PHILADELPHIA

He switches off the overhead light. He slants the window
blinds, filling the room with shadow

Bob Seidman comes into the office, typically cheerful.

                              SEIDMAN
                    C'mon, Andy, you didn't lose
                    anything...

Seidman is struck by the mess in the office, and Andrew's
disheveled appearance.

                              SEIDMAN (CONT.)
                    Jesus.

                              ANDREW
                    I don't know what to do, Bob.

                              SEIDMAN
                    You'll never find it in the dark.

Seidman FLIPS ON the overhead light. Andrew flinches.

Seidman approaches. Andrew gives up trying to hide the
purple blotches, facing his mentor straight on.

                              SEIDMAN (CONT.)
                    What in God's name... ?

                              ANDREW
                    Bob...

                              SEIDMAN
                    What's wrong with your face?

                              ANDREW
                    What's wrong with my face? You
                    want to know what's wrong with
                    my face? I've got a skin
                    condition. Next question, Bob?
                    No more questions? Fine. Now
                    can you help me find the complaint?

                              SEIDMAN
                    Allright. Calm down.

                              ANDREW
                    Sorry...

Seidman sits in front of Andy's computer.

                              SEIDMAN
                    What was the file name?

                              ANDREW
                    K-R-O-one.

                              SEIDMAN
                    Maybe you mistyped the name when
                    you were saving it. We'll try
                    combinations of those letters...

Seidman goes to work. Andrew leans over his shoulder.

                              ANDREW
                    You're right, I probably just
                    misfiled...

                              KENTON (O.S.)
                    Andy?

Walter Kenton is standing at Andrew's door. His demeanor is
casual. So casual it seems a little forced.

                              KENTON (CONT.)
                    Some sort of problem?

Andrew has kept his face averted. But now he TURNS DIRECTLY
TOWARD CAMERA, showing his face to Kenton.

                              ANDREW
                    Yeah, Walter. Yeah. Some sort of
                    major problem.

HOLD ON THIS CLOSE UP OF ANDREW...

SOUND OF A BABY CRYING CROSSES THE CUT TO:

A NEWBORN BEING LIFTED INTO A DOCTOR'S HANDS (INT./DAY) ...

                              DOCTOR
                    There she is, okay. You can relax
                    now, Lisa.

LISA MILLER has just given birth to a baby girl. She
collapses on her pillow, gasping for breath, moaning in
pain, quietly crying a little.

TITLE: "One month later."

The NURSES and the (FEMALE) DOCTOR move professionally
around the bed, doing their jobs.

At Lisa's side, Joe fumbles with a camera while darting
amazed looks back and forth between Lisa and the baby.

                              JOE
                    Oh my god... a girl... oh my
                    god... Lisa... oh my god...

He's frantic.

                              JOE (CONT.)
                    You load the film... ? No, on
                    this side... or this side?
                    Don't move the baby!

                              LISA
                    Give me the camera, Joe.

Lisa pops the film into the camera, hands it back.

                              JOE
                    Thanks, hon. Oh my god...

With wildly trembling hands, Joe begins SNAPPING PHOTOS.

                              JOE (CONT.)
                    Oh my god... oh my god, look at
                    her... oh my god...

                                                  CUT TO:

JOE, WALKING THE HOSPITAL CORRIDOR, STILL WEARING SURGEON'S
greens, SPEAKING INTO HIS PORTABLE PHONE (INT./DAY) ...

                              JOE
                    Go to Famous Fourth Street and
                    buy a pound of Nova. No! She
                    likes Scotch salmon better. Ah
                    heck, get a pound of both! Get
                    a dozen onion rolls. Get some
                    bagels. Get a dozen. Get a
                    bottle of champagne. Dom
                    Peringon... A hundred bucks a
                    bottle?! Better get a good
                    California...

Passing a PATIENT IN TRACTION, ROLLING BY ON A GURNEY, Joe
drops a business card into the PATIENT'S broken hand.

