The Doctor Page #6

She's a friend, Anne.

She has a brain tumor.

Oh. I missed the plane.

I'll be home in the morning.

Good night. Jack.

- I'm late.

- Anne, can we meet?

Can I find you and talk?

You're breaking my heart, Jack.

- "Where's my lung?"

- Where's my lung?

That's exactly what he said,

this is two years later.

No, it's true.

Apparently he'd seen some shrink

who told him he was suffering

from "organ bereavement".

He should ask for his lung back.

I told him he should dial 1-900-LUNG.

Yeah. "Hello, remember me?

I want my lung back."

I don't believe it. It's Mr. Dribble.

The guy's a fruitcake.

- That's your patient.

- That's Richards? What's he doing?

I saved the guy's life,

and then he just fucks me over.

- He's suing me. Is that crap?

- See you later.

Jack, where are you going? Jack!

The guy's taking us to court!

I'm telling you, man. It's unbelievable.

- Hey, Mister, you need a hand?

- Keys. Locked... car.

I'm sorry, you lost your keys?

Locked... Keys. Locked. In car.

You locked your keys in the car. Oh, my.

I'm late. Speech therapy.

Look, you go on ahead.

I work here at the hospital.

I'll have your keys left for you at the front

desk. I come equipped. I'll make a call.

It's not a problem.

Name is... Richards.

Mr. Richards? Don't worry.

It's not a problem.

This... just driving me crazy.

- It's gonna be OK.

- Thank you.

Aahhh...

OK.

I'd make a gag,

but I'm busy gagging.

How's it look?

Well, I think Dr. Reed

had already mentioned that the, um,

the tumor had gotten bigger.

No. No, no!

He said it was worried it hadn't

gotten smaller. He didn't... Is it bigger?

It's disappointing because we, uh... we

get a very good cure rate with radiation.

Yeah, that's disappointing as hell.

Look, look. OK, I'm asking.

This is torture.

What is the prognosis on my

vocal cords? Can you save them?

I won't know until I'm there.

But that would be the idea, yes.

Maria? Yeah, I'm looking at moving

the tongue or the parotid a day or two

to make way for the laryngeal.

Or the other option is doing

the adenoids late on the 20th.

Yeah, that works. Adenoids late on the

20th and laryngeal afternoon of the 18th.

No. No, I don't want you

cutting me in the afternoon.

Excuse me?

You'll be tired in the afternoon,

and ragged and hungry.

You'll have been on your feet for hours.

Come on, we both know how it is.

I am the doctor and you are my patient.

And I am telling you

when I am available.

Now let's get this thing out

before it does any more damage.

Knife.

Let's go, boy.

- Are you OK, Doctor?

- Jack?

Let's go, Jacko.

OK, here we go.

It's Jack.

I lost it.

June, I lost it today.

I should go home. It's too late, I'll go.

No, it's OK. It's OK. Come in.

And then, there's Anne. But...

No, you know.

Um, I'll go. This is terrible.

I woke you up.

"There's Anne, but..."?

I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know.

I've kept her there, you know,

over there, for so long.

And now... I can't get my arm down.

I have to have the operation, June.

I'm sorry.

Excuse me, you can't go...

Dr. MacKee's headed back there.

You'd better come out.

Dr. MacKee. What is it?

Do you have a minute?

You can see for yourself.

I have a waiting room full of patients.

- One fewer.

- What?

You have one fewer patients. I'm out.

Look, Doctor, I know

how you must be feeling.

That's the problem. You don't have

the first idea what I'm feeling.

I think we better continue this

conversation some other time.

I think you ought to brush up

your act, Dr. Abbott.

Because today I'm sick.

Tomorrow or the day after

or 30 years from now, you'll be sick.

Every doctor becomes a patient

somewhere down the line, and then...

it'll hit you as hard as it's hit me.

I'm finding you very offensive,

so if you don't mind...

Sure.

If I had a patient like me

when I was a doctor like you, I'd...

I'll just... wait for my file.

I'll get you your file.

Airmail. Thank you.

- Eli...

- Jack.

- May I speak with you for a minute?

- Sure.

I need a partial laryngectomy.

Would you do it?

I don't know a doctor I trust more.

I'll do it tomorrow.

Tomorrow...

Yeah, I'm not working,

so... we'll get you in.

Thank you.

You know, I've been pretty...

No, very insulting about you in the past...

which I'm ashamed of.

Dr. Blumfield. Ready in two.

Yeah, well, that's OK, Jack. I, um...

I've always wanted to slit your throat.

Now I'm gonna get a chance to do that.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Murray, can I speak to you, please?

- What's wrong?

- Let's go in here.

- What's going on?

- I have to have surgery on my throat.

- A partial laryngectomy.

- Jesus, Jack. Why didn't you say?

I knew you were jumpy,

and then yesterday...

I was saying to Pete,

I thought it was me or something.

- I asked Eli Blumfield.

- The Rabbi?

It's tomorrow. I trust him.

I don't wanna lose my voice.

Well, me neither. I need you talking.

Tomorrow...

But even if I can talk...

I won't be testifying.

Say that again?

I won't testify because I tell the truth

and the truth is that poor guy

had a history of thrombophlebitis.

- Well, how did you know that?

- I called his internist.

What'd you think?

You could just tear up his records?

It's not relevant, Jack.

You could argue as an expert.

No.

What did you do this for, huh?

Checking up on me?

You wanted a witness.

I wanted to know what I was witnessing.

14 years is what you're witnessing.

Me covering your tail,

you covering mine.

Why did you pull his file?

You can't do that.

It's not relevant. It's a judgment thing.

I'm sorry, Murray.

No, no.

It's not just me, partner.

Your neck is on the f***ing line, too.

Yeah, that's right.

Jack, you're killing me.

I have a surgery.

I'll find someone else to help me out.

Jack, hell you will. Hey, Jacko.

Jack!

Carrie told me about your surgery.

I was going to...

Oh, Anne...

Yeah, well, that's how I find out

most things about us, you know.

Dinner dates, messages,

your problems...

through your secretary.

It's the 28th, is that right?

It's tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

Eli Blumfield's gonna do me.

You heard that from me first.

Last night... Did you go

to your friend? June?

Yes, I did.

You know what I resent?

I don't resent her.

Truly, I... I'm sure she's...

She must be very special.

It's just that...

You have a friend to go to. You know?

And you were always my friend,

and... now I can't go to you.

Anyway, blah-blah-blah. I have to go.

You know, it's funny.

I wake up every morning,

and I have this... this feeling.

This sensation.

And I didn't know what it was.

What is it? Am I hungry? Am I tired?

Am I sad?

Then I realized... I'm just lonely.

June?

- June, it's Jack.

- I don't think she can hear you.

It's me. It's Jack.

And I came over last night

and I made you so tired.

I have my operation tomorrow.

And selfish to the end, I was hoping

you'd be there to help me through it.

Oh, June...

I'm... I'm really terrified.

That's the truth... which I got from you.

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