The Gift Next Door Doctors

PHONE RINGS

Speak.

-'Congratulations!

-You have won...'

DOORBELL RINGS

Wonderful!

Sarah. From next door?

Oh, right.

Forgettable face, I know.

Dr Haskey, I'm so pleased you're home.

Now I can make sure you know about the street meeting tonight.

About the speed bumps?

Oh, gosh, sorry.

I did put a leaflet through your door yesterday,

and last Friday actually.

I just put all leaflets straight in the bin.

Ah! Well, it's a good thing I came round then, isn't it?

Now, as you probably know,

we've had three cats run over along this road in the past six months

and there's general concern...

Sally, I'm going to save you some time.

-Sarah.

-Sarah.

I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to make it, but thank you very much anyway.

Dr Haskey. Sorry...

We were rather hoping... the thing is,

as the one medical professional on the street,

your support could be absolutely decisive

in persuading the council...

I'm not going to be able to help you.

But surely you, more than anyone, understand the benefits of speed bumps?

Speed bumps?

Speed bumps increase vehicle wear and tear, fuel emissions and noise.

They are extremely uncomfortable for the disabled,

or the heavily pregnant.

Speed bumps increase the response time of emergency vehicles,

So in a very real way, you could say that speed bumps cost lives.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some really important work to be getting on with.

-What a shame.

-Isn't it?

You have not answered your phone.

I've left you so many messages.

You were so upset yesterday.

Thank you for your concern.

I've not slept a wink.

Gordon, I owe you an explanation.

Maybe we can find another time?

I have people visiting,

and a pile of paperwork to get through.

Have a good day.

Mrs Tembe.

SHE SOBS

Wh...ooow! Ow!

Oh, I'm so sorry! That must have really hurt.

Here. Let me help. Let me help.

Sorry!

What? This had better be life or death.

Ironically I came in to see how you were getting on.

Well, let me see,

Al's male patients are all looking at me like I'm the victim,

I think I preferred them looking down my top, and you've just

-rammed the door into my ankle so so far it's turning out to be one of the best days of my life(!)

-Sorry.

Can I ask you about recipes?

Why?

Because I'm going to cook for you, tonight,

and I don't want to waste those two pieces of fennel that came in that box.

But it turns out it's surprisingly difficult to find a good recipe for fennel.

Honestly, I'd be happy with takeaway.

No, no, it's fine. Leave it with me.

Daniel...

DOORBELL RINGS

HE SIGHS

Hi.

A package for next door.

Thank you very much, cheers.

DOORBELL RINGS

I do not buy from peddlers, thank you very much indeed.

I'm with Sarah next door actually.

Oh.

Sorry, we haven't properly met. George.

Al.

You kindly took a package for us?

Oh, right, yeah.

Return the favour one day, I hope.

Actually, you haven't got a minute to spare now, have you?

Actually I'm quite busy.

Nah, come on, it'll only take a minute.

Come on through.

Thanks.

Thank you. That was...helpful.

It's what neighbours are for, isn't it?

Yeah, I suppose so.

See you again soon.

Not too long ago, you described in vivid detail

the death of your husband,

and how it affected you.

It struck a great many chords with me, as you can imagine.

Then yesterday I discovered that every word you'd spoken

was a barefaced lie.

I am so sorry

that you had to find out the truth that way.

But now at least I can explain to you what happened.

You're missing the point.

You have shown great disrespect to your husband.

You've denied his existence.

Far less importantly, you have also caused me a great deal of pain.

What was I to do?

I could not admit the truth in front of Mr and Mrs Hollins.

That would have been disrespectful to you.

Frankly, I'm surprised you are even trying to justify this.

I know you are disappointed in me.

Please if you would just listen to me,

then you might understand.

Please, Gordon.

I can't think of what you could say.

But I'll let you speak and I'll listen. Let's go inside.

Thank you.

Hello.

Again.

You took a delivery for me.

I did.

Thank you.

Could I have it then, please?

Your husband's got it.

My husband?

He came about ten minutes ago.

My husband's in France. He's not back until tomorrow.

-George.

-Tim.

Who's Tim? Dark hair,

about yay high?

We're talking about a case of Chateau Margaux.

That sounds expensive.

It's Tim's 50th to...

How can you possibly not know what my husband looks like?

Well, to be fair, I hardly recognised you.

I know!

Look, he had the delivery note.

What, this one?

-Yeah.

-I don't think so.

I recognise the handwriting. It's the same time. 10.20.

Are you saying I'm lying about who my husband is?

No, but George must have been into your house to get the delivery note.

I locked my door. No-one else has a key.

Well, maybe he broke in.

The lock was not forced.

He could have got in through a window, or up through the floorboards.

Or maybe George is a ghost. Whoa!

Hey!

I didn't steal it!

Well, one of us is lying here.

