Night Thoughts Doctors

CLOCK CHIMES

Forgive us, our Father, for we have sinned.

Heal us, Lord,

and we will be healed.

Save us and...

'Mrs Smith.'

No!

'Are you sitting comfortably?'

Go away.

'Then I'll begin.

'I've started, so I'll finish.

'Here is the news.

'The world gets worse, every single day.

'There are far too many people on the planet,

'and you have delighted us long enough.

'YOU are the weakest link.'

-I won't do it.

-'Is that your final answer?

'Are you looking for something?

'The remote control?

'Your cup?

'Or perhaps...

'a cuddly toy?'

You're not real.

It's my mind playing tricks on me.

'Time to stop play, just for today.

'Goodnight children, everywhere.'

I won't do it. It's a sin.

'You no longer believe in God.

'And He no longer believes in you.

'So come closer.

'What's in the box?

'Time to look through the square window.'

Be quiet!

I'm going to turn you off now.

'Please yourself.

'I thank you.

'Come on down!'

ELECTRICAL BUZZ Oh!

Mrs Parsons, I am sure that we will be able to manage.

If there are any problems, I can always turn to...

Ah! Doctor Carter!

Yes, Mrs Parsons, you have a lovely day. Goodbye.

-Good morning, Mrs Tembe. Are you well?

-Oh, extremely well!

Now, how is your throat?

For one awful moment on Saturday, I thought I was losing my voice.

Then I saw the ladies of the chorus,

with knitting needles in their hair,

and Doctor Showbusiness got me through!

I wanted to come again. I tried to get a ticket,

-completely sold out.

-It was raucous.

The audience were clapping so loudly, the caretaker came on

and reminded them it was a Grade II listed building.

I am so pleased.

Apart from that disgusting review in the Letherbridge News,

it has been a huge success.

But how are you going to follow it up?

I suppose I'm just going to have to get back to... Mrs Cruickshank!

(And her bunions!)

Walk this way!

Ooh! That's a nasty fall that you've had.

It was nothing. I just...

..lost my balance.

There's a fall clinic at St Phil's.

I can get you an appointment if you like.

What? They teach you how to fall with dignity?

It's just to look for the underlying reasons.

The underlying reason is that I'm getting old, and things deteriorate.

If you do not know this, I suggest you go back to medical school.

How's your diabetes?

I thought you came to look at my leg.

I'm just concerned.

When did you lose your husband?

I did not LOSE my husband.

If I'd lost him, I would go looking for him. He died.

Look at that! Look at that!

Let's do another one!

Honestly,

I don't know who's the bigger kid, him or Chloe!

I've often wondered that!

It's really good to have you here.

And if things go well, you could be seeing more of us.

Yeah, tell me about this job.

Well, it's a failing school, it's just been put on special measures.

And it looks like they need a new head.

Might that not be a bit of a poisoned chalice?

No. I mean, there's only one thing to do with a failing school

and that's turn it into a winning one.

It's going to be SO great having you all living here,

but what about Patrick's job?

Oh, he'll find something, don't worry.

They're crying out for good teachers.

Maybe he could do with a change himself.

-There we go.

-Thank you.

Now somewhere in my bag,

I've got a list of activities for the over 60s.

I don't want to hang around with a lot of old people.

-Do you prefer hanging around with younger people?

-Not particularly.

It's none of your business.

I've got everything I need, I can still get to the shops.

-We all need company.

-I've got the television.

The television doesn't talk to you.

Mrs Smith?

Actually...

it does!

So, hey, come on. Tell me about this course.

Well, it's 2½ days at Wulfstan Hall.

-Wow! They're really are pushing the boat out, aren't they?

-Is it nice?

I'll say! It's only the swankiest health club in the Midlands.

-Make sure you go to the spa.

-Oh, I will, don't worry.

Just saying how good you are with Chloe.

That bubble thing is amazing!

I think you need more soap, darling.

That's it.

I suppose you'll have to find a new school for Chloe, won't you?

