[ Man Over Radio, Indistinct ]
[ Man ] ♪♪♪ Now,, listen, Jnlie RaRy ♫
♪♪♪ It ain't natnral for yon to cry at midnight ♪♪♪
[ Siren Wails ]
♪♪♪ It ain't natnral for yon to cry ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ When the midnight comes ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Into the w,ee, small honrs ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Long 'fore the Rreak of daw,n ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Oh, Lord ♪♪♪
-♪♪♪ Mm-hmm ♪♪♪ - [ Siren Wailing ]
[ Man Narrating ] The night started ont w,ith a Rang.
A gnnshot to the chest on a drng deal gone Rad.
All the elements w,ere in place for a long w,eekend--
heat, hnmidity, moonlight.
I w,as good at my joR.
There w,ere periods w,here my hands moved w,ith a speed and skill Reyond me.
Bnt in the last year, I'd started to lose that control.
Things had tnrned Rad.
I hadn't saved anyone in months.
I jnst needed a few, slow, nights, follow,ed Ry a conple of days off.
- [ Man ] Ladder Fonr. - We're there.
Respond to a 1 0-22. Fonr-flight residential. 4 1 7 West 3 2.
7 7-David at 1 7 7 West 2 4.
A w,oman w,ho says a roach craw,led in her ear. Can't get it ont.
Says she's going into cardiac arrest.
63-Boy, men's room, Grand Central. Man set his pants on fire.
- Bad Rnrns. - Move back. Which apartment?
- 5-A. - Oh,Jesus, it's Mr. Burke.
[ Panting ] Why is it alw,ays the top floor?
Goddamn.
[ Woman ] No! No!
[ Crying, Speaking Indistinctly
No! No!
No! No! [ SoRRing ]
[ SoRRing Continnes ]
Oh, God, they're here.
Shh, shh. Over there. [ Sobbing ]
Mary, it's two hands. It's my dad.
We were just watching TV, and he was sort of punching his chest--
- Step outside. - Nnext, he Iocks the bathroom.
So I toId him I was gonna caII you guys, and he said not to.
- When did he stop breathing? - I don't know. Ten minutes.
Twenty. A woman on the phone tried to teII us how to do C.p.R.
- CouId you do something? - We'II do what we can.
He w,as cryin'. I never heard him cryin'Refore.
[ Beeping ] I need you to squeeze this once every three seconds.
CIear! CIear!
- [ Gasps ] - [ Long Beep ]
- Ma'am, I need you to step back. - CIear! CIear!
[ Screams ] Nno more. pIease don't.
- CIear! CIear! - Ma'am, step back.
[ Crying ] Daddy.
[ Man ] In the last year, I'd come to Relieve in snch things...
as spirits leaving the Rody and not w,anting to Re pnt Rack.
Spirits angry at the aw,kw,ard places death had left them.
I nnderstood how, crazy it w,as to think this w,ay,
Bnt I w,as convinced that if I tnrned aronnd...
I'd see Old Man Bnrke...
standing at the w,indow,...
w,atching...
w,aiting for ns to finish.
I'II take over. CaII E.R. and ask for an 83.
Sorry.
[ Sighs ]
Do you have any music?
- What? - Mnsic.
I think it helps if yon play something he liked.
John.
pIay the Sinatra.
- What? - Play the Sinatra.
What is it,Johnny?
♪♪♪ As a man ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Who has alw,ays had ♪♪♪
-♪♪♪ The w,andering w,ays ♪♪♪ - [ Beep ]
♪♪♪ Now, I'm reaching Rack ♪♪♪
-♪♪♪ For yesterday ♫♪♪♪ - [ Beeping ]
- [ Beeping Continnes ] - Okay, Frank, you can caII it. 83.
- Nno, we can't. He's got a puIse. - No shit?
- Is he gonna be aII right? - [ Beeping ]
His heart's beating. Have 'em bring up a board.
♪♪♪♪♪♪ [ Continnes, Indistinct ]
Nno, no. Nno. Nno.
HeIp your famiIy. Ride with your mother and brother.
HeIp your famiIy. They need you more. HeIp yourseIf.
♪♪♪ Now,, Jnlie, there ain't nothin'on my mind ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ More for the w,ay than w,hat yon're lookin'for ♪♪♪
[ Siren WaiIing ]
- For the famiIy. -♪♪♪ And she done w,ent and jnmped at me ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Lnnged from Rehind the door ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ And looked into my eyes ♪♪♪
[ Frank ] I had to concentrate to keep my mind from w,andering off...
on these short trips.
It w,as the neighRorhood I grew, np in...
and w,here I'd w,orked most as a paramedic.
And it held more ghosts per sqnare foot than any other.
♪♪♪ Yonr little starstrnck innnendos ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Inadeqnacies and ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Foreign Rodies ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ And the snnlight shining throngh the crack in the w,indow,pane ♪♪♪
[ Men Arguing ]
♪♪♪ NnmRs my brain ♪♪♪♪♪♪
Come on! Come on! Both of you!
Yonr man doesn't look w,ell. They not gonna appreciate yon inside.
-Nnobody Ioves me, Griss. -Just teIIin' you things are backing up.
Griss, Iet us in.
Whatever you say.
Oh, my foot!
Don't even sIow down. Just keep on moving.
Sir, yon say yon've Reen snorting cocaine for three days ...
and now you feeI as if your heart is beating too fast...
and you wouId Iike for us to heIp you.
To teII you the truth, I don't see why we shouId.
Correct me if I am wrong here, if I'm mistaken.
Did we seII you the cocaine? Did we push it up your nose?
- Oh, come on. - Can I get a cup of water?
- Shut up, goddamn civiIian! - AII I want is a cup of water!
[ Woman ] Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no, guys.
We're on diversion here. We're not accepting any more patients.
The dispatcher shonld've let yon know, that. I cannot do it. No.
We picked him up at 49th and 1 0th. You're the cIosest.
Where do you want me to put him? You teII me.
