Emergency! (1972–1979): Season 2, Episode 17 - Honest - full transcript

A gas explosion results from a white lie, prompting Johnny to go on an honesty kick. At the hospital, doctors work to save a boy who is inexplicably choking to death. In the field, the paramedics rescue a teenage boy injured in a dive off a roof, and a baby and his blind grandfather trapped in a burning house.

[Alarm Blares ]

[ Dispatcher] Station 51.

Engine 28, Engine
56. Fire and explosion.

210 North Moorpark.

Cross street Mollus.
Time out 0850.

[Stanley] KMG-365.

[Sirens Blaring ]

[ Horn Honks ]

All right, what happened?
Kitchen blew up.

Gas oven, I guess. They
were remodeling the house.

Best way to get to it is
around the back. Yeah.



Tried the living room,
but it was locked.

It's terrible in there. You can't even
see in there, but the gas is still hissing.

All right, get the reel
line around in back, huh?

Is there anyone in there?
Yeah, there's two people.

Newlyweds— Martin
Noble and Leslie Noble.

The rest of you, please
stay back here, all right?

The place could go up again,
all right? Please. You go first.

You better stay back out in the
street with everybody else. Right.

[ Gas Hissing ]

Here's somebody, Cap. Yeah,
see what you can do for him.

I'll try to plug the
gas line. All right.

Here's the other one.

Where does it hurt?

Hmm? Doesn't hurt.



Just my ears ringing.
Your ears are ringing?

- Well, what happened?
- Her fault.

- Hmm?
- Where's my wife?

- Your wife?
- E-Easy now. Don't try to talk.

Martin? Martin? I don't know.

I don't know how
long it had been on.

Maybe 10 minutes. Maybe 20.

So I forgot it. I mean, so
everybody makes mistakes.

I- He was yelling so loud I
didn't know what I was doing.

All right. Now you save your
energy for getting better, okay?

I'm going to need my
energy to go see my lawyer.

I thought you two
just got married.

There's no law says that we
have to set an endurance record.

- Yeah.
- Is he all right?

Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think so.

Oh, good.

So I tell him a little white lie to spare
his delicate feelings, and what do I get?

'I tell you what I get.

I get my very own hydrogen
bomb, that's what I get.

Okay, you stay here,
and I'll be right back.

Lopez. Lopez!

See if you can locate the
main valve at the meter, will ya?

This connection is
ruptured, and I can't seal it.

We're getting more
seepage in here.

How are the victims?
Uh, not too serious.

- What you got?
- Cuts and bruises and singed eyebrows.

- Oh. Are you gonna need Rampart?
- I won't know until I get the vitals.

Okay. Well, I'll get the
biophone just in case. Al right.

Return assisting companies.
Station 51 out 20 minutes.

What were you arguing about?

All along...

she told me she loved my cigars.

She loved the aroma.

Then today, I overhear
her on the phone...

with her dear mother, saying,

“Yeah, they stink.”

When I married her, I thought she
was the most honest person in the world.

All right, just take it easy.

- Just take it easy.
- Take it easy?

How can I take it easy? You
know how much all this costs?

One lousy lie and the whole
house goes out the window.

Hmm. I'd say it was more
than just out the window.

[Leslie] Is that all you can
think of? We almost got killed.

- Is that you, hon?
- Yeah

- You all right?
- Uh-huh. I am. Are you?

Yeah, guess so.

I told the deputy to
cancel that ambulance.

All right. Now I suggest that you
see your family doctor, all right?

Yeah, okay. All right.

- Did you get that cut off yet?
- Yeah. Marco got it from underneath.

- What happened here anyway?
- A lovers' quarrel.

They forgot they'd
turned the oven on.

Boy. Times like this
I’m glad I'm single.

A-All right.

So she insulted
my two-dollar cigars.

That's not the point.
The point is she lied.

Oh.

I hope Martin will be all right.

You know, he got the
worst of it. How's that?

He didn't tell you?
No, I guess he wouldn't.

Tell me what?

Well, I might have left the gas
on, but I sure didn't touch it off.

What did cause the
explosion, Mrs. Noble?

Got a light?

[Siren Blaring ]

People. What about 'em?

Actually, I'm talking
about telling the truth.

Those two almost
killed each other...

And the whole neighborhood...

