♪ and not enough time to find what's mine ♪
♪ Aiming for your head, get down ♪
♪ You're the only one in town ♪
- How big a part does luck play in things?
Are some people luckier than others,
or do you make your own luck?
I've been thinking about luck a lot lately,
ever since I had to leave Solar Blue and come home.
The one thought goes round and round in my head: why me?
Why did it happen to me?
I mean it was not like I was the only guy on the beach,
So why did she pick me out?
It wasn't like I had done anything to provoke it?
It just came out of nowhere for no reason at all.
The funny thing is at the time
everyone thought it was fantastic
like that I got all the attention.
Later when I got glandular fever,
everything seemed to go in reverse.
Suddenly it was like the worst kind of bad luck.
Everyday since, I just keep thinking "if only".
If only I hadn't been in that spot at that time.
If only I hadn't stopped when I saw her coming.
If only I had kept walking
then I'd still be where I should be,
back at Solar Blue.
Those guys just had no idea how lucky they are.
- [Garry] Hey Bec!
We've got a serious complaint.
- Complaint?
About what?
- Insect invasion, can't keep the flies out.
- That's ridiculous!
I've just had all the window screens and the doors fixed
so they shouldn't be any problem whatsoever with-
- [Fly] Hey Bec!
- Fly? I don't believe it!
It's so good to see you!
- You too!
- I gather you don't mind
this Fly getting through the crack?
- This Fly is welcome anytime!
I take it you've met our new Simmo?
- Yep!
Garry and I met on tour at the start of the year.
- It's a lucky break, really, because Fly was the one
who told me about the coaching vacancy here.
- So you're to blame!
- [Fly] Worked out well, eh?
- Come sit, tell me what's been happening with you!
I wanna know everything.
- I'll chuck your bags upstairs, Fly.
Hope you don't mind bunking with one of the kids.
- Happy to camp anywhere.
- So, what are you even doing here?
- Bit of bad luck, really.
- Bad luck hits Fly?
- No, I flew in from New Zealand,
but I missed my connection to Perth,
so I thought if I'm stuck in Sydney,
I might as well and annoy you for a night.
- Well, your bad luck is my good luck!
- It panned out perfectly.
I really wanted to come over and see you.
- I'm so stoked that you did.
Be warned; once the troops find out you're here,
you won't get a moment to yourself.
- Ugh.
- That's amazing!
Eight different countries in five months?
- I think it's eight,
nine if you count Australia.
- [Bridget] So what did you like best?
- Honestly?
I've hardly seen much of them.
Oh, it's pretty much beaches and boarding houses
everywhere I go.
Not that I'm complaining, the beaches have been awesome.
- Well, what have your results been like?
- So far, two thirds and a fourth.
- For someone in their first year on the tour,
that's excellent.
- I got lucky, I guess.
- Oh, rubbish, it's not just about luck.
It's about ability and hard work.
- Helps if you get good waves though.
- Ah, you've still got to position yourself
to get the waves, and then
you've got to execute the maneuvers once you're on them.
That's not luck.
- Well, what do you think, Fly?
- What Garry says is true,
but you can still do everything right
and still miss out if the waves don't come.
- You are being too hard on yourself, Fly.
You are doing well because you're good.
Not because you're lucky.
- But maybe if she'd been luckier,
she'd would've done better.
- What are you guys on about?
I mean, you can talk about luck until the cows come home
but simple fact is, you have to go out there
and make it happen,
you can't just sit there and wait for it to happen to you.
- Adam is our resident philosopher on these things.
- Yeah, when he's not goofing around,
which is pretty much all the time, hey?
(laughing)
- Now, Fly, that is jealousy and envy speaking.
- Sounds just like our year, Bec!
- Nothing changes.
- So are we gonna have the chance to have a surf
with you this afternoon?
- Oh, please, that'd be so good!
- Yes!
- Give the poor girl a break,
she's been on planes all morning.