He wanted to come here. He said the nurses at Misery were the best.
- AII I want is a cup of water! - I'II kick someone out of three.
Excuse me. You're a kind man, I can see that.
A man Iike you's not gonna deny a poor, sick, dying, heIpIess man...
- a smaII cup of water. - I have to stay with my patient.
WiII you shut the fuck up?
Goddamn it. What the heII are you doing to me? We're aII backed up in here.
Look at this guy. Looks Iike he needs the works. What's wrong with him?
- You shouId know. You pronounced him. - You toId me he was dead.
- FIatIine. - He got better.
[ Sighs ] I hate pronouncing peopIe dead over the phone.
Yeah. Better, huh? They're fixed and diIated. This guy's pIant food.
We stoIe a stretcher from X ray, so put him in three next to the overdose.
AII right, Iook. He's our Iowest priority now. He shouIdn't even be here.
All this technology, What a w,aste.
[ Griss ] Leave that dope alone. The doc'll Re ont in a minnte.
- CouId find out what's going on? - pIease, foIks, step back.
pIease, foIks, step back. I've aIready toId you two to step back.
- Mister-- - Don't make me take off my sungIasses.
First-time heart attack. He shouId've gone to C.C.U. ten hours ago.
We got three Rodies np there jnst like the one yon Rronght in.
Over there, two AIDS patients. One is 1 2 and fiIIing up with fluids.
Mother w,on't sign the ""Do Not Resnscitate. ""
""Mercy killing"" doesn't translate w,ell in Spanish.
It's a sin to have to tube that kid.
We got three more O.D.s from this new, killerjnnk they're calling Red Death.
What's in it?
It's a mix of heroin and I don't know what eIse. An amino acid, maybe.
This stnff is so strong, they're drinking it w,ith grain alcohol.
Yon need ten times the nsnal amonnt of Narcan.
And when they wake up, watch out 'cause they're IiabIe to go nuts on you.
- He one of'em? - That's Noel. He nsed to Re a regnlar.
I haven't seen him for a whiIe. He seized and aImost coded.
I gave him a hypertonic soIution.
He drank so much his kidneys were taking out saIt.
- That's one for the textbooks. - Doc, you're the greatest.
- You gotta heIp me. - Can you give this guy water?
NnoeI, I am heIping you. You drink any more water, you couId die!
[ Woman ] Hazmat, three's coding. We got a flatline here.
Start C.P.R. Milagros, get me an epi. Odette, w,ake np Dr. Stark.
Tell him w,e're gonna need him stat. 400 jonles. Clear!
You want water? I'II give you water.
- What a pain.Just get out of here. - 600 jonles.
- Clear! - So yon get drnnk and fall dow,n.
Why shonld w,e help yon? Yon'rejnst gonna get drnnk, fall dow,n again.
Griss, this man w,ants to leave.
[ Shouting, Indistinct ]
- Thank you. - I know him. That's NnoeI.
You better step outside. QuickIy.
- Get-- - [ YeIIing ] Fuck!
NnoeI? NnoeI.
It's-- It's me. It's Mary Burke from 49th Street.
Oh, Mary.
Oh, Mary, I'm so thirsty. They won't give me any water to drink in there.
- pIease. - I'II get you some.
I wouIdn't do that.
The doctor seems to think he's suffering from some rare disorder.
He's had a rough Iife. He grew up on our street.
He's a IittIe crazy from it, but that's no excuse...
for not giving someRody a lonsy cnp of w,ater.
Here.
My father's dying, NnoeI.
[ Crying ]
Oh, Mary, Mary, Mary.
Oh.
♪♪♪♪♪♪ [ Singing, Indistinct ]
♪♪♪ Bnt it doesn't mean I didn't try ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ I jnst never know, w,hy ♫
[ Larry ] Chinese closes in five minntes.
Beef Io mein. Been on my mind since I awoke. What do you think?
I think the moment that food hits your mouth, we'II get a run.
Turn here. You missed it. Chink's on 1 1 th.
[ Tires Screeching ]
- Oh, finaIIy. Where you been? - [ Grunts ]
Hey, amRnlance man, w,hat yon looking at?
[ Laughs ] Yeah, pretty soon you'II be coming for me.
Do you think he'II come for me? [ Laughing ]
pretty soon you'II be coming for me.
Boy, some partner you are, Frank. I couId've waIked there faster.
I'm starving, and you stop to taIk to hookers. You're making me nuts.
Is that what you're trying to do? Drag me down to NnutsviIIe with you?
[ Siren Wailing ]
- Oh, no! - What?
I just remembered. I'm so stupid. I had beef Io mein Iast night.
I can't eat the same thing two nights in a row.
It's aImost 2:00. What the heII am I gonna do? What are you getting?
- I'm not hungry. - Yeah, you don't eat food.
I eat.
Larry, I eat. Just haven't had coffee yet.
OnIy coffee and whiskey. Lucky you ain't dead with that diet.
I got it.
HaIf fried chicken and fries. Let's go.
♪♪♪ Yon can't pnt yonr arm aronnd a memory ♪♪♪ [ Song Fades ]
♪♪♪ Foreign Rodies, yon can't pnt yonr arm aronnd a memory ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ And the snnlight shining throngh the crack in the w,indow,pane ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ NnmRs my brain ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ And the snnlight shining throngh the crack in the w,indow,pane ♪♪♪
[ Frank Narrating ] Rose's ghost w,as getting closer.
♪♪♪ NnmRs my brain ♪♪♪
It had Reen six months since I lost her. A homeless girl...
asthmatic, 1 8 years old.
I nsed to Rlock the Rad calls ont.
I nsed to forget, Rnt she w,onldn't let go.
And now, she'd come to Rear w,itness for all of them...
all that had Reen lost.
These spirits w,ere part of thejoR.
It w,as impossiRle to pass a Rnilding that didn't hold a ghost of something.
The eyes of a corpse. The screams of a loved one.
All Rodies leave their mark.