All because she
decided to lie to him.

She didn't exactly lie to him.

She just pretended to
love his cigars, that's all.

Well, she hated them, right?

Ah, she just tried to not
hurt his feelings, that's all.

If she'd told him the
truth in the beginning,

it wouldn't hurt near
as much as getting

themselves blown clear
through the wall, right?

Well, am— Am I
right or am I wrong?

Let's stop by Rampart,
pick up some supplies.

Besides, more damage
is done in this world...

by people who are afraid to
hurt other people's feelings.

It's just as simple
as that. Could be.

Hi, Jan. Hi, Johnny.

What you gotta be
is honest, you know?

Do you know why people
don't tell the truth? No. Why?

It's not because they're afraid to
hurt the other person's feelings.

They're just afraid if
they do tell the truth,

the other person won't
like 'em. No kidding.

It's their own feelings that they're
afraid for, not the other person's.

Hi. How are you? No kidding.

What do you need? A change of
subject. He's on an honesty kick.

That's a relief. what do
you mean, that's a relief?

She means it's about time.

How long has he been
like this? Half an hour.

Wait a minute. He was out playing
in the garage with his brother,

and all of a sudden
he couldn't breathe.

Has he been sick? No.

Has he had diphtheria? No.

Sore throat? The flu? No.

- Has he swallowed anything?
- Of course not.

- Dix, have you got a room available?
- We're setup in 4.

No. Bracket's in there
with a meningitis case.

- Let's try 1.
- No fever.

His dyspnea's severe though.

Could it be asthma? Surely
you can do something.

- We are doing something, Mrs. Epps.
- Well, you're not doing it very fast,

and whatever you're doing isn't
helping Roderick to breathe any better.

Caroline, find
Dr. Early for me, stat.

Set up for a tracheotomy
and I want a portable X-ray.

Dix, I can use you
inside. I need an airway.

Start him on O2. Cap him for a urinalysis
and make a complete work up on him.

[Woman on P.A. ] ...Outpatient
Area. Dr. Reed, Outpatient Area.

Dr. Jack, Treatment number 1.
Dr. Jack, Treatment Room number 1.

Hi, Mike. Got a problem?

Son's caught something
I can't find in the books.

You guys seen Kel? No.

Please tell me what's
the matter with my boy.

Yeah, is Dr. Brackett up there?
I've been waiting for half an hour.

Nobody's even bothered
to tell me anything.

The least you can do— Have him
call Dr. Morton the minute he's through.

My son can't breathe.
He started coughing...

Have you found out anything?
How is he? Why can't I see him?

Mike?

Joe's starting a trach. All right.
I'll be right in. Take these to him?

What's happening? Mrs. Epps,

your son is suffering a laryngotracheal
obstruction with hoarseness.

And severe dyspnea, and we don't
know why. But I thought if I got him...

- At the present time he's apneic.
- I don't know what that means.

That means he's choking to death,
and we don't know what's causing it.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

What did he say?

What did he say?

[ Screaming ] Roddy! Roddy,
what are they doing to you?

Hold it. Hold it. He's
choking to death!

[ Indistinct ]

[ Sobbing ]

Is he stable? Yeah.

Want to get that?
All right. Next.

Just—Take your time.

All right. Got it. Go ahead.

How's he doing? All right.

All right, let me have a
retractor. That's good.

Sponge.

Okay. All right.

Squad 51 available. [
Dispatcher] Squad 51.

Well, go ahead. Convince me...

Convince me that total
honesty is a good idea.

All right, look— I
understand perfectly.

Dr. Morton in there told that woman the
plain truth about her son choking to death,

- and you saw her reaction.
- She was hysterical.

- She's a normal mother.
- She was hysterical, Roy.

She wasn't until
Dr. Morton got a hold of her.

Look, you can't blame
Morton just because she

doesn't know how to
handle the truth, Roy.

What good did he do
her by being honest?

Is she any better off now
because she knows the truth?

I don't know. You tell me.

I mean, do you think she's better
off with a bunch of platitudes...

Thinking her son's gonna
be all right then, zap, he dies?

If you're holding up
Dr. Morton's bedside

manner as an example
of the beauty of truth,

then I think you're both nuts.

Now, “B” shift is Tuesday. I've
got the thing right in front of me.

