Blind Luck, A Screenplay

Jónas Bergmann Björnsson

Characters:
Jesse: Thirties. Medium height. Looks twice his age. Lives alone in a
cabin in the woods.
The Blind Man: Early sixties. Stocky build.
 
INT. OLD CABIN – NIGHT
We are inside an old log cabin. A snowstorm rages outside; the wind is
howling. The cabin is sparsely decorated. JESSE is at the table eating soup
and reading a comic book. He takes a big spoonful and burns himself.
He grabs his cup, but it is empty. He moves to the fireplace, picks up a
big metal pot and goes to the door to get snow to melt. As he opens the
door, a body falls in.
JESSE
What the hell is this?
He grabs the man and drags him in. He starts to pat the man down and
finds a phone and a wallet. He sticks both in his pockets.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Are you all right?
Jesse rushes to the bed and yanks the blankets off. Jesse’s backpack, sitting
on the bed, flies off; its contents spill. He covers the man.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Here, how’s this?
Beat.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Soup! Got to get you some soup, that will warm you right
up!
He tries to feed the man the soup but spills it everywhere.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Take it man, take it! Where did you come from? There is
nothing out in them woods. You lucky bastard, running
into me like this. Sure, you would be dead like a dog,
alone in that storm.
Suddenly the man starts to moan.
THE BLIND MAN
 (Stuttering)
I can’t feel…
The blind man stretches his hands towards the fire.
JESSE
So it’s alive! Let me get some more water!
INT. OLD CABIN – NIGHT
Jesse returns covered in snow. The Blind Man is huddled in front of the
fire, rubbing his hands together.
JESSE
What do we have here? Bigfoot is alive!
There is no response.

 JESSE (CONT’D)

It sure is cold out there, no beast alive that could weather
this storm.
Still no response.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Do you got a name or are you a ghost?
The man turns around and opens his eyes. Both of his pupils are white.
Jesse is taken aback.
THE BLIND MAN
Thank you, I would have surely died out there, thank you.
The Blind Man turns around again and blows into his hands.
JESSE
What’s wrong with you? I mean, what is wrong with your
eyes? They are all…
THE BLIND MAN
(Interrupts while still facing the fire)
There was an accident. When I was younger. Don’t worry,
I am not a ghost. Hopefully. But I am blind as a bat, no
sonar though. Would have been handy.
JESSE
Well are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?
THE BLIND MAN
I would appreciate something. I just can’t stop shaking.
Jesse leans over and helps The Blind Man to stand up and sit on a chair.
JESSE
So… where were you headed? There is nothing for miles
around.
THE BLIND MAN
I was hiking with an old friend, and then the snowstorm
hit us. It came out of nowhere; my face filled up with
snow. I slipped, and when I stood up again, my friend
was nowhere to be found.
JESSE
These mountains can be treacherous. The weather can
change in a blink of an eye. Not to mention the bears and
wolves. They will rip you a part in seconds!
THE BLIND MAN
I did not meet any wolves or bears. Maybe they took pity
on me.
JESSE
More likely, waiting for the weather to get ya, you’re easy
prey, Mister. A blind man in the woods, who would have
thought!
THE BLIND MAN
Yes, I guess we are a rare breed around these parts.
Pause.
THE BLIND MAN (CONT’D)
Do you have a phone?
JESSE
A phone?
THE BLIND MAN
Yeah, I need to let someone know what happened. Do
you have one? I would really appreciate it.
JESSE
No, I am afraid it’s just you and me here. This is an old log
cabin, been in the family for generations. No phones, no
running water, not even a decent shitter!
THE BLIND MAN
I had a mobile phone on me. It must have slipped out of
my pocket in the storm.
JESSE
No phones, just nature and me. That is the way I like it.
THE BLIND MAN
So what do you do for food?
JESSE
I hunt, drink snow. I have a truck but it’s snowed in, the
road has been blocked for weeks.
THE BLIND MAN
Do you know when this storm is supposed to die down?
JESSE
Die down? What am I, a fucking meteorologist? The way
you tell weather out here is to look out the window. If
there is a storm, there is a storm. If there isn’t, there isn’t.
