At First Sight Page #17

AMY:

You can't see it from here

- too many buildings.

VIRGIL:

But it's still there - even though you can't

see it - right? You gotta have faith it's there.

Things exist beyond what I can see -

I just have to take it on faith.

She comes up next to him - Virgil, looking out over the wall turns

to her - studies her face:

VIRGIL:

You have so many looks?

AMY There's something I have to tell you.

I was getting confused - which is no

excuse for how I've acted, but...

VIRGIL:

Wait - no - this isn't your fault -

I'm the one's been a sh*t. You're too

hard on yourself - expect too much of yourself.

AMY:

Virgil …

VIRGIL:

(stopping her)

Let me say this. Every day of my life -

I've wished for just one thing.

AMY:

To see.

VIRGIL:

To be whole. For just one month. For just

one day or one minute. For one goddamned

half a second. And not just to be able to

run, or ride a bike, or drive a car.

(beat)

But for once not to have a bruise from

bumping into something or to stand in a room

and have to ask "is anyone here" and here

that dead silence, knowing someone is there.

Not to have food on my sweater, or have to

put my finger in my glass to know when it's

full. I just want to be whole.

(beat)

I went to see my father the other day.

Amy moves toward him.

VIRGIL:

I couldn't face him. I felt like

I was letting him down. I feel

like I'm letting you down.

AMY:

No …

VIRGIL:

No, listen. I gave up years ago - I'm not

going to give up now. Amy - that day I met

you - for the first time in my life I felt

someone needed me as much as I needed them.

I don't want you to give up on me.

Amy out of breath - feels a surge of love for this man - moves in

kissing him. A long kiss - then:

VIRGIL:

Besides I couldn't leave you -

I owe too much in back rent.

And as Amy pulls him into embrace - we hold on her face - then:

INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY

CLOSE ON - Dr. Aaron - harsh lights washing him out.

AARON:

Up until the operation five weeks ago -

Virgil had been a touch person - someone

who's vocabulary, whole sensibility,

his picture of the world was based on

tactile -- non-visual terms.

INT. DOWNTOWN ATELETIC CLUB - DAY

A HEALTH INSTRUCTOR - 50's Jack LaLaine type - is giving Virgil the

tour of the facilities. They enter the weight/workout room. Various

shapes and sizes of people work out on various shapes and sizes of

workout machines.

Aaron's voice-over continues as Jack motions to Virgil to follow

him.. Virgil hesitates.

HIS POV - chrome, iron, plastic - but somehow it's more defined than

we've seen before.

Determined - Virgil starts his way into the gym - hand' out brushing

by what he sees in front of him.

AARON (CONT)

But - now - as a sighted person - by

focusing singlemindedly on his goal,

Virgil has a new found ability to

understand his own physical relationship

to objects in his life around him...

Virgil now drops his hand - starts moving through the maze of people

and equipment - actually "seeing" his way.

AARON (CONT.)

Distance, size, shape - perspective -

now all have profound meaning to him...

EXT. HEALTH CLUB - DAY

Virgil negotiating a glass door - exiting the building.

AARON (CONT)

and though there are still miles to go in his

learning process - for all medical intents

and purposes - he is becoming a seeing person.

Virgil walking down the street - deftly dodging a kid on a

skateboard - throwing out his hand to hail a cab.

AARON (CONT.)

This is an extraordinary achievement and

advancement for medical science and a

tribute to Virgil's determination to see.

INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY

AARON (CONT)

Ladies and Gentlemen - Virgil Anderson.

Applause and Virgil looking to Amy in the audience, stands - a

seeing man - and easily makes his way to the podium. Standing in the

lights he readjusts the microphone - moving it up from the much

shorter Aaron.

VIRGIL:

(clears his throat)

Since this may be one of our last

sessions - are there any questions?

VOICE IN THE DARK

Mr. Anderson - is there something you

were surprised to see for the first time

- something that looked quite different

than you thought?

VIRGIL:

Breasts.

(laughter)

No, really. Don't get me wrong - I love them

- they just weren't what I expected.

VOICE:

What about your girlfriend?

VIRGIL:

Whose did you think I was talking about?

Laughs.

ANOTHER VOICE IN THE DARK

Now that you're fully seeing -

what are you looking forward to most?

VIRGIL:

Not having to do these sessions.

(laugh)

No - actually - being independent.

VOICE:

Can you read yet?

VIRGIL:

No, but...

VOICE:

Will you ever be able to?

VIRGIL:

I don't know.

VOICE:

If you can't read - will you ever be able to drive?

VIRGIL:

(suddenly somber)

I don't know.

VOICE:

Well how can you say...

FAMILIAR VOICE:

(interrupting)

Virgil. After so many years of darkness -

describe what it is to actually see.

Angle on the Voice in the dark. Webster.

CLOSE ON - Virgil - as he thinks about the question.

INT. ROSWELL-TREMONT - AMY'S OFFICE - LATE DAY

CLOSE ON - the Atlanta project. Miniature size. And a set of plans

laid out across Amy's desk. Virgil's hand comes into frame - touches

the model - moves to the plans - touches them.

ON VIRGIL - alone in Amy's office - looking at her work. We go to

his face - his eyes - we see that he is seeing Amy's work.

AMY (O.S.)

You're here.

Virgil looks up - Amy at the doorway.

VIRGIL:

The Atlanta project - I thought it went away.

AMY:

Duncan did some song and dance - Falk's coming

to the lobby opening tomorrow - see our work.

VIRGIL:

I see it Amy.

AMY:

What's that?

VIRGIL:

Your world. What you do. The plans -

the work the ideas. The molding.

For the first time I really see what

you do - and not just up here...

(he points to his head) but in here.

Virgil's hand goes out to her chest - places it on her heart.

AMY:

(moves in close, sexy)

Tonight is your night something

special I want to show you

VIRGIL:

What is it?

SMASH TO.

EXT. BUILDING - LATE DAY

AMY (V.0.)

Everything.

TOP OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

The sun starting to set - the whole of the five burroughs of New

York laid out in front of us. Virgil moves to the edge - looks out

over this amazing panorama.

Amy moves up next to Virgil - they take it in a moment.

AMY:

That's the Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State

Building, Chrysler building just over there...

VIRGIL:

Amy, look at me.

AMY:

What?

VIRGIL:

This face - this is everything. It's all

I've ever wanted to see.

(he watches her)

You have so many looks.

What do all those looks mean?

AMY:

Well. Let's see. This...

(makes corresponding face)

... is sad. This...is frustrated.

This... is tired. This.. is confused.

This.. is happy. And this...

(her face softens)

... is what in love looks like.

Virgil puts his hand on her face - looks at it carefully.

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