Well, let me know today, will ya? If you
can't do it, I gotta find somebody else.

All right, I'll talk to you.

Hi, Roy. Hi, Chet.

Hi, John.

What's with him?

Unless he can tell you the absolute
truth, he doesn't open his mouth.

What's so dishonest
about saying “Hi"?

Well, maybe he doesn't
feel like saying “Hi.”

Well, he looks like he feels like saying
something. Go ahead, say something.

I don't expect
you to understand,

but when you condemn honesty
in someone— that's being ignorant.

We've finally got an honest man.

And when you make fun of
honesty, that's also being ignorant.

So I'm ignorant?
Quite frequently.

And you're honest? I'm tryin'.

You couldn't accept
total honesty, John.

Anything else
is for fools, Chet.

You wouldn't even want
the whole truth, John.

What are you talking about?

You know that nurse you date—
Jeanette or— Is that her name?

You know the one I mean. Yeah.

You know what she
thinks about you?

I mean, she wouldn't tell you what
she thinks about you, 'cause she's kind.

How do you know?
I know. She told me.

You don't even know her.
What are you talking about?

Every time she calls here for you,
I pick up the phone and talk to her.

We have conversations.

You— [Alarm Blares ]

[ Dispatcher] Squad
51, injury in a pool,

55760 West Penrose Blvd,

55760 West Penrose Blvd,

[Cross street
Ackerman. Timeout 112].

Station 51, 10-4. KMG-365.

[Siren Blaring ]

Oh. You got a minute,
Joe? Yeah. What for?

A doozy. Come on.

Oh, don't bother me, woman. I
have no energy to waste on you.

Waste on me?

You mean on your
ridiculous medical fantasies.

There's nothing fantastic
about an imminent heart attack.

Oh, heart attack my foot.

You're as sound as a block
of wood— Except in your head.

Now come on, Neil. Let's go
home while we can still afford it.

All you ever think
about is money.

What's the problem? He's dizzy,

- he says.
- Oh, shut up. I am not.

I feel that— I know that I’m
going to have a heart attack.

You see what I mean?
He's light-headed,

- Do you have any pain?
- Oh, plenty...

Not counting the
one she gives me.

I hurt right here, and all
the way down my left arm.

And lately I've had
shortness of breath,

and sometimes my throat is sore,
and lately I've been feeling very weak.

Lately means
since this morning...

Since he woke up and remembered
he turned 50 years old today...

The same age his father was
when he died of a heart attack.

Well, he did, and I will too. I
know it. It runs in the family.

That and a few
other peculiarities.

Just why do you think what happened
to your father's going to happen to you?

Well, I don't know.
All I know is, I hurt.

Lets set up for an
EKG. Oh, thank God.

- How much is that going to cost?
- What's his life worth to you, ma'am?

- I'm worth more dead to her.
- You shut up.

We're not going to get
into that argument here.

Let's not get into
any argument, okay?

Listen, uh, isn't that what
they call anniversary disease?

I mean, I've heard about
it, but I've never seen it.

I think you have now, Dix.

[Siren Blaring ]

Hurry up. We got a real problem.
What happened? Drowning?

Yeah, that too, but the worst part
is I think he also broke his neck.

He hit his head on the edge
when he went in. Is he still alive?

Yeah, just about. His heart's
beating, but only about once a minute.

All right.

[Man] What'd you stop
for? He's not responding.

How long ago did this
happen? About 20 minutes.

Did he fall in? I-I
think he jumped.

Where's [ill? She knows.

Somebody go get
Jill Chandler. 103.

All right? Yeah.

Pupils slightly reactive.

Where did he jump from?

I think he tried to
somersault off the roof.

[ Running Footsteps ]

I made him do it!

[Man] Take it easy,
Jill. Take it easy.

We had an argument
last night. He told me he

could somersault
from the top of the roof.

I told him he was crazy.

Andy? Andy?

I’m sorry.

We'd better immobilize him.
He might have cervical damage.

- Did you see it happen?
- I never thought
he'd actually try to do it.

- Get me some towels and blankets.
- Yeah, sure. Right away.

Keep him straight.
Keep him straight.

Okay.

All right, now keep his back as
straight as you can. Straight as you can.

All right, strap
him on both sides.

Okay.

