INT. ER - EXAM ROOM
Elizabeth and Romano are there. He has his arm out on the table; she's there to bandage the wound. Right now she's looking at the fingers.
ELIZABETH: Good cap refill. No disruption of the vasculature.
ROMANO: No, there wouldn't be with the mechanism of injury. (then) What's next? Let's see, I could cut it while slicing a bagel and not realize it until I pass out from blood loss...
ELIZABETH: Robert...
ROMANO: (pays no heed to her warning) Or maybe I could set the damn thing on fire.
She pulls out guaze and begins to bandage the cut.
ELIZABETH: (sighs) You need to be patient.
ROMANO: Yes. So everyone keeps telling me. Although none of us actually believe that I'm even going to partially recover. (looks at Elizabeth) Do we?
She holds his gaze, in a manner I'd describe as "tolerantly."
ROMANO: Believe in the laws of karma, Elizabeth?
She looks back down to concentrate on the bandaging.
ROMANO: Eastern philosophy, the influence of past actions on your future life?
ELIZABETH: I know what it is.
A beat.
ROMANO: So I can be a jerk, so what? I've always been honest. Brutally honest. Bruised some egos, hurt some feelings, maybe, uh, provoked a few tears, but, uh... honesty's a hell of a lot more then some people can claim. I don't deserve this.