Umm, this is pointed in a slightly different direction....

How about having the original script write it's PID at start to a file, say foo.run? your metascript could grab that PID and then query the OS if this particular PID is alive and kicking.... I have also written programs that update the run file every N minutes, as a keep-alive indicator. Then at least you have some idea when it died, and can start determining WHY it died. Good luck, I know how ugly and hurtful the Win32 world can be <grin>