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[We open with a shot of Buck’s Rock. We see a flashback sort of scene with
Amy, Bright, and Colin.]
NARRATOR: Every small town worth its salt has a place like this. A place
where the landscape invites us to blend in for a while. Ours is called
“Buck’s Rock.” It’s been graced with its own heavenly light that, for most
people eliminates any and all doubt of a higher power. The purpose of
Buck’s Rock is quite familiar. It’s a place where the lazy days of
childhood play themselves out. A place free from the responsibilities of
adult life, a place on innocence.
[We see Colin jump off a branch and dive into the water.]
COLIN: Wooooooo!!!!!!! [He swims back to the shore.] And with that
seamless dive, the young American from Everwood, Colorado catapults
himself into medal position.
BRIGHT: Ooo, your toes were curled bro, 5.5.
AMY: Yeah, and let’s not even talk about your entry splash 4.2.
COLIN: The Russian Judges gave me a 6.
AMY: Yeah and everyone knows Unga’s got a thing for you.
COLIN: Oh yeah? Well too bad Unga’s feelings are unrequited. [They chuckle
and he kisses her.]
AMY: [Colin shakes his head and gets her wet.] Ah!
COLIN: You’re next Grover.
AMY: In a little bit. [She looks back to her book.]
COLIN: Ah! You are so full of it.
BRIGHT: Yeah dude, when are you going to realize my baby sister doesn’t
share our sense of adventure? [He jumps off the branch] Yee hoo!!
COLIN: Good one bro!
AMY: If I ask you a girl question will you promise not to laugh?
COLIN: No.
AMY: Haha, what were you just thinking then? Just then you had this look.
COLIN: I was just thinking about the fireworks we saw on Mr. Knoll’s
driveway earlier. The one’s that are shooting off tonight. They must have
cost a fortune.
AMY: Oh.
COLIN: Oh look I can’t think about you every second of every day Grover.
Sometimes I gotta take time to think about normal guy things like trucks,
electronics, Katie Holmes.
AMY: I get the idea.
COLIN: All right, maybe it wasn’t just the fireworks.
AMY: Go on….
COLIN: I was just thinking about us watching them go off last year.
AMY: And……?
COLIN: I just hoped that it would, keep going. With your hand [he takes
her hand in his] just touching mine. And then it was over. [They kiss
again. He laughs.]
AMY: What are you doing? What is that? [She realizes her necklace is
gone.] Colin that’s my confirmation cross!
COLIN: Come and get it!
AMY: I swear if you drop it I will never forgive you! Give it back!
COLIN: I said come and get it! [He is out on the branch.]
AMY: Colin! [She follows him onto the branch.]
COLIN: Com’on!
AMY: Colinnn! [She makes it to him on the branch.]
COLIN: Ready? [They laugh.]
AMY: 1, 2, 3… [They jump into the water holding hands. They come above
water, and are laughing.] I love you. [Colin laughs and swims to shore.]
[The flashback ends, and we see Amy looking at Colin in the hospital bed.
Then she takes her confirmation cross and puts it in his hand.]
{Opening credits/commercial break}
[Cut to Dr. Brown in his office explaining to the Harts about the
surgery.]
DR. BROWN: The bone fragment we will be resecting is located in the brain
stem, mission control for vital functioning. The placement necessitates an
extreme level of caution during the procedure. The procedure will take a
minimum of 8 hours assuming there are no complications. And I know you are
both aware of what those complications might be.
MR. HART: We are.
DR. BROWN: I’ve got my old assistant surgeon flying in from New York, he’s
the best there is. We’ll start prepping Colin at 9am.
MRS. HART: What are the chances my son won’t survive the surgery?
DR. BROWN: It’s a high risk procedure. There are no odds I can give you,
and even if there were, I’m not sure they’d provide you with much comfort.
MRS. HART: I need something. Colin made a mistake when he drove that day
and he paid a horrible price. I just don’t want to be responsible for
making him worse.
DR. BROWN: Mrs. Hart, Colin’s been in a coma for over 4 months. That’s
well beyond the time frame where a meaningful recovery is likely. The only
assurance I can give you is this, in my career I’ve performed over 2600
surgeries. And I have never had one, where I cared more about the outcome.
[Cut to Ephram, Delia, and Andy in the kitchen.]
EPHRAM: You let a guy who’s never been out of New York City drive a car in
the wilderness.
ANDY: He’s your Uncle Brian not Woody Allen. [Doorbell rings.]
DELIA: He’s here, he’s here! [She runs to the door and opens it.] Uncle
Brian!!
BRIAN: Ahhh come here girl! [He picks her up.] Ahh, gentlemen, and lady,
worship me! For I have brought unto you New York City! [He puts her down
and walks to
ANDY: Did you leave any behind with the actual New Yorkers?