Don’t you worry, you can stay here as long as you want!
THE BLIND MAN
Thanks for the offer, but I only want to be here as long as
I have to.
JESSE
I understand, but I don’t mind the company at all.
THE BLIND MAN
Thanks for taking me in like this, I felt I was knocking on
death’s door there for a while.
JESSE
And all the while you were just knocking on mine!
Jesse pulls out an old bag of coffee and a big bottle of bourbon.
JESSE (CONT’D)
I got something here that might warm you right up!
He puts the bourbon on the table and walks over to the fire. He starts to
brew some coffee.
THE BLIND MAN
Coffee?
JESSE
Good old American. I only pull out the good stuff for
guests.
THE BLIND MAN
I’m honored.
JESSE
And that is not all, I also got this here bourbon. A case of
this fell of a truck a while back.
THE BLIND MAN
Fell off a truck?
JESSE
 (Direct tone)
Yeah, fell of a truck. Many accidents around these parts.
THE BLIND MAN
I see.
JESSE
 (Lighthearted)
Now wouldn’t that be a Christmas miracle… I only have
one cup, I will just drink from the bottle.
THE BLIND MAN
There is no need, not really a drinking man.
JESSE
Not a drinking man? All men drink; you’re not queer are
you?
THE BLIND MAN
Can’t say that I am. Just not much for the drink. Maybe I
could have some in my coffee.
JESSE
Coming right up!
Jesse pours coffee and a big shot of bourbon into the cup and slides it
over towards The Blind Man.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Cheers! So Mister, are you a Christian man? Are you a
follower of the Lord?
THE BLIND MAN
I don’t know. I certainly don’t believe in the blind leading
the blind, if that’s what you mean.
JESSE
Blind leading the blind? What do you mean? You don’t
look like Jesus.
Jesse takes another big sip from the bottle and puts his feet up on the
table.
JESSE (CONT’D)
I am not fanatical about it you know. But I did take you
in, just like the bible says I should!
THE BLIND MAN
Yes, that you did, and I am grateful.
JESSE
So what do you do, for a living? Do blind people work?
THE BLIND MAN
What do you mean?
JESSE
I mean… You can’t see can you, so what kind of work can
you do?
THE BLIND MAN
I have done all kinds of work. I am blind, not dead.
JESSE
 (Laughing)
Thanks to me!
THE BLIND MAN
Besides, I have not always been this way.
JESSE
So, what is it you do Mr. Blind man? Photographer?
THE BLIND MAN
Lawyer.
JESSE
A lawyer? You?
THE BLIND MAN
Is that so hard to imagine?
JESSE
Not a big fan of lawyers.
THE BLIND MAN
Oh yeah?
JESSE
Yeah, not a big fan. Lawyers, bankers, dentists, cops… not
a big fan.
THE BLIND MAN
I am sorry to hear that. If you ever need a lawyer I would
be glad to offer my services.
JESSE
Yes, maybe. A blind lawyer.
Jesse looks at the fire.
JESSE (CONT’D)
I guess we need more kindling.
Jesse walks over to the fire and looks into the kindling bucket.
JESSE (CONT’D)
No more wood. I guess I have to go and get some more.
There is a kindling shed outside. Won’t be more than a
minute, just sit tight.
Jesse goes outside with the bucket.
INT. CABIN – NIGHT
The Blind Man stands up and knocks over a purse that fell out of the
backpack. The contents of the purse spill. He gets on his knees and picks
them up. He recognizes the smell, a woman’s perfume. He picks up a
necklace and feels it. He clutches it in both of his hands, and raises it to
his forehead. Tears stream down his face.
INT. CABIN – NIGHT
Jesse enters the cabin and finds The Blind Man sitting at the table.
JESSE
Damn, this storm is not letting up. I guess it has to get
worse before it gets better.
Jesse goes over to the fire and throws a big log on the fire.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Brrr. Cold huh? It’s the kind of cold you can’t dress away
from. It is always there, in your bones.
THE BLIND MAN
I know what you mean. You can never escape it. Only
temporarily forget it. Suppress it, until you feel numb.
