Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake) (2025)

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(BIRD CALLING)

(GENTLE HARMONICA MUSIC

PLAYING)

(DUCKS QUACKING)

(PLEASANINSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(BIRD CALLING)

MAN: Oh, would you

look at that?

WOMAN: Yeah, pretty bird,

isn't she?

MAN: Yeah.

And she's got a baby.

A loonlet?

Nobody calls them that, Jules.

Well, I call them that.

(LOON CALLING)

WOMAN: My... My God,

did you hear that?

A loonlet!

Hear it? I see it.

-Jules, I see it.

-Quiet down.

You don't wanna scare her.

Where... Where is she?

Well, she's right...

right down near the shoreline.

No, right...

-Right there.

-(WOMAN GASPS)

MAN: All by herself.

(PLEASANT MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC FADES)

(VEHICLE APPROACHING

IN DISTANCE)

(TIRES SCREECH)

Come on, baby, get in.

MAN: Why don't you tuck it in?

You're late.

MAN: Why don't you

put it back on?

-Let the wind kind of ride it.

-WOMAN: Okay.

For good reason. Guess why.

Come on, Lu, guess.

No.

We did it, Lu.

-(LAUGHS)

-You're engaged?

Well,

I guess we skipped a step.

-We're husband and wife.

-She's my wife!

-Wife for life.

-(WOMAN LAUGHS)

-Legally?

-What are you, a lawyer now?

But, yeah, I got the papers

up here somewhere.

Oh, I almost forgot.

A little after-school snack.

MAN: (LAUGHS)

Mom of the year.

Yeah, I'm not hungry.

Try the cake, baby.

Adam made it.

(BOX OPENS)

-It's disgusting.

-Lu!

It's fine.

She don't mean anything.

You don't mean it.

It's carrot cake.

Ma hates carrot cake.

ADAM: Do you hate carrot cake?

-No, of course not.

-(SCOFFS)

WOMAN: Maybe I'll get some

of that fabric dye,

turn it blue or red

or something.

Get my money's worth.

(ADAM LAUGHS)

-Missed the turn.

-WOMAN: I think blue, maybe.

Match my eyes. And your eyes.

LU: There was a right turn

back there.

-Ma, tell him.

-We're not going home, baby.

What do you mean,

we're not going home?

Well, you are going

to Nan and Pop's.

We...

-Are you gonna tell me, hon?

-(ADAM INHALES)

He's taking me

on a surprise honeymoon.

Ain't I lucky?

I'm not going

to Nan and Pop's.

-It'll be fun, Lu.

-Why can't I just stay home?

-ADAM: And do what?

-What do you care?

Nan and Pop

are excited to see you.

They don't even know who I am.

Yes, they do.

And besides, it's gonna be

just like summer camp.

And you always wanted to go

to summer camp.

It will not be

like summer camp.

How would you know?

You've never been.

-Will you stay out of it?

-WOMAN: Louise!

(WOMAN MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY)

ADAM: Kids.

WOMAN: Did you like my veil?

ADAM: I did.

Maybe you should keep

that too.

WOMAN: I know.

(CONVERSATION CONTINUES

INDISTINCTLY)

WOMAN: I love you.

I'll see you soon, Lu.

Two weeks.

ADAM: Only two weeks.

-(ENGINE STARTS)

-Maybe more.

WOMAN: Is there something

you're not telling me?

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

(POP LAUGHS)

My goodness.

This is unexpected.

(CLATTERING)

(PLATES CLINKING)

(COFFEE MACHINE WHIRRING)

(PHONE DIALING TONE)

(LINE RINGING)

VOICEMAIL: Hey, this is Jen.

You missed me.

Leave a message.

(VOICEMAIL BEEPS)

(WATER RUNNING)

(DISHES CLINKING)

(PAN LID CLOSING)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

She looks like Jenny,

doesn't she?

Of course she does.

(EXHALES) There we go.

Thank you, dear.

Thank you.

I'm not hungry.

You're too skinny

to skip breakfast.

It's too early to eat it.

Suit yourself.

How old are you now, Louise?

-I'm 14.

-You don't look 14.

What do I look?

Oh...

Ten? Eleven, maybe.

Have you gone blind? She looks

like a real young woman.

Sixteen at least.

I'm 14.

How was the wedding?

I don't know.

POP: Nothing?

