FADE IN: EXT. NYC - STREET - DAY NED moves down the street. He has all the trappings of a BLIND MAN, i.e. dark glasses, a white, red-tipped walking stick. He moves cautiously, leading with the stick, just like a blind man. Just in front of him, a MAN walks. Suddenly the man stops. Ned immediately stops as well. It's as if he can see. The man looks at his watch, then continues ahead. Ned continues on his way as well. EXT. NYC - SIDEWALK CAFE - DAY ALLIE and CAROL are having coffee at a small table. Both are young, pretty women. Allie wears expensive jewelry and otherwise looks like she has money. CAROL You know what Joe said? He doesn't trust me. He sleeps around, and I'm the one who's untrustworthy. Go figure. Ned enters the outdoor cafe area. Over Carol's shoulder, Allie watches him make his careful way. CAROL He's always turning the tables like that. Who are you looking at? She turns to look. ALLIE I see him here a lot. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in darkness. CAROL Not looking at Joe for the rest of my life? Doesn't sound all that bad. Ned manages to find a table near the women's. It's empty. NED (to anyone) Is this table empty? ALLIE Yes, it is. NED Thank you. He sits down. CAROL I need to run an errand. Coming? ALLIE Go ahead. CAROL Allie, if Joe calls you-- ALLIE Why should he call me? CAROL To find out what I told you. You haven't seen me in weeks. ALLIE He'd never believe it. But I don't share our conversations with him, Carol. CAROL Good. Ciao. She leaves. Allie watches Ned with fascination. Ned finds the cloth napkin and carefully spreads it in his lap. Allie still watches him. Ned suddenly smiles. NED Allie? She is taken aback to hear him say her name. NED I can feel you there. ALLIE Really? NED Would you like to join me? She hesitates. NED You've seen me here before, haven't you? I recognize your perfume. Please join me. ALLIE I'd like that. She moves to his table. ALLIE I'm Allie. NED I know. I'm Ned. He holds out his hand. She takes it, and they shake hands. Suddenly Ned doesn't let go of her hand. He squeezes it. He grimaces. NED Oh, shit. Pardon my French. ALLIE Is something the matter? NED I can't believe I did this. ALLIE What? NED I forgot to take my medicine this morning. I'm going to need a favor here. ALLIE What can I do? NED I need to get horizontal. Just until the dizziness passes. ALLIE Should I call an ambulance? NED Heavens, no! This happens all the time. I just need to lie down for a moment. There's a park around the corner, and the bench there will do fine. Will you help me? He tries to get to his feet. Allie hurries up and helps him. ALLIE I think I should call someone. NED No, no. I'll be fine as soon as I lie down and take my medicine. A WAIT PERSON hurries over. WAIT PERSON Is everything okay? NED We're going to be fine. EXT. NYC - STREET - DAY Allie is helping Ned down the street. They are approaching an apartment building near the cafe. NED This is my fault. I really feel stupid. ALLIE Listen, I live right here. Why don't you come in and lie down? NED I don't want to put you to any trouble. ALLIE It's no trouble at all. NED Allie, you're very sweet. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - DAY Allie helps Ned into her apartment. ALLIE You can use the bed. NED Don't be silly. You must have a couch or something? ALLIE The bed's more comfortable. NED A couch is fine. She leads him to a divan. He stretches out. ALLIE Would you like some water? NED In a minute. Sit down. The offer takes Allie aback. He gestures that she should sit next to him on the edge of the couch. NED Here. Please. She sits. NED Are you always so helpful? ALLIE Well, I don't often ... NED You just help blind people? ALLIE I didn't mean that. NED I know. He reaches out for her. Allie nervously watches his hand find her face. NED Do you mind? ALLIE (not sure) No. He carefully feels her face. He is gentle, sensuous. NED I knew you'd be beautiful. ALLIE Your hand tells you that? NED My hand tells me everything. It tells me you're nervous now. Don't you know you're beautiful? ALLIE (changing subject) Shouldn't you be taking your medicine? NED (ignoring question) Do you like to dance? ALLIE What? NED I'm an excellent dancer. How about you? ALLIE I can hold my own. NED Good. Maybe we can go sometime. I love your perfume, by the way. The moment is too uncomfortable for Allie, and she stands. ALLIE Are you sure you don't want some water? NED You're right. I'll take my medicine and be out of here in a jiff. ALLIE I didn't mean to imply-- NED It's okay, Allie. ALLIE I'll get water. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - DAY Allie takes a deep breath at the sink. She pours herself a glass of water and drinks it. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Allie returns with a glass of water. Ned is sitting up on the couch. He holds an empty vial of prescription medicine. NED More bad news. ALLIE What is it? NED I'm out of my medicine. I have to get to a drug store and get my prescription filled. I have it on me. ALLIE Are you okay to move? NED Not really. I'm going to need your help again. I feel like such a burden. ALLIE Don't be ridiculous. Give me your prescription. NED I don't want to-- ALLIE Ned, give it to me. I'll be back in half an hour. NED You're an angel. He holds out a slip of paper, the prescription. When she take it, he gently takes her wrist and pulls her forward. He kisses her on the cheek. NED For your trouble. Allie almost blushes. ALLIE I'll put it on the table beside the couch. To your right. She puts the water down. NED I insist on buying you dinner for this. Maybe we could go dancing. ALLIE Dinner would be nice. NED Do you tango? She has to smile. ALLIE I'll be right back. She exits. Ned sits, listening. Then he stands. He moves without his walking stick to the window and looks down. EXT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - DAY Allie comes out of the apartment. She looks relaxed, happy. She hurries down the street. Above at the window, Ned is looking down at her. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Ned takes off his dark glasses. His eyes are clear. He isn't blind. He reaches into his sportscoat and brings out a folded cloth bag. He snaps it open. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY Ned empties Allie's jewelry box into the bag. INT. DRUGSTORE - COUNTER - DAY A PHARMACIST is looking at the prescription. Allie waits at the counter. PHARMACIST Is this for you? ALLIE For a friend. Is there a problem? PHARMACIST I've never heard of this. ALLIE It's for someone who is blind. He's feeling dizzy. PHARMACIST Let me call the physician. He leaves. Allie looks nervous. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Ned takes more valuables and puts them in the bag. INT. DRUGSTORE - COUNTER - DAY The pharmacist returns. PHARMACIST This number is no longer in service. A light bulb goes on over Allie's head. EXT. NYC - STREET - DAY Allie races down the street to her apartment. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - DAY She rushes in. The apartment is empty. ALLIE Ned? She sees something missing on a mantel. She rushes to the spot. She looks around wildly, looking for what else is missing. INT. ALLIE'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY She hurries into the bedroom. This is where most of the damage has been done. She sees her empty jewel box. She closes her eyes. INT. BAR - NIGHT Allie and Carol sit at a table over drinks. ALLIE How could I have been so gullible? CAROL Don't torture yourself. If you can't trust a blind man, who the hell can you trust? ALLIE He probably planned this for weeks. I mean, he's been at that cafe every day for almost a month. I bet he was just setting me up the whole time. CAROL You have to admire his creativity. ALLIE Carol! CAROL In a perverted sort of way. ALLIE I feel like I've been violated. I feel like I've been raped. SUPER: "SIX MONTHS LATER" EXT. NYC - DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD - STREET - DAY Allie has moved. She walks down the street with a sack of groceries. Across the street is another sidewalk cafe. Allie stops, noticing something. Ned is sitting alone at a table. He's wearing dark glasses and the walking stick leans against the table. Allie can't believe her eyes. Still holding the sack of groceries, she maneuvers her cell phone out of her purse. She punches a number with one hand. ALLIE Get to the cafe ASAP. I'm across the street. ... Carol, it's an emergency. ... It's too complicated to explain on the phone. Just get here! She hangs up. EXT. NYC - SIDEWALK CAFE #2 - DAY Ned sips coffee at his table. At a table nearby, A YOUNG WOMAN studies him curiously. EXT. NYC - STREET ACROSS FROM CAFE #2 - DAY Allie still spies on Ned. Carol arrives. CAROL This better be good. ALLIE That's him. Sitting alone, in the dark glasses. CAROL Who? You've been stalking someone? Is he cute? ALLIE The burglar! The phony blind man! CAROL Oh my God ... Now she looks with renewed interest. CAROL What are you going to do? ALLIE I don't know. CAROL Call the cops. ALLIE A lot they did the first time. Ned gets up and prepares to go. ALLIE He's leaving. I'm following him. CAROL Are you crazy? ALLIE Here. She hands the sack of groceries to Carol. ALLIE I'll pick them up on my way home. CAROL You're out of your mind! Ned heads off down the street, making his way like a blind man. Allie follows from across the street. CAROL (after her) This could be dangerous! Allie ignores her. EXT. NYC - STREET - DAY Ned continues making his "blind man's way" down the street. Allie follows him from across the street. At a corner, she crosses and starts following behind him. Suddenly Ned hails a cab. He gets in. The cab takes off as Allie runs up. She hails a cab herself. The