I am sure that my enthusiasm when I called Rob in New York City was no less or more then anyone else who ever considered making a film, when they first decided to tell someone about it. I am equally sure that Rob, then in his second year of film school at Tisch and his fourth year in film school altogether, was being no more or less patronizing

when he said it sounded like an interesting idea. Now I think my plan for this film was simple: Make it. Actually, this straight-forward attitude reflected my own deep understanding of the film making process: Nothing. First, I needed a screenplay, right? (I don't know if I figured that out on my own or if Rob had to tell me.)

Questions began to get thrown at me like Haynes Color Briefs for Men at a political convention: Who were my influences? What did I want it too look like? What was it going to be about? What was my theme? What was my plot? Color or black and white? Color or black and white? Now there's one I can answer:  me: Black and white is cheaper, right? Rob: Pretty much.  me: Well, how much cheaper is cheaper? Rob: Well, I think black and white costs (blah)        and color costs (blah). But there is also        processing and work prints...  me: Oh.(pause)Yes.(pretending I understand,        perhaps nodding vigorously to myself). Then definitely black and white. So there it was. I had actually made a decision about this film. For anyone who has known me, this is practically the same as having committed my life blood to

doing this film. I mean, there was no way I was going to call a friend of mine, long distance, mention that I wanted to do something cool like a film, and then not do it. It would be a point of pride from now on. What was it they say about the proud again? On that phone call Rob agreed that if I wrote the story, he would write the script. As near as I can figure, he did this for one of three reasons:   His personal, great faith in me,  My ability to say things over and over again until people do things for me,  Or Rob didn't really commit to anything, but gave me one of his standard "That might be interesting" replies that I took as a commitment, and then proceeded to stick it to him (options are in ascending order of probability).

So then I had to write a story....