01x09 - Prison or Palace

[bunniefuu]

[rhythmic beeping]

[elevator bell dings]

[nurse] Hey.

Someone's quiet today.

You're not nervous about an MRI, are you?
You never get claustrophobic.

You got a 13-year-old female,
mid-thoracic lumbar scan,

no metal implants or jewelry,
and she's good with the contrast.

So let's get this party started.

All right, you know the drill.

You're gonna hear a lot of clicks.

Just imagine you're surrounded
by magic elves and their little hammers.

I'm a little bit old for elves,
but if you got magic,

maybe you could just cure my cancer
and get me outta here.

Poppy, I'm gonna need you
to hold as still as you can for me, okay?

I've gotta hold perfectly still
for 30 minutes?

I'm staring up at a blank white ceiling.

This is the worst roller coaster
I've ever been on.

Do we have to go through this every time?

[Poppy] Just until
you can make it entertaining.

Do you have a... a stand-up routine
or embarrassing story?

Juicy hospital gossip?

Ooh, what's the deal with that doctor
with the handlebar mustache?

Poppy, I love you,
but my lunch break is coming up.

Can you please lie still
so we can get this over with?

Look, you may have
leftover casserole to get to,

but this is my life,
and I'm going to make the best of it.

So, spill the tea.

Does Doctor Handlebar
sing in a barbershop quartet?

Pan for gold? [Chuckles]
Make his own pickles?

[laughs]

[rhythmic beeping]

[intercom beeping]

[nurse] You need something?

I have something to tell you.

I'm busy, sweetie. Can it wait?

Right. Wait.

That's all I ever do in here. [Sighs]

[alarm blaring]

Oh, no. sh**t. Uh-oh.

Did you yank these out
on purpose so I'd run in here?

- I can do that?
- No.

[Poppy] Aw.

Now that I'm here,
what did you need to tell me?

- [alarm silences]
- I was gonna tell you I was bored.

Good news, I'm not anymore.

[children chattering, laughing, crying]

["Incy Wincy Spider"
playing over speakers]

Do you like spiders?

Did you know they're not really insects?
They're arachnids.

I did know that.
But only because you told me yesterday.

You look like you need a balloon.

I need a lot more than that.

Oh, you know what insect loves flowers?

Let me guess. Bees?

Yes! But did you know
there are over 20,000 species of bee?

Honeybees, carpenter bees, mason bees...

Do you know what they all have? Stingers.

[balloon pops]

Actually, they don't all have stingers.
Some of them have...

Why are you always trouble?

I'm not trouble. I'm fun.

The clown is fun. You're trouble.

[sighs] Yeah that's kiddie fun.
Why is that all we have here?

Well, this is a children's ward.
Clowns are appropriate entertainers.

Then transfer me to a different ward.
One with better entertainers.

Pop, your illness is technically
a childhood cancer.

All your doctors are here,
so you have to be here too.

I know a fun girl like you
can make it work.

Nice! Now I see why your mom
has been bringing you so many magazines.

I can do your nurses' station if you want.

I can get pictures of cats,
and clogs and sad casseroles.

Hilarious.

Come on. You can't hide in your room
all day. You need to do some walking.

Hmm. I just wanna stay in here.

Look, I'm taking your advice.
I'm making it work.

Can you make it work in the hallway?
I need you to get some steps in.

[groans] No.

You don't wanna be non-compliant, do you?

I'd have to write that in your chart.
And you know charts are forever.

Just like my love for you.

[scoffs]

Fine.

But you owe me an extra pudding.
Butterscotch.

[inhales] Deal.

- What's this?
- A flower.

- Poppy.
- Yes, it is. Just like me.

Please tell me you used washable marker.

I would love to discuss it,
but I'm supposed to go for a walk, so…

["Cream Cleaver" playing]

[elevator bell dings]

[music fades]

I-I placed the order,

so those labs should be back
by end of day.

Mm-hmm.

I just saw another teenager
with cancer in the elevator.

I'm on the phone.

Well, now you're on hold.

Shouldn't you be walking?

You're hiding teenagers from me.

I'm not hiding them.

- They're just on other floors.
- [sighs]

Well, then why can't we be together?
The room next to me is empty.

Remember when I said
your doctors are here?

Well, their doctors are there.

Can't you change it?

[scoffs] No. I'm a nurse.

I have to submit a form
before I change my clogs.

[inhales] I'm trying to make this work,

but I am the only teenager
surrounded by babies.

And you don't know what that's like.

You're right, Poppy. I don't know.

I'm sorry, but I have to get back to work.

[upbeat music playing]

Just let me know when she's ready. Thanks.

[sighing] Okay.

♪ The wheels on the bus
Go round and round ♪

♪ Round and round… ♪

[upbeat music resumes]

Hey, Johnny, do you know the difference
between a hornet and a wasp?

Of course.

Because Nurse Pam asked me,
and I didn't have the answer.

[chuckles]

There are tons of differences
between hornets and wasps.

Like hornets are social insects,
but wasps can be social or solitary.

[sighs]

[song ends]

Okay, Poppy, I get it.

You don't like being treated
like a little kid. It's frustrating.

It's not just that.

I don't have anyone
to go through this with.

You know that's not true.
You have your parents.

Plus, I'm always here for you.

And you guys are the best,

but you're not 13,
and you don't have cancer,

so there's no way you could understand.

What don't I understand?

I don't fit in
with my old friends anymore,

and I don't fit in with the kids here.

I don't fit in anywhere.

And it's bad enough being sick,
but it... but it's worse being alone.

["Sunrise" playing]

[sighs]

[elevator bell dings]

[pants] What's going on?

Oh, you saw him, did you?

- Does it mean what I think it means?
- Yep.

You convinced me,
so I convinced the doctors,

who convinced the administrators,
who convinced the board,

who agreed teenagers should be together
when possible.

- [gasps]
- [grunts]

I owe you big time.

[clicks tongue] Pudding. Chocolate.

- [scoffs]
- Butterscotch is beige garbage.

[mouthing] Hi.

[sighs]

Hey, uh, what's going on with Gavin?

He won't talk to me.

I even shoved a note under his door,
and he didn't write back.

I mean, he did, but it's not appropriate
for the children's ward.

He needs time to adjust.

You remember how it was
when you first got here?

It was terrible,
but I didn't have someone my own age,

and he has me,
so I can get him past the terrible.

Poppy, you have to let him
feel his feelings.

I'm feeling my feelings,
which are, "come on already."

[chuckles]

["Old MacDonald" playing over speakers]

[child crying]

[children giggling]

I was just thinking about
what you'd look like

with a bumblebee on your face.

[chuckles] Buzz off.

Nice bee joke, honey.

[sighs] Please stop.

I don't wanna be here.

[chuckling] It's a cancer ward.
Uh, none of us want to be here.

Except for the panda, I think.
He's getting paid.

Just leave me alone.

I get it. This is the worst.

You're stuck in here
while all your friends are at school,

planning their weekends,
and all you're planning is

whether to puke before or after chemo.

It's both, by the way.

Please.

Okay.

Hey, Coco,
this guy wants a unicorn on his face.

Extra glitter.

So, what's it gonna be?

Face paint, or we go somewhere
that's not freakishly condescending?

[sighs]

[elevator beeping]

Okay, what's up with you?

W-Why are you so chipper?
You're stuck in here same as I am.

[chuckles]
I started out mad at the world too.

It's okay to be mad.

But the longer you stay that way,
the more good stuff you miss.

[elevator stops]

- Good stuff? In a hospital?
- [elevator bell dings]

[Gavin sighs]

Come on.

[both breathe deeply]

Wow. The air... [breathes deeply]

This is the first fresh air
I've had since I've been here.

See?

This hospital can be a prison,
or it can be a palace.

[breathes deeply, sighs]

I-I mean, it's just air.

Air mixed with smog.

[chuckles]

Yeah, there's smog,
and you could choose to focus on that.

Or you can choose to look past that.

[stammers] At the clouds and...
And the skyline. [Chuckles]

In every moment, you have a choice.

I mean, you can be miserable,
or you can make the best of it. [Chuckles]

And while I am here, I am gonna live.

[grunts] You hear that, Gina?

- [Gavin chuckles]
- Whoo! [Laughing]

Who's Gina? [Chuckles]

- Wait, you haven't named your cancer yet?
- I hate my cancer. Why would I name it?

[sighs] I hate mine too.
Why do you think I named it Gina?

[chuckles]

Well, if you give it a name,
it's separate from you.

It's not you. It's the enemy.

Maybe Alouicious?

That's a mouthful.
But, hey, it's your enemy, so…

I'll work on it.

Now, let me show you how to have
some real fun around here. [Chuckles]

- [clicks tongue] Ooh, I like that one.
- Mm-hmm.

So, you're into sneakers, anime,
and melodic, Norwegian glitch hop?

You making fun of me already?

No, not you. Just your taste.
In everything. [Chuckles]

But it's your room. Decorate how you want.

[clicks tongue]
Hey, so, where will these print?

Don't worry about that.

Seriously, Poppy?

[chuckles, clicks tongue]
Actually, those are for me.

There's gonna be a few more,
so you might wanna have some toner ready.

You're making him trouble, aren't you?

I'm making him fun.

Thank you! [Chuckles]

["The Way You Are" playing]

- [song continues on earphones]
- [Poppy humming]

So, what do you call this again?

It's country trap hip-hop.
It's great, right?

The MRI machine has a better beat.

[grunts] I hate you, Gina!

- See? Like that. You really gotta mean it.
- Okay. Yeah.

[exhales, grunts] Take that, Lou!

Lou? That's better.

Yeah, it's short for Alouicious.

[chuckles]

[grunting]

[both laughing]

[retching, coughing]

[laughing]

Hi. [Laughing]

[both laughing]

[rhythmic beeping]

- Three.
- Two.

One.