JESSE
Yes, I guess.
(Pause)
You want more!
Jess steals the cup away and fills the cup of bourbon. He then grabs The
Blind Man’s hand and puts it over the cup.
JESSE (CONT’D)
It warms you up, doesn’t it?
THE BLIND MAN
Yes, it does.
(Takes a big sip)
I am positively on fire.
(Pause)
So what do you do …
JESSE
Jesse, the name is Jesse.
THE BLIND MAN
Jesse. So Jesse, what does a man like you do? For a living,
that is.
JESSE
I do this and that. Was a hired hand for a while. Fixing
things, pretty good with my hands you see. I like to be
my own man, my own boss. Don’t like to work for other
people. I don’t work well, in the confines of any kind of…
establishment. And the establishment does not take a
liking to me either. Around here I enforce the law.
THE BLIND MAN
Enforce the law?
JESSE
Yes. I am the law around these parts. Judge, jury and
executioner. Nobody tells me what to do, and that is the
way I like it. I hunt what I eat and nature respects that.
THE BLIND MAN
I respect that. Being your own man.
JESSE
Yeah, it’s great. I take what I want.
THE BLIND MAN
No natural predators.
JESSE
No.
THE BLIND MAN
Just prey.
JESSE
Yes. Well, there are bears and wolves around. They don’t
mess with me, they know better.
THE BLIND MAN
Because you are a killer.
JESSE
 (Laughing)
They know better! Take a look at this, my pride and joy!
Jesse stands up and takes his big hunting knife and slams it on the table.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Here feel this!
Jesse thrusts the knife in the holster towards the Blind Man.
JESSE (CONT’D)
You don’t mess with that.
The Blind Man feels around the knife, taking his time to feel the leather,
the length and the weight. It is clear that he is familiar with handling a
knife.
JESSE (CONT’D)
 (With pride)
What do you think? It is a beauty isn’t it?
THE BLIND MAN
Deadly. Nicely balanced.
JESSE
(Excited)
Yeah. It’s the one Rambo uses! Cuts through skin and
bone. Swoosh!
THE BLIND MAN
I bet.
 (Pauses)
It’s nice. Real nice.
The blind man puts the knife back in the sheath.
THE BLIND MAN (CONT’D)
Jesse. Have you heard what they say?
JESSE
What do they say?
THE BLIND MAN
That no man’s an island.
JESSE
What does that mean? No man’s a what?
THE BLIND MAN
It’s John Donne.
JESSE
John?
THE BLIND MAN
See, I think we are all connected. Chapters in the same
book. And sometimes, characters happen to cross from
chapter to chapter.
JESSE
Like the bible?
THE BLIND MAN
No, like life. Would you be sad if I died? Would it affect
you in anyway?
JESSE
Well, I would have to bury you for starters. That’s a whole
lot of work.
THE BLIND MAN
Yes, I would hate to be an inconvenience.
JESSE
I am an island. I am my own book.
THE BLIND MAN
For whom the bell tolls. We are all connected.
JESSE
What the hell are you talking about?
THE BLIND MAN
That no one man exists independently from another.

When the bell tolls, it tolls for all of us.

JESSE
I think when you die you go to heaven if you done right
by god and hell if you haven’t.
THE BLIND MAN
And where do you think you are going Jesse?
JESSE
I don’t know. Heaven, if I am lucky.
THE BLIND MAN
Do you feel lucky?
The Blind man strokes the knife slowly, feeling the leather between his
fingers.
THE BLIND MAN (CONT’D)
Let me rephrase that. When you stand in front of those
golden gates of heaven. The big man, staring you right
in the eyes. When you see your life, in its entirety in his
eyes. What do you think you will see?
JESSE
 (Agitated)
I don’t know what you are talking about man. I live an
honest, god-fearing life. I don’t bother people and people
don’t bother me. What about you? Don’t lawyers go to
hell?
THE BLIND MAN
 (Laughs)
Probably. At least I will have enough defendants. I hear
business is good down there. Do you ever get lonely?
JESSE
Lonely?
