Dead Man's Hand

Written by: Ronald L. Ecker

During hypnosis through which modern-day schoolteacher ROGER SHADWELL, 40, is regressed to a former life – that of WILD BILL HICKOK – the hypnotist, who has a history of heart problems, drops dead from a heart attack. Consequently, Roger finds himself stuck as Wild Bill in 1876, with Wild Bill displaced into Roger's world in the present. 

The two men must cope with each other’s life and times till they can somehow find a way out. Roger in Wild Bill’s body knows that historically he’s scheduled to be shot during a poker game in Deadwood, to which he keeps heading in spite of all he can do, with the MCCALL GANG gunning for him while CALAMITY JANE keeps trying to seduce him. 

Wild Bill in Roger’s body, bewildered by the modern world and having no idea why he’s in it, decides to play along as the schoolteacher (though everyone thinks “Roger” has lost his marbles, talking like some Old West galoot) till he can figure out what’s going on. (“What do you people want?”) Roger’s wife LIZ SHADWELL thinks “Roger” is just cutting up, even after she tells him she’s tired of it. At school, Wild Bill in Roger’s body makes out in the library with librarian DORIS MOTES (who has been after Roger all year), with her nutty husband WILLIS MOTES consequently plotting to shoot Roger with a high-powered rifle. 

When Liz finally realizes what has happened, she takes Wild Bill in her husband’s body to psychiatrist SANFORD SIEGEL, for a hypnotic session hopefully to get the two men back to where they belong. As Dr. Siegel’s attempt begins, Roger in Wild Bill’s body is already seated, by inexorable fate, at the Deadwood poker table holding the “dead man’s hand” (aces and eights), and Wild Bill in Roger’s body is unknowingly about to be shot by the school librarian’s insanely jealous husband. Even if the psychiatrist can get them both home again, can Wild Bill and Roger get out of this alive?

Bio:

Ronald L. Ecker was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1942. He received his B.A. in English at the University of Florida, and served two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru. He earned a Master of Library Science degree at Florida State University, and did postgraduate work in biblical studies at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School. He worked for several years as a librarian at Barry University and with the state of Florida before retiring to be a full-time writer. His books include the DICTIONARY OF SCIENCE AND CREATIONISM, THE EVOLUTIONARY TALES, and AND ADAM KNEW EVE: A DICTIONARY OF SEX IN THE BIBLE.  His complete modern-English translation (with Chaucer scholar Eugene J. Crook) of THE CANTERBURY TALES has been a widely adopted text in college and university literature courses. It is also now heavily used by students worldwide in an online edition. He also writes screenplays and has had two scripts optioned by producers.

2009 Script Selections