I've got this. All right.

Okay.

Okay. There we go.

[Coughing ] Uh-oh.

- Starting to aspirate.
- We're gonna have
to insert an esophageal.

We can do it without
moving his head.

Get Rampart? Yeah.

He's choking! Do something.

Just keep him on oxygen and
keep those shoulders lowered.

Rampart Base, this is Rescue 51.

Where's his parents? Uh, he
lives with his aunt across the street.

But she's at work. Rampart
Base, this is Rescue 51.

Uh, how much time did
he spend in the water?

Hardly any. We brought
him right to the top.

[ Dixie] Rescue 51,
Rampart. Go ahead.

Right. We have a male patient,
approximate age, 20 years old.

He's suffering from
water ingestion, possible

spinal fracture and
possible head injuries.

He was trying some
kind of a high dive.

We have him on
O, and a backboard,

but he's still cyanotic
and unconscious.

The vital signs are blood pressure
100 over 58; pulse rate's 40;

respiration's shallow,
about five and intermittent.

10-4, 51, Insert
esophageal airway.

I'll contact Dr. Brackett
right away. 10-4, Rampart.

I've got an ambulance
coming right behind me.

- Anything else I can do for you guys?
- Nah, I don't think so. Thanks.

Anybody here see the accident?
Yeah. He jumped off the roof.

Okay. I'll have to
ask some questions.

Yeah. Anything more
I can do for you guys?

No, that's it, thanks. Sure.

[ Brackett On Radio] 51,
what's the delay? Who is that?

51, do you read?

They're obviously
too busy to answer.

Yeah, too busy doing what?

With vital signs like that, this
is no time to be off the radio.

51, this is Dr. Brackett.
What's your status?

[ Siren Approaching ]

[ People Murmuring ]

Rampart Base, this is Rescue 51.

We've inserted the esophageal
airway. He's now well-ventilated,

The color is starting
to come back.

51, what makes you think
the patient has a spinal injury?

Well, there's no reflexes in
either the arms or the legs.

Is there any spontaneous
movement in his arms and legs?

That's negative, Rampart.

51, start an I.V. with D5W, T.K.O,
and transport as soon as you can.

10-4.

I want you to take these
towels, Vince, and roll "em up.

Okay.

Okay, you guys are gonna have
to take it easy taking him in, okay?

Not too fast.

[Sirens Blaring ]

We've eliminated all
the ordinary things...

that could have happened
to your son, Mrs. Epps.

Now we've got to find out more
about where and what he was doing.

I told you. He was in the
garage with Curtis, his brother.

- Doing what, exactly?
- Curtis is a freshman at USC.

He has some kind of a
laboratory set up out there.

This morning he was
preparing for an exam.

- What kind of a lab?
- What was he studying?

- I don't know.
- Where's Curtis now?

In school, I guess.

Do you think you could reach
him? It could be important.

Roderick's illness couldn't
have anything to do with Curtis.

They're both very
responsible children.

Just the same, we'd
like to talk to him.

Would you please have him phone
us, or come in as soon as possible?

Dr. Morton will assist you.
Mike, use the phone in my office.

All right.

We're set up in 4. Yeah.

Well, his color's
better. No cyanosis now.

Are his parents
coming? No, just an aunt.

She's at work and we don't know
where. Well, somebody's gotta know.

Try and track her down for me, will
ya, Johnny? All right, I'll give it a try.

[ I Radio Chatter ]

Doctor, he's in custody.
I'll have to stay with him.

C-Can't you see
he's nearly dead?

As dead as he looks, he still tried
to run when his car stopped rolling.

He won't be running
anywhere for a while. This way.

[ Early ] What happened? [Woman]
An accident. Teddy had a crash.

Who was driving? Teddy.

He led me 10 miles through the
worst streets in the neighborhood...

doing 90 miles an
hour on the stretches.

It's gotta be a stolen
car. No, it's not stolen.

It's his mother's car.
He just borrowed it.

You'll have to wait
outside. Please.

- He is in custody.
- We’ll make him promise not to run away—
if he lives.

Yeah, all right, look. Just...

Just tell her that her nephew Andy
is in Rampart Emergency Hospital,

and we need her authority to start
an emergency operation, all right?

Oh, and tell her to call directly to
Dr. Brackett when she's free, okay?