BRIAN: Nope. Let’s see, I’ve got two bags of H & H Bagels, some Ray’s
pizza, all 8 slices individually wrapped for travel, no need to thank me.
ANDY: Ha.
BRIAN: Zabar’s special blend….
ANDY: Oh yeah!
BRIAN: Yonah Shimmel Knishes, and, a Brooklyn Cyclones hat for Delia. Who
are they?
DELIA: A minor league team that plays on Coney Island….duh! [She takes the
hat and Brian chuckles.]
EPHRAM: You know, for a while I was upset because I just missed New
York…..now I can finally know true despair.
BRIAN: Despair’s right up your alley, you’re a musician.
EPHRAM: Not really these days.
BRIAN: When you hear what I brought for you, you’re gonna want to
rededicate yourself. [Pulls out a vinyl.] Bill Evans, vinyl. It’ll change
your life man.
EPHRAM: Sweet! Thanks.
BRIAN: Boss, I can’t believe it, what’s it been now, a year since you and
I both stood over an open skull?
ANDY: Long enough to blot out some of your more colorful expressions.
BRIAN: And tomorrow, once again, we’ll hear the sweet sound of that drill
digging away….
ANDY: Ahhh let’s save the shop talk for after dinner. Did you eat on the
plane? Are you hungry?
BRIAN: Yes and yes. Try shoveling whatever you got on my plate, and Ephram
you come outside and help me.
ANDY: A few more bags?
BRIAN: I can’t get the car to turn off. [They walk out.]
[Cut to dinner at the Abbott’s.]
HAL: The television fanatics in the house will be happy to know that I
have relented and purchased the satellite dish which you have been
clamoring for. I’m picking it up from Herb’s Discounts tomorrow. [Sounds
of silverware.] Please, hold your applause.
AMY: That’s great Dad. [More silverware sounds.]
HAL: Over 300 channels. We can watch “Jeopardy” in Korean if we wish.
ROSE: Why are you picking up the dish? Why isn’t one of Herbert’s boys
coming to install it?
HAL: I possess 2 university degrees and a Mensa membership Rose, I do not
need to pay some tool belted ignoramus 50 of my hard earned dollars to
hook up a piece of plastic to the side of the house. Pass the carrots.
AMY: Mom, I want to spend the day in Denver tomorrow, at the hospital, if
that’s all right with you.
ROSE: I assumed you would, I need to keep an eye on the Hart’s store, your
dad’s on call, so you should ride with your brother.
BRIGHT: I’m not going.
AMY: What do you mean you’re not going?
BRIGHT: Uh, I’m not going.
AMY: Figures….
HAL: Amy…
AMY: No! I’m sorry I’m sick of this. Colin’s your best friend, you never
go see him, and now you’re not even going to be there for the surgery.
BRIGHT: You’re doing fine with this whole martyr thing, you can handle it
without me. [He gets up.] I’ll be in my room.
HAL: Bright, get back here…..
ROSE: Harold…just leave him. He’s just scared about tomorrow.
[We see Bright at the top of the stairs. Then we see a flashback of Colin
and him in his room. Bright is getting ready for a 4th of July
presentation his family is doing at a little town picnic type thing.]
BRIGHT: You know, there’s a reason men don’t wear ruffles.
COLIN: It’s not that bad. If this were 1775, you’d be a total chick
magnet.
BRIGHT: You’re not helping.
COLIN: I’m not? Are you sure about that? [Throws him a container of
liquor.]
BRIGHT: Ohh, where’d you swipe this?
COLIN: Dad’s liquor cabinet. Crown Royal he got from a client last year,
and trust me, if he knew that you were going to stand in front of the
whole town wearing that, he’d want you to have it. [Bright drinks a lot of
it.] Hey slow down man, that’s supposed to last all day.
BRIGHT: [He coughs.] Yeah well I don’t know if I’ll last all day.
COLIN: [Chuckles.] Careful, don’t want to ruin that pretty outfit of
yours.
[Cut to downstairs, the family is getting ready to go to the picnic.]
HAL: Let’s get moving people!
COLIN: Hey Dr. Abbott! You’re looking revolutionary.
HAL: Thank you Colin.
COLIN: Hey very cool…..Kentucky long rifle right? Purely maple if I’m not
mistaken.
HAL: Indeed…you know a thing or two about vintage weaponry.
COLIN: Yeah well I’m done some light reading.
HAL: It’s not every day that our family gets honored by this thankless
community, I wanted to make the most of it.
BRIGHT: This is an honor?
HAL: City council chose us to represent this entire town in this year’s
4th of July assembly. Do you know why?
BRIGHT: Cuz you told them you paid for the costumes yourself?
HAL: Because we, The Abbotts, represent everything the people in this
community wish they were. We command respect from our neighbors, they look
up to us.
