The Cost of Living Doctors

So it's busy, busy, busy!

Off to check on that extension on Manor Lane.

Back for a cup of tea... Mmm!

MOUTH FULL: ..and then straight over to the recreation ground.

There's been a complaint about the new pavilion.

Council meeting... Oh! Back home for lunch.

Council meeting this afternoon on proposals.

Thank God we've got nothing planned this weekend.

Or did you say you might be seeing your sister?

-Jo?

-Hmm?

Have you got the doctor's today?

Oh, yeah, 11.30.

Right.

I hope it goes well.

I'll see you later.

FRONT DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

Hello?

Yeah.

So, it was a shiny red polka dot bag

-and your purse and money were inside it?

-Yes, that's right.

-OK.

Now, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.

It's unlikely that we'll find it.

But sometimes, they get thrown in hedges, the park, gardens,

-so we will keep a look out for it.

-OK.

-You never know.

We might get lucky.

ATM BEEPS

SHE SIGHS

Is it...? Jo?

-Valerie!

-It is!

BOTH: Aw!

Long time no see!

Do you know, I was talking about you just the other day with Lena.

-Oh, yeah!

-Do you remember Lena Baker? Yeah?

Aw! Last time I saw you,

-you were wearing one of those horrible hospital gowns...

-Oh!

The one's with no back. Don't remind me.

So how are you?

-You know what it's like - up and down.

-Is it not working?

-Oh, I don't know.

-Right.

Actually, I just had a call from my specialist.

I'm booked in to see Dr Haskey later.

I think I need to talk to him about it, it's...

It's just so hard to take in on the phone. It's all Greek to me.

Oh, my specialist, Dr Papadopoulos, was like that.

-Mind you, he actually was Greek!

-SHE LAUGHS

ATM BEEPS

Would you like to borrow some?

Oh, thanks!

Aw!

I'll pay you back! I've got a lunch date.

Oh, I thought you were looking glamorous.

Well, might as well live a little, eh? You never know...

..what's around the corner.

Thank you.

Junk. Junk. You don't have to save all this, you know.

Oh, but what if I threw something important away? What then?

So, everything's been all right? No major issues in our absence?

Well, nothing major. Daniel not with you?

He's looking after Izzie while her mum has an op.

-Ooh, nothing serious, I hope?

-No, no. Just routine.

We'd have had her here, but she's got an exam.

What's this?!

Why is there a bookcase here full of scruffy old books?

Oh, um, it's an idea Mrs Tembe had

-to get some second-hand books in, you know.

-Second-hand?!

I go away for five minutes... Who sanctioned this?

-I've no idea. I think Mrs Tembe thought it would be nice.

-Nice?

Oh, dear.

You know what? I always thought that

police work and fishing were very similar -

that to be able to catch your quarry,

which may have a small brain but basic animal instincts,

you needed stealth, cunning...and patience.

Not today.

SHE SIGHS

Hmm!

DOOR OPENS

Can you explain why there are boxes of old books

obstructing the corridor?

Ah, yes. We are still in the process of unpacking them.

What's going on?

At this time of year, attendance is up,

waiting times are up, and patient satisfaction is down.

And these help how?

Remember last year, when we had the Christmas jumpers?

Oh, it brought such joy to the patients' experience.

A friendly face. A talking point.

-This is not the same.

-Oh, no.

No, this is much, much better!

Our own library!

MOBILE PHONE RINGS Excuse me.

ZARA SIGHS

Mrs Tembe, practice manager.

Oh, hello, Mr Fisher!

Yes!

Yes, it was a wonderful seminar, but I do still have a few questions.

DOOR CLOSES SHE LAUGHS: Why, yes!

SNORING

Oh! Er...

Hey!

Hello, Bren. Did you have a nice sleep?

Oh, not you again!

-That's mine!

-Is it? Because it fits the description of one that was

taken in a street robbery last night, just around the corner.

-Does that ring any bells?

-Oh, I found it.

On the path. I thought it'd make a nice pillow.

Oh, and, funnily enough, all the money's gone.

It was empty when I found it.

Really? Cos it looks like you've had a nice little party.

I said it were empty! Are you deaf?!

And the victim also gave a description, that she was mugged

-by somebody with a slight figure wearing a dark hoodie.

-Oh?

Well, that narrows it down, don't it? Well done, Sherlock(!)

-Where do you think you're going?

-Get off me!

-Come on, Bren.

-Get off me, you pervert! GET OFF!

-Let's keep this civil! Stop it!

HE HUMS TO HIMSELF

Fish!

Chips!

Ketchup?

-Ah! Hello again.

-Hi.

-So, that's 11.30, Dr Haskey.

