Older Then Doctors

And then comes the moment,

the step out of the plane, the leap of faith.

The point of no return.

But with a bit of self-control and your emotions in check,

you'll be fine.

You'll feel a jerk, a sense of weightlessness,

and, for the first time ever, properly alive.

I've wanted to do this my whole life.

You won't be disappointed.

All I've achieved, and finally the one thing I've always wanted to do,

-the last tick in the box.

-It'll be the best thing you ever did.

You don't know what else I've done.

You'll wonder why you left it so long.

So, I'll see you all back here later.

And don't forget the forms.

Ooh! I wonder what he's like?

Well, if you had been on time, you would know.

Skydiving. Imagine!

Yes, well, I'm finding it hard imagining.

I'd love to do it.

I do not think so.

Excuse me?

Maybe you THINK you would like to.

You ever done it?

No, and like you, I never will.

Ballet dancer?

A principal.

OK.

Like Nureyev, Frederick Ashton, Carlos Acosta.

Though I was never in their league.

There was always something stopping me.

I'm back in the wings.

Warming up. Final call.

Georges was devastated.

Georges?

Balanchine.

Ballets Russes. Covent Garden, je n'ai jamais oublie.

Stage fright.

Right. Well, let's hope you don't have that this time.

The health-care assistant will do your blood pressure, then come back and I'll sign your form.

In my opinion, the desire to take part in exciting sports is

inversely proportionate to how exciting the person doing it is.

Take David Coulthard.

David who?

You are not a fan of Formula 1?

Forgive me, I need to see the health care assistant.

That's me. Do you want to go straight in? I've got a skydiver coming.

I know. It's me.

Oh!

Here?

Ah, Heston?

Quick word in my office?

-No.

-Look, I know we left things on a sour note,

but please, if you would just look at these projections...

I'm going to drink my tea.

-I've got deliveries coming round all day.

-Excuse me?

Not now.

-Sofa, bed... I hope they don't all come at the same time.

-No.

-And you're coming round at lunch?

-Yeah. I said I would.

-Why don't you bring pizza?

-Fine.

You should have got a sofa bed.

It's a sofa and a bed, all in one delivery.

I thought you'd be at the new place.

Yeah, I just came to get my laptop. Heading there now.

You'll have to come over sometime.

Oh, totally. We can talk colour schemes.

Why not?

You're more enthusiastic than my soft-furnishings consultant there.

Are these for me?

No...

They're for you.

Come here!

Wow! I think she likes them.

See ya.

I don't believe it.

NOW he gets emotional.

No - hot flower girl. I think she fancies you.

Say what?

Excuse me?

Yes?

Mm. That's a little on the high side.

It's borderline. Come on, let's try again.

Just imagine. Free as a bird, arms outstretched,

great big bear of a man strapped to your back.

Sounds wonderful.

Well, you're more enthusiastic than your colleague.

-Dr Clay?

-He needs s bit of excitement.

I couldn't possibly comment.

I'll come back and tell you how it was.

-Then you can have a go.

-Me?

Mm! Well, there was this one time with my husband. It was terrifying.

Now please, this is my last chance to conquer my fear.

Oh, this reading's higher than the last one.

Come on. One last time.

So is it in a good cause?

No. Unless you count my 70th birthday present to myself.

How brilliant is that?!

Well?

It's high. I'm so sorry.

Just read it.

See what you think.

-Not fair on the receptionists.

-The receptionists?

On top of everything else, they'd have to book people in

for echocardiograms and liaise with St Phil's.

-Then we'll hire someone new.

-Well, that'll cost us money. It's preposterous.

-Heston?

-I'm sorry. The lady is not for turning.

-Heston, this is Liam.

-Your bursary student.

-My dear boy.

-I'm sorry, I should have called.

No, no, not at all.

As the inaugural recipient of the Dr Heston Carter Bursary prize,

you are always welcome. Now, are you free for lunch?

Lunch? Erm...

Well, I don't usually, I mean, the thing is, I'm...

I'm paying.

Oh. Right. I see.

Thank you, then.

-Great, let me give you a guided tour.

-Only if you're not too busy.

-On the contrary.

That man is impossible.

And then comes the moment,

the step out of the plane. the leap of faith,

'and for the first time ever, you'll feel properly alive.'

HE SIGHS

All my life, somebody's always stopped me doing what I want.

Shouldn't it be up to me if I want to take the risk?

