S01E23

The One With the Birth

Carol goes into labor, sparking arguments with Susan. Rachel flirts with Carol's doctor, and Joey helps a single pregnant woman.

21 Scenes311 Lines
Scene 1

The hospital, Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, and Monica are in the waiting room, waiting for Carol and Susan to arrive.

27 lines
ross
Ross
She's not here yet. She's not here. She's having my baby and she's not here.
monica
Monica
I'm sure everything's fine. Has her water broke yet?
ross
Ross
I don't know, but when I spoke to her, she said she had already passed the mucus plug.
(Joey makes a sound of absolute disgust.)
joey
Joey
Do we have to know about that?
monica
Monica
Joey, what are you gonna do when you have a baby?
joey
Joey
I'm gonna be in the waitin' room, handing out cigars.
chandler
Chandler
Yes, Joey's made arrangements to have his baby in a movie from the 50's.
ross
Ross
God, I don't believe this. She could be giving birth in the cab.
rachel
Rachel
Oh, Ross, relax. It's probably like two dollars for the first contraction, and then fifty cents for each additional contraction.
(Everyone looks at Rachel as though she made a tasteless comment.)
rachel
Rachel
What, it's ok when Chandler does it?
chandler
Chandler
You have to pick your moments.
(Phoebe arrives, guitar in hand.)
phoebe
Phoebe
Did I miss it, did I miss it?
ross
Ross
She's not even here yet.
monica
Monica
What's with the guitar?
phoebe
Phoebe
I just thought we might be here for awhile. You know, things might get musical.
(Carol and Susan arrive.)
ross
Ross
(to Carol) Where the hell have you been?
Susan
We stopped at the gift shop.
Carol
I was looking at stuffed animals, and Susan wanted a Chunky.
ross
Ross
Susan wanted a Chunky. We're having a baby, ok, a baby, you don't stop for Chunkys.
chandler
Chandler
I used to have that bumper sticker.
(Everyone is amused by Chandler's comment.)
chandler
Chandler
(to Rachel) You see what I mean.
OPENING CREDITS
Scene 2

Carol's Hospital Room, Carol is on the bed, Ross and Susan are at her side.

23 lines
ross
Ross
Stopped for a Chunky.
Carol
Let it go, Ross.
Susan
I got an extra one. You want this? (holds the candy in front of Ross' face)
ross
Ross
(weakly) No.
(Carol's doctor, Dr. Franzblau arrives.)
Dr. Franzblau
Hey, how's my favorite parenting team doing?
ross
Ross
Dr. Franzblau, hi.
Dr. Franzblau
So, I understand you're thinking of having a baby? Well, I see you're nine months pregnant. That's a good start. How you doing with your contractions?
Carol
Oh, I love them. Each one's like a little party in my uterus.
Susan
They're every four minutes and last 55 seconds.
ross
Ross
59 seconds. (holds up his watch) Quartz, ha.
Susan
Swiss quartz, ha, ha.
Carol
Am I allowed to drink anything?
Dr. Franzblau
Ice chips, just ice chips. They're at the nurses' station.
ross
Ross
I'll get it.
Susan
No, I'm getting it. I'll be right back.
ross
Ross
I got it-I'm getting it!
(They both leave just as Rachel enters the room, holding a cup.)
rachel
Rachel
Hi, I thought you might like some ice chips.
Carol
Thanks.
rachel
Rachel
And if you need anything else, I-(notices the handsome Dr. Franzblau)-do not believe we've met. Hi. I'm, uh, Rachel Green. I'm Carol's... ex-husband's... sister's roommate.
Dr. Franzblau
It is nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Franzblau. I'm your roommate's... brother's... ex-wife's obstetrician.
rachel
Rachel
Oh, that's funny!
Scene 3

The Waiting Room, Chandler is falling asleep on Monica's shoulder.