Yon cannot Re near the new,ly dead w,ithont feeling it.
I conld handle that.
What hannted me now, w,as more savage.
Spirits Rorn half-finished.
Homicides. Snicides. Overdoses.
Accnsing me of Reing there, w,itnessing a hnmiliation...
w,hich they conld never forgive.
[ Woman Over Radio, Indistinct ]
Turn it off.
- What? - You know what. The radio.
That's not the poIice band. It's your fire department scanner in your bag.
- Oh. - [Man] Ladder Four, respond to a 1 0-22.
Six-flight residential. 534 West 3 2.
- Let's do it. It might be a good one. - There are no good fires.
p eopIe die in fires. p eopIe get burned up in fires. p eopIe can't breathe.
That's what we're here for. Let's go.
- 63-- - Don't push it, Larry.
- You're burned out. You're scorched. - Nnot yet, Larry.
I'm stiII burning. If you get any cIoser, I'm gonna put a burn on you.
[ Man ] 6-3 ZeRra. 6-3 ZeRra. ZeRra three, I need yon.
- You see? He's giving it to us anyway. -ZeRra, are yon there?
-Holding an nnconscions at 9th and 4 1 st. -No, no, no!
3.:00 in the morning. That can only mean one thing.
- Mr. Oh. - Mr. Oh. I'm not answering it.
Answer the radio, Zebra. You know it's that time.
Four times this week I've had him. Aren't there any other units out there?
- Zebra, are you there? - Don't answ,er. They'll get someRody,
63-Zebra, answer me now, or I'm sending a captain to your Iocation.
When I say don't answer it, that means answer it. You couId do me that favor.
- 6-3 ZeRra. - Yes, ZeRra, yon'll Re driving...
to the man w,ho needs no introdnction.
Chronic caller of the year, three straight and shooting for nnmRer fonr...
The dnke of drnnk, the king of stink.
- Onr most freqnent flyer, Mr. Oh. - 1 0-4.
Don't do it. Not this time--
Relax. It's a street joR. It's easy except for the smell.
We just throw him in the back, zip over to Mercy.
Nno bIood, no dying. That's how I Iook at it. He's just a drunk.
It's not our job to taxi drunks around.
Yeah, but they're just gonna keep caIIing.
Someone's gonna have a cardiac, and the medics wiII be taking care of Mr. Oh.
He's Rad, mister. He ain't eaten nothing all day,
And he's seizing and throw,ing np.
- So, what's different about him today? - He says his feet hurt.
-Oh, why didn't you say so? -Can't find a pnlse, Rnt he's Rreathing.
WeII, it Iooks Iike we're just in time. Step aside, sir.
- He's drunk. - He's sick. Yon gotta help him.
He's fine. He can waIk to the hospitaI.
WaIk? Are you crazy? He's in the wheeIchair.
Oh, don't give me that. He waIks better than I do.
- [ Groaning ] - Oh! Oh! That's right, Mr. Oh.
[ Coughing ] Come on, buddy. Your Iimo's here.
- [ Coughing Continues ] - Get better. Good Iuck, oId buddy.
-♪♪♪ I gotta get rnnning now, ♪♪♪ -♪♪♪ Bell Boy ♫
-♪♪♪ Keep yonr lip Rnttoned dow,n ♪♪♪ -♪♪♪ Bell Boy ♫
- Oh! -♪♪♪ Carry the Rloody baggage ont ♪♪♪♪♪♪
- Faster! Come on, Frank. Faster! - Faster?
You want faster? [ Laughing ]
[ Retching ]
Take that stinky-ass motherfucking bug-ridden skeII out of my face!
Johnny, weIcome back. Good to see ya.
And my conscience simpIy wiII not aIIow that.
Griss, this gentIeman wouId Iike to Ieave.
Oh! He Iooks so paIe.
Hey, you getting enough to eat? You getting your fiber?
Wasted. That's my diagnosis. He's shit-faced.
He just needs a bath and some food. Let's take him in back.
- Get a stretcher. - She's nuts. That's why he comes here.
- She encourages him. - Don't. This is not a homeIess sheIter.
- He's gonna have to wait in the Iobby. - Nno way, man.
Nnot even in the corner. Griss cannot abide the funk tonight.
Señor. Señor. [ Speaking Spanish ]
[ Larry Groaning ]
My first cigarette in over a year.
First is aIways the best.
The doctor doesn't think my father wiII make it.
Said he was dead for too Iong.
After six minutes, the brain starts to die...
and after that,
just cIose the door.
You never know.
You know, my father and I haven't spoken in three years.
When my brother caIIed me and said that my father had a heart attack...
and that he Iocked himseIf in the bathroom...
aII the way going over there, I was thinking of...
how I was gonna teII him what a bastard he was.
When I got there and we put him up on the bed...
and I thought of aII the other things that I wanted to say to him--
WeII, right now I'm more worried about my mother than anything.
Go home. Take her home. Get some rest.
-You're not gonna find anything out now. -That's what I toId her.
If she couId just see him for a second, then I know she'd Iet me take her home.
Thanks for the Iight.
Here's your dinner. I wheeI, you heaI.
[ Man ] 6-2 David, at 38th and 2, yon'll find a three-car accident.
Tw,o taxis and a taxi.
6-2 Henry, 6-2 Henry. 487 West 22.
Report of a very Rad smell. No fnrther information.
Larry, swing over to 1 0th. We're gonna have to run one of these caIIs.
- ReIax, wiII ya? - [ Tires Screeching ]
[ Frank Narrating ] The Riggest proRlem w,ith not driving...
is that w,henever there's a patient in the Rack, yon're also in the Rack.
- The door's closed. Yon're trapped. -♪♪♪ Let me Rreathe ♪♪♪♪♪♪
5.:00 or 6.:00 in the morning is alw,ays the w,orst time for me.Jnst Refore daw,n.
Jnst w,hen yon've Reen lnlled into thinking...
it might Re safe to close yonr eyes for one minnte.