-That's right.

So where are you going for lunch?

-The Angel.

-Oh, lovely. Very posh.

-Mm-hm.

-Your Simon's a dark horse!

-SHE LAUGHS

It's not with Simon.

-Oh, I'm so sorry! I had no idea you'd split up!

-Oh, no, we haven't.

We're still together.

But then, Kev came round to fix the taps.

That was ten months ago now and...

And you've... ..with this "Kev"?

-Oh, don't judge me, though!

-I'm not!

I started seeing Simon when I was 18.

Oh, I don't mean to be awful, but it's never exactly been fireworks!

Imagine that on your gravestone - "It hasn't exactly been fireworks."

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

Talk of the devil.

Oh, poor Simon.

-Does he know?

-No way! Don't breathe a word!

Anyway, you'll be able to have a look at Kev.

He's picking me up from here.

Well, if you'd like to take a seat.

And I thought you said you never wanted to see this place again?

I've done nothing wrong.

I found it.

And just to remind you, you are under caution.

-What's going on?

-Authorised to be detained

-for being in possession of suspected stolen goods.

-What?

Don't tell Eesh! I don't want her mixed up in this.

Right, I need to inform you now of your right for a single phone call.

You might not want to call family, but do you want to phone a friend?

No? You sure? Right, police surgeon - let's get you cleaned up.

Yeah.

Mrs Williams? The doctor will see you now.

Jo!

-What are you doing here?

-Did you not get my messages?

Sorry, I forgot to charge my phone again.

-You look amazing!

-Well, why are you here?

Look at this! We are massively overdrawn!

There's one here from the mortgage company as well! What's going on?

-It must be a mistake. I'll sort it.

-Er, we need to deal with it now!

-Why did you hide them from me? This is serious, Jo!

-Mrs Williams?

-When you're ready?

-I just had other things on my mind.

Go to your meeting. Go on.

I'll call the bank as soon as I can. I'll see you tonight.

I thought your battery was flat. DOOR CLOSES

There's something funny going on here, all right.

Oh, are you phoning the bank?

Because you might have more privacy outside.

Personal banking.

Hi.

-Name?

-Michael Dobbs.

Oh!

It's OK. I'm...I'm here to listen.

Yeah. It's so hard, you know.

They say all this stuff down the phone and you're like...

SHE SIGHS Yeah.

And they make it the most complicated medical gobbledygook.

-Mm-hm.

-You know, we spent all those years at medical school

learning how to just baffle people.

But there could be something else going on here.

You've spent the last, what, two years now,

-two years fearing the worst.

-Yup.

I've been living on borrowed air.

And now, you've had the best news. No wonder you can't process it.

When someone like Dr Forester says

that you've responded so well to the new chemo, that there is

a 95% chance that you're going to live for ten years or more...

..that's as good as it gets.

It's just I still can't believe it's real.

Would you do me a massive favour and just call her?

Just make sure it's real?

-Yeah, of course I will.

-Oh, thank you.

Now, do I have the right details for you here?

Bet you're lovin' this.

"Look at Ayesha's mother!

"How awful!

"What would poor Ayesha think?"

SHE SNORTS THEN LAUGHS

You should hear what she says about you.

-KNOCK ON DOOR

-Come in.

-Are we sorted yet?

-Yeah.

Er, minor abrasions, consistent with falling down while intoxicated.

-She's fit for questioning.

-Thank you.

-I'll grab something to eat, if that's all right with you?

-Good idea.

-Right, come on, you.

-I want to make a phone call.

-You said you didn't want to.

-I changed my mind.

I'm calling Eesh.

Right, let's get this over with.

Eesh?

It's your mum here.

Listen, you know that cash you came out and gave me last night?

Oh, I'm so sorry, love.

Only I went and spent it down the outdoor, didn't I?

Got a right thick head now.

In the nick.

Your mate's trying to pin some thieving on me.

I've just been through all this. No, I can't remember the password!

Because my wife deals with this account!

We use it for bills and stuff. DOOR OPENS

-SIMON: One word?! AL:

-Have a seat and relax.

Sorry, buddy!

-I'll look after her!

-Oh, thank you, Valerie.

Excuse me, I'm here to pick...

-You're not a plumber, by any chance, are you?

-What?

Well, I think I'd just seen you around in your van.

-The thing is, we've got a leaky tap.

-Eh?

Hello?

-SIMON: Try a one instead of the L...

-Jo! What's going on? Are you OK?

-Simon is in reception.

-What?

-That guy?

-Yeah! You have to leave now!

-No, I'll wait for him to go.

-Kev, now!

-No! I need to see you! I know, I'll pretend to be a patient.

Don't worry about it! He's not going to know, is he?

