At First Sight (1999) - full transcript

- So, Betsy, why am I doing this?
- You're tired, stressed,

and they'll carry you out of the office
on a stretcher if you don't get some rest.

- Duncan can take care of things.
- Duncan? Are you kidding me?

He is your partner. And believe it or not,
he is just as worried about you as I am.

Go. It's a vacation. You're late already.
I won't let you put this off this time.

OK, OK, I'm not gonna put it off.

But I am taking those plans.
They're not good enough.

Now, how do you know that this spa
is any good anyway?

Fine. I-l'm fine.

- Don't forget to exercise.
- Exercise? Exercise is not rest.

- Sure you know where you're going?
- Yes. I'm very good with directions.



Betsy, I'm completely lost. I'm sorry.

I thought I was on 128,

but I'm in the middle of the woods,
and, uh, I don't like it.

Yeah. Hang on a second.

OK, wait. I've got... I've got the map.

I've got the map here. You know what?
There's... there's no Bear Mountain.

There's no sign. I've been looking for it.

Yeah, I did. I... I...

Oh! Wow, wait. There's the sign. I got it.

All right. I'll see you in a week.

OK, thanks. Bye.

Your room's in the Timber Lodge,
which is to the left.

In the main lodge, we have a full
weight room, Lifecycles, step machines,

spa, yoga, aerobics, cycling workouts.



I was really hoping for, like, a quick fix.

Uh, do you have anything
that involves just lying down?

- A massage?
- Yeah.

Um, I'll have one a day, and not too early.

How's 10am?

Eleven?

- Thank you. Good night.
- Good night.

Oh!

Virgil! Oh!

God! There... Oh!

No, no, no, no. Harder. Just right...

Oh!

No, you can't stop. Just a little more...

- Come on, time's up.
- No, no... Oh!

Virgil, you have to come live with me.

What would your husband say?

- I'll see you.
- Oh...

That's it. I'm getting a divorce!

- Amy, are you out there?
- Yeah?

Come on in.

- Hi, I'm Virgil.
- Hi.

Take your clothes off
and hop up on the table. I'll be right there.

You sound like a genius at this.

Oh, yeah, Einstein, Gandhi...
Virgil Adamson, massage therapist.

Do you want me...
sunny-side up or down?

Mm, on your stomach, I think.

I'm gonna start off... somewhat deep.

And, uh, you let me know
if you want anything deeper.

Deeper is good.

Where I come from, all you get is shallow.

Ah! A New Yorker.

Now, how do you know that?

Oh, it's all here in the shoulders.

Here's that honking horn
of the taxi you missed.

Here's the... rumble of the subway.

Right in here is the screech of the wheels

cos you're late,
and that's why you have that tension.

You... get into the city very often?

Do you want to talk or a... massage?

Shutting up now.

Mm-mm.

Mm...

That too deep?

No, um... It's... fine.

Oh, it is too deep.

Maybe we should stop for today.

Here's a Kleenex.

I don't... I don't know why I'm crying.

There must've been a lot of stuff built up.
I'm sorry.

Sure.

I'm gonna go now,
unless you'd like me to stay.

Could you, please?

Oh, sure... Sure.

Do you always make the girls cry?

Always.

Just relax.

OK.

Hey, Virgil.

- Virgil!
- Caroline! You look good.

Oh, thank you. What a compliment!
See you tomorrow.

Hey, Virgil!

Can I take your bag?
I'll meet you in the lobby.

Hey! Virgil!

- Hi!
- Hi.

It's... Amy...

- Amy Benic.
- Oh. Yeah.

I didn't recognise you
with your clothes on.

You fell asleep,
so I thought it best if I just left.

Oh, thank you.

My God, you're the skater.
I saw you... Iast night driving in.

Really?

Yeah! You're good with that stick.
Are you on a team?

Are you a hockey fan?

I don't know. I don't really know
much about it, but it looks like fun.

I skated as a kid,
but I've got two left feet.

Well, this is my ride.

Tommy?

Hey, Virge.

I just wanted to apologise
for falling apart like that.

Um, I was just in a weird place. Sorry.

- And now?
- Now I'm feeling good.

So I wanted to thank you.

- For making you cry?
- No. I made me cry.

But you were very kind to me. Thank you.

Virgil! Virgil, let's move it.

I'm gonna see you tomorrow.
I booked another massage.

- OK. I'll see you tomorrow.
- Nice to see you.

OK. All right.

See you.

Oh, my God.

What?

I'm sorry. I didn't... realise...

Wow.

- Hey, you already apologised once.
- Oh, God.

- No need to overdo it.
- OK. I'll see you tomorrow.

See you tomorrow.

Bye.

Jessie, get off the bed.

There you are. Come here, boy.

You're more like a sleeping-eye dog
than a Seeing Eye dog.

Come here, you. Come on.

There's a game on.

Come on.

Hey, I met a girl today.

- She had an amazing voice. It was
- A charade sheet. OK!

smooth like butter.

And she smelled like...
cinnamon and nutmeg.

Sounds more like a recipe
for a coffee cake than a girl.

You're here! I didn't hear you.

As this game starts, Sundstrom
goes for the puck. Winds it around.

- So, how are the kids?
- Oh, the usual.

They need a lot of attention. Here.

- So, who's the girl?
- Oh, just a spa girl. Client.

Gone in a week.

Look, if you like coffee cake that much,
we can sprinkle cinnamon on Jessie.

- Too old for me.
- Who? Jessie or the girl?

Not jealous of a coffee cake, are you?

- Coke?
- I'm fine.

Your lunch is ready.

- Chicken's at 3 o'clock.
- Rice is at 6 o'clock. Beans are at 9,...

- ..and the news is at 1 1 .
- One day, I'm gonna switch 'em.

Yeah. And one day I'll play forward
for the New York Rangers.

- You need better jokes.
- Or a new sister.

Mm, I'd work on the jokes if I were you.

Aren't you gonna watch some hockey?

You want to grade some spelling tests?
I'm next door if you need me.

OK. Thanks a lot.

So, this girl...

We talked for a long time at the bus stop.

She thought I could see.

I really love coffee cake.

Oh! Oh! Whoa! Oh!

Oh, shoot.

Coming, coming!

Hang on! Hang on. OK.

Coming!

- Hi.
- Oh, my God. Hi.

My turn to apologise.

- I should have told you I was blind.
- Well,

we're even.
Apologies cancel each other out.

You wanna come in? Sorry. I just got out
of the shower. I have to change.

Promise I won't look.

Uh-huh!

Uh... I sort of spilled
some stuff on the floor.

Here, why don't you sit down on the bed?
I'm just gonna go change. Be right back.

All right.

You didn't have to come all the way
back up here just to apologise.

- I was in the neighbourhood.
- You were in the neighbourhood?

Oh, all right, I'll confess.

I was watching hockey with my dog,
and, um... I was describing you.

What?

I was describing how great you smelled.
My sister thought I was describing a cake.

Anyway, I started thinking of you here

in the midst of your tofu shake
and really boring yoghurt.

I thought maybe you'd want to
get some air, take a walk around town.

- Just see what we see.
- See what we see?

- Figure of speech.
- You mean, right here, right now?

