St. Elsewhere (1982–1988): Season 2, Episode 9 - AIDS & Comfort - full transcript

Everyone in the hospital grows fearful when a patient is diagnosed with AIDS. Ehrlich and Daniels are chosen to coordinate a blood drive.

Keep in mind the recent campaign
slogan, "Do it for Boston."

Tonight, on St Elsewhere...

You are married to a rising star.

Would you call yourself
sexually promiscuous?

My sex life is none of your concern.

His immune system is out
of kilter in some way.

Is he gay?

You've been seeing someone?

Sandy. Some guy?

Are you crazy?

Peter, this scares me to death.



To date, not one single doctor
or nurse has ever contracted AIDS
from a patient.

I don't want to handle the blood.

We are observing precautions.

Then why did Dr White quit the case?

The oldest fairy in the kingdom
came to the ball uninvited

and she laid a spell
on a little kid.

Fairytales are for children.

She's apparently has been receiving
small doses of anabolic steroids.

A blood drive may seem like
another unsolicited chore.

We'll need help from all of you.

It's a new needle?

Here goes.

Torrey Pines, Rincon, Pismo Beach.

I'm not giving blood,
I'm not getting blood,



I am not even handling blood
until Mr AIDS is out of here!

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How long was she out?

Less than a minute. She fainted.

She couldn't finish the match.

Some kind of tournament was it?

Yeah, regional quarterfinals,
indoor junior championship.

We won Connecticut
and she was leading.

I'll take a look.

Does she ever faint at school?

Never. The way things are,

she is definitely pointed
with one year in college.

If everything goes according
to plan, she turns pro.

BP is 110/60. Heart rate, 72.

Well, there's nothing
wrong with that.

The blood's on its way to the lab.

How are you feeling?

Still kind of dizzy.

Want to just look around?

How long have you had this acne?

Comes and goes.

Is she taking any medication?

Vitamins.

And that's all?

She hasn't missed
a tournament all winter.

Well, uh, I want to get a
neurological consult, Mr Greely,

and I want to keep her overnight,
till we get the test results back.

She can handle that. We planned
to be here till Thursday.

It was the day of the finals.

Shirley, could you
call Dr Ridley for me?

You want Ridley for a neuro consult?
He's a psychiatrist.

I know. There's something
out of sync with this guy.

Melissa, you are going to like
Dr Ridley a lot. Come with me.

I respectfully urge you
to make a contribution to...

Make that "generous contribution"

to the proposed
Senior Citizens Home Fund.

Sincerely yours?

Make that, "Best, Tony."

Do you think he'll give anything?

I think if we keep at him, he will.

I'd like to get
the mayor on this, too.

I'll put in a call.

We postponed your lunch with
the Parks And Recreation Commission.

Yeah, don't reschedule that yet.
What else?

You've got this shindig
till about 12:30 or so,

then St Allegis after that.

Yeah. Did you reach my wife?

Oh, she's meeting you at the museum.

Guest list.

Half the council is dropping by.

Guess I got re-elected.

I worked with him
on the last campaign, and yourself?

Tony Gifford and I go way back.

We were allies on all
those community board battles.

The good old days.

Bussing, zoning laws. Rats.

Rats? How are things at City Hall?

Sandy! Excuse us?

So, where is our Councilman?

Oh, he's on his way.

Some turnout.

You are married to a rising star.

APPLAUSE

I've been asked to stop by
and make a few remarks.

But it is against my principles
to interrupt genuine carousing.

So a few is all you will get.

I'm really happy we could create
this kind of coalition -

black, brown, white,
a few people money,

a lot of people with no money -

but art lovers all - to get
those subsidy cuts rescinded.

We won this fight,
but there are many more to come.

Keep in mind the recent campaign
slogan, "Do it for Boston."

Thank you, all.

Short and sweet, right?

Leave them wanting more.

Hello, Joan.

Since the mayor made you Health
Services Advisor, we don't see you.

It keeps me pretty busy.
How's Sean doing?

He started his first grade class.

Time to go.

See you.

Another ribbon to cut?

Come on, come on.
Salami, peanut butter...

This is ridiculous!

B negative, B positive.
No thanks.

What is holding things up?

You want fresh frozen plasma, right?

She's 70, we need packed cells.

Good luck.

This isn't Haematology,
it's happy hour.

Lan Calder is in touch
with the Red Cross.

Why bother? It's a citywide shortage,
they won't have any to spare.

