Doctors Page #5

Season #18

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[RANA IS A BIT FRIGHTENED ABOUT THIS TURN OF

EVENTS]

RANA:

Mac…

MAC:

(BUILDING TO A CRESCENDO) The trial was all for nothing then eh? The

jury got it wrong? So… Jo’s overdose, Kate losing her baby… that’s all

my fault is it? Well, is it?

[CAROLINE ENTERS]

CAROLINE:

Mac? There are patients out there!

[MAC AND RANA ARE FACE TO FACE]

41

CAROLINE:

Rana?

RANA:

You’d better ask him.

[HE PUSHES PAST MAC AND LEAVES. MAC DOESN’T

KNOW WHAT TO SAY]

CAROLINE:

You want to talk about it?

MAC:

I’ve got surgery.

CAROLINE:

OK. Later?

MAC:

Yes… Later.

[CAROLINE LEAVES. WE STAY WITH MAC FOR A MOMENT.

HE LOOKS CLOSE TO TEARS]

CUT TO:

42

EP105/SC30. INT. HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.

DAY 2. 17.00

[JO LIES IN BED, AS WE LEFT HER. JACK IS BY HER SIDE.

HE PULLS A STRAND OF HAIR AWAY FROM HER FACE]

JACK:

Oh baby, why? I don’t understand. Your own Nan! Why? Wake up baby.

You’ve got to tell me why you did it. Please wake up. Please… please…

CUT TO:

43

EP105/SC31. INT. PRACTICE CONSULTING ROOM (MAC’S)

DAY 2. 18.30

[MAC’S LAST PATIENT IS JUST LEAVING]

MAC:

Take care then Mr Holloway – and good luck with the job search.

[THE PATIENT LEAVES. MAC RUBS HIS EYES. HE’S TIRED.

THE PHONE RINGS. HE PICKS IT UP]

MAC:

Yes?

CUT TO:

44

EP105/SC32. INT. PRACTICE RECEPTION. DAY 2. 18.30

[CANDY IS ON THE PHONE. WE SEE MR HOLLOWAY

PASSING]

CANDY:

I’ve got the lab on the phone for you Doctor McGuire. The microscopy

results for Mr Overend – they said it was urgent.

CUT TO:

45

EP105/SC33. INT. PRACTICE CONSULTING ROOM (MAC’S).

DAY 2. 18.30

[MAC ON THE PHONE]

MAC:

Thanks Candy… Hello Peter, thanks for getting back so quickly, I owe

you one… right… you sure? OK. Bye.

[HE PUTS THE PHONE DOWN. THERE’S A KNOCK AT THE

DOOR]

MAC:

Yes?

[CAROLINE POPS HER HEAD ROUND THE DOOR. MAC IS

CALMER NOW, BUT STILL ANGRY WITH RANA. CAROLINE

IS SYMPATHETIC BUT FIRM]

CAROLINE:

Is it safe?

MAC:

I think so. Come in.

CAROLINE:

So what was that all about then, with Rana?

MAC:

He went behind my back, to one of my patients, and virtually gave him

carte blanche to go out and break the law!

CAROLINE:

This wouldn’t be Mr Overend would it – the MS patient?

MAC:

He’s talked to you about it then? Pity he couldn’t have extended the

same courtesy to me.

CAROLINE:

Come on Mac - you weren’t here – that’s why he spoke to me. He said

he was going to discuss it with you first chance he got.

MAC:

He directly contradicted my advice!

CAROLINE:

46

I’m not taking sides or anything, but are you sure that’s what

happened? I got the impression he’d been pretty neutral with Mr

Overend – he certainly pointed out the medical risks.

MAC:

Cannabis use is against the law – we can’t be seen to be condoning

illegal acts.

CAROLINE:

I’m not sure that’s how the police see it Mac – I think in Mr Overend’s

case they might well look the other way.

MAC:

It’s not our job to second guess the police.

CAROLINE:

It’s not as simple as that, and you know it.

[MAC CAN SEE THE LOGIC OF WHAT SHE’S SAYING]

MAC:

I know…

CAROLINE:

There’s something else, isn’t there? I know Rana can be infuriating

sometimes, but I’ve never seen you so angry. I thought you were going

to thump him.