                              JOE (CONT.)
                         (to the PATIENT)
                    Give me a call.
                         (into the phone)
                    Get everything over here as soon
                    as you can, she's starved. No,
                    not the baby! Lisa! ... Iris,
                    listen: any calls I should know
                    about? ... Uh huh... Uh huh...
                    Beckett? Who's Andrew Beckett?

Turning a corner, Joe comes face to face with HIS RELATIVES,
who charge at him joyfully:

                              JOE'S MOTHER/AUNTS/UNCLES, ETC.
                    Congratulations! How is Lisa?!
                    When can we see the baby?!

                                                  CUT TO:

QUIET... JOE, LISA AND THEIR BABY CUDDLED TOGETHER IN
Lisa's hospital bed, surrounded by debris from a party,
paper plates, empty champagne bottle (INT./NIGHT) ...

The relatives have gone. It's late at night.

Lisa holds the baby. Joe holds them both.

                                                  CUT TO:

AN INTERSECTION IN THE HEART OF OLD, DOWNTOWN PHILLY: A
movie palace (now a six-plex) across the street from the
Peter Pan Coffee Shop, PHILADELPHIA WORKERS going about the
business of the day (EXT./DAY) ...

TITLE: "One week later."

Above the Peter Pan Coffee Shop is a string of large
windows, each of which is painted with a question:

HEART ATTACK? ACCIDENT? MEDICAL MALPRACTICE? DOG BITE?

In bigger letters, across several windows:

D I A L 1 8 0 0 A - L A W Y E R

We hear JOE MILLER'S VOICE-OVER:

                              JOE (OS)
                    How big was this hole you fell
                    into?

                                        CONTINUOUS CUT TO:

A HALLWAY BULLETIN BOARD ANNOUNCING THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS of
"Macready and Shilts Legal Services" (INT./DAY), including
"Auto/DUI/Collisions with Deer... Product liability... Medical
malpractice... Pet bites..."

The bulletin board stands at the entrance to a warehouse of
lawyers' cubicles formed by office dividers and plastic ferns...

PHONES JANGLING... INJURED CLIENTS LIMPING ABOUT...

                              JOE (OS) (CONT.)
                    And this hole was right in the
                    middle of the street?

                                        CONTINUOUS CUT TO:

JOE IS IN HIS OFFICE, A BOX OF CIGARS ON THE DESK WITH PINK
bands announcing "It's a girl!" (INT./DAY). On the walls are
photos of INJURED CLIENTS (the same photos we saw in the
background of Joe's TV commercial)...

A FEMALE CLIENT (MRS. FINLEY) faces Joe, her arm in a sling.

                              MRS. FINLEY
                    Right.

                              JOE
                    Why didn't you cross at the
                    crosswalk?

                              MRS. FINLEY
                    Why should I?

                                        CONTINUOUS CUT TO:

ANDREW IS SEEN FROM BEHIND, SITTING ON A SOFA IN THE WAITING
area. Very little hair shows beneath a Phillies ballcap...

A MAN WEARING A NECKBRACE, sitting next to Andrew, RISES,
MOVING to a seat opposite Andrew. From this new position the
MAN WITH THE NECKBRACE STARES at Andrew.

MAN WITH NECKBRACE'S POV:

The PURPLE BLOTCHES on Andrew's face are beginning,to recede,
not as angry looking as before, thanks to chemo therapy.
Andrew is dressed casually, in jeans and a softball jacket
(from the Wyant Wheeler team) with "Andy" embroidered over the
heart.

Joe's assistant, IRIS, approaches.

                              IRIS
                    Mr. Beckett?

Andrew rises, following Iris past office dividers, HARRIED
SECRETARIES and overflowing file cabinets.

Iris cannot look at Andrew as she walks beside him.

(Outside Joe's door is a sign: "Beware Mad Dog" with "Mad"
written by hand.)

                              IRIS (CONT.)
                    In here.

                              ANDREW
                    Thank you.