Ah, got it!

Hi, guys. Is that the last
of the universal donor?

As far as we know.

Uh-oh, Mr De Jacquemotte needs
that for his splenectomy later.

That isn't critical. We've got
a woman waiting in emergency.

Yeah, Jackie, you have to stand
in line like everyone else.

First come, first served.

More or less.

I better get this to ER.

Did you check all of these? I was
really psyched to do that operation.

Elective surgery is a dirty word
these days. No blood, no cut.

If I were you, I'd put
my scalpel back in the drawer.

What do you know about
this fellow, Peter?

Albert Markell. He's a white male,
34, married, one son.

No prior history of major illness,

no haemophilia,
no intravenous drug use.

All right, let's check the symptoms.

Well, he came in last week for tests,
complaining of recurrent fatigue,

non-productive dry cough,
night sweating, swollen lymph nodes.

Also, persistent low-grade fever
and shortness of breath.

And his T-lymphocyte helper
suppressor ratio is way down low.

And what does his elevated
CMD titre imply?

Possible mononucleosis.

Yeah... Yeah, but it just
doesn't all add up, Peter.

His immune system's out
of kilter in some way.

What about the biopsy on that
black and blue lesion on his arm?

Has Pathology reported yet?

Another half hour or so...
Any ideas?

Is he gay?

Are you kidding?

Just wondering.

You said he had a wife and child.

So?

What are you getting at?

Well, this is no simple virus.
I mean, there are too main questions.

I may be crazy, but the first thing
that came to my mind was AIDS.

Listen, everybody, I know
we've all got our hands full today

so I'm going to make this brief.

Tomorrow and Friday, Boston is
mounting an emergency blood drive.

Every hospital
is going to be involved.

So we thought it would be good
if one of the residents

would work in tandem with
a member of the nursing staff.

That way they can coordinate things,
push everyone to donate.

That'd be right up your alley.

Bite your tongue.

May I put in a word?

A blood drive may seem like
another unsolicited chore,

but it's a profoundly
serious undertaking.

We're going to need help
from all of you.

Not just the patsies we picked out.

We all rely on blood.

Dialysis, renal transplants,
ICUs, the Outpatient Unit,

Leukaemia Ward, all of it.

Blood is the lifeline for you,
me and St Allegis.

After going over your schedules
for the next few days,

we've decided to ask Shirley Daniels

to represent the nursing
establishment.

Great.

(TEASES)

And from the resident pool,
Victor Ehrlich.

LAUGHTER

May I speak with you two after this,
please? OK, everybody, that's it.

Congratulations, Shirley. We'll
break the record with you in charge.

Thanks.

Listen, I'll be glad to help
any time, except when I'm on call...

or asleep.

Am I really in charge?

It's your baby,
however you two want to work it.

It's nice to have responsibility
for a change. Ehrlich,
I'm counting on you.

You're nuts.

Hey, come on, doctor,
where's your old-school spirit?

Listen, we're going to need
some things - posters, flyers...

Noisemakers.

Don't start. And a slogan.

How about, "Give till it hurts.
America, open your veins."

I don't think that would pull me in.

I know.

Boston Blood Blitz. BBB.

Tippecanoe and Tyler, too.

I appreciate your keeping
my being here quiet.

I'm not eager for my constituents
or the other Council members

to think I might be sick.

Yeah, I realise why
you are using a pseudonym.

It's also why checked in here
instead of someplace fancy downtown.

We'll take that as a compliment. You
know, in spite of our public image,

St Allegis is a fine facility.

Of course, it's in my district.

The nurse tells me
you had night sweats.

Buckets.

You're delayed hypersensitivity skin
test showed no discernible reaction.

What does that mean?

It means your immune system is down.

We originally thought mono,
hepatitis or maybe CMV virus.

And now what you think?

Let me ask you this,
do you socialise a great deal?

26 hours a day, Doctor. It's the
curse of being in the public eye.

Right, yes, I know.

Would you call yourself
sexually promiscuous?

What do you mean promiscuous?

I'm sorry if I've offended you.

My sex life is none of your concern.

It's relevant or I wouldn't ask.
We're trying to get you
back on your feet.

Fine, that's your job.

Mr Gifford, your biopsy result
indicates KS,

that's Kaposi's sarcoma,
a form of cancer.

To the best of our knowledge,
you have AIDS.

You're in the very early stages
of the syndrome

and we're going to do our best
to make you comfortable.

