Yogi the bear.

Billy was a normal boy of eight year of age in 1950 when he was infected with polio. Today we don’t even think about the terrors of polio and the children that suffered in iron lungs because they could not breath. When I was a young boy everyone would say you got polio from running around in the summer. Believe me I walked a lot to avoid polio or so I thought. The story about the Lion in the carpet is about a desperate boy who has a great imagination and he frees himself from the world of leg crutches and iron lungs to freely fly around. Here is a part of the Movie script from the Lion in the Carpet.

 

The Lion in the Carpet

By Dr. Pelham Mead III

(c)2018

Log-line: In the 1950’s, while sitting on the toilet, a young boy with polio

sees images of animals, especially a large headed Lion. The Lion, named

Leo, frees the young boy from his leg crutches and takes him on journeys

where they can walk through walls, fly the air, and appear invisible to

people.

1 1

ACT ONE- THE SCOURGE OF POLIO

SCENE 1- FREEPORT, LONG ISLAND, 2 NEW YORK, HOME OF 2

BILLY ALTON, 8 YEARS OF AGE.

Elizabeth is a thin blond haired woman with thin glasses. She is 5 feet 7

inches tall and has a New York accent. The Alton family lives in a two story

home with a finished attic and a little white fence around the entire property.

Freeport is on the south shore of Long Island, New York. The town is well

known for it’s commercial fishing boats.

ELIZABETH ALTON (38) MOTHER

Billy can you get the milk out of the milk

box for me?

Billy is a short eight year old boy with blond hair in a crew cut style. He is

pale white and thin boned.

BILLY ALTON (8)

Sure mom. What’s for breakfast mom?

ELIZABETH ALTON

How about your favorite oatmeal?

BILLY ALTON

Sounds great mom.

Robert is an older father with dark hair in a crew cut style. He served in

WWII in the Navy when he was younger. Now he is a furniture salesman in

Brooklyn.

ROBERT ALTON (40) FATHER

Is coffee ready honey? I have to take a cup

to go. I am late for my train into the city.

ELIZABETH ALTON

I’ll put your coffee in a travel mug Robert.

ROBERT ALTON

Fine, gotta run. See you tonight.

Robert runs out of the house and gets into his 1948 Studerbaker.

FADE OUT.

Six months later.

FADE IN:

BILLY ALTON

Mom I don’t feel well. Can I take a nap?

ElIZABETH ALTON

You are asking to take a nap? You must be

sick. Lay down and maybe you will feel

better later.

BILLY ALTON

Thanks mom.

FADE OUT.

A week later.

FADE IN:

ELIZABETH ALTON

Robert I am scared. Something is wrong

with Billy.

(MORE)

2.

He has been sick on and off for a whole

week. He is tried all the time and says he

feels weak and dizzy. Do you think I should

take him to the Doctor?

ROBERT ALTON

Better safe than sorry Liz. Maybe he is

coming down with a flu or something?

ELIZABETH ALTON

I will call Dr. Greenberg tomorrow for an

appointment for Billy.

FADE OUT.

The next day.

FADE IN:

ELIZABETH ALTON (CONT’D)

(On the phone) Hello Dr. Greenberg?

Alice Greene is a middle-aged woman with red hair and thick horn rimmed

glasses. She is short and thin.

MRS. ALICE GREENE (40) SECRETARY

Hello, may I ask why you are calling?

ELIZABETH ALTON

My son Billy has been sick for a week and I

want to schedule an appointment with Dr.

Greenberg to see him.

MRS. ALICE GREENE

We have 10:00 this Friday open Mrs. Alton.

ElIZABETH ALTON

That will be fine. Thank you. See you

Friday.

Friday arrives.

ELIZABETH ALTON (CONT’D)

Billy get dressed, we are going to see Dr.

Greenberg today.

ELIZABETH ALTON (CONT’D)

3.

BILLY ALTON

I feel so tired mom. Do we have to go to the

doctor?

ElIZABETH ALTON

Hurray and get dressed or I will dress you.

BiLLY ALTON

Ok mom, ok. I will get dressed.

ElIZABETH ALTON

We have an appointment at 10:00 and I

don’t want to be late.

The Altons leave in their car for the doctor’s office.

EliZABETH ALTON (CONT’D)

Hello, I am Mrs. Alton and this is Billy. We

have an appointment at 10:00 today.

Mrs. ALICE GREENE, Secretary

Yes, I have you down for an appointment at

10:00. Why don’t you and Billy have a seat

and the Doctor will be with you shortly.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Thank you.

BiLLY ALTON

Mom I feel weak and dizzy.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Be patient Billy. We will be seeing the

Doctor shortly. Maybe he will have some

medicine to make you feel better?

BiLLY ALTON

I hope so.

Doctor comes into the waiting room.

The Greenberg is an older Jewish man with grey hair and a mustache. He is

short and heavy set with dark brown eyes and a dark complexion.

4.

DR. SAM GREENBERG (60)

Good morning Mrs. Alton and Billy. Come

into my office please. Tell me Mrs. Alton

what is the problem with Billy?

ElIZABETH ALTON

Well Doctor Greenberg, Billy has been very

tired for weeks now and he says he is dizzy

and he feels weak. He was always an active

lad running around and climbing trees like

the other boys in the neighborhood.

DR. SAM GREENBERG

Let me take his blood pressure and

temperature first to see if he has any

problems.

Dr. Greenberg adjusts a blood pressure sleeve over Billy’s arm and pumps it

up.

DR. SAM GREENBERG (CONT’D)

His blood pressure is good at 120 over 72.

He has a slight fever of 99 and his heart rate

is 78. Nothing to be concerned about. I am

going to take a blood sample from Billy and

send it to the lab to see if he has any

illnesses that are blood borne. Look the

other way Billy. This wouldn’t hurt.

BILLY ALTON

Ouch. I hate needles.

DR. SAM GREENBERG

Well Mrs. Alton that is all I can do for now

until I get the blood sample analyzed. I will

call you as soon as I get the lab results back.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Thank you Dr. Greenberg. I look forward to

your call. Have a nice day.

5.

DR. SAM GREENBERG

Good buy Billy. Don’t worry we will find

out what is making you sick.

Elizabeth and Billy leave the office.

FADE OUT.

SCENE 2- INT. DAY- ALTON FAMILY 3 HOUSE IN FREEPORT, 3

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK.

FADE IN:

One week later Dr. Greenberg calls on the phone.