- Great! I'm blind and you're deaf.
- What a pair.

52 lampposts... Pinecrest.

Up here on our left
is my sister Jennie's school.

She's really great with these kids.

You see that guy across the street?

- Over in the doorway.
- Uh...

- He's chain-smoking, right?
- Oh, yeah!

That's Bruce. We watch
the game together sometimes.

Here comes Nancy. She's the librarian.
Gets me any book I want in Braille.

- Hey, Nancy!
- Hey, Virgil! I got that book in for you.

Still haven't got that old jalopy fixed.

If I got it fixed,
how would you know it was me?

Hi.

- Nancy, this is Amy. Amy, Nancy.
- Hi, Amy. Nice to meet you.

- Have fun.
- Be careful, honey. He's all hands.

- Be nice.
- Yeah!

Nice town you have here.
You're very popular with the ladies.

Oh, yeah. Moved here when I was eight.

They figured it was a good place
for me to grow up in.

It's a bit geriatric, but... it works.

Do you mind me asking
how long you've been blind?

No, not at all.

It started when I was one.
Completely gone by the time I was three.

Congenital cataracts,

with a dose of retinitis pigmentosa
thrown in for good measure.

Huh.

So... So, you see no bright lights?

Nothing?

Nope. Blind as a bat.

Actually, blinder. Um, bats emit sonar.
I wish I had that sonar.

I don't have a sixth sense. Or a fifth one.

Never wrote a book like Helen Keller.

Wish I could play the piano
like Ray Charles.

I really wish I could sing
like Stevie Wonder. But I can't.

Got it. Huh.

So, what do you, uh, think,
of our, uh, little Sleepy Hollow?

It has a very nice feel to it.
Genuine lines, good use of space.

I'd do something more stimulating with
the newer buildings, but that's just me.

Wow!

What's you?
Are you a writer for Architectural Digest?

Um, no, I'm actually an architect.

That's what I do.
I have a partnership in New York.

- Really?
- Yeah.

Wow.

Well...

This is the end.

Guess we should go back.

Well, what's out there,
past the end of the street?

Nothing.

Well, there is a, um,
old run-down building off to the left.

Kind of like an old gas station.

Would you describe it to me?

OK.

Um... It's kind of dilapidated

and it's sitting in between
two great big trees in a field.

The trees are like a man and a woman.
The man is asking the woman to dance.

And the woman is... on her toes,
trying to decide if she's got the guts.

Oh, God, I'm an idiot.
What a stupid description!

No.

I really like the... dancing trees.

We better get going. It's starting to rain.

Well, there's a little breeze, but l...

Oh, my God.

OK. Oh, my God!

Uh, OK. Wait, let's go this way.

Oh... Oh, my.

I can't believe how fast that happens.

- Oh, do you like the rain? I love the rain.
- Well, sometimes.

I love the rain.

Oh, I feel everything at once.

It's the best way for me
to understand dimension in a room.

Do you hear it?

Coming down off the ceiling,
all the walls?

Do you hear that?

It's hitting a puddle.

It's echoing the sound across.
There's no walls.

What's that? Oh, a drainpipe.

You hear that? That's high up.

Rafters?

Yeah.

It's got its own rhythm. You hear that?
Ping, ping, ping, ping, ping.

And that... that sound way up.

Uh, well, it looks like there's...

No, no, just listen. No, come here.
Close your eyes.

Listen with your whole body.

Feel it? Right in your chest.

Oh, that's beautiful, that, uh,

that little sound like a... Iike a whisper.

Mm.

It's the wind blowing a branch
across the windows.

I can feel everything when it rains.

I wish it would rain inside.

Rain all around us.

Einf?hlung.

- What's that?
- It's an architectural term.

It means... to share a feeling.

I-l don't think I've ever felt like this before.

I wanted you to know I was smiling.

Virgil, before you lost your sight,

do you remember...
seeing anything at all?

I do. One memory.

People say it's the clouds.

But I don't think it was.

Cos I could touch it.

It was a

puffy thing.

Must've been important.

It's a good memory.

I remembered it all these years.

How 'bout you? What...

What's your first memory?

OK.

Um...

I was two, or maybe three.

And I remember being at the beach
with my parents.

It was cold outside.

So, I had to snuggle down
between the both of them in the sand.

And we all watched
the sun set over the horizon.

Horizon. That's a tough one.

I can't feel it. I don't know what it is.

It's the line
where the earth meets the sky.

It's the end of the world.

When I was a kid, l-l used to think

that if I walked far enough,
I could actually reach it.

I thought that if I could,

if I could stand on it

and just look out over the edge,

that I would be able to see
something more beautiful

than anything I had ever known.

No-one's ever explained horizon
to me before so I could understand it.

- You're very good at what you do.
- It's what I do.

- It's what I can do.
- Do you enjoy it?

Sometimes I enjoy it.

Some times more than others.

And this time?

This time...

This time I feel like I can... see everything.

Everything?

Time's up.

And I've got Mr Ketchum.

All 200lbs of him.

- I felt like we were just getting started.
- Yeah.

Me, too.

Amy?

Cos... you're a client,

I'm not supposed to get that close to you.

You're not?

So, what does that mean?

It means you have to stop paying me,
and come over to my house for dinner

so we can finish the massage.

Hello?

- Hi, Virgil, it's Amy.
- Amy, hey!

You're in for a real surprise. I'm cooking.

So, what time are you coming over?

Virgil,

I can't come. I'm so sorry.
I'm calling from the road.

I have to go back into the city.
An emergency's come up.

This project that I'm in charge of

is going down the drain
and... I gotta go back in and save it.

I'm... Goddamn, I'm sorry.

- But I'm gonna come back, OK?
- OK.

- I feel terrible, but...
- Bye.

OK. Bye.

Stupid!

You're right, Mr Falk.
Something is missing.

We realise that now.
We just need time to find out what.

Fine, but y'all know
the schedule we're on.

We will take care of it.
We won't let you down.

OK, all right.

Just don't... don't say it. I know you were
never happy with the design anyways.

I wasn't gonna say it.

Yeah, but you'd have tinkered with it
till it went away, right?

You know what this means to us.

I know. I know the whole speech.

Good. Then, I won't have to make it.

Now the guy's hooked,
you've got your second chance.

By the way,
we all deserve a second chance.

OK.

Now, see these two trees?

It's time to give them a second chance.
They'll stay.

We'll design everything around them.
They are the most beautiful thing there.

And, in the car, I thought of
an addition for the TriBeCa lobby.

- It'll add so much life to the place.
- Uh, so what's... going on here?

We sent off Hydra,
the three-headed monster.

We get back Mary Poppins in return?

What, I can't have a couple of ideas?

OK, OK. You know, I had my little trip.

I rested, I exercised.
Thank you very much, Betsy.

And, uh,

I met a guy.

- This is too modern for me.
- Come on, Betsy!

We're all friends. Sit down, sit down,

or you'll be fired.

You met a guy? That's...

- That's great. Great... Super...
- Thank you.

So, uh, spill the beans.

Nothing to spill, you know.
He's a great guy. He's smart,

funny,

blind.

Oh, I thought you said he was blind.
Uh, he was blond?

