less than an hour.
- He actually said he'd fire me.
Okay.
Okay, well, please hurry.
Thank you.
The priest talked that woman down.
He's gonna baptize this baby.
- How long has it been? - Five hours.
He's really hanging on.
Maybe the mother is right.
Maybe he is a miracle.
In 10, 15 years we might be able to help.
They wanted to try.
We could intubate him.
- Abby - I know.
It's his time on Earth, and all you can do is make it a good time.
I think he stopped breathing.
Here we go.
- That's not a respirator? - No.
It provides pressure to her lungs so she doesn't have to work so hard to breathe.
Her father died of lung cancer.
I remember Glenda and her brother fighting outside the ICU.
Danny couldn't let go, and Glenda couldn't watch her father suffer like that.
You know, all those tubes.
After her first stroke, Glenda made me promise to never let her die like that.
We'll do everything we can to reach her brother.
He doesn't know her like I do.
I love her.
I don't want to lose her, but I know what she wants.
His breathing just slowed down and then it just stopped.
Please, if you could do anything Is there a heartbeat? No.
- You want to call it? - Oh, God.
- Abby? - Yeah.
Is that it? The time of death is- Wait! His chest moved.
Is he still alive? Got a heartbeat.
Yes, but your sister has an aspiration pneumonia.
If we put her on a ventilator, she may never come off it.
Perhaps.
She suffered a massive stroke from which she probably will not recover.
Mr.
Walton, I cannot give you percentages.
Extremely unlikely.
Your sister's wishes are not to be kept alive by artificial means.
Judy.
Would you like to talk to her? Yes, if we don't intubate her, she will die, but the chances of- The chances of a meaningful recovery are extremely- I understand.
Yes.
Goodbye.
- Hey, you.
Malatucci.
- Malucci.
Whatever.
Have you seen the OIG officer down here? Who? Deputy inspector general.
Regulates our Medicare compliance.
- Short, battle-ax, humorless? - That's her.
- Curtain Two.
- Thank you.
Benton told you you needed surgery? He brought me upstairs.
- Why didn't he operate? - Nurse wouldn't let him in.
He tried to tell me they didn't have a room ready.
Mr.
Fletcher, we're ready for you.
Sandy.
- Hello, Robert.
- What an unexpected visit.
I'm investigating a possible EMT ALA violation.
- What patient? - Mr.
Fletcher.
Some sort of spot audit? We got a call you were bouncing him.
- From whom? - Anonymous.
Anonymous does not equal reliable.
I was just coming to take Mr.
Fletcher to surgery.
Is that true, Dr.
Benton? I'm sure Dr.
Romano's found a room.
This is a consent form.
I'll explain it.
I know the drill.
Tell me you don't have policy to redirect all non-paying Medicare HMO patients.
- How could we? We're a county hospital.
- Good.
- Always a pleasure.
- I'm sure.
I think you should know that I will be auditing all of your patient transfers from the last month.
- Audit away.
No skeletons here.
- I hope so.
- Dr.
Romano, I felt I had to- - Not a word, Peter.
Not a single word.
You're not gonna leave a scar, are you? The hack that first put this in left a- Shut up.
I'd have had better exposure and direct visualisation without beaming a gigavolt of radiation into the man.
- A gigavolt? - You know what I mean.
I could have completely evacuated all the infected tissue.
- These guys are going in half-blind.
- Fine.
Whatever.
Next spinal abscess is all yours, I promise.
- Where is this place, anyway? - You'll see.
These are houses, Mark.
Oh, Mark! It's beautiful! See, I have some taste.
Can you afford it? I've been living cheap.
Besides, I'm gonna have a roommate.
That's awfully presumptuous of you.
I could take out an ad.
You will not! I love it! Check out the refrigerator.
It's nice and cold.
Look at this deck! I knew you'd love that.
- When can we move in? - When can you pack? - It has an icemaker.
- These floors are gorgeous! - Check it out.
- What? - The icemaker.
- It's lovely.
You have to open it.
It has a special ice feature.
What? Does the ice come in different-shaped cubes or something? Oh, my God.
Mark I'm a little nervous.
So Let me say it.
Elizabeth, I love you.
I was hoping you'd give me the joy and honor of being your husband.
Is that a yes? Yes.
Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and Earth? I do.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his son, who was born of the Virgin Mary suffered and died, but rose and now sits at the Father's right hand? I do.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life? Regina and Joseph, is it your will that Julian should be baptized in the faith of the church which we have professed? Yes.
I'm sorry.
I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Amen.
Hi.
Could I get a coffee with cream, no sugar, to go? Sure.
Hey.
Hi.
You back already? No, not for another week.
- What, are you just hanging out? - I have a diversion meeting at 9.
You look much better.
Thank you.
- Hey, I like your hair.
- Thank you.
Some nice scrubs.
You picking up some extra shifts? No.
I was suspended.
- Didn't kill anybody, did you? - No.
I wanted to.
My ex-husband was supposed to pay my tuition.
He didn't pay it, so I'm on the bench, but it didn't seem like that today.
Thank you.
- Hey, I got that.
- It's okay.
Hey, it's a cup of coffee.
Sit down.
It's the least I can do after acting like a complete jerk.
When? Three months ago.
You know, you might have saved my life.
If you hadn't stopped me when you did, I could be dead now.
I'm working on my steps here.
You're up to nine already? More or less.
I forgive you.
Do you mind? Sorry.
I really have to quit again.
Thank you.
Keep it.
Long day? Yeah.
nine hours.
I just finished the death kit.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
I don't know why I do this.
I should go be an accountant.
- That's an option.
- If I could balance a checkbook.
What about you? A lot of waiting.
A lot of meetings.
Yeah.
You get kind of meeting-ed out.
Aren't you gonna ask? What? What I was doing there this morning? You only go for one reason.
I figured I'd keep going and eventually you'd stand up and share.
It's not that interesting.
I'm a drunk.
- How long have you been sober? - Five years.
- So you could sponsor somebody.
- Yeah, I guess.
- Have you? - No.
Because I'm supposed to find a sponsor.
- Don't look at me.
- No? No, I'm barely holding my own life together right now.
Trust me.
Because it would be great to have somebody at the hospital.
You did start me on my recovery.
Men and women aren't supposed to sponsor each other.
- Don't worry about it.
- Thanks.
Come on.
You're not gonna make me ask a stranger, are you? I mean, the only person I met at the meeting was the coffee guy.
Okay.
Okay.
I will work the steps with you until you find a permanent sponsor.
Fair enough.
I'll start by setting a good example.
I don't think cigarettes are gonna do it for me tonight.
- No? - No.
I'm getting a hot fudge sundae.
- Would you like one? - I got enough vices.
No.
I think part of the rules should be that you have to splurge with me.
Is that how it works?