and so i -- you know, years later, ridley scott asked me to write a screenplay about something that causesidea that a pandemic such as the 1918 flu, returned in our society. how would we behave. would they be better prepared than our ancestors were? that was the question that i was putting to the experts i talked to. >> well, this is the thing -- because, larry, you're not a doctor, you're not a scientist, because when i was reading, i thought he must have some kind of medical background. what you are is a very, very good, stellar reporter. can you talk about your research? i read at one point you even talked to your dentist. >> yeah. well, gayle, i like to work from facts. you know, from real life. and it's more interesting to me to find out what really happened or what would happen. so in the case of my dentist, i had a dental operation in the novel, and i interviewed him about how it would be done. you know, you always discover things by talking to people who really know the answers. and so i feel more comfortable writing knowing that that's how it would really go down. >> yeah. i mean,