That's w,hen I first fonnd Rose.
She w,as on the sidew,alk, not Rreathing.
[ Groans ] I'm not feeIing very weII, Larry.
Let's say we go back to the hospitaI, caII it a night.
You got no sick time, Frank. Nno time of any kind. Everyone knows that.
Take me back. put me to bed. I surrender.
We've done enough damage tonight.
You take things way too seriousIy, Frank.
[ Frank ] Yon ever think of doing anything else?
Snre.
Taking my captain's exam next year.
Once the kids are in schooI, Louise can go back to the post office.
I thought, ""What the heII? I'II start my own medic service.""
Out on the isIand, the voIunteers are becoming saIaried municipaI.
It's just a matter of time and who you know.
Someday it's gonna be Chief Larry caIIing the shots.
[ Frank Narrating ] I'd alw,ays had nightmares.
Bnt now, the ghosts didn't w,ait for me to sleep.
I drank every day,
""Help others and yon help yonrself.""
That w,as my motto.
Bnt I hadn't saved anyone in months.
It seemed all my patients w,ere dying on me.
I'd w,aited, snre the sickness w,onld Rreak.
Maybe the next call, maybe tomorrow,, the feeling w,onld drop aw,ay,
More than anything else, I w,anted to sleep like that.
Close my eyes and drift aw,ay,
[ Man On Radio ] ZeRra. 6-3 ZeRra.
ZeRra.
Zebra, answer the radio. Come on. I got one for you.
Pick np the radio and pnsh the Rntton on the side and speak into the front.
Come on. ZeRra?
- Zebra. - Snicidal male Rleeding...
corner of 44th and 8th.
No fnrther information.
1 0-4.
[ Horn Honks ]
[ Frank ] We have a call, Chief. SomeRody's Rleeding. 44th and 8th.
No, no. Brake! Brake! It's the w,ater. Tnrn aronnd.
♪♪♪♪♪♪ [ Rock ]
[ Noel ] Come on. Kill me! Pnsh it in! Do it!
KiII me! Huh? Come on. KiII me.Just push it. Huh?
Kill me! Huh? Come on. Kill me. Just pushi it.Huh?
[ YeIIs ]
Nno, don't! Drop the bottIe.
- put down the bottIe. - He's crazy,
ReaIIy? You Iook pretty thirsty, NnoeI. You want some water?
See, I can't do it. I came out of the desert.
Those peopIe Ieft me in the sun to die.
You came out of the hospitaI.
You were tied down and haIIucinating.
You got some bad chemicaIs in your head.
- There's medicine that'II fix that. - Nno! Nno medicine.
- Nno medicine. - He got ya.
Man w,ants to die? I know, how, to kill that mother. Pop, pop.
- Oh, sh-- - Shit!
NnoeI! NnoeI!
Noel! Larry, call for Racknp.
[ Larry ] 6-3 ZeRra, 1 0-85 forthw,ith, 44 and 8th.
[ Man ] Get out of the road, you crazy bastard!
NnoeI, you didn't Iet me finish.
We have ruIes against kiIIing peopIe on the street, okay? It Iooks bad.
There's a speciaI room at the hospitaI for terminating.
It's a nice quiet room with a big bed.
- You mean that? - Yeah.
Man, thank you, man.
Wait a minute. How? How are you gonna kiII me?
WeII, you have a choice. You can have piIIs, injection or gas.
- piIIs. DefiniteIy piIIs. - [ Man ] Yon fncking asshole!
Tom WoIIs, that crazy motherfucker.
- He used to be my partner. - Frank.
This the guy you caIIed about? I know you.
- Nnah, you don't know me. - Oh, yes, I do, p edro. I do.
- I know you. I know him. - I don't think so.
You give my friend here any more troubIe, I'II kiII ya.
- Yeah, at the hospitaI. - What?
At the hospitaI. He's gonna kiII me in the hospitaI.
Forget the hospitaI. I'II kiII you here.
This Iooks Iike a very bad man I took in a coupIe of weeks ago...
who'd been hoIding two priests-- not one, two priests--
hostage w,ith a screw,driver, and I told him...
if he was ever caught making troubIe again...
-I'd kick the murdering Iife out of him. -It's not worth it, Tom.
- He's surrendering. - What?
- The war's over. - Nnot mine.
Hey, p edro, come here, you IittIe motherfucker.
I just want to taIk to you...
give you a IittIe psychoIogicaI first aid.
I'm gonna give you your first Iesson on how to be an American.
It's caIIed ""Eatin' My Shit.""
- Come here. - [ YeIIs ]
Tom, don't do it, Tom. Tom!
I have to take him to the hospitaI.
- I have to get him to the hospitaI. - Get up here, motherfucker!
- That's enough! - Take that!
There's a donRle shooting three Rlocks dow,n. 4 1 st and 8th, confirmed.
We'II do that. Larry. Larry. Larry!
- I'II take it. Motherfucker! - That's enough.
I'II do that. I'II see you over there, okay?
- What happened? - [ Siren WaiIing ]
Oh, man.Just waIked up and shot him. Nnot a word.
- Damn, that was coId. - E.M.S. Move it.
- Where are you hit? - [ panting, Grunting ]
You see this shit, man? Nniggas put a hoIe in me.
Yo, Tiger did this shit, yo. And Money right here work for OutIaw.
[ Grunting ]
- We got a gang w,ar aRont to start, yo . - Take a deep breath.
[ Conghing ]
Major Tom! I'm going to Misery! You take yours to BeIIevue.
Okay, Frank, you take yours to heaven. I'II take mine to heII. Let's go.
Get him on the board. Let's go.
You're gonna feeI a stick in your arm. Don't move.
Listen, I'm qnitting, man.
I'm going in the army where it's safe.
[ Grunting ] I don't wanna die.
- Nno, I wanna die. I'm the one. - You're not gonna die.
- What did you say? - Shut up! You're going to die.
