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ER
"Storm Front"
Act Two
Scene opens on the hospital parking lot. Mark is stopping the car and putting it in park. He turns
quickly and eyes Doug carefully.
Mark (softly):
You OK?
Doug (nods):
Yeah.
Mark:
We'll use the staff entrance. That way we'll encounter less people. You want to
wait here while I go see which room we're gonna need?
Doug (shakes his head):
No. I'm OK.
Mark (nods):
OK, then...let's get this done, OK?
Doug (nods quickly):
OK.
Follow as Mark and Doug both get out of the car and start across the parking lot to the staff
entrance to the hospital. Doug keeps his head down as he walks. We see a back view only as
Mark puts his arm across Doug's shoulders and rests it there gently.
Cut to interior of the hospital. Doug and Mark come around a corner and spill into a semi-busy ER
setting. Without alerting anyone that they are there, Mark simply looks for an empty room, finds
one, and directs Doug to it quickly. Show Doug darting into a room and Mark heading for Haleh at
the counter.
Mark (quietly):
Haleh, I've had an emergency come up that requires private care. I've called
Carol Hathaway to assist me with it. When she gets here would you tell her I'm
down in five? Please?
Haleh (nods quickly):
Sure thing, Dr. Greene.
Mark (smiles with a nod):
Thanks!
Follow Mark back across the ER and as he goes into trauma room #5. Show that Doug is easing
himself gently up onto the exam table by pressing his hands on the table and trying to put all the
weight on his arms.
Mark (carefully):
You got it?
Doug (nods as he slides gently onto thetable):
I got it.
Mark:
You want me to start? Or wait for Carol?
Doug (motions with his hand):
You can start.
Mark (picks up a tray and moves closer to Doug):
OK, I'm gonna start with what I can see, OK? And we'll save the heavy stuff for
when Carol gets here. OK?
Doug nods his head cautiously. Mark first inspects the black eye. He looks deep into Doug's eye
with the penlight and checks his pupil reactions carefully.
Mark (quietly):
That hurt?
Doug (nods his head):
A little
Mark:
OK, just follow the light, OK?
(Doug's eyes follow the directions Mark takes the light with no trouble)
(Marks nods, satisfied)
OK, looks like a mild concussion. Your reflexes there are a little dull. Let's
check out this scrape on your chin...
(Mark looks close and the scrapes on the skin, inspecting them carefully)
Do you know what you scraped that on?
Doug (nods):
The pavement, I think. Or the wall. I can't really be sure.
Mark (still looking at it):
Well, it's not really deep. Won't need any stitches. You probably got the
concussion the same time you got this...did the bang your head?
Doug (shrugs):
They did...or I did...I don't remember.
Mark (surprised):
They? So, then, there was more than one? (Doug doesn't answer...only gives
him a cold glare indicating he doesn't want to discuss it)
(Mark soaks a bandage with purple betadine liquid and turns back to Doug):
This is gonna sting.
Doug nods that he understands and Mark tapes the bandage to his chin. Doug winces, and sucks in
his breath, but, says nothing.
Mark (reaches for Doug's lower lip):
Let's take a look at this...
Mark peels the lip down to look in Doug's mouth. The lip is purple and very swollen with bite
marks on the inside. Mark winces and shakes his head.
Mark (quietly):
That's gonna need some stitches, Bud. Did you bite it yourself?
Doug (shakes his head):
I don't even remember it. I knew it was bleeding but I didn't know it was bitten.
Mark (nods):
Let me get a better look...I'll be able to tell which side the bite came from.
Mark pulls the skin further and gets a deeper look at the bite. Doug grips the table and closes his
eyes to the pain as it ripples through his mouth and into his head. Mark's examination is short and
he releases the lip in a matter of second, reaching for a syringe off the tray beside him.
Mark (assuringly):
You bit it Most likely when you scraped your chin. It's OK. Just needs a couple
of stitches to close it. (holds the syringe up for Doug to see) OK?
Doug nods slowly that it is OK. Mark pulls the lip down again and inserts the needle into it. Doug
closes his eyes, grips the table, and sucks in his breath. Mark repositions the needle a couple of
times to deaden the working area. By the time he takes the needle out, Doug has an anguished look
on his face, but, still says nothing.
Mark (taps Doug's lip gently):
Feel that? (Doug shakes his head) OK, then...
Mark reaches for the tray and begins to sew Doug's lip up carefully. It only takes 3 or 4 stitches to
close it. Just as Mark returns his material to the tray, the door to the trauma unit bangs open. Cut to
show Carol standing in the doorway. She enters the room and closes the door behind her quickly.
She takes one look at Doug and her face registers a look of shock.
Carol (walking quickly towards Doug):
My, God! What happened to you?
Doug (sheepishly):
Got in a fight...