DR. SAM GREENBERG

Hello, Mrs. Alton. How are you doing

today? I have the results back from the lab

and they are not good I am afraid. Your son

has polio Mrs. Alton. I am very, very sorry.

ELIZABETH ALTON

Oh my God, what do we do? Is there a cure

for polio?

DR. SAM GREENBERG

There is no cure for polio I am afraid. I am

going to send you to Mercy hospital in

Hempstead. They specialize in polio cases.

Perhaps they have a medicine that will help

reduce the symptoms of polio? I am so

sorry.

ELIZABETH ALTON

(Crying) What am I going to do? Thank you

Doctor Greenberg. I will call Mercy hospital

for an appointment. I need to go now and

call my husband immediately with the bad

news. Thank you. Good bye.

DR. SAM GREENBERG

Good bye Mrs. Alton.

6.

Minutes later Elizabeth calls Robert at work.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Hello, Robert. It is me. I just got the report

from Dr. Greenberg. Robert I am out of my

mind. Billy has polio. My God what are we

going to do? (crying). I need you to come

home so we can discuss this. I am calling

Mercy hospital today for them to evaluate

Billy to confirm the diagnosis of Polio.

ROBERT ALTON

Oh my God. Jesus how can this happen to

us? Calm down Liz. I will leave work and

catch the first train home. Sit down and have

a cup of tea. I will be home in two hours.

Stay calm. We will take care of this

problem. Bye sweetie.

ELIZABETH ALTON

Come home quick Robert. Bye.

Robert leaves work and heads for the train to Penn station.

FADE OUT.

Two hours later Robert arrives home.

FADE IN:

ROBERT ALTON

Liz I am home. Where are you?

ElIZABETH ALTON

I am in the bedroom Robert.

ROBERT ALTON

Wow I got home in the fastest time yet. Now

let’s discuss what we must do regarding

Billy.

ElIZABETH ALTON

I called Mercy hospital and made an

appointment for next Tuesday.

(MORE)

7.

Can you take off from work and drive me to

Hempstead to the hospital with Billy?

ROBERT ALTON

Sure, honey. I will tell my boss I have a

medical emergency and I need to take a day

off. Is there a cure for polio Liz?

ElIZABETH ALTON

According to Doctor Greenberg there is no

cure for polio. Bedrest and mild pain killers

is all that is available. My God this is such a

horrible disease. I am afraid Billy might die.

ROBERT ALTON

Billy is not going to die, trust me. I will read

up on polio so that I will be informed when

we go to the hospital next week.

The next week the entire Alton family drive to Mercy hospital in

Hempstead, Long Island.

ROBERT ALTON (CONT’D)

OK, gang get in the car. We are off to the

hospital. Don’t worry Billy. Everything is

going to work out. Come on Liz. I will take

Meadow-brook parkway to get to Mercy

hospital.

FADE OUT.

Ten minutes later the Altons arrive at Mercy.

FADE IN:

RECEPTIONIST (30)

Can I help you sir?

ROBERT ALTON

Yes, my wife Elizabeth called for an

appointment last week. We are here with our

son Billy.

ElIZABETH ALTON (CONT’D)

8.

RECEPTIONIST

Yes I see you are scheduled to see Doctor

James Garfield Jr.. Let me call Doctor

Garfield and tell him you are here. Hello Dr.

Garfield, the Alton family are here to see

you in the lobby.

Dr. James Garfield is a younger doctor with dark brown hair and a full face

beard and dark rimmed glasses. He is 6 feet tall and thin. He speaks with an

Irish accent being born in Ireland.

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR. (45)

Hello, yes, I will be right down.

Minutes later.

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR. (CONT’D)

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Alton and Billy. Come

upstairs to my office and we will talk.

The Altons and Dr. Garfield walk up a flight of curved stairs to his office on

the second floor.

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR. (CONT’D)

I understand that Dr. Greenberg diagnosed

Billy from a blood test.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Yes, that is correct. He recommended we

bring Billy to Mercy hospital because you

specialize in Polio cases.

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR.

We are very proud of our Polio treatment

center here at Mercy. May I suggest we do

some additional tests and reconfirm the

blood test taken by Dr. Greenberg? Billy

you are going to go with the Nurse into the

lab room where we will take a blood sample

and do some test to determine whether you

have been diagnosed properly. OK, relax, no

one is going to hurt you. One of you parents

can accompany Billy to the lab is you want.

FADE OUT.

9.

One hour later.

FADE IN:

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR. (CONT’D)

Well I have the blood tests back and the

battery of tests we gave Billy to determine

whether he has polio or not. It seems he

definitely has the early stages of polio. This

illness is progressive and therefore, we must

take aggressive steps to stop or slow down

the decline in muscle function. It it travels to

his lungs he will have to be put in an iron

lung to survive the disease. In the meantime,

I am going to prescribe some medicine to try

and slow down the progress of the disease.

Billy is going to have to stay at home and

get home tutoring because the schools feel

polio can spread to other students.

ELIZABETH ALTON

I am shocked. This illness came out of no

where. We never expected Billy to come

down with polio.

ROBERT ALTON

We are going to survive and so is Billy. We

will take him where ever he needs to go for

treatment for polio.

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR.

As the illness progresses Billy will lose the

muscle strength in his legs to walk. We can

give him leg braces and crutches to walk

with when that happens. Hopefully, we can

contain the disease from spreading. No cure

is available at this time but there are many

clinics and hospitals around the Unites

States researching a cure. We will have you

visit with Billy once a week to monitor his

progress.

(MORE)

10.

Be positive, we can kick this problem in

time. Thank you for coming and we will see

you and Billy again next week.

FADE OUT.

The Altons leave Mercy hospital.

FADE IN:

BILLY ALTON

(In the car) Am I going to die of polio mom?

ELIZABETH ALTON

No Billy, we are going to fight this disease

with medicine and therapy at the hospital.

BILLY ALTON

What about school Mom?

ELIZABETH ALTON

We will get a tutor for you at home so that

you do not fall behind in your school work.

You will not be allowed to go to school

because they feel polio might spread. I will

pick up all your books from the school and

bring them home. Don’t worry Billy, we

will be fine.

FADE OUT.

ACT TWO- THE 4 LION IN THE CARPET 4

5 SCENE 1- THE ALTON FAMILY BATHROOM IN FREEPORT, 5

N. Y.

It has been two years since Billy was diagnosed with polio and he is 10 years

old now. The disease progressed to the point that Billy had to have leg

braces and crutches to walk around since his leg muscles could not support

his weight. The adjustment for Billy was very difficult with no friends to

talk or play with. He was treated as an outcast.