That, too.

I'm sorry. That's fun... Uh, blind blind?

Like... Iike... white cane,
tap, tap, tap blind? Come on!

I know you like a challenge.
Hell, you married me, but...

OK. Thank you
for your understanding, sir.

OK. It's not... my problem any more.

Duncan, don't be a jerk.

You still work here?

Everyone's gone for the day.

That's OK. I'm just gonna work here
a little bit longer.

Just doing something.

What?

I just want to know more about the guy.
Is that so wrong?

Listen, my father had severe cataracts
a few years back.

Do you have any idea
what you're getting into?

Have you ever listened to the rain?
I mean, really listened?

This... Iike that smell-the-roses thing?

No, it is not.

Betsy, I've... for the past five years,

Iived with a man who has
the emotional content of a soap dish.

The only time I ever saw him cry

was when he was doing
our tax returns three years ago.

I need more than that.

And there's something about this guy...

He makes me feel like I'm... I'm waking up
after being asleep for a long time.

I mean, I'm inspired again.
I can draw again.

And... the way that he touches me...

Oh... Here we go, it's the sex.

No, no! No sex. Not yet!

No...

It's just that when... when he touches me,
I feel like he does it... to know me better,

not to get something from me.

And when he listens to me,

it's as though my words
are the last sounds on the planet.

And even though
he doesn't know what I look like,

I feel like he really knows who I am.

He just moves me, that's all.

Does he have a brother?

Whoo! Wayne Gretzky, look out!

Amy?

How long have you been here?

About an hour.

No. I went up to the lodge
and you weren't there.

So, I guessed, and here you are.

- You're really good at that.
- Thanks.

My dad taught me.

So, how do you like my pond?

It's beautiful.

I'm so surprised you're here.
You want to go skating?

I didn't bring any skates.

- Come on. It's all right.
- Wait, what do you mean?

- Uh, this is ice. I don't have any skates.
- Come on.

I used to take my sister Jennie out
like this.

Take my stick.
Put it over there on that branch.

OK.

- Yeah? Ready?
- Uh...

Now, don't think about skating.
Think about gliding.

So, uh, don't think about the ice.
Don't look down.

Take your mind off it. Tell me,
how did you become an architect?

OK.

I was in art school in college and...

- Aaaah...
- Don't look down.

I didn't know what I was
going to do with myself.

And then I met this guy who was
an architectural grad student.

And he opened up
this whole new world for me.

Don't look down.

So, me and the grad student
got married and

we started a company... Oh, sorry.
But we're divorced now. It's OK.

Uh, we got divorced about a year ago.

But we're still working together,
which is kinda crazy...

What? Um, wait. Oh!

Whoa!

- You OK?
- Yeah.

Yeah.

Did you think I meant to do that?

Yeah. Did you?

Yeah.

Oh, God, this is so hard.

What?

Um, well,

I'm looking at you, right?
And there's this, uh,...

..there's this... thing I do with my eyes,

when I'm glancing out
from under my eyelashes

and sort of giving you this sexy look.

And then I realise it doesn't matter to you.

No, it doesn't matter.

Let me see.

Eyes.

Nose.

Mouth.

You're very beautiful.

Thank you. So are you.

# The memory of our lives

# No, no
They can't take that away from me

- Hello?
- Hi, I'm in the bathroom.

- Oh, hi.
- Hi.

Um... I'm Jennie, Virgil's sister.

Hi, I'm Amy Benic.

- Nice to meet you.
- You, too.

- Hi.
- Hi. Here, here.

So, I was at the market before school,
and I thought you might like...

Apples... and bananas.

He's a show-off.
He smells 'em a mile away.

- The apples are on the bottom shelf.
- Two o'clock, I know. Thanks.

Do you, uh... Do you want some coffee?

OK.

Amy, how long are you in town?

Argh!

- You OK?
- Yeah! I'm fine.

You're bleeding!

The first thing with a blind man is -
don't change anything. It's too dangerous.

Jennie...

Listen, it's OK...
Goddammit, I said I'm OK!

It's just a chair. It happens to everybody.

Really.

I've got parent meetings tonight.
Your dinner's in the freezer.

It's in the lower corner.

It's nice to have met you, Amy.

- You, too, Jennie.
- Thanks.

Well, she's just being an older sister.

She's just being jealous.
Do you want some coffee?

- Yeah
- OK.

Hey!

- Virgil.
- Hi.

Hey.

I've been looking all over for you.
I have some great news.

- That Atlanta project of yours?
- Oh, no, something much better.

- Can I ask you something?
- Sure.

I'm all ears.

- Hi.
- Hey.

- Let me catch my breath.
- OK.

All right.

OK.

Have you ever wondered
what it would be like to see?

Sure.

Like, uh, whether there's, uh,
life on Mars,

or whether or not the... aliens
built the pyramids.

OK, but if there were a chance,

if something could be done
to give you sight, would you take it?

Well... What are we talking about here?

- Um, I saw that article on Doctor Aaron.
- Who?

He's... He's the leading eye surgeon
on the Eastern seaboard.

And I called him up
at Manhattan Eye and Ear.

And I spoke to him about you.

I'm sorry, you... you called this guy?

Yes, and he just faxed me back

and he said that he would be
very excited to see you.

He thinks that in your case
there might be a chance of reversal.

What do you think?

I guess I'm, uh...

I forgot that it's
Help the Handicapped Week.

I... I thought you'd be excited.
What's the problem?

That's the point, Amy.
There is no goddamn problem.

- Hi.
- Hi, Jennie.

You did great work today.

- See you tomorrow.
- OK, thanks.

- Hi.
- Amy, right?

Right.
Um, could I speak to you for a minute?

- Yeah. Something wrong?
- There's something I don't understand.

I saw that article on Dr Aaron
and I called him.

- He's willing to see Virgil.
- Bye, Jennie.

In fact, he's anxious to see him.

But when I told Virgil
he acted as if I was trying to...

What don't you understand?

Well, if I had spent
nearly all my life blind,

and there was the remotest possibility
that I could regain my sight,

I would be all over that.

When there's something
you've adapted to,

you'd change it
without knowing the consequences?

Oh...

We're very happy here, Amy.
Virgil has everything he needs.

Wait.

Everything that he needs?

Does he need to go through life blind
if there's a possibility that he could see?

I would give him my eyes
if it would help him see. But it won't.

I learned a long time ago
to stop believing in miracles.

- I see where you're coming from.
- Yes, you do. And Virgil doesn't.

Why can't you accept that?

He spent his first eight years

having his eyes probed, pierced,
prodded, poked at by doctors,

faith healers, spiritualists, medicine men.

My father lined them up outside the door.
It hurt and disappointed all of us.

And it almost killed him.

He doesn't need to go through that again.

So, now maybe you understand.

He gets it out to...

No, no, no!

I can't believe you guys
are doing this to me!

I can kick better than you guys!

What? Virgil!

Amy?

Hey.

Hi, Amy. Just a... Ranger game.

- Are they losing?
- Well, no, I'd, uh,

prefer to think of it as not winning.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Do you want to, uh, come in?

Get a Coke or, um, beer or something?