The carrot cake

wasn't very good.

Carrot cake?

Jenny hates carrot cake.

Yeah, I know.

Well, that's what she gets

for planning the wedding

in five minutes.

Damn second-rate carrot cake.

NAN: Bacon, please.

POP: Sorry, baby.

There you go.

Lu?

(POP SNIFFS, EXHALES)

(MELLOW STRING MUSIC PLAYING)

(BEDSHEET RUSTLING)

(LEAVES RUSTLING)

(DISHES CLINKING)

(DISHES CLINKING)

(WATER RUNNING)

(GIRLS LAUGHING)

(TRAMPOLINE SPRINGS CREAKING)

(BOOK THUDS)

(WATER SPLASHING)

(POLE THUDS)

(TARPAULIN RUSTLING)

(POP SNORING)

(BOAT CLANKING)

(SPLASH ECHOES)

POP: Am I going blind,

or is she trying to steal

my Sunfish?

(CHUCKLES)

(POP SIGHS, MUTTERS)

POP: What are you doing?

Huh?

(STUTTERS) H... Hand me that.

Give me that.

(GRUNTS)

Do you think

you're tying a shoelace?

-Those knots will k*ll you.

-(MAST CLATTERS)

Lu? (SIGHS)

Lu.

Louise, come here. Come on.

Come.

Do you wanna sail?

Learn how to tie

a proper knot.

And eat the food

Nan feeds you.

Got it?

What's he looking at?

Hmm? Oh.

Birds.

(SHOUTS) Any loons?

POP: No, just mallards.

(SCOFFS) Mallards.

Ooh!

We saw a loonlet.

Can you believe it?

It's been a few years since

we've had chicks on the lake.

Usually the hawks eat the eggs

before they're hatched

or the muskies eat them after.

-Gross.

-Mmm.

POP: Hey, did you tell Lu

I spotted it first?

Pop spotted her first.

POP: Nan thought

it was a mallard!

(LAUGHS DERISIVELY)

(SCOFFS) No, not really!

(CHUCKLES) Just...

Just for a second. It...

She wasn't on mama's back!

What do you mean?

Mmm, piggybacks.

Keeps the little ones safe

from the muskies.

That's how

they usually get around.

But mama isn't real keen

on piggybacks, I guess.

(LINE RINGING)

VOICEMAIL: Hey, this is Jen.

You missed me.

-Leave a message.

-(VOICEMAIL BEEPS)

(LINE RINGING)

VOICEMAIL: Hey, this is Jen.

You missed me.

Leave a message.

(LINE RINGING)

VOICEMAIL: Hey, this is Jen.

You...

(LINE RINGING)

VOICEMAIL: Hey, this is Jen.

You missed me.

-Leave a message.

-(VOICEMAIL BEEPS)

(LU CHUCKLES)

POP: All righty.

Get in.

-(LU SHRIEKS)

-Whoops!

(BOAT THUDDING)

POP: Do you know what this is?

A paddle.

It's a dagger board.

It keeps the boat steady.

Goes right in that slot there.

-Why don't you stick it in?

-(EXHALES)

There you go.

Attagirl.

There you go.

Now, don't ever get

in the boat without that.

Right?

Okay, get in there. Put...

Put your legs down in

the footwell, right in there.

Attagirl.

Okay, now, when you capsize,

and you will...

you grab the daggerboard

and with all your weight,

you pull, you pull,

you pull until that boat turns

right back upright, okay?

Now, keep one hand

on the sheet.

That's the sheet.

Other on the tiller.

That's the tiller.

Push it right to go left,

push it left

to go right, okay?

If you wanna go fast,

you keep the sail tight.

If you wanna slow down,

you loosen it up a little bit.

And watch out for the boom.

It's gonna swing around

when the wind changes.

And when it does, you gotta

duck down, get out of the way

and scoot

to the other side of the boat

and be real fast about it

or you'll get a big old goose

egg on your noggin.

You got it?

And always, always wear this.

Now you look like a sailor.

The lake is yours, dear.

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)

(SQUEALS)

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

NAN: You want me

to toast that?

LU: Mmm-mmm.

-NAN: Jam?

-It's fine.

-Peanut butter?

-LU: Mmm-mmm.

(SAIL THUDS)

(BIRD CALLING)

(LOONLET CALLING)

Hmm. You found yourself

a little friend.