I know.

Are you like this with everyone who turns down your meetings?

Unbelievable.

We got married young.

Well, that's how things are done in Botswana.

And our first year of marriage,

well, at that time, I thought we were happy.

It is only looking back that I realise there was...

something missing in our...

..physical relationship.

Thomas started to pull away from me.

And...

I remember the day so clearly.

He said that he loved me,

that he could no longer live a lie.

He...

he was attracted to men.

Well, since coming to Britain, I have had experience of such matters.

But at the time, I knew no-one with such feelings.

It was incomprehensible. I was ashamed,

and revolted.

All I knew was that I had loved Thomas

for longer than I can remember.

That love...

That love had given me such strength.

And now, suddenly,

it was gone.

Was divorce an option?

No, no, not in our community. Not with our family.

I knew as long as Thomas lived that I would be married to him.

Can you see what that meant for me?

I would never have children,

I would never have a physical relationship.

I thought that I will never find a special person to love

and who would love me back.

In that one moment,

he stole all of that away from me.

The wine, yeah, worth £300 apparently.

So?

So you're liable.

Say what?

You signed for it.

Although I don't think she will sue you.

No, she's more interested in linking it with the other thefts on this street.

What other thefts?

-You don't know?

-Should I?

Oh, there've been a spate of them, in the area, over the past month.

Mostly opportunistic.

People leaving open the front door, the car door, they just go in and out.

Hold on...

What is she saying?

I'm going to be very honest with you, Al.

She thinks you're a liar and a thief.

Well, you know that I'm neither.

Now, a little bird tells me, Al,

that you have got a spot of previous in the theft department.

Bog Rollgate.

Oh, for goodness sake I told Howard I took them for work.

Yeah, but you still took 'em and there's no smoke without fire.

-You didn't tell her that?

-You don't think it's relevant?

Oh, great, thanks, Rob(!)

Oi! I'm not the one nicking bog roll.

Let's just hope, for your sake, we catch this fella.

Please,

please say something.

This sounds like a very difficult situation for the both of you.

Yes. Yes, it was.

So what happened?

Thomas was a teacher.

A man of responsibility.

I went to his school

and I told all of his pupils.

Then I went to his parents and I told them the truth about their son.

And then I went to the reverend and I told him to tell everyone.

What happened to him?

He was rejected by the village.

And after, he left Botswana.

You don't understand how different the world looked back then.

HE wronged ME.

He had stood up in front of our community, in front of God,

and said that he would be united with me until death do us part.

And then he revealed himself to be...

No.

The shame was too much. It was too much.

So this is the real reason you came to the UK?

Remaining married gave me this one gift.

Permission to come to a place that I had long admired.

But being in such a polite society,

I could not admit the truth.

So I introduced myself as a widow.

And I have done so ever since.

Until yesterday.

"For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest,

"nor is anything secret

"that will not be known and come to light."

Excuse me.

Right.

My colleagues have seen

a male acting suspiciously in the parallel street.

They'd like to know if you could identify him.

Now?

Yeah, now.

I just want to get on with my work.

Word to the wise, Al,

juries these days tend to see non-cooperation as suspicious.

Juries?

Yeah, I mean recently

they've all gone a bit too black and white in my book, to be honest.

Because people, sometimes, like yourself, are just genuinely busy.

I blame crime shows.

Let's get this farce out the way, then, eh?

Is this a wind up?

I take it it's not him, then?

No!

Negative, that's a negative.

He's nothing like him!

No offence, Al, but your description was hardly forensic.

I was concentrating on my work at the time.

Absence of detail is often the biggest sign that somebody's lying.

-I was not lying.

-Right...

Look, I've done nothing wrong.

I was trying to help her out!

Let's get you back.

I've decided I want Chinese tonight.

Oh, I thought you were going out.

-Me?

-Isn't that why you need a babysitter?

A babysitter?

I got my nights wrong.

No,

I did.

I'm going bonkers.

Why'd you need a babysitter if I'm home?

Karen got the date wrong, didn't you hear what she said?

Bye.

No... No. No!

Hold up!

Oh, come on!

Hello.

I've locked myself out.

My phone is trapped in there too.

So I was wondering if I could borrow yours to call a locksmith?

Look, that thing earlier about the toilet roll?

It's absolutely nothing.

The policeman Rob had no business even mentioning it.

I'm not going to beg.

If you want to help me, that's great,

but if not, I will just find someone else.

Why don't you do that?

Ooh!

OK, Cool, ta.

Thank you so much.

Oh, that's all right. How long will they be, then?

Up to an hour.

Oh.

HE SNIFFS

Something smells good.

I've been baking some rock cakes.

Right, lovely. I'll leave you in peace, then.

-Where are you going to wait for them?

-Er, outside my house.

For a whole hour?

-I'll survive.

-Oh, don't be daft.