No, I'm fine. I just, uh...

I just wanted to come to see you
before I had to go back to the city.

Oh! Spa days are over?

- I've got to go back to work.
- Mm-hm.

I wanted to apologise for stomping around
in your life like Big Foot today.

It... wasn't my place. I'm sorry.

Here. Here.

See, um... See the tree over there?
Across the drive?

Yeah.

- How far away is it?
- Guessing, about 25ft.

Mm, to you maybe.
But to me, it's 14 steps.

14 steps and I get to the tree.
But if I think about something else,

if I go too slow, or if I rush,
then l... smash right into it.

OK.

Well, I guess l, you know,
I should go... pack.

Oh, you like smashing into trees?

Amy?

I'm over here.

- I couldn't sleep.
- Well, come back in bed.

I want you to hear one thing.

What?

- That I'm... happy.
- Haven't we been through this enough?

- You're not being fair.
- I don't want to see you get hurt.

- That's yourpoint?
- Yes.

- So, what's your advice?
- I'm worried about you, that's all.

- No, that's not the point.
- Yes, it is the point.

- That's what you're saying.
- No, that's...

- You're acting like a child.
- You are, too.

- Hi.
- Hi. Is everything all right?

Yeah.

No...

I didn't like the feeling last night
of waking up

and... thinking you weren't there.

Let's go to New York.

# The way you sip your tea

# The memory of all that...

# No, no
They can't take that away from me

Honey, it is
the most beautiful New York day.

Crisp and clear. There are
white, puffy clouds above the city.

Maybe like the ones you saw.

No, the ones I saw
I could hold in my hand.

Watch out!

Oh!

# They can't take that away from me

The cataracts act like a curtain
across the window of sight.

And if the disease to the retina

is reduced or in check, which is
impossible to know at this point,

but if that is the case,
using this new procedure,

there is a good possibility
we can give you sight.

Sounds expensive.

Well, there's an opportunity
for all of us here.

Not often do we get to restore sight
to someone with extended blindness.

I'm sure we can get the lnstitute
to pick up the bill.

- I've been through all this before.
- Believe me, I know.

But it's nothing as invasive
as what you went through as a child.

I mean, uh, 25 years ago,
cataract surgery was in the Dark Ages.

We've come a long way since then.

And, uh, Dr Goldman here will perform
the surgery. He's one of our best.

What if it doesn't work?

Well, then you'd be
no worse off than you are now.

I mean, basically,
what have you got to lose?

So, this is my place.

There's a great park around the corner.
We're in TriBeCa.

- Ho-ho-ho!
- Sorry.

Ethan, watch out.
Hey. This, my friend, is Virgil.

- Virgil, Ethan.
- Ethan.

- Are you blind?
- Yeah.

- Cool. See ya.
- See ya.

- Kids think I'm cool.
- You are.

OK, here we are.

This is my loft.

- Can I put this down here?
- Yeah, anywhere. I'll just get it later.

OK, can I do some blind 101?

You just walk me down the centre
and point out all the obstacles.

If you want to move anything,
once you move it, don't move it again.

Otherwise, crash.

OK, got it.

Well, to our right
is the living-room section.

There's a couch and some low tables,
and a chair at two o'clock.

OK, over here at 10, um, there is a post.
And I've hit this many times, so...

Over to the right is...

Whoa, a little further right, the bed.

In front of it is a low table
you could hurt your shin on.

Uh, three o'clock there is a TV.

And this is, uh, my desk here.

I have a computer.

- And, uh, I've got my model here of...
- What's this?

Mm... It's a... sculpture.

- You did it.
- Yeah.

Art school. It's not very good.

It's a mother holding her baby.

- It's beautiful.
- Yeah, whatever.

I mean, I can never finish it.

OK, come on.

Then we have reached
the end of the room.

- The wall of windows.
- Hm. Do they open?

Yeah.

Oh, shoot. Oh.

Sorry.

- Sorry about that.
- It's OK.

What are they?

Um, they're my plans.

Designs for jobs I'm working on.
Like the Atlanta mall we're bidding on,

or... I don't know,
we have the TriBeCa lobby. It's what I do.

What are the plans? Are they drawings?

Yeah, some of them are drawings.
The one you're touching is a drawing.

Some of them are computer-generated
and blueprints. But I drew this one.

What are you thinking about?

I want to have this operation.

You mean it?

Yes.

I-A map. US hydrosolic.

US stay go. US pulse. US l-A.

Retina looks good.
All right, balance saw.

And the hydrodissection now, please.

- Cortical cleavage.
- Irrigation system.

- First cut.
- I-A map.

Coffee?

Oh, thanks.

It's pretty bad.

So, Virgil never talks about his parents.
Do they know?

Well, our mom died when I was 18
and, uh, Virgil was just a teenager.

And our, uh, father... Well, he left us

quite a while ago.

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know.

Ugh, you're right, that is bad.

That must have been tough on you,
taking care of him all alone,

after your mom died.

Well, he's my brother.

Ready?

And now the Sinskey hook, please.

- US hydrosolic.
- I can see the optic nerve and the retina.

US pulse.

Patch.

That's it. Let's patch him up, Tracy.
Terrific.

- Hello?
- Virgil, we're here.

Hi.

- Hi.
- How you doing?

How are you feeling?

Well, a bit like a tequila hangover.
But I can't remember the party.

The doctor said that you did great.

- Did it hurt a lot?
- Just the operation.

Hey, how's my hair? I'd hate for
my first seeing day to be a bad hair day.

Looks good.

Who are those, um, people?

There's a camera crew.

For posterity.
We're gonna make you famous here.

We're sending this closed-circuit into
one of our conference rooms. Is that OK?

Sure.

- OK, you ready to get started?
- Yeah. Let's... see what we see.

All right.

You mean right... right now?

OK.

- Is that all right?
- Yeah. I'm just... a little nervous.

OK?

All right, let's start taking the first one off.

This is just the outside.

OK, phase one.

Take off the, uh, right patch.

And the left.

OK.

And there we go.

OK.

So, what do you see?

Oh, my God...

Well, what do you see?

I don't know.

Can you see Amy?

I'm over here, Virgil.

I don't know.

- Can you see your sister?
- Virgil, are you OK? Are you OK?

Oh, God! This isn't right.
Something's wrong.

- What's wrong?
- There's a problem.

- It'll be fine.
- It's not fine. Don't say it's fine!

- This can't be seeing.
- What do you see?

Argh! Oh, that's bad!

Oh, my God!

- Stop moving!
- Get the lights out!

- Get them out of here!
- What can we do?

OK, Virgil, they've gone. Let's calm down.

- OK, all right.
- It's all right, it's OK, they've left.

I gotta think. Something's wrong.
This can't be seeing.

- Come on.
- It's OK, just relax.

OK, I need to think.

What can we do?

Um, give me something in my hands.

OK.

OK.

OK. OK.

Good.
Now, just use your sense of touch.

Just associate now.
What do you see in front of you?

Oh...

Use your touch.

I'm right here, Virgil.

- It's a can.
- Good, good.

- What's going on?
- Associating. His fingers tell his brain,

then his brain tells his eyes.
Then he recognises what's in front of him.

