A VETERAN AFFAIR
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Ted, a middle-aged man, is sitting at a table in the center of the room. He is setting up a chess board and the pieces with the white pieces on his side. His cane is hanging on the chair behind him. After a beat or two, William enters in a wheelchair. Although the two men are not elderly, the extent of their wounds in Vietnam has aged them significantly and has rendered them incapable of caring for themselves.
Ted and William play their usual game of chess as they discuss the various happenings during the past couple of days. As the conversation and game both seem to turn against William and he gets increasing upset. Finally, Ted declares “Check Mate” and gets up to leave.
William is not happy over the results and tries to talk Ted into continuing the game. But, it’s lunch time and Ted leaves on his walker to the “mess hall” to eat. He encourages William to come with him. But he refuses.
William looks at the chess board and realizes that he is fully beat, so he throws the pieces and the board on the floor. He then turns his wheelchair over as he angrily tries to leave the room.
He calls out but no one answers. He tries to reach the call button and cannot. He then straightens up his chair but cannot pull himself up. He then notices the king piece and picks it up. In a final desperate attempt at some semblance of trust (or faith?) he calls out to God, then pulls himself up into the chair.
As He does so, Ted enters, having watched most of the foregoing action. William admits that he tries to help William recognize the role God had in the situation. But William’s contentious attitude forces him to argue the point and brag that he had done it himself. Ted decides not to argue the point any longer and exits.
Finally, William is alone holding the king piece in his hand. He stares at it for a long time, smiles, puts it in his pocket and then rolls out into the hallway.
This film was featured at the Palm Beach International Film Festival, The Miami Short Film Festival, The Delray Beach Film Festival and The International Christian Film Festival.
For more information on this movie, Click Here to go the movie web site.
Ted and William play their usual game of chess as they discuss the various happenings during the past couple of days. As the conversation and game both seem to turn against William and he gets increasing upset. Finally, Ted declares “Check Mate” and gets up to leave.
William is not happy over the results and tries to talk Ted into continuing the game. But, it’s lunch time and Ted leaves on his walker to the “mess hall” to eat. He encourages William to come with him. But he refuses.
William looks at the chess board and realizes that he is fully beat, so he throws the pieces and the board on the floor. He then turns his wheelchair over as he angrily tries to leave the room.
He calls out but no one answers. He tries to reach the call button and cannot. He then straightens up his chair but cannot pull himself up. He then notices the king piece and picks it up. In a final desperate attempt at some semblance of trust (or faith?) he calls out to God, then pulls himself up into the chair.
As He does so, Ted enters, having watched most of the foregoing action. William admits that he tries to help William recognize the role God had in the situation. But William’s contentious attitude forces him to argue the point and brag that he had done it himself. Ted decides not to argue the point any longer and exits.
Finally, William is alone holding the king piece in his hand. He stares at it for a long time, smiles, puts it in his pocket and then rolls out into the hallway.
This film was featured at the Palm Beach International Film Festival, The Miami Short Film Festival, The Delray Beach Film Festival and The International Christian Film Festival.
For more information on this movie, Click Here to go the movie web site.
