Wednesday 31st July 2002

ANOTHER GOOD ONE

Brookside started the week off last week, with another astounding episode. The Wednesday ep used an absolute minimum number of actors, as well as scenes - including one lifted directly from an episode of E R two years ago. The effect was slick, tight and well-acted.

Central to the action was Ben Hull’s character and this showed easily why this man, along with the excellent Neil Caple, stands head and shoulders above the rest of the cast as the best actor amongst the lot.

Chiefly, however this episode was good due to the total - and I mean TOTAL - absence of Jimmy. He wasn’t even mentioned. It was like a breath of fresh air not to have Sullivan thrusting his smugly mug fully into the camera, not to have to listen to that booming voice and not to have the increasingly AWFUL Kerry Peers gaze adoringly at his Hapsburgian chin. I wonder if Isabel of Portugal gave the same look to Charles V. Somehow, I don’t think she did, although Charles’s mother spent about five or six years wandering the length and breadth of Spain and the Low Countries tugging around the dead body of her Hapsburgian husband, and occasionally gazing with like adoration on his rotting chin in the coffin. But I don’t want to give either Brookside or Heather Robson any maudlin ideas about how Jimmy can be kept in the soap ad infinitum. I can’t bear the thought of Happy Smiling Fatarsed Fartarsed Helen wheeling the Corkhill coffin through the streets of Liverpool and occasionally letting the viewers glimpse the maggot-infested mug of the dear, departed Jimmy.

Maybe Jimmy could die, but his body remain, embalmed and sitting upright in the lounge on the sofa at Hotel Corkhill, much like the mummified body of Jeremy Bentham which sits, under glass in a chair (with a wax head as the real one toppled off some years ago) at the LSE.

That way, ‘Jimmy’ would always be with us. Happy Smiling Fatarsed Fartarsed Helen and Dr Nikki could take turns cuddling up to it, Tim could drape his sweaty socks over the head to dry, and Jerome could throw darts at it. It could become like an icon, or a religious relic and all the Brookside characters, past and present, who worshipped at the altar of the great god Corkhill could make pilgrimages from far and wide to worship at the shrine.

Already, Heather Robson is furiously taking notes.

We pick up the action where it was left off the previous week. Gary Parr is furiously working on the prone body of Ron Dixon, lying on the floor of Bar Brookie. Ron has arrested and Gary is applying CPR, at the same time muttering to himself, vowing that he was not going to let what happened to Mrs Tucker happen again. Glancing up briefly in the direction of the door, he shouts for help loudly.

Outside on The Parade, Rabbity Ruth hops furiously down the pavement from the direction of the Surgery, followed by a hefty nurse, resembling a cross between Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques, who’s carrying a tank of oxygen and a de-fib machine.

As they dash into the bar, Dr Parr looks up and shouts that Ron’s arrested and orders Ruth to get down onto her knees as the nurse frantically sets up the equipment. He asks Ruth if she’s ever had any medical training.

Rabbity Ruth wipes the snot from her face, as it’s blown all over her features from her dash, and answers that she did have some First Aid training once. Has she ever done external cardiac compression? Dr Parr snaps, setting up a bagging device.

Ruth admits that she’s only practiced on dummies (like her family). It’s much the same with
s, the doctor explains swiftly, only they’re warmer. He was going to bag Ron, in order to give him some oxygen. He explains that he’ll give him two puffs of air and then he wants Ruth to administer 5 compressive pushes to Ron’s chest.

She asks if the ambulance is coming, as the nurse looks at the portable heart monitor and pronounces 46 beats.

As the CPR doesn’t appear to be working, Dr Parr decides to use the de-fib machine and sets up the paddles to electro-shock Ron’s heart into gear.

Rabbity Ruth, who’s obviously never paid attention to E R, Casualty or Holby City, widens her eyes and asks ‘wha’s that?’

