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"ER"
"A Matter of Confidence"
Act Two
Scene opens at the hospital, somewhere in a hallway. Carol Hathaway is coming down the hall
carrying several items in her arms. Cut to show Dan Raypert coming around a corner and nearly
running into her. He stops and reaches his hands out to catch her falling items before they can
clatter to the floor.
Raypert:
I'm so sorry, Carol! Let me help you with those!
Carol (smiles):
It's OK. I've got it. (both stand up and face each other) Actually, I've been
meaning to talk to you, Dan. Have you got a couple of minutes?
Raypert (looks at his watch):
Sure! I don't have another patient for a while. Buy you coffee?
Carol (nods):
That would be great.
Cut to show Raypert and Carol sitting at a table together over coffee. Raypert is drinking his from a
cup...Carol is stirring hers at the table.
Raypert:
Something on your mind?
Carol (shrugs):
Well, without breaking any patient/doctor confidence, I was just wondering how
Doug Ross is getting along with you.
Raypert (gives her a knowing look):
Well, now, Carol, from your own personal experiences, surely you know I
couldn't divulge any information to you about my sessions with Doug...
Carol (cuts him off quickly):
I'm not asking you to tell me anything. I just wondered how he's doing with all
this.
Raypert (sighs):
I'll give you the best professional analysis I can, OK? I think the fact that Doug
came into this therapy on his own is an important step. I think he is admitting to
himself that he has a problem with something that he doesn't know how to
handle and he wants very much to get it under control. But, I think the problem
that brought him into this therapy is only the surface of what's really bothering
him. I think he has some deep rooted problems locked inside him that he just
doesn't want to reveal. I think he chooses his topics of conversation very
carefully and I think he is extremely defensive of his inner personal feelings. I
can't seem to get him to understand that as long as he carries that shield around
with him, we're never going to get anywhere with these sessions.
Carol:
Maybe I could talk to him. I mean, you know, just tell him how it was for me. I
had a rough time opening up with my shrink, too. But, once I did, things started
to change. And when I saw that change, it made me try that much harder.
Raypert (shakes his head with a sigh):
I don't know. I only know that as long as he stays as 'on guard' as he is right
now we're never going to get to the bottom of what's really bothering him. I
think Doug truly wants to change. I just think he is afraid to. I think he's
comfortable with the way things are in his life and he's afraid to find out what
kind of difference changes in his life could make.
Carol (smiles):
I'll talk to him. Thanks, Dan.
Raypert:
Anytime, Carol.
Cut to show time lapse...ER work has been busy...Doug is standing near the computers going over
notes in front of him. He stops briefly and rubs his eyes because he is tired. Carol comes up beside
him and hands him another chart for a signature.
Carol (quietly):
You OK?
Doug (nods, robotically):
Yeah, I'm fine.
Carol:
Can we talk later?
Doug (signs chart...hands it back to her):
Sure. (pauses to look her in the eye) What's up?
Carol (shrugs):
Nothing. Just wanted to talk.
Doug (nods):
OK. Sure!
Jerry (hands Doug a chart):
Four year old wheezing in two.
Doug (takes chart...starts away):
I got it!
Pan to show Doug going into room two and cut scene. Cut to show time lapse. Carol and Doug
are sitting over coffee together at a table. Neither is drinking the coffee but they are sitting facing
each other.
Doug (starts conversation):
So, what's up?
Carol:
I was just wondering how you're getting along with Raypert.
Doug (shrugs):
OK, I guess. He hasn't kicked me out yet or anything. (chuckles)
Carol (smiles):
Well, I just know it's not easy to talk to someone like Raypert sometimes.
Doug (nods, nonchalantly):
He's OK.
Carol:
Can I give you some advice about talking to a shrink?
Doug (smiles):
Do I need it?
