Saffron

Jimmy, Johnny and Joey’s lives changed forever. At 2:07am on Saturday June 15th, 1984 a sinkhole swallowed their neighborhood. They snuck out of their homes the night before to raise hell in the city. They were 17. Best friends since kindergarten they couldn’t believe their eyes.

Johnny and Joey jump out of the car and run to their houses. Jimmy stays in the car, white knuckled on the steering wheel with a blank stare.

Days pass. Like a horror movie, an emotional fog covered the entire community.

Joey, an all-star high school athlete, lost his father during this tragic event. He quit school to work and take care of his Mom and 4 younger siblings.

Johnny, lost his older brother and his parents ended up getting a divorce.

And Jimmy, lost both his parents and was sent to live with his estranged Uncle.

The boys made a pack to always be best friends. They always talked about having the same friendship as in the movie “Tag”.

On the anniversary of the incident they meet at the Conservation Diner for brunch. Joey orders 2 eggs over easy with bacon, Johnny french toast and Jimmy gets the western omelette. All order coffee. Joey puts a quarter in the jukebox hits b23 and plays “Yesterday” by Guns and Roses. This would become a tradition. Every year on the anniversary they would meet at the diner from brunch. The Diner like the town continues in a depressed downward spiral. Many families move out due to fear, businesses go bankrupt and diner is a destination for druggies. Regardless, the boys still meet there every year until 1993.

Joey, now a high school teacher and soccer coach, starts a family with his stunningly sweet wife, Melissa. Johnny has just received a PhD in social work and starts dedicating his life to helping others deal with trauma. Jimmy graduates law school magna cum laude and works at a big law firm.

In 1993, the 8th anniversary, Jimmy is a no show. Johnny and Joey are worried. He doesn’t answer his phone. The next day, Jimmy sends them a txt… “sorry, just closed a big deal was out partying” Johnny and Joey are not happy.

This is the start of what would appear to be the end. Jimmy continues to distance himself from his past and starts living a playboy lifestyle in the city as a big shot corporate lawyer. Living a life of abundance and absent of emotion. He is known to be a dirty lawyer. Drugs, girls and high class material items are his vice. Ego in full swing, he doesn’t return calls or texts from Johnny and Joey.

Joey and Johnny continue the diner tradition. Joey and his wife now have 4 children and a very healthy family dynamic. Johnny runs his own mental health clinic and adjunct professor at the local university.

2 weeks before the next anniversary, Joey receives bad news from his doctor. He has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Doctor says he has 3 to 5 years. Hearing the news from Joey's wife, Melissa, Johnny cancels all his appointments and immediately heads to Joey’s home. Melissa and the Kids are beyond themselves. They don’t know what to do. Johnny assures them it will be ok.

The next morning, Johnny drives into the city to track down Jimmy. At Jimmy’s office he tells him the news. Jimmy has the blank stare he had when they drove up to the tragedy years ago. Johnny convinces Jimmy to be at the diner for the anniversary to see Joey. He agrees.

In the parking lot at the Conservation Diner Jimmy hesitates to get out of his Aston Martin. He takes a deep breath, says to himself, this is just another trial, I got this and entered the diner.

Approaching the booth Jimmy locks eyes on Joey and Johnny. He sits down, puts a quarter in the jukebox, hits b23 and “Yesterday” begins playing. There is an awkward silence. Jimmy excuses himself and heads to the bathroom. Burying the emotion, Jimmy goes to the bathroom to do a line of cocaine. The bathroom is dilapidated. Graffiti on the walls, 2 of the stalls are blocked off with yellow police tape.

Looking at the shattered mirror and the vile in his hand, Jimmy is taken back. Frozen as if he sees a ghost of himself but with long hair wearing a saffron robe holding a small black book walks out of the only functioning toilet. The vile drops to the floor, cocaine everywhere.

The Saffron hands him the book and says: “you have the ability to fix this”

Jimmy: “fix what?”

Saffron: “yourself and when you do Joey will no longer have cancer”

Jimmy holding the book

Jimmy: “it’s blank”

Saffron: “take a look at the last page”

Jimmy: “it’s a symbol, what does it mean”

Saffron: “you have exactly one year from today to figure it out” “If you do, Joey’s cancer will be gone”

Jimmy thinking like the lawyer he is says, “What the catch?”

Saffron: “it’s simple. You and the book need to leave out the back door now and begin your journey. No communication with any friends, clients, co-workers for the entire year, you need to go missing. No one can know where you go and what you do. You need to write your journey, write what is important in life and right your wrongs. Joey’s life is dependent on it. His children shouldn’t lose a parent and you know that.”

Jimmy: “What about my cars, my 5,000 square foot apartment in the city, my house on the beach, my job?”

Saffron: “I don’t care. Let them go. Deep down you know what is important to you and writing in this book will help.”

Jimmy: “What about this symbol”

Saffron: “You tell Johnny and Joey what it means when you come back to the diner at the next anniversary”

Jimmy: “How am I going to survive?”

Saffron: “figure it out. There is $20,000 locker b23 at the train station. You need to leave now.”