23 lines
monica
Monica
I want a baby.
chandler
Chandler
Mmmm. Not tonight, honey. I got an early day tomorrow.
monica
Monica
Get up. Come on. Let's get some coffee.
chandler
Chandler
Oh, ok, 'cause we never do that.
(Chandler and Monica leave. Cut to Joey, watching the Knicks/Celtics game on television.)
joey
Joey
(to the screen) Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! Shoot, or just fall down. That's good too.
(A young pregnant woman enters.)
Lydia
Knick fan?
joey
Joey
Oh, yeah.
Lydia
Oh, boy, do they suck.
joey
Joey
Hey, listen, lady....(sees that she's pregnant)...whoa.
Lydia
Look, look at your man, Ewing. Nice shot. You know what, he couldn't hit water if he was standing on a boat.
joey
Joey
Oh yeah? And who do you like?
Lydia
The Celtics.
joey
Joey
The Celtics? Ha. They couldn't hit a boat if...wait. They suck, alright?
Lydia
Oh, shut up. You know, it's a rebuilding year. You... waah!
joey
Joey
Wha? Wha..aa? Let me get the father. Hey, we need a father over here! We need a father!
Lydia
There is no father.
joey
Joey
Oh, oh, oh, sorry.
Lydia
Ok, that's ok. I'm fine. I'm... oh!
joey
Joey
Oh, uh, ok. Right this way. All the other pregnant women seem to be goin' in here.
Lydia
Ok.
(Joey accompanies Lydia to a hospital room.)
Scene 4

The Waiting Room, Phoebe is playing a song. Chandler, Monica, and Ross are there as well.

34 lines
phoebe
Phoebe
(singing)
They're tiny and chubby and so sweet to touch,
and soon they'll grow up and resent you so much.
Now they're yelling at you and you don't know why,
you cry and you cry and you cry.
And you cry and you cry and you cry...
(Ross gives Phoebe a dollar.)
phoebe
Phoebe
Thanks, Ross.
ross
Ross
Yeah. I'm paying you to stop.
phoebe
Phoebe
Ok.
(A woman passes by, carrying newborn twins.)
phoebe
Phoebe
Oh, look, twins. Hi, guys. Oh, cute, cute.
monica
Monica
No fair. I don't even have one. How come they get two?
chandler
Chandler
You'll get one.
monica
Monica
Oh yeah? When?
chandler
Chandler
All right. I'll tell you what. When we're 40, if neither one of us are married, what do you say you and I get together and have one?
monica
Monica
Why won't I be married when I'm 40?
chandler
Chandler
Oh, no, no. I just meant hypothetically.
monica
Monica
Ok, hypothetically, why won't I be married when I'm 40?
chandler
Chandler
No, no, no.
monica
Monica
What is it? Is there something fundamentally unmarriable about me?
chandler
Chandler
(trapped) Uh, uh.
monica
Monica
Well?
chandler
Chandler
Dear God! This parachute is a knapsack! (throws himself over the back of the chair he was sitting in)
(Rachel enters, in a formal dress.)
rachel
Rachel
Hey.
phoebe
Phoebe
Hey. Ooh, look at you, dressy-dress.
monica
Monica
Did you go home and change?
rachel
Rachel
Yeah, well, it's an important day. I wanna look nice. Um, has uh Dr. Franzblau been by?
monica
Monica
No, I haven't seen him.
rachel
Rachel
Well, where is he? He is supposed to be here. (Pause) What if the baby needs him?
chandler
Chandler
Rachel, what is the deal with you and doctors, anyway? Was, like, your father a doctor?
rachel
Rachel
Yeah, why?
chandler
Chandler
No reason. (turns around, makes an 'Oh my God' gesture with his eyes)
Scene 5

Joey and Lydia in the hospital room. Lydia is on the phone with her mother.

