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ACT THREE
FADE IN
EXT. ST. ELIGIUS - DAY
Establishing.
INT. CAFETERIA - DAY
Two DOCTORS walk through the entrance. Clock reads 1202 p.m.
They pass a DOCTOR eating alone. He curls spaghetti around
his fork and sticks it in his mouth.
The DOCTORS get into line, picking up plastic trays. Just in
front of them, a real horny looking ORDERLY is bent down,
searching for something. He looks up, smiles, looks back
down seriously, looks up, smiles. Ahead of him, two very
cute CANDY STRIPERS stand giggling, obviously the center of
the ORDERLY's attention. A few people ahead of them.
DANIELS and EHRLICH stand in line.
EHRLICH
The family sent me a fruit basket.
DANIELS
What's wrong with that?
EHRLICH
The patient died, Shirley, he died
and they sent me a fruit basket.
DANIELS reaches into an ice-filled shelf for a tuna fish
sandwich.
EHRLICH (CONT.)
It's a little late in the week for
the tuna fish.
CRAIG watches incredulously as a MAINTENANCE WORKER
accidentally drops his cigarette ash in a plate of jello.
CRAIG
Hey, you.
(KITCHEN WORKER looks up)
What do you think, you're at home?
ROSENTHAL stands talking to another NURSE farther down the
line.
ROSENTHAL
She says she wants to verify the
dates she was admitted and
discharged.
Then she says, "Can you tell me
what I was in for?" Turns out her
hubby had used her Blue Cross/Blue
Shield number to pay for his
girlfriend's appendectomy.
EHRLICH and DANIELS stand at cash register.
EHRLICH
One eighteen? All I got was an
avocado yogurt and a chocolate bar.
CASHIER shrugs, hands him change.
EHRLICH (CONT.)
And they say medicine's a ripoff.
They pick up their trays, and carry them past several tables
of NURSES, DOCTORS, others who are talking and eating.
CAMERA HOLDS on CHANDLER, staring down at a portable Scrabble
game, tired.
CHANDLER
I wish I hadn't been so stupid this
year. I used all my sick days for
sickness.
VIEW INCREASES to include DOCTORS MORRISON, CHANDLER,
ARMSTRONG and V.J., who, with a Satanic gleam in his eyes,
places letters on the Scrabble board.
ARMSTRONG
Is Andrew Reinhardt your patient
now?
CHANDLER
Yep.
(to MORRISON)
How'd you stand him?
MORRISON shrugs, looks down at Scrabble board.
MORRISON
"Shamash"?
V.J.
(correcting pronunciation)
Shamash.
CHANDLER
Sounds like a kosher sandwich.
ARMSTRONG
What's it mean?
V.J.
"Shamash" be the sun god of Assyria.
MORRISON
(sighing, writing on
notepad)
Twenty-three points.
ARMSTRONG
I've had enough. I hate to tell
you this, V.J., but you're
suffering from an advanced case of
lexicography.
ARMSTRONG gets up and walks toward exit. She passes CRAIG
and BEALE.
CRAIG
Sure, a few of them die. But look
how many drop dead without any help
from their doctors.
BEALE ponders this.
CRAIG (CONT.)
Though to be perfectly frank,
today's young resident is an
absolute yutz. In my day, we were
taught ethics, codes of behavior,
respect for seniority. Today you
got doctors with gym shoes. Gym
shoes, for crying out loud. You'd
think we were running a track meet
instead of a hospital. Am I right,
Hugh?
BEALE
You know I hate to disagree with
you, Mark.
CAVANERO sits at a table with DENISE WHITEHILL, drinking
coffee.
DENISE
Brian's oldest brother, David, is
dead and his other brother won't
ever get married...
So he always wanted a son to "carry
on" the family name. Do you have
any children, Dr. Cavanero?
CAVANERO
No, I'm not married.
DENISE
Brothers or sisters?
CAVANERO
Yes, one brother and four sisters.
DENISE
(smiling)
Big family.
CAVANERO
Well, you know, Catholics.
DENISE
I'm an only child. When I was
growing up I always wished I had
lots of brothers and sisters. I
swore to myself when I got married,
I'd have five of each... What would
you do if you were in my place, Dr.
Cavanero?
CAVANERO
That's really not the question
here.
DENISE
I know you're not supposed to say,
but I'm asking you -- not as a
doctor, as a woman.
CAVANERO
(nodding)
No, I know. What I'm trying to say
is that, in this situation, advice
is easy when you're not directly
involved.
DENISE
It's very complicated, isn't it?
What about your mother?
CAVANERO
What do you mean?
DENISE
What would she have done?
CAVANERO
My mother would have had the baby.
But then again, she's a very
traditional woman.
DENISE
So am I.
On DENISE, stirring her coffee,
CUT TO
CLOSE ON CARDBOARD CUT-OUT
It is a 3x4 cut-out of a crouching MAN. The cut-out is
still, suspended in air from a wire. SHOTS ring out. The
cut-out is struck six times in the torso by gunfire.