She doesn't even have a board here.
- We've got boards! - Yeah, what d'you say?
- Fly, don't let them bully you.
If you'd rather put your feet up, just say so.
- Okay, sure, I'll go out with you guys.
(all cheering)
- I got some towels for you.
- Thanks, ah, Chrissy?
- Cassie. - Cassie, sorry.
- No, don't worry.
I just can't believe my luck
that I get to share a room with you!
I mean, you're a legend around here.
- Hope you still feel the same way in the morning,
if I start snoring tonight.
- You don't, do you?
- Not that I know of.
But you never know, there's always a first time.
So I noticed, there are only five of you at lunch today,
who's missing?
- Oh, a dude named Charley.
Yeah, he got hit pretty hard with glandular fever.
- Oh, what a drag.
Will he be back?
- Hey, I think so.
Well, we all hope so.
- Well, that's crazy!
You haven't thought this through.
- I have thought about it.
It's all I've thought about for the past four weeks!
I've lost a whole month on you guys.
It's gonna take me at least a week before I can get back,
and then another couple of weeks
before I can start serious work, that's two months, Loren!
There's no way I can catch that up!
- But it still gives you four months to get up to speed
for the finals.
- Where I can make an idiot of myself
by coming in distant last?
- Once you're fit and surfing again,
you'll be as competitive as anyone.
- Loren, listen.
I appreciate the support, I really do.
But there's no point in kidding myself.
This isn't my year.
- Loren, you coming?
- Be there in a sec.
I've gotta go, Charley.
Can we talk about this some more, please?
- What more is there to say?
- I'll call you tomorrow, okay?
Don't make any decisions before we talk, promise?
- Loren, I've already made up my-
- Promise?
- Okay, I promise.
- Okay, I'll speak to you tomorrow.
Bye for now. - Bye.
I knew what Loren was saying,
but things don't work like that.
It doesn't matter what you call it, luck, fate, chance,
if something's not meant to be then it's not meant to be.
You can fight against it for awhile, but sooner or later
you just have to accept it.
(camera clicks)
- Hey, Fly, what about this one?
I dunno what your preferences are,
but this board's nice and light.
- D'you mind if I check something first?
- Loren, are you all right?
- Yeah, no dramas.
- I cannot believe this is still here!
- You're not gonna use that one, are you?
- You bet!
- Are you serious, Fly, I was gonna throw this out!
- No, this was my lucky board when I was here,
I won more comps on this than any of the new ones!
- But isn't it well and truly past it's use-by date?
- Yeah, but if it works for you,
then who cares how old it is?
- Ah, the breaking's just as good as ever!
What d'you reckon, north or south end?
What sort of answer is that?
- I've given you such a big rep, Fly,
they all just wanna sit here and watch you!
- Aw, but we're supposed to be having fun!
- You can still have fun, Fly!
- Yeah, we just wanna see how a pro tackles our local break.
- Just a couple of sets, please?
- Then we'll be in it up to our ears!
- All right, but you'd better not fold on me!
(driving punk music)
- See, it's easy as that.
- Yeah, piece of cake, Garry.
- Fly was no better than any of you when she was here.
If she can do it, so can you.
- Right, let's think positive.
- Better yet, not think at all.
- Even you could handle that, couldn't you, Guy?
- Ah, we're all funny today, aren't we?
(driving punk music)
(laughing)
(waves crashing)
- Bringing back old memories?
- Yep, all good ones.
- Good stuff, Fly.
I'd hate to imagine what you'd be like on a real board.
- Don't you dare throw this one away.
I'll be back someday
and I'll hold you responsible if it's gone.
- I wouldn't dream of it.
I will personally wrap this in cotton wool.
- Were you serious?
Did you really win comps on that?
- Absolutely!
Don't ask me why, but I always felt good on it.
And when you feel good,
it's amazing the luck that goes with you.
(all chanting)
- Fly! Fly! Fly!