THE BLIND MAN
Yes. Young man like you, alone in this cabin. So far from
everything. Don’t you get lonely?
JESSE
No. I don’t like people and people don’t like me.
THE BLIND MAN
What about women?
JESSE
 (Annoyed)
What about them?
THE BLIND MAN
Women, you never want to find yourself a wife? Female
companionship. To share your life with. Little Jesses
running around, etc.
JESSE
No. If I found a good girl—no, I don’t need all that
trouble. I am my own man, and I like it like that!
THE BLIND MAN
Trouble? What do you mean by trouble. Does your bed
not get cold at night?
JESSE
There was this one girl.
THE BLIND MAN
 (Intently)
Yes?
JESSE
Man, she would have taken your breath away. Just her
smell. An angel. Soft skin, great body, the works!
THE BLIND MAN
Tell me more. Where did you and her meet?
JESSE
Meet? She more like stumbled into my life.
THE BLIND MAN
Just like me?
JESSE
Yeah, just like you.
THE BLIND MAN
And?
JESSE
And nothing, it didn’t work out.
THE BLIND MAN
What do you mean? Where is she now?
JESSE
Gone.
THE BLIND MAN
 (Almost trembling)
Gone? Gone where?
JESSE
 (Aggressively)
Just gone alright! What is it to you?
THE BLIND MAN
Nothing. Just a fan of young love.
JESSE
What about you. Ever been in love?
THE BLIND MAN
Twice.
JESSE
Twice? And?
THE BLIND MAN
Got married to my first love.
JESSE
And your second?
THE BLIND MAN
The second, the second one I lost.
JESSE
Lost? How did you loose her?
THE BLIND MAN
One day she just… did not come home.
JESSE
 (Nonchalant)
Man. Women. Mind of their own. Probably found
someone else. They pretend to love you and then they
throw you away.
He starts laughing.
JESSE (CONT’D)
I am drunk as a skunk! I’ll explode if I don’t take a leak,
right now.
Jesse stumbles to the door.
JESSE (CONT’D)
By the way. If you need to take a piss, it’s outside. That is
how we do it here. No pissing on the floor!
Jesse laughs and goes outside.
EXT. OUTSIDE CABIN – NIGHT
The storm is still raging.
JESSE
 (Mumbles)
Fucking blind lawyers.
He fishes out the phone. He throws it into the snow. He then takes the
wallet out. Pulls out some money and puts them in his own pockets.
Starts tearing out the credit cards and flings them, one by one, into the
snow while laughing to himself.
JESSE (CONT’D)
Fucking lawyers.
In the back of it there are pictures, the first one an older woman. He
looks at it and puts it in his pocket. The next picture is of the blind man
in army camouflage and what appears to be his daughter. He seems to
sober up almost instantly. He looks back at the door nervously and drops
the picture on the ground.
JESSE (CONT’D)
It can’t be.
INT. CABIN – NIGHT
Jesse enters the cabin. He is not stumbling as before. Much more
deliberate in his movements.
THE BLIND MAN
Cold?
JESSE
What?
THE BLIND MAN
Outside, cold?
JESSE
Yeah, freezing, not a living thing could survive out there.
THE BLIND MAN
No.
JESSE
So, you mentioned you are married.
THE BLIND MAN
No.
JESSE
No?
THE BLIND MAN
No. I was married.
JESSE
Not anymore?
THE BLIND MAN
No, not anymore.
JESSE
Why not?
THE BLIND MAN
She moved out.
JESSE
Oh, that’s rough.
THE BLIND MAN
Yeah…
JESSE
Any kids?
THE BLIND MAN
Kids?
(Pauses)
No, no kids.
JESSE
No kids?
THE BLIND MAN
No, it’s just me.
Jesse says nothing.
THE BLIND MAN (CONT’D)
Me and you.
Beat.
THE BLIND MAN (CONT’D)
You ever wanted kids?
JESSE
Kids? No, never thought about that.
(With disgust)
I hate kids.
Jesse’s eyes are now murderously fixed on the blind man. He glances at
the table. The knife is not there.
JESSE (CONT’D)
So, a lawyer huh?