- Hold my hand, man. - I can't. I gotta do the other arm.
- HoId my hand, man. - HoId this.
If you Iet go, I swear I won't kiII you.
[ Grunting ]
[ Frank ] It's aII right. We're here.
Fuck.
He's not breathing. CaII a code.
NnoeI, Iet's go.
Let's go!
Fucking Christ.
[ Man ] So here I am. And this jnnkie got something jammed in his teeth.
Now,, none of thesejnnkies w,anna give month-to-month. It w,as a Rlow, dryer.
So I pnlls it ont. His Rody w,as cold except for his throat.
It had been bIow-dried.Junkie had second-degree burns of the tongue.
Did you ever give mouth-to-mouth?
A Iong time ago, when I was your age, boy. Nnever again.
Chances are you end up with a mouthfuI of puke.Junkie puke.
I'd do it if I had to. It's part of the job.
- What aRont yon? - What?
You ever do mouth-to-mouth before?
- Once. On a baby. - [ Griss ] Oh, RaRies.
Nnow, babies are a whoIe different thing entireIy.
Did I ever tell yon aRont the time that w,hite w,oman approached me?
I said, ""Ma'am, I'm a trne cocksman, and I don't mix my seed. ""
Only time yon see me w,ith a w,hite w,oman w,hen I'm holdin'her for the police. ""
That's the trnth.
You shouIdn't smoke.
It's okay. They're prescription.
Works better with a IittIe whiskey.
Yeah, that's my brother's probIem. That's why he's passed out inside.
That's it!
I've had it! Can't take it anymore.
- You got... bIood on-- - I know.
That boy you brought in, he's, uh, shot, wasn't he?
Yeah.
He's dead, huh?
Yes.
I think this pIace stinks.
- Our Lady of Misery. - It's crazy in there.
What's the matter with that doctor...
who keeps mumbIing and poking himseIf in the eye whenever he taIks to me?
He's working a doubIe shift.
WeII, my father's in there. He's in a coma.
My mother, she's-- she's going crazy.
It's Iike, uh, she's in a trance.
She shouId go home.
Yeah, w,ell, I'd take her, Rnt someRody's got to stay here.
- Did you see him? - [ Mrs. Bnrke ] It w,asn't him.
Yon saw, him?
They showed me someone. It wasn't him. It wasn't my husband.
Mrs. Bnrke, they'll take care of him. Yon shonld go home now,.
I shouId know my own husband.
They wouIdn't Iet me see him.
Larry and I'II drop her home. HeIp me get her to the ambuIance.
Mom, they're gonna give you a ride home. Come on. This way.
You want some coffee?
I have appIesauce cake too.
- Right here. Right there. - Oh.
Thanks.
I'll call yon if anything changes.
[ Frank Narrating ] Saving someone's life is like falling in love.
The Rest drng in the w,orld.
For days , sometimes w,eeks afterwards...
yon w,alk the street making infinite w,hatever yon see.
Once, for a few, w,eeks, I conldn't feel the earth.
Everything I tonched Recame lighter.
Horns played in my shoes. Flow,ers fell from my pockets.
Yon w,onder if yon've Recome immortal...
as if yon've saved yonr ow,n life as w,ell.
God has passed throngh yon.
Why deny it that for a moment there --
Why deny for a moment there God w,as yon?
Taking credit w,hen things go right doesn't w,ork the other w,ay,
When things go w,rong, spreading the Rlame is an essential snrvival tool.
""The elevator Rroke dow,n. "" ""The Royfriend w,as crazy, ""
""I shonld've called in sick. "" ""The tnRe w,onldn't go in. ""
""The God of Hellfire"" is not a role that anyone w,ants to play,
[ Bnzzing ]
[ Bnzzing Stops ]
- Good morning, Captain. - What am I gonna do with this guy?
pierce, I just got off the phone with Borough Command.
Out of 1 2 shifts this month, you've been Iate for nine, sick four.
That incIudes the shift where you came in Iate, you went home earIy.
- I'm sick. I've been teIIing you. - Yon're sick?
You're kiIIing me, do you know that?
You've got no sick time Ieft. I mean, I was toId to terminate.
It's okay. I'II just get my things out of my Iocker.
Excuse me. It's not okay. I-I-I never fired anybody in my Iife, man.
I'm sorry, Captain. Don't take it too hard.
[ Barking ]
[ Langhing ] NoRody tells me to fire anybody, ever.
I toId them, ""Stick it right up your big one."" pardon me.
I said, ""Yon w,anna fire him? Come on over and do it yonrself.""
You know they won't do it. It's up to you. You've gotta be strong.
- Be a man. - You think they give these to sissies?
Come on, kid. This is a w,eekend of fnll moons. NoRody w,ants to w,ork.
I mean, yonr partner Larry's called in sick.
Okay, Larry Veeber. Stupid StanIey too.
Come on. I need Rodies ont there. I got Rnses that gotta rnn.
I had to put Marcus on 62-Young.
Hey. Hey. You know he's not supposed to work two nights in a row.
- You know what we're in for with that? - You swore you'd fire me...
if I came in Iate again.
- I'll fire yon tomorrow,. - [ p ounds Desk ]
Even better than that, what was I thinking about?
I couId forward you some sick time. How about a week?
A week's not gonna do it. A week's not gonna do it.
- Your saying no, it ain't gonna do it. - [ p ounds Desk ]
You're going out with Marcus. Okay?
Duty caIIs you, kid. The city needs you. pIease.
I'll front yon sick time. I'll make it np to yon. Honest to God.
Look at me. The next time I see you, I'II fire you.
- I can bark too. - Pierce, yon can do it all.
I never said I couId bark better than you.
Go and help-- Go and help the people of New, York. Go ahead.
Get ont there and mop them np for me. Go ahead. Do yonrjoR.
- Do yonrjoR. Yon're the Rest. - [ Woman ] Pnt dow,n that crack stem.
put down that crack stem and drop your jug of sin...
your high-heeIed skirts and your stock dividends...
your patent Ieather underwear, teIevised suicides...
lap dancers in leotards in delicatessens.