(groaning)
- That was terrible!
- Now you know my secret, I'm the worst Snooker player
in Solar Blue history.
- Great, still hope for me then.
- Thanks people, but if you'll excuse me,
I better hit the sack,
otherwise I'll miss a plane in the morning.
- Can you book a taxi for
- Sorry, not possible.
- Since when? - Since I'll be driving
you myself!
- You don't have to do that!
- You'd do the same for me.
- Yeah, but- - But nothing, Fly!
I will see you down here at : tomorrow morning.
- Thanks.
Night guys!
(all chatting)
- Night, Fly!
- Your shot next, Loren!
- Sorry, I've just gotta whip upstairs for a second.
You have my go for me.
(soft knocking)
- Hi.
- Sorry, but, could I talk to you for a minute?
- Sure, come in.
- Sorry, I won't take long, I promise.
- It's okay, what's the problem?
- It's actually a friend of mine,
of all of us, Charley Prince?
- The boy who got glandular fever?
- He lives over in Perth,
and as you're going to Perth,
I was wondering if you could call in to see him.
- About anything in particular?
- It's a bit of a story.
- That's okay.
Ten minutes less sleep won't k*ll me.
- Fly Watson?
What's she got to do with anything?
Why bring her into this?
- All I'm asking is that you talk to her,
that's all you have to do.
- But why, what's done is done, Loren.
She can't change what's happened.
- I'm not saying she can.
- Then why waste her time and mine going on about it?
- Just give it a go, will you?
Please?
- Loren, I honestly don't see how this can possibly-
- Look, I'll make a bargain with you.
Meet Fly and hear what she has to say.
Then you can make your own decision.
And whatever you decide, I'll go with it.
Promise I'll never bug you about it again, okay?
- All right,
I can't believe this'll change anything, but-
- I'm only trying to help you, Charley.
- Yeah, I know.
It's not that I'm not grateful or anything.
- I know.
Let's just see how it goes.
Ah, and by the way.
- What?
She's a really nice person.
You'll like her.
- Well at least that part sounds good.
(upbeat rock music)
- Loren?
- Hey Bec, just goin' to the gym.
- When I drove Fly to the airport this morning,
she told me about your conversation last night.
About Charley.
- I should've guessed she'd tell you.
- Why didn't you tell me?
- I'm sorry, Bec, it's just that Charley's in such a state
about things I didn't know what to do.
- Well, even more reason to tell me.
Sometimes I can sort things out from another angle,
one you mightn't have thought of.
But I can't if I don't know.
- It was difficult, he didn't want me to tell anyone.
He was even upset that I told Fly.
- Look, I know it's hard trying to be loyal to your friends
and doing the right thing by the Academy,
but Garry and I aren't the enemy.
If there's a problem, let us know.
We wanna help, okay?
- Right. Understood.
- Anyway, for what it's worth, I think you did a smart thing
by telling Fly.
I mean, she's a small package, but when she sets her mind
to something, she's an irresistible force.
(chill pop music)
- Don't go at it too hard!
You need to take things slowly when you're coming back
from illness.
Otherwise, you'll risk more injury.
- Thanks, but I don't I'm in any danger of that
at the moment.
- Fair enough.
I used to surf out there when I was .
- I thought that you were from Margaret River?
- Done your homework.
- Loren said you'd be calling in,
so I checked you out on the Solar Blue website.
- Smart move.
Fly Watson.
Pleased to meet you, Charley.
Your mum showed me in.
Hope now's a convenient time to drop by.
- So how can you have surfed this beach?
- Got aunt who lives a few streets up.
We'd sometimes stay with her on summer holidays.
- Oh, what do you know,
might've been out there on the same wave once.
- No way.
No boys ever got on my waves.
I'd kick 'em off.
- Ha, well I've never been kicked off by anyone,
let alone a ring-in from Margaret River.
