Theypassanoldwomanhavingapleasantconversationwith
herself.Sheissmilingandlaughing,gesturinginan
animatedway.
Theycometoanotherturnandgototheright.
LEONARDCOHEN(V.O.)
Lookedthroughthepaper,makesyou
wanttocry.Nobodycaresifthe
peopleliveordie.Andthedealer
wantsyouthinkingthatit’seither
blackorwhite.ThankGod,it’snot
thatsimpleinMySecretLife....
Thetwoofthemcometoadoorwithasignthatreads
SECTION7COMAWARD.Theypressabuttonandthedoorslowly
opens.Creditsend,songfades.
INT.ROOMINANURSINGHOME-DAY
Aspartanroominanursinghome,dimlylit,sterilewhite
walls,acrucifixononewall,anadjustablehospitalbed
againstanotherwithanemptynightstandtooneside.
JOHNWEST,about40,liesinthebed,coveredtohiswaist
byasheet.Hisrobustframeshowshewasoncemuscular,but
nowhisarmsareemaciated,hischestwastedaway,his
cheekshollow.
Equipmentonasecondnightstandontheothersideofthe
bedbeepsoccasionally,monitoringhisheartbeat,blood
pressureandothervitalsigns.Abitofsunlightstreamsin
throughsomeratty,beat-upblindshanginginfrontofa
windowoppositetheequipment.
Thedoortotheroomswingsopenlightingtheroom
briefly.Zitteraalflipsonthelight.NexttohimisNurse
1.Johndoesnotmove,doesnotopenhiseyes.
ZitteraalstandsnexttoJohn’sbed,looksthroughsome
papersonhisclipboard,turnshisheadhalfwaytothenurse
behindhim.