So my blood pressure's a bit high - so what?

Ray's a great instructor - anyone would feel safe strapped to him.

-How can you say no?

-Because it's my job.

Listen!

If your blood pressure's going up just talking about it, what's it going to be like on the plane?

You said it's borderline.

I'm sorry.

-Isn't it up to the doctor?

-He's only going to tell you the same. Listen.

Let's just face it.

This is one experience that neither of us is going to have today.

All my life, everyone's always said no.

Yeah, but you're not letting anybody else down.

Except myself.

I meant it's not for charity, or anything.

-A beautiful woman?

-Yes.

Heston?

HE SIGHS

Hester?

And you're trying to seduce him.

I'm not sure I want that image in my head.

Well, you wouldn't go in all guns blazing.

No, no, no. That's true.

Stroke his ego.

Flatter him.

Convince him that he wants it as much as you do.

No.

As someone who's had heart problems yourself,

I'd have thought you'd be all for it.

-Well, I'm not.

-May I ask why not?

Because the world has gone mad with jargon and targets

and machines - instead of good old-fashioned doctoring.

We mollycoddle our patients,

and find hundreds of ways of looking for things that aren't even there.

You think someone has heart issues, send them to St Phil's -

they're the people to deal with it,

not some GP looking for a specialism.

Are we still talking about OUR echo machine?

Is everything OK?

Doctor Briscoe is worried about me as someone who's had "heart issues".

What did he say?

Overweight and under-exercised. Change my lifestyle.

Nothing I don't already know.

And did he take an echo?

He hasn't even got one.

Didn't even think it was worth a trip to St Phil's.

So what is the point of worrying me?

Anyway, excuse me. I'm going out for lunch.

So, meat or seafood?

-Eh?

-The pizza you're going to take round to Jas's later?

What are YOU going to do about that hot florist?

-What?

-You could always wander by. Drop in.

Why?

Because she might give you a discount on a pot plant, why do you think?

Cos she fancies you.

No, she doesn't.

Fine, she doesn't. Just sit there.

Wait for some other gorgeous girl to show an interest.

A bit more than TLC.

-Yeah, Howard's going to give it to him.

-Howard?

Yeah. I had a word in his ear.

It's going to need a tongue in Heston's.

Yeah. That's what I told Howard.

What would you like for lunch?

A room?

Lovely. Thank you. Bye.

Mmm!

SHE LAUGHS

Too much mustard?

Maybe a little too much.

On balance, just this side of astringent.

Shall we settle on sharp - zingy? What d'you think?

It's very nice.

They've got much better, recently.

You have no idea how hard it is to get a good lunch.

In France, there'd be a little bistro next to the surgery.

A simple steak tartare, dauphinois, tarte tatin.

You have all this ahead of you.

So, what first drew you to medicine?

A teacher.

-From little acorns...

-Well, she said I'd never make it.

And yet here you are.

I wanted to prove a point to her. Well, to everyone.

Myself. People like me can do this,

you don't have to go to a public school.

Of course not.

I don't think people know how hard it is.

Well, once you qualify you'll realise it was worth it.

No, I mean surviving, keeping going.

You know, trying to study when you're working nights to pay for it.

If it wasn't for you, the bursary, I probably would have packed it in.

I've had so many people telling me I can't,

and now finally, I've met someone who thinks I can.

Of course you can. Change the world. Reach for the stars.

That was my passion as a boy.

Astronomy, not medicine. I wanted to be an astronaut.

-An astronaut?

-NASA's loss is the NHS's gain.

Yeah, there's definitely too much mustard.

As one's career develops, so does one's palette.

Not that that's why one becomes a doctor,

scales the height. It's just one of the fringe benefits.

So - taste, savour, enjoy. The world is your oyster.

INAUDIBLE CONVERSATION

Who would have thought?! A racing driver.

Of course I will sponsor you.

Well, I think it is inspiring, a man of your age.

Thank you very much.

-Oh, you're back.

-Yes.

Mr Jameson has taken your suggestion of getting sponsorship for his sky dive.

Got nearly £1,000 already and the newspapers are interested.

And it is all because of you.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Your charity idea was such a good one.

I said it was a good idea that it WASN'T for charity.

I am NOT going to say that your blood pressure is lower than it is.

Borderline, you said.

I know I can do this.

Every time I took her up, I thought we'd be shot down.

What?

