ROBBED BLIND

WRITTEN BY
JALEXANDER
INSPIRED BY the novel “SHIPWRECK” by JALEXANDER

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Overview:

This story is about a young man who for all tense and purpose was an extraordinary human being. He was a war hero, but lost his sight in battle. He was engaged to his childhood sweetheart, but she said she couldn’t marry a blind person. He shared his home with his best friend and his wife, she robbed him of every penny he had. If only one of these situations happened to one of us, we would just give up, but not Buzzy, he would just laugh and say, God’s in charge. Then he would tell a stupid joke.

FADE IN

SCENE 1 – Ext. SOMEWHERE IN VIETNAM – Late Morning – 1969

THE OPENING SCENE is a mosquito invested jungle somewhere in Vietnam where a platoon of US soldiers has just returned to camp after about three hours of grueling maneuvers. One of the soldiers, Carl Sampson, is looking for his buddy Buzzy McFarland. He stops Supply Officer Ken Park…
Carl (V.O.)
Pardon me Sir, have you seen Private McFarland this morning?

Officer Ken Park (V.O.)
Not since breakfast!

Carl (O.S.)
Come to think of it, that was the last time I saw him as well.
I remember he was acting a little strange and then he said,
he wasn’t feeling very good
“which was really unusual for him” because,
I’ve never seen him sick before.

CARL GOES BACK TO CHECK BUZZ’S TENT again, but he’s not there, so he starts asking everyone he meets if they had seen Buzz this morning? Most just shook their heads or just said no without looking at him. He finally finds one young soldier who says;

Young soldier (V.O.)
I heard that Captain John Boyle had received a call from headquarters;
saying that they needed five men to go on a special mission,
and of course, your friend Buzz,
even though he was sick, was first to volunteer.

Carl (O.S.)
My Buddy liked living on the edge,
he said it kept his adrenaline flowing.
I remember as teenagers, he was always hyperactive,
he could never sit still and relax,
and it was even worse as we got older.
He was overly aggressive when playing kids games like:
“Red Rover, Red Rover” or “Kick the Can.” Most of the time,
he would just intimidate everybody to the point where
no one wanted to play with him,
so the two of us would do things together.
We would say stuff like, who needs those sissies anyway.

SCENE 2 – Ext. SOMEWHERE IN THE JUNGLE – AFTERNOON – SAME DAY

CARL’S THOUGHTS WERE BROKEN BY someone shouting that something was happening over at the hospital tent. They all run to see what was going on. When a wounded soldier started talking, Carl’s heart skipped a beat, and his blood ran cold and he got a bad feeling that something terrible had happened. As the Private told his story about the ambush, a strange feeling came over Carl and as he looked down and his body it was disappearing. I could hear the private talking, but it felt like he was floating in the air. He had heard about people having an out-of-body experience, but he never thought it would happen to him.

CARL WAS THINKING to himself

Carl (O.S.)
All I can think of was that my buddy
was in trouble and I had to get to him.
He was always there for me and
I wasn’t going to let him down now, not today; not ever.

AS CARL FLOATED OVER SOME TREES and then followed a small stream, he stopped to look around wherever there was a clearing. At one spot, he was just about to move on when something caught his eye. There by the edge of the water were three lifeless bodies. He knew it was his buddies, because of their uniforms. His heart was pounding as he got closer and then it went numb, because he couldn’t see Buzz. He knew that Private “Bib” Cormier was being patched up back at the camp, so that made four, but where was his “best friend”?

While he was checking to see if any of his comrades were still alive, he heard voices coming from the bushes, and they weren’t speaking “English!” Fear started to build inside of him, and he was starting to panic. Then he realized, he was invisible. All of a sudden everything went deathly quiet; and he couldn’t hear the birds singing, or the sound of the trees rustling in the wind. Time was running out, but he wasn’t leaving without Buzz. He knew his friend had to be around there somewhere. he hovered in the air for a while and that’s when he saw the top half of someone covered with mud. Their legs were in the water and this gave them a perfect camouflage. He knew in his heart that it was Buzzy. The body wasn’t moving, so he knew something was seriously wrong, but he was hoping and praying that he was still alive. He lowered himself and knelt down beside the lifeless body, but when he tried to turn him over, his hands went right through him. In a shaky voice he said to himself;

Carl (O.S.)
I needed to get help and fast.
The enemy is still in the area,
so I didn’t want to leave Buzz alone, but I have no choice.

CARL FLOATED AROUND TO GET his barring’s and make a mental map of the area, before returning to his battalion. When he got back to camp, he headed for his physical body, which was still standing next to the tent. He knew that he must have been away for only a few minutes, because Bib Cormier was still telling his story.

WITHOUT THINKING, CARL grabbed his pack and rifle, then let out a scream saying, “I know where they are” then he started running into the woods. Two friends tried to stop him, but when they saw the look in my eyes, they just moved out of the way. As he ran through the woods, his mind goes back to when he was a kid.