OK, Virgil, let's, uh,
give your eyes a rest. OK?

We should all be very happy.
We've got something.

With extended blindness...

- Dr, may I speak to you for a moment?
- Sure.

What the hell just happened in there?
ls that what you call seeing?

It's a little complicated.
It is clear that he is seeing.

He's picking up images.
Apparently his retina is intact.

For all intents and purposes,
it's a success.

A success? He's lost.
He can't see me, or his sister.

He can only see a Coke can.

And that's only after he held it.
He could do that before.

Believe me, he can see you.
He just doesn't understand what he sees.

- So, is this temporary? Will this go away?
- Well, there is a visual therapist.

It's a fella named Phil Webster.

He's unorthodox,
but he's probably our best bet,

considering the unique aspects
of this case.

I'll contact him right away.
But there's no guarantees.

- He might be able to help us.
- No guarantee?

Look, we are all on new ground here.

Let's try to be optimistic.

I mean, he can see.

Oh...

Uh... Hello?

Oh...

Oh...

Mm.

Hello?

Amy?

No, it's Jen.

Huh...

S...

So this is you.

This is me.

Everything's gonna be all right,
soon as we can get you home.

I'm not gonna go home.
I'm gonna stay in New York,

where the doctors are
and where they can take care of me.

I can't stay here,
and... you can't go through this alone.

Who's gonna take care of...

Amy?

She's gonna look after you?

She knows nothing about the blind.

But I'm not blind any more, Jennie.

OK.

- Two weeks.
- No.

Not one day.

I'm not...
I'm not gonna do anything to lose her.

OK.

Hey.

- Hey.
- Virgil's finishing getting ready.

Would you mind walking me to my car?

- Are you all right?
- No, I'm scared to death.

I've spent my whole life
looking for holes he might fall in.

I'd run up ahead and cover 'em up.

Everywhere I look here, I see holes.

Well, hopefully
he'll start seeing them for himself.

Believe me, Jennie, I don't want him
to get hurt any more than you do.

What hurt Virgil the most
was his father leaving.

He thought it had to do with his blindness.

That he hadn't tried hard enough.
Or he could have been better.

I'm not going anywhere, Jennie.

A blind child can't see
those close to them.

They never learn how to reach out.
If he's unhappy, or in pain, or confused,

Virgil won't reach out.

He goes behind a wall,
a place we can't go to.

He just needs to have somebody
be there for him when he comes back.

OK.

OK.

Well, this is it, this is home.

Oh, God.

Whoa. You OK?

Stop the world, I wanna get off.

- We'll go slow...
- What's that?

Wh... Oh, it's a shadow, sweetie.
It's nothing. You can walk through it. See?

- Hey, Virgil, it's Ethan.
- Hey.

Are you all right? You look kinda funny.

You should see
what you look like from here.

- OK. We're gonna go upstairs now.
- All right. Hey, Zach!

God, I feel like such a child.

It's OK. We're gonna find
that Webster guy and get his help, OK?

Here we go.

- Keep your eyes closed for one second.
- OK.

OK.

Oh...

Oh, no, I'm sorry, sweetie.

- No, I wanna see it.
- It's too much.

- Does this look like this all the time?
- No. Oh, God!

While we were at the hospital,
I asked Betsy to come over here.

I wanted to make it special. I'm sorry.

Oh. Maybe I'd better sit down.
I'm kinda dizzy.

OK.

- I'm sorry.
- No, it's great.

Let me just look at you though.

Can you see me?

Yes.

Can I see all of you?

All of me? Like all of me?

Oh, God! lf you want to.

I'm so nervous. I can't believe this.
What if you don't like what you see?

That's impossible.

I'll close my eyes.

No. No, no. This is your first seeing day.
You have to see everything.

So, this is what beautiful looks like.

Right. OK. Virgil, it says here
you went blind as a child,

before you developed
a visual vocabulary.

You have a problem with depth offield,

space, shape, size and distance.

It's fascinating. There's only been
20 cases of this in the last 200 years.

Your eyes work, but your brain
hasn't learned to process the information.

You are mentally blind.
Neurologists call this visual agnosia.

Well, I call it pretty screwed up.

That's a much better term.
I'll bring it up at the next meeting.

It would be difficult to get grant money
for the pretty-screwed-up foundation.

I have something I'd like to read to you.

Oh. Rugalach? I made it myself.

Dammit.

Uh, my glasses, I can never find 'em.

Mrs Fenster! Help!

Thank you. Happens all the time.

OK, Alberto Valvo.

Uh... "Sight Restoration
after Long-term Blindness."

Ah...

"One must die as a blind person
to be born again

as a sighted person."

"However, it is the interim,
the limbo between two worlds,

that is so terrible."

There you go, pal. You're in limbo.

That... That's it? Limbo? I mean...
That book doesn't have anything else

- that might help with Virgil's condition?
- Limbo's not so bad. It's like New Jersey.

You can see where all the good stuff is.
You just have to get there.

I know, I know,
you were expecting Anne Bancroft.

A dramatic breakthrough
out by the water pump.

Sorry, I'm just a professor.

I teach people how to teach the blind
how to become independent.

Unfortunately, there's no manual
on what you're going through.

I'd like to help, but like the rest of things
in life, it's really up to you.

Are you crazy? I'm completely confused.

You said you'd like to help,
so we came here for help...

- All right, all right, you want a lesson?
- Yes!

Here we go. Lesson number one.

Repeat after me...

The rain in Spain stays mainly...

Look, I'm kidding! It's a joke.

What's this?

It's an... It's an apple.

Good, good.
You've now won the toaster oven.

OK.

What's this?

It's an apple.

Good, but is it an apple
or just a picture of an apple?

OK. So, uh, this is a joke, right?

What are you saying?
That our... my eyes lie?

Your eyesight can
and will play tricks on you.

No matter what I could teach you,
they'll still play tricks on you.

- You've gotta trust your instincts.
- I don't have any.

My instinct is to close my eyes
and feel my way out of here.

That's a self-preservation instinct.
But you have others.

Virgil, you have to learn to see,
just like you learned to speak.

Perception, sight, life

is about experience, reaching out
and exploring the world for yourself.

It's not enough to just see.
We've got to look as well.

Immediately following the operation

the patient experienced
extreme disorientation.

Images and colours
had no meaning for him.

But now,

just weeks after surgery,

Mr Adamson has mastered the ability
to define shape and distance,

giving him confidence
to move about his environment.

He is still

confused by new images
just as a child would be fascinated by

everyday objects
that we take for granted.

Look up.

What is it?

It's art. Dubuffet.

This is art?

Oh, now that has to be art! Look at that.
That is beautiful.

Uh, no,
that's just somebody being destructive.

- The words read something pretty nasty.
- What is it?

It says pigshit.

His progress is steady
but Virgil still relies on his touch

- to interpret objects in his surroundings.
- It's a dog!

I'm sorry, yes.

His understanding
of three-dimensionality

is very limited and confounding to him.

Wow, listen to the bells.

What's that? That lump?

Oh, that's... that's a homeless person.

You just walked right past him.

You didn't even look.

Well, some things you choose not to see.
You can't look at everything, Virgil.