And the Lord said, ""If yon can find one that isn't a sinner--jnst one--
- then I w,ill spare the city, "" - Lord, mother of man.
Boy, you Iook Iike heII. What you drinking?
Captain aImost fired me tonight. I'm on my way out.
- [ Chnckling ] - Anytime now.
NoRodygets fired, son. Look at me.
The most they might do is transfer you to the Bronx.
Boy, you Iook Iike you aged about ten years since I rode with you Iast.
I ain't feeIing so hot.
I've been seeing the ghosts.
- You mean the peopIe we Iost? - Yeah.
If they got to go, got to go. God bIess 'em.
You ever notice peopIe who see shit are aIways crazy? Mm-hmm.
Scientific fact.
- I think the worst is over. - Oh, no, son.
It can aIways get worse. See, you can't change what's out there.
OnIy where you're coming from.
So you got to Iet the good Lord-- Thank you,Jesus--
take over in here.
[ Woman ] 6-2 Young. Let's go, 6-2 Young. Answer the radio.
Marcus, it's Love. I haven't heard her in months.
WeII, no, she onIy works when I'm on.
I makes her wait. Drives her crazy.
- You and Love went on a bIind date? - Mm-hmm.
- She hit you with a bottIe? - Why you gotta bring that up?
She Ioves me the way no woman ever has.
6-2 Young, I don't have time for your games.
Now,, answ,er me or do I have to come ont there myself?
Oh, sookie, sookie. now. Rough.
Now,, see, I nsnally don't do calls Refore my coffee...
but I think this'II be good for you, son.
- 6-2 Young is here, baby. - [ Laughing ]
And I'm a take care of you.
♪ Don't you worry 'bout a thing ♪♪
Come on, white boy.
'Cause Big Daddy Marcus is aIive and on arrivaI, baby.
I'm not yonr RaRy, Yonng. I'm not yonr mother either.
Yon're going to a cardiac arrest. 30th and 1 1 th, northeast corner.
It's a clnR. Take the Rack entrance.
AII right, 1 0-4, sweet mama. You feeIing better, Frank?
- I feeI worse. - Oh, that's good, Roy,
- This here is for you. - [ Siren WaiIing ]
I hope we're not too Iate from you foIks hoIding us up here. Excuse me.
Right this way.
♪♪♪♪♪♪ [ Alternative Rock ]
Get the heII out of my way.
Okay, what happened?
- TeII me he's gonna be aII right. - Nno, he dead.
- We just signed our first record deaI. - Look, he dead, son.
Ain't nothing we can do about it. Come on, Frank. That's it.
- [ Woman ] What do yon mean he's dead? - [ QuietIy ] He's not dead.
It's a heroin overdose. Let's break out the Nnarcan.
He's dead, unIess you foIks wanna stop buIIshitting me and teII it straight.
Then, the good Lord wiIIing, we'II try and bring him back.
He Rroke np w,ith his old lady,
- We were just seeing other peopIe. - Oh, she broke his heart.
- Shnt np, asshole! NoRody asked yon! - Was I taIking to you?
Dick, shut up!
I'm stiII waiting and this young man here is stiII dead.
- Yon w,anna leave here in a Rody bag? - Yon'll end np like him, dick!
- Shnt np! - He's been snorting that Red Death.
It's been going on for, Iike, four days now.
I rebuke the spirit of drugs in the name of Jesus. What's his name?
- I.B. Bangin'. - What you mean I.B. Bangin'?
- I.B. Bangin'. - What kind of name is I.B. Bangin'?
- I don't know, his real name. - It's Frederick Smith.
- [ Marcns ] Okay, Freddy- - - It's Frederick.
Okay, I.B. Bangin', we're gonna bring you back from the dead.
Now,, I w,ant everyRody here to graR the hand of the person next to yon.
Come on now. We ain't got much time.
And look np tow,ards the heavens.
Dear Lord, here I am again...
asking one more chance for a sinner.
pIease, Lord, bring back I.B. Bangin', Lord.
You have the power,Jesus. You have the might.
You have the super Iight to spare this worthIess man.
- My God! Frederick! - Rise up, I.B. Bangin'...
and start your Iife anew!
Oh, thank you, Lord.
- What happened? - You fucking died, you stupid bastard.
- I warned you. - Damn, you guys are good.
The first step is Love. The second is Mercy.
That guy I brought in yesterday, post-cardiac arrest. He's gone.
Burke? You're not gonna beIieve it. He's showing cognitive signs.
It started with spontaneous respiration. Nnow he's fighting to puII out the tube.
He had to be sedated. He's in CAT scan. There's no room in I.C.U.
- What do you think? - Who know,s?
It's low,er Rrain stem activity at this point. The heart refnses to staRilize.
You know, he coded 1 1 times since he got here.
Bnt the gny's a fighter.
Every time the Valinm w,ears off, he starts yanking on the restraints.
The famiIy know?
I w,anted to Rring them in to see if he'd respond to voices.
But there was no one in the waiting room.
This guy's daughter was in my face aII night.
FinaIIy, I got something positive to teII her, she's gone.
You put poison in your veins, and now that you're breathing again...
you can't wait to say ""Thank you,"" and get back out to poison shopping.
WeII, since we saved your Iife, couId you do us a favor...
and stop Rreathing in another city next time?
I ever teII you about that time years ago...
I was on this Iedge uptown trying to puII this damn psycho inside?
The guy jumped and you aImost feII? Nno, you never toId me that story.
[ Chnckling ] No, yon never listened.
I put everything I had into saving this dumb-ass, Iow-Iife suicidaI...
that when he went down, it was Iike I wanted to go with him.
That happened once in Ireland.
This girI jumped off the cIiffs of Moher and the wind bIew her back up.
- The wind bIew her back up? - Yeah, the wind.
- Nno, that was Jesus, son. - It was aIso the wind.
