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Version 2.0
July 1998
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Robalini
The
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Klearinghouse
Part VI
The following is part six of a thirteen part serialization for the screenplay Blinded, written by Robert Sterling. It is suggested for mature audiences only. Though it is copyrighted, feel free to forward it to others, or to put it on your website.
Sit back, turn down the lights, microwave a bag of popcorn, and enjoy the show.
INT. EVELYN'S HOME OFFICE - EVENING
Carl is on the chair, hypnotized, while she speaks to
him.
EVELYN
Carl, I want you to search your
memories. Remember all you can.
CARL
(pause, shakes head)
Nothing.
EVELYN
Think, Carl, think. There must be
something.
Carl looks like he thinks deeply, then shakes his head
again. Evelyn takes a breath in.
EVELYN
Carl, I want you to look at your
previous memories again. Look for
any details.
FADE TO BLACK:
INT. CARL'S MIND - CONT.
The shot turns to a baseball field. It's no longer
hazy, but there's a Norman Rockwell-type sense to it,
an idealized style. Carl stands at the plate, in a red
and white uniform.
CARL
(o-s)
I'm at the plate, taking practice
swings, getting ready to bat.
EVELYN
(o-s)
What's your teams name?
CARL
(pause, o-s)
The Red Riding Hoods. I don't
know the city. We look like minor
leaguers. Our uniform is red.
EVELYN
(o-s)
Go on.
CARL
(o-s)
I stop and look at the crowd.
There's a woman, my girlfriend or
wife, smiling and waving at me.
He stares in the crowd. The woman looks like Evelyn,
all dressed up in fancy clothes, looking like a maiden.
CARL
(o-s)
God. She's beautiful.
He is ready at the plate, and the pitch comes in slo-
mo.
CARL
(o-s)
I'm ready for the pitch. It's a
breaking ball.
He swings, and a bat crack is heard. There's a loud
cheer heard as he looks up.
CARL
(o-s)
Wham! Home run.
It goes over the fence. He tosses his bat away with a
smile, and he trots around the bases. The scene fades,
and in fades the painting scene. The portrait is of a
woman looking like Evelyn. She is next to the painting
on a couch, all dressed in white again.
CARL
(o-s)
The painting's of my love. She
looks a goddess. I try to paint
my masterpiece, the one showing my
love for her.
He finishes the picture, and he smiles.
CARL
(o-s)
It's perfect.
He looks at his finished picture. The screen blacks
out and disturbing scenes again flash on screen.
CARL
(o-s)
Oh God oh God oh God oh God...
EVELYN
(o-s)
Relax, Carl.
CARL
(o-s)
I'M DEAD I'M DEAD I'M DEAD!!!
EVELYN
(o-s)
Breathe in Carl. Relax. At the
count of ten, you'll be wide
awake. One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, nine,
ten.
FADE TO WHITE:
INT. EVELYN'S OFFICE - CONT.
The shot opens of Evelyn's face, sick but lovely, and
smiling.
EVELYN
You okay?
CARL
Yeah. Yourself?
EVELYN
Don't worry. I'll be better in
the morning. (beat) What
happened at the end there?
CARL
I don't know. Like I saw death.
(beat, faces Evelyn) What am I?
A ball player? An artist?
EVELYN
It could still be just a fantasy.
But what the fantasy represents is
what is really important.
CARL
(nods, then smiles)
You should get rest. Let me help
you to your room.
They get up, and he puts his arm around her.
EVELYN
I'd like to thank you, Carl.
You've been real sweet since
you've been here.
They begin walking out. As they do, they look into
each others eyes and smile.
INT. HOUSE BANQUET ROOM - DAY
It is a crowded with MEN IN BUSINESS SUITS. Mr.
Nicholas is in there, along with Carl and Mr. Hood, who
is talking to a businessman, MR. FELCHER.
MR. HOOD
I'm telling you, the fucking
Peercex case has me working my ass
off.
MR. FELCHER
(smiling)
Really? I read you were involved.
What's the outlook?
MR. HOOD
Not good. Best chance is to win
on a technicality, unless we
settle. But I think I can work
something out.
He smiles. The scene moves to Carl and Mr. Nicholas,
standing next to each other as Mr. Nicholas holds a
tray of drinks.
MR. NICHOLAS
Would you like a drink, sir?
CARL
(shakes head no)
You check on Evelyn tonight?
MR. NICHOLAS
She asked not to be disturbed.
Vivian's caring for Sigmund.
CARL
(nods, beat)
You never finished about your
heroics in Korea.
MR. NICHOLAS
Nothing heroic about it. All I
did was lose my left arm.
He lifts his synthetic arm.
CARL
How'd it happen?
MR. NICHOLAS
Very unglamorous. I was a medic,
relieving myself in the lavatory.
CARL
Relieving yourself. Taking a
humpty dump, huh?
MR NICHOLAS
I was relieving myself, when a
Korean bomb hit. It tore the
lavatory apart, and I fell
unconscious. When I woke later, I
discovered my arm blown off.
CARL
Man. And that was all you lost,
your left arm?
MR. NICHOLAS
More or less.
CARL
Were you right handed?
MR. NICHOLAS
No, left. (beat) I used my left
hand for everything.
CARL
Must be a tough adjustment.
MR. NICHOLAS
It was. I had to accept there
were things I'd no longer be able
to do. But in the long run, I
think it was a blessing. It gave
me purpose. All my life I wanted
to serve others, but I was too
filled with selfish desires and
emotions. The accident left me a
changed man. All those selfish
feelings faded away. I could then
serve my fellow men and women as I
truly wanted.
