In Treatment (2008–2010): Season 3, Episode 21 - Sunil: Week Six - full transcript

Paul is increasingly concerned over Sunil's erratic behavior at home.

( Knocks on door )

Julia.

Hello, Dr. weston.
Sunil's outside smoking.

I wondered if we could
speak for a moment.

Sure.

- May I come in?
- Of course.

You obviously weren't expecting

the wicked, insensitive
daughter-in-law.

I have no doubt
that's how he paints me.

Am I wrong?

Can I ask what happened
to your arm?



Uh, we had an argument.

We?

Who do you think?

- And... - And things got out of hand.

When you say "things got
out of hand," what...

"out of hand" meaning
he pushed me

and I fell into a bookcase

in front of the children.

Sunil pushed you?

There was a nail head that wasn't
hammered all the way into the wood.

A visit to the emergency
room, three stitches.

And how did this...

how did this argument begin?

We're ending sunil's treatment.



Today will be his last session.

This should cover today

and one more for the
last-minute cancellation.

That's not really necessary.

It would make me more comfortable.
Take the check.

I'm not sure that I understand.

I don't think I could say
it any more clearly.

Well, it's just that
I've really started

to make contact with him.

We're starting
to build an alliance.

With all due respect,
Dr. weston,

if this is what happens
when you build an alliance,

then I feel for
your other patients,

not to mention their families.

He's gotten worse.

I have to
respectfully disagree.

I think he's beginning
to really...

well, you don't live
with him, do you?

There's been a sharp
decline in his behavior

ever since
he started treatment.

Can you be more specific?

Have there been
other incidents?

He's been acting stranger
and stranger by the day.

He's back to
hiding out in his room.

When he does decide to come out,
it seems perfectly timed.

Just last night he came out
into the hallway

after I put
the children to bed.

He just stood there

staring at me.

It took everything I had
to muster the courage

just to walk past him.

It's the way he looks at me.

He... he doesn't
even blink.

I actually thought about
calling the police.

I can't imagine
what he's telling you.

I mean, what does
he say about us?

Um, unfortunately

I'm not at liberty to disclose

the details
of my work with sunil.

But I'm paying for this.

God, what a waste.

$220 a week for him
to get even crazier.

The simple fact is

you have not been helping.

I need Arun to prescribe something
stronger for his father...

something that actually works.

So please take the check.

When you say

that you considered
calling the police...

it went through my mind.
I wasn't really...

I'm not as bad
as you think I am.

There is a part of me that
actually feels for sunil.

In what way?

He's an attractive
middle-aged man.

His life doesn't have
to be over.

It's almost as though he
chooses to be miserable.

And that, in turn, makes
the rest of us miserable.

The whole situation
has made me anxious.

I'm sorry to hear that.

I'm not sleeping.
I'm losing focus at work.

I'm finding it
harder and harder

to concentrate on my
manuscripts, my authors.

Honestly, what would you do
if you were in my position?

Honestly, I would
keep him in treatment.

And if you would like
to discuss

your issues
with a professional,

I'd be happy
to recommend somebody.

Right.

I would like to hear

more of the details
of this incident.

That's all right.
It's pretty clear

you're only interested
in one side of the story.

I...

he obviously has you
under his spell.

Julia, I would very much
like to hear

your side
of the story. I...

( door closes )

I suspect that
she just informed you

my therapy is over.

( Theme music playing )

I'm sorry.
I didn't have time

to make tea today.

Julia's visit was
somewhat unexpected.

That is okay.

The fact that this is
our last session

feels peculiar to me.

I've come to look forward
to these conversations.

Me too.

I cannot quite picture
what I'll do now.

Maybe I'll go
and speak to the guy

who sells my candy
on church Avenue.

( Chuckles )

Something tells me
it won't be as gratifying.

I understand there was...

there was an incident
at the house this week.

I've come to think
of you as a man

who possesses great wisdom.

So you don't... you don't want
to talk about what happened?

And I've been thinking
quite a lot

about my dream,

the one with
the dark-haired woman.

I believe you were right.

Oh? In what way?

The woman has returned

to my... to my thoughts
over and over this week.

Mm-hmm.

You must be very very skilled

to make me think
of Malini so often

after so many years.

The flower in her hair,
the el Greco painting...

it's... that was
observant of you,

quite powerful.

When you think about Malini,

what emotions come up for you?

Emotions such as...?

You told me about
the break-up, her death,

but I don't know, I just...

I have this sense
that there's...

there's more to the story.

I think it's interesting

that she appeared to you
as a threatening figure

and that when you woke
from the dream

you were just about
to strike her.

And now there's been

a physical incident at home.

( Speaks bengali )

Can you please...

I said there's
no point to this.

And why do you say that?

This is our final session.
What is the point

of all these questions we will
have no chance to answer?

You don't seem
to want to answer.

I ask you about Malini
and you evade.