MAC:

I probably would have done if you hadn’t come in.

CAROLINE:

So what is it then?

MAC:

I’d had a tough day, just come back from the hospital…

CAROLINE:

To see Jo?

MAC:

Er… yes... no change I’m afraid. And there was… something else I

needed to deal with. Anyway, Rana said some stuff which... well, I

overreacted… OK?

CAROLINE:

You two need to get this sorted.

MAC:

Yes, I know.

CAROLINE:

47

No time like the present.

[SHE GETS UP TO LEAVE]

MAC:

Thanks Caroline.

CAROLINE:

That’s OK. We’re supposed to talk about these things – we’re partners,

remember? And so is Rana.

[SHE LEAVES. A BEAT, AND MAC FOLLOWS HER]

CUT TO:

48

EP105/SC34. INT. PRACTICE RECEPTION. DAY 2. 18.35

[CANDY IS AT HER DESK. MAC APPROACHES]

MAC:

Any idea how much longer Rana will be?

CANDY:

He’s with his last patient now.

MAC:

Thanks.

[JANICE COMES DOWN THE STAIRS WITH FAITH]

JANICE:

Thanks ever so much.

FAITH:

No problem. Just let me have them back when you’ve picked up your

prescription.

[FAITH LEAVES]

JANICE:

Oh hello Doctor – I forgot to take Rob’s prescription to the chemist just

popped in to scrounge a couple of leg bags from the nurse.

MAC:

I’m glad I caught you actually, I’ve had the microscopy results back

from the lab.

JANICE:

Yes?

[TAKING HER TO ONE SIDE]

MAC:

It is food poisoning I’m afraid – Salmonella. I’ll prescribe some

antibiotics. It may well have been the eggs you used. You should be a

little more rigorous with your use-by dates in future.

JANICE:

Oh no! I will, don’t worry. So it was nothing to do with the… er... you

know, the cannabis.

MAC:

Well…

JANICE:

49

You know, Rob didn’t have the pains at all last night – he’s feeling a lot

better now so I brewed some up in a teapot for him before I came out –

just a little. Only you did say he had to drink lots of fluids.

MAC:

That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.

JANICE:

But there’s another thing. He’s never been the easiest of people to live

with – always thinks he knows best, you know…

MAC:

Yes, I know.

JANICE:

But since his MS has got worse – well, sometimes I don’t know if I can

put up with him and his moods…

MAC:

I’m sure it must be very difficult.

JANICE:

To be honest Doctor, I think it’s great if that stuff stops his legs hurting,

but as far as I’m concerned, he’s a much nicer person to live with when

he’s taking it than when he’s not – and that’s good enough for me!

[MAC CAN’T HELP SMILING]

MAC:

Fair enough. You will remember what I told you about the possible risks

though, won’t you?

JANICE:

Oh yes. Doctor Mistry was very clear about that too…

[MAC’S REACTION]

JANICE:

Only in the end, its our lives, isn’t it? Goodbye then…

MAC:

Yes… bye.

[JANICE LEAVES. AS SHE DOES, RANA’S LAST PATIENT

EMERGES FROM THE CORRIDOR]

CANDY:

I think Doctor Mistry’s free now, if you wanted to see him.

MAC:

Right. Thanks Candy.

50

CUT TO:

51

EP105/SC35. INT. PRACTICE CONSULTING ROOM (RANA’S) DAY

2. 18.40

[RANA IS CLEARING UP AFTER SURGERY. MAC KNOCKS

AND COMES IN THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR. MAC IS

TRYING TO BUILD BRIDGES BUT RANA IS VERY

RESISTANT]

MAC:

Can I come in?

RANA:

(DEFENSIVE) Why – so you can take another pop at me?

MAC:

(BEAT) I owe you an apology. Two apologies.

RANA:

Go on.

MAC:

Losing it like that. It was unforgivable. I was very angry but I had no

right to react the way I did.

RANA:

Yeah, well…

MAC:

And I’ve been talking to Caroline and Mrs Overend - it seems you

weren’t as unequivocal in your praise of cannabis as I thought…

RANA:

You know what your problem is Mac? You think your way is always the

best way – the only way. You can’t deal with the fact that people might

have different opinions to yours, and that sometimes they might even

be right…

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