Dr Parr, patiently, but rapidly explains that its a defibulator. Ron’s heart is very weak and it needs to be stimulated into action. The first de-fib doesn’t work, and suddenly two people wander into the bar off the street.

Ruth rushes them out, saying that the bar’s closed, and she then thinks to put up the ‘closed’ sign on the door.

Meanwhile, outside, Mike Dixon, who’s supposed to have been upstairs with Josh and Bev, walks down The Parade from the direction of the Close and notices a gaggle of people staring into the front window of the bar. He looks inside and sees Ron prostrate on the floor, with Gary Parr, the nurse and Ruth bending over him.

He enters the bar, demanding to know what’s going on. Dr Parr briefly explains that Ron’s had a massive coronary. Mike is shocked and astounded that Gary’s attending his dad, but Gary Parr has no time for Mike’s nonsense, having discovered that Ron’s got a poor pulse.

Mike begins to whinge about Dr Parr working on his dad, but Parr shuts him up, tossing his mobile at him and telling him that if he wants to do something useful, call 999 and ask where the hell that ambulance is he ordered. Dr Parr is eyeing the cardiac monitor as Mike rings 999 and begins to frantically mumble disjointed phrases: ‘It’s me dad ... He’s collapsed on da floor ... Is dere an ambulance ...’

Ruth impatiently grabs the phone from Mike’s hands and tells the despatcher that an ambulance was ordered for Bar Brookie on the Manor Park Parade some twenty minutes ago for a coronary patient. The doctor in attendance wants to know how long it will be before the vehicle turns up. She shouts to the doctor that the ambulance would be arriving in a few minutes.

Mike Dixon drops to his knees beside Ron, his mouth open in horror as Dr Parr prepares an injection to administer to Ron. He leans close to the unconscious form of Ron, talking to him all the time, telling him that he might feel a small twinge of pain because he was about to administer an injection.

Over his shoulder to Mike, he tells him that he’s giving Ron some diomorphine (AKA heroin) for his pain. Mike begins to babble now to Ron, who’s beginning to regain consciousness.

Outside, the ambulance arrives, and the paramedics are directed inside by Ruth. They glance inside briefly and then decide a stretcher is needed instead of a wheelchair. Dr Parr apprises them briefly of Ron’s medical history, telling them that the victim suffered a massive myocardial infarction (or MI) and that he has a prolonged history of angina. He’s also suffering from hypertension, the doctor adds.

Is this the first time he’s had an MI? Asks one of the paramedics. Mike answers that he’s had heart attacks before (countless numbers of times) but never one this bad.

The paramedics lift Ron onto the trolley, as Mike follows them out to the ambulance.

Dr Parr slumps wearily onto one of the chairs in the bar; Rabbity Ruth sits down beside him. She snorks back some snot and tells the doctor that he did well - just like in ER (free plug for a Channel 4 show). Dr Parr shakes his head. It was a crude attempt, but at least it seemed to work.

But he’s done this before? Questions Ruth.

Dr Parr nods. He did the same thing a few weeks ago, he admits; but the patient died. He and Rabbity Ruth introduce themselves, as he tells Ruth that Ron Dixon was, indeed, very close to death. But now the real battle begins with his road to recovery.

Ruth wants to know why Mike was so rude and abrupt with Dr Parr.

Dr Parr replies that Mike was merely playing the role of the anxious son.

But it seemed that Mike had a problem with the fact that Dr Parr was dealing with Ron. Why, if he’d saved her dad, she’d be grateful.

Outside, the paramedics are preparing to hoist Ron onto the ambulance. ‘Come on, old son,’ one says to him.

Through his oxygen mask, Ron manages to mumble, ‘Less of the old.’

As Dr Parr and Ruth walk outside, Mike turns and snarls at the doctor that he needn’t think this act would get him off the hook with Mike. Ruth upbraids Mike for being rude to the doctor, when suddenly one of the paramedics shouts from the ambulance that Ron’s blood pressure is falling.