I ask you what happened
at the house

and you don't seem to want
to answer that either.

Did Julia not give you
final payment?

- Yes, she did but...
- So it's too late, Paul.

It's too late.

Can you tell me

what you think led Julia
to make this decision?

Does it have anything to do
with the bandage on her arm?

She has not already told you?

Well, she said that
you'd had an argument

and that you pushed her
into the bookcase.

I pushed her?

Did you not push her?

Okay, so I walked
into the tv room.

Sam and Naya
were watching this...

their favorite animated DVD

for the 18th time this month.

And I wanted to spend
some time with them.

And I could not bear
this movie anymore,

so I switched it off.

This movie is about
a clown fish.

And I've grown so tiresome

of watching my
grandchildren absorbing

this senseless poison.

So instead I tried
to teach them

a bengali folk song.

I was halfway through
my first verse

when Julia came
inside the room.

And she was furious.

Well, if I remember,
she'd asked you

not to teach bengali to Sam.

It's just a song, Paul.

It's a song.
You know, it's...

( Singing in bengali )

It's a song. It's saying
goodbye to a friend, you know.

It has much more
relevance to life

than this foolish,
ridiculous cartoon fish.

( Singing in bengali )

See?

Do you find this terrible?

No, it's...

no, it doesn't sound
terrible at all.

So Julia quickly
raised her voice.

So when Naya saw her
raising her voice,

she started crying.

Sam saw Naya crying,
so Sam started crying.

And Julia told me
to stop singing the song

and I would not.

( Singing )
"Stop."

"Stop."
And I wouldn't.

My son came into the room
and he joined Julia's side.

He said, "baba, you are
scaring the children."

I was scaring the children?
I was scaring the children?

Their yelling at me
was scaring the children.

So when I tried to leave, Julia
would not move out of the way,

so I pushed past her.

She lost her balance.
She fell on this bookshelf.

So you're saying
it was an accident.

Paul, it's not a deep cut.

Arun tried to tend to her,

but of course she insisted

on going to the emergency room,

as if she was mauled
by a tiger.

So after they returned
from the hospital

arun came into my room
and told me

that I was disrupting
their marriage,

that I was creating
disharmony in their household

and I must move down
to the basement,

further away from the children.

And what did you say?

The irony is

it's the same song Kamala
and I used to sing to him

when he was a small boy.

Saying goodnight was always
difficult for him.

And how he used to beg to us

to sing this song every night.

And now he's
begging you to stop.

It was as if he didn't
even recognize it.

And he tells me I am destroying

his marriage, his family.

You said that Julia was
in the way

when you were trying to leave
and that you pushed past her.

See, Paul, you need not
concern yourself with this.

No, this is gonna be
our last session.

I want this to be clear.
Did you push Julia?

She would not move
out of the way,

I wished to leave
and I pushed by her.

But this is what I'm
talking about when I say

that you avoid
answering my questions.

What's the difference between
"pushed by" and "pushed"?

Where were the children?

Sam was crying

and Naya was
hanging onto her leg.

And did you ask Julia
to move out of the way?

They think
her injured arm is proof

that my time with you
has not been helpful,

that it has made me worse.

I woke up this morning
and there was a note

on the kitchen table
from Julia, saying,

"sunil,"

this is your last session
with Dr. weston

and I'm scheduling
my early lunch

"so I can
meet you there."

And how did you respond
to the note?

I crumpled it up

and put it inside
her espresso machine.

Let me ask you...

do you think the work
that we've done here

has made you worse,
would you say?

You know, I have to tell you

that I think
ending treatment now

would be a critical mistake.

It is out of my hands, Paul.

Well, I'd be happy to call
arun and Julia on your behalf.

Once Julia makes up her
mind about something,

then it is the way
things must be.

That's how she is.

I'm stuck.

I'm trapped

and there's nothing to be done.

I don't think so.
I think that it's still possible

if we approach her again...

I refuse to beg her.

I'm not that pathetic, Paul.

Well, what about
the possibility

- of your continuing pro bono?
- ( Lighter flicks )

But what do you get out of it?

The pleasure of my madness?

I want to help you.

I think that
we have a connection.

I know, Paul,
you're a kind man.

You're a wise man.
You're a good-hearted man.

And I've come to...

to think of you fondly,

but I refuse to become
your charity case.

I understand that,

but you have one more
session that's in credit.

Julia paid me for
canceling next week. I...

At least tell me that
you'll think about it.

Can I ask you a favor, Paul?

Of course.

I was wondering
if you could please...

Keep this for me.

After the argument
on Saturday night,

I could not be in the
same house any longer,

so I walked into the park.

There's a field
where South Asian men

play cricket on weekends.

I knew it was late,

but, I don't know why,
I found myself

walking towards that field.

The field s empty,
but I found this.

I sat on a bench
for a long time,

just turning the handle
of this bat over and over.

