Hunger Doctors

Here we go, your favourite.

Go on, dig in. I know you want to.

It's lovely to see you! It's been ages.

I'll just get the sugar.

Cassie, sit down, love. I've made you some coffee.

OK.

So - what's this really about, then?

Al. Maybe you should explain.

Well...

You're Hercule Poirot and you've gathered us

here to reveal the murderer?

With ze little grey cells, you have solved ze crime.

No. No.

Cassie, we're all here because we care about you.

We want to talk to you and we want you to listen.

So bear with us.

We've got a little proposition for you.

You're killing yourself, Cassie.

That sounds melodramatic but it's not - it's a fact.

Anorexia kills people, and it's killing you.

There's a place, called the Speewell Clinic. Now it's one of the very best...

-I know what it is.

-Bear with me.

It's one of the very best eating disorder clinics in the country.

I've managed to pull a few strings, and got you a place there, starting today.

You'll be there for six weeks initially, and then as an outpatient.

We can't force you to go.

But we're asking you to, for your own sake.

So this is an intervention. Your idea?

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

Winifred!

'Oh, hello, Gordon.'

What can I do for you?

Well, it is such a beautiful day.

Everything is growing and blossoming.

And I have been... Well, I have been reading my Bible. The...

The Song of Solomon. I thought that we could meet up and celebrate

the arrival of spring. Well, this evening, or whenever you are free.

I'm sorry. I'm busy this evening.

-Oh.

-Yeah, um...

I'm actually on my way to a meeting right now, so I'll...

talk to you soon, yeah?

Bye.

We've always wanted the best for you.

Whatever would make you happy. A good job, a partner,

children.

You've got nothing, except this illness.

This isn't living.

You're killing yourself by inches, and we have to watch.

You're my only child.

And I'll always love you.

But sometimes, I can't bear to look at you.

That's why we decided...

You go to the clinic today - now, and you let them help you.

Or...

or you move out.

We'll cut off all contact with you.

We mean it.

That's it. That's all.

OK, we've all had our say.

Now it's your turn, Cass.

Cassie?

Yeah. I hear what you're saying.

That means you disagree.

No. You're right, all of you.

I know what I'm doing to myself.

And I want to stop.

I'll go to the clinic. OK?

So you can all relax now.

Thanks, Al. I needed a kick up the backside.

Gordon! Hiya. Mrs Tembe's not here, she's over at the Mill.

Oh, well, er...actually, I didn't come to see her. I, er...

I wanted medical advice. It's nothing serious.

Oh! Oh, well. Probably I could see you!

No.

It's, er...

It's a cold. Tickly cough.

Which is why I don't want to see Winifred.

I don't want to give her my...germs.

A cold? I mean, a doctor can't do anything for...

You need to get yourself down the chemist.

That won't help.

You were fine when you saw Rob the other night.

Oh.

That's why I need a doctor.

Well, um, Jimmi's here.

He's a bit busy, you might have to wait.

L-l-l-look. No. He-he's busy, don't want to waste his time.

I'll just... Thanks, anyway.

If we miss the traffic, we should be there in an hour.

It'll be fine, Cassie. It's going to make you eat.

Get your weight up.

It'll be horrendous. They watch you all the time.

They even follow you to the loo after meals

and wait outside in case you're purging.

You've done your research.

I thought we weren't going to talk about it.

Tell me about you. Mm?

I haven't even asked. How's the new job?

Good place? Nice people?

Yeah. It's all right. Some are nicer than others.

Al's met a hottie. That's - great!

So, are you...an item?

No, it's... No, not really.

She turned you down? She's crazy!

There'll be someone out there for you, Al.

A woman who can see past your tragic dress sense -

which hasn't improved, by the way - to the lovely man beneath.

Thank you. What about you - you met Mr Right?

Who'd want me? A fat, ugly, disgusting, useless blob...

Cassie, you're beautiful.

You were the most beautiful girl at university.

You still are beautiful.

And you are still a rubbish liar.

Everybody at university was in love with you.

-What?

-All the boys, some of the girls.

What, including you?

Did you fancy me all the way through uni?

Actually, I had a year out, when I was in love with someone else.

And you were so completely out of my league.

Is that why you're doing this? Proving something?

Being my knight in shining armour?

I've moved on.

I want to help you, Cassie. I'd do anything for you.

-Anything?

-Well, within reason. I'm not going to lend you money.

Make love to me.

What - now?

Well, stop the car first, obviously.

With your mum and dad watching?

They've got a map, tell them to go on ahead.

It is going to be horrible in the clinic.

Give me something nice to go in there with.

Something else to think about. Please.

Please, Al.

It would be completely unethical.

I don't care.

No, I don't think it's a good idea.

Not in the condition you're in.

Well, will you just hold me, then?

