The Dark Hours

I believe in people.

I believe there‘s a world out there

and that I can be part of it, you know,

a productive person, a contributor,

make a difference and all that.

I want to affect people‘s lives in a positive way,

and I know that I can do this,

because I‘ve learned that I have a capacity to help people.

You‘ve learned this?

Yes, yes, I have.

I‘ve become a better person.

I think that I can help others become better.

Really, how can people become better, Donald?

Empathy,

understanding self-awareness.

And you believe you have

an understanding of yourself.

Most definitely.

Would you like to share it with us?

It‘s complicated.

Of course it is.

It‘s hard to explain an entire life in five seconds.

I want to hear about this understanding that you have.

You want me to jump through hoops.

Oh, that‘s what you think this is,

jumping through hoops.

No.

I‘m ready for release,

or at least a transfer to the halfway--

So you‘re prepared to tell us what we want to hear?

Yeah.

No, you‘re twisting it.

What am I twisting, Donald?

Hey.

I was on my way out the door.

What‘s up?

Ooh, look at that bad boy.

Nice stage 2 tumor.

Beautiful.

This was taken two years ago.

It‘s been stable till now--

no growth, but no reduction, either.

Okay, great.

Listen, I gotta go.

Hey, what do you think of Cafe Croquette?

It‘s Janet‘s birthday,

but I don‘t want to spend a bundle on lunch, you know?

This one was taken this morning.

Oh, now you‘re talking.

Oh, I didn‘t notice that before.

You got a Ruckman tumor here.

That‘s very rare.

Nice find.

You‘re going to be writing papers

about this poor sap for years to come.

What‘s he, one of your nutcases?

With this kind of growth rate, what prognosis do you see?

Less than a year.

You working on some psychological angle?

Tumor made him do it?

What‘d he do, rape a bunch of kids?

Should have pled guilty.

I would‘ve been out a long time ago.

You beat a girl‘s face with a brick.

I‘m not like these other guys.

They‘re-- they‘re fucking lunatics,

mumbling, pissing their pants.

She needed bone and soft tissue grafts.

Seven years max, out in five.

I‘ve been in here for 15 fucking years.

How fair is that?

Radiation won‘t work on Ruckman‘s?

Oh, no way. That one‘s unstoppable.

Demenopril looked promising,

but no way they‘re going to let it

go to human trials

after what it did to the mice.

I see what you‘re doing, you know.

What am I doing?

You‘ve had it out for me since day one.

I‘m the reason that you‘re here?

The reason that I‘m still here, anyway.

Really?

You people are keeping me in here,

and you know that I‘m not crazy.

All you care about is your goddamn programs

and your grants and your status.

Sam, I‘m going to need you to take the patient reviews

to the board meetings.

Okay.

They‘re waiting to start.

Yeah, and I got a wife waiting in the car.

I‘ll see you later.

I‘m real sorry, Sam.

I can give you the names of some excellent oncologists.

I‘ve been through this.

There‘s nothing they can do.

I don‘t want to become another patient.

I just-- I want to work.

You want me to get somebody else to do the review?

No.

I‘m on top of it.

Low frustration tolerance levels.

Exhibiting paranoid tendencies--

Wait a minute.

Refusal to take responsibility

for actions.

Maybe we should discuss this after--

Monitors behavior poorly

and is slow to self--

I‘m sitting right fucking here.

Talk to me.

Increase Haloperidol

to ten milligrams.

What the fuck is going on?

Thank you, Donald.

That‘s it?

You can request another review in a year.

I knew this would happen.

Can you go back to your room now, please?

You cold fucking cunt!

Get him in isolation.

I know what you want.

Give him a sedative.

IV drip.

Get in my head.

My head.

Hello.

Hi. It‘s me.

Hey, hon. What‘s up?

I don‘t mean to bother you.

No, no. You‘re not bothering me.

Don‘t worry about it.

Melody and I just broke for lunch.

I‘m trying to organize my notes.

You okay?

I don‘t know.

Think I need a break.

You think?

David, I want to get away.

I want to take the weekend off.

Maybe you can go see Sandra. She‘s been--

No, no, no, no.

Just you and me.

Let‘s go.

I don‘t know.

Vegas.

I would love to, Sam, but I can‘t this weekend.

Oh, David.

I got a call from Ken.

They want me to finish the book

by Monday, or they‘re going to ask for the advance back.

You‘ve missed deadlines before.

And I really need this.

I want to go with you.

Since when?

We need to talk.

Please.

I just gotta get it done.

I guess you‘re taking Melody up with you.

Yeah, she‘s going to go through my research for me.

Remember, you asked me to keep her busy.

You don‘t think it‘s time she got a real job?

That‘d be a first.

Ah, your sister‘s a big girl.

It‘s only one weekend.

All right.

After this, then.

After this, I promise.

Vegas. You and me.

And Celine Dion.

God.

Okay.

click!

Come in.

What happened in there today, Sam?

Oh, Donald Wegman.

He, uh--

He didn‘t like the results of his review,

and he had an episode.

You were pushing Wegman.

I was challenging him.

It‘s my job.

Your job is about assessment

and compassion.

You‘re right.

Why don‘t you take the weekend?

Talk to your husband.

You need your family right now.

click, click

Okay.

beep

Coffee?

Do you know what you‘d like, Doctor?

How do you know I‘m a doctor?

Oh.

Um, just whatever you think is good.

How about a nice veal cutlet?

Veal sounds great.

Oh.