Carl (O.S.)
I feel like it’s summer and
I’m running down that old country road by the drive-in theatre,
next to Mel Miller’s farm
and now even the trees are moving out of my way.
My heart is pounding and my body is shaking
as I get closer to the riverbank.

Carl (O.S.)
I could see Buzz about twenty yards away
and I prayed to God that he was still alive.
When I rolled him over and saw the blood, I knew he had been shot.
With my hand shaking,
I put my finger on his neck and when I got a pulse,
I looked up to Heaven and said, “Thank you Lord.”
Although Buzz outweighed me by a good forty pounds,
I was surprised at how easily I could pick him up
and put him over my shoulders.
I just kept on running, and before I knew it,
I was back at camp. Everyone was clapping and cheering,
but I didn’t really hear them;
I just laid my friend on the ground and then I passed out.

SCENE 3 – INT. A VIETNAM HOSPITAL – AFTERNOON – A FEW WEEKS LATER

CARL WAS ANXIOUS TO SEE buddy again and was almost running when he entered the hospital. When he got about 25 feet from Buzz’s room, he could hear his friend telling a joke.

Buzz (V.O.)
So, the cat says to the dog;
if I had nine lives like you,
I’d get in the ring with the Max the Bulldog
and his buddy One-Fang- Eddy.

CARL JUST STOOD IN THE DOORWAY watching his friend perform. It wasn’t until Buzz was looking right at him that he reutilized his buddy was blind.

CARL STANDS BESIDE Buzz’s bed and just looks at him sitting there. He has to hold back the tears and swallow the lump in his throat, before he can speak.

Carl (V.O.)
I talked to a few nurses and they said,
they would love to go on a blind date with me and you.

Buzz (V.O.)
Ya sure, and I bet you get the good looking one.

THE TWO FRIENDS hug for a while before either can speak. Then after clearing his throat, Carl says;

Carl (V.O.)
You gave me quite a scare, my friend!
Buzz (V.O.)
I knew you’d come and get me, because I still owe you 20 bucks from that football bet in high school.

Carl (V.O.)
I didn’t forget! I had the paymaster
take it out of your pay three days ago.

BUZZ FELT FOR CARL’S hand and swallowing hard said;

Buzz (V.O.)
Thanks for saying my life, I owe you one.

Carl (V.O.)
I know you would have done the same for me.

CARL HAD TO GO BACK TO his platoon in three days, but he promised Buzz that he would return in one week, with some good news.

Carl (V.O.)
So, promise me you won’t drive the
nursing staff crazy with your dumb jokes.

Buzz (V.O.)
Sorry buddy, but if I didn’t tell them my great jokes,
they might think that I don’t love them anymore.

LIKE HE PROMISED CARL was back in one week and he had great news. He tried to sound like bad news as he whispered to Buzz.

Carl (V.O.)
I spoke to our Captain.

A LONG pause.

Buzz (V.O.)
Come on, what did he say?

Carl (V.O.)
Well, you know how the Brass likes to give us
enlisted men a hard time. So,

ANOTHER pause,

Buzz (V.O.)
Carl, you’re driving me crazy, just tell me what he said?

Carl (V.O.)
You know my Tour of Duty isn’t up for 3 more months.

Buzz (V.O.)
I knew, I knew! Just spit it out or I’m going to strangle you.

ALL THE TIME THEY were talking, Carl was holding their plane tickets, and when he placed them in Buzz’s hands, he let out a big scream.

Buzz (V.O.)
We’re going home, Halleluiah! Thank you, God, for making this possible.

WITHIN A FEW DAYS the two happy, soon-to-be civilians, were on their way back to the good old USA.

AFTER GOING THROUGH CUSTOMS, Carl said to Buzz;

Carl (V.O.)
Nobody knows we’re coming home and that’s fine with me.
All I want is to get our lives back to normal
and forget all about that God-forsaken war.

Buzz (V.O.)
I’ll drink to that, as soon as I find a bar.

SCENE 4 – INT. American Legion Club – Later Afternoon – First Day Home – 1969

CARL AND BUZZ DIDN’T SAY MUCH on the drive from the airport, they were thinking of the war and how it had changed them forever. Would they just fall back into their old small-town way of life or see new adventures?

Carl (V.O.)
We’re home buddy, do you want to go over to Susan’s house?

Buzz (V.O.)
No, let’s just go down to the Legion.
I’d like to see Ray, little Moe and the rest of the gang.

WHEN THEY GET TO the club, they realize that neither of them has a door key.

Buzz (V.O.)
Carl, ring the doorbell!

Carl (V.O.)
No! You ring it.

Carl (V.O.)
By the time I find it, we could be finishing our first drink.