17 lines
Lydia
Mom, we've been through this. No, I'm not calling him. I don't care if it is his kid, the guy's a jerk. No, I'm not alone. Joey's here. (pause) What do you mean, Joey who? (covers the phone, to Joey) Joey who?
joey
Joey
Tribbiani.
Lydia
Joey Tribbiani. Yes, ok. Hold on. (to Joey) She wants to talk to you. Take the phone.
joey
Joey
(takes phone) Hi, yeah, it's me. (Listens) Oh, no no no, we're just friends. (Listens) Yeah, I'm single. (Listens) 25. (Listens) An actor. (Listens) Hello?
Lydia
She's not much of a phone person.
joey
Joey
Yeah, so, uh, so, uh, what's the deal with this father guy, I mean, if someone was havin' my baby somewhere, I'd wanna know about it, you know?
Lydia
Hey, Knick fan, am I interested in your views on fatherhood? Uh, no.
joey
Joey
Ok, look, maybe I should just go.
Lydia
Maybe you should.
joey
Joey
Good luck, and uh, take care, huh?
(He leaves, but then returns a moment later.)
joey
Joey
You know what the Celtics problem is? They let the players run the team.
Lydia
Oh, that is so not true.
joey
Joey
Oh, it is.
Lydia
It isn't.
joey
Joey
It is.
Lydia
Isn't!
Scene 6

Carol's Hospital Room, Ross and Susan are coaching Carol.

33 lines
ross
Ross
Breathe.
Susan
Breathe.
ross
Ross
Breathe.
Susan
Breathe.
ross
Ross
Breathe.
Susan
Breathe.
Carol
You're gonna kill me!
ross
Ross
15 more seconds, 14, 13, 12...
Carol
Count faster.
Susan
It's gonna be ok, just remember, we're doing this for Jordie. Just keep focusing on Jordie.
ross
Ross
Who the hell is Jordie?
Susan
Your son.
ross
Ross
No-no-no. I don't have a son named Jordie. We all agreed, my son's name is Jamie.
Carol
Well, Jamie was the name of Susan's first girlfriend, so we went back to Jordie.
ross
Ross
What? Whoa, whoa whoa whoa, what do you mean, back to Jordie? We never landed on Jordie. We just passed by it during the whole Jessy, Cody, Dylan fiasco.
Carol
Ow, ow, ow, ow, leg cramp, leg cramp, leg cramp.
ross
Ross
I got it.
Susan
I got it.
ross
Ross
I got it! Hey, you get to sleep with her, I get the cramps.
Susan
No, you don't.
Carol
All right, that's it. I want both of you out.
ross
Ross
Why?
Susan
He started it!
ross
Ross
No, you started it.
Susan
You did!
Carol
I don't care. I am trying to get a person out of my body here, and you're not making it any easier.
ross
Ross
But...
Carol
Now go!
ross
Ross
(to Susan) Thanks a lot.
Susan
(to Ross) See what you did.
ross
Ross
(to Carol) Yeah, listen...
Carol
Out!
(Ross and Susan both angrily leave the hopsital room.)
Scene 7

Lydia's Hospital Room, Joey is helping Lydia go through labor, a nurse is now present in her room as well.

7 lines
Nurse
Breathe, breathe, breathe...
Lydia
Oh, no.
(Joey looks down at Lydia.)
joey
Joey
Ew! What is that? Something exploded!
Nurse
It's just her water breaking. Calm down, will you?
joey
Joey
(panicked) Water breaking, what do you mean? What's that, water breaking?
Nurse
(to Joey) Breathe, breathe, breathe.
Scene 8

The Hall, Ross and Susan are arguing.

15 lines
ross
Ross
Please. This is so your fault.
Susan
How, how is this my fault?
ross
Ross
Look, Carol never threw me out of a room before you came along.
Susan
Yeah? Well, there's a lot of things Carol never did before I came along.
ross
Ross
You tryin' to be clever? A funny lady?
Susan
You know what your problem is? You're threatened by me.
ross
Ross
Oh, I'm threatened by you?
Susan
Yes.
(Phoebe has heard them arguing and comes down the hall, taking them into a broom closet.)
phoebe
Phoebe
Hey, hey, ok, all right, that's it! Get in here. Come on. My god, you guys, I don't believe you. There are children coming into the world in this very building and your negative fighting noises are not the first thing they should be hearing. So just stop all the yelling, just stop it!
ross
Ross
Yeah, Susan.
phoebe
Phoebe
Don't make me do this again, I don't like my voice like this.
(Phoebe goes to leave the room, but the door is locked.)
phoebe
Phoebe
Ok, who wants to hear something ironic?
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Scene 9

The Broom Closet, Ross and Susan are trying to get out.