Please, Cassie, don't.

Make me feel warm. Make me feel alive.

Stop the car, and we can...

Nice try. I'm not stopping the car.

Cassie, please stop!

-You all right?

-Yeah.

-Stay here.

Are you all right?!

Yes, I think so.

Al, stay with Cassie. Please.

My god, that hurts!

Where? Where does it hurt?

Chest. My arm - I can't breathe.

OK, Tom. It's OK. It's OK. I'm here to look after you.

Karen, can you call an ambulance, now, please?

Cassie!

Listen, you're the priority now.

Yes. Ambulance.

Cassie! Cassie!

It's OK.

Yes, she's an adult. Thanks, chaps.

She's been missing for 20 minutes. Hang on.

-Are you sure you're all right to drive?

-Yes, I'm fine.

They're going to take him to St Phil's.

You follow, I'll stay here.

Cassie - she's...

I'll find her, I promise.

Right, I want a complete police search!

No, no, no, I know that you search for people, because that's your job.

As I tried to explain to you, she's vulnerable.

SIREN WAILS

She's really not well.

I know what I'm talking about because I'm a doctor.

No, I'm not her doctor.

What?

What are you talking about? If we wait, she might die.

No...just forget it.

Don't be so pathetic!

CASSIE!

CASSIE!

CASSIE!

Cassie!

Cassie!

Cassie...oh, no. Please!

Hiya!

Hiya. Me again.

You still want to see Jimmi?

If he's not too busy.

Sit down. D'you want some tea?

D'you normally make tea for your patients?

Ah, well, you're not a normal patient. Come on, sit down.

No! Please! Please, please, please.

Cassie - Cassie!

Mm.

You passed out.

Dad?

He's OK, they're looking after him. He's at the hospital.

Your mum's with him.

How are you?

Just felt dizzy.

You were out cold. You're running on empty, Cassie.

Adrenaline will only get you so far.

Here you go, here you go.

This is a side-effect of being so completely emaciated.

You feel cold all the time, don't you?

Tired, achy. Your joints hurt.

You're dehydrated. Here, have some of this.

What is it?

Just water. Absolutely no calories whatsoever.

How do I know you haven't spiked it?

As a doctor, I don't tend to spike my water with drugs.

Oh, for good...

See? No poison whatsoever.

Good girl. Gently. Tiny sips. Or you'll bring it straight back up.

You're an expert on vomiting too? I'm impressed.

Have you got any matches?

Why on earth would I have matches?

Maybe I can find some sticks to rub together, or a bit of flint.

We need to start a fire and keep you warm.

Then we can sit round it and have a nice little sing-song.

It's not a bad idea.

If you're so determined to kill yourself,

why don't we have some fun while you're at it?

If you could just lift your head for me slightly.

There you are.

You never had any intention of going to the clinic, did you?

How is Dad? Really?

He had a heart attack.

But the paramedics got there quickly,

and he was conscious when they put him in the ambulance.

Having said that,

heart attacks can be really unpredictable.

So I think it's best if we get you to the hospital so you can be with him, yeah?

You're lying.

You've tricked me once already today. All of you.

What?

Oh, my God!

The whole thing was a lie!

What?

Dad faked it! You were all faking it!

What about the paramedics? The ambulance?

You think we paid them off to be there?

I didn't see an ambulance.

Course not. You'd legged it by the time they got there!

You tricked me.

All of you. Ganging up on me, trying to control me.

No-one is ganging up on you, we're trying to look after you

because we love you, YOU STUPID GIRL!

Cassie, my car is somewhere in that direction.

I am asking you, I am begging you.

Please let me take you back.

No. I can't.

Please, Cassie!

You can't make me. What you going to do? Carry me to your car?

I could do. You don't weigh anything. You're just a bag of bones.

That's kidnap and assault. You'd be struck off.

Maybe. I'll get an ambulance.

We're at least a mile from the road.

You're hopeless with maps. You couldn't tell them where we were.

I've got GPS on my phone.

Call who you want. It won't make any difference.

I'm an adult, I'm sane.

-That's debatable.

-And I wouldn't give my consent.

If they start any treatment, if they so much as stick

a drip in my arm, that constitutes assault and I will sue!

Right. Right.

There's nothing I can do.

OK.

I'll be off, then.

Bye-bye, lovely.

-You're going?

-Yep. You want to die.

I'm not going to violate your human rights

by trying to save your miserable sodding life!

Please don't go, Al. Stay with me.

Why? So you can come on to me again?

You're not going to do that now, are you? No. Not that you've escaped.

You wanted to die, Cassie.

Well, now you've got what you want.

No-one's going to interfere with it.

So, how are you?

Well, you know.

No, I don't. Not unless you tell me.

Look, um...everything we say in here is completely confidential.