All right.

Okay, thank you.

[ Phone Rings ]

Rampart— Rampart Emergency.

Fireman Gage. Go ahead.

Morton? Yeah, okay. Just a
second. Hang on. Hang on.

Hold.

Excuse me. Was that your
son that they just brought in?

No. No, I just rent a
room from his mother.

- The police called the house
about the accident.
- I didn't see how old he was.

- He was only 13.
- Car accident?

- Yeah. Something I might have prevented.
- You were in the car with him?

Oh, no. No, he was alone.

I mean, I saw him take the
car. See, it belongs to his mother.

Teddy, well...

Well, Teddy has this habit of sneaking
the car out... whenever they go away.

I've seen him do
it once or twice.

I knew this was gonna happen someday.
I knew I should have told his mother.

But she would
have killed him and...

I just didn't want to interfere.

I just didn't have the courage
to bring it out in the open.

Well, that's understandable.

Sometimes...

Sometimes it's easier to pretend the
truth is somebody else's responsibility.

I think the crisis
is over, Cheryl.

Uh, Dix? Yeah?

Morton's on the phone. I think he's
on the phone with Epps's brother.

I think his name is Curtis
or something. Oh, yeah.

I guess the fire department would
appreciate it if we got back to work.

I guess you're gonna wait here
until they let you see him, huh?

Yeah, I sure am. I hope
everything works out okay.

Thanks.

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

What were you talking
to Jeanette about?

Nothin'.

What Chet said to you—
It's getting to you, isn't it?

What do you mean, man?

You think I can't smell
a put-on when I see it?

Uh-huh. What's this “Uh-huh”?

A frog?

I understand. Yes.

Well, how...

How close was he to you
when you did the dissection?

Yes. Right.

One more thing, Curtis. What's
the ventilation like in your lab?

I see. Right.

Thanks very much.

How did he preserve
the frog? Formaldehyde.

There's no change, Doctor.

Well, there's a change in
what we found out about him.

He's been poisoned. Poisoned?

Formaldehyde. He's
inhaled too many fumes.

Kid's got an allergy.

His brother thinks it's a carryover
from infancy— a bronchitis condition.

Why didn't his mother tell us?

I guess she was too
shook up to mention it.

If anything happens to him,
it's really gonna be rough on her.

Dixie told me about
the formaldehyde.

It wouldn't take much
to trigger a reaction.

Fortunately, we made the right
choice in bypassing the obstruction.

The next thing to do is treat
the swelling below the larynx.

I'm gonna take another
look at that film. Okay.

[ Hissing ]

You're just being stubborn.

You're blind and insensitive. Plus,
you're always disagreeing with me.

You forgot to add that
I’m usually right too.

Yeah, well, not in this case.

That kid ran himself into a
wall at 90 miles an hour...

all because that
girl, Cheryl Olmstead,

decided to hold the truth
back from his mother.

Well, what about telling
somebody too much truth?

What do you mean?
Well, for instance...

telling your boyfriend
he's a phony.

And he believes it and jumps off a 40-foot
building just to prove you're wrong...

and falls on his neck.

Plain truth, right out in front,

and we bring in a kid who
might never walk again.

Yeah, well, there's
always exceptions to a rule.

Oh, by the way, how is he?

Well, apparently his
paralysis is only temporary.

[ Dispatcher] Battalion 9,
call Research and Planning.

Squad 3, what is your status?

Oh, there was a telephone
call for you, Gage. Oh?

I said you were out on a run.

She didn't seem too
disappointed though.

Yeah. Did you have
a nice chat, Chet?

Oh, yeah. That Jeanette's
a real nice girl, Gage.

Yeah. Well, what did y'all
talk about? Oh, the same.

You know, stuff
she'd like to tell you,

but she knows
you're not up to it.

Well, she tells me a lot, Chet.

All complimentary, I'm
sure. Very complimentary.

That's what I mean. She
holds back all the true stuff.

Yeah, well, you tell
me about it, Chet.

What's it worth to you, Gage?

[ Chuckles ] Goon.
Tell me about it, Chet.

Bribe me. Uh-huh.

Well, uh, come to think of
this— I just may have to, uh...

Hey, John? Yeah?

Would you do me a
favor? The specs on that

modified fog nozzle are
around here somewhere.