ROSE: You have a run in your stocking Harold.
HAL: Huh?
ROSE: And don’t forget to take the scroll with you.
HAL: I don’t need the scroll, Rose, I have the entire thing memorized, of
course. My father was the crier, they talked about it for weeks. Do you
think he used the scroll?
COLIN: [Amy walks down the stairs in her costume.] If the British knew
they were losing you, they would have fought a little harder. [She walks
right past him.]
HAL: All right, let’s get going people. We don’t want to keep our public
waiting.
BRIGHT: Uh dad, depending on how many people are there today, do you think
I could borrow that rifle to shoot myself? [The flashback ends.]
[Cut to Andy and Brian sitting on chairs on the front porch.]
ANDY: The accident happened on the 4th of July, truck overturned and Colin
and his passenger were both thrown from the truck. The passenger got by
with minor injuries, doesn’t remember a thing about the accident. Colin,
as you can imagine, didn’t fare as well. His ICP’s been well manage, but
nothing’s changed.
BRIAN: So tomorrow we get to climb Mt. Everest?
ANDY: Just about.
BRIAN: Paul Yeats performed a double aneurysm last week.
ANDY: Paul Yeats?! That lifetime minor leaguer?
BRIAN: You’re not there anymore Andy. People had to step up. Check this
out, he was pressed for time…
ANDY: Problems with the cerebral profusion?
BRIAN: Close, “Hairspray” tickets.
ANDY: They guy’s totally deranged.
BRIAN: He wants to be you. Hell, I wouldn’t mind being you. Minus the
beard. [They laugh.]
ANDY: Yeah well being me is not all it’s cracked up to be these days.
BRIAN: Com’on, it can’t be all that bad. How’re the kids doing.
ANDY: Well, Delia’s adjusting well. She’s a trooper.
BRIAN: And Ephram?
ANDY: Ephram would hate me in every one of the 48 contiguous states plus
Hawaii and Alaska so we might as well be here.
BRIAN: [Laughs.] About tomorrow Boss, what’s the deal?
ANDY: We’ll take a lateral, parapetrosal skull base approach to the brain
stem. There will be some swelling, but hopefully the surrounding vessels
won’t be spasmodic.
BRIAN: No, I was wondering why I’m here. I’m flattered that you wanted me,
but the kid’s team is available, I checked around. Lathan’s tops, so is
Murdoch.
ANDY: I thought I’d be good to have a familiar and trusted face in the
room. And uh, to be honest with you, I uh, I have a slight case of
performance jitters.
BRIAN: You’ve been dormant, it’s normal.
ANDY: Anyway, I’ll probably gonna rely on you more than usual tomorrow if
we’re going to have a shot….
BRIAN: If? A shot? Boss you’re talking like you’ve never done this before.
ANDY: Well I haven’t, not this exact surgery.
BRIAN: Like there’s any order of difficulty in the miracles you perform?
ANDY: Well, I’m a different person now. I may just be out of miracles.
BRIAN: No you’re not.
ANDY: And how do you know?
BRIAN: Before you took me under your wing Andy, I never believed there
were people put on this earth simply to fix God’s mistakes. That’s the
sort of gift that doesn’t goes away. Sleep easy Dr. Brown. You’re going to
be great.
{Commercial break}
[Cut to Andy and Delia. Andy is washing up at the sink. Andy grabs for a
towel.]
DELIA: No no, that’s not how we do it.
ANDY: I’m sorry, I forgot…”towel nurse.” [She gives it to him.] Thank you.
DELIA: I don’t think I’m going to be a brain surgeon when I grow up.
ANDY: No? Why not?
DELIA: Well for one thing, you have to wake up early, even on Saturday.
ANDY: Yeah, that can be a drawback.
DELIA: And because I’m probably going to be a tap dancer!
ANDY: I thought you were going to be a fireman?
DELIA: I’m going to do that too, during the day.
ANDY: Brush. [She hands it to him.]
DELIA: Dad?
ANDY: Huh?
DELIA: Are you going to have to work at the hospital all the time…again?
ANDY: No honey, just today.
DELIA: Here..[hands him a razor.]
ANDY: I don’t use that one anymore… go wake up Uncle Brian ok?
[She walks out and tries to wake up Brian, who’s sleeping on the couch.]
DELIA: [Whispering.] Uncle Brian? [She walks to the other side.] You have
to go to brainnnn surgeryyyyy.
BRIAN: [Suddenly] RARRRR!!! [She screams.] I still got time for a tickle-ectomy!
[He tickles her and she laughs/screams.]
[Cut to Ephram in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. Andy walks in.]
EPHRAM: Butter or cream cheese?
ANDY: Ephram you didn’t have to do all this.
EPHRAM: I was up.
