“Does the name Vincent Van Gogh ring a bell?”

“Don’t mention that man to me…he’s drunk, he’s mad, and he never pays his bills.”

When this episode of Doctor Who begins, we laugh at the absurdity that this restaurateur would reject one of the most famous paintings in the world because the man trying to hawk it was a bit of a drunk. Any of us would accept this piece, even if we’re not personally fond of the man’s work. We know its value, which is: practically priceless.

[Content Warning: this essay includes discussion of mental health, schizophrenia, and suicide]

[The scene brought me back to a night when I received an unexpected phone call.]