Oh, God.

No, a little higher.

This is as high as I go.
Why can't you get up here?

Are you kidding?
This is an old ladder.

What have we here?

Shirley Daniels,
100 years of poster art.

Tape.

Can you believe this? I'm
a physician, I have lives to save.

Nurses save lives, too, Ehrlich.
Tape, please.

I love the symbolic red letters.

I like that.

It's crazy,
I could be serving humanity,

but I'm bogged down
doing this busy work.

You just stand around and criticise.

Don't let the altitude
go to your head, Shirley.

I think you're a little crooked
on one side.

I think you're right.

Would you give me some pliers
to shut him up?

Here, spread the word.

"For a good time, call Shirley."

I thought technicians took blood.

Well, the word is to keep
staff involvement to a minimum

with your case.

No-one wants unnecessary
rumours to get started.

That's a lot of tubes.

How many is that?

13. And the last one.

Lucky 13.

This doesn't make any sense.
I mean, how can I have AIDS?

So, it's just me and a bunch
of empty beds, huh?

Previous victims?

You know, you're pretty cool
about all this.

Someone has to be.

KNOCKING

Hi.

Hi.

Dr , this is my wife, Sandra.

Next meet you, Mrs Markell.

I can come back
if you still need him for tests.

No, we're done. Someone will be in
with your lunch soon.

So, how are you feeling?

I think I'll skip
the jogging for today.

Do they have any idea
what's the matter with you?

More tests, you know?

No, it...

Tony.

Something is wrong.

We've been married for
eight years now, I can tell.

Sandra.

There's something you have to know.

I need your help on this.

'Dr Michael Ridell, radiology.
Stat. Dr Michael Ridell,

'radiology. Stat.'

What is that smell?

Mexican fiesta plate.

That will keep
Gastroenterology busy.

It'll keep laundry busy. The guy down
the hall threw his burrito at me.

I delivered it,
it's got to be my recipe.

Look out!

Take it easy, Peter,
it's only blood.

Nothing to it, right?

Hey, gang way,
hot stuff coming through.

Never thought I'd deal with
an AIDS patient. Hold this for me?

AIDS? Is he gay?

I don't know. According to him,

not a haemophiliac,
homosexual or druggy.

It's those that don't fit
in the category that scare me.

Wait a minute.

I hear it's transferred
by blood, sweat and semen.

I loved their last album.

Very funny,
but you don't have to treat the man.

Or pick up his garbage.

I'll be right back.

Oh, relax, you have absolutely
nothing to worry about.

And the really weird thing is that
nobody knows how I picked it up.

This is incredible.

Are they sure?

Well, as sure as they can be.

I don't get it.

If you've never had a transfusion
and you've never used needles...

Sandy.

I'm just getting to that.

You have been seeing someone,
haven't you?

Sandy.

Haven't you?

Some guy?

Are you crazy?

Sandy, no-one knows better
than you what my life is like.

There are some women who think
that a politician is the next thing
to a movie star.

I'm surrounded by them all day long
and they're always coming on to me.

I guess one of them...

..got it from
some boyfriend or other.

It happened.

I'm sorry.

So where does this leave Sean and me?

I care about you both. I love you!

How can you say that?

You don't give a damn about us!

Did it ever occur to you that you
might have passed this on to me?

Sandra...

No, I don't think so. I mean...

You don't think so?!
I don't believe this!

I walk in here ten minutes ago
and now my whole life is destroyed.

I'll tell Sean that
you're out of town for a while.

Your lunch is here.

Did you get any of those tests back
yet on that little tennis player?

Manana. She's pretty depressed,
isn't she?

Yeah. I'll meet with her again
tomorrow and play some games

and things like that
and see if I can learn anything

about this pressure she's under.

See you.

Yeah.

Did you get the juice?

What do you think this is,
my laundry?

I was getting worried,
it's time for the grand opening.

They were out of grapefruit
and OJ was to expensive.

As long as it's something
with sugar in it.

Raspberry lime delight?

Yeah, it was on sale.

I bet. Where's my change?

Oh, here. Here is a receipt.

I also got some gum.

It's time.

I'm so excited(!)

Is my watch fast?

Shirley, you're on a one-way
ticket to disappointment.

Don't be so negative.

There are certain factors
at work here.

They're doing this
at every hospital in Boston.

People aren't going to tune in
their radios to hear about

a major snow alert and say,

"Wow, let's hop in the Volks
and go donate some blood."