Mark (quietly):
OK, now that Carol is here and you only have to tell this story one time, you
want to tell me what happened?
Doug (shrugs):
I got jumped. That's about all there is to it. I was in the wrong place at the
wrong time, and I got jumped.
Carol:
Jumped? You mean you were mugged?
Doug (shakes his head...eyes her very carefully):
Not mugged...
Carol (gathering his meaning):
Assaulted? (she is frightened by this, but, doesn't want to alarm Doug) Were
you raped?
Doug (looks away from both of them):
I don't know...I know I was violated...I just don't know by what.
Mark (pats his shoulder):
So, let's find out, OK?
(Doug nods carefully. He looks at Mark briefly, then looks away again)
Carol, I'm gonna need the black light and I need you to keep him from moving
as much as possible.
Carol (nods):
Right away!
Mark (softly, touches Doug's shoulder gently):
Can you lie on your stomach?
Doug (nods, starts trying to turn himself over with his arms):
I think so...
Mark (offers him a hand to help him turn but Doug resists it):
If you have any pain once you're on your stomach, let me know, OK?
Doug (nods):
OK.
(Doug makes a successful turn and lies flat against the table on his stomach)
OK. No pain. I'm fine.
Carol returns with the black light and helps Mark set up the table with a drape over Doug's back.
Mark (soothing tone):
OK, Doug, I know this is going to be very hard for you, but, the most important
thing for you to do right now is try to relax, OK? Put your hands up over your
head and hang onto those restraints if you need them, OK? But, the less
movement I have to deal with the sooner we'll get this over, OK?
Doug (nods carefully, eyes closed):
OK. You better give me a bedpan just in case I get sick.
Carol (snatches bedpan quickly off a nearby table and places it beside Doug):
I got it.
Mark (takes out rubber surgical gloves):
OK, Doug, I'm going to do a manual check first, OK? And then I'll do the
probe, OK?
Doug (closes his eyes...his voice cracks with fear and emotion):
OK.
Focus on Mark as he snaps the rubber gloves onto his hands. At the snap, cut back to show Doug
jump when he hears them snap. He reaches for the restraints and clutches them tightly in his fisted
hands.
Mark (speaks softly and slowly):
Just gotta get you out of these Dockers first, Buddy, OK?
Mark reaches under the drape to undo Doug's Dockers and remove them. At the instant Mark's
hands make contact with his body, Doug stiffens. He clutches the restraints tighter and closes his
eyes tight. Mark tugs the Dockers away and reaches them to Carol.
****Visual Note: Nothing is seen by the watching audience...everything is
"insinuated" by camera angles...with most of the attention being focused on
Doug's reactions...****
Mark (soothing tone):
You OK, Doug? Ready for me to continue?
Doug
(quietly):
Yeah, get it over with.
Carol silently shows Mark blood on the inside of Doug's Dockers before she puts them on the
table. Mark nods quietly that he sees it and continues to work. The work is all done under the
cover of the drape, but, the exam is an ordeal for Doug. Although he does not say anything, his
reactions are to jump or jerk on several occasions...he battles heavily to keep his emotions in check
and not release them. Mark keeps a careful eye on him. Carol stands close beside Doug, gently
rubbing his back and trying to soothe him the best way she can.
Mark (both hands out from under the drape now):
OK, Doug, you're looking real good right now, OK, Buddy? You OK?
Doug (voices chokes in his throat):
Yeah, I'm OK.
Mark (takes the scope off the tray):
Now, I'm gonna do the scope, OK? You ready for this?
Doug (nods):
I think so.
Mark (starts under the drape with the scope):
OK, if the pain gets too intense, or if you feel too much pressure, you say so,
and I'll quit, OK?
Doug (nods again):
OK.
Under the cover of the drape, Mark inserts the probe and begins his internal exam. Cut to show
Doug as he struggled hard with his emotions. Finally, he drops his head face down onto the table
and lets out a groan...not a sob...but a groan.
Cut to show Carol, standing beside Doug, gently rubbing his back and trying to be of some comfort to him. Ad libs of "easy"..."I know it hurts"...and "hang in there just a little longer" come from her lips. Her eyes are full of tears but she doesn't allow them to fall. She looks at Mark with a sympathetic look for Doug. Mark gives her a nod that the exam is "almost over".
Soon enough, Mark removes the probe and reaches back for the tray.
Mark (softly):
Almost over, Doug. Just one more step...
Doug (groans into the table):
The swab, right?
Mark (looks at Carol with a sad smile):
You gonna be OK?
Doug (nods into the table):
Yeah, get it done, OK? I'm gonna be sick...
Mark:
It's OK if you're sick. That's what the bedpan is for. Don't hold back, OK? It's
OK...