EXT. RIFLE RANGE - DAY
A rinky-dink outdoor range, on the periphery of Boston. The
CAMERA PANS ACROSS the divided shooting cubicles, with
various people in them A MAN in a wheelchair, a MOTHER and
her young SON, two black WOMEN.
In the last cubicle, CATHY MARTIN is pointing her Walther at
the suspended cut-out. FISCUS stands behind her, looking on.
They are both wearing headsets. CATHY aims.
MARTIN
Here's to you, Doctor Astrov, for
failing me on my histology exam
twice.
She shoots.
FISCUS
I'm spending my day with Dirty
Harriet.
MARTIN
You said you wanted to do something
different.
FISCUS
Yeah, well I was thinking more
along the lines of hanging out at
the beach... You know, throwing
rocks at he seagulls, kicking sand
in some little kid's face. Good
clean fun.
She looks at the target.
MARTIN
Not bad.
She re-aims.
FISCUS
She loves death. She loves
destruction. She loves the feel of
cold, hard steel between her
fingers.
MARTIN
Louisa May Alcott.
She shoots again, then presses an overhanging button, which
returns the target.
MARTIN (CONT.)
Little Women was the worst book
ever written.
She and FISCUS take off their headsets. CATHY reloads.
FISCUS
(looking at gun)
Beale would have a field day with
you and that Howitzer.
MARTIN
I was mugged three times in the
parking lot. I learned to shoot
for self defense. Armstrong even
got attacked in the hospital.
FISCUS
Ever had to use it?
CATHY takes down the target, hands it to FISCUS. She puts up
a new one.
FISCUS (CONT.)
(looking at target)
Transversalis fascia... aortic
hiatus.. left renal A and V,
twice... and the spleen... I see a
million like these a week.
She sends the new target out.
MARTIN
Give it a try, Wayne. Let off some
steam.
She indicated that she wants him to shoot a round.
FISCUS
Make love, not war. Peace,
flowers, purple haze...
She looks at him, as if to say, "Sissy". He steps to the
line. She hands him the gun.
FISCUS (CONT.)
Oh, wow... this really turns me on.
Wow...
MARTIN
(showing him)
Hold this arm straight out. And
steady. There's your sight. Just
follow it straight down.
FISCUS sets up.
MARTIN (CONT.)
That's it. Now get anybody you
want.
She puts the headset on, then puts his on. She steps back.
FISCUS
Nick Veltri, who held me down and
pounded me near the bike rack in
the fourth grade, just because I
was wearing argyle socks.
FISCUS shoots.
CUT TO
EXT. WHITEHILL HOME - DAY
Establishing.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
DENISE, at counter, seasoning steaks.
BRIAN (O.C.)
Daddy's home.
DENISE
I'm in here.
BRIAN comes in. DENISE turns around for a second, smiles.
He winks at her, sits at table, sorting through the mail.
BRIAN
How'd everything go today?
He looks at her slightly. DENISE's back is to him, as she
puts steaks into oven.
DENISE
The garbage disposal stopped
disposing.
He rips some junk mail in half, gets up, goes to sink. He's
close to DENISE, gives her a kiss.
BRIAN
Where're the girls?
DENISE
At the playground. Linda said
she'd bring them home.
He throws ripped mail into garbage bag under sink.
BRIAN
(casually)
Did you talk to Dr. Cavanero?
DENISE
Yes.
BRIAN
Then it's all taken care of?
DENISE
No. I want this baby.
BRIAN
Last night you said --
DENISE
I'm not having an abortion.
BRIAN
Would you please stop this and call
her, right now.
DENISE
Call her yourself.
BRIAN goes to wall phone, looks for "Dr. Cavanero -- St.
Eligius" in little blue address book, starts to dial. DENISE
puts finger on phone, disconnecting him.
DENISE (CONT.)
Do you know what really galls me,
Brian?
BRIAN
No, what really galls you, Denise?
DENISE
You didn't think... Not even for a
minute... It's my body that has to
go through this.
BRIAN
What the hell is that supposed to
mean? What about our life, huh?
Doesn't that count for anything?
DENISE
Don't be stupid, of course it does
-
BRIAN
Then listen to me -- Every day,
every damn day... No holidays, no
time off for good behavior...
"Don't touch the stove, Johnny,
you'll burn your hand"... "Don't
put your finger in the socket"...
"Don't go peepee in your pants"...
"Don't --"
DENISE
I don't care --
BRIAN
Sure, you say that now --
DENISE
I know the way I feel right now
is...
(touching belly)
The same as when I was carrying
Stephanie and Michelle.
BRIAN puts his hand in the air, turns away.
DENISE (CONT.)
We didn't know how they'd turn out.
Or will turn out. If Stephanie
becomes a... an axe-murderer, will
we love her any less? No, because
she's ours. Well, so is he --
BRIAN
It's not the same thing. Stop
fooling yourself.
DENISE
What if, what if something happened
to me, I was hit by a car and brain
damaged for life or Stephanie or
Michelle -- What would you do?