One day while Billy was in the bathroom on the toilet something strange

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR. (CONT’D)

11.

happened.

FADE IN:

BILLY ALTON

Mom, I am going to the bathroom can you

give me my crutches?

ELIZABETH ALTON

Sure Billy. Do you need help getting into the

bathroom?

BILLY ALTON

No Mom, I am fine.

With braces on his legs and crutches Billy drags his legs along with the help

of his crutches. After struggling, he finally sits down on the toilet trying to

catch his breath from the exertion of walking into the bathroom.

BILLY ALTON (CONT’D)

Finally, I made it to the toilet, mom. Close

the door Mom, please.

As Billy sits on the toilet he begins to focus on the high pile carpet under his

feet. Suddenly, he realized he could see the images of many animals in the

carpet. He focused his eyes even more and suddenly he was able to focus on

some of the images clearly. There was a wolf head, a bear, a deer and a huge

lion head with the full main. He stared at the Lion head for many minutes

noting the features of the lion’s eyes. Suddenly, the Lion roared.

LEO THE LION

Roar……(animal roaring sound) Boy am I

tired, just sitting here in the carpet with

nothing to do.

Billy almost fell off the toilet. He began to scream and then held back.

BILLY ALTON

Are you real? Am I dreaming? Perhaps the

polio has taken over my mind? Who are

you? What are you? Why is it I can hear you

talking but your mouth is not moving?

NOTE: Leo speaks to Billy in a telepathic manner. You can hear Leo’s voice

but his lips are not moving.

12.

LEO THE LION

Be not afraid little one. My name is Leo the

Lion. I have come to free you from this

bathroom, and this house. I can talk to you

from my mind to your mind. No need to use

my mouth.

BILLY ALTON

I cannot go anywhere Mr. Lion, I have

polio, and can walk only with leg braces and

crutches.

LEO THE LION

You are going to stand up now, and follow

me through the wall.

BILLY ALTON

Through the wall. Are you crazy? Now I

know this must be a dream.

LEO THE LION

Pull your pants up lad, and we are off. Come

follow me, and do not be afraid. We can

travel through walls and remain invisible to

anyone.

BILLY ALTON

OK I am going to try once, but if I fall back

it will be your fault.

LEO THE LION

Come and believe.

Billy stands up from the toilet and pulls his underwear and pants up and

buckles his belt.

BILLY ALTON

OK, Lion lead on.

LEO THE LION

Follow me lad.

Leo disappears through the wall and Billy reaches for his tail.

13.

BILLY ALTON

Wait for me. Let me grab your tail great

lion, for I am afraid.

LEO THE LION

So be it lad, be quick about it.

Both Leo and Billy are standing in the kitchen where his mother is cooking

supper but cannot see them.

LEO THE LION (CONT’D)

You see small one you made it through the

wall with no problem. We can see your

mother, but she cannot see us. Come follow

me, we will take a walk outside your house.

BILLY ALTON

We are we going Leo?

LEO THE LION

I am going to show you some of my friends

at the zoo.

BILLY ALTON

The zoo? The zoo is in the Bronx far away

and much to far to walk.

LEO THE LION

Follow me lad for we can fly through the air

unseen by anyone. Here we are at the

Elephant pen. Sheba are they feeding you

well today?

SHEBA THE ELEPHANT

Not as well as I expected Leo. Where have

you been lately. We missed you at the zoo.

LEO THE LION

I have been away Sheba. This is my friend

Billy. I am showing him the zoo today.

SHEBA THE ELEPHANT

That is good. Make sure you stop by the lion

cage. Many of the lions are mad that you

have been missing and they are still caged.

14.

LEO THE LION

I will speak with them Sheba. Kwaheri

Sheba.

SHEBA THE ELEPHANT

Tutsonana Leo.

BILLY ALTON

What does kwaheri mean Leo?

LEO THE LION

It means good bye, in Swahili.

BILLY ALTON

Oh?

LEO THE LION

Come we must visit my old friends in the

lion cage area.

FADE OUT.

Later

FADE IN:

LEO THE LION (CONT’D)

Moxie, M’wasi and Sukai, over here outside

the fence. It is I, Leo. I have returned to say

hello.

MOXIE THE LION

Well it is about time. Where have you been.

Everyone said you disappeared, and no one

knows where you went. What happened

Leo? Who is the human with you? We

thought you died Leo.

LEO THE LION

It is a long story. This is Billy, my human

friend. Be not afraid. Sukari how are you

today? You look tired.

15.

SUKARI THE LION

Yes, Leo I am tired. I am bored to death. If

only I had an elk or deer to chase down and

eat. They feed us the same old dirty meat.

LEO THE LION

I can bring you some raw hamburger meat if

you want it Sukari.

SUKARI THE LION

I would be indebted to you Leo for the fresh

meat.

W’WASI THE LION

Is it really you Leo? We though you were

dead and they buried you secretly outside

the zoo. Where have you been brother?

LEO THE LION

I have been around. Well time to move

along. Stay well my pride.

BILLY ALTON

Good bye lions.

LEO THE LION

Come Billy let’s get some fresh meat. I

know where the fresh hamburger meat is

kept for the cafeteria. Come follow me.

There is Ernie the gorilla over there. Hey

Ernie, I hear you have two children. Good

for you.

FADE OUT.

6 LATER 6

FADE IN:

ERNIE THE GORILLA

Leo, where have you been? Kumi, and Layla

and I have been getting it on. Two young

gorillas now. I am a poppa.

16.

LEO THE LION

Congratulations Ernie. This is Billy my

human friend. Stay healthy Ernie, you are

getting old. Come let’s us return home Billy.

Did you enjoy the day at the zoo?

BILLY ALTON

It was great Leo. Thanks. I never get out

anymore.

Minutes later Billy awakes from falling asleep on the toilet.

BILLY ALTON (CONT’D)

My legs are asleep. Ouch…how am I going

to stand? I cannot feel anything. Oh, now I

can feel a little. My feet must have fallen

asleep. Where was I? What happened?

Billy gets his crutches and struggles to leave the bathroom.He never tells his

parents about what happened in the bathroom for fear they will think he was

crazy.

FADE OUT.

A month goes by.

FADE IN:

SCENE 2- INT. DAY- ALTON 7 FAMILY BATHROOM 7

Leo the Lion returns one day.

LEO THE LION

Wake up Billy, Open your eyes. You are

falling asleep on the toilet. It is me Leo the

Lion. I’ve come back to see how you are

doing?

BILLY ALTON

I thought you would never come back.

Where have you been?

LEO THE LION

Come with me Billy and we will travel

again. Grab onto my tail. Follow me.

17.

BILLY ALTON

Where are we going?

LEO THE LION

We will stop here for a few minutes.

BILLY ALTON

But this is my parent’s bedroom? I am not

supposed to be here.

LEO THE LION

Your parents cannot see or hear us Billy, so

you are safe. Let’s hear what they have to

say.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

ROBERT ALTON

Elizabeth, I am getting tired of all the stress

we are having over medical bills with

Billy’s polio. Maybe we should take him to

foster care?

ELIZABETH ALTON

How can you say that about your only son?

You are a pig for being so selfish. There is

still a chance that Billy can be cured or

healed enough to walk again like normal

children. Do you think it is easy for me

everyday watch Billy in pain and unable to

walk easily?

ROBERT ALTON

I want a divorce, this is too much stress for

me. I even started to drink I am so sad and

angry over this whole polio thing. What am

I to do Elizabeth? I am at my wits end and

all we do is argue and fight all the time. This

has to stop.

BILLY ALTON

(Begins to cry) I am so sad Leo.

18.

LEO THE LION

Come on Billy I think we have seen enough.

Come with me and we will take a trip to the

movies. You can see my buddy Aldo the

lion open up the MGM movie screen.

BILLY ALTON

You know the Lion in the MGM movies?

Wow that is great.

LEO THE LION

Don’t worry my little friend there are better

things to worry about. Come let us return to

the Bronx Zoo and visit my pride.

Flying through the air.

BILLY ALTON

Wow this is cool. Flying like a bird.

LEO THE LION

Billy this is my pride, Buela, Mateo and

Matta. The other lion over there by the fence

is Thor. He is one of my brothers. Come

let’s go talk with Thor, my brother.

THOR THE LION

Well Leo, where have you been? It is so

boring in this small cage. Nothing to hunt

and old rotten meat is all they fee us.

LEO THE LION

You are aging well my brother Thor. This is

Billy, my friend.

THOR THE LION

Can we eat the human Leo?

LEO THE LION

No, he is not for eating Thor. Come Billy

let’s talk to Buela, Mateo and Matta.

(MORE)

19.

How are you women doing?

BUELA THE LION

Nice of you to come visit us Leo. What have

you been up to?

LEO THE LION

I have been around.

MATTA THE LION

We have missed you Leo. All we do is sleep

and eat everyday. Mateo wants to hunt but

there is nothing to hunt except sparrows.

LEO THE LION

Be glad you don’t have to hunt everyday

woman.

MATEO THE LION

If I could just get my teeth on a juicy deer or

elk. Where have you been Leo? We thought

you were dead.

LEO THE LION

I am still around ladies. Take care for now.

Oh, this is Billy a friend of mine.

Later they return home.

BILLY ALTON

Will I see you again Leo?

LEO THE LION

When the need is great little one I will

appear again. Be well.

FADE OUT.

LEO THE LION (CONT’D)

20.

SCENE 2- INT. 8 DAY- THE IRON LUNG 8

Billy’s polio condition takes a turn for the worse.

Dr. JAMES GARFIELD JR.

Mr. And Mrs. Alton. It has been two years

now and I am afraid we are going to have to

put Billy in an iron lung to help him breath.

His breathing muscles have gotten weaker

and weaker. We can have an iron lung

leased to be use in your home instead of

keeping him in the hospital and racking up a

giant hospital bill for expenses.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Iron lung, oh my God. How can it be? He

was supposed to get better.

DR. SAM GREENBERG

He may still recover if his chest muscles can

fight the disease and return to normal.

Meanwhile, this is a temporary setback.

Later that day.

BILLY ALTON

Mother is it true, are they going to put me in

an iron lung?

ElIZABETH ALTON

Yes Billy. We need to do this to help you

breathe. Once your chest muscles can return

to normal by fighting the polio virus we can

take you out of the iron lung.

BILLY ALTON

I am afraid mom.

Technicians arrive at Billy’s house that day and he is placed into an iron

lung to help his breathing. That same night.

In the middle of the night Leo reappears in the living room where the iron

lung is located.

21.

LEO THE LION

(Lion roar) Hello little one. How are you

doing?

BILLY ALTON

Oh you scared me Leo. I am afraid I am

going to die in this iron lung, and never

recover.

LEO THE LION

I can free you from the iron lung for a little

while little one. Come with me and we will

travel to New York City and wander through

Central park.

BILLY ALTON

How cool is this flying so high?

LEO THE LION

Here we are in Central Park in Manhattan.

Sit here on the bench little one. No one can

see us so don’t worry that you are still in

your pajamas.

BILLY ALTON

You know Leo my father used to beat me

with a belt when I did something bad or lied.

FADE OUT.

SCENE 3- INT. DAY- FLASHBACK 9 TO EARLIER TIMES. 9

Billy flashes back in his mind to an incident in years before

Polio in which he was whipped by his father. Billy is age 7.

FADE IN:

BILLY ALTON

Here comes the Peter Wheat bread truck

mom. Can you buy a pie from him mom?

ELIZABETH ALTON

We don’t have enough money for pie this

week Billy. Maybe next week?

22.

MR. BROWN, THE PETER WHEAT

TRUCK DRIVER (40)

Bread, pies, cookies for sale. Who wants

some fresh Peter Wheat white bread? (Rings

bell) Ding ding. How about you Mrs.

Logan?

BILLY ALTON

I will just go around the back of the Peter

Wheat truck and steal a pie for myself while

the driver is busy with Mrs. Logan. Wow,

look at all the pies and he left the door of the

truck open. I will just take one blueberry pie.

Got it …run..run.

Billy runs away into the local woods and sits down on a log and eats the

whole blueberry pie.

BILLY ALTON (CONT’D)

Boy this blueberry pie is great. I need to get

home or mom will notice me missing.

Billy returns home to find the Peter Wheat man at his house.

BILLY ALTON (CONT’D)

Uh oh the Peter Wheat man is at my house.

Boy am I in trouble.

MR. BROWN, THE PETER WHEAT TRUCK

DRIVER

Yes that is right Mrs. Alton. I am missing a

blueberry pie and I saw your son Billy

running away into the woods.

