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Bobby also hangs up the phone, an unreadable expression on his

face.

INT. MCKENNA LIVING ROOM - LATE DAY

JAKE sits in an easy chair reading a paper. Puffs of smoke from

his pipe rise from behind the paper and hang like a cloud over

his head. GRACE stands in the doorway, body stiff and arms

crossed, staring at him.

JAKE:

Who was that on the phone?

GRACE:

Wrong number.

JAKE:

You spent a long time talking for a wrong

number. But then you make friends so

easily. Don't you, Grace?

Grace has no answer for that, so she says nothing. A long

moment passes, then:

GRACE:

I put up new drapes, Jake.

JAKE:

I know. I was here when your apprentice

was helping you. Remember?

GRACE:

You never said anything. About the drapes.

JAKE:

They look nice.

GRACE:

You haven't even looked at them once.

Jake lowers the paper, looks at the drapes.

JAKE:

They look nice.

GRACE:

I picked them out for you, Jake. I thought

you would like the colors.

JAKE (softly, admiring)

You look just like your mama when you move

like that against the light.

Grace stares at the CHAIN now visible around Jake's neck that

disappears under his shirt. She knows that hidden there is a

key, and she fixes on it intently.

JAKE:

What the hell you looking at, girl?

GRACE:

Nothing, Jake. Absolutely nothing.

EXT. DESERT - EVENING

The SUN is setting. It strikes the horizon sending a ripple of

golden light through the sky.

EXT. PORCH OF HOUSE - EVENING

A MAN dances in the evening light with a small child in his

arms.

EXT. CORNER OF HOUSE - EVENING

A DOG and CAT huddle together in sleep.

EXT. POLICE STATION - EVENING

SHERIFF VIRGIL POTTER is tossing horseshoes with his DEPUTIES.

EXT. MCKENNA HOUSE - EVENING

GRACE watches the sun going down outside her house, cradling

herself in her arms. A desert wind gently caresses her.

EXT. STREET CORNER - NIGHT

The BLIND MAN, along with his dead DOG, sits on the side of the

street.

BLIND MAN:

Well, that's it. Sun's going down. People

go home, trade stories over dinner.

They'll talk about the day, about the heat,

laugh about something crazy it made them

do. They'll kiss, sleep a few hours, then

do it all over again.

BOBBY now appears next to the blind man holding two Dr. Peppers.

He hands one to the blind man, takes a sip of the other one, and

offers him his own change.

BOBBY:

The day wasn't so bad. We all got through

it all right.

BLIND MAN (giving back the change)

Keep it.

There's a suggestion of cockiness in Bobby, feeling his luck

coming back with the night. His humour is enhanced by his POV

down the street:

As DARRELL, with his dilapidated truck, readies SERGEI'S

convertible for towing.

BLIND MAN (OVER)

Ain't over yet. Night is part of day;

separate, but equal. Night is when you let

your guard down; when you see things in the

shadows and hear things in the dark.

BOBBY:

Difference between you and me, old man, is

I see the glass half full, you see it half

empty.

BLIND MAN:

Night is when you want to sleep, but the

dry heat keeps you tossin' and turnin'.

It's when you wish the sun was bakin' high

in the sky so you could see what it is

you're afraid of.

BOBBY:

You afraid of the dark?

BLIND MAN:

Afraid of it? Boy, I live in the dark. All

cause of a woman who made me this way.

People are afraid of what they can't see.

I can't see nuthin', so it's all the same

to me. Kiss from a beautiful woman, kissy

kissy kiss, a lick from a dog, slurp,

slurp, the kiss of death (he makes a

strange sound). It's all the same to me.

BOBBY:

So, we're all just floating along like

twigs in a stream, so enjoy the ride. Is

that it?

BLIND MAN:

More or less.

BOBBY:

Not this twig, friend. I got plans.

BLIND MAN:

Nothing makes the Great Spirit laugh harder

than a man's plans. We all got plans. I

planned on seeing all my life. I know you

didn't plan on straying into town.

BOBBY:

No and I don't plan on sticking around

either.

BLIND MAN:

Well, don't say I didn't warn you when

things go your way.

BOBBY:

You got a lotta philosophy in you, old

timer but you don't fool me for one second

with all this blind man crap. One minute

you lost your eyes in Vietnam, next it's

the joint. Now it's a woman? I'm hep to

you.

The Blind Man slowly lifts his glasses, showing his EYES at

last. Where his eyes should be are scars and dead flesh. An ugly

sight that even takes Bobby back a step.

BLIND MAN:

Used to be a young smartass like you. Then

I got smart with the wrong man's daughter.

Got some acid poured on my peepers for my

trouble. You know human beings ain't always

just human -- they got animals living

inside 'em too...People give spare change

to war heroes not fools. All fools get is

pity. May not have eyes, but I see. And

you, boy?

The Blind Man puts his glasses back on.

BLIND MAN:

You got my pity.

BOBBY (doesn't believe him)

Hope she was worth it.

BLIND MAN:

Oh, she was worth it. She was worth every

black minute since.

Bobby looks at his watch, gets ready to go, drops a coin into

the Blind Man's cup.

BOBBY:

Time's up. Any last words of wisdom?

BLIND MAN:

Things ain't always the way they seem. You

got to ask yourself: is it worth it? Day

comes Earthmaker is going to look in your

f***ing heart! Then you better know what it

is you're doing. Are you a human being --

or just one of them hungry ghosts out there

floatin' around?

Bobby walks away, smiling.

BOBBY:

You are crazy, you know. Be seeing you, old

man.

BLIND MAN:

You know I won't be seeing you.

The Blind Man lifts his sunglasses and peers into the cup as if

he sees. We don't really know. He reaches into the cup and pulls

out the coin Bobby tossed in.

BLIND MAN:

Cheap bastard. Gives me back my own

money... Well, Jesse, time's up, let's go

for a walk.

The Blind Man now stands up and pulls the seeing-eye dog's

harness. The DOG struggles to its feet and they walk off down

the street together.

INT. MCKENNA HOUSE - NIGHT

GRACE stands by the back door staring at the bolt lock. JAKE

yells to her from another room.

JAKE(O.C.)

What the hell you doin', Grace? Are you

coming to bed, or aren't you?

For a moment Grace's hand wavers above the lock. Suddenly, like

a snake striking, her hand shoots out and unlocks the bolt.

Just as quickly she turns from the door and heads to the

bedroom.

EXT. YARD - MCKENNA HOUSE - NIGHT

A LIGHT is on in the bedroom window. After a moment it dims and

the house is dark, silhouetted against the horizon by moonlight.

BOBBY steps into frame, carrying an iron pipe.

INT. MCKENNA HOUSE/BEDROOM - SIMULTANEOUS

We start close on GRACE -- a KEY slapping against her buttocks

as bedsprings groan. We reveal Grace copulating on all fours

with JAKE from behind.

JAKE:

Ya little b*tch, you like it don't you! You

like it this way -- rough and hard. Gotta

go f*** around on me, like your Mama, but

you always gotta come home to Daddy, don't

you, cause you know Daddy's the best.

GRACE:

Yes, yes, hit me...beat me, please.

JAKE:

You been a bad girl, Grace. You took my

heart from your Mama, didn't ya? You

betrayed her! Like you did me. There ain't

no forgivin' ya, girl!

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