2 lines
Everyone
Help!
ross
Ross
I'm having a baby in here! Ok, everyone stand back. (Walks backwards as if he is going to break down the door, but steps in a bucket and falls) Ow.
Scene 10

Carol's room, Rachel and Dr. Franzblau are there with her.

7 lines
Carol
Are they here yet?
rachel
Rachel
No, honey, they're not, but don't worry, because we are going to find them, and until we do, we are all here for you, ok?
Carol
Ok.
rachel
Rachel
Ok?
Carol
Ok.
rachel
Rachel
(to Dr. Franzblau) Ok, so anyway, you were telling me about Paris, it sounds fascinating.
Dr. Franzblau
It really was. There was this great little pastry shop right by my hotel. (Carol sits up in pain, Rachel and Dr. Franzblau casually lay her back down) There you go, dear.
Scene 11

Lydia's Room, Joey is helping her deliver.

1 lines
joey
Joey
Come on, Lydia, you can do it. Push! Push 'em out, push 'em out, harder, harder. Push 'em out, push 'em out, way out! Let's get that ball and really move, hey, hey, ho, ho. Let's- (notices the nurse looking at him strangely) I was just-yeah, right. Push! Push!
Scene 12

The Broom Closet, Ross has picked up a vacuum and is holding it at the door.

4 lines
Susan
What're you gonna do, suck the door open?
ross
Ross
Help! Help!
phoebe
Phoebe
(singing) They found their bodies the very next day, they found their bodies the very next...(sees Ross and Susan staring at her) la la la la la la.
ross
Ross
(even louder) Help!
Scene 13

The Waiting Room, Monica is on the phone with her mother, Chandler is standing behind her.

5 lines
monica
Monica
Now, Mom, everything's going fine, really. (Listens) Yeah, Ross is great. He's uh, he's in a whole other place. (Listens) No, he's gone. (Listens) No no, you don't have to fly back, really. (Listens) What do you mean this might be your only chance? (Listens) Would you stop? I'm only 26, I'm not even thinking about babies yet.
(Monica sees a woman pass by with a baby, puts the phone to her chest, and starts to cry. Chandler takes the phone, makes a noise in it resembling static, and hangs up. Joey enters.)
chandler
Chandler
Where have you been?
joey
Joey
Oh, just had a baby.
chandler
Chandler
Mazel tov!
Scene 14

The Waiting Room, Rachel and Dr. Franzblau have gone to get coffee.

12 lines
Dr. Franzblau
I don't know, could be an hour, could be three, but relax, she's doing great. So, uh, tell me, are you currently involved with anyone?
rachel
Rachel
(anxiously) No, no, not at the moment, no, I'm not. Are you?
Dr. Franzblau
No, it's hard enough to get women to go out with me.
rachel
Rachel
Right, yeah, I've heard that about cute doctors.
Dr. Franzblau
No, no, really. I suppose it's because I spend so much time, you know, where I do.
rachel
Rachel
Oh.
Dr. Franzblau
I try not to let my work affect my personal life, but it's hard, when you... do what I do. It's like uh...Well, for instance, what do you do?
rachel
Rachel
I'm a waitress.
Dr. Franzblau
Ok, all right, well aren't there times when you come home at the end of the day, and you're just like, 'if I see one more cup of coffee'...
rachel
Rachel
(getting the point) Yeah. Gotcha.
Dr. Franzblau
I'm gonna go check up on your friend.
rachel
Rachel
Ok. That's fine. (takes her earrings out)
Scene 15

The Hall Outside Lydia's Room, Joey is walking up to Lydia's room with balloons, but before he enters he sees that the baby's father has arrived. He listens at the door.