-(LU CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

-(NAN CHUCKLES)

(WATER RUNNING)

(LU MUMBLES)

-(SPLASHING)

-Come on.

-(INDIE MUSIC PLAYING)

-What's this?

POP: What's what?

Uh, to the top of the lake.

Inter... Interlochen?

POP: Ah, it's a camp.

-Summer camp?

-A rich kids' camp.

NAN: It's a music camp

for gifted children.

POP: That's what I said.

(WINDCHIMES TINKLING)

Hi. (GASPS)

You don't want it?

(LOON CALLING)

(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)

Excuse me.

She could've been eaten

by a muskie.

Do you know that?

(MELLOW MUSIC CONTINUES)

Did you think about her?

You're all she has.

(MELLOW MUSIC CONTINUES)

(WAVES LAPPING)

POP: It's not a root

and it's not beer.

-(NAN CHUCKLES)

-How come it's root beer?

Do you have an answer to that,

Louise?

-Absolutely not.

-Well, good.

-It's delicious, actually.

-(LU LAUGHS)

NAN: With vanilla ice cream.

Mmm.

POP: Well, now,

that's pretty. Look.

See that cloud right there?

Lit from underneath.

LU: Yes, they all move.

NAN: Yeah, what do you...

It almost looks like a shark.

What do you think?

LU: Mmm-hmm.

NAN: You see the eye?

-LU: I see that, yeah.

-You see the eye?

LU: Maybe not...

POP: Of course I do. I see...

LU: The eye right there, look.

NAN: Yeah.

And then the fin up top...

LU: Mmm-hmm.

(PHONE CLATTERING)

(INGYDAR BY ADRIANNE LENKER

PLAYING)

(LOONLET CALLING)

Fragilely, gradually

And surrounding

The horse lies naked

In the shed

Evergreen anodyne

Decompounding

Flies draw sugar

From his head

His eyes are blueberries

Video screens

Minneapolis schemes

And the dried flowers

From books half-read

The juice of dark cherries

Cover his skin

The dog walks in

And the crow lies

In his jaw like lead

Everything eats

And is eaten

Time is fed

Early evening

The pink ring swallows

The spherical

Marigold terrain

Sleepily

Venus sinks and hollows

The stationed headlight

Of a plane

You are as far from me

As memory

Which fixtures

Fracture varyingly

The juice of dark cherries

Cover my skin

Six years in, no baby

(CHILDREN SQUEALING, LAUGHING)

(WATER SPLASHING)

Everything eats

And is eaten

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

WOMAN: It's in the past.

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

This isn't a vacation, Jun.

I know.

I booked you practice pod 25.

Every hour until placement.

-Thanks.

-Promise me you'll practice.

I always practice.

I'm missing quarterlies

for the showcase.

-You don't need to do that.

-But you know,

it's gonna be worth it.

Because I get to see you

in first chair.

-But it might not be me, Mom.

-What?

I said it might not be me.

It might not be you, Jun?

You're on track

to become principal of

the Chicago Symphony by 18.

Say it.

-Mom...

-Say it, Jun.

-(JUN SIGHS)

-Who are you?

Principal of

the Chicago Symphony.

And?

First chair of the orchestra.

I love you.

(ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(GIRLS CHATTING INDISTINCTLY)

(VIOLIN PLAYING)

(PLAYS MENDELSSOHN VIOLIN

CONCERTO IN E MINOR OPUS 64)

(EXHALES SOFTLY)

(EXHALES)

(EXHALES)

(EXHALES SOFTLY)

(PLAYS RAPIDLY)

BOY: ...can't get anybody

off the show, or, like...

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

GIRL: He, like, made it.

He was there for seven years.

BOY 2: Such a long time.

And it's like at

a certain point, career wise,

I understand why he...

I mean, seven is a long time.

I mean, it's not like going

after, like, four seasons.

Or, like, even, like, six.

BOY 2: Okay.

GIRL: Okay.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Uh, where... where are you

off to so fast?

Oh, practice.

GIRL: Ew, it's lunchtime.

Sit down.

Placement's tomorrow, Hol.

You should practice too.

-All of you.

-But that's no fun.

It's more fun

than second chair.

HOLLY: Boo. He's so serious.

GIRL 2:

I don't know why he bothers.

He's a shoe-in

for first chair.