ANDY: Cream cheese would be great. [Ephram takes out cream cheese from the
refrigerator.]
BRIAN: Morning.
ANDY: Ohhh mann, you brought’em. [Referring to cassette tapes.]
EPHRAM: You know there was this invention a couple years ago, it was
called the CD Player, you should check it out.
ANDY: These are the mix tapes that your mom made for our surgeries. She’d
figure out what song to pick based on what kind of surgery we were doing.
For instance, Glioma ’97 has an upbeat Motown kind of a feel. Where as,
triple aneurysm ’99 is more of an angry lesbian with a guitar kind of mix.
And here’s my personal favorite. Middle Fossa skull base 2000!
BRIAN: Which one do you want for today?
ANDY: I don’t know, why don’t we pick one on the way down.
EPHRAM: Here, add this to your collection. [He hands them a CD entitled
“Brain Stem 2002.]
ANDY: You made this?
EPHRAM: No big deal, just fiddling around with iTunes. I’m going back to
bed.
BRIAN: Mixed CDs, it’s a whole new world man.
ANDY: Yes it is.
BRIAN: He can’t hate you all that much.
[Cut to Hal trying to construct the satellite dish.]
HAL: [Puts a piece together.] Huh, that’s easy enough. [It falls apart.]
Oh Lord!
BRIGHT: [On his way to the door.] I’m out.
HAL: Wait Bright, come here a second.
BRIGHT: I, really don’t feel like talking Dad.
HAL: No, no no no I want to tell you something. It’s about Dr. Brown.
BRIGHT: Yeah, he’s the axis of evil.
HAL: Yes, he is. But he’s also an unbelievable surgeon. In fact, if he
wasn’t so annoying in every single aspect of his existence, I’d say we
were lucky to have him in this town.
BRIGHT: What’s your point?
HAL: Bright my point is, Colin is in good hands….
BRIGHT: No! I don’t want to talk about Colin!
HAL: I understand….
BRIGHT: You don’t understand! Just forget it. I will be back in a few
hours.
HAL: Bright…. [The door opens and closes.]
[Cut to Ephram at home. The phone is ringing and he picks up.]
EPHRAM: Hello?
[Cut to Amy at a pay phone in the hospital.]
AMY: Hey, Ephram, it’s me.
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: Hey, hey are you all right? You’re at the hospital already?
[Cut to Amy at hospital.]
AMY: Yeah. But nothing’s happening yet, I guess they’re prepping him or
something. Whatever that means.
[Cut to Ephram at home.]
EPHRAM: They’re probably shaving his head.
[Cut to Amy at hospital.]
EPHRAM: (We hear him through the receiver.) Or you know…
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: I don’t know what I’m talking about.
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: So what are you up to today? Anything fun?
EPHRAM: (Through receiver.) Ahh, not really, you know finish math
homework…
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: read a couple comics. Eat lunch.
[Cut to Amy.]
EPHRAM: (Through receiver.) Falling asleep just listening to myself.
AMY: Sounds kinda nice to me.
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: You doing Ok?
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: Honestly, I don’t know. But this is, what I’ve been waiting for, so
it’s a good thing right?
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: Yeah. I guess.
AMY: (Through receiver.) Anyways, I should probably go.
EPHRAM: Wait, wait, I…..
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: It’s ok, I should probably stay close to the OR. In case there’s any
news. Just wanted to touch base with normal.
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: You definitely called the wrong person for that.
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: I’ll talk to you later Ephram.
EPHRAM: (Through receiver.) Amy, wait Amy.
[She hangs the phone up and then has a flashback.]
HAL: Amy Abbott, please report to the stage. [She comes to the stage.]
AMY: Dad, your mic’s not working.
HAL: Lord. Help me! Your mother is out there kissing babies like it’s
election day, your brother’s missing in action, and I cannot seem to
locate the orchestra’s conductor. We need to establish a signal so that
these people know when to start playing! The timing is crucial!
AMY: Dad! It’s not an orchestra! It’s the school band. And your conductor
is Mr. Mendick who’s inhaling a corndog over there.
HAL: All right, thank you thank you, uh go find your brother. [She walks
away.] [He speaks into the microphone.] We on? Hello?
[She finds Colin and Bright sitting and talking on a hill.]
AMY: What are you guys doing?
COLIN: Hey Grover.
AMY: My dad’s waiting for us, we have to go Bright. [She sees the liquor.]
And you’re so going to be busted for that.
BRIGHT: Why? Who’s going to tell?
AMY: He’s going to smell it numb nuts.
COLIN: Aw your brother’s had like 7000 breath mints. It was my idea Amy, I
just thought it would be good to give him some liquid courage before he
had to go onstage.
AMY: Why? He’s not making the speech.
BRIGHT: I’m wearing tights. Isn’t that enough?
AMY: Let’s go before I tell Dad.
