At First Sight Page #16

Virgil makes his way down the hall. Stops at an open doorway - a

sign next to it with raised letters in Braille. As his hand feels

across it - he also reads the visual letters - Dr. Ray Webster.

Peering inside - he sees a Lab - full of the NEWLY BLIND - some

TEENAGERS - a couple of ADULTS - a handful of SEEING IMPAIRED - all

learning to use a cane. The rapid tapping of their cane like a room

full of typewriters.

Virgil watches - the Blind working their way around a small obstacle

course - many of them running into desks, tables - it's tough,

frustrating work.

Suddenly Virgil feels someone next to him. Webster.

WEBSTER:

You want to join us.

Virgil watches the blind.

VIRGIL:

No - no - I'll wait for you

out here - when you're done.

As Virgil moves off to a hallway bench:

WEBSTER:

Virgil

Virgil turns as Webster tosses his something. Virgil misses it - it

hits the ground - he reaches down - finding it, he picks it up -

it's an apple. He looks to Webster who smiles back at him.

WEBSTER:

I'll be done in a minute.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - ATLANTA - DUSK

Amy and Duncan walk through the lobby to their rooms. A little combo

plays music in the adjacent bar - a few people on the tiny dance

floor.

AMY:

You'd think he would have told us.

I mean those trees were in the photos.

DUNCAN:

We'll just have to win him over tomorrow.

Let me buy you a drink - get those

creative juices going.

AMY:

(looks at her watch)

Aw - no - I really...

But Duncan has her by the arm - and in one spin has her in a dance

embrace. This move seems comfortable, familiar to them both.

DUNCAN:

C'mon - listen, they're playing our song.

AMY:

(laughs)

Mack the Knife was our song?

INT. WEBSTER'S LAB - LATER

Webster is cleaning up after class. Virgil watching some of the

Teenage kids and Adults find their way out of the room. As the last

of them leaves.

WEBSTER:

OK - I'm just about done here - I got a place

for you - relax those eyes a bit.

INT. STRIP CLUB - NIGHT

A table front and center. Some empty beer glasses in front of them.

Two full ones in their hands - they're both a little in their cups.

A STRIPPER grinds and weaves her way about the small dance floor to

the sounds of Talking Heads "Burning down the House".

VIRGIL:

(eyeing the girl)

You want to know the truth -- God's honest truth?

Seeing's been the shits.

WEBSTER:

You got to be kidding me son. You can say

that - sitting here in these prime viewing seats.

Forget fixing your eyes - we're going to get

your head examined.

VIRGIL:

I'm serious. I was better off blind.

People don't have these expectations of you

you can't live up to. You're blind -

fine - they deal with it.

WEBSTER:

Didn't get what you expected did you?

VIRGIL:

When I was blind - I had an image of

what everything was, up here...

(points to his head)

now - it's all different - not at all

what I'd expected - not what I'd hoped for.

WEBSTER:

Virgil, let me explain something here.

When you were blind - you dealt with things

one at a time - sequentially right? A wall

led to a door to a tree to a car. That's

how you got to what you wanted - right.

(beat)

Seeing people - for better or worse -

deal with everything all at once - taking in

the whole picture - which sometimes confuses

the hell out of what they want.

(beat)

Virgil, my advice after three beers - don't be

afraid to take in the whole picture - just don't

lose sight of what you want.

VIRGIL:

What I want is to make it work with Amy.

WEBSTER:

And what does she have to say

VIRGIL:

She just wants me to see.

WEBSTER:

It's that important is it?

VIRGIL:

You know what I learned a long

time ago. Seeing girls like seeing guys.

(beat)

I'm not going to let her down.

INT. HOTEL BAR - NIGHT 102

Amy and Duncan are dancing - they seem good together. Nothing fancy

- but they move as one about the floor.

DUNCAN:

See - not so bad.

AMY:

Not so bad.

DUNCAN:

It's nice to dance together again.

AMY:

Yeah.

DUNCAN:

You remember...?

AMY:

First time we danced - Connecticut. We

watched the leaves turn - so much to see

- I'd love to go back.

DUNCAN:

So would I.

(beat)

What happened to us Amy? You're so intent on

fixing everything - why'd you give up on us?

AMY:

I learned some things can't be fixed.

We got married for all the wrong reasons.

I don't think I fell in love with you as

much as I fell in love with architecture.

DUNCAN:

(serious)

I never fell in love with architecture -

but I know I fell in love with you.

AMY:

Now - that's bullshit.

DUNCAN:

It used to work.

They smile at each other - everything's easy right now - pause -

they dance - Amy looks up at Duncan - who hesitates - then leans in

and kisses her.

A moment and Amy pulls away slightly - looks down for a second -

then she leans back in and they kiss again. We hold on this kiss,

then cut to:

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

BLACK - we hear movement - then a light comes on in the bathroom.

Amy stands there clutching her clothes - staring into the mirror. In

the background we see Duncan curled up asleep in bed.

Amy stares at herself long and hard.

AMY:

(whisper)

Oh, God.

And she starts to dress:

DUNCAN:

Amy? - what's going on -

what time is it?

Click - he flicks the bedside lamp on - squinting - finds Amy. She

doesn't talk - keeps dressing.

DUNCAN:

What's wrong?

AMY:

What's wrong? This was' a mistake -

a big mistake. Go back to sleep -

you've got an important meeting tomorrow.

DUNCAN:

I've got? - hold on here - you're not

bailing out on me - I need you.

AMY:

(flat)

For the meeting.

DUNCAN:

Of course for the meeting.

Dressed, she moves toward the doorway - Duncan sits up in bed.

AMY:

I'm going home.

DUNCAN:

To be a babysitter.

She stops at the door.

AMY:

Can't we for once be adults - face the

fact that we've just made a colossal error?

DUNCAN:

Fine - this was stupid, there - happy? -

but goddamit Amy - I still care about you.

Where do you actuallv think any of this is

going to lead with this guy?

AMY:

I don't know - but the one good thing to come

of this mess tonight - I know I want to find out.

And she's gone - WHAM.

EXT. AMY'S LOFT - DUSK

A cab pulls up - Amy gets out - looks up at her loft - it's dark.

INT. AMY'S LOFT - DUSK

Kitchen light on - a pile of Ethan's blocks on the table. Amy makes

her way over to see it reads:

ON THE ROOF:

EXT. AMY'S ROOF - DUSK

Amy opens the door and sees Virgil leaning against the parapet wall,

staring out at the night Manhattan skyline. After a moment, he walks

back to the other end of the roof, turns and slowly walk - toward

the parapet wall again - all the time staring at the skyline - with

a smile and look of amazement on his face.

AMY:

Hi

Virgil turns - finds her.

VIRGIL:

Hey.

Amy starts toward Virgil.

AMY:

Whatcha doing?

VIRGIL:

It's the craziest thing. You start back over

there - focus on a building. And when you walk

towards it - it changes - each step makes it

look different. I started out just looking

for the horizon.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes