House M.D. – (4-09) Games

“I screwed up a diagnosis.”
“You don’t seem that upset by it.”
“Diagnosed a guy with adenocarcinoma three months ago. Told him he had six months.”
“So now you’ve got to tell him that he’s way behind on his Christmas shopping.”
“He didn’t get worse. I re-checked everything. Biopsy was a false positive. Harmless lesions caused by talc inhalation.”
“Medical clemency. Interesting.”
“Why would you use that word?”
“Because I’m interested. When I’m interested, I describe the things that make me interested as interesting. “
“Most people would say “good”, possibly “great”. Why aren’t you able to just enjoy…?”
“Why aren’t other people able to just be interested?”

————

“Mr. McKenna, I can’t believe I’m able to say this, but… you’re cancer-free. The biopsy looked like adenocarcinoma, But it wasn’t. Harmless lesions on your lungs. You’re fine.”
“I don’t get it.”

“Cool.”
“No, it’s-it’s… I know this must come as a shock, but I’ve double-checked the labs. “
“I just accepted an offer on my house. I’ve had three good-bye parties. I-I’m buying plane tickets to Venice. “
“You can still use those if you’re alive.”
“I have to pay a six thousand dollars broker commission on a house I’m not selling. Money I don’t have. [beat] Thank you… for letting me know.”

“I, uh, I would have thought the living would mean more than the expenses. “
“It’s not about the money.”

————

“Why would _you_ have a blank liability release form, plus your checkbook, on top of your desk?”
“Probably because they were in the second drawer in a manila envelope under a book, and you put them on top of my desk.”
“You usually keep your checkbook at home. It’s your go-to excuse for why you can’t lend me money. You’re gonna pay the guy the six grand, aren’t you?”
“There are other people I write checks to. I do have cable.”
“There’s no negligence without injury.”
“I handed the guy a death sentence!”
“He’s not distressed with a death sentence. He’s distressed with a life sentence.”
“I gave him three months of misery!”
“You gave him three months of being someone special. You’re paying the guy because he used to be boring, and without you he’s gonna be boring again.”

————-

“I… can’t apologize enough. To you, to your family. There may not be any technical liability here, but…”
[McKenna rips up Wilson's check.]
“You’re ripping it up because you think it would be wrong to take money from me?”
“I think it would be wrong to take so little money from you.”
“[shocked] You’re out six thousand…”
“You ruined my life.”
“I ruined… three months.”
“For the first time in my life, I was living in the present. ‘Cause that’s all there was.”
“[confused] You’re suing me not for the wrong diagnosis, but for the right one? Have you spoken to a lawyer?”
“You gave me happiness… and then you took it away.”
“He drops a sheet of paper on Wilson’s desk and leaves. Wilson wonders what just happened.”

———————–

“What sort of a lawyer tells his client he’s got a case because he’s going to live?”
“I’ve heard that not all lawyers are as ethical as the ones we see on TV.”
“I don’t think this guy even has a law degree. “
“A lot of the guys on TV don’t, either.”
“[looks accusingly at House] I think he has a medical degree.”
“It directly affects my bottom line. You have less money to lend…”
“[mad] I’m trying to take responsibility!”
“And I’m trying to teach you that everyone is out for theirs. You might as well keep yours.”
“And lend it to you? You have to control everything. How come you’re going around asking everyone who you should fire?”
“I’m asking for input! I thought you would have admired the humility.”
“You like games because you can control them.You like what’s interesting, never mind if it’s real or good…”
“Wanna know why you offered that guy six grand?”
“Life just happens, and that scares the hell out of you!”
“You think you can cure pain!”
“You think you can avoid pain!”
“You think you’re responsible for every failure, every… patient’s boring life, every friend’s screwed-up…!”
“You don’t want to face it any more than my patient does! Dying’s easy. Living’s hard!”
[House smiles at the remark.]
“That can’t possibly be as poignant as it sounded.”

__________________________________

“Manipulative bitch, you’re wanted in the loser’s circle.”
“Why do you hate drug addicts?”
“Your situation is different. You’re taking a necessary prescription. “
“I know… I’m fabulous. And I’m not the patient.”
“I’m not allowed to have a problem with junkies?”
“You’re allowed, but there’s gotta be a reason. He’s a patient. You don’t know him. But you hate him.”
“He’s throwing his life away. “
“Cause he’s setting his own terms? Not living in fear of every pop quiz?”
“I thought we were talking about him.”
“We were never talking about him. Why are you afraid to lose?”
“Are you gonna fire me because I like to win?”
“Just want to know the reason.”
“Um, I watched this football game once. And I noticed something odd. [sarcastic] The winning team was the happy one. I did the math.”
“Our patient’s happy.”
“He’s an idiot.”
“He’s a happy idiot. That screws with your world view. There’s something freeing about being a loser, isn’t there?

__________________________________

“So what’s wrong with me?”
“You mean besides your music?”
“Oh, well, sure, ’cause I don’t play your kind of music, it’s not music, right? “
“Yeah. I resent you because you’re not Perry Como.”
“Look, I don’t… I don’t play for an audience, okay?”
“Well, then, that stage you stand on is an odd choice.”
“I just… I do it for me, okay? I don’t do it for you.”
“You have three choices in this life. Be good, get good or give up. You’ve gone for column “D”. Why?”

“Simple answer is, if you don’t try, you can’t fail. [beat] Are you really that simple?”

“Look, you know, some people… They like my music. Most people can’t stand it. But they just sort of just shrug and ignore me. But a few, they feel like they have to tell me… what I’m screwing up. You know, what I’m wasting. Why do they care?”
“You have some peculiar masses near your heart.”
“Peculiar how?”
“Well, unlike your music, they elicit some emotional response. “
“That’s odd.”
“What?”
“You care if I appreciate your music, but you don’t care if you live or die. Maybe the answer is that simple.”