HOLLY: What's wrong

with second?

(VIOLIN PLAYING)

(METRONOME CLICKING)

-(PEN SCRATCHING)

-(METRONOME CLICKING)

(METRONOME CLICKING)

(YELLS IN FRUSTRATION)

(YELLS)

(SOBBING)

(VELCRO RIPPING)

(BOY LAUGHS IN DISTANCE)

MAN: Jun Emmons.

(BOY LAUGHS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Is it true that,

like, at night,

they throw out all the donuts?

-Yeah.

-Do they give it to anybody?

We can take them

if we wanted them.

-Oh.

-We kind of change.

Are you sure you should have

that on the floor?

It's fine.

-Sorry!

-(BOY LAUGHS)

(CONVERSATION CONTINUES

INDISTINCTLY)

BOY: (LAUGHS) Okay.

JUN: Um, when... when are

they gonna post the seatings?

MAN: Two hours.

Kit Fan.

(DISTANT CHATTER)

-GIRL: Don't forget...

-(GIRL SQUEALS, LAUGHS)

(BOY LAUGHS)

HOLLY: That's it.

You're awful at this. I quit.

BOY: Come on,

we were just having fun.

HOLLY: Water up the nose

is not fun, Enzo.

It's a literal

t*rture technique.

But we can't play without you.

-I'll be on top this time.

-f*ck off!

GIRL: Now what?

ENZO: We'll find somebody.

BOY: Hey!

Hey!

Yeah, you. Come play with us!

-ENZO: Bro.

-What?

Why don't you take him?

BOY: I got Selma.

ENZO: You don't want to fight

a boy, right, Selma?

What, him?

Nah, I can take him.

Hey, come on!

Yeah.

ENZO: You know how to play,

uh, chicken fight?

Uh, yeah. Uh-huh.

ENZO: You guys ready?

SELMA: Yeah, let's do it.

-Ready?

-Yeah.

(PLAYFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

ENZO: All right.

BOY: Come on, man.

-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

-SELMA: Ready?

-(JUN GRUNTS)

-BOY: Come on.

Sorry. Sorry.

SELMA: It's all right,

let's go.

-BOY: You guys ready?

-Yeah.

BOY: Let's go, Selma. Get him.

(GRUNTING, LAUGHTER)

(SELMA YELPS)

ENZO: (LAUGHS)

There we go, man.

Hey, you wanna

switch partners yet?

-SELMA: Shut up.

-Oh, man. Selma's mad.

Come on.

Let's do this.

-ENZO: All right, let's go.

-Come on.

-(ENZO GRUNTS)

-(SELMA CHUCKLES)

BOY: Come on, Selma.

SELMA: No! (SQUEALS)

BOY: Come on!

(LAUGHTER)

SELMA: Are you kidding me?

BOY: What was that?

-Jesus Christ.

-All right, come on.

Nah, might as well

not even try.

SELMA: All right, let's go.

(PLAYFUL MUSIC CONTINUES)

(LAUGHTER)

SELMA: Anthony, what are

you doing, just sitting there?

ANTHONY: No,

I'm trying to help you.

MAN: Placement is posted!

(HEAVY SPLASH)

JUN: Sorry.

Who the hell is Jun Emmons?

Who cares?

Let's go.

(SOLEMN STRING MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC SPEEDS UP)

(PANTING)

(STALEMATE BY ANNA ASH

PLAYING ON RADIO)

You can write yourself

Into somebody's history

And claim memory

And importance

And how it should be

You were always

Kind of useless as a kid

And hot damn, looks like

We're growing out of it

Think about

How awful it once was

And you're still waiting

On a declaration

To finally wake you up

(GRUNTS) Okay.

Mom, we're here.

Hey!

(SIGHS)

(EXHALES)

I need tables 11, 23, 36

and 44 now!

And we need more mushrooms!

Come on, guys.

Whoa, whoa. Hey.

What are you doing here?

-I took Jessica's shift.

-You cannot change shifts

without running it by me,

Annie.

Her kid is sick,

she asked me to cover.

I can't keep paying you

overtime.

Do you want me to leave?

No, it's fine.

Do me a favor and go start

cleaning the bathrooms, now.

-All right.

-Now!

Uh, hey, restroom's closed.

(EXHALES)

I don't mind if you look.