You're right, so we're going
to have to be extra clever.

We have got to think of a publicity
stunt to bring people here.

What, shoot someone
out of a cannon?

No, we'd never find a man of that
calibre. We need something else.

It doesn't matter what you do,
it'll be a disaster.

It is like sucking blood
from a stone.

Or from a neck!

This stuff tastes terrible!

Ugh!

'I noticed that you didn't
speak to him...'

How are you doing?

Are they asleep?

Well, Timothy went right out, but it
took Megan four Once Upon A Times.

That's that actor you like,
the English guy.

You know? Don't you?

Well, I can see you're still upset.

Wouldn't you be?

I'm not exactly thrilled
about this either, Myra.

But you are sticking with it because
it's unprofessional to back out.

I'm the guy's doctor.

Well, there are a lot of other
doctors, does it have to be you?

Peter, this scares me to death.

Everything's going so great now.

We're on the way back.

Are you willing to jeopardise that?

Myra, to date not one single doctor
or nurse has ever contracted AIDS
from a patient. The oddsare...

There's always a first time.
Suppose it's you.

Is anyone at St Allegis
an expert on this?

What?

I read the magazines, Peter, I know.

If the experts are frantic,
how do you expect me to feel?

They say it's going to snow
tomorrow.

I just thought
it would make more sense

if you assign somebody else
to Mr Markell's case.

Can I ask you why?

I just don't think
I can deal with treating AIDS.

You've been talking with Myra.

In a way. But my coming to
talk to you, that's my decision.

How are things at home, Peter?

Good. Good, I feel like we're
on our way back, me and Myra.

I don't want to mess that up.

I appreciate your candour.

Well, you supported me
when I was having a bad time,

and that's why I hate doing this.

That's all right, I'll get
a resident to take your place.

One without a wife and kids.

Am I interrupting?

No, we're through.

Thanks.

Is it true we have
an AIDS patient downstairs?

Where did you hear that?

Well, that's irrelevant.
Is it true?

Yes.

Well, this is going to kill us
at City Hall.

If the public finds out,
forget about it.

Is there any way we can sort of
slide him into a private hospital?

Joan, it's Tony Gifford.

Are you serious?

And frankly I don't get it.

Now, he admits to an occasional
extramarital fling...

It doesn't make any sense, I thought
most AIDS victims were homosexuals.

Either Tony Gifford defies
all the categories,

in which case CDC
should get involved...

Or else he is lying.

We need to find out.

Now, maybe you can draw him
out on this, Joan.

Sometimes a friend can do
a lot more than the doctor.

Where is he?

Isolation Ward.

Yeah, I'll go talk to him.

Tony is one of the most scrupulous
people in public life.

If this is true, he'll say so.

The oldest fairy in the kingdom
came to the ball uninvited

and she laid a spell
on a little kid.

That's ridiculous.

Fairytales are for children.

All right, OK. I'll tell you what.

Now, we have to have a name for her.
What's a good name for her?

It's your doll, Dr Ridley.

OK.

I think a perfect name is Matilda.

I never heard of anyone
named Matilda.

That is one of the great things
about making things up.

All right? Now, Matilda
is upstairs in her room,

fast asleep.

And she's not going to get up.

And look what time it is,
it's almost lunchtime.

Now, how are we going
to get this kid up?

I don't know.

(WHISTLES)

Hey, Matilda.
(CLEARS HIS THROAT)

If Melissa and I tell you a story,
will you get up?

What do you say?

Believe me, she said yes.

All right, come here, we're going to
tell her a story together.

Now, we're going to tell her
a story, all right?

We're going to make it a real
good one. All right, you go first.

Um... Once upon a time...

..there was a...princess.

Fabulous choice. OK.

Who was the most talented
and the most graceful...

Dancer.

In the entire kingdom.

She was...

She was a great dancer.

She was the best.

All right, now, she is the best
dancer in the whole world,

but something is bothering her,
something is on her mind.

What was that?

Your turn.

A very important recital
was coming up.

And...

The princess was
starting to get upset.

She did everything they wanted,
there was only one problem.

She always knew
they'd be disappointed.

That's a pretty
interesting problem.

KNOCKING

Michael, can I see you for a minute?

Excuse me a minute.

I thought you might be
interested in seeing this.

The blood tests indicate that
she's apparently been receiving

small doses of anabolic steroids.

You mean bodybuilding pills?

Uh-huh.

