Two men, Harry and Morrie, who have obviously been writing partners for many years, are trying to come up with dialogue for a detective story they're writing. They are not successful writers; they're broke, they're behind on their rent, and the landlord is hounding them for it. This only serves to make them more desperate. During a particularly stressful session of bad writing, Harry has a heart attack. He tells Morrie that the necklace he's wearing will grant one wish, and rather than Harry wasting his one wish on himself he instead asks Morrie to wish him alive again if he dies. All he has to say is "I wish...". Morrie spends too much time going over the wish options with the amulet, the landlord interrupts again and pounds on the door, yelling for the rent, and in the middle of all that Harry dies. When he takes the necklace off the dead man, instead of wishing his friend back to life, he apologizes to Harry and his dubious talents, knowing that he'd understand, and wishes for the best writing partner ever.

Suddenly he's back in Shakespeare day, in Shakepeare's house, as his writing partner, and Shakespeare looks exactly like his dead partner. Shakespeare is sitting there writing at his desk, and wants to know who he is and why he's there, and assumes he's another half-mad servant. He begins yelling for the other servants to get rid of him. When Morrie picks up a piece of parchment on the desk and starts reading, Shakespeare is astonished that the man can read, but he still wants him out of the house. When Morrie mentions that the play he's reading is good, but no Hamlet, Shakespeare wants to know the plot of this "Hamnet." Morrie tells him, and Shakespeare thinks it's brilliant. He asks Morrie to work with him on this "Hamnet." Morrie corrects him, saying it's Hamlet with an L, and takes off the necklace. He looks at the amulet and pleads with the dead Harry to help him, but he's used his one wish. Shakespeare takes the amulet away from him and asks what it is. Morrie asks for it back, but Shakespeare says he might give it back when they've finished the play. Morrie says it's of great sentimental value to him, but Shakespeare says he wishes Morrie to write with him. Morrie shrieks, because he now has to stay, and he finds out he now knows every single line of Shakespeare, from every play. Shakespeare invites him to sit down and begin his work on "Hamnet." Morrie looks very sad, knowing he's stuck in the Elizabethan period forever, and corrects him, saying "Hamlet. With an L."

Last revised: Saturday, May 31, 2003

 
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