Carl (V.O.)
Okay, but you do the talking.
Remember how mad old Matt Henagar
use to get when someone forgot their keys?

Carl (V.O.)
I sure do! He threatened many times to
leave me out in the cold if I forgot them again

CARL RINGS the doorbell and the bartender answers.

Bartender Matt Henagar (V.O.)
“Who the heck lost their keys this time”

Buzz (V.O.)
It’s Ray Charles, now open the door.

Bartender Matt Henagar (V.O.)
We need to have a little talk!

YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN drop when Carl and Buzz walked through the door. Everybody just stopped in their tracks and stared as if they were seeing two ghosts. This went on for a while until Billy, the young kid who helped out behind the bar, banged his big stick (actually it was a broom handle) three times on the floor to announce that members of the Royal Family (just as they did in the old days when there was a big fancy ball), were making their appearance.

Asst. bartender Billy (V.O.)
May I have your attention please?
Two members of the Royal Family have entered the building.

BILLY’S ACTIONS BROKE the trance and everyone jumped up trying to be the first to welcome their buddy’s home. They all took turns giving them big bear hugs and shaking their hands.

LITTLE MOE GRABBED Buzz by the arm and said,

Little Moe (V.O.)
can we have a little talk?

HE TOOK HIS HAND away quickly when he realized that Buzz was blind.

Buzz (V.O.)
It’s okay, just take me to a table.

Little Moe (V.O.)
I never met anyone who’s blind, does it hurt?

Buzz (V.O.)
No, but it changes your world.

CARL WAS STANDING AT THE BAR talking to Tiny, but he kept an eye on his Buddy who was now surrounded by guy’s wanting to know what it was like to be a blind man? The room got quiet and most of the guy’s just stood there not knowing what to say. With a big smile on his face, Buzz stood up on his chair and started telling one of his stupid jokes. This put everyone at ease and another round of drinks came to the table from old matt the bartender.

TINY WAS HOLDING HIS HAND OUT for Carl to shake, but before Carl could respond, Tiny grabbed him and gave him a big bear hug. He was almost in tears as he held Carl by both arms and said,

Tiny (V.O.)
“It must have been pretty rough over there,
but you’re both back now, and that’s all that counts.”

SCENE 5 – EXT. CARL’S FAMILY HOME – THREE AM IN THE MORNING

AFTER HOURS OF DRINKING, Carl finds himself outside of his home on Danial Street. It’s 3 am and he knows his Mother is a light sleeper (when he was younger, she would stay awake until he came home). He knew the family dog Max would be on the steps and would alert everyone with his barking. He had no choice but to call to him and try to calm him down.

Carl (V.O.)
Come here Max, you’re a good boy!

Max was so excited to see Carl that he couldn’t control himself. While Carl rubbed behind Max’s ears, he saw a light come on and then he heard his Mother saying,

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
“Who’s out there?”

AS CARL WALKS OUT OF THE SHADOWS his Mother puts her hand to her mouth and says,

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
Oh my God, my boy has come home!

CARL WATCHED AS HIS MOTHER came to the top of the stairs wearing that old faded housecoat, he bought her for Christmas in 1962. He didn’t wait for her to come down the stairs. He might have been drunk but he climbed those stairs two at a time and fell into his Mother’s arms. After a few minutes she pushing him away so she could get a good look at her baby boy. Then Molly started talking faster and faster and getting mixed up.

Carl’s Mom (V.O.)
I must look a fright, when did you get home?
I hope we don’t wake your father? Are you home for good?
CARL’S MOM JUST GRABBED him and after kissing him a hundred times she said,

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
“Thank you, God, for answering my prayers”

AS CARL HELD HIS Mother close, he could feel the age in her bones. Then he thought to himself;

Carl (O.S.)
Mom, I know life hasn’t been good to you,
but you were never one to complain; you’d always say;
“there’s a lot of folks worse off than me.”

CARL STARTED TALKING a little too loud, so his Mother put her finger to his lips and whispered;

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
We have to be really quiet because your Father
has to get up in about an hour.
He’s got a new job down at the Old Mill.

Carl (V.O.)
“What new job Mom?”

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
“Carl, there’s been a lot of changes around here,
especially at the mill.
Your Dad is a very proud man and he was devastated
his boss told him they were laying a lot of the older guys off
and that his job of over thirty years would be eliminated.
They did however, “because of his service to the company,”
offer him the night watchman’s job.,
He took it pretty hard Son. Just the other day,
I heard him on the phone talking to Mr. Jenkins his old boss,
telling him how they made him feel so small,
especially in front of the other guys he had supervised for so many years.
I guess to them it was like throwing a bone to an old dog;
I suppose we’ll never know the real reason, but that’s life.

WHEN CARL GOT DOWNSTAIRS in the morning, his Dad had already left for work and his Mom was sitting at the kitchen table. She asked him,

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
“Do you want some breakfast?”