Please, get rid of him!

I can't do that. It's not my place!

Look, you've made this bed, Jo.

-Now you've got to lie in it.

-Oh, what?!

SIMON: No, I'm sorry. These payments have not been authorised!

Well, someone must've hacked into our account!

Look, is there a manager I can speak to?

-Where is she?

-Ayesha.

-I think we need to have a quick chat.

-Why?

Oh, no big deal. I just need to establish

-what you know about your mum's movements last night.

-Yeah, sure.

-What's happening?

-OK...

Simon's still waiting for you, Kev's lurking.

You have got to do something!

-I'm trapped, though, aren't I?

-But you can't stay in here for ever!

-Val, can you help me, please?

-No!

Honestly, I don't want to get dragged into it!

-I feel quite sorry for Simon, actually.

-I know!

But I would just hate for him to find out like this! Please!

And then, you promise me that you'll sort it out? Properly?

I do, yeah!

OK, I'll keep Kev busy.

-You get Simon out of here as quickly as you can.

-OK.

-I'll tell Dr Haskey that you had to leave.

-Yeah.

-And then, just go home and talk to Simon.

-Yeah.

-OK.

Yeah, I gave her some money. About 30 quid.

Tyler said that you spent the evening with him.

It was when you went to get the takeaway.

-She rang, I popped out.

-And what time was that?

Eight, nine...

Which one?

Somewhere in between. I can't really remember.

You never said anything about going out.

You'd think I was stupid, giving her money.

-And you're happy to put this in a statement?

-Yeah.

And you don't have a problem with it?

No.

There you are! Jo, the bank is checking.

They're going to ring us back.

But I think there's only one explanation for all this.

-Cyber crime!

-Really?

We are doing a survey on patient satisfaction...

Oh?

..so would you mind grading your experience

of the reception area today? Out of one, two, three...

-Oh, no!

-..four or five?

-Um, to be honest, nought.

Mrs Williams?

I spoke to Dr Forester, and it really is good news.

Oh...

Thank you.

What does he mean?

I'm going to live.

HE GASPS THEN LAUGHS

MOBILE PHONE RINGS Oh...

It's the bank.

Well, the money must have gone somewhere.

It's not like my wife's been on some mad spending spree...

Jo?

Have you? You've spent the lot?

On what?!

KNOCK ON DOOR Come in?

Forgive me for bringing up the subject of the books again.

Oh, no, I am glad that you can seen the value of them.

But frankly, I don't think I've been making myself understood.

I'm a little concerned that such a decision should've been made

in the absence of partners.

I have made decisions in the absence of partners, when appropriate.

And do you remember that this procedure was agreed to by all of us

on my return as practice manager?

Well, yes! Yes, of course!

You're authorised to make small admin decisions on your own.

Whereas this...this changes the appearance of the whole practice!

Oh, I agree.

It is a significant decision.

But I have the agreement of Dr Clay.

While we were on holiday?

How convenient.

It is an initiative.

Please, just give it a chance.

SHE SIGHS

I've said I'm sorry. I really am.

How could you do it to me?

It wasn't about you!

A year ago, I was told I had three months to live!

-I know!

-I

-was looking after you!

And you were terrified to touch me!

I had an affair.

Who could blame me?

You spent all our money on an affair?!

It was just...just a few meals. A couple of hotels.

I thought you went away with your sister, to stay in a B&B?!

And nice clothes, they're not cheap.

I just wanted to know how it felt to be a woman,

I wanted to live a little while I still could,

and I thought you'd get the money back from my life insurance.

Not any more.

-And that's something to celebrate, mate!

-Oh, go away.

She's alive and it's probably thanks

to the good times she had with me that did it!

I said go away!

I'm not going anywhere.

Me and Jo are an item now.

-What?

-I've really come to care about you, Jo.

Oh, please! If you'd have cared about me,

-you might've paid the bill once in a while!

-Yeah, but you said it was...

Kev, it's over.

Go.

Just go.

"Terence DeVille's blue eyes matched the Mediterranean

"glittering beneath his villa,

"as he watched the young woman run on the cobbles far below.

"'She may run,' mused Terence.

"'But if the wench thinks I'll chase, she's mistaken.'"

Now, surely DeVille's desires would work much better as a graphic novel.

-Oh, true. Pictures always liven things up.

-Ha!

What else have we got?

Let's see what Buddha has to say for himself.

Hmm.

"Those who have failed to work towards the truth

"have missed the purpose of living." Now surely that should be

"those who have failed to work their way through the craft ales

"at the King's Head have missed the purpose of living.

JIMMI LAUGHS Skipping to the end.

"We become what we think of."

