Early Edition (1996–2000): Season 3, Episode 5 - Saint Nick - full transcript

Funny thing, even when you're
chasing tomorrow's news today,

you still bump into people
when you least expect it.

Wait, stop!

Ah!

You okay?
- Yeah, I think so.

Thank you.
- I'm sorry, I got distracted.

Excuse me.

Why, uh... You're welcome.
I'm glad you're alright.

Yeah.

[Theme Song Playing]

What if you knew beyond a doubt
what was going to happen tomorrow?



What would you do?

There is no easy answer for a guy
who gets tomorrow's news today.

[Theme Song Playing].

Good morning, Chicago.
Time to rise and shine.

It's 6.30 A.M. and here's
your morning news.

Our top story, the city council meets today
to consider the mayor's budget...

[Cat meows]

Faulty scaffolding?

Guy falls four stories and... splat.

Kidding me?
- Well, I'm just kidding.

Hey! Hey, Henry.
- Hey, buddy.

Are you ready for some
multiplication tables, Henry?

Uh, I think so.

Alright, let's see.



But I have to warn you...

Morning.

Morning.

Had a rough night, did you?

Not exactly.

What? Did you want something?

Hmm?
- Yeah, did you want something?

Me?

Oh, no, no, no.

Eight times six?
- Forty-eight.

Eight times seven?
- Fifty-six.

Hey, come on, Gary.

Hey, Henry, what time did
your mom get in last night?

Mmm, I don't know.

You know, ten, eleven.

We're trying to work here, Gary.

[SIGH]

I was asleep.

She didn't, by chance,
say what she was doing?

I don't know.

I had a sitter.

Don't you have to be somewhere?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

She didn't, uh... She didn't
say where she was going?

Painting, scaffolding, splat.

Yeah.

Alright, well, let's, uh...

You guys have a...

Mmm... What's with him?
- I don't know.

Hey! Hey!

Oh, boy.

Hey, pal.

Hey! Hey!

Hey!

Hey!
- Hey!

What are you doing?
You can't be out here.

The scaffolding, huh?

The scaffolding.
- Wait, what?

The scaffolding's gonna collapse.

This scaffolding? Yeah,
how do you know that?

Because I'm an expert.
- Oh, an expert at what?

I'm an expert on
scaffolding. Now, come on.

Oh, my God.
- All right, come on.

All right.
- Don't, don't panic.

Don't panic much, Frank.

Just get inside, would you?
- Alright.

Hey, how do you know my name?
- I just know your name.

Get inside, would you?

Oh, man.

Oh!

Ahh!

No!

Oh, my God.

This isn't my day.

I'm coming through.
Come on, baby.

No!

Hey, are you okay?

Oh, my God.

That was awesome.

Right place, right time.
- Hey, I know you.

You were on "60 Minutes."
- Nick Sterling, right?

Remember, Tonique?
Nick Sterling?

Oh, my God, the dreamy doctor.

That was months
ago. Nick Sterling?

You know what's "60 Minutes"?

He travels all over
the world helping kids.

And he knows all these
really famous people

and, like, flies his own plane
and has his own company.

And he's single.

Ladies, this man
needs medical attention.

No, I'm fine.

Oh, can we get a picture, Nick?

Oh, I don't know...

Oh, I don't... Please,
would you get one?

Come here.

Oh, you have to
push that button.

Say "cheese."

Cheese!

Thanks.

You got paint on it.

Thanks, Nick.
- Okay, you're welcome.

Take care, ladies.

You're welcome.
- Sorry about that.

Here, here.

How you doing?

I'm fine.
- In one piece.

Gary Hobbs,
- Nick Sterling.

Here, let me take a look at that leg.
- No, no, it's fine.

Come on, just sit right over here.
- Why?

I really am a doctor, you know.

Pediatric orthopedics?

Don't worry, same
principles apply to grown-ups.

You just don't get a
lollipop afterwards.

Here, flex your ankle for me.

Up and down.

Good, good.

One World Incorporated?

My company. We specialize in building
hospitals in third-world countries.

Does this hurt?
- No.