Dr Parr attempts to climb onto the back of the ambulance, but is prevented from doing so by Mike. ‘Leave it,’ he snarls, but one of the paramedics intervenes. It would be better, he says to Mike, if the doc comes with us.

Both Mike and Dr Parr climb onto the back of the ambulance, as it takes off at break-neck speed.

Ron’s arresting again and as the ambulance bounces and weaves through traffic, Dr Parr administers de-fib shock again. The paramedics have already set up an ECG and the doctor eyes it, deciding that Ron needs more oxygen. He’ll have a better chance if he has some more oxygen. And he administers shock again.

All the time he’s working frantically on Ron in the juddering machine, Mike stands behind him, taunting and heckling him relentlessly. Men do this sort of thing every day, he jeers. What makes Gary Parr think he’s any better?

Dr Parr intubates Ron and decides he has to start an IV line into his chest. He attempts to do this, but the ambulance is going too fast.

(PAY ATTENTION, PEOPLE. YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS A TRIBUTE TO E R!)

Dr Parr says he can’t line Ron because the ambulance is moving to swiftly. The driver shouts that they have to get to the hospital on the double - that’s procedure with heart attack victims. All he needs is a few seconds, Dr Parr pleads, rapidly. If the ambulance could just slow down to a CRAWL for a few seconds, he could get the vital line in.

Approaching an intersection, the ambulance slows to a walking pace. Mike is continuously haranguing Dr Parr about his ability and his so-called misdiagnosis of Beth.

Fed up to the hilt with Mike, Dr Parr hisses viciously. ‘Shut up! If you want to do something constructive, shut up and pray! I’m trying to save your father’s life!’

Mike is shocked into silence and Dr Parr successfully manages to insert the line in Ron’s chest, telling the ambulance to double-quick it to the hospital. The ambulance then roars off.

(ATTENTION, E R FANS: THIS SCENE WAS LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM THE SERIES, AN EPISODE A COUPLE OF SEASONS AGO; BUT I CAN’T REMEMBER THE DOCTOR IN QUESTION WHOM GARY EMULATED - WAS IT THE LATE DR GREEN, CARTER OR LUKA?)

Dr Parr sighs wearily, confirming to the paramedics that everything is under control now.

As they arrive at the hospital emergency room, Dr Parr apprises the waiting staff of Ron’s condition and the treatment he’s received. He walks with the medical personnel into the coronary cubicle, discussing Ron’s condition, whilst Mike struggles to keep up with their swift movements from behind, continuously heckling the doctor and showing his abject ignorance.

As the staff prepare to treat Ron, Dr Parr tells the doctor in charge that he’s going to hang around to find out about Ron’s condition.

‘Hang around?’ Queries Mike, incredulously. ‘Why? Ter cover yer tracks?’

Gary’s dashing toward the door of the corridor down which Ron’s being taken. ‘What’s your father’s religion?’ He asks Mike, over his shoulder, ignoring Mike’s abuse. He repeats the question.

‘Why?’ Asks Mike. ‘Is he dying?’ (Visions of pound signs flash in Mike’s head).

Dr Parr admits that he doesn’t want to give Mike false hope.

Later Mike’s on a payphone telling Rachel about Ron and asking her to try to get in touch with Jacqui. He’s tried her mobile but it’s on voicemail, and she’s not at the health club or The Shelf. Rachel is to tell Jacqui to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.

As Mike finishes his call to Rachel, Dr Parr saunters along the hallway. Seeing Mike hang up, he asks Mike if he had enough change for the phonecall. (Now we are about to find out exactly how abject Mike is, in his predicament).

Mike replies sullenly that he’ll repay the change Dr Parr loaned him for the phone. (So Mike can spend a great deal of his waking hours slagging and lambasting this man for no good reason, but he’ll stoop to take change off him to make a phone call! Why not just reverse the charges - oops, sorry, forgot. Rachel’s too dim to take responsability to accept them!)

