Episode 2 Scúp

-IN ENGLISH:

-Tree.

There's a bird in the tree.

HE CHUCKLES What?!

-Nothing. You're doing great.

-You're taking the (piss).

I swear to God...

You know, seriously, I appreciate it, but there's no need.

There's every need. It's your work, Rob, your world,

and I want to be part of it.

And if I call into the office,

I want to be sure they're not talking about me behind my back.

-Or straight to my face.

-They wouldn't.

They absolutely would.

First day I was in there,

they were gossiping about me like a bunch of old women.

Repeat -

What?

We're very lucky.

No, Rebecca, no...

You going somewhere?

Oh...

Hi.

Yeah...work.

Bit too much wine.

HE CHUCKLES

Did...?

Anything happen?

No.

Lots of amazing sex, but nothing much happened after that.

You were out like a light.

-LAUGHING:

-No, I'm only joking.

There was some very serious spooning, though.

But that was about it.

-But, I mean, if you'd like to...

-No!

No, I mean...not now.

Seriously, I have to go to work.

Give me a call later if you want to do something.

Who's the lucky man?

On it.

Hi...Peggy?

-Alix, from the paper?

-Yes, of course. Sorry.

-Harry, will you let me know how much?

-Ach, on the house, love.

-Thanks, Harry, you're a sweetie. OK if I just...?

-Don't mind me.

Harry has a heart of gold.

People have been very good to us.

Especially in the new neighbourhood.

We've only been here six months but they've rallied round.

Rob, my editor, mentioned you're a single parent?

-That can't be easy, managing by yourself.

-Aye, well, no.

He's not around, but, then again, he never was.

No, just the two of us.

But I wouldn't have it any other way, would I, darling?

-Ach, he has a lovely smile.

-He is a wee smiler.

But you're lucky you got him on a good day.

With the chemo he gets these mouth ulcers. They're just agony for him.

And his hair. He used to have the most beautiful blonde...

I don't know where he got it from.

From his dad's side, maybe. Not that I know them.

Wee love, isn't he?

(Back in a sec.)

-Gerry, is it?

-Yeah, hiya.

-How's it going?

-Break your heart.

-You should try going in there.

They'd tear you to shreds.

Come on, I'll give you the grand tour.

So, can I ask, how much does Chrissy actually know?

He knows he's sick, but then he gets up the next day

and feels better and forgets all about what happened yesterday.

For a long time, we thought it was gone...and then it comes back,

and it just hits you harder.

And what about you? How do you cope with it?

-It must break your heart, seeing him so sick.

-No, not now.

It's such a treat having him.

And I know he'll pull through.

Peggy McAteer and Chrissy? Christopher?

The name doesn't ring a bell.

Funny, it's the faces you remember, especially the cheeky ones.

Where were we? Oh, yeah. 130 beds, facilities for one parent to stay.

And these are all cancer?

No, it's not quite as simple as that.

We combine oncology - which deals with cancer - with haematology.

Mostly, our patients are on a combination of chemotherapy drugs

and they work by attacking the cancer cells,

but they also damage the healthy ones.

The good news is the healthy ones grow back, the cancer cells can't.

WOLF WHISTLES

Yeah, right(!)

PHONE RINGS

Yep?

Courtesy call? Courtesy call from the bank is never a good thing.

How much?!

No, that's not possible.

I... I... Well...

Ta-dah!

All work and no play...makes Rob a very dull boy.

I'm sorry, I just got...caught up in...

I was going to take you out to dinner. Some nice steak maybe.

Right.

Can we afford it?

Rebecca...

Jewellery... The Shopping Channel...

Oh, Rob, when did you turn into such a cheapskate?

You can't tell what it's like on the telly, so you order it.

Then you get to wear it for 30 days,

then you return it and get a full refund.

It doesn't cost anything.

I'm...saving you money, not spending it.

Oh, well, then, thanks(!)

You're welcome. Now, come on. I'm starving.

Come on.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Here, can I call you later?

Right, OK. Bye.

Oh, I should've called first.

I just wanted to drop your photos back

and maybe ask you a few questions for the follow-up piece?

Ah, not a bit of it.