Good.
- Well, you're lucky.

Here, nothing
seems to be broken.

International
medical consulting?

Ah... I travel a bit.

What do you do, Gary?
- Me?

Oh, well, I don't...
Well, actually, I do a lot.

Didn't I see you at the
movies last night by chance?

If you were at the Truffaut
Festival, you like Truffaut?

Yeah, I do with my dessert.

I'll have to remember that one.

That's good, Truffaut.

Yeah, didn't I see you
with Erica Badgett?

You know Erica?

Well, she works for me.

Gary Hobson, of course.

She told me all about you.

She did?
- Yeah!

Yeah, how you saved her son, gave her
a job, basically turned her life around.

You're a hell of a guy.

How long have you two...
- Oh, ah...

Well, we actually met in
grammar school down in Galena.

I was in the fifth grade,
she was in the third.

I tried to kiss her
during the fire drill,

and she gave
me a bloody nose.

Good right hand.

So how long have you two...

My family moved to
Chicago the next year,

and I hadn't seen her since,
not until three days ago.

It was just a chance
meeting on a street corner.

You know, kismet.

I never really forgot about Erica.

Now... I can't keep
my mind off of her.

Hey, I'm not intruding.

Am I stepping on
any prior claims?

No, no, no claims, no.

Good, 'cause if there were,
I'd have to fight you for it.

Just kidding.

[laughing]

Ah, well, I really
should get going.

Okay. Oh, listen,
take care of that leg.

you know.
- Ah?

Breast, ice,
compression, elevation.

R.I.C.E, R.I.C.E.
Nice, R.I.C.E.

Yeah, it's okay,
then. Take care.

Nice guy.

What a jerk.
- Gary, I can't believe you.

A man tries to save your life, and
all you can do is complain about it?

I could have survived that fall.

A few broken bones
and a concussion.

All he was trying
to do was help.

Nobody asked him to help.

What's gotten into you?

You know what's gotten into me? I
don't like the little act that he plays.

"You know, I travel a little bit."

"I hope I'm not intruding."

Are you Jealous?

Jealous? Jealous of Nick Sterling?

Nick, Nick Sterling.
Who has a name like Nick?

Nobody has a name
like Nick Sterling.

And something else,
I'll tell you, I think

I think his teeth are capped
very badly, I might add.

Who are we talking
about? - Nobody. - Nick Sterling.

The Nick Sterling?
- Mm-hmm. You know him, Patrick?

Are you kidding? I have his CD.

No, you don't have his CD, because
he's not a singer. He's a doctor.

Yeah, right. Exactly.

Dr. Nick Sterling.
Yeah, he's a kid's doctor

who made this CD for
Greenpeace last year.

"Swimming with the Dolphins."

What?
- Yeah.

He actually went into the ocean
and sang with these dolphins.

He's got these old Beatles tunes.

You have to use your
imagination, but you

definitely can hear
Strawberry Fields in there.

(singing)

Now I know why
that sounds familiar.

Nick Sterling. He does the
reading for the Blind Books.

I heard him do a recording of
"The Prophet" by Cahille Cabran.

Stop that, would you?
- Hey, Gary,

is it okay if I leave
a little early tonight?

Hubba, hubba. Excuse me?

Well, um, I mean, uh, you
look nice, Miss Padgett.

Wow. Ooh, hot city.

Fly me to the moon.
- Patrick, we get the point.

You're going on a date?

Kind of, but Patrick
said he'd cover it for me.

I said no one told me about it.
- I said it was okay, Gary.

Oh, great. It's just nice to know
what goes on in your own bar.

Well, if it's a problem,
I could cancel.

No, no, not at all.
- Erica.

Hi.
- Hi.

You look beautiful tonight.

Hey, Gary. How's the leg doing?

Nick, hi. I'm fine.

You guys know
each other? - Oh, yeah.

We're old friends.
- Wow.

Nick Sterling.

Oh, this is such a coincidence.

We were just talking about you
a second ago. I can't believe this.

One minute I'm singing your
album, the next minute... - Uh, Nick,

this is Patrick Quinn, the bartender,
and this is Marissa. Patrick. Marissa.