[Bright walks away and Amy and Colin are left.]
AMY: Don’t you even care that we’re fighting?
COLIN: I didn’t know we were fighting!
AMY: How could you not……? You know what? Fine! [She starts to walk away.]
COLIN: No wait! I’m sorry.
AMY: What are you sorry for you didn’t even know we were fighting.
COLIN: I am sorry for whatever I did that pissed you off. [Pause] It was
because of earlier. When you said what you said to me at Buck’s Rock, and
I didn’t say what I should have said back.
AMY: You didn’t have to say anything back, I was just hurt that you
didn’t.
COLIN: Oh don’t take it the wrong way.
AMY: How am I supposed to take it Colin? It’s the first time I’ve ever…
it’s the first time I’ve ever said that to someone I wasn’t related to.
COLIN: It just took me by surprise that’s all.
AMY: Me too.
COLIN: You are the longest relationship I have ever had. You’re my girl.
You want to go watch the fireworks later?
AMY: I guess, I gotta go.
COLIN: Aren’t you going to kiss me goodbye?
AMY: [Walking away] I’m late. [Colin looks hurt.]
[The flashback ends and we hear knocks on the door. Nina enters the
Brown’s house.]
NINA: Hey, I uh made some snacks for the munchkins I thought I’d bring you
some too.
EPHRAM: Thank you. Uh, I hope Delia isn’t too much trouble.
NINA: What are you kidding? Sam’s in his glory. Delia made a pillow for it
and they’re defending the living room from mutant raptors.
EPHRAM: Ha.
NINA: Um, any word from your dad yet?
EPHRAM: Ah not yet, but these things usually take like 10 hours.
NINA: Oh, I guess you’re pretty used to this though huh?
EPHRAM: Kinda, although I don’t usually know the person so it’s a little
different.
NINA: You know Colin?
EPHRAM: Amy, Amy Abbott. Friend of mine from school.
NINA: She is a sweet girl. She baby sits for Sam once in a while.
EPHRAM: So what’s he like? Colin.
NINA: Oh, he’s a charmer. You know he’s the kind of kid who forgets to mow
your lawn for two weeks, then when he finally comes you end up paying him
for three. I think he was all-state football, and pretty smart too.
EPHRAM: (Grabs some bottles of water and hands one to her.) So he’s
basically like God.
NINA: No you’d like him. He’d like you too. (She takes the water.) Ah.
NINA: How is Amy holding up?
EPHRAM: Uh I don’t know. She sounded a little weird on the phone earlier,
but you know.
NINA: She could probably use a friend right about now.
EPHRAM: Yeah well, I don’t know if I’m the best person for that.
NINA: Why’s that?
EPHRAM: There’s just some issues.
NINA: Like……?
EPHRAM: Like I think she’s amazing and beautiful, completely out of my
league. She agrees. I mean, if she wanted me at the hospital she could
have asked me.
NINA: Could she have? [Pause] If going to the hospital is something you
think you can handle, then go. Cuz chances are Ephram, she probably wants
you there, she just doesn’t feel like she has the right to ask you. If you
don’t want to go, that’s ok too, you don’t have to be the best friend that
helps her through this. You just have to decide what kind of friend you
want to be.
EPHRAM: You know I forgot how good women are at this stuff.
NINA: Ha.
EPHRAM: Ha (takes a drink of the water.)
[Cut to Bright at Buck’s Rock. He has another flashback. Hal is doing his
speech.]
HAL: And as free and independent states we have the full power to levy
war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all
other acts and things which independent states may have the right to do.
And for the support of this declaration….
[The school band starts to play.]
HAL: No! Mr. Mendick, Mr. Mendick no! That was not the signal! We haven’t
finished!
AMY: Dad, Dad! It’s ok, no one noticed…
[Bright leaves the stage and meets Colin on the side.]
COLIN: Hey Jonny Tremain, want to see something that will knock your
pantoloons off?
BRIGHT: Yeah..
[They walk to Colin’s dad’s truck in the parking lot.]
BRIGHT: Sweeeeet. This is your dad’s new truck?
COLIN: Yeah, he doesn’t know jack. If this was mine, I would spike the
tires, get a mollycrawler(?) short change shifter at minimum.
[Another truck drives up.]
McNALLY: Nice truck Hart, to bad it’s your daddy’s!
COLIN: Whatever McNally, like I can’t drive this whenever I want.
McNALLY: I’m sure you can.
COLIN: Besides, your brother there is still the kid who threw up on the
DMV guy during his driving test.
[Laughter.]
McNALLY: We’re going up to Miller’s Hill for some off roading, you two in?
COLIN: Hell yeah, see you in 20.
[McNally and his brother drive off.]
BRIGHT: Dude, what about your dad?
