house. As an attractive, dark-haired woman in her late thirties approaches, he talks over his shoulder to her.
ERIC
Things seem smaller when you see them after a long time. I remembered this place as being so huge…
JANICE That’s funny, because I remembered you as being much shorter.
ERIC turns, startled.
ERIC
Janice? Janice? Oh, my God, what are you doing… (looks at car)
Jesus. Are you the…
JANICE
The real-estate agent? Well, someone else in the office is actually handling it, but when I heard you were coming back to town to sign the sale papers, I said… (shrugs)
Well, it seemed to make sense.
ERIC is still staring at her.
ERIC
You look… you look great.
JANICE
I look old. But thanks. You look okay yourself. I was sorry to hear about your grandmother.
ERIC
Well, ninety-two. We should all last so long. I thought she’d sold this years ago.
JANICE
She wasn’t stupid, Eric. She was making the developers bid up the price — you can see this was the last property here. She did you a good turn. ERIC (turns back to the house)
It’s hard to believe, huh? Those days seem like… like a dream.
JANICE
Not to me. I live around here, remember?
ERIC turns at the harshness in her voice. E
RIC
Is that bad?
JANICE
You didn’t want to stay much. No, I guess it’s all right. Not as exciting as Los Angeles, I’m sure. (she frowns, then tries to smile)
But it’s nice to send the kids off to school without firearms training.
ERIC
You… have kids?
JANICE
Callie and Jack — eight and six. But no, not at the moment. They’re with their dad for the summer. We’re divorced.
ERIC is staring at the house again.
ERIC
I was just going to visit Topher, then drive back, but… hey, would you like to have dinner? It’d be nice to catch up.
JANICE
You’re… going to visit Topher?
ERIC
Thought I should. You want to come along?
JANICE (shakes her head; then:)
You haven’t seen him lately. It’s bad.
ERIC (shrugs)
Yeah, that’s what they told me. So, dinner. What do you say?
JANICE
I don’t think it’s a good idea, Eric. ERIC
Just talk. Catch up. I… really feel like I need to. JANICE
You don’t want to catch up, Eric. It’s better to leave things alone.
ERIC
C’mon… Jan-Jan
JANICE looks at him for a long moment, both touched and irritated by the use of the name. She rolls her eyes like a schoolgirl.
JANICE
Asshole.
FADE TO: EXT. — LAS LOMAS CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL — DAY
It’s a quiet, decent place. ERIC pulls into the parking lot.
INT. — HOSPITAL
ERIC walks down the hallway, past various geriatrics in wheelchairs and one young man twisted with palsy. As ERIC’s gaze sweeps across the young man’s face, a voice speaks behind him.
OLD
WOMAN
Stop! Stop!
He turns. A scowling OLD WOMAN in a wheelchair is following him.
OLD WOMAN
It’s all a mistake! Call my mother!
ERIC walks on a little faster than before.
CUT TO: INT. — HOSPITAL LOUNGE
The room is filled with old people on benches, in chairs, mostly staring into space. ERIC is talking with a NURSE in the lounge doorway. She points toward the corner. As ERIC approaches, looking around, he doesn’t see TOPHER until the last moment — then a look of SHOCK runs across his face.
FLASH CUT TO: TOPHER as a teenager in 1976, handsome, blonde, surfer-ish, a shit-eating grin on his face as he lounges on a couch.
YOUNG TOPHER
Eric, my man! Have I got something for you…
CUT TO: TOPHER NOW, in his wheelchair. He is startlingly grotesque, hairless and hunched, but his SKIN is the worst part — a crusty brown SHELL over his whole body, as though he’s covered with dried mud. He sits as stiff as if paralyzed. Two pale blue eyes peer out of the masklike face. ERIC (trying to cover his shock)
Topher, man. Long time. Long time… I’m sorry I haven’t been to see you in a while. Life, man, it’s just… you know.
A horrible silence. TOPHER peers outward, not even looking at ERIC.
ERIC (cont.)
I never… I never stop being sorry, man. It was just so screwed up. You… we never thought…
NURSE (appearing over his shoulder)
Is everything all right?
ERIC suddenly gets up and lurches toward the door.
CLOSE-UP: TOPHER’S FACE, staring at nothing.
In the doorway, the NURSE nods understandingly.
NURSE
It’s very disturbing if you haven’t seen it before.
ERIC (still in shock)
It’s been years…
NURSE
It’s come on very badly lately. Nobody knows what it is. It’s flexible at the joints, though, when he moves.