Yet somehow, we always managed to land.

-You were a pilot?

-During the war.

I must have strapped on a parachute 100 times. Never got to use it.

That's a good thing, isn't it?

Yes. but I was scared to.

I feared that I wouldn't do the jump if it came down to it.

-But you must have done all the training?

-No. There was no time.

"We need you up there flying, Ludo."

And I've lived with that ever since - the doubt of it.

I still need to know. This is my last chance.

Why didn't you tell me this before?

Because you'd have tried to stop me.

Sentimental old fool, refusing to do the jump for the right reasons.

And if I did pass out,

the men at the skydiving company are so professional.

I sympathise, I really do.

And I know it seems unfair.

What if took medical help?

Took someone up with me?

Well, I could check.

Yes. Um...yeah, if you could find somebody medically trained.

A health-care professional.

Eh!

Mrs Hollins is coming with me.

No, I'm not.

-Why not?

-What?

You said it was something that you always wanted to do.

-That you needed some excitement in your life.

-Oh, please?

He has raced with Graham Hill.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Ha, ha, ha!

You didn't!

I most certainly did.

And?

And I got a pot plant for Jas.

-You lost your nerve?

-Like that would ever happen!

What did you say, then?

I'd like one of your finest plants in a pot, please.

You're joking.

What? I think it's an excellent ice breaker.

It's probably for the best. She was way out of your league, anyway.

D'you want me to take over?

-Sure.

-Was there a card?

No card.

Why would I want to go up in an plane with a patient?

Because I'm not qualified. But if he had a doctor with him...

See, at first, I thought that his blood pressures were too high.

But they're just borderline, right? And if he really wants to do it...

And he's...he's raised £1,000 for charity.

I would do it.

-No, you wouldn't.

-Yeah, I would. Throw myself out of a plane.

Did you know that he used to be a fighter pilot?

-Really?

-Yeah, in the war.

And a racing driver with Graham Hill.

And a ballet dancer. Don't forget the ballet dancer.

-Mm?

-Ludo was also a famous ballet dancer.

And he was in the war, so...

That would make him...how old?

Heston.

-Nice lunch?

-Splendid, thank you.

Liam seems like a nice chap.

He'll make a first-class doctor.

With the right guidance.

Which is exactly what I intend to give him.

And I'm sure you will.

That's why, with your permission, I'd like to publicise

the bursary so our patients can know just what kind of man you are.

Well, I'm sure any of us would have done exactly the same.

Yes, but we didn't. YOU did.

So maybe we can't agree on the echo, but at least, with the bursary,

if it's all right with you, we can bathe in your reflected glory.

So, getting back to the echo,

if you could just read this...

Liam is a fine young man who comes from nothing

and dreams of becoming a doctor -

that is where any extra money we have should be spent.

That is where I'm spending MY money. NOT on your machine.

You can't just whip it out.

You've got to make him think it's his idea.

We'll have to come up with something else.

Heston's worried about the money.

-Yes.

-Maybe what it's going to cost

is something he hasn't thought about before.

Right! We'll see you there.

-I beg your pardon?

-It's all arranged.

Dr Clay is going to do it. He's already called the airfield.

Right.

-Happy?

-Shocked. I thought you were going to say no.

-Like everybody else?

-Yes.

I'm not everybody. So...we'll see you there.

Absolutely.

He used to be a pilot, you know.

Mm. So he'll have nothing to worry about, will he?

And that's meant to make up for the flowers?

-I didn't get you flowers.

-No, but you let me think you had.

Then I read the card and found out they're from my mum.

Why would I get you flowers?

I don't know. Because I've just moved out?

It's no big deal.

Before, you didn't want me to go. Is this your way of punishing me?

No. it's just not a big deal.

It's from Al.

He went to chat up the florist and he came back with that. Loser.

I got you this.

SHARP KNOCKING

Go away.

How was lunch? I hope you didn't overindulge.

Starter OR dessert. Never both.

Thank you for your concern, Dr Carmichael. I walked all the way there and all the way back.

You can give me a gold star.

Look. You're right to be annoyed. We've been short-sighted.

Until I saw Liam, I'd forgotten all about your bursary.

Because all you think about is your machine.

When the partners heard you were starting a bursary,

we put it down to vanity.

I beg your pardon?

But we were wrong.

I see now that what you're doing is monumental.

Supporting student after student through medical school.