OK, well, I'll talk to her father.
OK?

Who told you?

Westphall.

What ever happened to the sanctity
of a doctor-patient relationship?

He thought telling me might help.

Is there anything I can do?

Yeah, you can call Sandra
and talk some sense into her!

I know, I'm just trying
to hold it together.

I keep thinking of all your work
in housing, the MTA reforms,

the health code.

And when it gets out
that I have AIDS...

But you're a popular figure.

If you went public,

you could have Boston coming up
with new funding for AIDS research.

This doesn't necessarily
have to hurt your career.

Get off it, Joan.
What are you talking about?

This is not a speeding ticket!

What good is a career
once you're dead?

I always thought you had guts.

To me, you were one
of the few people who did.

Get off my back, Joan.

Don't you see?

If you come forward,
it will help people.

But you've got to be truly honest.

Oh, you want honesty?

If you want the truth, it was men.

It was men.

I never even knew their names.

Did we get enough?

Ehrlich!

He's the only donor we've had
in half an hour, why don't we
take another pint?

Feeling dizzy, Vijay?

Very little.

Victor, get him some juice.

OK.

Well, where is everyone?

Dr Craig, this is an honour.

Did you do those posters out there?

Those? Yeah. They're big,
aren't they?

They aren't even lettered straight.
I did better than that
when I ran for class treasurer.

Really? Did you win?

There was fraud at the polls.

It took me two years to get
the record set straight.

Oh, boy, that's a shame.

OK, I don't have all day.

We'll be right with you.

Help me out here, Shirley.

Is that for me?

Oh, yes, it is. It's very good, too.
Let me open it for you.

See? Got my hands full.

Go take care of Craig.

Shirley, come on.

What if I can't find a vein?
What if I hit an artery by mistake?

Today, Ehrlich!

OK!

Save that one for yourself.

How many donors have you had?

Oh, we've had about...four.

If I ran the Department of Surgery
like this blood drive,

all our anaesthesiologists
would be out of a job.

(COUGHS)

And guess who'd be
the first one to go.

OK, now, make a fist.

This isn't Ellis Island, Ehrlich,
I know what to do.

Even if you don't.

I think they found a way
to liquefy cardboard.

So how do you end up here in Boston?

Frankly? I got bored.

With North Carolina?

Success.

I guess that depends on
if you've had any.

You know, it's funny.

It seems to me that the biggest
danger you face isn't disease

or malpractice, it's complacency.

If your talent lies in a hot field,
like plastic surgery,

success...it comes very fast.

And it's really tempting to just
sit back and rest on your laurels.

So, I just figured
a change of scene wouldn't hurt.

Besides, my family
lives down in Harwich.

And that's how Bobby Caldwell
came to the land of baked beans.

Jack?

You got a minute?

I'm out of here.

Have a nice night.

Take good care of Pete.

I meant the baby.

Have you ever seen me do this?

Hey! You ought to join the circus.

Hey, have you talked
to Westphall lately?

No, why?

I was wondering if maybe
he'd mentioned me or anything.

Why should he?

About dropping that case.

I don't want that to hurt
my standing around here.

OK, you got a bum roll of the dice
and you got a little nervous.

Wouldn't you?

Maybe. But I wouldn't have dropped
a patient like a leper.

Look, I've got a wife
and kids at home, remember?

Yeah, I remember.

Peter, being scared is one thing,
being stupid is another.

Forget about your career,
we're talking ethics here.

You blabbed about the guy in public,
you violated his trust.

You blew it.

I know, I know. OK?

But, Jack, don't beat me up
too much about this,

I mean, I feel bad enough as it is.

Why don't you come to the house
tomorrow night for dinner?
Catherine makes a superb fettuccine.

You've got a deal.

I liked your book
on teenage neurosis.

Really? You're one of
the three people who bought it.

Actually, I borrowed it
from the library.

I thought the chapter on Alice
In Wonderland was particularly good.

Especially the symbolic fall
down the rabbit hole.

Excuse me, Doctor.

Who are you?

Luther.

Why are you decked out like that?

I'm not taking any chances.

Lunch trays, garbage,
I'm playing it safe.

What are you talking about?

My job is tough enough,
but at least I had an outside life.

As soon as the girls hear about
AIDS, my social life is history.

Jenny, where you?
We need every pair of hands here.

Bronchitis?

Well, you sound fine to me.

All right, get back
as soon as you can.

They're dropping like flies.