- Would you see if they're
in the rec room?
- Yeah, sure.

Oh, Johnny, I’d like to
tell you what she said,

but I guess I'm a little
like her— Too kind.

[ Chuckles ] I’m
gonna— [Alarm Blares ]

[ Alarm Continues ]

[ Dispatcher] Station
51, Engine 34, Engine 9.

Structure fire. 46440
Miller Canyon Road.

46440 Miller Canyon Road.

Cross street Keane.
Time out 1545.

Station 51. KMG-365.

[Sirens Blaring ]

[ Horn Honking ]

[ Horn Honking ]

[ Sirens Approaching ]

No hydrant here, Mike.
We'll have to tank it.

Chet, Marco, take
an inch and a half in.

Roy, John, grab an
inch and a half. Right.

LA, Engine 51. We
have a two-story house.

Ground floor is partially involved. Advise
Engines 34 and 9 to come straight on in.

We need their tanks. [
Dispatcher] 10-4, Engine 51.

[ Woman, Coughing ] Help!

[Coughing ]

Whoa!! Easy, easy.

Set her down here.

Here you go.

Take some air. Take some air.

[ Woman Gasps, Coughs ]

You've got— You've
got to help me.

Shh. Save your breath.
Save your breath.

My God. My son's in
there. You've gotta get him.

I'll check it out.

His grandfather— upstairs...

in the back bedroom. [Coughs]

You guys seen a little boy in
here? There's nobody down here.

All right, keep your
eyes open for him.

There's a little boy
in the house. All right.

I'm gonna take upstairs.

Affirmative, Rampart. She's
suffering from smoke inhalation.

There's no burns. Keep
monitoring vitals. Keep her on O.

Let me know when you have
the other victims out. 10-4.

[ Siren Approaching ]

Harry, I got some
people trapped inside.

I want another line, right now, and
I want your tank. I need your water.

[Coughing ]

Where's Gage? He's upstairs,
after the kid. The stairs are intact.

Toby— Get Toby.

He's— He's in the crib.

Can you follow me out?

I can— I can follow
you out. [Crying]

Come on, sweetheart. [Coughs ]

Can you follow me out? Yeah.

- Get going.
- Now look, stay low
to the ground and follow me.

Don't lose sight of me.

Yeah. I'll be right
behind you. [Coughs ]

[ Coughs, Gags ]

[Siren Blaring ]

Engine 9, take a reel line
in the side and ventilate.

[ Gage Coughing ]

[ Toby Crying]

I need some help over here.

Got a man trapped inside,
carrying somebody out. Come on.

[Crying]

[ Indistinct ]

Go! Move it!

[Coughing ]

He'll be okay. Take
care of the baby.

Where's the other one?

- There's somebody else in there?
- The grandfather.

- He was right behind me.
- I didn't see anybody.

- He was following me.
- He can't follow you. He's blind.

Okay— I’ll go get him. I got it.

Make it fast, Roy. That fire's on
the move through the walls in there.

[Indistinct ] Cover me. There's
somebody else up there.

[Coughing ]

Here.

The baby...

Okay, come on.

Come on. The baby.

He's all right. He's
all right. Don't leave...

We got him out.
Okay. [ Indistinct ]

[Coughs ]

How could you
leave him in there?

Ma'am, now, that was
his idea. I told you that.

He told me to get the
boy, and he'd follow me.

Knock it off, John.
Roy'll get out all right.

Walking around
or in a canvas bag?

[ DeSoto] Okay, watch
out. Watch for the side now.

[Groaning ] Stay close to me.

Stay close to me. There. Step.

There's a step.
Come on. [ Muttering ]

We're almost there. All right.

[ Gasping ] Okay. Almost there.

There. There we are.

Steps. You'll be all right.

Cap?

We're almost there.

Easy.

That's it. Okay.

[Woman] Thank
God he's all right.

[ DeSoto] We're gonna
sit down right here.

Roy, Early's on the phone.
He wants to know his condition.

Comin' up.

[Coughing ]

[Gage] Rampart,
color looks fair.

We're now administering O..

Stand by for vital
signs. Pulse rate's 90.

Pulse rate is 90.
Respiration is 35.

Any other injuries, 517

Any other injuries? Just
some smoke inhalation.