- You've got something to look forward to,
then, haven't you?
- Look, Fly, I appreciate you comin' here,
but it won't do any good.
- Why's that?
- Because I know exactly what you're gonna say,
and I won't buy it.
- What am I gonna say?
- That just because I've had a setback shouldn't stop me
from returning to Solar Blue,
and that if I train hard, I can still catch up
and win at the end of the year.
- Then this might come as a bit of a surprise,
because, I wasn't gonna say any of that.
- Well, what were you gonna say?
- Nothing.
I'm here to take you for an outing.
- An outing?
- Your mom agrees.
She thinks it'll do you good
to get out of the house for a bit.
- Where to?
- I thought you might like to go for a little picnic?
- Sure, I guess?
- Cool.
- Oh, don't forget there's a book sale on at lunchtime.
They're selling back copies of old surfing mags
if anyone's interested?
- Ah, count me in.
Hold on, I don't suppose anyone's
got any spare change on them, do they?
- Oh, Guy, you're hopeless!
I reminded you about it last night.
- Well I was so busy writing my essay I forgot!
- Speaking of which, I'm about to go past the staff drop box
if anyone wants me to drop their assignments off.
- Oh, thank you! - [Loren] Yes, please.
- Thank you. - Thank you!
- Thanks.
- You're in luck, Guy!
I've got a spare ten dollars.
- Ah, luck indeed, Loren,
you're a legend, thank you so much.
I'll pay you back tonight.
- Guy, you've got the wrong heading on your assignment.
- What?
- It's the economic effects of World w*r One, not Two.
- You're kidding?
- It's okay!
You can just change the title page.
Mr. Savin won't mind.
- That's what I've written about!
- [Loren] What?
- I wrote about the economic effects of World w*r Two!
Bridget, I copied the question directly from your notepad!
- There is no way that I wrote two,
why would I write two when the textbook we were reading
clearly said World w*r One?
- Yeah, you read it too, Guy, I saw you.
- I was reading a novel.
(laughing)
Well, it was exciting, and I had to finish it!
I thought you guys would at least get the question right!
- So it's our fault
that you got the assignment question wrong?
- No, sorry, I'm not blaming you.
- Well, that's very good of you, Guy,
we really appreciate that.
- Well I'd better go and suck up to Mr. Savin now,
all the rotten luck!
- That boy is classic.
(somber guitar music)
(car tires squeal)
- Here, can you carry this box?
- Yeah.
Lots of stuff for just two people.
- Sorry, I should've mentioned.
We're meeting my aunt.
The one I used to stay with on holidays here.
- How many plates does she need?
- And there's a few of her friends here as well.
I thought it might be interesting for you to meet them, too.
- [Fly] Heather, we're here!
- Oh, good.
You managed to get everything?
- Got all of it.
Heather, this is Charley.
- Oh, pleased to meet you, Charley,
thanks for coming.
- No worries. - Darling, would you mind
getting up there and just spreading out the blanket?
- Sure. - Ah, where would you
like these to go?
- Oh, anywhere's fine.
- Charley's a local here on a break from Solar Blue.
- Oh, you're a surfer too?
Oh, that's excellent, that's just what we need.
- Where are the others?
- Already down at the beach,
I can't tell you how excited they all are.
Just hope none of them have decided
to swim on out to Africa.
(laughing)
- Great, we'll go down and join them.
You ready for a swim, Charley.
- Oh, I didn't bring any boardies, sorry.
- No worries.
Here, have a look in the boot.
My uncle's about your size and there's
at least three pairs of boardies in there.
You can change in the car.
- So glad you're able to help us out, Charley.
It's really hard to find people to help out on a weekday.
It's very good of you.
- It's all right, no worries.
I'll...
(bell ringing)
- Mr. Savin!
Mr. Savin.
- Guy, you seem inspired by an uncharacteristic sense
of urgency today.
- Well, I've been looking for you all morning.