COLIN: We’ll be back before the fireworks, he’ll never even know the
difference, com’on let’s go.
BRIGHT: All right, on one condition?
COLIN: What?
BRIGHT: Take me home to change first.
[Laughter. They get in the car and drive off. The flashback ends.]
[Cut to the operating room where Andy and Brian are starting surgery on
Colin. Bobby Short’s music is on in the OR.]
ANDY: That’s my boy. [Referring to the music.]
{Commercial break}
[Opening scene is Andy, Brian, and the rest of the surgery team operating
on Colin.]
DR. BROWN: We’ve created a bone flap and we’ve retracted the dura to
expose the area of the brain stem where the bone fragment is lodged. Bring
the scope in please. [A nurse moves the instrument over.] Now, according
to the films, the chip should be right in the center of the field. [He
searches around in the area.] I don’t believe it.
BRIAN: What’s up?
DR. BROWN: There’s a 2nd chip.
BRIAN: You sure?
DR. BROWN: It’s on the other side of the postereious cerebral artery. So
small, it didn’t show up on the scan.
BRIAN: [Looking through the scope.] There it is, I’m seeing it now.
DR. BROWN: We’re going to need another unit of blood in here ok? And uh,
you might want to alert to OR head nurse. Tell her to reschedule any
electives that were scheduled this afternoon, this is going to be a while.
BRIAN: Like one chip wasn’t enough for this kid.
[Flashback to Colin and Bright driving off road with McNally and his
brother.]
[They drive around. Burning out, drifting and doing crazy stuff. There’s
words of excitement from all the characters and laughing.]
[The McNally brothers stop and pull aside Colin and Bright.]
McNALLY: Hey, we gotta get back.
HIS BROTHER: Yeah, we don’t want to miss the fireworks.
[They drive off and Colin and Bright are in the truck.]
COLIN: You ready?
BRIGHT: You sure it’s ok?
COLIN: You cannot miss this Bright! This is unbelievable!
BRIGHT: I’m still kinda messed up from before man… I’m gonna scratch the
truck up.
COLIN: What are you going to hit out here, dustballs?! Man, if you scratch
the truck, I’ll take the heat all right? Let’s go!
[They switch seats, now Bright is driving.]
COLIN: Let’s do it!!! Yeahhhhhhhhhhh!!
[They laugh and he drives around. The flashback ends.]
[Cut to Amy at a vending machine in the hospital. Ephram walks up and kind
of watches her for a second.]
EPHRAM: You’re holding up the line.
AMY: Ephram. What are you doing here?
EPHRAM: I wanted a Twix.
AMY: You came a long way.
EPHRAM: Well there’s two in a pack. I, really only wanted one. I needed
somebody to share it with.
[Amy types in the code for a Twix and she picks it up.]
[Cut to Ephram and Amy taking a table in the waiting area. Ephram puts his
backpack down and pulls out a bunch of board games.]
EPHRAM: Travel Boggle. Travel Checkers. Travel Scrabble. And…..Clue.
AMY: There isn’t a travel sized Clue?
EPHRAM: Well Professor Plumb wouldn’t want his cool all travel sized and
squashed up. So, make your pick.
AMY: Scrabble.
EPHRAM: Excellent choice! And, in case I have to challenge you…[he pulls
out a pocket size dictionary] I never said I didn’t come prepared.
[Amy laughs.]
AMY: You must have lived at the hospital back at New York.
EPHRAM: Actually, this is the first time I’ve been since my dad’s been
working. [He pulls out a pouch with the scrabble letters] Letters? [She
grabs a handful.]
AMY: You’re a good friend Ephram.
EPHRAM: So are you. [Amy looks away, then smiles.]
[Cut to the operating room.]
NURSE: What are we listening to?
DR. BROWN: It’s a CD. My son made it for me.
NURSE: Oh…it’s really good.
BRIAN: We’ve got a bleeder. [We hear lots of beeping.]
NURSE 2: Pressure’s dropping.
DR. BROWN: It’s the petrosal sinus.
BRIAN: We packed that baby up hours ago.
DR. BROWN: Well that baby’s unpacking and fast. Everybody focus.
BRIAN: Let’s get some suction here.
DR. BROWN: Pressure’s levial, a little thready right now. I’m gonna start
levophed.
BRIAN: Can you see it?
DR. BROWN: No, field’s still flooded, cottonoid and some gelfoam. Hold on
Colin, hold on.
[Cut to Colin and Bright in the truck still driving.]
COLIN: Go for it! Go for it!
NURSE 2: [Heard in the background] Pressure’s 70 over 40.
DR. BROWN: [Heard in background.] I need a big sucker, give me a 12
COLIN: Let’s go. Let’s go!!!!
BRIAN: [Back in OR.] Somebody empty the damn suction canister.
COLIN: Woo hooooo!