- Negative, Rampart. Hold for B.P.
- What about the woman and the baby?

Is their condition stable?

The baby's breathing on his
own. The woman's all right.

We're waiting on an ambulance in case
you want us to transport the grandfather.

B.P's 160 over 110.

Rampart, B.P.is 160
over 110. Affirmative, 51.

Keep monitoring his vitals— particularly
his B.P.— and transport when you can.

10-4, Rampart. Will
keep you advised. 57 out.

[ Siren Approaching ]

[ Dispatcher] 10-4, Engine 17.

Squad 59, cancel your response.

B.P's down to 150.

He's a pretty sturdy
old man. He sure is.

Grandad's 71. That's a bad time to
build a whole new house for yourself.

[Woman on P.A. ]
Dr. Mendez, Receiving Room.

Dr. Mendez, Receiving Room.

Any casualties
from that fire, Joe?

One smoke inhalation
victim— An old man.

The squad's bringing him in. Seventy-one
and blind, but tough, apparently.

[Early] What about
the Epps case?

Well, nothin' but trouble. He's
sinking and we can't determine why.

His mother forgot to
mention that she gave him...

some antihistamines
before she brought him in.

That really threw us. Probably what
accounted for those mucous plugs.

Yeah, exactly. And on top of it,
he's got a history of mild asthma.

If the kid survives, you'd
better work on her next.

Or Mike, for hitting her too hard
with the truth. He might have upset her,

but he didn't cause her to
give the kid any home remedies.

[ Early] You can take him to 5.

How's he been? Stable enough.

Pressure's down to 135 over 90.

Are these the other people
you brought in? Right.

This is Rochelle Kayner and her
son Toby. How are you, ma'am?

I'd do a lot better if 1 knew
Grandad was gonna be all right.

I think you can feel very confident.
He's in great shape for his age.

All right.

Thank you.

Well, I'm afraid Roderick Epps
got here about a half a day too late...

for any of us to be
of any help to him.

That bad, huh?

Worse. His mother tried to play
doctor before she brought him in.

Hi.

I see you ate some smoke.

Yeah, I ate
enough to fill a barn.

Oh, by the way. How's Grandpa?

Oh, Dr. Early's pumping
some air in him now.

He's fine.

Good.

Mike.

[Woman on P.A. ]
Dr. Thompson, Treatment Room 5.

Is everything all right, Mike?

With me it is.

Not with Mrs.
Epps's younger boy.

- Oh, yeah. How's he doing?
- He isn't.

Come on, don't look at
me like that. I didn't kill him.

Hey, man. Nobody said you did.

No, but your eyes do.

Right now, my eyes are so full
of smoke they can't see anything.

Come on, relax, Mike.

We all know how you feel...

Fighting all day to
keep that kid alive.

If anyone's responsible,
it's his mother.

[Sighs] Try to unwind, Mike.

We did the best we could.

Yeah. Yeah. It's
not easy though.

His mother's on the
way over right now.

- I just talked to her on the phone.
- That's really gonna be rough on her.

Yeah, I know it is.

Try to give her some
help, will you, Mike?

Yous can use the practice.

Sure.

Well, are you gonna be
admitted to this mini Mayo Clinic,

or are we gonna go home?

Let's go home.

I shouldn't have
left him in there.

You brought out Toby.
That was your first priority.

You can't rationalize
leaving a...

A blind old man trapped
in a burning building.

You only had two hands.

He didn't tell me he was blind.

I guess you'd say he lied.

He did.

If you ask me, it
was a pretty noble lie.

Ah, welcome back, fellas. Finally
earning some of that pay, huh?

Chet, why don't you go out
and practice parking the engine?

What, and miss a chance at
getting a phone call from Jeanette?

Now, Chet, from now on I'm
gonna be taking my own phone calls.

Now, do you understand? Sure.

But would you like me to fill you in
with what she's been saying about you?

- Now, Chet— - Suit yourself.

All right.

Okay, you win.
What does she say?

- You really wanna know what she said?
- Yes, I really wanna know what she said.

What do you think, Roy? Do you
think Johnny can handle the truth?

Chet!

Okay, I'll tell you the
truth— What she said.

- All right.
- Okay.

- Nothing.
- What?

- Nothing.
- Nothing?