8 lines
Lydia
So how did you know I was even here?
Guy
Your mom called me. So is this her?
Lydia
No, this is a loaner.
Guy
I'm sorry you had to do this by yourself.
Lydia
I wasn't by myself. I had a doctor, a nurse, and a helper guy. (Joey smiles) So, did you see who won the game?
Guy
Yeah, the Knicks by 10. They suck.
Lydia
Yeah, they're not so bad.
(Joey closes the door and ties the balloons to the knob. Then he walks away, holding the hand of an inflated balloon animal he had brought.)
Scene 16

The Broom Closet, Ross is trying to open the door with a credit card, with no success.

8 lines
ross
Ross
Come on, come on. Damnit, damnit, damnit, damnit. (to Susan) This is all your fault. This is supposed to be, like, the greatest day of my life, y'know? My son is being born, and I should be in there, you know, instead of stuck in a closet with you.
Susan
The woman I love is having a baby today. I've been waiting for this just as much as you have.
ross
Ross
No no no, believe me. No one has been waiting for this as much as I have, ok? And you know what the funny thing is? When this day is over, you get to go home with the baby, ok? Where does that leave me?
Susan
You get to be the baby's father. Everyone knows who you are. Who am I? There's Mother's Day, there's Father's Day, there's no... Lesbian Lover Day.
ross
Ross
Every day is Lesbian Lover Day.
phoebe
Phoebe
This is so great.
ross
Ross
You wanna explain that?
phoebe
Phoebe
I mean, well, 'cause when I was growing up, you know my dad left, and my mother died, and my stepfather went to jail, so I barely had enough pieces of parents to make one whole one. And here's this little baby who has like three whole parents who care about it so much that they're fighting over who gets to love it the most. And it's not even born yet. It's just, it's just the luckiest baby in the whole world. (pause) I'm sorry, you were fighting.
Scene 17

Carol's Room, she is ready to give birth. Everyone is there except for Phoebe, Ross, and Susan, who are in the broom closet.

12 lines
Carol
Where are they?
monica
Monica
I'm sure they'll be here soon.
rachel
Rachel
Yeah, honey, they wouldn't miss this.
joey
Joey
Relax. You're only at nine centimeters. And the baby's at zero station.
chandler
Chandler
(to Joey) You are really frightening me.
(Carol suddenly screams in pain and grabs Chandler by the shirt.)
chandler
Chandler
Somebody wanna help me, tryin' to rip out my heart. (they pull her hand off of him) Uh, that's great. (looking around) Anybody seen a nipple?
Dr. Franzblau
All right, ten centimeters, here we go.
Nurse
All right, honey, time to start pushing.
Carol
But they're not here yet!
Dr. Franzblau
I'm sorry, I can't tell the baby to wait for them.
Carol
Oh, god.
Scene 18

The Broom Closet, Ross has used a broom to open the air vent in the ceiling. Phoebe is wearing a janitor's uniform, ready to go up in the vent.

10 lines
ross
Ross
Ok, got the vent open.
phoebe
Phoebe
(reading the nametag on the uniform) Hi, I'm Ben. I'm hospital worker Ben. It's Ben... to the rescue!
ross
Ross
Ben, you ready? All right, gimme your foot. Ok, on three, Ben. One, two, three. Ok, That's it, Ben.
(Ross and Susan lift Phoebe up into the vent.)
Susan
What do you see?
phoebe
Phoebe
Well, Susan, I see what appears to be a dark vent. Wait. Yes, it is in fact a dark vent.
(A janitor opens the closet door from the outside.)
ross
Ross
Phoebs, It's open! It's open!
(Ross and Susan run to the delivery room, leaving Phoebe dangling from the vent.)
Janitor
(to Ross and Susan) Wait! You forgot your legs!
Scene 19

Carol's Room, Ross and Susan rush in.