Hi there.

We understand Councilman Anthony
Gifford is a patient here.

Really?

Yeah.

Can you confirm this?

Patient information
is strictly classified, sorry.

Well, I understand that.

After all, we all
have to make a living.

Tell me, nurse...

Now, you tell me, buddy,

where do you get off sashaying
in here in search of a scoop?

Is this how you earn your press
stripes, bribing hospital personnel?

All right, just relax,
will you? Calm down.

I have the facts straight,
all I need is a confirmation,

no direct quotes.

Oh, that makes me
feel a lot better(!)

You are asking me
to betray confidential information.

Thanks.

You just saved me ten bucks.

Mrs Rosenthal, are you OK?

Yeah, I'm fine, Billie.
Are you all through helping Dr Lyle?

Yes. Can I ask you something?

I'm right here.

I'd like to switch floors.

Why?

Because I don't want to handle
the blood in the Isolation Ward.

I hear he has AIDS.

Billie, changing floors
isn't going to guarantee anything.

AIDS isn't like flu,
you don't get it from breathing.

As far as the blood goes,
we're observing every precaution.

Then why did Dr quit the case?

I don't know.

Doctors have the luxury of switching
assignments, nurses don't.

We're always here.

Look, all I know is
that man down the hall is sick

and everything else comes second.

Besides, I really need your help.

OK.

Thank you. Do me a favour,
cover the desk for a while

while I run down and get a sandwich.

Absolutely.

8:25. I love a regular dinner.

Oh, I've read all this material
you've given me.

It seems there's not a hell
of a lot to look forward to.

Out of 2,300 documented cases
of AIDS,

one third contracted
Kaposi's sarcoma like me.

We can use Interleukin-2,
that would bolster your white cells.

Or interferon therapy.

If that works, you could live
a reasonably normal life.

Yeah, but there's no guarantee
that the Kaposi won't recur.

That's right. >

What is this?

It could be a mutant of existing
viruses or a totally new syndrome.

Something destroys
the body's immune system

and leaves it wide open to infection.

And what are my chances?

The vast majority of AIDS patients
die within two years.

At least to see Sean.

Have you ever read Boccaccio?

Not since college.

I found something interesting.

"It was the year 1348 in Florence,
lovely city of Italy,

"when the dreadful plague struck.

"The body was covered
with purple spots,

"those harbingers of death,
and the inevitable end was this -

"avoid those diseased
and anything they had come near."

You see?

It almost all fits together -

the fainting, the moodiness,

even the traces of acne.

She's such a genuine talent.

She began losing matches
because of her size.

The doses were so small we thought...

Well, that's a blessing, then.

So, all the problems
she has developed

are almost certainly reversible.

I would, however, have your
family doctor keep an eye out

for hormonal changes
or heart disease.

You know, I tell you he had no qualms
about giving her steroids.

Some doctors are just not up on
the latest information

on the drugs that they're
passing out, that's all.

You know...

I also get the sense that she's
missed out on a lot of childhood.

Just...

Just the basics - you know,
free time, a normal fantasy life,

an opportunity maybe to
play with some of her friends.

Yes, I suppose she has.

God knows I've pushed her.

Mr Greely,

I want this child off all steroids.

All set?

Got everything.

I just want you to know
that Matilda finally got up.

That's wonderful news.

I thought you'd like to know
that as far as this hospital

is concerned,
your name will be protected.

Well, I guess that puts
the ball back in my court.

This is him.

Councilman, excuse us, can you
give us a comment of some kind?

Why are you here at St Allegis,
Mr Gifford? Is it cancer?

Will you confirm
or deny the rumours?

We appreciate the fact you probably
don't feel well, but anything at all.

A small statement.

Yeah.

Help us out a little bit, will you?

Come on, Mr Gifford! Come on!

Let's find the stairs.

Can you believe this? >

You put up a poster,
someone mucks it up.

No wonder the blood drive's
a fiasco.

Sometimes I think medicine's
a lost cause.

I don't suppose you'd like
to give blood?

Annie.

How's it going, Peter?

All right. Listen, did Westphall
say anything to you about me

and the AIDS case?

Just that you were worried
about your wife and kids.

Oh. Well, how's he doing?

Gifford.

You're right on top of things,
aren't you?

He checked out this afternoon.

I guess I did kind of panic,
didn't I?

But didn't it bother you
working on the case?

Sure it bothered me.