- Now!
- [alarms blaring]

[gasps]

Yes! [Laughs]

You chose him over me?

Keep it up,
and I'll disconnect the printer.

[chuckles]

[laughs]

- You're walking?
- Yep.

But I didn't make you. What's going on?

Nothing.
I'm just getting with the program.

You know me. I love programs.

Well, whatever you're up to,
I am too busy to deal with it right now.

Um... You know what I'm up to?

I'm just thinking about
how much you do for all of us.

You're a really great nurse, so thank you.

Poppy. I know you're only saying that
because you're pulling something,

but deep down, I think you mean it.

After everything we've been through,

I-I can't believe
you would doubt my sincerity.

Huge haul!

Hey, uh, Nurse Pam,
I think the supply room needs a restock.

It's looking kind of bare in there.

- Mmm.
- [Gavin chuckles]

I did mean it.

Okay, that's my plane,
and it's going to Paris.

I'm going to live off croissants, and
I'm gonna stroll past the Eiffel Tower.

Who needs Paris when we have pudding?

- [scoffs] Cheers.
- [chuckles] Cheers.

So, which plane are you hopping
when you get out of here?

Um, that one.

- [Poppy] Where's it going?
- Fresno.

You know
you could literally pick anywhere.

My grandmother lives in Fresno,
and she makes a mean chili.

It's not that far. Couldn't you drive?

- You can drive.
- [chuckles]

And when you get there,
I'll be on my third bowl of chili.

Fair enough. Pass me a baguette.

[clicks tongue] Um, will a slightly stale,
whole-grain dinner roll do?

Merci beaucoup. [Chuckles]

W-Wait, that's French
for "thank you," right? [Chuckles]

Yeah.

Well, merci beaucoup to you.

For what?

Well, f-for this picnic,

- for the pictures in my room…
- [chuckles]

…for helping me see past the smog.

[Gavin sighs]

[clicks tongue]
I thought I'd find you here.

The one place you let us go?

Good work cracking that case.

Come on, Poppy. You know you got a scan.

Why do you think I'm up here?

- She's trouble, you know.
- [chuckles] It's good trouble.

- [Pam chuckles]
- [Poppy] Hey!

When I get back,
we're headed for the airport.

[chuckles]

[MRI machine whirring]

Pop, you're not lying still.
What are you up to in there?

[Poppy chuckles] You tell me.
I thought this thing took pictures.

[sighs] I know it's tough.

Just try to imagine you're somewhere else.

I am.

[doctor] I don't think so.

[doctors talking indistinctly]

[rhythmic beeping]

Gina's the worst.

[Gavin sighs]

On the upside, we have Salisbury steak
on the menu tonight.

- [clears throat]
- What?

[stammers] You know,
the mystery meat with the brown sauce.

I know what Salisbury steak is.

I don't know why you're not more upset.

I'm done being upset.

W-Well, maybe I'm not.

Do you know how long a mayfly lives?

I have no idea.

Clearly, you haven't talked
to Johnny enough. [Breathes deeply]

They live one day.

So they hatch, you know, dance around.

Then at the end of the day, that's it.

Okay, but w-we're not bugs, Poppy.

You're right.
We have a lot more time than that.

But… [sighs]

…nobody knows how long we get to dance.

So that's why I live in every moment.

Every day.

[sighs]

[Poppy] It's all right.

[both chuckle]

'Cause see?
Like, this... this is a good moment.

There's a lot of them,
if you're paying attention.

[sighs]

So keep having those moments, okay?

Okay.

- [sighs]
- [Poppy chuckles]

[downbeat music playing]

[wind whistling]

Here, put this in there too.

Oh, no, no, wait. Uh, leave it.

[knocks]

Poppy left this with me.

It's for you.

[exhales sharply] What?

[chuckles, sniffles]

What is it?

It's a plane ticket.

[chuckles]

To Fresno.

[both chuckle]

["The Way You Are" playing on earphones]

[rhythmic beeping]

Looks like you got
about a half hour left on the doxy.

[groans] Can I take
the rest of this chemo to go?

You could, but I think
you might want to stick around.

I got it. [Sighs]

- [guitar player strumming]
- What do you think about roly-polies?

You know, my mom says
I can get my own pet insect

now that I'm done with treatment.

Well, first off, congrats.

And second,
you've gotta go with a praying mantis.

Way cooler
than a bug that just rolls into a ball.

How did I not think of that?

[imitates expl*si*n, chuckles]

Hi, I'm Gavin, your neighbor.

You know, the only other patient
in this ward with all their adult teeth.

I don't wanna talk.

I don't wanna share my feelings.
Really, I just... I don't wanna be here.

It's a cancer ward. [Chuckling]
None of us wanna be here.

Wanna go somewhere
that's not freakishly condescending?

[upbeat music playing]

[elevator beeping]

- You know, a friend once told me...
- I said I didn't wanna talk.

[scoffs]

Just hear me out. Okay?

This hospital can be a prison,
or it can be a palace.

[song continues]