CARL
(smiling)
I guess you were lucky, then.
Still, I'm glad it wasn't me in
that explosion. I don't think I'd
take it as well.
MR. HOOD
(o-s)
Carl! Carl!
He appears on screen with Mr. Felcher.
MR. HOOD
I'd like you to meet Mr. Felcher,
an associate of mine.
MR. FELCHER
(shaking his hand)
Mr. Hood tells me you're a fine
young man.
(looks at him)
In good shape, too. I'd be
interested talking to someone from
your generation, get a feel for
what you're up to. Like a drink?
Carl shakes head no. Fodder walks into the party. He
looks around, and sees Carl talking to Mr. Felcher. He
quickly realizes it is the same man from the photograph
earlier in the day. Mr. Hood sees Fodder and his
confused facial expression. He smiles and speaks to
Carl and Mr. Felcher.
MR. HOOD
If you two will excuse me.
Mr. Hood walks to Fodder and smiles.
MR. HOOD
My dear Fodder. Glad you could
come. How you feeling?
FODDER
Okay. Mind if we talk shop? It's
about that guy over there.
He points to Carl. Mr. Hood nods.
MR. HOOD
Why don't we take a little walk?
The camera returns to Carl and Mr. Felcher.
MR. FELCHER
So, tell me, are you part of any
fraternal organizations, Carl?
Carl shakes his head no.
MR. FELCHER
Well, they're good for business.
Nothing helps increase your wealth
like the power of brotherhoods.
It certainly has helped me.
(beat, stares at Carl) You're a
good looking young man. Tell me,
what's your generation into?
Carl shrugs his shoulders to indicate he doesn't know.
MR. FELCHER
Come now. There must be
something.
CARL
(pause, thinking)
I guess a lot of things. It's
pretty confusing.
MR. FODDER
(nods)
Ever think of the future, Carl?
Carl shakes his head no.
MR. FODDER
Most your age don't. You should.
They say, "He who doesn't
understand history will be forced
to relive it"? Well, I also
believe, "He who doesn't
understand the future will be
forced to live it." You better
know where things are headed, or
you're screwed. (beat, pulls Carl
close) Come here. I'm gonna give
you some advice. Something I
recommend you invest in, because I
think our economy's crumbling, and
I believe this is going to remain
stable. (beat) One word:
mortuaries.
He nods his head and smiles. Carl stares at him.
CARL
Mortuaries?
MR. FELCHER
Economies boom and bust, wars are
won and lost, monuments are built
and destroyed, but one thing's
constant: stiffs. There's always
gonna be stiffs.
INT. MR. HOOD'S OFFICE - CONT.
Mr. Hood and Fodder are talking.
FODDER
That's the guy, right? The one
who's prints you gave me?
MR. HOOD
You know who he is?
FODDER
Do I know who the fuck he is? I
know he's in fucking weird shit,
okay? He's got a bunch of fucking
creepy fucks after his ass at
work, saying they're with the CIA
or something. They say he's a
fucking spy.
MR. HOOD
What's his name?
FODDER
It's classified. Everything about
this guy is fucking classified,
including his dick size. And they
give me a list of names to check
prints on, and guess what? (beat)
You're on the fucking list. Like
they know he's with you or
something. (beat) Mr. Hood, I
don't give advice, but he's bad
news, alright? Drop him.
MR. HOOD
(smiles)
I appreciate your concern. But
I'm afraid I can't, he's my wife's
client. Not that I want to. He's
a good man. In many ways I see
him as a younger version of
myself. (pause, smiles) Tell you
what. I'll have him wear a
disguise and keep a low profile.
Until we find out who he is.
(smile) Trust me.
FODDER
(breathes deeply)
Alright. I won't squeal. You
know me that well. But I better
not get my ass blown off over this
guy.
INT. HOUSE BANQUET ROOM - CONT.
Carl is alone now. A GUY IN WHITE SUIT walks up to
him, smiling.
GUY IN WHITE SUIT
What's up?
Carl nods to him. The guy stares back.
GUY IN WHITE SUIT
You okay? (beat) You don't look
happy.
CARL
I guess I'm not.
GUY IN WHITE SUIT
You seeing someone?
Carl shakes head, and the man smiles.
GUY IN WHITE SUIT
You've got a look in your eyes.
It's the look of love. Only you
look sad, like it's a one way
love. I'm right, aren't I?
Carl remains silent, and the man smiles.
GUY IN WHITE SUIT
Me, I used to be the most
depressed guy in the world. Went
through all kind of therapy, had
mental breakdown's, suicide
attempts. Then I met my woman,
and things improved one hundred
percent. I was happy.
He pulls out his wallet, and shows Carl pictures of
her.
GUY IN WHITE SUIT
Isn't she the most beautiful woman
you've seen in your life. (beat,
laughs) I'm gushing, aren't I? I
do that over her. She's my life.
I can't wait to go home and see
her. She beats the hell out of
prozac. (beat) Let me tell you,
a woman makes things so much
better. Someone to share life
with, do something for. My old
friends, they make fun of me, say
I'm pussy-whipped, a slave. I am,
but so what? We're all a slave to
something. Better be something
you enjoy.
Carl looks at him and nods. The other man smiles back,
looking in total happiness.
INT. CARL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
He lays on the bed, playing solitaire. There is no
noise from the house. He looks up to the ceiling, as
though he's thinking.