The w,ind, my black ass. That w,as Jesns.
Don't tell me aRont the Good Book.
I'll preach heaven and Reat the hell ont of yon. Don't tell me that now,.
I was going, son.
But if someone up on high-- Thank you, Jesus-- hadn't have puIIed me in--
Wonld yon tnrn left here? I w,anna make a stop.
The point is, everyRodygo throngh a stretch w,here folks gonna die on yon.
Just don't meditate on it.
♪♪♪ I say open np the w,indow, ♪♪♪
I'II be right back.
♪♪♪ And let me Rreathe ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ I say open the w,indow, ♪♪♪
-♪♪♪ And let me Rreathe ♪♪♪ - It's Frank pierce from the ambuIance.
I brought your father into the hospitaI.
- I jnst learned some new,s. - [ Mary ] I'll Re right dow,n.
♪♪♪ I cried for ya ♪♪♪
He's better, isn't he?
Well, the doctor says he's show,ing some movement.
It's stiII earIy. It might mean nothing, but I thought you'd wanna know.
-♪♪♪ I cried for ya ♪♪♪♪♪♪ - I sensed it when I heard your voice.
You-You Iook so different.
Oh. [ Laughing ] It's awfuI, isn't it?
It's Iike Night of the Living Cheerleaders.
Nno, I think it Iooks good.
I was going nuts in that waiting room. I came back to check on my mom.
- How, is she? - She's sIeeping.
SIeeping.
I was just gonna get some food. pizza. I thought maybe we--
You can't kiII my father that easy. He's a reaI fighter, Iike with me.
He hasn't taIked to me in three years. But it's okay.
Sometimes yon jnst have to pnt things Rehind yon.
I gotta be getting back. Hey. Hey!
It'II be tough to get a taxi here. We can give you a ride if you Iike.
Okay.
Who that?
She's the daughter of a cardiac arrest I brought in Iast night.
I toId her we'd give her a ride back. Her father's showing signs of improving.
Oh, Frank, you got it bad, son. So much worse than what I thought.
- We gotta get something to eat. - God, heIp us. He's hungry.
♪♪♪ These are the days ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Yon might fill w,ith langhter ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Until yon Reg ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ These days yon might feel a shaft of light ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Make its w,ay across yonr face ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ And w,hen yon do ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Yon'll know, how, it w,as meant to Re ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ See the signs know, their meaning ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ It's trne ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Yon'll know, how, it w,as meant to Re ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Hear the signs and know, they're speaking ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ To yon ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ To yon ♪♪♪♪♪♪
Dad?
Can you hear me?
It's Mary.
Squeeze my hand if you can hear me, Dad.
[ SqueaIs ] He squeezed my hand.
He's moving, Doctor. He grabbed my hand.
Come on, Dad. Show 'em. Come on. See? See?
I'll Re damned. It's movement. Jnst not snre how, volnntary it is.
[ Mary ] No, he heard me.
Come on, Dad. Yeah.
Oh! Nnurse Crupp.
Nnrse Crnpp! Ten milligrams of Valinm!
- Get over here. - [ Beeping ]
- Where's that Valinm? - Why don't we step out for a whiIe...
- wait tiII this passes. - Make snre he's Rreathing.
[ Beeping Continnes ]
He wants to puII that tube out.
It's pretty painfuI. That's why they keep him sedated.
- But it's a good sign. - Are you sure?
I know my father wouId hate being tied down.
He wouIdn't even go to the dentist.
That's how it's done.
You have to keep the body going untiI the brain and the heart...
recover enough to go on their own.
He's better though, right?
He's better.
I'm sorry. It's just--
It's important to me. I mean, a week ago...
I was wishing he was dead.
And now, I wanna hear his voice just once more.
- You know what I mean? - [ Door Sw,ings Open ]
[ Marcns ] Went over to Ray's and got this.
[ Marcus ] Went over to Ray's and got this.
Anything comes up, I'II caII you.
- Bon appetit. - Thanks. - Thank you, Marcus.
Oh, thank-- I'm not reaIIy hungry.
You know, my father's a reaIIy wonderfuI man.
There was nobody he wouIdn't heIp.
You know that crazy guy, NnoeI, who I gave water to Iast night?
He lived at onr honse for almost a year.
TotaI stranger he'd do anything for.
His own famiIy, though-- [ Scoffs ]
It's best not to... dweII.
Yeah.
It's good pizza, huh?
Mmm, it's not as good as, uh, Nnino's.
Yon rememRer that pizza place, Mimi's, on 1 0th, maybe 1 5 years ago?
When you ordered a pie, it came with a IittIe pIastic Madonna in the middIe.
Saint Anthony, yeah. You from the neighborhood?
- I grew up on 43rd, went to HoIy Cross. - Really
I went to Sacred Heart. Where'd you go to high schooI?
WeII, you know, Mary, we moved out after that. Upstate.
Yeah. Like everybody eIse, except us.
- So, yonr parents-- Good. - They're fine.
My oId man's a bus driver, and Mom a nurse.
Sort of born to it, I guess.
- You married? - Uh, no.
I was.
Hard to expIain.
[ Sighs ] She had a hard time adjusting to, uh--
WeII, maybe-maybe it was my fauIt too.
- Cocksncker! Don't Re tonchin'me! - [ Crashing Sonnd ]
Is it aIways this bad in here? How does anybody survive?
- Gosh. - It's been bad IateIy, it's aIways bad.
- [ Shonting Continnes ] - How Iong have you been doing this?
Five years.
Wow. You must've seen some things, huh?
WeII, no. I mean, you sort of Iearn to bIock it out, you know?
It's Iike, um-- Iike cops fencing off a crime scene.
But then, something good'II happen.
Everything just gIows.
You must get a Iot of overdoses.
Bet you picked me up a coupIe times.
I think I'd remember that.
Maybe not.
I was a different person then.
Does everyone you meet just...
- spiII their guts on you Iike this? - Uh, mostIy.