DR. BROWN: [In OR.] Com’on Colin, stay with us. Stay with us.
BRIAN: [In OR.] We got diffuse brain swelling.
DR. BROWN: [In OR.] Hang some blood, bring some more fluids in.
NURSE 2: [Heard in background.] Pressure’s 90 over 60 now.
COLIN: There you go, you’ve got it man let’s go!
DR. BROWN: [Heard in background.] Good good good, let’s get his fluid
status up.
BRIAN: [Heard in background.] Can you see the chip?
DR. BROWN: [Heard in background.] Nope, I’m zooming out. Zooming in.
COLIN: BRAKE!!!!!!
[The truck seems to be going really fast and they drive off the hill.]
[Cut to the Abbott’s house, Bright just walked in looking terrified.]
HAL: Bright, what is it?
BRIGHT: I remember everything. About last 4th of July, I remember
everything that happened that day.
HAL: Well, that’s natural, it’s been a while. Immediate effects of the
trauma…..
BRIGHT: I always have.
HAL: Go on.
BRIGHT: That afternoon, he stole some stuff from his dad’s liquor cabinet,
Colin. We were drinking. Before I know it, the ceremony is over and these
guys are going to go off roading. The truck was there and I knew we
shouldn’t have taken it. We get up to Miller’s Field, and he said I could
drive.
HAL: No, wait wait wait, slow down son, you’re not making any sense.
BRIGHT: It was me dad, I was driving the truck when the accident happened,
not Colin.
HAL: Sergeant Danforth said….
BRIGHT: No, he assumed that where Colin’s body landed that he was driving,
and I let him think it.
HAL: And you were drinking too?
BRIGHT: Yeah [he starts to get emotional] I was. See it was my fault, and
if Colin dies it’s going to be like a killed him. Like I killed my best
friend. I wanted to tell you when it happened and I should have told you.
[Gets more emotional] I should have told you Dad. I’m so sorry. Here he’s
going to hate me forever.
{Commercial break}
[Open with Mr. Hart, Mrs. Hart, Bright, and Hal in the waiting room.]
MR. HART: You were driving?
BRIGHT: Yeah.
MR. HART: And you waiting until today to tell me? I just want to
understand this. 4 months, after all’s been said and done I find out Colin
wasn’t driving? I don’t get it…what does it mean?
MRS. HART: It means he wasn’t driving that’s all. He was still in the
truck, he still got hurt. It doesn’t change anything.
MR. HART: No, your wrong. It has to, something has to change.
HAL: Jim, you have every reason to be upset. Bright just wants to make
things right, we both do.
MR. HART: And how’s that? How can things be made right when Colin is like
he is?
HAL: I don’t know, I, the truth is, this is the just the first step.
MR. HART: That shouldn’t be my son in there.
[Mr. Hart leaves.]
MRS. HART: Bright, sit down.
[He sits.]
BRIGHT: I know I did a horrible thing. I’m so sorry.
MRS. HART: Bright, to my knowledge, you’re the first person to take any
responsibility for what happened that day.
BRIGHT: I should have said something sooner.
MRS. HART: I could say that same thing about myself. I haven’t been able
to bring myself to be able to say those words.
BRIGHT: You weren’t there……
MRS. HART: I did not know my son was drinking or that he took the truck
keys. When I look back at that day I think, I think that I knew.
BRIGHT: I miss him.
MRS. HART: Me too. Will you wait here with us?
BRIGHT: Yeah.
[Cut to Ephram and Amy in the other waiting area with an extremely messy
table. He’s sitting on the table and she’s in a chair.]
EPHRAM: It’s official, I have run out of things to say. [Pause.] I’m
really not this boring, it’s just weird that I spend so much time with one
person, you know I usually scrap the bottom of the barrel. Most of the
time I get in, I get out, nobody gets hurt.
AMY: It’s not you, it’s just this whole day is starting to feel like the 4
months Colin’s been in a coma.
EPHRAM: Yeah. 4 months… [she looks like she’s pondering something] what
are you thinking about?
AMY: I’m thinking about the moment when Colin finally wakes up. 500billion
times.
EPHRAM: Yeah?
AMY: And, I know what I’m going to say to him. [Ephram looks sad] It’s not
what you think. I am going to tell him how sorry I am.
EPHRAM: Sorry?
AMY: Ephram there’s a whole part of this things I’ve never told anyone
about.
EPHRAM: [He moves from sitting on the table to in a chair closer to her.]
What?
AMY: We had a fight that day. Before he took the truck. A big fight. I
told him I loved him.
EPHRAM: You guys have a weird way of fighting.
AMY: He didn’t say it back.
EPHRAM: Maybe…he was just having a hard time with the words. You know,
sometimes people really want to say something, but, they just can’t.