ELIZABETH ALTON

There you are Billy. Where have you been.

What is that blue stain on your face. Oh,

Billy did you steal a blueberry pie from the

Peter Wheat truck?

MR. BROWN, THE PETER WHEAT TRUCK

DRIVER

That will be $2.95 Mrs. Alton for the

blueberry pie.

23.

ELIZABETH ALTON

Here you are Mr. Brown $2.95, all I have in

the coin jar. Billy your are in big trouble

when your father gets home tonight. Go to

your room and stay there. No supper or TV

tonight.

BILLY ALTON

Oh Mom please. I didn’t mean to do it.

Don’t tell dad. He will beat me.

FADE OUT.

Later that night Billy’s day comes home from work.

FADE IN:

ROBERT ALTON

Hi everyone, I am home.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Robert we had a problem today. Billy stole a

blueberry pie from the Peter Wheat truck. I

had to pay for the pie with my loose change.

You need to speak to him.

ROBERT ALTON

Billy come here. What happened today.

BILLY ALTON

Nothing Dad.

ROBERT ALTON

Your mother tells me you stole a blueberry

pie from the Peter Wheat truck today. Is that

true? What have we told you about stealing?

BILLY ALTON

No to steal. Please dad don’t beat me.

ROBERT ALTON

Go in the bathroom and drop your pants and

I will be right in.

24.

BILLY ALTON

Please don’t beat me dad.

ROBERT ALTON

Get in the bathroom. I work hard all day to

come home to this nonsense.

Robert goes into the bathroom.

ROBERT ALTON (CONT’D)

Bend over Billy. (Robert takes a shaving

strap off the back of the door and begins to

beat Billy on the bare behind) Take that and

that.

BLLY ALTON

Ouch, (crying) You are hurting me.

ROBERT ALTON

Now, go to your bed.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

LEO THE LION

When you are in pain or having bad dreams

remember this little poem Billy. Lion lift

me up, Lion make me tough, but not rough,

Lion take me away this day. If you repeat

this phase again, and again, I will come to

save you.

Billy and Leo return home and back the iron lung.

FADE OUT.

ACT THREE- THE 10 BEAR IN THE CARPET 10

SCENE 1- INT. DAY-BILL RECOVERS FROM POLIO ENOUGH TO

BE TAKEN OFF THE IRON LUNG.

25.

A year later Dr. Garfield visits the Alton house.

FADE IN:

DR. JAMES GARFIELD JR.

Well, Mrs. Alton it is a miracle but your son

seems to have beaten polio for now. His

lungs are working normally, and his chest

muscles are working normally. I am having

Billy taken off the iron lung and we will try

having him breath normally by himself. The

prognosis for Billy’s recovery looks better

than ever. He will still have to wear the leg

braces and use crutches to walk, but other

than that he may be able to return to school

someday.

ELIZABETH ALTON

Thank God. Than you Doctor Garfield for

everything you have done for Billy.

BILLY ALTON

Mom look at me. They took me out of the

iron lung. I feel much stronger now. I can’t

wait to go back to school someday.

ElIZABETH ALTON

In time, Billy, be patient. In time you will

return to school. Let’s take it one day at a

time.

Later that day Billy uses his crutches to go to the bathroom. While sitting on

the toilet Billy is hoping to see Leo the Lion while staring at the carpet.

BILLY ALTON

Where are you Leo? I can’t find you in the

carpet. Wait, what is that? Is it a Bear head?

Really? A bear?

The image of a Bear head rises out of the carpet and suddenly a full size bear

appears.

26.

YOGI THE BEAR

Hello Billy. I am Yogi the Bear. I see you

are recovering from polio finally. I am

happy for you.

BILLY ALTON

Wow, you are a real bear standing here in

my bathroom. Where is Leo the Lion?

YOGI THE BEAR

Leo cannot be with us today. Maybe next

time? Yeah it is a little small in here. Come

lets go on a trip. Let’s visit some of your

neighbors. Remember your friend Sally

Smith?

BILLY ALTON

Yes, Sally was my friend in school. Are we

going to visit Sally Yogi?

YOGI THE BEAR

Follow me through this wall. We are going

to take a short flight over to your neighbors

house, the Smiths where Sally lives.

Yogi and Billy enter the Smith house.

SALLY SMITH (11)

Mother why did Billy come down with

polio?

BEATRICE SMITH (30)MOTHER

It is God’s will that Billy was stricken with

Polio Sally.

SALLY SMITH

Will Billy get better mom?

BEATRICE SMITH

Probably not. There is no cure Sally.

BILLY ALTON

( A tear begins to form in Billy’s eye) Oh,

Sally.

27.

YOGI THE BEAR

Most people do not have any hope when it

comes to polio because they really do not

understand that it is a virus. Come we have a

lot of flying to do.

BILLY ALTON

Where are we going Yogi?

YOGI THE BEAR

You will see Billy. Hold my paw and we are

off.

They fly through the air to India where a young boy the same age as Billy is

searching for food in the city dump of Calcutta. He is so poor that he is

considered an untouchable by other Indian boys and girls.

BILLY ALTON

Where are we Yogi?

YOGI THE BEAR

We are in Calcutta, India. That young indian

boy over there in the garbage pile is called

Benjee.

DAK (9) INDIAN BOY

Tahd stay away from that boy Benjee. He is

an untouchable.

TAHD (9) INDIAN BOY

I wouldn’t go near him Dak.

BILLY ALTON

What are untouchables Yogi?

YOGI THE BEAR

The indian society is a caste society, and on

the bottom of the rung is the Untouchables,

the lowest of the low. In the Hindu religion

the poor are often untouchables. Other

castes fear that the untouchables carry

disease with them.

28.

BENJEE (10) INDIAN BOY,

UNTOUCHABLE

I will not touch you so don’t be afraid. I am

just trying to find some food in the city

dump to live another day. Buddha will

provide. Each new day is a blessing.

BILLY ALTON

What will happen to Benjee?

YOGI THE BEAR

He will grow up to become a great politician

in India, and his once being an untouchable

is forgotten.

BILLY ALTON

How sad, but he seems so happy.

YOGI THE BEAR

It is his happy positive attitude that helps

him survive. Come it is time to go.

FADE OUT.

Return home- Billy Awakes from sleeping on the toilet

FADE OUT.

SCENE TWO- INT. DAY- BILLY’S BATHROOM

FADE IN:

ROBERT ALTON

Billy open the door. Are you alright? Unlock

the door dammit.