-I think we should just wait and see.

-Well, fingers crossed.

It's going to be so good to have you living on my doorstep.

-Daddy! I made a mess.

-Never mind, I'm on my way.

I'm sure we can fix it!

What have we done?

-OK?

-Mm-hmm.

So when does this man appear?

All the time.

I suddenly see him on the screen, staring at me, and talking to me.

But if he's on the telly, then isn't he talking to everyone?

No. He knows my name. He gives me messages.

-What does he say?

-He tells me...

..that it's not safe out there.

That there are hoodies and muggers and I should stay indoors.

Are you sure it's not just the news?

No! I do know the difference!

And now the television can turn itself on.

It was on before you came here.

It's been on all night.

It's not even plugged in.

That doesn't stop him.

With diabetes, your blood sugars are low,

which can give you a hypo, resulting in blurred vision.

I am not imagining it!

And now, he's going to be angry with me, because...

I told you about him. COUGHS

I'll get you some water.

KNOCK ON DOOR Come in!

-Everything OK?

-I think so.

Good...

..cos I thought I'd come in and mess it all up again.

I'm really sorry about Friday.

I believe I made, to use a medical term,

a complete pig's ear of things.

You did not. I just wasn't very receptive.

It doesn't help that I'm not sleeping.

Did you sleep last night?

Not one of my better ones.

Woke up at 4:30,

put on a CD, Sounds Of The Rainforest.

Suddenly found myself worrying about tree frogs.

OK, well,

this might surprise you, but there's an amazing medical invention

-called the sleeping tablet.

-Yes, I do know actually,

and I'm not going there. I've seen too many people become dependent.

You don't have to become a junkie.

Use it short term, till you get back to a regular sleeping pattern.

I'd rather not, thanks.

-There you go.

-Thank you.

-Mrs Smith?

-Yes?

What are all those pills in the cupboard?

-What pills?

-In the big jar.

They look like sleeping pills.

Oh, those belonged to Norman.

He had a prescription, but he didn't take them every night,

so he saved them up for when he needed them.

-You really shouldn't have done that.

-I didn't like to interfere.

-I'm going to take them back to the pharmacist.

-Don't you dare!

Those are his things in that cupboard.

I'm not ready to go through them. Leave them alone.

If you have problems, work through them,

-don't take a load of pills.

-Right.

Although I've got this friend.

She's a doctor, actually. Let's just call her Doctor E.

And she prescribes sleeping tablets.

I am not taking them. End of.

-But they're good enough for the great unwashed?

-That's not fair!

I only use them as a last resort. I'm not that bad.

I don't have acute pain, or suffer from night sweats.

If they make life easier for other people,

why not make things easy for you?

Because they're not my way.

I'll stick with warm baths and camomile tea.

But I do not need medication, OK?

OK.

I'm off for a sandwich. I'll be back in a tick.

Doctor Carter, before you go,

-I would like to read you a letter in the Letherbridge News.

-Go on.

"In these troubled times,

"it is so nice to have some old-fashioned entertainment.

"So, thank heavens for Doctor Heston Carter,

"whose portrayal of KoKo in The Mikado made me laugh so much,

"I was almost in need of medical attention.

"Truly, this man is an artist.

"Indeed, he has Vincent Van Gogh's ear for music."

This is a great compliment. Mr Van Gogh was a fine artist.

I'll see you later.

-Hi, Heston.

-Hello.

-Is Elaine around?

Ah, yes. She's just... Here she is.

-Hi, Elaine.

-What can I do you for?

Can I have a word with you about a patient?

There you are.

Aren't those lovely?

Sweety, are you OK with everything?

-Sorry, with what?

-Oh, the move, Sally's new job.

Possible new job.

Possible new job, how do you feel about it?

Well, I suppose I'll wait and see what happens.

You might have to make a decision quite soon.

Your daughter would like to do some drawing.

All right! See you later.

Do you need a hand?

Yeah, you can cut the stems of those, if you wouldn't mind?