24 lines
Everyone
Push, push!
ross
Ross
We're here!
Carol
(irked) Where have you been?
ross
Ross
Long story, honey.
Dr. Franzblau
All right, Carol, I need you to keep pushing. I need-(reaches for an instrument, Rachel's hand is on it) Excuse me, could I have this?
Nurse
All right, all right, there's a few too many people in this room, and there's about to be one more, so anybody who's not an ex-husband or a lesbian life partner, out you go!
Everyone
Good luck!
(Everyone heads for the door.)
chandler
Chandler
(to nurse) Let me ask you, do you have to be Carol's lesbian life partner?
Nurse
Out!
Dr. Franzblau
All right, he's crowning. Here he comes.
ross
Ross
Let me see, I gotta see, I gotta see. Oh, a head. Oh, it's, it's huge. Carol, how are you doing this?
Carol
(straining) Not.... helping!
Dr. Franzblau
You're doing great, you're doing fine.
ross
Ross
(puts his head near the baby) Hello! (to Dr. Franzblau) Oh, sorry.
Susan
What do you see? What do you see?
ross
Ross
We got a head, we got shoulders, we got arms, we got, oh, look at the little fingers, oh, and a chest, and a stomach. It's a boy, definitely a boy! All right! Ok, legs, knees, and feet. Oh, oh. He's here. He's a person.
Susan
Oh, look at that.
Carol
What does he look like?
ross
Ross
Kinda like my uncle Ed, covered in Jell-o.
Carol
Really?
phoebe
Phoebe
(from the air vent overhead) You guys, he's beautiful!
ross
Ross
Oh, thanks, Pheebs!
(They look up towards the vent and wave at Phoebe.)
Scene 20

The Delivery Room, Carol is holding the infant.

21 lines
Susan
No shouting, but we still need a name for this little guy.
ross
Ross
(thinking) How 'bout Ben?
Susan
I like Ben.
Carol
Ben. Ben. Ben's good. How come you never mentioned Ben before?
ross
Ross
We uh, we just cooked it up.
Susan
That's what we were off doing.
(Monica opens the door.)
monica
Monica
Hi.
ross
Ross
Hey.
monica
Monica
Can we come in?
(The whole gang enters.)
ross
Ross
(to Ben) I know, I know. Everybody, there's someone I'd like you to meet. Yeah. This is Ben. Ben, this is everybody.
phoebe
Phoebe
Susan, he looks just like you.
Susan
Thanks.
rachel
Rachel
Oh, god, I can't believe one of us actually has one of these.
chandler
Chandler
I know, I still am one of these.
monica
Monica
Ross, can I?
(Monica holds Ben.)
ross
Ross
The head, the head. You gotta...
monica
Monica
(getting choked up) Hi, Ben. Hi. I'm your Aunt Monica. Yes I am. I'm your Aunt Monica. I...I will always have gum.
CLOSING CREDITS
Scene 21

The Hospital, the camera is placed as though it were Ben's eyes.

18 lines
ross
Ross
Ben, I want you to know that there may be some times when I may not be around, like this. (walks out of the picture) But I'll still always come back, like this. (returns) And sometimes I may be away longer, like this. (walks away) But I'll still always come back, like this. (returns)
(Chandler comes into the picture.)
chandler
Chandler
And sometimes, I'll want you to steal third, and I'll go like this. (Does a baseball sign.)
(The rest of the group come into the picture.)
monica
Monica
He is so amazing.
rachel
Rachel
Oh, I know. Look at him.
joey
Joey
Ben, Ben, hey Ben. Nothing. I don't think that's his name.
phoebe
Phoebe
Oh, look, look, he's closing his eyes. (screen goes blank) Look, he's opening his eyes. (picture comes back)
joey
Joey
He doesn't do much, does he?
ross
Ross
No, this is pretty much it.
(long moment of silence)
rachel
Rachel
You guys wanna get some coffee?
Everyone
Yeah.
ross
Ross
All right, I'll see you guys later.
(They all leave but Ross, but they all come back a few seconds later. They make faces at the baby.)
phoebe
Phoebe
Oh, look, he's closing his eyes again.
(The screen fades to black.)
END