-So, how is he?

-I just put him down for a sleep. He gets so tired.

You know, whenever you print something, sure as God,

you'll get someone who thinks they know better.

-So, we've had a wee query.

-Everyone's an expert these days.

Aren't they just!

So...they were looking at the photos and wondering,

if you only lose your hair while you're having chemo

and then it grows back...

how come Chrissy's hasn't?

God, some people are so mean-spirited, aren't they?

You've heard of alopecia, I take it?

Alopecia? Yeah.

His hair was supposed to grow back, but he got this, um...

what do you call it, autoimmune disorder.

Because the chemo screwed up his healthy cells

as well as the bad ones.

Alopecia! What a relief.

A relief? Why? Did you...?

Oh, no...

It's just...

It's nice to be able to stand behind what you wrote.

RADIO:

-Excuse me?

-Hi. Sorry, we're just closing.

I was just looking for Gerry, the young fella.

I can't remember his second name.

Oh, Gerry's not here just now. We're doing a fun run for charity.

-This is the one for Chrissy?

-Yeah.

And, if you don't mind, I'm actually running a wee bit late.

That's what I wanted to talk to him about.

-If you want to make a donation, you can do it online.

-No. It's not that.

-It's about the boy.

-What about him?

HE LAUGHS

-Rebecca.

-Hi.

Where are they? We told them to meet us, 12 o'clock start.

-You don't seem to have many readers.

-That's not the point.

It's for a good cause.

There you go, wee man.

KNOCKS ON DOOR

Coming!

-Oh, hi.

-Hi.

-Sorry, we're running late.

-That's OK.

-I was hoping to have a quick word. Can I come in?

-Yeah, course.

So, we had a visitor today.

A sister from the local children's hospital.

She was very moved by your story, but also curious

because she hasn't heard of Chrissy before

and all the local cases go through there.

Oh, well, no, she wouldn't have.

I told you, we're only back here six months. We were in London.

-That's where Chrissy...

-She checked with London.

Chrissy was successfully treated there two years ago

and nothing since.

Peggy, she checked with all the children's hospitals in the UK, because they're all connected.

Ah, but you know what hospitals are like.

They're always misfiling stuff.

You see, the thing is...

..they're actually very good.

There's no record of Chrissy having

so much as a check-up in the last two years.

Well, do you know why that is?

Because the hospitals were making him sicker instead of better.

So what if I didn't bring him back in again?

Anyone can tell how sick he is.

Peggy, they can only go by what you tell them.

How sick is he?

-Is he sick at all?

-You don't care about my boy.

You only care about your story,

about getting your name in the front of the paper.

Well, do you know something?

You can stick your fun run, because we don't need it.

We've plenty of people who do care about us, not...leeches.

Peggy, if you are up to something, it will come out.

-Just get out of my house!

-Peggy, don't make this any worse.

Get out!

Just a sec.

Hey!

Right, lads...

-Rob?

-Oh, they can't make it, love.

Hi! Some of you have met Pete.

Pete, this is everybody.

-Hi.

-Hey, Pete.

Look at you. You'll put the rest of us to shame.

I don't know about that.

That's a pity about Chrissy.

I wonder, should I go round and see if they're OK?

No, that's probably not a good idea right now.

-Rebecca, are you not running?

-Oh, no.

I leave that to the professionals.

Oh, no, Patrick, you're part of this team. It's only fair.

Can't be that hard.

Two, three...

On your marks...

get set...

Go!

Go on, Rob!

Just find a pace you're comfortable at. That's it. Nice and steady.

The mistake most people make is...

He's going to tire out long before...

You do not want to get beaten by an old man.

It's supposed to be a fun run!

I know, but he's twice your age and half as fit. You're still losing.

Come on, Rob!

Shh!

Come on, Pete!

He's not doing too badly.

-Uh-oh.

-What's he doing? Rob!

Run, rob! What... What are you doing?!

Oh, for...

-Are you OK?

-It's my ankle.

It was an accident. It was just one of those things.

It's starting to swell already.

We are insured, aren't we?

You OK, honey?

-Yeah, yeah. I'm fine.

-What was all that about?