                                        CONTINUOUS CUT TO:

ANDREW STEPS INTO JOE'S OFFICE (INT./DAY). ANDREW GLANCES
at the photos while Joe wraps up...

                              JOE
                         (to the FEMALE CLIENT)
                    Explain this to me like I'm a
                    six year old, okay? The entire
                    street is clear except for one
                    small area under construction,
                    with a huge hole that is clearly
                    marked and blocked off, and you
                    decide you must cross the street
                    at this spot. You fall into the
                    hole and you want to sue the
                    city for negligence? ...

                              MRS. FINLEY
                    Yeah. Do I have a case?

                              JOE
                    Of course you have a case! Now,
                    I want you to go with my
                    assistant, Iris, and fill out
                    some forms. She'll tell you
                    about our fee arrangement.
                         (as they're leaving)
                    Mrs. Finley? Any back pain
                    since the accident? Dizziness?
                    Nightmares?

                              MRS. FINLEY
                    Now that you mention it...

                              JOE
                    Tell Iris all about it.
                         (leading her out)
                    Take good care of Mrs. Finley,
                    Iris.
                         (to Andrew)
                    Beckett, come in.

Joe offers his hand, getting a look at Andrew's face.

                              JOE (CONT.)
                    Jesus Christ, what happened to you?

                              ANDREW
                    I have AIDS.

Joe WITHDRAWS his hand, before it touches Andrew's.

                              JOE
                    Whoa-oh!
                         (beat)
                    Sorry, I...

                              ANDREW
                    It's okay. Can I sit down?

                              JOE
                    Uh, yeah.

Andrew hesitates. Joe doesn't sound sure.

                              JOE (CONT.)
                    Go ahead.

Andrew sits, Joe returns to his desk. (Joe finds himself
acutely aware of where Andrew places his hands.)

                              ANDREW
                         (the cigars)
                    New baby?

                              JOE
                    One week old.

                              ANDREW
                    Congratulations.

                              JOE
                    Little baby girl.

                              ANDREW
                    Kids are great.

                              JOE
                    Thanks, Beckett. I'm real
                    excited about it.
                         (glances at his watch)
                    What can I do for you?

                              ANDREW
                    I was fired by Wyant Wheeler. I
                    plan to bring a wrongful
                    termination suit against Charles
                    Wheeler and his partners.

                              JOE
                    You want to sue Wyant Wheeler
                    Hellerman Tetlow and Brown?

                              ANDREW
                    Correct. I'm seeking
                    representation.

                              JOE
                    Continue.

                              ANDREW
                    I misplaced an important
                    complaint. That's their story.
                    Want to hear mine?

                              JOE
                    How many lawyers did you go to,
                    before you called me?

                              ANDREW
                    Nine.

                              JOE
                    Continue.

                              ANDREW
                    I was diagnosed with AIDS eight
                    months ago. During a bout of
                    pneumonia. I recovered quickly
                    and was back at work in ten
                    days. Since I was doing so well
                    on the AZT, we decided against
                    telling anyone about it.

                              JOE
                    We?

                              ANDREW
                    My lover and I.

                              JOE
                    Your... lover?

                              ANDREW
                    Miguel Alvarez. We've lived
                    together for nine years.

                              JOE
                    Continue.

                              ANDREW
                    I dove back into work,
                    everything was fine. Until the
                    lesions started...

                              SUDDENLY PICTURE CUTS TO:

TIGHT ON ANDREW WAUKING THROUGH THE LOBBY OF THE WHEELER
Building (INT./DAY). He's wearing MAKEUP, which sort of
covers the blotches. (NOTE: PICTURE and ANDREW'S VOICE OVER
do NOT match up. This is no ordinary flashback) ...

                              ANDREW (VO) (CONT.)
                    First on my leg. Then my
                    forearm, my back. Then... my
                    face. For a short period, I
                    avoided the office during the
                    day, waiting for the chemo
                    therapy to clear up the
                    lesions...