At a cost to you of...thousands, tens of thousands of pounds?

-Oh, no, it's a fixed amount.

-You say that now, but I saw the way that Liam was looking at you.

You're a hero to him. A father figure.

How are you going to say no to him when he asks for more?

A textbook here, a stethoscope there, a month's rent.

Once the harness is tight,

we attach ourselves together. And leave everything to me.

I'll go and get the pilot and we'll go.

SQUEALING

I can feel it already -

the jerk, the weightlessness...

Oh! Nothing like the sense that you're plunging to your death to feel alive.

-How high do we go?

-10,000 feet, apparently.

10,000 feet!

It's not just heights with me, I'm a terrible flier at the best of times.

-Did I tell you what happened with me and Rob?

-No.

We were flying over the Alps and we hit turbulence,

and just, went down like a stone.

I thought that I was going to die.

So I was begging Rob to knock me out

so I wouldn't see the ground coming up at me.

And here YOU are, waiting to see the ground come up at you.

All set?

-I can't do it.

-Course you can.

I feel sick.

This is what you've always wanted. The best thing you'll ever do.

The leap of faith, the weightlessness, feeling alive?

-We can't give you your money back.

-I know.

-What about the money you've raised for charity?

-£1,000, wasn't it?

Well, actually, it was £100.

Do you lie about everything? You weren't a racing car driver.

Ballet dancer.

Fighter pilot.

-A fighter pilot?

-He's 15 years too young.

-Yeah...and to have danced with Balanchine.

-I could have driven with Graham Hill.

-Yeah, but you didn't, did you?

-And I WAS a dancer,

if it hadn't have been for the... the stage fright.

Stage fright? It's always something, isn't it?

Well, this time, you're going to do it.

What? I'm not going to do it.

I'll give them the money back. I'm not doing it.

So no-one's going to jump with me?

£100, you say? Well, I'd give that.

Forget it. I'm not giving him anything.

I don't think that's what the doctor is suggesting.

And I wasn't lying about being scared about heights, either.

It's too late for me, but there's nothing stopping you.

No.

No!

No. No.

No.

So I didn't give her a present, so what?

And then I told her about you and the florist.

You told her WHAT about me and the florist?

That she liked you.

Why would you do that?

It's not every day you get someone like that interested, mate.

-You said all this to Jas?

-Yeah, why wouldn't I?

She's moving out. She's thinking about all the things that have happened

while she's been living with you. Her job problems, her fiance,

not to mention helping you out with all that stuff between you

and your dad, but oh, no, all this means nothing to you.

Going on a date with a bimbo is more important.

-Seriously?

-Yes.

I thought you choked when you went to the florists?

Hold on!

-Well, that's that, then.

-Looks like it.

How about Liam?

-Sorry?

-Doing the admin for the echo machine.

It would be valuable experience.

Well...we'd have to pay him.

Yes, I suppose we would.

Well, I think that's a good idea.

If it's all right with the rest of the partners.

-Fine by me.

-Me, too.

Right. Good night.

Good night.

-God, we're good.

-Yes, we are!

We're about to take off.

I can't.

-I can't hear you.

-I can't do it.

-30 seconds.

-I'm not doing it.

-Shall I tell the pilot to stop?

-Yeah, tell him.

-And what will you tell everyone?

-I'll lie.

Yeah, but YOU'LL know. This isn't for anyone else.

It's for you. You've got 20 seconds to make your mind up.

# Take me home, take me home

# I know another place to be

#Take me home, take me home

# You deserve a girl like me

# Come on, I know somewhere

# You can unwind

# We can just disappear

# Now's the time

TEXT MESSAGE

# Take me home, take me home

# Only fair I get my way

# Take me home, take me home

# Oh, it's going to happen anyway

# I know what's good for you

# Don't pass me by

# I will look after you you'll be fine... #

-How are you doing?

-Yeah. Not bad.

Up and down.

SHE SCREAMS

# I'm in heaven, I'll show you heaven

# Take me home, take me home

SHE SCREAMS

# I will show you where to walk... #

Oh, yeah!

Didn't I say I had a beautiful wife?

You're Walter's WIFE, not his servant.

All this interest in Mim, I'll start believing that you...fancy her.

I'm surprised at you, Mrs Tembe, of all people.

Oh, my goodness! No!

What the hell is going on?!

There was a mix-up. We're dealing with it. Clinic's running fine.

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