-So when would you hear about this job?

-It would be a couple of weeks.

-And then I'd start in January.

-Right.

I am really pleased for you, Sal, honestly I am.

Just try and make sure Patrick doesn't feel a bit left behind.

Left behind?

You know, the male ego is a very delicate thing!

Sorry, have I just been through some time warp?

Times may have changed, but human nature hasn't.

Just be a bit careful how you handle it, that's all.

Fine. I will proceed, on tippy-toes!

So she's still grief-stricken from losing her husband,

living a life of total isolation.

Even though her sugar levels are OK, she probably isn't eating well,

which is a further worry.

And she's hoarding sleeping tablets so she probably isn't sleeping.

Really, I'm surprised the walls haven't started talking to her.

The sleeping pills, they're not hers, they were her husband's.

She's keeping them as some sort of shrine.

But she should not be holding onto them.

-It is a dangerous thing to keep them in a house.

-That's right.

Are you seeing her again?

Yeah, later this week to change her dressing.

-Keep an eye on her.

-Thank you.

You know, Nurse Malone,

Grief can play terrible tricks with the mind.

When my mother passed away,

for weeks afterwards, I would wake at three o'clock in the morning,

and I could smell bogobe and morogo.

A fine dish she used to make for us.

I knew it was not real, but I could smell it so clearly.

So it was almost like having her back?

It was as if she was trying to send me a message.

Whether it was in my mind

or from another world,

it seemed to say,

"You must eat.

"You need to survive this."

Mmm.

The thing is, the messages that this woman's getting...

..they don't seem very friendly.

CHATTER FROM TV

'Mrs Smith?

'Wakey, wakey!'

What do you want?

'She knows, you know.'

-Who?

-'The cursed nurse.'

Please.

I tried to make her go away.

'Must try harder.'

She kept on and on and on.

'Then you must say no, and no, and no.

'Those pills are your exit strategy.

'And it's time for you to go now.'

I can't.

'Come in, Mrs Smith, your time is up.'

I can't open the jar.

'There's no such word as "can't".

'And now, some music.'

MUSIC BLARES

# If I had a hammer I'd hammer in the morning... #

Are you still concerned about the woman who hears voices?

Mmm.

Oh, dear.

What is the matter?

I'm going to have to go back there.

RADIO BLARES

# Well I got a hammer

# And I got a bell... #

Sal, I don't want to come across as an interfering mother-in-law.

I know! I know!

It's just sometimes you have to be a bit delicate.

-What do you mean?

-You know what Mac was like.

He always wanted to play the big man. It was me pushing him.

Mind you, men don't like to know that.

They like to think they're in the driving seat.

Yes, well Patrick isn't Mac, thank goodness.

No, he isn't, but...he is a man.

And sometimes they need buttering up.

Doctor Carter! How is your sandwich?

Let me see.

It tastes exactly like...

..cardboard!

Doctor Carter, I hope you will forgive me for saying this,

but you do not seem your usual self right now.

Usual self? Who's he?

-Oh, Doctor Carter!

-Oh, I don't know.

Suddenly, my life seems a bit...

..lacking in seasoning.

Mrs Smith!

Mrs Smith!

-What time is it?

-How many of these have you taken?

Just the one.

They're everywhere!

I couldn't get the lid open, so I had to smash the jar.

I've had a look at your records.

The tablets... they're not your husbands.

They're yours, so why have you been hoarding them?

HE told me to. The man on the television.

He said there were too many people in the world, and I was a burden.

You're not a burden.

The man on the television is not real. You don't have to listen.

It's so hard!

When you have this voice all the time, telling you you're worthless.

I think you should consider bereavement counselling.

You and your husband were together for fifty years.

I can't even imagine what that must be like, you must really miss him.

Why do people keep saying that?

-What?

-"You poor dear, it must be dreadful,

"you must be so lonely..."

I don't miss him, because I never loved him.

I hated him.

But you have so many good things in your life!

Well, I can still chew solid food, dress myself.