Dr Parr ignores Mike’s comment and assures him that one of the medical staff will be coming to speak to him shortly about Ron.

Mike poo-poos this piece of information. No doubt said person would arrive with a thoroughly watered-down version of events concerning Ron’s condition, he sneers. He glares jealously at Gary Parr. It’s as though all doctors were members of an exclusive, private club, he reckons. They discuss Ron’s condition properly enough amongst themselves, yet when they have to confront Mike Dixon, they can only use words of two syllables or less!

(Er, this has nothing to do with intelligence, Mike. It has everything to do with making the layman understand, in simplistic terms, how serious a medical condition can be. Mechanics do it to - to doctors, who don’t understand the intricacies of the internal combustion engine).

Dr Parr is becoming impatient with Mike’s abusive and self-pitying attitude. He makes it sound as if the medical profession all dealt in state secrets and towed the party line, he scoffs.

‘All’s I know,’ Mike rants, poking his finger against Dr Parr’s chest, ‘is that me Dad’s havin’ X-rays and blood tests and no one’s tellin’ me noothink!’ (Great grammar for a university graduate).

Dr Parr insists that the registrar would be with Mike shortly to explain.

Mike interrupts again. He understands that Ron’s seriously ill, he says, belligerantly. But he also thinks that Dr Parr and the rest of the medical establishment are doing to him with Ron, exactly what they did regarding Beth - holding information back.

But that’s their attitude all the way, he continues, nastily. They’re the sort to hold onto knowledge, because knowledge gives power. They’re the kind to reap benefits from making sure that the populace are kept ignorant, he says, in full flow.

Dr Parr, embarrassed at Mike’s over-loud rant in the middle of a public corridor, succinctly suggests that the two of them take their discussion elsewhere.

Mike taunts the doctor by saying that his lot like to cock a snoot at the likes of Mike, but Mike’s not stupid.

Dr Parr, really beginning to lose patience now, brusquely suggests that he and Mike take their argument elsewhere, as he really wasn’t prepared to discuss Mike’s Marxist philosophy in public.

Mike looks like a fool. (No surprises there - he is.)

In an effort to ensure that Mike understands fully about Ron’s condition, Dr Parr then tries to appease the arsehole by explaining it to him. Ron’s ECG shows that there was a clot in the left portion of his heart. At this moment, the doctors are treating him by giving him a clot-busting drug.

Mike takes this information as hopeful. That’s OK, he says. The drooks will berrst the clot and Ron would be OK.

Dr Parr says that Ron will have to spend the next 48 hours in the angiogram unit. He would have to have an angiogram to assess the damage to his heart, and at the sametime, he’d have to have an angioplasty, which would widen the narrowed arteries to his heart and thereby, relieve the pain Ron was suffering.

And then he could go home? Asks Mike, hopefully.

Dr Parr is hestitant. They would have to wait for the return of Ron’s results before knowing what step to take next.

Mike then begins to rant again, accusing Gary Parr of feeding him only piecemeal information. Mike asks about Ron’s results, he says, and Dr Parr sidesteps the issue.

‘I don’t have a crystal ball!’ Shouts Dr Parr, in frustration at dealing with Mike being so obtuse. ‘What do you want me to do?’

‘Soomthink you lot can’t do,’ Mike retorts. ‘Admit defeat. Yer joost can’t say "I don’t know", can yer? Yer useless!’

Dr Parr’s temper bursts at that taunt. ‘Don’t you DARE to presume to call me "useless"!’ He shouts at Mike. ‘All "you lot" demand is straight answers to safe questions! I work in science, where facts and figures are important!’

‘Admit defeat!’ Taunts Mike. ‘Yer can’t! The truth is yer not so smart after all!’

‘Do you know,’ sighs the doctor, almost laughing to himself at the absurdity of Mike’s protest, ‘I work so hard for the likes of you, yet your father and your family just don’t appreciate that fact.’