I thought, "why have
they left this behind?"

It's old, yes, slightly broken,

but does it need
to be discarded?

Could it still not have
some purpose?

So I decided
you should keep it, Paul.

Perhaps, once I'm gone,
it will remind you of me.

That's why you want me
to keep it?

And also because...

because I should not keep it.

Why shouldn't you have it?

Arun is going
for another conference

to Chicago this weekend

and Julia will surely enjoy
her time with Mr. pale fox.

Are you telling me
that you're worried

that you might

do something with this bat?

I need you to explain
what you mean by that.

Would you please keep it?

Please.

Thank you.

What were you thinking
about doing with the bat?

You know, when Julia
is in her study,

she faces the window

with her back to the door.

So if you are careful, you can
enter without being heard.

And she is so transfixed

by her manuscripts.

What... what do you mean,

"if you are careful"?

Is it...

is this something that
you've actually done?

I've imagined it.

Even a broken bat
can be quite effective,

and I have played cricket
for several years.

( Lighter flicks )

Paul, I have
no idea why these...

why my mind is seized
with these...

these terrible ideas, you know.

Do you think there's something
terribly wrong with me,

something seriously
wrong with me?

I think that what
you're telling me today

is disturbing.

- You do?
- Yes, I do.

So perhaps they were right
to discontinue my therapy.

No, I'm certain they weren't.

See, it's not your fault, Paul.

Sometimes our best
intentions fall short

because the other person
is not capable of change.

You know, there's a saying in
bengali... ( Speaks bengali )

I don't want to hear
the saying, okay?

I want us to speak
clearly in English.

I want to get to the bottom of
what you are trying to say to me.

You've just asked me
to hold onto a cricket bat

because you're afraid you're gonna
turn it on your daughter-in-law,

that you're gonna use it
against her.

Do you understand
what you're saying?

Do you understand the
position that you put me in,

not just as your therapist,
but as a person?

What position
have I put you in?

- What am I doing?
- I wish I knew.

You know, you make these
extreme statements,

full of violence
and-and... and rage.

You raise serious questions,
but you don't give...

you encouraged me, Paul.
You told me to express my anger.

- That's not what I meant.
- You asked em to change myself.

I'm trying
to follow your advice.

There is a very big
difference between...

look, the things that you've told
me over the past few weeks...

I'm just not clear about
any of it at the moment.

I don't know whether you would
actually ever hurt Julia,

whether you pushed her

or pushed past her

and what really happened
with Malini.

With Malini?

Yes.

What?

I've had this feeling
from the beginning

there are things
you're not telling me.

You said that you were in love with
her, that she broke up with you,

that she took her own life
by jumping off a high bridge.

All of this is true.
That's what I told you.

And that the police came
and they questioned you,

and that she was wearing
your jacket,

that you'd had an argument.

You do not think
I harmed her, Paul?

Is that what you're saying?

I don't know
what to think, sunil,

to be honest.

I'm just trying to piece this
together from what you've told me.

I must... I must admit
this makes me very sad,

that you think
that I'm a bad person.

- I don't think you're a bad person.
- No?

No, but I do think it's crucial
that you continue in therapy

and that we have
the time to sort through

all of these conflicted
impulses and emotions.

What's fact?
What's fantasy?

These feelings of anger,
jealousy and loss...

what are you are capable
of handling?

What needs serious attention?

You know, I...

I just have this
very strong feeling

that you're trying
to tell me something,

to get me to have
a particular response.

I don't know
what that is precisely,

but I feel very clearly
that you are actually

asking me for help.

Would you say
that that's true?

Look, I understand
your discomfort

with this... waiving my fee.
That's not...

wh...

what if I charged you

a small amount of money

that you feel that
you're capable of paying

so it wouldn't feel
like it's charity?

I would pay you the allowance
that Julia gives me?

How would I afford
my tobacco and my tea?

We could meet
outside the office,

in a less formal situation.
We could have tea.

Yeah, there's always tea.

I wouldn't do this with any
other patient, sunil. I...

I know.

Sunil, I want you to promise

that you will come back
next week.

You say Julia has already
given you the money

for one additional meeting?

Yes, she has, yes.

I want to go.

I need some rest.

You know, in Julia's
office, her window...

what... what about it?

It's the nicest window
in the house.

You can see the trees swaying

and the moonlight glowing
so softly on the glass.

And sometimes
when I cannot sleep

I just go and stare at it.

Sunil, don't go
in that room again.

If you have an impulse
to go in that room,

you pick up the phone
and you call me.

Even if you have

a fleeting thought
of harming Julia,

you must call me.

You have my cell phone
and my office number.

This is my home number.

And I'll be here all weekend.

Don't worry, my friend.

( Grunts )

Sunil.

Sunil.

I'll see you next week, right?

You will have one final chance

to help me, I assure you.

( Theme music playing )