Ep 21. Sight Unseen

Becker season 2 episode 21, titled "Sight Unseen," follows Dr. John Becker, a talented and grumpy physician who operates a small practice in the Bronx. In this episode, Becker is confronted by a patient named Mrs. Preston who has been waiting for her appointment for a long time. After checking her in, he discovers that she is blind and has been using her cane to feel her way around the office.

Despite Mrs. Preston's disability, Becker treats her like any other patient and proceeds to examine her. However, he struggles to communicate with her effectively, as he is not used to speaking with someone who cannot see. As a result, he becomes increasingly frustrated and rude, which causes Mrs. Preston to become upset.

Meanwhile, Becker's office is chaotic as usual, with his nurse Margaret and his receptionist Linda dealing with a slew of patients. Linda is particularly annoyed by a patient named Mr. Miller, who keeps hitting on her despite her repeated rejections. Margaret, on the other hand, is busy trying to find a way to get Becker to return a wheelchair that he borrowed from their neighboring practice.

As the day wears on, Becker becomes more and more exasperated with Mrs. Preston, who is unable to answer his questions correctly due to her blindness. Eventually, he snaps at her and tells her that he cannot help her if she cannot tell him what is wrong.

Feeling ashamed of his behavior, Becker tries to make amends with Mrs. Preston by apologizing and offering to arrange for her to see a specialist who can help her. However, Mrs. Preston is still angry and hurt by his previous behavior and refuses to accept his apology.

Meanwhile, Linda has had enough of Mr. Miller's unwanted advances and decides to take matters into her own hands. She tells him off and threatens to call the police if he doesn't leave her alone. Mr. Miller becomes furious and storms out of the office, causing a scene.

Back in the examination room, Becker is still trying to make amends with Mrs. Preston. He learns that she has been blind since birth and has never been able to see the world around her. This revelation causes him to see her in a different light, and he realizes that his behavior towards her was unacceptable.

In the end, Becker manages to apologize to Mrs. Preston in a sincere and heartfelt way, and she forgives him. As she leaves the office, Becker watches her make her way out into the street, marveling at the bravery and resilience of someone who has never been able to see the world but still manages to navigate it every day.

Overall, "Sight Unseen" is a touching and poignant episode that explores the challenges of living with a disability in a society that often lacks understanding and empathy. Through Mrs. Preston's story, we see the importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their abilities or limitations.