(EXHALES)

(URINATING)

(MAN SIGHS)

(POP MUSIC PLAYING

FAINTLY ON SPEAKERS)

(POOL ba*ls CLACKING)

-Hey, Stella.

-Oh, hey, can you take over?

Which table?

Party of three,

end of the bar. Bye.

MAN: There.

-That's where I saw it.

-A whale?

No. No, not a whale.

A fish the size of a whale.

MAN 2: Right. Excuse me.

A fish the size of a whale...

That makes way more sense.

How many fingers

am I holding up?

-(COUGHS)

-(MAN 2 LAUGHS)

MAN 1: Look, I saw it

and don't patronize me.

Another one!

I got 20:10 vision.

I almost went

into the Air Force.

Two hearted?

Yeah. You're good at that.

-What?

-Guessing my drink.

It wasn't a guess. You get

the same thing every time.

I'm not asking

for your permission.

I'm asking if you want to be

a part of discovering

something monumental.

Something that

they'll write about

and document in history books.

History books

have a chapter on fish?

Hey, man, why don't you just

send Ross out to go find it?

Ross couldn't find sand

in the desert.

Besides, I don't want him

taking all the credit.

Is there some sort of

prize money at least?

Look.

I could die tomorrow

and not a single person

would remember me.

But when I catch this fish,

I'm gonna name her after me.

She's gonna be my legacy.

(BOTH SNORTS AND LAUGHS)

-Your legacy? Like a...

-(LAUGHS)

Like a fish?

MAN 1: That's not funny.

MAN 2: Come on.

I'm just bustin' your ba*ls,

man.

I said that's not funny!

Sorry.

Come... Come on, man.

I know what

you're going through, man,

but this is bat sh*t.

Why don't you go downstate,

go get a second opinion?

You talk like

I got time to k*ll.

Look, I need a vehicle.

Can I borrow yours?

I would, but mine's

a company truck.

I can't just be

lending it out.

MAN 2: Yeah, man, and look.

I gotta take my kids to school

and soccer practice and sh*t.

-Yeah, yeah, I get it.

-Or else I would.

Be all right otherwise.

Hey.

I've got a car.

(SEAGULLS CRYING)

(CAR ENGINE STARTS)

(ENGINE SWITCHES OFF)

Hey, hold up! Don't get out.

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

We gotta pick up

a couple of things.

Sure.

Oh, but don't smoke in my car.

(SLOW INDIE MUSIC PLAYING

ON CAR STEREO)

ANNIE: So you live in a boat?

Uh, yeah.

On and off.

I always wanted

to live in a boat.

Really?

So I'm living your dream?

I mean, I pictured more of

a big lavish yacht.

Right, a Benetti

or a Sunseeker, maybe?

A Catalina at least.

-The modest choice.

-(LAUGHS) Yeah.

(BELL JINGLES)

MAN: What do you think,

jigs or spinners?

ANNIE: Crank bait, maybe?

I don't know.

-Is it big enough?

-What was it, a catfish?

Bigger.

Pike? Muskie?

Sturgeon?

How do you know so much

about fish?

Wren's going through

a phase.

Last month it was dinosaurs,

this month it's fish.

She'll get over it.

I was supposed to

grow out of this?

Bigger than a sturgeon?

I swear.

Well, this isn't big enough.

ANNIE: Does anybody work here?

MAN: He's usually in the back.

-ANNIE: What's his name?

-Chip.

ANNIE: Chip?

(TV PLAYING)

Chip?

-Chip!

-Jesus f*cking Christ!

Yeah, yeah.

(DOOR CLOSES)

She's not real sweet, is she?

(SIGHS)

We need the harpoon.

(SCOFFS) Oh, honey.

Honey, this is hard

for a man to handle. Okay?

How about one of those cute

little poles, sweetheart?

(ANNIE CHUCKLES)

How about you take

one of those poles,

shove it up your a*s and

sell me the damn harpoon?

How about you get the hell

out of my store?

-How about that?

-Hey.

There's nowhere

to buy a harpoon

within 100 miles of here.

You should've thought about

that before you let your girl

open her pretty little mouth.

-Excuse me?

-Hey, she's not buying.

-I'm buying.

-Nobody's buying.

All right, I want you

out of my store. Both of you.

Here,

a little sweetener on it.

Did I not make myself

crystal clear?

Get... No, no! No!

No, gimme that! No!