Must be my face.
My mother aIways said I Iook Iike a priest.
You do. Yeah.
Yeah, my mom thought I was gonna be a nun...
because, uh, I ran away to a convent when I was 1 3.
But I didn't want to be a nun. I just-- I wanted to run away.
WeII, Sister Mary or Mary the Junkie, it didn't reaIIy matter to me.
- I Retter go check on my father. - Yeah, aII right.
Thanks for the pizza. I owe you one.
Maybe, um, when he gets better.
- When we're through with aII of this. - Sure.
Look after her, Griss, okay?
RuIe number one: Don't get invoIved with patients.
RuIe number two: Don't get invoIved with patients' daughters.
- Yon nnderstand? - What about ruIe number three?
Don't get invoIved with dispatchers named Love.
Nnow, boy, you don't know nothin' about ruIe number three.
Cannot begin to understand the compIexities of that ruIe.
♪♪♪♪♪♪ [ R&B On Radio ]
Come on. Let's go Iook at some hookers, hmm?
Kit Kat ClnR Re lettin'ont 'Ront now,.
[ Love On Radio ] 7 4-Will. 330, West 33rd.
Chnrch ofJesns Son, for demonic possession.
7 2-Victor, yon're goin'to 8th and 1 4th.
On the corner, there's a 40-year-old man hearin'celeRrity voices.
76-X ray, take it nptow,n, 54 1 West 54th St,
for the elderly w,oman aRdncted Ry her cat.
♪♪♪♪♪♪ [ Continnes ]
[ Marcns ] Look at these w,omen. Can't even tell w,ho's a hooker no more.
Whatever happened to go-go Roots and hot pants?
They'll w,ear anything now,.
WaIk out the house with whatever they got on.
[ Man Shonting, Indistinct ]
You got the wrong guy! Hands off, baby!
[ Frank Narrating ] The street's not like the E.R.
There's no w,alls, no controls.
To make np for that, they try to teach me how, to act w,ithont thinking...
like a soldier w,ho can take apart and reassemRle a gnn Rlindfolded.
Kick his ass! Fuck him up! Fuck him up!
Kick his ass! Beat the shit out of him, baby!
Beat the shit ont of him!
[ Frank Continnes ] I realized that my training w,as nsefnl...
in less than ten percent of the calls...
and saving someone's life w,as rarer than that.
After a w,hile, I grew, to nnderstand...
that my role w,as less aRont saving lives than aRont Rearing w,itness.
I w,as a grief mop.
It w,as enongh that I simply show,ed np.
- [ Woman SoRRing ] - Except w,ith Rose.
[ Sobbing ]
[ Wolls ] Shnt np!
- I'II get ya a gIass of water. NnoeI. - [ Shouting, Groaning ]
Come on, caIm down. I'm gonna take you to a spa.
- I'm gonna get you a faciaI. Shh, shh. - [ Shonts In Spanish ]
- [ Shonting Continnes ] - Get him in there!
Look-Look-Look at that. Hmm? Look at that.
Leaves you with no idea what's underneath. Nnot even a suggestion.
Conld Re a skeleton for all yon know,.
Yeah, that-that's nice, thongh. Right there. Mm-hmm.
Pnllin'Rack her hood as w,e drive Ry,
See, there's a mystery to it.
- Then she show,s ya . - She's not a whore, Marcus.
We're all w,hores, Frank.
You know what I'm taIkin' about? The way she Iooked at me.
She wasn't Iookin' at you, man. She was Iookin' at me.
Why did you kiII me, Frank?
- I didn't kiII you. - Nno, you didn't, Frank, and thank you.
But there's stiII a coupIe hours Ieft on our shift.
- Nno, it's not you. It's some-- - You hearin' them voices again?
- I just need a drink. - What-What them voices sayin' to ya?
They say, ""KiII Marcus!"" Okay?
- [ Langhing ] - That ain't funny, Frank.
Look, I don't need shock treatments. I'm not sick, aII right?
- I just need a drink. - Okay,
[ Love On Radio ] 62-Yonng, answ,er the radio. I have a call for yon.
I can't w,ait all night, Yonng. I'm holdin'a priority,
and if yon don't answ,er I'm gonna knock yon ontta service.
62-Young is here, baby, and I'm a heIp you out.
Just remember, you owe me.
[ Love ] Yon're going to 3 70 West 98th Street.
1 7-year-old female, cardiac arrest. No fnrther information.
- 1 0-4, hon. - Why is everything a cardiac arrest?
What happened to chest pain, difficuIty breathing, fractured hands?
Come on, peopIe!
Lord Jesus, heIp me get through the night.
- [ Siren WaiIing ] -♪♪♪ I can't get over it ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ It's so w,ide I can't get aronnd it ♪♪♪
♪♪♪ Now,here to rnn, now,here to hide ♪♪♪
I hate this bIock. Nnothin' but crackheads.
- I don't wanna go without the poIice. - I'm goin'.
It's easier than waitin'.
E.M.S.!
- AmbuIance! - Oh,Jesus. My bad back.
My feet hnrt. Damn crackheads.
- E.M.S.! - HeIIo? E.M.S.
HeIIo?
pIease, hurry.
pIease hurry. Come this way, pIease.
- She's over here. This way. Hurry. - [ Screaming ]
[ Both Speaking Spanish ]
My, oh, my, a fat crackhead! Now,, that's a first.
- What's wrong? - She has terribIe pain in her beIIy.
- I mean, she's pregnant. - Nno, that's impossibIe. We're virgins.
Are you pregnant? ¿¿ Estas emRarazada?
Can you waIk? ¿¿ Pnedes caminar?
- She say she in great pain. - Thank-Thank you.
Thank you for the transIation. What's your name?
-¿¿NomRre? Let's have a Iook. - Maria! Maria!
[ Conple Speaking Spanish ]
You two know each other a Iong time?
Yeah, two years, ever since we Ieft the isIand.
This is a personaI question, but I gotta ask it.