BILLY ALTON

OK, OK, coming dad.

ROBERT ALTON

What the hell were you doing in here so

long? I ought to give you a good whipping.

Drop your pants and assume the angle.

(MORE)

29.

Take that and that (whips Billy’s bare

behind with a belt.)

Suddenly, Leo the Lion appears in the crowded bathroom.

LEO THE LION

Roar, loud Lion roar.

ROBERT AlTON

Oh my god, I must have e been drinking too

much. Now I am seeing a lion in the

bathroom. What the hell is going on? I need

to get out of here and clear my head. I am

seeing things, a lion.

BILLY ALTON

Leo you came just in time. (Crying) Help

me get off the floor please.

LEO THE LION

Things will change soon little one. Be

patient, and follow Yogi and your other

animal friends. They will show you the way.

BILLY ALTON

Thank you Leo. I thought you would never

come again.

Leo disappears in a cloud of smoke.

FADE OUT.

ACT FOUR-THE WOLF 11 IN THE CARPET 11

SCENE 1- A WOLF NAMED NOMAD APPEARS IN THE CARPET

One day while sitting on the toilet Billy is trying hard to find Leo in the

carpet but he cannot find him.

FADE IN:

BILLY ALTON

Leo where are you? Come back please.

What is that, a Grey Wolf head. Wow, a real

grey wolf.

The outline of a wolf head appears in the carpet and get

ROBERT ALTON (CONT’D)

30.

Larger and larger until it pops into a full size wolf.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Hello young one. My name is Nomad, and I

am a grey wolf of the North. Come with me

and we will visit your school.

BILLY ALTON

I have been wanting to visit school for many

years. Someday, I hope to go back to school

when the polio goes away.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

We are going into the principal’s office for a

surprise.

MR. BOB SHAW, PRINCIPAL (50)

Betty you are beautiful. I am so glad I hired

you as our Art Teacher.

Principal Shaw and Betty Snow are embracing and making love in the

principal’s office with the door closed. Betty is a beautiful young blond

haired teacher. She is about 5 Ft. 2 inches tall and wears rimless glasses to

read. Bob Shaw is a tall 6 ft. 3inch man with a thin mustache and brown

thinning hair with a bald spot at the back of his head. He is dressed in a tie

and shirt and sports coat and Betty is in a flowery red and white dress.

BETTY SNOW (21) ART TEACHER

You make me feel so great Bob. I am so

glad to be teaching at Sweet Water

Elementary school. Kiss me again Bob.

PRINCIPAL BOB SHAW (40)

I am going to ask my wife Joan for a divorce

so that you and I can be together forever.

BETTY SNOW

Oh Bob that is so sweet. Well I have to run,

I have a class to teach in ten minutes. Bye.

BILLY ALTON

They are kissing Nomad.

31.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Yes, Billy, Mr. Shaw is using his influence

as Principal to seduce young Betty Snow.

Betty is young and naive. Mr. Shaw is a

predator like most wolves, only he has no

morals. At least we wolves have some

morals.

BILLY ALTON

What can we do to stop this Nomad?

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Time will tell my friend. Just be patient.

Come we are going into the northern forest

where my pack lives.

BILLY ALTON

Great let’s go.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Follow me Billy. It is a short trip to the

northern forests where wolves run freely. He

comes my pack now. Hello Swift, Aiyana,

Logan, Loki, Luna, Malakai, Adimar, Ari

and Arctic. How goes it with you gang? This

is my human friend Billy.

LOGAN THE WOLF

Did you capture the human Nomad. Can we

eat him?

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

No you cannot eat him. He is one of the

pack for now.

SWIFT THE WOLF

Are you going to hunt with us Nomad?

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Sure Swift. What are we hunting for?

32.

AIYANA THE WOLF

We are hunting for Elk, we saw here

recently. Come let us run over the ridge and

find them.

BILLY ALTON

But I cannot run Nomad. I have polio.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Your polio is gone for now so give it a try.

You can do it Billy. Stretch your legs and

stay up with us as we run down an Elk for

dinner. Oh, by the way this is Swift, Aiyana,

Logan, Loki, Luna, Malakai, Adimar, Ari,

and Arctic, and they are all part of my wolf

pack. We are all brothers and sisters

together. Arctic is the only one of our pack

that is pure white. The rest of us are grey

wolves with different colors of brown and

black mixed. Malaki is the smallest of the

pack since he is only a year old. Ari and

Arctic are twin wolves from the same

mother. Come let us run.

BILLY ALTON

Wow, I can run again. Boy your wolves can

really run fast in this snow?

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

I will take the lead. Stay up with us Billy.

You see when you run with the pack, polio

cannot stop you.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF (CONT’D)

We will teach you how to run with the wolf

pack Billy. When we are hunting out prey

down, sometimes we have to run through the

snow for miles before our prey tires.

Come let us start slow and run faster and

faster.

33.

BILLY ALTON

Are you sure I can run with polio?

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

As long as you are part of the wolf pack you

have no handicap or polio. Come run with

us. Stay up with me. I will lead the pack.

See that deer down in the valley. We are

going to run one of the stags down until he

dies from exhaustion. Come follow me.

BILLY ALTON

I can hardly see with the snow and the wind

getting in my eyes.

Closer and closer they move behind a large male deer. The deer is fast, but

the wolves are stronger in long distances. After a mile of running the stag

trips and stumbles rolling in the snow.

FLEEING DEER

I have to keep running or those wolves will

catch up to me and make me their dinner.

Puff, puff, I am tiring.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Surround the stag and prepare to kill brother

and sister wolves.

FLEEING DEER

Please don’t kill me Mr. Wolf.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

We will spare you today swift stag because

of our friend and fellow wolf, Billy would

be upset if we killed you. Thank the Gods

that you will live to see another day stag. Be

on your way now.

ARCTIC THE WHITE WOLF

Oh, Nomad you always ruin a good hunt. I

was very hungry, and the deer would have

tasted good.

34.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

You will get plenty of deer next time Arctic.

Billy returns to sitting on the toilet in the bathroom at home.

FADE OUT.

SCENE TWO- EXT. DAY- RANDALL PARK 12 TRACK AND 12

FIELD.

Billy dreams of a time in the future.

BILLY ALTON

Wow, I am on the Freeport High school

track team running the mile.

COACH AUGUSTINE

Don’t forget Billy, set the pace from the

beginning to tire the other team out. Let’s

see you break a 4 minute mile. Good Luck.