-Stop it! No! No!

-(YELLS)

-God damn it! Ow!

-(OBJECTS CLATTERING)

-sh*t! (GROANS)

-Run.

-What?

-Run!

Son of a b*tch.

Hey, I'm gonna call the cops!

I'm calling the cops!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(MAN GRUNTS)

(ENGINE STARTS)

(TIRES SCREECH)

(MAN COUGHS)

(MAN BREATHES HEAVILY)

(MAN LAUGHS)

(BOTH LAUGHING)

REPORTER: (OVER RADIO)

...news just in.

We got some

breaking news today.

Two armed

and dangerous fugitives

in possession

of a stolen spear g*n

are at large

in Green Lake County.

Last seen headed west on I-9

in a black...

-We should just go.

-No, don't.

You got a better idea?

I'm not getting locked up

for a fish. Neither are you.

The female suspect

has yet to be identified.

If you have any information

regarding the whereabouts

of the two suspects,

please call...

-Why do you have binoculars?

-I don't know.

You'd think he'd find

a winning ticket by now.

Ross can't even find sand

in the desert.

How'd you know that?

-Give me two minutes.

-Wait a minute.

ANNIE: (INHALES SHARPLY)

Excuse me.

This is embarrassing.

I... I was wearing earrings

when I went for a swim

this morning.

And I think they fell out

'cause I can't find them

anywhere.

Um, maybe you didn't

put 'em in?

I never take them out.

They were, uh, big...

diamond... rock... earring...

Well, okay, uh...

Where did you say

you were swimming, exactly?

(IMPERCEPTIBLE)

MAN: What the hell

is she doing?

(WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)

-How the hell did you do that?

-Let's go.

ANNIE: I admire

that you've got a goal.

No one around here's got any.

It's depressing.

(GRUNTS SOFTLY)

What's your goal?

I was supposed

to go to college.

Yeah?

But this lake, it's...

It's like a black hole.

Once you're in it,

you can't ever get out of it.

I guess I never really tried.

Wren's only three years old

and she's already

too big for this town.

(CHUCKLES)

That's impossible.

(CHUCKLES)

(TUTS)

I'm dying.

I mean, we're all dying

but I'm... really dying.

I knew better than to start

with these and, uh...

I guess maybe

that was the whole point.

(MAN SIGHS)

Do you believe in God?

Oh, Annie, not you too?

-What?

-(EXHALES)

Everybody wants

to save my soul

once they find out I'm dying.

I'm not trying to convert you.

Does that get you extra points

in heaven

to bring in recruits?

I bet it does.

-I'll take it you don't, then.

-I'll take it you do.

I just... like to believe

that everything happens

for a reason.

Otherwise my whole life

is just...

I don't know.

Not what I pictured.

What did you picture?

More.

(SIREN WAILING)

Yep. That's their vehicle!

Ross!

What the hell are you doing?

What the hell are you doing?

Get... Get your damn boat!

They're getting away!

Get your damn boat!

-Oh!

-ROSS: Yes, sir!

Unbelievable.

Thumb twiddling laggard.

-Yes, sir, yes, sir!

-Come on!

Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

Come on!

Is it cold? It looks cold.

It's not cold.

-It's a little cold.

-(SPLASH)

ANNIE: (YELPS)

It's freezing!

(LAUGHS)

(BOTH LAUGH)

(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)

(BOTH LAUGH)

(MUSIC STOPS)

Annie.

-(GASPS)

-Annie.

God, it's real!

-God, it's real. I saw it!

-Annie, we got to go.

Got to go.

They're coming for us.

-I saw the fish.

-What?

I saw your fish!

-You saw my fish?

-I saw it! Get the harpoon.

(HELICOPTER WHIRRING OVERHEAD)

(DISTANT SIREN BLARING)

(SIREN WHOOPS)

(OFFICER ON BOASHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)

(SIREN WHOOPING)

(OVER MEGAPHONE)

Put your hands in the air!

There!

OFFICER:

I said put your hands...

(HARPOON FIRES)

Put your hands in the air!

(LINE WHIRRING)

(OFFICER

SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)

Drop the weapon

and put your hands in the air!

I'm sorry I roped you

into this.

Are you kidding?

This is the most exciting

thing that's happened to me

in my entire life.

OFFICER:

Put your hands in the air!