- Well, I've been at a history conference.
I do hope that's okay.
- Ah, yeah, sir, sorry.
- So, what's the problem?
- I've had a bit of bad luck.
- Oh, bad luck, that's no good.
Year 's tough enough without having bad luck
descend upon you.
- Exactly, Mr. Savin,
I couldn't have put that better myself.
- So, what form has this bad luck taken, precisely?
- Well, you're not gonna believe this,
but you know that essay we had to write on World w*r One?
- Yes?
- Well, get this.
I slaved away for three hours last night,
and, you're seriously not gonna believe this,
I wrote about World w*r Two.
- Oh dear, that is bad luck.
- Yes, see, exactly, I knew you'd understand.
- 'Cause now you're gonna have to write two essays
instead of one. - What?
- The challenge with an essay is to read
and understand the question properly.
Now, we have had this discussion before, Guy.
- Yeah, but, sir-
- But, because you've already written an essay,
I'm going to be extremely generous
and give you another chance.
- But sir, that means I'm doing twice as much work
as everyone else.
- True, but think of the increased understanding you'll have
as a result.
You're a lucky man, Guy.
Not many cam get an opportunity like this.
(slinky bass music)
- So, what was all that stuff your auntie
was going on about?
Why the big thank you for just turning up?
- You'll see.
- Come on, Fly, I agreed to go on a picnic,
not some mystery adventure tour.
What's goin' on?
- Here's the one and only bit of advice
that I'm gonna give you today, Charley.
Just go with the flow.
- Right now, guys.
You're gonna have a lot of fun out here today.
The water is just beautiful.
- [Fly] Hey Scott!
- Hang on a sec.
- Brought another helper along.
Charley, meet Scott.
- G'day, Charley.
Thanks for comin'. - No worries.
- [Fly] Charley's at the same surf academy I went to.
But his family lives locally.
- Fantastic, you ever helped out on a beach camp before?
- Not exactly, no.
- It's easy, all right.
You just get out there and have fun.
- You can do that, Charley, what d'you reckon?
- I guess, yeah.
- I give the guys a bit of a hand if they need it,
and just make sure nobody floats off to Antarctica
if the currents change.
- Couldn't be simpler.
- Go on, g*ng, let's go!
- Hey, lighten up.
We're here to have fun, remember?
♪ You don't need anybody's words ♪
♪ To set you straight ♪
♪ Same way you don't need anybody's hands ♪
♪ To touch down ♪
♪ It's not like I'm the one ♪
♪ Who fired you down ♪
♪ Come on, step outside, dance around ♪
♪ Dance away the day ♪
♪ You don't need these passing hands of time ♪
♪ To guide you ♪
♪ Come on, step outside ♪
♪ Dance around, dance away the day ♪
♪ Godspeed on this high horse ♪
♪ And I'm on my way ♪
♪ Godspeed now, just chasin' my ♪
♪ My blues away ♪
♪ Godspeed on my side ♪
♪ To dance away the day ♪
- You wanna come in? - No!
- I'll bring the water to you, then.
(laughing)
(group chattering)
- Hey, I've got an idea,
noodle-eating competition.
- [Kids] Aw, yeah!
- We all need noodles,
there you go, look at you.
- All right, I'll judge the noodle competition, yeah?
I'll judge?
- Okay, I've got my long one.
- [Charley] Take a long one.
First person who can eat it.
Three, two, ah, you're cheating!
(laughing)
He's trying to beat us, okay,
aw, Sophie's on the go, let's go,
go, go, go, go, go!
- [Scott] Pack it in.
(laughing)
- Superstars!
- See ya, everyone!
- [All] Bye!
- Might see ya on the beach again sometime, hey?
- [All] Yeah!
- Thanks for your help, guys.
Hopefully see you again.
- Yeah, cheers!
- Bye Scott! - See ya.
See ya next week, Heather.
- Will do.
Now, just the joy of cleaning up
and we can all go home.