Well, I just, er...really just want an MOT.

There are a few miles on the clock, you know, I should check the engine.

The, er, plumbing...

OK, right, so...you're worried about your prostate?

No.

Diabetes?

No!

Heart?

-Well...

-How many guesses do I get?

Sorry!

Now, look. I know it's difficult,

but if you could just tell me, then...

Performance.

Helen!

Where's Cassie?

I tried!

I didn't play the field before I was married, and...

..Lesley was, you know...

How was your relationship?

Oh, good. Sex was good. A blessing.

Doesn't seem to me as if you're actually worried about performance.

Well, I never thought there'd be anyone else, you see.

And now there is.

Mrs Tembe.

Right. I'm going to call the police again,

get them to mount a proper search.

I know that I can get her back. I know that I can.

How'd you get here?

GPS, hitched a lift. How's Dad?

Stable. They say he's going to be all right.

I want to see him. Can I sit with him?

He's sedated but that should be fine.

No.

You came to see if he's OK - that's nice of you.

Now you've done it, you can go.

Where?

Anywhere you like, as long as it's away from us.

I saw what you did.

You tried to crash Al's car. You could've killed any one of us,

all of us. And you didn't even care.

You saw your dad collapse.

Look, to be fair. She could see that I was with him.

Destroying yourself is one thing, Cassie.

But you'd destroy everyone else so you can go on starving yourself.

You're a monster.

No, that's not fair - this illness has made you a monster.

And I can't deal with you any more.

You're throwing me out?

I don't think I meant it this morning but I do now.

I don't want you in our house,

I don't want you anywhere near your father.

I can't help you. You don't want to be helped.

But at least I can look after him.

I'm sorry, Mum. I'm so sorry.

You think you can say sorry and make it right?

But I've come back. I will go to the clinic.

I will get help.

You said that this morning.

I mean it now.

And I meant what I said - I want to stop.

OK, then. Let's go, then. I can take you again.

Whatever you want. It's nothing to do with me.

Please, Mum!

Can we have some help in here!

Cassie! Cassie!

What kind of relationship do you think Winifred wants? Sexually?

Aren't you better off asking her that?

She'd be so embarrassed.

Yes. Probably. But, um...

She'd also appreciate that you've asked.

She's been talking about the Song of Solomon.

Good. Er...is that good, or...?

It's a beautiful, erotic love poem in the Bible.

There's a surprising amount of sex in the Bible, actually.

It's not all prohibitions and smiting.

Right. So at least you know she's interested in, er...

Making sweet music. Oh, yes. Yes.

I can talk to her.

If I just talk to her, just find the words, somehow...

You don't need my advice.

You both want each other. As long as you're open and honest with your feelings, then...

Yes.

Well, panic over. For now.

When someone's as emaciated as Cassie, you get these episodes.

Will she still be able to go to the clinic?

Yeah. They're going to transfer her by ambulance.

I'll follow them.

She's accepting help, Helen.

That is a monumental step.

Is it too late?

No, I don't think so.

Every day I wonder, "Is it something I did

"when she was a baby,

"when I was pregnant even... that made her like this?"

No, it's not you. It's not Tom. It's not Cassie, even.

It's the disease.

That's the enemy and we have to keep fighting it.

Will you phone when you've got there safely?

Course I will.

I should get going. Give my regards to Tom.

What shall I tell him?

Um...

..tell him there's hope.

It won't be that bad here.

It's not all feeding and weighing and therapy.

They do some fun activities.

Creative writing, art...

-Basket-weaving?

-If you're lucky.

Oh, joy!

Your mum is going to come and visit you, when you're allowed visitors.

Your dad, too.

I don't know what to say. To either of them.

You're a smart lass. You'll think of something.

Will you come and visit me?

No. No, Cass. You used me.

And you made me go hill-walking, which I hate.

I'm so sorry, Al.

You're going to be OK. You can have a job.

Friends. You can get a life. You can have anything you want.

But I'm not going to be part of it.

You mean I'm never going to see you again?

-Tell you what. When you get out of here...

-If.

When.

When you get of here, I will take you out for dinner.

As a friend. But you had better eat what I pay for.

Thanks, Al, for saving my life.

And Dad.

Take care, monkey.

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

Hello.

'Winifred, it's me. You're right. It's a beautiful day.'

Listen, I...I can't meet you this evening - I wish I could -

'but let's get together soon.'

I would like that very much.

Me too. Have a lovely evening.

Me and you. It's got to finish.

I'm 30!

He's not still banging on about that, is he? Come on, mate.

You don't see Daniel making a big deal about being middle-aged.

# Boys are back in town, the boys are back in town... #

Come on, lads - lighten up.

Mrs Neilson has asked you several times to be quiet.

And you've done nothing but disobey her. Get out.

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