I don't want to look away.
I want to see everything.

What the hell are you looking at?
Get outta here!

He also has difficulty with scanning.
That's putting the whole picture together.

I've got 10 years' experience
at Bear Mountain, in all kinds, really.

Deep-tissue, therapeutic, shiatsu.

That's fine. Let's get you started.

Here's your l-9, W-4,
basic employment package. Fill these out.

Take 'em over to Connie.

Oh, gosh, you know what?
I forgot my glasses.

I'll take this home,

- and fill it out, and bring it back, OK?
- All right.

This includes his ability to read,
meaning he has

a total lack ofvisual memory.

Sweetie, it might help if you kind of...
take the word...

No, it won't help, Amy.
I told you, it's not helping.

I know what I'm supposed to do.
I just can't do it, OK?

I can't read. When I reach the last letter
I can't remember the first.

I can't fill out an application.
Somebody has to do it for me

Iike I'm blind, but I'm not blind.

Your helping isn't helping.

OK, I'm sorry.

This is an unexpected
physiological flaw,

and one that we hope that, uh,
Virgil will be able to overcome.

Well, that's it for today. Thank you.

Mr Adamson, Christie Evans from NYN.
Could you give us an idea

- of what you're going through?
- That hurts.

- Do you need to have that light on?
- Yeah. In terms ofyour operation,

were the results met
with your expectations?

Um, I didn't have any expectations.

Information? ln Pinecrest, New York,
for a Jennie Adamson.

Um, here, maybe try this.

What's that?

You tell me.

I don't know, it's a crocodile.

- Come on, concentrate.
- I don't want to concentrate, Amy.

Can't we just have one meal
where it's not about my eyes?

I just want to sit here and eat.

Just trying to be helpful.

Let's talk about something else.

How was your day? What happened?

Fine. Nothing.

Yeah... No, we were invited to a party
tomorrow night. Duncan's birthday.

Is that it?

What do you mean is that it?

I'm telling you something
I thought you'd have a response to.

Sorry, is that not enough?

OK. I'll go. Uh...

Why haven't you finished your sculpture?

Where did that come from?

I wanna know. I'm there every day and

I, um, think it's perfect, it's beautiful.

You said you didn't like it
and it wasn't finished.

You said it like you never would.
So, that's why I'm asking.

It's something I care a lot about,
and I can't get right.

I see it in my head and I can't do it right.
It's beautiful and I'm failing it.

So, maybe I'm not an artist.

What's that?

It's a lobster.

People eat this?

- OK, a measuring cup?
- Try again.

Hey, you cheated!
You told me you couldn't touch.

Sometimes you have to touch.

- A cheese grater?
- Yeah.

Hello?

- It's me.
- Jennie! Hi!

What are you doing here?

You're being so mysterious.
Just tell me why we're here.

- Well, um...
- What?

- Our father's here.
- What?!

I recognised his voice
the minute I answered the phone.

Wha... Which one is he?

There he is. He's the one
with the clipboard, the phone.

- I... Oh, no, no, I can't see him.
- Yes, you can.

- Jennie!
- Virgil, he's our father.

He heard about the operation
and asked to see you.

I'm not ready. No, no, Jennie.

Virgil?

- Hi.
- Hi.

Were you asleep?

No, I just...

..forget about the lights sometimes.

You know,
I've been thinking about that party and

we don't have to go if you don't want to.
It's no big deal.

It's your partner's birthday party.
You want me to meet your friends?

Yeah.

Glass of red or white?

- Which one's red?
- That's red, that's white.

That's the white. You want white?

Quiet. Shh! He's coming!

Kill the lights.

- What's happening?
- It's for the surprise.

- What?
- Nothing. You just had a hair out of place.

What is this? What... You didn't?

Surprise!

Is he all right?

Yeah. He's just kidding around.
He always plays jokes.

Save me some cake!

Hey, you. How's it all going?

OK. He's progressing slowly,
but he's doing the best he can.

Actually I was asking about
the mall designs, but, uh, that's OK.

It's understandable.
So, how is it going?

It's not quite what you expected, is it?

What do you mean?

You like this guy,
you want to help him out.

Sometimes good intentions
aren't enough.

Look at me, I'm still a jerk.

Yeah. You are.

Well, happy birthday, jerk.

Aah. So, uh...

We are expected in Atlanta tomorrow
with the plans.

Duncan, I can't go.
There's just too much going on.

Hey.

Virgil, I wanted you to meet Duncan.
Duncan, Virgil.

How's it going? Congratulations.
It's good to see you.

- It's good to see anything.
- Come on, Duncan, let's dance.

Duty calls.

Amy, sorry about Atlanta.
Could have used you.

Wha... What was that? Atlanta?

Oh, he tried to spring a meeting on me.
I told him I wouldn't go.

Did you change your hair?

I just combed it.

Do you think what Webster says is true,
that the eyes lie to us?

- No, I don't.
- So, what does...

What does you kissing Duncan say?

- Oh, God...
- You kissed him. What does that say?

- It says it's his birthday.
- I haven't seen a kiss like that before.

Well, that's what
a birthday kiss looks like.

What's this look mean?

What look?

This look. It's strange.
I don't understand what it means.

- Nothing.
- What does it mean?

It doesn't mean anything.
We're just talking.

I'm just looking back at you.
It doesn't mean anything.

Let's dance.

Don't you want to dance some more?
Try this. It's fun.

They just do letters.

You wanna try? Just...

- You just...
- I don't belong here.

It's just a stupid dance. Virgil!

- Hey, look.
- No, fuck looking!

Oh, my God.

- Take me home.
- Are you OK?

- Honey, are you all right?
- Just take me home.

God, you never stop, do you?

Well, I've got to get it right.

Besides, my plane leaves
first thing in the morning.

Plane?

I didn't think you were going.

I'll only be gone a day or two.

It's, uh, giving you problems, huh?

What?

This or us?

Us.

Amy, I wake up every morning and I

stare and stare.

And I'm looking at a total stranger.

You don't see me?

I was talking about me.

You, I feel like

I saw you better when I was blind.

Well, you're not blind any more.
I'm sorry if that disappoints you.

Look, I'm done here.
It's late and I gotta get up early.

I'm gonna go to bed before
we both say things that we don't mean.

Come on, Katie, your mom's waiting.

- Hi.
- There you go.

Hey, Virgil!
So you came crawling back, huh?

Bye.

You wanna join us? I could use your help.

- Oh, no, I'll wait here till you're done.
- OK.

Casey, come on, let's call it a day.

- How is it, working with the kids?
- Great. They're the best.

And they're the easiest because

they're so eager
to make their way in the world.

It's the adults who get stubborn.
Where did you go to blind school?

I didn't. My father, uh,...

I was just in regular school.
I picked it up... on my own.

Oh... Great.

Apple.

We've gotta move on to vegetables.

Come on, I got a place for you.
Should relax those eyes a bit.

Seeing sucks.

- Oh, you gotta be kidding.
- It sucks.

You can say that,
sitting in these prime viewing seats?

Forget your eyes.
Get your head examined.

I'm serious.

When I was blind, I couldn't see.
Don't laugh.