BILLY ALTON

Thanks Coach A. I have my cinder track

shoes on today with three toe spikes to help

me with traction. Well, time to line up, Jim

stay behind me and we can sweep one, two

in the mile run.

JIM TUCKER (15) STUDENT

You got it Bill. I will stay right behind you.

There is the starting pistol. We are off. Stay

in front Billy.

BILLY ALTON

I will take the first turn. Now to stretch my

stride out.

JIM TUCKER

Right behind you Billy. Coming up to the

second lap. Time for you to pull away from

the pack.

35.

BILLY ALTON

Here is the corner of the third lap. I am

running smooth. Coach A. Is signaling that I

am doing well. Picking up the speed now to

finish under four minutes.

TRACK OFFICIAL (60)

Last lap boys.

Billy is coming down the last straight 100 yards of track to finish.

TRACK OFFICIAL (CONT’D)

3:30m, 3:40, coming down to the finish

3:52. Eight seconds under four minutes.

That is a NY State record. Congratulations.

COACH AUGUSTINE

Nice Job Billy, you and Jim scored first and

second on the Mile. That should help us win

the Track Meet against the town bordering

Freeport called Merrick.

Everyone is celebrating and slapping Billy on the back.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

ACT FOUR- THE BEAVER IN THE CARPE13 T 13

SCENE ONE- INT. DAY- ALTON FAMILY BATHROOM WITH

BILLY SITTING ON THE TOILET.

One day Billy is staring at the carpet hoping Leo will come back and free

him from the house. After staring at the carpet for five minutes a shape like a

beaver appears. Billy is shocked.

The outline of a beaver appears in the carpet and gets larger and larger until

it becomes a full sized beaver.

PODUS THE BEAVER

Hello young man. I am Podus and I am a

friend of Leo the Lion. How are you feeling

today?

36.

BILLY ALTON

I am bored frankly. Where is Leo or

Nomad?

PODUS THE BEAVER

They are not available today and I was

selected to visit you. I am going to take you

to a local pond where I built a dam to make

the water deeper. Come we will go through

the walls and fly to the pond. By piling up

branches, and mud in the stream I made the

river deeper and safer for my family to

protect them from predators.

Billy it takes hard work to make a dam and a

lodge. My family of beavers are all good

swimmers by using our powerful tails as a

paddle and a rudder we can pack the mud

and branches down. I can eat a tree down in

a matter of minutes, and then eat the

delicious lives on the top of the tree when it

falls into the water. You can learn from

beavers. We do not give up. You must learn

not to give up on getting well from polio.

Remember how hard a beaver works to add

twig after twig and pack mud in between to

make a good dam. In life you have to work

hard to succeed. Nothing is given to you for

free. Everything must be earned or it has no

value.

BILLY ALTON

I understand Podus. Who are your enemies?

PODUS THE BEAVER

We have many enemies starting with

humans who hunt us for our fur. The wolf

and the fox are also enemies, but they

cannot swim underwater to get into our

underwater entrance to our lodge. We are

safe in our lodge all winter with stored up

food to get through the long winter.

(MORE)

37.

Come and I will take you through the walls

of our lodge to have you meet Mrs. Neely

Beaver and little Alice and Henry Beaver.

So hello Alice and Henry. Do not be afraid

Billy is not going to hurt you. He is our

human friend. I have brought him here to

show him how to build a dam or something

equally great. Remember Billy hard work

pays off. We beavers work from sun up to

sun down everyday cutting logs and sticks

and dragging them to our lodge. This lodge

took all of our beaver family almost a full

month to complete.

FADE OUT.

14 14

SCENE TWO- INT. DAY-FLASHBACK-FREEPORT HIGH

SCHOOL COMPETITIVE POOL.

Billy is in a swim suit on a racing block ready to jump into the water and

race free-style down the pool two time for the 100 meter race.

FADE IN:

COACH TED RANDALL (50)

Don’t forget to get off the blocks fast Billy.

BILLY ALTON

Got it coach Randall.

SWIMMING OFFICIAL (40)

Take your position swimmers. Ready (bang

the gun goes off)

All the swimmers on the racing blocks leap off their blocks into the water

with a mighty splash.

BILLY ALTON

(Thinking to himself) I have to pace my

stroke so I don’t get tired before the end of

the 100 yard race. Time to flip at the end of

the pool.

PODUS THE BEAVER (CONT’D)

(MORE)

38.

That went smoothly, now to turn on the

speed to win this event. One, lap, two laps,

Three laps and I am headed for the finishing

line. Tap, I made it first place.

COACH TED RANDALL

Good job Billy. You just set another school

record in the 100 yard freestyle event. Get

out and dry off. We have the relays later.

BILLY ALTON

Thanks coach.

FADE OUT.

SCENE TWO- INT. DAY- 15 ALTON FAMILY HOUSE 15

A new polio serum is developed and the Doctor wants to try

It on BIlly.

FADE IN:

ELIZABETH ALTON

Billy we are going to the Doctor’s today. He

wants to try a new serum that had a small

sample of polio to help you fight the disease.

Get your crutches and let’s go.

BILLY ALTON

Does the doctor really have a possible cure

for polio after all these years Mom?

ELIZABETH ALTON

It is a needle that puts dead polio virus cells

in your body for your body immune system

to fight and defeat the polio.

BILLY ALTON

I would give anything to walk and run again

Mom. Let’s hope this works. I don’t ever

want to go back to the iron lung Mom.

BILLY ALTON (CONT’D)

39.

ELIZABETH ALTON

You will be fine Billy. Already your chest

muscles are back to normal and working

normally. Do you need help getting into the

car Billy?

Later Billy and him mom arrive at the Polio clinic at Mercy hospital.

Minutes later a new doctor comes out to meet ELizabeth and Billy.

DOCTOR SAMUEL L. STEINMEN MD

(50)

Hello Mrs. Alton and this must be BIlly. I

am replacing your regular doctor today

because I have special training in the use of

this new serum to treat polio. Billy you will

get four shots a month apart. Each shot has

just enough serum to help you develop antibodies

against the polio virus. Hopefully,

this new treatment will work and you will be

able to return to school.

For the next four months Billy went to Mercy hospital to get his serum shot.

After four months, Billy began to feel differently with more energy. He was

able to walk without crutches after six months.

A year later.

DOCTOR SAMUEL L. STEINMEN MD

(CONT’D)

Well Billy it has been a year since we began

the serum shots to combat polio and they

seemed to have worked. If you do a lot of

therapy with running, walking and

swimming, you muscles will start to return

to normal. Your leg muscles will stay thin

but that will help you run longer distances.