Mike responds by raising his fist as if he wants to strike the doctor, but Dr Parr brushes Mike’s fist away. ‘And don’t raise your fists to me,’ he sneers at Mike. ‘You don’t really want to fight, do you?’

But Mike does, and suggests that they take this dispute outside.

‘Outside?’ Repeats Dr Parr, in disbelief. ‘OK, you want to go outside, we’ll go outside.’

And as both ment turn to leave the corridor, the double doors open and a tea lady appears bearing a cup of tea for them both. (The great ENGLISH panacea!)

The situation diffused, Dr Parr takes the tea and places it on a nearby table. Weary at having to deal with Mike’s constant harping, he sighs and asks Mike what he REALLY wants of him.

Mike says that he wants an apology.

OK, says Dr Parr, with resignation, rubbing what appears to be an aching forehead, he apologises for hitting Mike.

And that tribunal thing was nothing but a stitch-up, continues Mike. It was all about protecting Dr Parr and the staff at the medical centre. It wasn’t about Dr Parr hitting him that Mike wanted an apology. The doctor needs to apologise for the way he handled Beth’s illness. The truth is, he simply didn’t care about her, did he?

‘Listen,’ urges Dr Parr, desperately, knowing that he’s dealing with a narrow-minded cretin. ‘I followed procedure, and if I’d seen Beth that day, I could have been 100% rock-solid in my diagnosis. But I didn’t see her all day. Your wife was advised to bring her to the surgery where she would have been examined and assessed, but she refused and all the home visit slots were allocated for that day. And if you want the truth, I’m sick and tired of your persistent whingeing.

‘You say I know nothing about meningitis. I watched a two-year-old girl die from the disease. I watched her rash erupt and her respiration get more difficult. Then I stood at the bottom of the bed, along with a paediatric consultant and a registrar and watched her toes and then her legs turn blue. The three of us worked like madmen to try to save her, but we were helpless,’ he admits, tiredly.

‘You see,’ he continues, ‘its the defeat by the bacteria that kills in that disease.’ He carries on telling Mike about leaving the child’s hospital room. The first people he saw were her parents. They’d put all their hopes in him for her recovery. Of course, he was only a naive house officer then, and he’d told them, as their daughter was spirited away for treatment that she would be fine. Now he had to tell them that their baby was dead.

Well, he bottled it, quite simply. He couldn’t face them, and so he simply walked away.

‘So don’t you DARE accuse me about knowing nothing about meningitis and FEELING nothing!’ Dr Parr hisses in Mike’s gormless face.

He strides to the door. ‘I need some fresh air!’ He declares, leaving Mike to look even more like an idiot.

In the treatment room, Ron flatlines again.

Mike follows Dr Parr contritely outside onto the grounds of the hospital. He inarticulately tries to apologise to Dr Parr about the remark made about him not caring.

Dr Parr affects to ignore it, instead expressing the desire for a cigarette. Mike can’t believe the doctor was a smoker.

Yes, Dr Parr admits. He started the first day of medical school and quit on the day he finished. He was a tobacco rebel, he laughs. Hasn’t Mike ever smoked? He asks.

Not ciggies, says Mike, although he did get done once for smoking dope.

So did he, admits Gary Parr. When he was a student. He was stopped by the police, having left the Casa in a drunken state. They searched him and found a joint.

The Casa? Asks Mike, in puzzlement. Did Dr Parr used to drink at the Casa? Why, he drank there too as a student.

Dr Parr nods. Yep, he was stopped by the police and cautioned about possession.

Mike says that he got cautioned too, but that was years ago. DD was so distraught about it that she lit a candle and said a Rosary.

The doctor confesses that he managed to keep his caution a secret from his father.

Was his mother angry then? Asks Mike.

Oh, she was angry, Dr Parr admits, but only because he’d managed to get caught. He explains that his mother was, in reality, an ex-hippy chick from the Sixties, whilst his father was just too predictable. His reaction would have been more along the severe lines of ‘Is this what we brought you up for?’