I mean, people don't have expectations.
They know what you are.

Or they think they know.

They get on with it. They deal with it.

Yeah.
Didn't get what you counted on, did you?

Oh, boy. And now,
here's where it gets complicated.

Now I can see,
but I don't know what I can see.

Because your eyes play tricks on you,

you see things that you don't wanna see.

Jealousy.

What's most important to you right now?
Seeing, or um...

Amy.

That's what I thought.
So we're not talking eyes here,

we're talking the heart.

The other night I was watching TV.

One of the major disadvantages
of regaining sight, by the way.

- There was this famous pianist.
- A what?

Piano player. And he's about
six, seven hundred years old.

- Will this be a long story?
- Could be.

And they bring out
this seven-year-old prodigy.

He plays Chopin,
backwards and forwards,

with one arm tied behind his back,
spinning plates. Brilliant.

The old master listened appreciatively
and at the end he said,

"You played the piano very well."

"Maybe one day
you will learn to make music."

I think I know what you're saying.

I don't know
if I'll ever be able to make music.

You just gotta focus.

Here. See my hand?

- Yeah.
- All right. Now focus on it.

Forget about everything else,
and that will be difficult here,

but just look.

And your point is?
OK, so, that's what? Seeing?

No, Grasshopper, that's looking.

Looking! You watch the fist.

You see it'll hit you,
but did you want it to?

- No.
- No. That's looking.

Virgil, my advice after three beers,

you'll see a lot, but none of that matters
if you lose sight of what you want.

I love it.

But... I don't care for the trees.

I think we should lose them.

The man just doesn't care for trees.
I dunno.

How can the man not care for trees?
They were the best part of the location.

We'll just have to change them.

No harm there.
You'll come up with something better.

Hey, um, let me buy you a drink, huh?

Get those creative juices flowing.

Oh, I think I have to go to bed.

Come on. Look, they're playing our song.

"Mack The Knife" was our song?

See?

Not so bad, huh?

Not so bad.

It's nice dancing together again.

Yeah.

Do you remember the first time?

Your sister's wedding in Connecticut?

Yeah, it was beautiful
with all those red leaves falling.

I'd love to go back some time.

Mm.

So would l.

What happened to us?
Why'd you give up on us?

I don't know. I think we... did it too fast,
you know.

I was just a kid then,
falling in love with architecture.

I never fell in love with architecture, but

I know I fell in love with you.

That's bullshit.

Ah, well, hey. It used... It used to work.

Oh, God, I'm sorry, I can't do this.

This is wrong. I have to go home.

You have to go home?

To be a baby-sitter?

Don't say that.

Amy.

Virgil?

Virgil?!

- He's gone, Amy.
- Gone?

Gone where?

The park.
Said he was looking for something.

Virgil!

Hey, Virgil!

Virgil, watch out!

Watch out!

Jesus, what are you doing?
What are you doing?

I was watching the cab
as it got closer to me.

It's perspective.

Yeah, but you'll get yourself killed
doing that in the street.

I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry.

Oh, boy.

I went to the loft and you weren't there.
I thought that you had left.

I thought about it.

So, I came out here

to try and see the horizon
that you described so beautifully.

Oh... Oh, well you can't see it from here.
There's too many buildings.

But that doesn't mean
it's not still here, right?

Just because you can't see it
doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Right. Just because you can't see things

doesn't mean that they don't exist.
I mean, that... that's what faith is, right?

What's that look?

What does that look mean?
That's a new look.

Virgil, I have to tell you something.

I was getting confused.

But that doesn't excuse how I've acted.

See, I thought I saw you slipping
further and further away from me.

And I didn't see
that you were slipping away from me.

I...

Amy, uh, oh...
I don't know why I didn't tell you, but

I want to say this. When...

Well, Jennie came to see me
and I went to see my father.

And I couldn't see him.

I was afraid.

I... felt like I was letting him down.

Like I feel like I've let you down.

The only thing I ever wanted

was to be whole.

Not just to be able to ride a bike,

or play in the playground like other kids,

or go on a date.

But to be whole,
to be needed by somebody,

Iike I needed them.

And the first time I ever felt like that
was with you.

I know I have a lot to learn,
but I can see.

And I don't want you to give up on me.

I won't, Virgil.

When I was in Atlanta
I realised how much that I need you.

And I want you to come home with me.

Until the operation, five weeks ago,

Virgil had been a... touch person.

Someone whose vocabulary, whose
sensibility, whose picture of the world

is based on tactile, non-visual terms.

But now, as a sightedperson,

by focusing single-mindedly on his goal,

Virgil has a new-found ability
to understand distance and shape,

colour, perspective.

And though there are still miles to go
in his learning process,

for all medical intents andpurposes,
he is... becoming a seeing person.

- Hey!
- What?

You want me to see, don't you?
Aren't I supposed to look?

- Oh, my God!
- What?

She is so flirting with you!

What?

- What's that look?
- What look?

That look. You have so many looks.

Uh, it was probably a jealous look, huh?

It was the response to that look.

OK, all right.
You wanna see my other looks?

OK, this is what... sad looks like.

Here is jubilation. Yippee!

Careful.

This is, uh, terrible... fear.

Extreme suspicion.

It's all your fault.
I have an idea!

Argh! Argh! Argh!

Rrrargh!

This is... I love you.

Oh, this look I love.

Yesterday, the clouds...

No, in the sky, not my eyes.

Oh, and purple.
Purple's the most amazing colour.

And Amy said yesterday
that we saw birds and...

Um, um... What were they?

- Pigeons.
- Pigeons!

- Tell her about the fish market.
- Dozens of 'em. And the fish market!

Salmon and, uh, crabs and octopus.

How does anyone eat a octopus? OK.

No, I don't know when I'll be back,
but I'll call soon.

OK.

Me, too. Bye.

OK. Close your eyes.

- Present.
- Oh, a tie!

It's a large tie, too.

There's gonna be an opening
for the lobby.

They're gonna have a party. And

I thought we could both
dress up to celebrate.

It's your first time seeing
any of my work finished.

- That's great.
- Huh!

What's the matter?

Nothing. It's really great.

I like it a lot.

You sure? It looks like it fits.

You look great in it.

Thanks.

Hey, Virge, Virge! Where are you going?

OK.

- What does that mean?
- What?

This, um, thing you did with your mouth.
What does that mean?

Well, uh, I'm only...
registering sparks of activity.

Retinal sparks, followed by nothing.

So, uh, how long has this been going on?

A couple of days.

Have a seat.

Your, uh...
Your retinal function is down 10%.

I'm afraid the retinal disease
seems to have returned.

But you corrected that.
You... I was healed of that. So...

Well, l...

I mean, I don't know whether, uh,

you didn't have the blood vessels
to supply enough oxygen to your retinas.

I wish there were an easy way to say this.

When?

Well, it's hard to say. Uh...

A month. Two weeks.

Today?

I don't know.

You look good.

Hey, how do I look?

I want some answers.

Why did you leave?

Because I was blind, or because
I gave up on your idea of me seeing?

To the point. I like that.
That's something you got from me.

You make jokes?
I haven't seen you in 20 years,

you find out I can see,
you want to see me,

- and you make jokes?
- Can we talk about this later?