It's a pleasure.
- Likewise.

Well, listen, we should get going.
- Okay. Good night.

Good night.
It was nice meeting you. - Uh, wait.

Uh, Dr. Sterling, do you think
that you could autograph my suit?

Oh, sure. Happy to.

Oh, and it's Nick.

Okay, Nick.

Oh, you know, the next time
you're out with those dolphins,

maybe you could get
them to do a Stones tune.

You know, brown
sugar, satisfaction.

I'll give it a try.
- Okay. - There you go.

Good night. Bye-bye. Good night.
- Good night.

Ooh, I can't believe
it. He signed my CD.

Yeah, well, I'm sure he probably
doesn't get too many requests.

To Patrick, friend of
the planet, Nick Sterling.

Wow.
[laughs]

What a guy.

The 88 Brunello di
Molto Cino, please.

If that's okay with you.

That's fine.
Thank you.

I used to come here all the time.

What happened?

Traveling too much.

Next week I'm doing Beijing.

And then it's off to Africa
for Doctors Without Borders.

When do you have
time for yourself?

I didn't think I needed any.

Till now.

Erica says we need
some new house wines.

I have a list here if
you want to look at it.

You know, I can put on suits.
I can go to fancy restaurants.

But I've got
responsibilities. I've got this.

You know, building hospitals
and swimming with dolphins.

That may impress some people.
Let me tell you something.

We can do this another time.

No, we can't, because
I don't have time.

Time's the one thing I
do not have, Marissa.

Because in 20 minutes, you know
what? I've got to be somewhere.

I've got to be at
Giancarlo's over on Dearborn

to stop somebody from
getting food poisoning

from a bad batch
of seafood ravioli.

Unless, of course, someone gets
over there to stop it before I do.

Which you know what
that means, don't you?

Gary, have you ever
told her how you feel?

Tell who what?

Gary.

Well, look at the time.

You know, let me
tell you something.

This may not make 60
minutes, but it's a living.

I mean, it's not a living.

And who do I have
to talk to about it, huh?

I've got a cat.

Goodbye.

Oh, boy.

More coffee?
- More coffee?

What's this?

A little dessert.

Open it.

Oh, Nick.

The emerald was a gift from
the Peruvian government.

I had the setting made yesterday.

I can't accept this.

You have to. That'd look
pretty silly in a necklace.

I don't know what to say.

Don't say anything.

Erica,

people look at me
and say, "Nick Sterling,

there goes a guy
who has everything."

And I used to
believe it myself, but...

it's not true.

Something's missing.

Some one is missing.

Erica.
- Give me that!

What are you doing?

What do you mean?
- The Ravioli, it's bad.

You're crazy!

Give me the ravioli!
- Gary?

Hello, Erica.

I'm gonna kill you.
You're going to die!

Oh, my God, that
woman's choking to death.

I'm gonna break your neck.

Excuse me, excuse me, I'm a doctor.

Thank you.

Giancarlo.

Yes, Mr. Nick?

I'm afraid someone sold
you some tainted crab.

No.

Scambrotoxin poisoning,
no doubt about it.

If I had served that...
how can I thank you?

Dinner on the house, and a
bottle of champagne for Mr. Nick.

Thank you, that's very generous.
- But you,

I'm gonna call the police.
- No, no, no,

that's not necessary.

I'm sure that Mr. Hobson
was only trying to help.

You know this man?

He's a friend of mine.
- In that case, no police.

But you better watch this one, Nick.
- Okay.

Gary, what a coincidence.
- Yeah, isn't it?

Well, I just happen to
be in the neighborhood.

We should get going.

Oh, right, we don't
want to miss the overture.

Hey, Gary, why don't you join us?

Uh, I don't think opera
is Gary's kind of music.

Opera?
- It's a Verde.

Oh, a Verde.

Yeah, I like them.

Too bad you're
not dressed for it.

No, it won't matter, we're in a
private box, no one will even see.

Yeah, that doesn't matter, it's a
private box, no one will even see me.

All right, then it's
settled, let's go.

Sorry.

