My family's so screwed up. If I were you, I'd run for my life and never look back.
CarterYou don't hold the monopoly on screwed up families. You met my mother.
Carter
I have an idea. I think we should get them all together for the holidays... Gamma, my parents, your mom. [Abby laughs]
...I'm really scared for him, Carter
Carter
I know.
And it's so unfair, 'cause he was such a good kid. And we went through so much growing up, and I thought, 'God, I'm through!' I thought... he was safe.
Carter
He's gonna get all the help that he needs now. We're going to make sure that he does. And nothing that you did, or didn't do, could've prevented this.
It's just that, Eric... He was the only constant thing in my life... He was the only thing I could ever really count on.
Carter
That's not true anymore.
Promise? 'Cause, I really need something to hang onto right now.
Carter
I'm not going anywhere.
Carter
Well, we work as a team. We cover for each other. We lean on each other. The job is too big to do solo. And if you can't get that, maybe you should be a surgeon or a superhero, or something else that doesn't require trusting people.
I've never been big on trust.
Carter
You know what that turns into? Nobody trusts you either. Self-sufficiency is a good thing, but it's not the only thing. Asking for help when you need it doesn't make you weak.
Women don't know what the hell they want! Am I right? I'm right, right? They don't want a commitment until you give it to 'em, then they want their freedom. So, naturally, you oblige. Then they accuse you of trying to be with somebody else. I'm telling you, you can't win.
Carter
Women can be hard to figure out sometimes.
Sometimes? Now you know who's got it all figured out I think? Homosexuals. No, I'm serious. Just listen to me. Look, there's two guys living together: toilet seat's always up, channel's always on ESPN. You can drink beers in the bed, leave your clothes on the floor. I'm telling you, gay cats got it good.
Carter
Why are you telling me this?
[about Abby] I just don't want...
Carter
Yes?
I just don't want you to wanna fix her.
Carter
Abby doesn't need to be fixed.
Or heal her or change her.
Carter
I love her.
I just don't want you to be waiting for her to change.
Carter
I'm not.
Carter
I know who she is.
She's an amazing person with certain weaknesses and you'd be lucky to have her, even with those weaknesses, but you have to love her, even if she never changes anything.
Carter
You know, right?
Carter
That night at the restaurant. I had a ring. You knew that, right?
I figured if you wanted to talk about it, you would've.
Carter
I didn't go through with it because at that moment it just felt... It didn't feel right. And I don't know why. But I wish I did know why. I think that the fact that I didn't do it, means that there's something that's not working.
I get it. It's O.K. I gotta go.
Carter
You get it? Well, that's good. Maybe you can explain it to me, 'cause I don't get it. I know that I show up for work and you're acting like a completely changed person and I think that's great. If that's real. The patch, the sponsor...
Carter
For real, for you. Or is this something that's gonna be thrown out the window the next time something bad happens? Cause if you're trying to prove something to me...
Carter
Like some kind of quick fix.
I didn't do it for you! I woke up sick of myself, OK? And if you're sick of me and just all of it, I don't blame you!
Carter
I'm not sick of you. How do you hear that?
Because all I ever do is disappoint you. I feel like all I'm ever going to do is disappoint you...
Carter
Stop.
I've said this before, I don't know why you're...
Carter
Stop! Stop!!! Stop with this whole routine! This fatalistic, black-cloud, nothing good is ever going to happen to me routine!
The problem is, it's not a routine.
Carter
Hey! What do I have to say? What do I have to do to get through to you?
They're letting any bottom feeder with a check into med school these days?
Carter
Actually, Gallant is one of our best med students.
Well, that doesn't bode well for the future of emergency medicine. But maybe by the time he gets his license, we'll all be dead.
Carter
[on Romano] He has no patient reports, severely stunted interpersonal skills, and he's incredibly hostile-
Qualities consistent with most surgeons!
Carter
Kerry, the guy doesn't know what he's doing, and he doesn't wanna learn! And, he almost killed a patient today by prescribing an antiquated treatment.
But, obviously you stopped him from doing so!
Carter
Yeah, but I can't stay on top of the guy 24:7!
Well, we're trying to shift him to a more administrative role-
Carter
What are you gonna do, chain him to his desk?
Look, the ER may not be the best fit for Dr. Romano, but it's all the man has! Just... make it work. Or better yet, work around him.
[in the Congo] In the beginning there's always a lot of talk of national pride and patriotic speeches, but after a few weeks it becomes this; nothing but death and sadness. These people just want what everyone else wants: their kids to have something to eat; to see them grow up, laughing, happy. They don't care where the border is or who gets to call themselves president. They just want this to stop.
Carter
I don't even begin to try to understand the politics here.
You are an American, Carter. You believe that if people are given a chance to convert to democracy, the world would be a better place.
Carter
What's the alternative? Military dictatorships?
You fight wars from the sky with bombs and missiles. Then your planes land back on the aircraft carrier and the pilots watch Drew Carey on satellite TV.
Carter
Hey, American soldiers died in Iraq.
Yeah, but your children don't starve to death while your men fight. Your women aren't raped. [long pause] I remember watching the television, reading the newspapers, saying that we had to fight and then my family was gone. I couldn't remember why it was all so important. What difference did it all make? My children were dead.
E.R. · 1,278 quotes