AMY: Maybe. Maybe he never really loved me. And do you know what the worst
part is, worse than the waiting and the operation, the tapes and the
machines? Sometimes I think he wasn’t just going for a joy ride that day.
I think he was running away from me.
EPHRAM: Amy…[sigh] ok this is going to sound really lame, but, it’s the
truth. I know how you feel. For a long time after my mom had her accident,
I was sure it was my fault. Blaming yourself, it’s just a way to try and
make sense of something that will never make sense. When the truth is, it
was what it was, an accident.
AMY: Kind of amazing isn’t it? Out of all the people I’ve known my whole
life, you’re the only one who showed up today.
[Cut to waiting room with Bright, Hal, Mr. and Mrs. Hart. Dr. Brown and
Brian come in to tell them about the operation.]
DR. BROWN: Colin came through very well. We got the chip. Actually it was
2 chips, we found a 2nd one during surgery. We had some bleeding we didn’t
expect, which slowed us down, and I can’t promise you it didn’t do any
damage. We won’t know where we stand for a while, in fact, for a week or
two, it may seem like nothing’s changed at all. But I want you to know
that we’ve done everything humanly possible to help your son.
MRS. HART: Can we see him now?
DR. BROWN: He’s on his way to ICU, the OR nurse will show you the way.
[Mr. and Mrs. Hart exit.]
HAL: Thank you.
[Cut to Andy and Brian in the hospital hallway looking at some
clipboards.]
BRIAN: I don’t know what the hell you were talking about last night Andy,
that was awesome, awesome! You took a damn bone chip out of a damn brain
stem! You made history!
ANDY: Easy Brian, easy down!
BRIAN: You’re right about one thing though, you’re a different person.
You’re better than you were before.
ANDY: It was the knishes. And for the fact that the first time in my life
I had a personal stake in the outcome.
BRIAN: Whatever it was, I want you to put it in a carry-on bag and come
back to New York with me.
ANDY: Sorry, no can do.
BRIAN: Hey, it doesn’t have to be today. When you finish this sabbatical,
come back home. We still need the guy that can fix God’s mistakes.
ANDY: This is my home now Brian. And as for the big guy’s mistakes, these
days I’m working on one of his bigger ones. You hate the fact that you’ll
never be as pretty as me!
[Cut to Andy and Brian walking to the waiting room where Amy and Ephram
are waiting.]
AMY: [Gets up when she sees Andy and Brian walking towards them.] How is
he?
ANDY: He’s out of surgery now. If you want to see him, Brian here will
show you the way.
AMY: Ok! [She starts walking with Brian.] Wait Dr. Brown….. [she goes
over, hugs/kissing him] Thank you Dr. Brown. [Then she goes back with
Brian and they walk out.]
ANDY: Considering a career in neurosurgery?
EPHRAM: I am now. Delia’s with Nina.
ANDY: I figured.
EPHRAM: [Sigh] So how did it go?
ANDY: Ok. [Sigh] I don’t know if we did any good, from here on let’s wait
and see.
EPHRAM: I meant, how did it go for you?
ANDY: Truthfully, [pause] I was scared.
EPHRAM: Scared?
ANDY: M hm. You called it remember?
EPHRAM: Well what were you scared of?
ANDY: That I would fail Colin, Amy, the Harts, you.
EPHRAM: You were scared you’d fail me?
ANDY: Yeah. I was. But the music helped. Bobby Short, inspired choice.
Very New York.
EPHRAM: Glad you liked it.
ANDY: [Looking at the table.] Travel games huh? I always wondered what
people did to kill time while we worked. In for a quick game of Travel
Scrabble?
EPHRAM: There is no way I’m playing you in Scrabble. You’ve been
publishing the “Scientific American.” But I will kick your butt in Clue.
ANDY: Oh I think not Professor Plumb! [He takes a look at the box.] Clue
doesn’t come travel sized?
EPHRAM: One of the world’s greater atrocities.
[They set up the game and start playing.]
NARRATOR: When things are working right in the universe, a loss of
innocence is usually followed, in time, but an increase in humanity. [Cut
to a flashback of Colin, Amy, and Bright laying down at Buck’s Rock just
resting.] Time is funny like that. For everything it robs us of, it grants
us something. Sometimes it’s a new friend, sometimes it’s a better
understanding of ourselves. Sometimes, it’s just a perfect day.
BRIGHT: [Said while lying down/relaxing.] We should be heading back soon
it’s getting late.
AMY: [Said while lying down/relaxing.] He’s right Colin, my dad will lose
it if we’re late for dinner again.
COLIN: [Said while lying down/relaxing.] Hang on a second. Let’s just lie
here a little longer.
AMY: [Said while lying down/relaxing.] We don’t have all day.
COLIN: [Said while lying down/relaxing.] Sure we do.
[The End]
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