Jing-Mei Chen quotes from E.R.

Abby

Do you think it's possible to die from boredom?

Chen

I don't think so.

Abby

What if your mind wandered off in a daydream and you forgot to eat or drink for days?

Chen

Then you'd die of starvation and dehydration.

Abby

Caused by boredom.

Chen

Hey Carter. What's up with your boss? I heard she was crying earlier.

Carter

Weaver?

Chen

Yeah. Did she have a bad break up or something? Shes been really moody lately.

Carter

Lately?

Chen

[while she & Pratt are sorting through severed fingers] You think this is a pinkie or a ring?

Pratt

Looks like a cocktail weenie.

I could use a sponge bath.

Chen

You up for a lap dance, Malik?

Malik

Maybe...

Stay away from me, you chocolate homo.

Malik

How did you know my stage name?

Chen

[to Gallant and Harkins] Okay, alright, settle down. This is a teaching hospital, not Medical Jeopardy.

Susan

[enters the room] Where are all the doctors?

Chen

Who are you looking for?

Susan

Anyone! Carter, Weaver, Pratt- I'm not picky.

Chen

Uh- Carter's stuck in Triage, Pratt's on at midnight, and Weaver's MIA.

Susan

What else is new?

Chen

[remembers] Kovac is sleeping.

Susan

[sarcastically] With who? I thought he was suspended.

Susan

I so need a margarita. Are you ready?

Chen

I think I'm gonna pass.

Susan

Oh, come on. I hate drinking alone. I mean I'll do it, but...

Chen

Sorry, she's one of my Mathletes. Anastasia, you're going to have to go over there and sit with the rest of the team.

Susan Lewis

Mathletes?

Chen

Yeah, she's on the math team. They compete in math tournaments.

Susan

Oh yeah, we used to call them "geeks."

Susan

[about her blind date] Let's put it this way: I almost had to fake it.

Chen

An orgasm?

Susan

A seizure.

Chen

Congratulations, Greg. You survived the County experience.

Pratt

Oh no, not just survived. I whooped its ass.

Jerry

Oh, hey! Kovac called. He said next time he's gonna have a triple latte first. Does that make any sense?

[smiles] Yeah.

Chen

Are you two living together now?

No.

Chen

Well, for what it's worth, I think Luka's a good guy.

Oh, wait. You didn't...

Chen

...Sleep with him? No, I went in a completely different direction. [waves at Pratt]

Chen

You're not a good doctor until you've killed someone.

Neela

[under her breath] Spoken like someone who hasn't.

Elizabeth

[about Carter and Kem's baby] A stillborn?

Chen

Yeah, a true knot in the chord.

Elizabeth

How terrible.

Chen

Ah, I can't even imagine!

Elizabeth

I'll try to get up there after rounds.

Kerry

Poor people. Seven months old?

Chen

Mm... Almost eight.

Yeah, tough break. [Chen, Corday and Weaver all look at him] What? I was... I was being sincere.

Chen

You should go. I don't want you here.

Pratt

You've been through a hell of a lot this last year. You need a break. Put him in a home for a month so you can catch your breath.

Chen

I can't.

Pratt

We fight to save lives every day. You know, we literally bust our asses to give people a few more hours of living. You're a doctor, you can't just cross that line like it's nothing. Quality of life is the only measure that matters.

Chen

My proud father is lying in his own feces. He can't eat without vomiting, can't sleep. He knows what he's asking for and he knows he can get that from me.

Pratt

If you weren't a physician, you couldn't do this.

Chen

But I am and I can.

Pratt

Why haven't you done it up till now? If he's been asking so much? Because you know deep, down inside it would haunt you for the rest of your life. Why haven't you done it yet?

Chen

Maybe I don't have the courage.

Chen

My father's a doctor. He knows what he's asking. Without the G-tube and IV, he would've died weeks ago.

Pratt

Oh, so now lifesaving technology is bad?

Chen

If someone doesn't want it...

Pratt

How do you know he doesn't? He's not even in his right mind.

Chen

After he sleeps, he's lucid. Each time, every day, he begs me to help him. Removing the support's not enough. It would take him days to die of dehydration and he'd be in misery.

Pratt

Put him in a nursing home.

Chen

So he can be somebody else's problem? Who doesn't know or love him?

Pratt

He won't even know that he's there.

Chen

You're not Chinese.

Pratt

Oh, so it's Chinese to euthanize your elders?

Chen

It's Chinese to respect them.

Susan

Jing-Mei, I am sorry about your dad. I really am, but I keep cutting you breaks.

Chen

I know, and I appreciate it. This'll be the last time.

Susan

Oh, man. There is no way I can get anyone to cover tonight. It's impossible.

Chen

Susan, please.

Susan

I hate to be hardcore, but I can't.

Chen

Look, can you stay?

Susan

I have a baby and a guy who's been watching him 24/7. And I just worked a 14-hour shift. No, I can't.

Chen

Well, maybe Carter can handle it. He's got Abby and Morris.

Susan

We're inundated with homeless from the city roundup.

Chen

I know.

Susan

We're already understaffed. Jing-Mei, please. You have to understand.

Chen

I do. It's okay.

Susan

Good. Thank you.

Chen

I'm sorry, Susan. I quit.