Just like working on someone
with Guillain-Barre,
pneumonia or hepatitis.

The difference is
nobody knows how you get AIDS.

Look, every generation has a disease
that freaks them out -

smallpox, polio, TB.

The panic is often as big a problem
as the disease itself.

Come on, Annie, this is different.

It's kind of a moot point as far
as you are concerned, isn't it?

I mean, he's gone.
You're off the hook.

Come on, come on.

No way! N-O way.

Whatever happened to volunteerism?

Look, guys, charity begins at home,
right?

Well, just think of St Allegis
as home.

Get this straight, Florence
Nightingale, I'm not giving blood,
I'm not getting blood,

I'm not even handling blood
until Mr AIDS is out of here.

And I'm not the only one.

Yeah.

Luther, we bagged 28 pints in seven
hours, that's not even pathetic.

Do it for me.

For you?

Look, the only needle I want to see
is on my stereo, at home,

which is where I'm headed.

Take comfort.

Believe it or not,
all of this is in the Book Of Job.

Hey, amigos, what's going on?

Ehrlich, this is a desperate woman.

Has anyone shown up?

By comparison,
the morgue is happening.

Save the jokes.

You know, physicians
should believe in blood drives.

You drive me wild
when you get ethical, Shirl.

I guess you can't win 'em all.

Forget about my blood,
I had hep in '81.

You guys... I mean,
you're supposed to be doctors.

It takes everything we've got
just to stay in place around here.

I'm not even talking about making
strides. But you do nothing to help.

You moan, you drag your feet,
you get in the way.

I had an opportunity, as a nurse,

to push something I really
believe in, this blood drive.

And, frankly, I am sick and tired
of carrying the whole damn ball
on my own.

You're right.
Ehrlich, you're a pig.

OK, let's go.

Take my blood, please.

Victor, I appreciate
the noble gesture.

Well, you didn't ask to work with me
in this thing, you got me by default.

I guess it's guilt-trip time.

Think of my O positive
as an emblem of my apology.

That's poetry.

I accept.

Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Oh, boy.

That's a new needle, isn't it?

Don't worry, you can't get
AIDS from donating blood.

Oh, boy!

It's times like this
I wish I had a camera.

OK, think surf, yeah.

Big blue header, yeah.

Tuck into the curl.

What's he talking about?

Sand, great day, no crowds,
cold beer. Ride that sucker
all the way to Malibu.

Boy, boy, boy.

Torrey Pines, Rincon, Pismo Beach.

Uh-oh. Early withdrawal alert.

Victor, do you always
turn this pale?

OK, offshore breeze.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Gnarly waves, perfect tan.

Oh, no, Shirley, it's no good,
I'm going to be sick, babe.

OK, we'll call a halt.
Just hold on a second.

Fiscus, get a cold cloth, quick!

I didn't even get a chance
to yell "timber".

I'll put it this way,

if the roof had fallen in today,
it would have been a blessing.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Blood drive, AIDS rumours,
graffiti in the elevator.

Don't you two ever go home?
It's almost 11.

You mean today
is finally going to end?

You know, I don't now,
maybe it is just pre-Christmas blues,

but I feel like I'm 100-years-old.

Well, if it's any consolation at
all, Helen, remember that both Mark
and I have several yearson you.

Speak for yourself.

You know? I keep coming back
to Tony Gifford.

He is a young man.

What'll happen to him
in the time he has left?

I don't know, maybe he should've
thought about that sooner.

Yeah, I know, that's how
I felt about it at first.

And then I started to think,
"Who am I?"

Why should any of us
be penalised, fatally,

for choosing a certain lifestyle?

Especially when you realise it
all boils down to chance anyway.

I tell you something, I don't
give a damn for all this talk about

morality and vengeful gods
and all that.

If you have AIDS,
you're sick, you need help.

And that's all that matters.
And that's why we are here, right?

OK, come on,
I'll treat you to a Triple B.

What?

BBB. Beat the Blues Bourbon.

For a minute you scared me.

'US Marines departed
the island of Granada today.

'Replacements are scheduled to reach
Granada on Friday.

'In local news, the holiday week
was eclipsed by

'one of the most startling
announcements of this
or any political year

'when Councilman Anthony Gifford,
34, released a statement tonight

'saying that he has contracted
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,

'or AIDS. He also announced that
he would not resign from office.'

Let's go get that drink.

Merry Christmas, you guys.

'...to scattered demands
for Gifford's resignation.'