Mike mentions Ron’s accidental killing of Clint and asks Dr Parr how much he knows about the event, as they stroll on the hospital grounds. Dr Parr laughs self-deprecatingly and admits that, working with Katie Rogers, he couldn’t help but know a bit about the events surrounding Ron and Clint, albeit one-sided. Mike then tells him about the trial, and how, waiting for the verdict, Ron suddenly went missing. He and Jacqui found him at the docks, contemplating suicide. It was as if Ron suddenly thought his children didn’t matter, and that hurt Mike.

Dr Parr, obviously thinking of Rob Dexter, explains, musingly, that all potential suicides ever think about is ending their pain.

Mike assures the doctor that he wants Ron to recover - oh, there were times when Mike could kill Ron, himself, for all Ron’s criticising of him; but he doesn’t want to lose his dad.

Dr Parr nods understandingly at this remark. It seems to be part of a parent’s job description not to praise a child too much - especially a father.

Mike agrees. Take him, for example, he says. He was the first in the Dixon family to go to university and take a degree. Oh, Ron was proud to bursting point at first, but, in reality, Ron didn’t understand the nature of his son’s Media Studies degree. He was soon disappointed that Mike wasn’t about to become the next David Lean; and soon Ron was praising Jacqui’s business feats to the hilt in front of Mike. It’s Jacqui of whom Ron’s proud, he admits, ruefully.

Dr Parr reveals that his medical father wanted him to become a neurosurgeon, as the old man was. You see, he explains to Mike, there’s a pecking order in the medical profession - the neurosurgeon, dealing in brains and neurological disorders, is at the top of the tree, followed by orthos, obstetricians, general surgeons, right on down to the lowly GP, who’s on the bottom rung of the ladder. The GP deals in generalities; he doesn’t have the skills and the elitism accorded the neurosurgeon; and Dr Parr’s father simply thought his son too stupid to apply himself to the extra study it takes to become a neurosurgeon. (This is true. In the US, neurosurgery is the most intricate of medical studies. It takes 4 years’ BA or BS, followed by 4 years of med school, followed by a 7-year hospital registrar period. A fully qualified neurosurgeon begins his consultancy at age 33.)

The truth is, Dr Parr confesses, he actually LOVES being a GP, because it’s all about people. He loves the interactio, and although he does his own bit everyday, his dad still considers him a medical failure. Oh, there was a hint of pride when he passed his medical final, but after that - nothing.

Mike concurs. In fact, he remembers when he was in secondary school and people would ask him what he would be when he finished school. If Ron were around, he’d quip, ‘About thirty.’

Suddenly, the two of them spy a nurse running frantically in their direction and calling for ‘Mr Dixon’. Sussing that something had happened to Ron, instead of dashing in her direction, they leisurely SAUNTER there.

Mike enters the coronary CCU room where Ron lies sedated, with an oxygen mask covering his mouth. Even though he’s barely conscious, Mike urges him not to talk.

Dr Parr follows him into the room, calling out to him, referring to him as ‘Mike’. Mike notes this, commenting that, all of a sudden, Dr Parr’s calling him ‘Mike’ and not ‘Mr Dixon.’

Looking suitably sombre, Dr Parr suggests Mike might like to have another go at phoning Jacqui.

Taking the hint that all is not exactly rosy with Ron Dikko, Mike suspiciously eyes Dr Parr, remarking that the nurse told him that Ron was stabilised.

Yes, nods Dr Parr, but Ron’s heart is still very weak. In fact, there’s a slim chance he might not make it through the night.

Tears well in Mike’s piggy eyes as he gazes down at his inert father. Choking back sobs, Mike blurts out to Ron that he loves him.

Maurice Bessman wrote this. Excellent programme. Excellent performances - except for Rabbity Ruth’s unnecessary appearance and Mike’s Marxist rant. 8/10 for a good effort.