INT. DINING ROOM- DAY

Brutal, Harry, and Dean are seated at the table with Paul and

Jan. Serving plates are being passes, everybody digging in:

THE MEN

(various, ad-lib)

Ma'am, you sure know how to fry up

some fine chicken...Brutal, don't

hog the taters now...Try that corn

yet? It's something special...

Paul softly interjects:

PAUL

You saw what he did with the mouse.

This stops everybody cold. Dean puts his chicken down, wipes

his hands. Looks are traded in the silence.

BRUTAL

I could'a gone the rest of the day

without you bringing that up.

DEAN

I could'a gone the rest of the

year.

PAUL

He did it to me too. He put his

hands on me and took my bladder

infection away.

The men absorb this. Brutal glances to Jan.

JAN

When he came home, he was...all

better.

DEAN

You're talking about an authentic

healing. A praise-Jesus miracle.

PAUL

I am.

BRUTAL

If you say it, I accept it. But

what's it got to do with us?

Jan looks to Paul, realization starting to dawn:

JAN

Melinda? Oh, Paul...

BRUTAL

Melinda? Melinda Moores?

Paul nods--that's who we're talking about.

JAN

You really think you can help her?

PAUL

It's not a bladder infection, or

even a busted-up mouse. But there

might be a chance.

HARRY

Hold on now. You're talking about

our jobs. Sneak a sick woman onto

a cellblock?

PAUL

Hal would never allow that. You

know him, he wouldn't believe

something unless it fell on him.

BRUTAL

So you're talking about taking

John Coffey to her. That's more

than just our jobs, Paul.

DEAN

Damn right. That's prison time if

we get caught.

HARRY

Let's not discuss this like it's

even an option. Brutal, help me

out here...

Brutal lets out a deep breath, considering. He looks to Paul.

BRUTAL

I'm sure she's a fine woman...

JAN

The finest.

PAUL

What's happening to her is an

offense, Brutal. To the eyes and

the ears and the heart.

BRUTAL

I have no doubt. But we don't know

her like you and Jan do...do we?

PAUL

That's why it's a lot to ask.

HARRY

It is. Let's not forget Coffey's

a murderer. What if he escapes?

I'd hate losing my job or going to

prison, but I'd hate having a dead

child on my conscience even more.

PAUL

I don't think that'll happen...

(beat, softly)

...in fact, I don't think he did

it at all.

The men are stunned by this. Off their looks:

PAUL

I just can't see God putting a

gift like that in the hands of a

man who would kill a child.

DEAN

Well, that's a tender notion, but

the man's on death row for the

crime. Plus, he's huge. If he

tried to get away, it'd take a lot

of bullets to stop him.

BRUTAL

We'd all have shotguns in addition

to sidearms. I'd insist on that.

(to Paul)

He tried anything, we'd have to

take him down. You understand.

PAUL

I understand.

BRUTAL

(beat)

So. Tell us what you had in mind.