At First Sight Page #12

VIRGIL:

It looks lonely. Not what I expected.

But I like it.

Amy smiles - moves into him as he pulls her in close and they look

out at the night rain.

INT. ROSWELL-TREMONT - DAY

Amy working over a CAD computer with & draftsman.

AMY:

You've got to alter each of

the windows by five feet...

DRAFTSMAN:

These are the specs you gave me.

AMY:

I know - I'm changing them -

this is better.

(calling out)

Betsy!

Betsy pokes her head in.

AMY:

Can you get me some research on

those Maple trees we're leaving in.

They're too big - I want to change

them so they fit in with the design

better. Get rid of the dead weight.

BETSY:

Don't you have an appointment?

Amy looks to her watch. Starts for her jacket and the door.

AMY:

Yes, yes. Thank-you.

Evan here will print out the new specs

- give them to Duncan - tell him I'll

be back in two hours.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Amy?

Duncan steps out of his office. She turns - virtually out the door.

AMY:

Just give me two hours.

And she's gone.

EXT. NYU CAMPUS - NEXT DAY

A few KIDS smoking on the steps. Others entering, laden down with

books - a small sea parting to allow Amy helping Virgil up the steps

and inside.

INT. NYU HALLWAY - DAY

They make their way down the hall - past a - room where a group of

BLIND CHILDREN learn to read Braille. Amy can't help but stare at

these young faces struggling to learn. It's a whole different world.

INT. RAY WEBSTER'S OFFICE - DAY

A strange space, dark, as all the windows are covered. In a jar on

the desk - two pickled eyeballs stare back at Virgil and Amy waiting

patiently. There are books everywhere - periodicals stacked and

overflowing on shelves. A dead plant in the corner.

RAY WEBSTER - 60's, almost completely bald, wearing a worn NYU

sweatshirt, sits at the desk in front of them - flipping through a

file in front of him.

WEBSTER:

Right - OK, Virgil - says here you went

blind at one - before you developed a

visual vocabulary.

(Webster stands - moves towards a bookshelf)

You have no sense of depth of field,

no knowledge of space, shape, size or

distance. Basically your eyes work but

your brain hasn't learned to process

the information.

(beat)

You are mentallv blind. Neurologists

call this "visual agnosia".

VIRGIL:

I call it pretty screwed up.

WEBSTER:

Better term. I'll make a note of that.

Webster plops down a large book - flips through some pages, then

searching his pockets:

WEBSTER:

Dammit

AMY:

What?

WEBSTER:

Glasses, can never find 'em.

(calling out)

Mrs. Fenster.

Mrs. Fenster pops her head in the door - this must be a ritual they

have as she instantly pulls her GLASSES off and hands them to

Webster who drops them over his nose. They are clearly woman's

glasses - pointed in the ends - little jewels. As Mrs. Fenster

leaves.

WEBSTER:

(referring to the book)

OK. Alberto Valvo "Sight Restoration after

Long Term Blindness" - blah-blah-blah. -

ah here...

(reading)

"One must die as a blind person to be born

again as a sighted person. However it is

the interim, the limbo- -between two worlds,

one dead/the other powerless to be born -

that is so terrible."

(slamming the book shut)

There. You're in limbo.

AMY:

What do you mean - there - he's in limbo.

That's all you have to offer?

WEBSTER:

What? - I'm Anne Bancroft all of a sudden?

I'm a professor - I teach people, how to

teach the blind how to become independent.

(beat)

There's no book on what you're going through

- I'd like to help - but like the rest of

things in life - it's up to you.

VIRGIL:

Wait a minute - up to me?

I thought you were going to help me here.

Webster rummages in his desk - pulls out a magazine photo - then

digging in a brown paper bag - he pulls out an apple.

WEBSTER:

You want a lesson? Right - here.

What's this?

He holds out the apple for Virgil - who reluctantly takes it - holds

it in his hand, eyes closed, feels it - then opening his eyes he

holds it out in front of him, trying to focus on it.

HIS POV - as the apple slowly takes on dimension and shape.

VIRGIL:

It's an apple.

WEBSTER:

Good. Good.

(holding up the photo)

OK. What's this now?

Virgil stares at the photo. HIS POV - a photo of -- an APPLE. Not

that different from the real apple he holds in his hand - he holds

the real apple up to compare - using his eyes.

VIRGIL:

It's an apple.

WEBSTER:

(holding the paper out to Virgil)

Good. Good. But is it an apple or

just a picture of an apple?

And Virgil feels the paper and suddenly realizes - it's not an apple

- just a representation of one. Virgil is visibly disappointed.

VIRGIL:

So this is a joke? Is that what you're

saying - your eyes lie to you? Great

- looking forward to this.

WEBSTER:

Your eyesight can and will play tricks on

you Virgil. Remember that. No matter what

I could teach you - no matter what exercises

I could give you - they'll still play tricks on you.

VIRGIL:

That's all it is right now - one big trick.

Nothing makes any sense. I can't function like this.

WEBSTER:

(he moves to his chair)

Virgil - look - you have to learn to see -

just like you learned to speak. Only this

is not like learning a new language -

it's like learning language for the first time.

(he leans forward)

Perception - sight - life, is about experience

- about reaching out and exploring the world

for yourself. It's not enough to just see Virgil --

(he points two fingers into his eyes)

-- we've got to look as well.

And Webster turns the fingers from his eyes outward - to the world.

AMY:

(wound up)

Well, thank-you Obi Wan Kenobi -

but that doesn't tell us anything.

What we need is some assistance here

- some kind of program - a set of exercises

- we're kind of adrift and...

WEBSTER:

Amy - last I checked - this isn't a game

of Parcheesi, it doesn't come with a set of rules.

AMY:

I can't believe you're just...

VIRGIL:

Amy. Let's go.

AMY:

No, wait, Virgil...

VIRGIL:

Let's go.

(standing)

Thank-you Dr. Webster.

WEBSTER:

You want me - I'm always here.

And Virgil turns and half steps - half shuffles towards the door. We

hold on Amy's befuddled face - then:

EXT. NYU - DAY

Virgil feels his way down the steps - Amy rushing out after him.

AMY:

I'm going to call Aaron -

get him to recommend someone else.

VIRGIL:

He's right, Amy. I've got to do this

on my own. No one taught you how to see.

Virgil starts walking stiffly towards the street. Amy hurries after

him - grabs him just as he was about to step into traffic.

AMY:

I was a baby then - I had years to learn -

you don't - you need to...

(anxious) --we don't even know what to do

- where to start..

Virgil's hand goes out - brushes a mailbox.

VIRGIL:

What's this - this thing?

Amy looks over.

AMY:

(shrugs)

What - it's a mailbox.

VIRGIL:

What color is it?

AMY:

Blue.

Virgil stares at it - tries to take it in.

VIRGIL:

Blue. OK, good - that's a mailbox

- it's blue. There - we've started.

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