Carol:
You have to let go, OK? You have to let go of your defenses and give Raypert
your most vulnerable self. Otherwise, you're just wasting his time and your
money going up there. (Doug gives her a confused look) It's never easy to open
yourself up to somebody. To anybody. Much less somebody who can
psychoanalyze everything you say. But, you went into this on your own, so, I
think you should give it your best shot, at least.
Doug:
Meaning?
Carol:
Well, I was just wondering if you talk to Raypert like you talk to everybody
else.
Doug (confused):
I'm not sure what you mean...
Carol:
You know what I mean. You surface talk everybody, Doug. You never let
anybody get inside you to the 'real' Doug Ross. You only let people see
whatever you want them to see.
Doug (grins):
Well, you spent time in therapy. What does that mean?
Carol:
Mostly, it means you're afraid. You're afraid to let people see what you're really
like. You have a low self esteem, actually. I notice you only drink heavily when
you're alone. If you drink at social events, you carry one drink around with you
all night. I've watched you do it. So, when you're with people, you seem to be
fine, but, when you're alone is when your problems seem to set in.
Doug (hanging on her words):
And this means, what?
Carol (shakes her head):
I'm not a therapist. You should talk to Raypert about those kind of things. He
really wants to help. But, it's a two way street. You have to want him to help
you before you're ever going to get anything out of this.
Doug (nods):
OK.
Carol (reaches over and touches his hand):
I'm only telling you these things because I care.
Doug (looks into her eyes):
You care? You care about what? You care about me?
Carol (nods):
Of course I care about you! That's never changed.
Doug (looks down at the table slightly):
You care about me, but, you can't forgive me.
Carol:
I don't have anything to forgive you for, Doug. You're the one who needs to do
some forgiving. And not for me. For yourself. (Doug looks up at her quickly,
his eyes clouded with confusion) I never blamed you for anything that happened
between us. Love is a two way street. It takes two to walk it and it takes two to
go separate ways. It's never just one party at fault. If I didn't get anything else
from my shrink, I learned that much. What happened between us was as much
my fault as it was yours.
Doug (looks her in the eye):
I never blamed you. It wasn't your fault...
Carol:
Well, some of it had to be. Maybe I read more into the relationship than was
actually there. Maybe I tried to rush you. Or pressure you. Something made you
pull back, some of it had to be me...
Doug (shakes his head quickly):
No, it wasn't you. I just got scared. And I didn't know what else to do, so, I
ran. And I've regretted it every since.
Carol (reaches over and touches Doug's chest):
I think there's a lot locked up in here. And I think you need to give somebody
the key to open it up. Raypert is good. He's probably one of the best in this
hospital. And I think he genuinely wants to help you. But, you have to help him.
You have to let him help you. Otherwise, this circle is just going to continue and
nothing is ever going to change.
Doug (reaches down and takes her hand):
Maybe I should give the key to you?
Carol (looks into his eyes, but, shakes her head):
No. I'm not the one who can help you right now. I can be your friend. And I
can be there for you. But, I can't tell you anything about what's going on with
you. You need Raypert for that. You need to trust him. You need to have
confidence in his ability with you. (Doug looks down at the table for a moment,
but, Carol lifts his chin with her fingers) You're a good person, Doug. You've
got a big heart. You're kind. And you're caring. You're great with the kids that
come in here. You need to let yourself off the hook. You need to learn to like
Doug Ross a little better than you do.
Doug (looks deep into her eyes):
You think I'm a good person?
Carol (smiles):
I know it. And you know it, too. You just hide it under that rough exterior.
Doug:
But, if I didn't have that exterior I wouldn't be where I am now.
Carol (nods):
Well, you're there now. Why do you need the armor? (looks at her watch) I got
get back, OK? We'll talk again later.
Doug (watches her as she stands up to leave):
Yeah. (nods quickly) Sure.
Doug watches Carol leave the room, deep in thought of her last words about his 'armor'. Focus on
him deep in thought and cut scene.
Fade Act Two to black
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