Mark takes a long swab and douses it with medicine and takes it under the drape. When the swab
makes contact with Doug, he grapples for the restraints and holds them tight, fighting just slightly
against the onset of the pain. Finally, he places his face into the bedpan and begins to vomit.
Mark removes the swab and peels off his rubber gloves. He gives Carol a nodding look. Carol
stokes Doug's hair gently and carefully, letting him compose himself from the violent onset of
sickness. Once composed, Doug rolls over very carefully and pulls the sheet up over himself.
Mark (softly, standing beside the table):
Well, the good news is that no sperm is present. So, it wasn't a true rape. Just a
physical assault...probably a mop handle or something like that. So, I won't
need to take a blood test. You aren't in any danger...
Doug (leans his head back onto the table VERY relieved):
Thank God!
Mark:
When did you have your last tetanus shot?
Doug (groans a bit, but is OK):
You gave it to me, remember? Couple of years back...after the cuts from the
storm drain?
Mark (nods):
Yeah! Right! OK, you won't need another one.
(starts to feel Doug's ribcage gently, but, Doug pushes his hands back) I
just wanted to see if you're hurt anyplace else, OK? (Doug nods that he is
sorry and that he understands and motions Mark to continue) Do you feel
anything moving around? Get kicked? Or anything like that?
Doug (Shakes his head):
No. I'm fine. Really.
Mark (disbands the exam):
I'd like you to stay here tonight, but, I'm sure you won't want to. And I can let
you go home provided you let Carol go with you. Or you go home with her. I
don't want you to be alone tonight...
Doug (scoffs):
I'll be fine...
Mark (sternly):
I'm the doctor right now, OK? You're my patient. And you're not just any
patient, you're also my friend. I'm not taking any chances with you. I'm asking
you to please do this my way tonight, OK?
Doug (nods with a sheepish smile):
OK. (looks at Carol carefully): Can I stay with you?
Carol (nods with a smile):
Sure. We'll stop by your apartment and get a few things for the night, OK?
(Doug nods quietly, smiles a smile that says 'thanks' at her)
Mark (nods):
Good. I got that much settled. OK, I also want you to consider some
counseling to help you deal with this...either go back to Raypert, or I'm sure I
can set you up with Nina...
Doug (cuts in quickly):
I don't need counseling. I can get through this on my own.
Mark (nods):
Well, OK. I'll let you do it your way for now. Sometimes, that will work. But,
I'm gonna be watching you, and if I see any signs of stress or anything else
connected to the trauma of this, then I will no longer suggest counseling, I will
insist on it. Understood? (Doug nods that he understands) The only other thing
I suggest is either a liquid diet or very soft foods for a couple of days until you
start healing. (again, Doug nods in understanding) OK, then. I'll leave you alone
to get dressed and I'll see you later, OK? If you need anything, anything at all, at
anytime, you just call me, OK? Because it's really not a problem.
Doug (quietly):
Thanks, Mark.
Mark (starts for the door):
No problem. Try and get some rest. Do you want a couple of sleeping
pills?
Doug (shakes his head):
No, I'll be OK.
Mark (nods):
OK, Buddy. Take it easy.
Mark leaves the room and Doug slides to the edge of the table carefully. He winces against the
pain, but that's all the emotion he allows. Carol starts to hand him his Dockers so he can get
dressed and just as she reaches them to him, something falls out of the pocket and clunks to the
floor.
Carol (reaching down):
I'll get it!
Doug (realizes what has fallen and tries to beat her to it but can't):
No, I'll get it!
Carol reaches under the table and picks up the diamond engagement ring off the floor. She stands
up with it in her hand and looks at Doug in total awe.
Doug (quietly....looks at his feet):
I was gonna give you that at Carlucci's tonight....maybe all this was a bad
omen...
Carol (hand shaking as she picks up the ring):
Does that mean you don't want to give it to me now?
Doug (looks at her...pain in his eyes):
This wasn't the way I had it all planned...
Carol (moves closer to the table to him):
You love me, right? You want to marry me? That's what this ring means?
Doug (nods):
Yeah...
Carol (looks him in the eye...holds the ring in front of his face):
Then the answer is yes, Doug. I'll marry you.
Doug (scoffs):
Not like this...
Carol:
Not like what? Don't you still love me? Does this change how you feel about
me?
Doug (looks into her eyes, his eyes brim with tears that do not fall):
No.
Carol (smiles slightly at him):
It doesn't change how I feel about you, either. I'll help you get through this,
Doug. For the first time in my life, somebody needs ME. Please let me be there
for you. (Doug gives her a helpless look and a shrug of his shoulders. He looks
away from her. Carol smiles and lifts his chin to look her in the eyes) I would
have said yes at Carlucci's too.
Doug doesn't answer...just reaches out and wraps his arms around her and buries his head on her
shoulders...
Fade Act Two to black...