cab swerves to the curb. INT. CAB - DAY Allie opens the door and gets in. ALLIE Follow that cab! CABBY Lady, you know how many times a day I hear that? EXT. /INT. VARIOUS STREETS - DAY One cab follows the other. Allie leans forward, nervous, winging it here. EXT. NYC - ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY Ned's cab pulls to the curb. INT. ALLIE'S CAB - DAY Allie leans forward. ALLIE Stop here! EXT. NYC - ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY Ned enters an apartment building. Allie gets out of her cab and cautiously follows him into the building. INT. NYC - APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY Allie enters just as Ned disappears into a room down a long hallway. She slowly moves forward. The door suddenly opens. Allie turns her back at a door, pretending to be looking for her key. Down the hallway Ned comes out of the apartment along with HIS WIFE and A BOY. They start down the hallway toward Allie. Allie keeps her back turned, digging through her purse. The family passes her. BOY Dad, can we get pizza? NED Pizza, it is. Allie waits until they are out of the building. She turns around and takes a deep breath. INT. POLICE DEPT - OFFICE - DAY A POLICE DETECTIVE wearing a civilian suit sits at a desk. He is looking at a form. Across the desk sits Allie. POLICE DETECTIVE Let me ask you -- can you prove this is the guy? I mean more than your opinion. Does he have something of yours, that you can prove is yours? ALLIE I don't know. He may have sold everything. POLICE DETECTIVE Like I told you six months ago, most of these guys, we can't build a case strong enough. ALLIE So what do I do? POLICE DETECTIVE You move on. EXT. NYC - STREET - DAY Carol walks Allie home. Allie is carrying her sack of groceries. CAROL I mean, look at the murders they can't solve. Burglars are a low priority. ALLIE I can't let him get away with it. CAROL Maybe he's right, you should move on. You were doing great until you saw him. ALLIE He's setting up someone else. I think I know who it is. CAROL Who? ALLIE She was at a table nearby. I've seen her around lately, she must be new in the neighborhood. She wears good jewelry. CAROL I've never seen this side of you before. The Sherlock Holmes complex. They reach Carol's Apartment. ALLIE Want to come in? CAROL I'm having a drink with someone. ALLIE Joe? Carol sheepishly nods. ALLIE Carol, I thought you were through with him. CAROL Guess not. ALLIE This is sick. You're addicted to him. CAROL Look who's talking. ALLIE Justice is not an addiction. CAROL It feels more like revenge. ALLIE I know what I'm doing. I need a favor. CAROL No. ALLIE Carol! CAROL What? ALLIE I need to borrow your apartment. Don't ask me why, you'll disapprove. I'm your best friend. That's reason enough to say yes. ... Carol? CAROL (weakly) Yes. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - BATHROOM - DAY Allie looks at herself in the mirror. She seems to be trying to picture herself as someone else. A SERIES OF SHOTS as Allie goes shopping at various stores for a "makeover." 1. She tries on various wigs and chooses one. 2. She models clothing that is much "slinkier" than anything she would normally wear. 3. She tries on a different brand of perfume. 4. Back at home, she administers a different style of makeup. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - BATHROOM - DAY She stands before the mirror again, completely madeover. She has less class, more flamboyance. EXT. NYC - SIDEWALK CAFE #2 - DAY Allie, in her makeover, sits at a table. The young woman from before is sitting nearby. Ned enters the area. Allie goes to him. ALLIE There's an empty table this way. She takes his hand and leads him to a table. The young woman watches with interest. Allie stares at her. EXT. SIDEWALK CAFE #2 - TABLE - DAY They reach an empty table. ALLIE Here we go. NED Thank you so much. I love your perfume. ALLIE Would you mind of I join you? NED I'd like that. Both sit down. A SERIES OF SHOTS of Allie and Ned getting to know one another over the next hour. Talking, laughing. Allie is touching him a lot, very flirtatious. Then Ned tries to stand, becomes weak, and Allie rushes around the table as she did the first time. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Allie leads Ned into her apartment. NED Nancy, you're so sweet. ALLIE The divan is straight ahead. I'll get you a glass of water so you can take your medicine. NED I'm actually feeling a little better-- But she's already gone. Ned makes his way to the divan and sits down. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - DAY Allie pours a glass of water. She's looking very devious. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Allie returns with the water. ALLIE Where's your medicine? Ned takes out the empty vial. NED I don't believe this. ALLIE Do you have a prescription? I'll get you a refill. It won't take long. NED Are you sure? ALLIE No problem. NED You're so sweet to me. I'll only do this if you let me take you to dinner. ALLIE I'd love it. Do you like to dance? NED I love to dance. ALLIE I do a mean tango. NED Really? ALLIE The prescription? NED Oh ... He takes it out and hands it to her. EXT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - DAY Allie comes out but waits on the porch. She takes a deep breath. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Ned gets up and takes off his glasses. He looks around. No window overlooking the front of the building this time. He takes out the cloth sack and snaps it open. EXT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - DAY Allie looks at her watch. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY Ned empties Carol's jewel box into the sack. EXT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - DAY Allie takes out her cell phone. She punches 911. ALLIE I want to report a burglary in progress. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Ned empties other valuables into the sack. EXT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - DAY Allie nervously waits on the porch. A TENANT comes out of the building (either sex, any age). ALLIE Excuse me! I need your help. TENANT Are you locked out? ALLIE No, I need you to wait here for the police. They're on their way. TENANT The police? Allie starts for the door. ALLIE Send them to room 105! She enters the building, leaving the Tenant with her mouth open. INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - HALLWAY - DAY Allie makes her way down the hallway. She reaches the door. She takes a pistol out of her purse, then hides the gun behind her. INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Ned is just finishing up. Suddenly the door opens and Allie enters. Ned is caught with the bag in his hand, his glasses off, his eyes clear. ALLIE Ned? NED You step aside, Nancy, and no one will get hurt here. Allie shows the gun. ALLIE I called the police. Ned stops, cognizant of the gun. He studies her. NED How did you know? Allie pulls off her wig. ALLIE Recognize me? It was at a cafe across town, six months ago. NED What's your name? ALLIE Allie. NED That's why I recognized the perfume. ALLIE This scam of yours is about as low as it gets. Why can't you just rob people like normal crooks? You have to get a person's sympathy first? NED I don't know what to tell you, Allie. ALLIE They're going to put you away for a long time. NED Well, I hear the jails are pretty crowded. Do you mind if I sit down while we're waiting? ALLIE The police are already on their way. Go ahead. NED Thank you. In his gesture to sit down, Ned suddenly slings the sack of goodies at Allie. She is startled enough for him to grab her and take the gun away. He twists her arm behind her back. ALLIE You're hurting me. NED Not half as hurt as you'll be if you try anything. EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY The tenant waits outside, not sure what to do. INT. MARY'S APT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Ned still has the gun on Allie and leads her to the door. He also has retrieved the sack of goodies. ALLIE Where are we going? NED You're my ticket out of here. EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY The door opens. Ned and Allie come outside. NED Back off! The tenant, scared to death, does so. NED No one has to get hurt here ... He's leading Allie down the stairs. Allie surreptitiously reaches into her purse for something. A SIREN SOUNDS in the distance, the police on their way. Ned is distracted by the sound, and Allie takes advantage of the moment to swing around and spray him with a can of mace. She keeps spraying, getting Ned in the face. Ned drops the gun and sack of stolen goodies. His hands go to his eyes. NED I can't see! The SIRENS come closer. NED I'm blind, I can't see! Ned holds out his arms like a man terrified of his near surroundings, a man terrified of darkness. Allie watches, smiling. The SIRENS are closer still. EXT. NYC - SIDEWALK CAFE #2 - DAY Allie sits at a table. Carol and JOE are standing. Carol shows off a diamond engagement ring. ALLIE It's beautiful. CAROL And authentic. JOE I'd be a dead man to try and slip a phony stone past this one. CAROL Oh, you. (to Allie) Bring someone to the party. ALLIE I'll just come alone. CAROL (to Joe) We need to fix her up. ALLIE You need to do no such thing. CAROL I'll call you. Have you ever seen me so happy? And they are gone. Allie finishes her coffee. She stands up to go. Turning, she runs smack into A BLIND MAN. He almost knocks her down. BLIND MAN I'm so sorry! ALLIE That's all right ... BLIND MAN You're sure? ALLIE I'm fine. BLIND MAN At least let me buy you a cup of coffee. Allie freezes. She studies him. He's nice looking. But is he sincere? BLIND MAN Please. The blind man smiles. Allie still doesn't answer. FADE OUT