-Oh, well, I'm in danger of becoming a bacon sandwich, mate.

-Jimmi...

"Look within, be still, free from fear and attachment.

"Know the sweet joy of living in the way."

-Where's the punchline?

-Hmm. I'm not sure there is one with that.

Ooh. Shame not to end on a gag.

I never meant to hurt you.

It was just supposed to be a quick fling and

somehow I didn't get round to ending it.

Truth is, I didn't expect to be around this long.

I had no idea.

No idea you didn't find our life together enough.

Why didn't you say something?

Well, it's not exactly an easy thing to say, is it?

-I thought we were a team.

-Oh, Simon...

I don't want to hear any more. I can't!

HE WALKS DOWN THE STAIRS, SHE SOBS

Oh, God! What have I done?

He's hurting.

You need to go home and talk.

I'm sure you can put this all back together.

It's obvious he thinks the world of you.

I know you think I'm over-reacting, but this "scheme" is

simply incompatible with a modern medical centre.

-Do you not have books at home?

-Of course!

But not from a lending library!

Who knows what the last borrower has done with the thing.

I think a well-stocked bookcase is a sign of civilisation.

I'm not anti-book. Far from it. I'm just anti-grubby paperbacks

in a hi-tech medical environment and, frankly, I'm amazed

that more of my colleagues don't feel the same way.

So you're letting her go, then?

-Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

-Meaning?

I am not stupid, Ayesha! Do you know what the consequences are

if a police officer makes a false statement?

Tyler, have you really thought this through?

Because, if you haven't, you need to before it gets set in stone!

Actually, I did go out last night, to get a curry.

And I saw a mate on the way home.

I was gone for probably an hour.

All right, fair enough. What ATM did you use?

I already had the cash.

What time was the robbery?

It was when I was with her, wasn't it?

I knew it.

Did she call you on your mobile?

Yeah, you can check my records, if you like.

Will you ever forgive me?

I think you kind of went mad.

It was all so frightening, wasn't it?

And then, this whole year's been a nightmare for me,

so God knows how you've coped. Anyway, I've been sitting thinking,

"Where do we go from here? What can we do?"

I'm a building inspector, so the answer just came to me.

We rebuild. Brick by brick.

And, if we're super-frugal, we'll pay every penny back.

In time, we'll get back on track.

Back to how things were before you got ill.

Our little routine.

We'll be a team again!

The main thing is, you're alive!

KNOCK ON DOOR

How's the book burning going?

Mrs Tembe tells me that you gave the go-ahead?

Well, only on a trial basis.

Without considering the hygiene implications?

-Well, it's no worse than magazines in a waiting room, surely?

-Great(!)

The Mill Health Centre and Five-Star Hotel For Bacteria!

Well, this is Mrs Tembe's initiative, so maybe we should

give it a chance? And anyway, what do they say?

"An idea that is developed and put into action is more important

-"than an idea that exists only as an idea"?

-Hmm?

-So maybe we should give it a few weeks, then assess it?

-A few weeks?!

Sorry, Jimmi. I'm not convinced.

And I think you were wrong to give the go-ahead on your own.

-If Daniel were here, frankly, he'd agree with me.

-Really?

Well, we'll see, shall we? He'll be back in a few days.

You ought to be out catching criminals...

You have a refused charge, due to insufficient evidence.

..instead of dragging innocent people in here!

As far as I'm concerned, you are very, very lucky.

-Ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

-Don't push it.

Didn't think I'd forget?

Not for a second.

Oh.

He'll come round, in time.

Are you OK?

Do you know, I think it was after I realised there wouldn't be a baby.

It was sad, you know, but I thought...

"OK, then! Maybe we'll have a different life."

"Maybe it's an opportunity, even."

But for Simon, nothing changed.

Never would.

I would lie there, listening to him snoring!

SHE GROANS

While I was reading some book about other people's amazing lives...

..and wondering what it would be like to...

..to teach English in Beijing or serve chai in a Rajasthan retreat.

-Ride across the desert on a white camel.

-Yeah!

-You've left him?

-You get one life, Valerie.

We know that better than anyone.

He's had enough of mine.

Have I done the wrong thing?

Actually...

I feel like my life has just begun.

I'm sorry, darling.

Let's get out of here. Wait for me in the car, yeah?

What's going on?

You've lied to the police. What sort of person are you?

One who puts her family first. Always!

What kind of a person are YOU?

Do you believe that God can answer our prayers?

Jackie could make a full recovery

and Adam could play a big part in that.

Your blood pressure is still worryingly high.

Are you still taking the medication?

What's the point? I'm not planning on sticking around.

I just hope that we can make his life a little bit easier. Yours too.

You already have!