Pack us off to a mental
institution? Or shoot us in the
backyard?
BRIAN
I know you, I love you.
DENISE
Why can't you love this child?
BRIAN
(facing her)
If I want a pet, I'll get a dog --
DENISE
This is our son.
BRIAN
(losing it)
It's a mistake... A defective,
embarrassment...
A beat.
DENISE
Murder. That's what this is, you
know. Murder.
BRIAN
Call it what you want. I can't
handle this, don't you understand,
Denise. I can't go through with
having this child. I don't have
the strength.
BRIAN turns back to the counter.
CUT TO
INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - NIGHT
SHIRLEY DANIELS sits in the Admitting office, while ROONEY
leans in the doorway. An Admitting VOLUNTEER talks to a
newly arrived PATIENT.
ROONEY
Eventually I wanna be a scrub
nurse.
DANIELS looks up surprised.
ROONEY (CONT.)
I know. You think it's funny a
punk like me wants to do more than
clean up afterbirth.
DANIELS
No, it's just that... I've been
thinking of quitting.
ROONEY
Going to another hospital?
DANIELS
Getting out of nursing altogether.
ROONEY
Why's that?
DANIELS
Too many forms, too many hostile
patients, hostile doctors.
ROONEY
C'mon, they ain't that bad.
DANIELS
Most doctors are white, rich men
who don't give a second thought
about my opinions of feelings.
Besides, there're a lot more things
a woman can do these days. That
pays better.
Phone RINGS, DANIELS answers it.
DANIELS (CONT.)
(to VOLUNTEER)
I've got it, Charlene. Hello, St.
Eligius E.R... Oh, yeah, Myra.
I'll get him. Just a minute... No,
no problem.
A NURSE walks by. The CAMERA FOLLOWS HER, past a closed
cubicle.
INT. CUBICLE - NIGHT
PETER WHITE is in the examining cubicle, with an old WINO.
WHITE, wearing a heavy winter coat, feels the man's abdomen.
The WINO, scraggy beard, wino and blood incrusted on his
lips, groans.
WHITE
How long have you had these pains?
WINO stares off, mumbles.
WINO
Plenty of times.
WHITE
Your belly's pretty tender. Have
you been throwing up?
WINO smiles, teeth missing, winks at WHITE.
WHITE (CONT.)
Have you had diarrhea?
WINO
Near the Texaco station...
DANIELS pulls curtain back. In b.g., a young BLACK MAN is
wiping away his GIRLFRIEND's tears with his finger tips.
DANIELS
Your wife's on the phone. Again.
WHITE
Tell her I'll be there in a minute.
DANIELS
Look, I'm not your personal
secretary.
WHITE
All right... All right. Give me a
hand here will you?
DANIELS
His pants are soaking wet...
WHITE
He's dehydrated. Start some
lactated ringers -- 175 cc an hour.
DANIELS
Anything else?
WHITE
And drop in thirty of potassium.
(exiting)
And tell them to send some heat
down here.
CAMERA FOLLOWS WHITE out, as DANIELS closes curtain. He
walks past several other curtained off cubicles and the
digital clock, which reads 612 p.m. EHRLICH and NURSE are
walking towards the supply cabinets, as WHITE passes them.
EHRLICH
She couldn't deny it any longer. I
mean, there it was on the X-ray --
four dollars, thirty-five cents.
All in change.
INT. E.R. ADMITTING - NIGHT
WHITE talks on phone.
WHITE
Hello... Right. What's up?
Why?... Tell your mother to take
the MTA... I can't. If you had any
idea what I do down here, you
wouldn't ask... I'm in the middle
of treating a patient.
ROONEY approaches.
ROONEY
Doctor White, you better come
quick.
WHITE
Listen, Myra, we'll talk about this
later, I've got to go.
(louder)
I have got to go.
He hangs up phone, turns, following ROONEY.
INT. E.R. WARD - NIGHT
WHITE reaches DANIELS who is standing over the WINO. The
WINO is having a heart attack. EHRLICH is pumping the WINO's
chest. WHITE watches.
EHRLICH
What kind of rhythm have we got?
DANIELS puts Ambubag over WINO's mouth and ventilates him.
DANIELS
Coarse V-fib.
EHRLICH
Give him an amp of bicarb and an
amp of epi... Pressure?
DANIELS
Fifty over zero doppler.
EHRLICH reaches over for shock paddles, preparing to
defibrillate WINO.
EHRLICH
Clear.
Everyone stands back, as EHRLICH presses the paddle buttons.
The body jolts.
EHRLICH (CONT.)
Come on, you old --
DANIELS
We've got a sinus rhythm.
WHITE reacts with relief. DANIELS takes over as EHRLICH
grabs WHITE and pulls him into another cubicle.
EHRLICH
Were you taking care of that guy?
WHITE
I admitted him, yeah.
EHRLICH
Did you check his history for renal
disease before adding the
potassium?
WHITE
What do you mean?
EHRLICH
You almost killed him.
EHRLICH walking back to WINO. On WHITE's face, we,
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
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