Oh, my fault.

Hey.

What's wrong? I think he has
something in his eye or something.

He's crying.

Hey.

What's he crying about?

Because she's dying.

She's singing, I'm dying.

Will you excuse us one moment?

Why are you leaving so soon?
- Come on!

What do you think you're doing?
- Huh?

You trying to ruin my evening?
- No.

You know, I really want
you to just stop following me.

Follow you?
- Yeah,

Nick told me that you saw
us at the movies last night.

Oh, but that was coincidental.
- And then you follow us to the restaurant.

Yeah, well, I can honestly say I did
not know you were at the restaurant.

Oh, okay, then what
were you doing?

Well, I'll tell you what
I was doing there.

I happen to have a friend who's a
food distributor, a seafood distributor,

and he thought he delivered
some bad food to Giancarlo's.

So as a friend, as a friend

I said, "I will go and I will
explain this to Giancarlo for you."

That is the stupidest
thing I've ever heard.

Then you tell me, what
was I doing at the restaurant?

I don't know, but you've
been acting weird lately.

I've been acting weird? What
about your friend in there?

He's about to bawl his eyes out
over some woman about to bust a gut.

Because he's sensitive.
- Oh, he's sensitive.

Just because you're jealous
doesn't mean that you can just...

What would I be jealous of?

I don't know, Gary.
- Oh!

I don't want to talk about this anymore.
- You know what I hate to see?

I hate to see one of my employees
make a fool - I wanna enjoy myself.

out of herself over some schoolgirl crush.
- I'm gonna go back in there,

That's what I don't like to see.
- And I want you to stay out here!

Good night.
- Good night.

Thanks for the tip.
- Bye-bye.

How do I get out of here?

This is all your fault.

You see, now you've got
me talking to newspapers.

What am I talking to you for?

[Cat meows]

Did you have a good day today?

It's time for our weekly
local hero segment.

Tonight reporter Chita
Rodriguez catches up with

one of Chicago's favorite
sons, Dr. Nick Sterling.

Dr. Nick Sterling, pediatric orthopedist
and globe-trotting humanitarian,

dropped in on his hometown
this week for a very special reason.

We're in the new Mission
of Mercy Children's Hospital,

the product of six years of
effort by the Sterling Foundation.

Tell us about it, Nick.

Pleasure, Chita.
- Thank you, Tina.

It's long been my dream
to create a world-class

research and treatment
facility here in Chicago

where children can receive the finest
medical care at a reasonable cost.

And the gala opening is tomorrow night?

That's right, and that'll
give me the opportunity

to thank the hundreds
of committed physicians

and contributors who
created this dream.

This is far from over.

Don't you ever shut up.

Thank you. This
is Chita Rodriguez

signing off WBBM Channel 2.

[Cat meows]

What are you looking at?

Morning.

Can I talk to you?

About last night.

I, uh...

I'm just a little stressed, that's all.

So...
- Oh, I didn't mean to...

I mean, you being at
the restaurant, I know

that that was just
a coincidence.

And, uh, I just took
it the wrong way.

Oh, right.

And you're not jealous of Nick.

I mean, you guys
are friends, right? - Right.

But what you said about me
making a fool out of myself...

No, way out of line.

Yeah, yeah.

I know, you're just... You're
looking out for me. I appreciate that.

Right.
- You don't want me to get hurt, right?

Yeah.
- Yeah, so...

I'm sorry.Um, there's just a
lot going on right now. I'm sorry.

But maybe we could
put all that behind us?

Done.
- Okay, great.

Friends?

Friends.
- All right.

Thanks.

You're never gonna believe this.

Guess whose hospital's
gonna burn down tonight.

Oh, no.
- Yeah, that's right, Nick Sterling's.

Patron Saint of the whole planet
Earth, the entire universe, huh?

Don't get angry.
- No, I'm not angry.

Why do you say I'm
angry? 'Cause I'm not angry.

What happened last night?

What happened last
night? Oh, nothing.

Nothing. So what are you
gonna do about the fire?

What am I gonna do about the
fire? Well, it says right here that

it appeared to be
an electrical fire,

but it spread so fast it may be days
before the exact cause is determined.