- No way, Charley and I'll do that, won't we, Charley?
- Yeah, sure, it'll take us like, five minutes.
- Are you sure?
- I'll drop everything back on the way home.
- Thanks, that'd be a great help.
(car horn beeping)
- See ya! - Bye!
- See ya later, guys! - Bye!
- [Heather] See ya!
- Great kids, eh? - Yeah.
Real dynamos.
So Fly, are you gonna tell me, or am I supposed to guess?
- Tell you what?
- The point of this little expedition?
It wasn't just to keep me out of the house
for a while, was it?
- No, although that wasn't a bad thing either,
by the look of it.
- True.
- You tell me.
How do you think this afternoon went?
- I thought it was good.
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves,
at least, I didn't hear any complaints.
- That's the point, isn't it?
- Sorry?
- You think you're unlucky, right?
That things have gone against you
and there's no point going back to Solar Blue.
- I don't think that, I know it.
- Then what did you think about those kids today?
- How d'you mean?
- They could think they're unlucky.
But did you hear any complaints from them?
- No, but it's-
- No, but they've got a million times more reasons to gripe
then you have.
- Well, that's unfair! - Is it?
You've got it easy!
You can make choices, you can make decisions
about your future in ways that are impossible for them.
That's as lucky as it gets.
- It's a different thing, Fly.
- Is it?
You've had a setback.
So what?
Life's full of setbacks.
You just get on and deal with it.
- I am dealing with it! - By copping out?
By blaming bad luck for things
instead of taking responsibility them yourself?
- I thought you said you weren't gonna give me any advice.
- Sorry, I can't help myself sometimes.
Let's go for a walk.
I know, it's always boring to hear what people have done
in the past years.
- Well, I have a feeling you're gonna tell me anyway.
- It's just that, when I was at Solar Blue,
I was in exactly your position at the halfway mark.
- Seriously? - Yeah, I was down in points,
totally lacked confidence, and I thought
it was all over for me.
- So what happened?
- I was lucky, I guess.
My coach sensed what was going on
and told me to snap out of it.
- That's all? - No.
Then I buckled down, worked really hard, and-
- And went on to win.
- The point is, if I can do it, I reckon anyone can.
But the first step is to take responsibility for it,
and then it's just hard work.
- Very hard work.
- Okay, very hard work.
But, I mean, it's not like you're down a coal mine.
This is surfing we're talking about.
How good is that?
(driving rock music)
- Loren!
- What's up?
- Charley rang.
He wants you to call him back,
said you'd know what it's about.
- Okay, thanks Bridget.
Bec!
- Have you heard?
- I just spoke to him,
I don't know what Fly did, but it sure worked.
He wants to come back!
- That's great!
See, I told you Fly was impossible to resist!
- How lucky were we that she came by when she did?
- Very lucky.
But hey, everyone deserves a break sometime.
- Hey, handsome, we're gonna go down to the café
if you wanna come?
- Yes, I'd love to, but no, I can't.
- Ah, World w*r One, huh?
- Yeah.
By the time I've finished this,
it will have taken me longer to write about
than it took them to fight it.
- Well, I mean, at least you get a second chance!
- Everybody keeps saying that
as though somehow, I've been given a lucky break!
Since when does copping double the work
equal good luck?
- Well, I guess it depends on your point of view.
- You're right, now my point of view
is that life has been very unfair to me today
and I hope that tomorrow lifts its game.
- Well, good luck with that.
- Ah! Don't mention that word!
From now on, all forms of luck are banned from this room!
At least until I can finish this essay, anyway.
- So how big a part does luck really play in things?
If you ask me, it plays a very big part.
But I guess what Fly said was true.
We all get good luck and bad luck.
What matters is how we deal with it.
So, from now on, there'll be no more whinging
from this peanut.
It's time to just get on with it
and think how lucky I am to be in with a chance.
(intense techno music)