THE BLIND MAN
Yeah.
JESSE
Can you remember seeing, before you went blind?
THE BLIND MAN
Sure.
JESSE
Like what?
THE BLIND MAN
My wife’s smile. My… going to the movies, sunsets. That
sort of thing. Still remember.
JESSE
Must have been hard for you. How did you become blind?
THE BLIND MAN
Before I became a lawyer, I was in the army.
JESSE
Army?! For how long?
THE BLIND MAN
About 20 years.
JESSE
So how did you get blind?
THE BLIND MAN
Work.
JESSE
Work?
THE BLIND MAN
It’s classified. Top Secret.
JESSE
What do you mean? There are no secrets between friends.
You can tell me anything. We are friends, right?
THE BLIND MAN
Right.
JESSE
Pages in the same book. That girl.
THE BLIND MAN
 (Tense)
Yes.
JESSE
She was the love of my life.
THE BLIND MAN
Is that right.
JESSE
Yes. Roller coasted in and out. Ripped my heart out.
THE BLIND MAN
I find that hard to believe. You are a lone wolf. A man
unto himself.
JESSE
Right.
THE BLIND MAN
Right.
JESSE
More whiskey?
THE BLIND MAN
No, thanks. I think I’ve had enough.
JESSE
Yes. I think we’ve both had—enough.
Jess calmly walks over to the corner. He picks up a shotgun.
THE BLIND MAN
You know. When I came in, I am sure I had a wallet.
JESSE
My dad, he gave me this gun.
THE BLIND MAN
Did you happen to find a wallet?
JESSE
This gun. I tell you. It has never failed. Not once. Not one
misfire.
THE BLIND MAN
I must have lost it along with my phone.
JESSE
This gun was given to me by my dad.
THE BLIND MAN
You were conceived? I imagined you were spawned.
JESSE
That’s funny. You know what else is funny?
 (Pauses)
How long it takes us to be born. The effort, the love. The
long looks we get from our loving mothers. How safe we
feel in our father’s arms.
The Blind Man puts his arms to each corner of the table and tenses up.
JESSE (CONT’D)
And then. Puff. We are not there anymore. Gone. Never
existed. The 9 months become a moment, a second. Then
the light in the eyes just goes.
THE BLIND MAN
You exist! You always exist for the people who love you!
JESSE
I have seen it. Goes away. Just. Like. That.
THE BLIND MAN
Why?
JESSE
Why? Why not! I decide what happens. If you wander
onto my island, you do what I say or you drown!
THE BLIND MAN
You stole my light, my love and my happiness. You took
everything!
JESSE
 (Calmly)
This gun. Never fails. Never has to think, it just does. Just
like me. Instinct. Nature rewards good instincts.
THE BLIND MAN
Instinct to kill!
JESSE
You cannot fight your demons forever. In the end they
win. They always win. That is what nobody understands.
You are your own worst enemy, and I am no match for
myself.
THE BLIND MAN
And you think you will end up in heaven?!
JESSE
 (Screaming)
I am who I am. He will understand. He made me this
way. I was born sick and commanded to be well. Created
sick!
 (Pause)
Commanded to be well!
THE BLIND MAN
You were not created. You were hatched, slowly over
time. One bad choice after another. Darkness seeping
into your brain like a tumor, corrupting your brain.
You’re evil! And you let yourself become this way. Take
some responsibility man!
JESSE
How is this for responsibility?!
Jesse puts the barrel to the blind man’s forehead and presses the trigger.
The gun is empty. It only takes a split second before The Blind Man takes
a hold of the barrel with one hand and with the other, thrusts the knife
into Jesse. With extraordinary strength, he lifts Jesse off his feet and
slams him on top of the table.
THE BLIND MAN
You feel lucky now?!
The Blind Man twists the knife, Jesse screams.
JESSE
Don’t, don’t kill me. You will die, you will die without me.
THE BLIND MAN
I am death.
Jesse kicks and tries to scream. He bleeds to death in the arms of the
Blind Man. The Blind Man takes the necklace from his pocket and holds
it tightly. He opens the door and walks out.