And guess who dies
trying to be the hero?

Saint Nick.

You're gonna
stop the fire, right?

Oh, I don't know. I
gotta think about it.

Gary!
- Well, of course I'm gonna stop the fire.

You are angry.
- I'm not angry.

Would you quit saying I'm angry?
- All right, you're angry.

Maybe I am angry a little bit.

Yeah.

All right.

Hey, Gary!

What happened to you last night?

I had something
come up at the bar.

Oh, you missed
a great third act.

Hey, you know Aaron Williams from
the Seattle Supersonics, don't you?

He's in town for a game.

This is Gary Hobson.

Hey, how's it going?
- Nice to meet you.

Pretty good. Hey, I gotta run.

Thanks for the lesson.
- All right, hey, remember,

release point, all right?
- All right, got it. Take it easy.

You give Aaron Williams lessons?
- Oh, yeah.

You know, as an orthopedist,
sometimes I see things.

Hey, you play?

No, actually, I needed to talk to you.

I need to talk to you
about the party tonight

because I think there
might be a problem.

What kind of problem?

Well, a fire hazard
kind of problem, actually.

What are you talking about?

Well, you see, I've got a friend
who worked on the building.

And he seems to think that there could
be a problem with the electrical system.

Electrical system?

Yes.

Well, let's go
check it out, huh?

Everything's state of the art.

Smoke detectors, sprinkler
system, see, everything's in the green.

All checked out and certified.

That's great.

So, you coming tonight?
- Huh?

To the opening.

I sent you an invitation
by messenger.

Oh, well, I've been out all day.

Gary, you gotta come. Everyone
in Chicago's gonna be there.

Well... Yeah, 7:30.

Huh?
- Oh, and it's gonna be black tie.

That won't be a problem, what?

No.
- All right, great. I'll see you then.

Ouch.
- Hold still.

Okay.

How do I look?

Hubba hubba.

You gotta stop
hanging out with Patrick.

Aren't you gonna
be late tonight?

Yes, but...

Patrick's going to take you home.

And Miss Harwood
is going to babysit.

Hmm.

Henry... You like, uh...

You like Nick, don't you?

Nick? He's great.

Yeah, he's a good guy, huh?

He's like Bruce Wayne,
except without the secret identity.

What about Gary?

Gary? He's more like Archie in
the comics. Archie and Jughead.

And you? You look like
Cinderella going to the ball.

Oh, then who is my prince?

I don't know.

You are.

Does that mean I
can go to the party? - Nope.

Rats.

Ow.

Hold still.

I hate these things.

Well, apparently they're
not too fond of you either.

Does this look stupid?

How am I supposed
to know that, Gary?

How am I supposed to stop a fire
when I don't know where or why it starts?

Well, you'll think of something.

I guess he's not that bad.

Who, Nick?

Yeah.

He's a little impossible
to be in a room

with every once in a
while, but he's alright.

Permission to speak without
having my head bit off?

Nick is not the problem, Gary.

Cheetah Rodriguez live
at the hottest party in town.

The Black Tie Gala opening of the
Mission of Mercy Children's Hospital.

Let me tell you, the
stars are out tonight.

Gene Siskel and Roger
Eber just went inside.

Mayor Daley arrived
earlier, as did Senator

Carol Moseley Braun and
Senator Richard Durbin.

Moments ago, the man
of the hour, Nick Sterling,

the visionary behind
Mission of Mercy, pulled up.

This is our burn unit, and it's
specially suited to pediatric needs.

We have some of the finest specialists
in the country working right here.

Gary!

Glad you could make it.

Nick, he invited me.

Oh, I know. Here,
tie his cricket.

You look handsome.

You look very nice, too.

Thank you.
- Come on, guys, we're going to see the MRI facility.

You want to come?
- You go ahead.

I've got to...
- Check out the seafood ravioli?

Yeah.
- Okay.

What's the holdup
on that Espresso?

Ah, someone
forgot to plug it in.

It'll be a couple of minutes.

[electricity crackling]

[electricity crackling]

It's still here.