BILLY ALTON

I am so excited Doctor. I will work very

hard to try and get my muscles back to

normal.

40.

DOCTOR SAMUEL L. STEINMEN MD

I am happy for you too Billy. You are one of

50 successful cases we treated in the polio

pioneer serum. I will check in on you in a

year, but in the meantime, go and enjoy the

world without crutches.

ElIZABETH ALTON

Thank you so much Doctor Steinmen. We

prayed and prayed that Billy would recover

and thanks to you he is back to being

normal. God bless you Doctor.

DOCTOR SAMUEL L. STEINMEN MD

I will check back with you in a year Mrs.

Alton. Good bye, and have a great day

FADE OUT.

ACT FIVE- THE EAGLE IN THE CARPET 16 – 16

Billie struggles to enter the bathroom with his crutches and leg braces. He

sits down on the toilet hoping to see Leo, Nomad or Podus.

The image of an eagle forms in the carpet. It begins to get larger and larger

BILLY ALTON

Leo where are you?

The Shape of an Eagle forms in the carpet and it gets larger and larger until

it is a full sized Bald Eagle with white head feathers and brown feathers for

the rest of it’s body.

SKYE THE BALD EAGLE

Do not be afraid Billy. I am Skye the bald

eagle. Leo sends his regrets that he could not

join us today. Nomad, Podus, and Yogi send

their best wishes.

BILLY ALTON

Wow, you are a really big bird.

SKYE THE BALD EAGLE

I can soar over the land and see anything

with my 7x power eyes.

(MORE)

41.

When I go into a vertical dive I have an

outer eye lid that covers my eyes and

protects them from the wind. I bring the

power of long range vision. Come let us fly

to the Football team at the weekly Saturday

game in the stadium. Coach McCawell is

standing on the sidelines facing his

opponents the team from Merrick, Long

Island. The Freeport Red Devils are losing

14 to 3.

Billy and Skye are perched on the top of the stadium watching the game.

SKYE THE BALD EAGLE (CONT’D)

You see Billy with long range vision I can

see the Merrick Football coach talking to his

assistants and calling the plays. Walk down

to the Freeport coach and tell him what the

Merrick coach is calling for a play.

(CONT’D)

BILLY ALTON

Ok, but why will the Freeport coach listen to

me?

SKYE THE BALD EAGLE

Because when you tell him the first play he

will ignore you only to find out you were

right. When you tell him the second play he

tells the defense it will be a play that you

informed him it would be. Freeport will stop

the play. For the remainder of the game you

will read the lips of the Merrick coach using

the sight of an Eagle, and tell the Freeport

Football coach what the play is going to be.

He will defend against the play and Freeport

will score many touch downs afterward.

SKYE THE BALD EAGLE (CONT’D)

42.

BILLY ALTON

OK, Skye here goes nothing.

Billy climbs down from the top of the football stadium and walks out onto

the field.

BILLY ALTON (CONT’D)

Coach McKenzie Merrick is going to do a

run around the right corner.

COACH MCKENZIE, FOOTBALL HEAD

COACH

Who are you kid?

BILLY ALTON

My name is Billy Alton and I can read lips

even at 50 yards. The Merrick coach is

telling his offensive coordinator to call a

running play off tackle on the left side of the

line.

COACH MCKENZIE, FOOTBALL HEAD

COACH

Son of a Gun, they ran off tackle. What did

you say your name was son?

BILLY ALTON

My name is Billy Alton coach and I can help

you win the game by telling you what the

other coach is saying to his coaches.

COACH MCKENZIE, FOOTBALL HEAD

COACH

What play are they going to do now son?

BILLY ALTON

End run toward the goal posts coach.

43.

COACH MCKENZIE, FOOTBALL HEAD

COACH

Coach Ross tell the safety and the line

backers to watch the wide receivers

streaking toward the goals for a pass.

COACH ROSS, DEFENSIVE COACH

Signal, pass, cover the wide receivers.

COACH MCKENZIE, FOOTBALL HEAD

COACH

Interception, way to go coach Ross. They

got right in front of the Merrick wide

receivers. What a play. Thanks kid. You can

stay there for the rest of the game.

FADE OUT.

17 17

ACT SIX- A MIRACLE OCCURS AND BILLY RECOVERS FROM

POLIO

SCENE 1- DOCTOR WILLIAMS OFFICE 18 IN FREEPORT, N.Y. 18

Billy gets good news from the Doctor. His polio is cured and with

therapy he may walk again and maybe even run.

DOCTOR SAMUEL L. STEINMEN MD

Well young man, you are cured of polio and

you no longer need to wear leg braces. The

new serum worked. Thank God for that. I

am so happy for your son Mrs. Alton and

Mr. Alton.

ELIZABETH ALTON

Thank God my prayers are answered. The

nightmare is over.

ROBERT ALTON

Thank God indeed. No more medical bills

finally.

44.

BILLY ALTON

Does this mean I can return to school

Doctor?

DOCTOR SAMUEL L. STEINMEN MD

Yes, Billy you are free to return to school. I

will give your parents a medical release

stating you are cured of polio and are not

infectious. This is a great day for us all.

Later that day.

BILLY ALTON

I am free. Free to walk in the park. Free to

talk to the animals, squirrels, beavers and

the birds, even the animals in the wild, the

eagle, the wolf, the Lion, the bear, all my

animal friends. I am throwing my crutches

away in this dumpster. Go bye crutches.

POSSUM

(Hanging upside down in a tree nearby)

Congratulations human.

LEO THE LION

(Fading out of a cloud) You did it little one.

Remember the lessons you learned and go

and live life to the fullest.

NOMAD THE GREY WOLF

Run with the pack Billy. Show everyone that

you are the best runner in New York state.

PODUS THE BEAVER

(From a pond nearby) Swim strong Billy.

You can be the best, just work hard like us

beavers.

SKYE THE BALD EAGLE

(High overhead, soaring through the air)

Good job Billy, keep your eyes open. Take

charge of your life and the years you missed.

POSTNOTE: Billy goes on in high school to become the State champion

45.

in Track and Field with the fastest Mile run in New York state. He also

becomes a great freestyle swimmer and captain of the swimming team. The

Freeport football team becomes undefeated during the 1955 season with

Billy reading the lips of the opposing coaches as they call their plays.

19 The END. 19

46.