Wait in here.

Have a rock cake.

No, I'll be fine. Thank you.

I've got cream and jam too.

"Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven,

"for she loved much.

"But he who forgives little, loves little."

Luke, chapter seven.

Mrs Tembe...

I did not mean to lie to you.

If your husband hadn't turned up, would you ever have told me the truth?

Yes, of course!

How long would you have waited?

Just tell me I have not ruined this, Gordon.

I'm sorry, I have to take a call from the bishop.

I baked them for the meeting at Sarah's.

Well, you've got to do your bit, haven't you?

I don't need to ask if you'll be there.

Well...

PHONE RINGS

Oh, excuse me.

Hello?

Oh, hello, love. Are your ears burning?

I've been singing your praises.

Yes. Yes, he is. He's demolishing one of my rock cakes.

Your phone's working again then?

Yes, I see.

Thank you.

No, I should be...

Well, I will call you if...

Yes.

Bye.

That was Sarah.

Was it?

Dr Haskey, I think it might be better if you waited outside after all.

Of course.

Actually, no.

No, I'm not going to leave.

I mean, of course I'll go if you really want me to, but you'll have to say why.

What was it she said?

Look, Wanda...

Wendy.

Wendy.

Out of the goodness of my heart, I did Sally a favour

and somehow it has gone really, really weird.

I can assure you that you and all your lovely belongings

are perfectly safe with me.

From me.

I'm not a thief.

I'm a doctor!

It would be risky, but I'm not the only one who doesn't know their neighbours.

And with all the stuff that gets delivered now...

'You could be onto something there.'

You say he was calm throughout?

Dead calm.

Well, if that's his MO, he's probably done it before.

ENGINE REVS

Thanks.

Thanks.

CHURCH ORGAN PLAYS

You sure?

100%.

OK, guys, go.

Repeat, go.

CAR HORNS BEEPS

Richie Gardener, hello, mate, can I have a quick word?

I'm arresting you on suspicion of theft.

You don't have to say anything but it may harm your defence

if you don't mention when questioned something you later rely on in court.

You are right.

We must all find it in us to forgive.

And...

I believe if you manage that, a great weight

will be lifted from your shoulders.

If I manage it?

You must go to Thomas,

tell him you forgive him and seek forgiveness from him.

You think I have wronged him?

What I know for sure is this, it is wrong to condemn.

Love and forgiveness are the true teachings of Christ.

That is all you and I must hold onto.

You and I.

Yes.

So will you go to your husband?

Yes.

Yes.

Yeah?

I don't want to be nosey but when I babysat for you,

you said that under no circumstances,

should I leave Daniel alone with Joe.

So?

You still don't trust him, do you?

They are often alone in the same room together.

But you're always in the house, right?

Sorry, Zara, but Joe is Daniel's son.

No matter what he did to you, he has a right to be trusted with him.

Does he?

How can you say that?

Because you know nothing, Karen.

I know a control freak when I see one!

I once...

found Daniel shaking Joe, OK?

Shaking him how, exactly?

Oh, do you mean was he going for a single sharp shake that snaps the spine

or more repeated shaking that would just cause brain damage?

After that I wouldn't take any risks with him.

And neither would you.

I'm sorry, I didn't realise it was so serious.

Well, now you do.

But you're back together? How does that work?

You'll be pleased to know that "George" is presently in a custody cell.

And that's all thanks to your very observant neighbour, Al.

Goodnight, Mrs Jones.

Thanks, Rob.

I owe you an apology.

No, no, I should make more effort with my neighbours.

Tim will be very, very pleased.

-Oh, hello.

-Hi.

Dr Haskey.

The police found it.

Thanks to Al.

Oh, I am pleased.

-No, it's fine.

-Go on through. The hungry hordes are waiting.

Oh, yes.

See you both in a minute then.

Good turnout then?

Very.

Right, I'll be off.

What you said this morning, about speed bumps...

Yeah, well, it was all true, all fact.

But it's not what I believe.

Getting involved isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Why do you "get involved"?

Maybe I'm scared of feeling alone.

Actually, I just think if a street gets together,

life is better for everyone.

They'd love to meet you.

Maybe I'll come back later.

Dr Haskey?

-Call me Al.

-Al.

What was all that earlier about toilet rolls?

It's nothing.

I am going to see Thomas tomorrow.

You have given me courage.

I want to use it before it deserts me.

I know this is a test, Gordon.

And I am sure you will find it in yourself to come through it.

And if I do?

Then your world will look very different.

Of that I'm sure.

Hello, Thomas.

DS Cartwright?

I don't know what you're doing with her? She's poison.

That's a bit harsh.

You took so much away from me, Thomas.

I trusted you. But you turned on me.

Why did you stay with him, Aunty Rose?

I was scared.

Did Uncle Frank write these?