Time's up.

What are you doing?

There's going to be a fire.
- Where?

Well, see, that's just the
thing. I don't know where,

but I do, I smell smoke.

You are jealous.
- Huh?

Do you have any idea how
much this evening means to Nick?

I mean, how could you just go
and destroy something like that?

Look, Erica, all I'm
trying to do is help.

You know what's
wrong about you, Gary?

You're not weird. You're sick.

You throw that alarm,
and I quit. I guarantee it.

[music]

I want to thank everyone here, everyone
who helped make this dream possible.

Mr. Mayor, Madam Senator,

let me start with you.

Without the backing
of this city and this

great state, we never
could have broken ground.

Thank you.

[applause]

Nick's going to propose.
This afternoon at Olive Park.

And what does she say?
- Oh, she, she accepts.

What are you gonna do?

I'm gonna find out
where they're registered.

Oh, come on, Gary.

What do you mean what am I
gonna do? It's none of my business.

None of your business?

Miss Berka wants to
marry Mr. Perfect. That has

everything to do with her.
It has nothing to do with me.

Oh, I see.

Gary, how long have
we known each other?

About five years.
- And we're good friends, right?

Yeah.
- Business partners, too? - Yeah.

Okay. So I want you
to listen very carefully

to what I'm about to say.

Are you listening?

You're being a horse's ass.

Excuse me?

You want that girl?
You go after her.

I'm sick and tired of listening to you
drag your sorry butt all over the place,

whining and moaning about Nick Sterling
when the real problem is Gary Hobson.

So you got a divorce. So
your ex-wife broke your heart.

So your life will
never be the same.

So what? Get over it.

Pick yourself up,
and you go after her.

Go get her.

You through?

Yeah.

Remember Melanie?
- Of course I do.

Hello, beautiful.

I fixed her leg last year.
- Oh.

He's the best doctor
in the entire world. - I know.

Guy needs his own area code.

[Phone ringing] Oh. Excuse me.

Nick Sterling. Oh, yeah. Thanks.

Nick, listen, before you say
anything, this is Gary Hobson.

I just want to tell
you that... ,

Well I'm sorry about
taking off last night.

I guess I should apologize for
the last couple of days because...

Well, the fact of the matter
is I've been a little jealous.

Not of you, mind you, but of...

Well, Erica and the
way she feels about you.

Well, she's great, and
she deserves the very best.

And I never told her
how I felt because I...

Well, I guess I never
really figured out how I felt.

So... Well, it took someone like you
to come along to make me see things.

It's a little bit late
for all this right now,

so I just want to say
you're a great guy,

and I can understand why she
feels the way she does about you.

And all the best of luck to
you, and, uh... Well, that's that.

Okay, bye.
- Bye-bye.

Sorry about that.
Who's on the phone?

I don't know.

Shall we?
- Sure.

I wonder what
everybody's looking at.

There's something up
there you should see.

- Erica, will you marry me? -

Oh. Ha-ha. Who's Erica?

I don't know.

What do you say?

Will you marry me, Erica?

Anybody home?

What are you... You're not supposed...
You're supposed to be over at the, uh...

You've got to stop this
stuttering thing. It's cute.

I just came to pick up
the weekend receipts.

What about the proposal?

Proposal? What proposal?

The proposal.
The blimp proposal.

How do you know about the blimp?

Oh, well, uh...

Well, over at the park, I
got this, uh... - This friend?

I got this friend over at the park, and he
saw the blimp. Everyone saw the blimp.

I said no.

You said no to Nick Sterling?

Yeah.

Nick's a great guy, but I don't
think I'd be comfortable in his world.

You know? He's more like
Bruce Wayne or something, and...

I'm not really looking
for Bruce Wayne.

I'm looking for someone
more like Archie.

Uh, Archie?

Yeah. Archie and Jughead.

Oh, wow. Yeah,
Archie and Jughead.

Yeah, just a regular guy who's
not out to save the world every day.

Yeah, right.

So, um...

I'll see you in the morning.

Uh, yeah.

Good night.

Good night.

See you in the morning.