No, answer my question.
Why did you leave?

I woke up every morning
and looked at you... and failure.

My own failures.

If I couldn't get my own son to see, then...

But it's water under the bridge now, right?

You can see! Hell, I knew you could!

Yeah, I can see.

And I'm going blind again.

You're the first person I've told.

I wanted to see you, look in your eyes,
while you explained my whole life.

You know what you did to Jennie?
To my mom?

You shouldn't have done that,... Dad.

You shouldn't have left.

You shouldn't have left.

Yeah, a little bit higher, like an inch...
Half inch. Good.

Hold that thought, wait.

Hey!

What are you doing here?

God, I didn't want you to see it yet.
It's not done.

I came to see you.

I wanted to tell you something. OK?

I had this idea, OK? Bear with me.

Cos things are going so great
and you're doing so well,

and I've got the Atlanta mall,
so we've got more money coming in,

I thought that we could take a trip.
A sort of, um, a seeing celebration.

A seeing celebration?

Yeah.

I thought that we could, um,
that we could go to Egypt.

We can both see the pyramids
for the first time.

- Amy...
- And then I could take you to Paris.

I could show you Notre Dame,

with the gargoyles
and the water with the light on it,

and the stained glass. You'll love it.
There's so much I want to show you.

The windows and the water.
We'd have the most wonderful time.

What do you think?

I think...

There is...
There is one place I'd like to see.

Whoo!

Virgil! Virgil.

- Are you OK?
- The puffy thing.

This is the puffy thing. This is the cloud?

You found the puffy thing.
Oh, my God! It's cotton candy.

Oh, my God.

Thank you so much
for taking me here. This was wonderful.

Are you OK?

Yeah... I'm just

having a... bad eye day.

It's a lot to take in.

I'm OK now. It's just...

I'm sorry.
These people wanna get by over here.

- What?
- These people on the right.

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Excuse us.

Honey, what's going on?
What's happening with your eyes?

Blackouts.

This one's the longest.

I just want to go home, OK?

Baby, wait... one second.
Has this... happened before today?

I'm going blind.

What?

What do you mean?
What's wrong? I mean, what...

You've... had blackouts.
Maybe your eyes are overworked.

You've been seeing so much,
getting so excited.

- No.
- We can... go to the doctor

and he'll tell us what's happening.
I mean, maybe, you know,

- it's just been too fast...
- Amy, can we just go home?

Baby, let's go to the doctor...

I saw Dr Aaron.
There's nothing they can do.

We'll go to another doctor.

What... do you want me to say?
You want it explained another way?

I'm going blind.

- Let's...
- That's what's happening. I'm going blind.

I just...

..wanna go home.

Baby, don't give up.
We got... We got you to s...

I just want to go home.

It was a good game.

What are you doing?

I'm leaving.

What do you mean?
You're leaving... this apartment?

You're leaving New York,
or you're leaving me?

I'm going home.

What, are you going home to Jennie?

Is she gonna take care of you now?

I'm not going through this bullshit again.

Bullshit?

- That's what this has been? Bullshit?
- Yes, it's bullshit! Who are we kidding?

I'm blind. I can't see.

OK? I don't belong here.
I'm not meant to see.

Goddamn right, you're blind.
I'm here for you, and you don't even look.

Why are you shutting me out?

Why didn't you tell me
what was going on with you?

Do you know
why I remembered the cotton candy?

Because it's the one thing in my life
I remember with my father that was good.

After I went blind, he pushed to try
to make me into something that I'm not.

Then he turns his back on me
when his plans fail.

But I'm not turning my back on you.

I promised you I wouldn't give up on you.

Don't give up on me!
Give up on the idea of me seeing!

Didn't you want something more
out of your life?

That's all I wanted
to give you a chance for.

Jesus Christ! Did you think
you'd sit in that school bus

and work in the spa the rest of your life?

Didn't you have dreams?
To see or learn or do more than that?

- You have so much to give of yourself.
- And so much to be taken away.

Oh, God... Agh!

Goddammit.

Your sculpture.

I'm sorry.

It's just...
We both didn't get what we wanted.

I wanted you.

When you asked me here
did you ever think it wouldn't work out?

That... I might not be able to see?

Did you ever think about
what it would be like to just

be with me, the blind man?

There's my answer.

Jessie, aah... Iook at you.
Let me look at you.

What a beautiful colour you are.

What a good dog.

Everything's the same as when you left.
Nothing's changed.

- Hello?
- Hi.

Hi.

Hey, Jess.

Hi.

I picked up some things at the store.

Some, uh, T-shirts...
Socks, you're probably out.

You are so beautiful.

Why didn't you tell me
you were beautiful?

I just told you
what you needed to know, that's all.

Look at me.

Why do people look away?

What do you want?

I want to see you.

Isn't there anything more you want?

You've spent your whole life
as blind as I was.

Virgil, please. This is your home.

Don't worry about things
that don't matter to you. You're safe here.

You matter to me.
This was a great place to grow up.

It was very safe.

But I grew up.

I can't even imagine
the things you gave up for me.

I just want to look at you.
Look at me, Jennie.

I wanna say thank you.
I love you from the bottom of my soul.

And I want to give you your life back.

I can't.

Yes, you can.

Jennie,...

..l'm reaching out.

Growing up blind, I had two dreams.

One was to see.

The other was to play hockey
for the New York Rangers.

After the... miracle
of my brief period of sight,

if I had to choose, I'd rather play hockey
for the New York Rangers.

It wasn't that seeing was so bad.
I saw a lot of things.

Um, some were really beautiful.
Others were scary.

Some things, I'm, um, already forgetting.

A particular look in a pair ofeyes,

clouds.

Those images will stay with me
long after the light fades.

As a blind man, I think that I see

a lot better than I did
while I was sighted.

Because I don't really think
we see with our eyes.

I think, um, we live in darkness when

we don't look at
what's real about ourselves,

or about others, or about life.

I think, uh, no operation can do that.

And

when you see what's real

about yourself,

then you've seen a lot.

Good boy.

And you don't need eyes for that.

Want a bite?

- You missed.
- Missed?

Amy?

Hey.

Hi.

Um...

I was just in the neighbourhood.

No, uh, Phil told me
that you were working here.

And I thought
maybe I could find you in the park.

I rushed, didn't l? 14 paces to the tree,
and I made us slam right into it.

We tried.

Are you happy?

I'm... I'm trying to be.

Work is good. I went out on my own.

What happened to Duncan?

He's building mini malls.

Where's Jessie?

Jessie's at home with Jennie.
This is Pierce.

My new dog.

He's a good boy.

Hello, Pierce.

Hello, sweetie.

Virgil, I finished the sculpture.

I didn't know where it was going to go.

But that was OK.

I really enjoyed
letting it take on its own life.

Letting it be just what it was.

Without me pushing or doubting myself.

And what it was, was beautiful.

I saw the horizon.

It's out there.

Even though I may not
ever be able to touch it,

it's worth reaching for.

You showed me that.

Thank you.

Um...

- Do you wanna walk?
- See what we see?

Yeah, just... see what we see.

- Lead on, Macduff.
- OK.