Carl (V.O.)
“No thanks!” I’ll just have a coffee.

MOLLY IS fidgeting and fussing and Carl knows why.

Carl (V.O.)
Okay Mom, I know you can’t wait to tell me all the news
and the talk of the town, so go ahead.

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
This might take a while; do you want another coffee?

Carl (V.O.)
No Mom!
Go ahead, I’m listening!
I want to hear about who had babies,
who died, and who moved away.

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
Well, I guess I should tell you about Susan Youngs baby.
She’s the most beautiful little girl you’ve ever …, I’m sorry son,
I forgot you and Buzz were gone for a long time
and didn’t know she was married.
I’m sure it will hit him pretty hard.
I knew she was his girlfriend,
and that they got engaged before you guys left for the war.
I wasn’t thinking, but he’ll know soon enough!

AFTER LISTENING FOR QUITE A while to his Mother, Carl said,

Carl (V.O.)
Mom, I got to call Buzz and see if he’s Okay.

Carl’s Mom (Molly) (V.O.)
Okay honey; I’ve got somethings to do to!
We can talk some more later.

SCENE 6 – EXT. BUZZ’S FAMILY HOME – AROUND NOON – SAME DAY

CARL CALL BUZZ’S HOUSE and before he gets an answer, he remembers the events of last night.

Carl (O.S.)
I knew he would be hurting,
because when I dropped him off last night,
he was so drunk I had to help him into the house.
I had been to his small one-bedroom house a million times
over the years and it was always the same.
I’d carry Buzz into the house as far as the kitchen
and there lying on the floor would be his old man.
He would be hammered out of his mind
with his big fat gut blocking the doorway.
If I hadn’t been hanging on to Buzz,
he would have tripped over his unconscious Father
and that’s where he would have stayed until morning.
I certainly wasn’t in any shape to pick him up
and put him to bed.

WHEN CARL DIDN’T GET AN ANSWER, he decided to just go over to Buzz’s house. When he pulled into the driveway in his 1956 Chevy, Carl was a little surprise to see Buzz sitting on the porch.

Carl (V.O.)
How you feeling this morning Buddy?
You don’t look too bad,
considering you drank a keg of beer.

Buzz (V.O.)
I’m sure I look pretty bad.
I haven’t shaved, haven’t washed,
and I still have the same clothes on.
Maybe it’s good that I can’t see myself.

Carl (V.O.)
Well I’m not hanging out with you looking
and smelling like that, so let’s go back inside
and get you cleaned up.

BUZZ STOOD TO attention and saluted. The he said,

Buzz (V.O.)
Yes Sir! Commander-In- Chief, as you request.

Carl (V.O.)
That’s good! I’m glad you remembered who your boss is.

Buzz (V.O.)
I guess I’m better off then you.

Carl (V.O.)
And why do you say that?

Buzz (V.O.)
Because I don’t have to look at this garbage dump,
and you do!

CARL DIDN’T WANT TO spend too much time in that big pen, so, he helped Buzz find some clean cloths and get washed up.

Carl (V.O.)
Well, if I was a girl, I wouldn’t go out with you.

Buzz (V.O.)
Well, if you were a girl, you wouldn’t have choice.

Carl (V.O.)
Come on, let’s get out of here.

As the two friends walked to the car, Buzz says;

Buzz (V.O.)
I knew it was you when I heard that old
slant V-Six motor purring like a kitten.

Carl (V.O.)
And she looks good after three years under that tarp.
No rust, and she started with the first turn of the key.

Buzz (V.O.)
Why wouldn’t it start, you had the best mechanic
in the state working on it day and night.

Carl (V.O.)
Okay, so you’re the best car man in town,
I’m better looking!

Buzz (V.O.)
I guess you didn’t look in the mirror this morning?

CARL JUST SMILED AND GAVE Buzz a one-arm-hug. Buzz put out his hand and said,

Buzz (V.O.)
Give me the keys, I’ll drive!

Carl (V.O.)
I guess it couldn’t be any worse
than the way you used to drive.

Buzz (V.O.)
I remember you didn’t mind me driving
when you wanted to get in the
backseat with your latest conquest.
You’d say, driver, take us to the best hot spots in town.

Carl (V.O.)
Ya, I remember!
You’d drive us pass you house and then to Sam’s Hamburger joint.
I’m sure the ladies were impressed.

Buzz (V.O.)
Well in case you forgot, there wasn’t many places
to go in a one-horse-town like Brockville.

CARL thought to himself;

Carl (O.S.)
Apart from Buzz not being able to see,
nothing had changed.

SCENE 7 – EXT. RICE LAKE – EARLY AROUND NOON – SAME DAY

CARL AND BUZZ JUST SAT in the car for a while, then Carl said,

Carl (V.O.)
Okay, let’s get moving, what do you want…