But when you have bestrode the Letherbridge stage like a Colossus...

What are they doing for their next production?

The Sound of Music.

Oh, Doctor Carter!

That is one of my favourite musicals.

The story of a young woman,

pure of heart,

who falls in love...

..who falls in love with her employer.

She tries to resist her feelings,

but...

..the physical attraction is too strong.

Yeah.

You should audition for the role of Captain Von Trapp.

You would be so masterful.

That's very kind of you, but...

..I don't think so.

It's not his fault he used to snore like a rhinoceros.

It's not his fault he always smelt of damp.

But it IS his fault he never let me out of the house.

Wouldn't let me have my own friends, my own money.

And he made me wear the dowdiest clothes,

because who would want to look at me?

-Why did you marry him?

-Because...

..I was alone in the world.

These are my parents.

A few months before they were taken to Auschwitz.

I came to England on the kindertransport.

A strange alien child.

And when a few years later,

a man asked me to marry him, of course I said, "Yes."

I had nothing.

And the one thing I got from him

was the name Smith.

I was so glad to have an English name. It was like...

..getting a fake passport.

But it was not a happy marriage.

Though...

..compared with my parents,

I was lucky.

Mrs Tembe, you know I can't sing.

I got away with it once, but it's The Sound of Music.

Not The Sound Of Rodgers And Hammerstein Being Murdered!

But the songs are SO beautiful,

that all you need to do is be swept along with them.

# Let's start at the very beginning! #

# Let's start at the very beginning! #

-I don't know that one.

-Yes, you do! I will help you.

# Doe, a deer, a female deer

# Ray, a drop of golden sun

# Me, a name I call myself... #

Mrs Tembe, I don't think so.

Why not?

It's all been rather wonderful,

but it's taken over my life the last few months and really...

I should get back to being a doctor.

I'm sorry that things have been bad for you.

But I don't want you to have those pills.

Why? Why would you care?

It would be one less dressing for you to change.

One less repeat prescription.

I DO care. I wouldn't do this job if I didn't want people to get better.

The thought of you using drugs that we prescribed...

I probably wasn't going to do it.

I know the voices in my head are just voices.

But it's nice to have a choice.

My parents had no choice at all about the way they left this world,

and maybe,

if they'd had a pill, they would have taken it.

So, I need to know,

when things get too bad, I have another way.

And if you take the wrong dose?

You end up in a coma, in a semi-vegetative state?

I have no idea how bad your life has been,

but I do know that it can get better.

Why don't you try making one friend?

Join one group, go for one visit outside the house.

And...

if I don't like the world outside the house?

Then come back again.

But at least you'll have tried.

Why not?

It's better than staying at home with the television.

May I...have that leaflet?

May I...have the pills?

Hey!

Oh, Nurse Malone. How did it go?

Well...OK. She's not there yet, but she's getting better.

-Well, I will see you in the morning.

-See you.

We'll see you next week.

How was your pill hoarding patient?

It's not just sleeping pills,

there's all sorts in there, going back thirty years...

I don't think she threw anything away.

Were you able to get through to her?

I hope so. I've got some house calls so I can keep an eye on her.

-I'll take these to the pharmacy. It's on my way home.

-Thank you.

-Bonsoir, ma cherie.

-Hey, Freya! How are you doing?

On a scale of 1 to 10?

Nought. I tried to patch things up with Elaine. Probably made it worse.

You can't just flick a switch and make someone happy.

They've got to find their own road to happiness.

Well, I don't know the road to happiness, but I DO know

the road to the pub!

Oooh! I can hear a white wine spritzer calling my name.

Be rude not to listen!

'You shouldn't have done that, you know!'

All those in favour of Mrs Tembe

as infection control and health and safety lead?

Unanimous!

I hope you don't regret this.

Doctor Heston Carter, I presume!

I saw your KoKo and was very impressed,

as the actress said to the bishop!

Did you see what Mrs Tembe's done?

Do something or I'll ring her scrawny neck like a chicken!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd