At First Sight Page #9

Amy feels uncomfortable - quietly steps out - closes the door.

INT. REVIVAL THEATER - NIGHT

WIDE - the theater half full playing Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" the

very funny scene where Woody and Diane Keaton wrestle with the

lobster.

We move in slowly and discover Virgil and Amy leaning in close to

each other - Amy quietly describing the scene to him.

AMY:

There's these big pots and Woody's got

a huge lobster in his hand...

VIRGIL:

Lobster - what's a lobster?

AMY:

(trying not to use her hands to describe)

It's a.. .kind of like.. it's got...

Then she looks to Virgil - sees he was kidding her.

AMY:

(laughing)

That's it - you're on your own.

Off Virgil's laugh:

INT. SUBWAY LINE - NIGHT

BWAM - a subway train explodes past us.

INT. SUBWAY CAR - NIGHT

A collection of typical night riders - everyone keeping to

themselves. Two kids sit in the corner - blasting their boom box

Virgil stands in the middle of the train - enjoying the vibrations.

Amy sits on a seat watching him.

VIRGIL:

And they lived happily ever after.

AMY:

Woody and Diane...

VIRGIL:

And the lobster?

AMY:

Stop with the lobster.

A song comes on the radio - Virgil's head turns.

VIRGIL:

Hey - you here that?

All she hears is the clatter of the subway.

AMY:

What?

Virgil turns towards the music - BAPPING his hands rhythmically on

the subway car wall.

VIRGIL:

Hey - can you turn that up?

The KID shrugs - CRAKKS it up. It's Gershwin's "Can't take that Away

from Me." Virgil turns to Amy - picks up on the song - hands RAPPING

- he starts singing:

VIRGIL:

"The way you comb your hair,

The way you sip your tea..."

He finds Amy, pulls her up and into an embrace as he saunters them

down the aisle.

AMY:

Virgil?!

VIRGIL:

(loudly)

"Can't take that away from meee" - what?

AMY:

People are watching.

VIRGIL:

Watching? Watching what?

AMY:

You. Me. Everyone is staring at us.

VIRGIL:

And?

AMY:

Well - it can be embarrassing.

VIRGIL:

(kidding)

Oh - I see.

AMY:

No - you don't.

VIRGIL Touche.

"The way you make me see..."

AMY:

(turns to him)

What do you mean?!

(Virgil gives her a look -

I want the operation)

You mean it. I mean I only want

you to have the operation...

VIRGIL:

Amy. I want the chance to see.

The chance to see Central Park,

the Brooklyn Bridge, apples, raisins,

a buffalo, a carbuerator and the man

in the moon.

(beat)

But I would give all that up -

just to see this face.

And Amy folds herself into Virgil - a moment - they hold each other

- then - Amy starts to sing along with the song - Virgil joining in

- and they dance - together - in love.

SMASH CUT TO:

EXT. SUBWAY CAR - NIGHT

AMY/VIRGIL (V.0.)

"You can't take that away from me."

And the car explodes past again - and as the music dies we cut to:

INT. NEW YORK EYE HOSPITAL - OPERATING ROOM

CLOSE ON:
a platter of silver utensils - fine, exacting scalpels. A

gloved HAND comes into frame - picks up a clamp - and we follow it

to:

VIRGIL'S EYES - the clamp being used to hold it open. The work we

are seeing is grueling - difficult to watch - but at the same time

so fascinating it is hard to take our eyes off.

Dr. Aaron followed by Dr. Goldman - hands in the air - mask on -

leans over Virgil - looks to the ANESTHESIOLOGIST who nods - then to

no one in particular.

AARON:

OK Virgil - let's get to it.

And as he is handed a SCALPEL, we watch as it moves down to cut open

the white section of the eye - and just as it feels almost

unbearable to watch- -

INT. NEW YORK EYE HOSPITAL - WAITING ROOM - DAY

We see Amy, coffee cup in hand, grab a second just poured cup out of

a vending machine. She makes her way over to reveal Jennie who sits

quietly reading a book.

AMY:

Coffee? It's really bad.

Jennie looks up - smiles takes the cup. Amy sits down next to her.

They both sip for a moment.

AMY:

Virgil never mentions his parents

- do they know?

JENNIE:

Our mother died when I was 20 - Virgil wasn't

even a teenager. And our father - he's been

gone for quite awhile.

AMY:

I'm sorry. I didn't know.

Jennie looks into her coffee - takes another sip.

JENNIE:

(smile)

You're right this is bad.

AMY:

It must have been very tough on you

- taking care of Virgil alone after

your mother died.

JENNIE:

He's my brother.

Simple.

AMY:

You don't like Virgil

doing this - do you?

JENNIE:

I don't like Virgil getting hurt.

Hope is like fire, it can keep you

warm - - or it can burn you.

INT. NEW YORK EYE HOSPITAL - OPERATING ROOM - DAY

Dr. Aaron:
- focused on his exacting work. His hands move deftly.

CLOSE ON:
Virgil's eye. Cut open. Aaron's probe working right in the

middle of it.

DR. AARON

There you are.

And Aaron pulls out the cloudy cataract tissue - holding it up for

all to see - before he PLOPS it on a tray. Switching instruments -

he gingerly picks up a plastic implant - moving back towards the eye

- he glances at the nurse assisting him:

DR. AARON

You know what they say, Virgil?

The eyes are the windows to the soul.

Virgil can't move - listens intently as he carefully places the

implant into Virgil's eye.

DR. AARON

(with a wink)

That makes us the Windex to the soul.

(he focuses)

OK, both eyes done. Let's patch him up.

On a large monitor we see an EXTREME CLOSE-UP of Virgil's eye -

waiting.

INT. NEW YORK HOSPITAL - LATER

Virgil being wheeled down a hall - head wrapped in bandages.

INT. EXAMINATION ROOM - DAY

As he enters:

VIRGIL:

Hello?

Jennie's there - takes his hand.

VIRGIL:

Jennie?

JENNIE:

How're you feeling?

VIRGIL:

OK - a little pain,

like a tequila hang over

- is Amy here?

AMY:

Right here - Dr. Aaron said you did great

VIRGIL:

So how's my hair - I'd hate the first time

I see myself to be a bad hair day.

(Virgil reacts to a sound)

What's that?

AMY:

There's camera guys here too.

WIDE - we now see the room has a small VIDEO CREW in it preparing to

document the event.

VIRGIL:

Camera guys?

AARON:

(entering)

For posterity. We're going to make you

famous. We're also sending this closed

circuit to one of our conference rooms

- there's a lot of people interested in

our results today. So how you feel Virgil?

VIRGIL:

Good. Great. Fine.

(a laugh)

Nervous.

Aaron moves about the room closing blinds to let in just a few slats

of light.

AARON:

Nothing to be nervous about.

Now Jennie and Amy, if you would

stand off to my right -- I want

Virgil to get just a slight bounce

of light.

(returning to Virgil)

Ready Virgil.

VIRGIL:

Let's go.

Both Amy and Jennie subconsciously adjust their hair as Aaron starts

to unravel the bandages.

When the bandages are completely off - all that is left are two

gauze patches on both eyes.

AARON:

Okay - last phase -

we remove these patches and...

VIRGIL:

(suddenly apprehensive, hand up)

Okay - wait. So - so - what do I do?

I mean, what will I see first?

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