(SWEEPING MUSIC PLAYING)

(LINE WHIRRING)

-(LINE CLICKS)

-(GRUNTS)

ANNIE: Finn?

Finn? Finn?

Finn!

Finn!

Finn!

Finn!

(MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING)

(CAR DOOR SHUTS)

Morning, Dad.

DAD: Goodnight, Birds.

(GIRL GRUNTS SLEEPILY)

-Wake up.

-Mmm-hmm.

-Wake up.

-Mmm-hmm.

-You awake?

-Mmm.

Yeah.

Ow, Blue.

Blue, why do you always

have to go this way?

It's the easiest way.

It's definitely not. You could

just go off your side.

(BALL BOUNCING)

-(LAUGHTER)

-(GRUNTS)

You okay?

Alley-oop! No.

-(BALL THUDS)

-Yay!

YOUNG WOMAN: No.

-No.

-That's a tricky little...

-No.

-All right.

Done.

(REPORTER SPEAKING

INDISTINCTLY OVER RADIO)

(FEET THUDDING)

YOUNG WOMAN: Hey, stop that.

I'm serious, stop.

You're gonna wake Dad.

BLUE: Dad could sleep

through the Second Coming.

You'll wake Marianne.

(THUDDING STOPS)

BLUE: When do you think

the Cali will get here?

Robin?

The Californians?

Do you hear nothing I say?

I told them to come

before 7:00

if they want to eat with us.

(INHALES)

BLUE: They made a real mistake

booking this summer

instead of last.

(SCOFFS) You'll be fine, Blue.

BLUE: Can't you please

just stay through the season?

ROBIN: I've already skipped

Orientation.

If I miss class on Monday,

they'll drop me.

There you go.

And then just a splash.

And then whisk.

(POP MUSIC

PLAYING OVER STEREO)

ROBIN: Okay.

Add a little oil.

There you go.

Yeah.

(PAN SIZZLING)

Hey, low heat. Low heat.

Hey, no. Don't push.

Just...

Just fold.

Like that.

-Oh.

-Mmm-hmm.

(SCRAPING PAN)

Tragic.

(CHUCKLES)

You'll get the hang of it.

(DOOR SLAMS)

-BOTH: Not it!

-(SHOWER TURNS ON)

(ROBIN CHUCKLES)

(IN SING-SONG VOICE)

Don't let her see you.

Blah!

(SHOWER RUNNING)

(SHOWER TURNS OFF)

She wears a wig.

She does not.

She does. I saw it.

(GIGGLES)

Oh! Wait.

So you're telling me

that she could have

any hair in the world

and she chose that...

Chose that atrocious

opossum of a piece. Yeah.

-Imagine if it got wet.

-Wow.

It would look like

a limp little wet rat.

(BOTH LAUGH)

Ew.

(EXHALES) I don't think

I want that in my head.

BLUE: Oh, God!

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)

BLUE: I don't know

what you think

you've got to learn

at culinary school.

ROBIN: Lots of things.

BLUE: These muffins

are the best I've ever had.

Just you wait

until I've got a real oven.

(BOTH SNICKERING)

-(CAR DOOR SHUTS)

-(LAUGHS)

ROBIN: Mmm-hmm.

Mmm-hmm.

(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)

(TROLLEY WHEELS RATTLING)

What?

Always buy organic

for out of state guests.

(SCANNER BEEPS)

So it's true, then.

What?

About your new boarder.

I hear

he's a Hollywood movie man.

Um, yeah. I don't know.

It's none of my business

to know what he does

outside the lake.

Well, I hear he's here

to write a movie.

Is he married?

(CASHIER CHUCKLES)

'Cause, uh, I could use

a Hollywood movie man.

And I'm sure he's thinking,

"Oh, I could just go

for a high school dropout

"grocery bagger."

Quiet, Blue.

Well, maybe

I'll just stop on by, then.

Please don't.

$34.50 is your total.

There's $40.

Let me take this one.

-Thank you.

-You're welcome.

Bye.

Careful, or he'll write

something about you.

-If we're lucky.

-CASHIER: Hmm.

ROBIN:

Did you wash the chicken?

Yep.

Good.

Would you like some guts

with that?

Wait, I thought

you had the day off.

I had to pick up a shift

last second.

Don't worry,

I'll be back in good time.

It's not about the time.

You need to sleep, Dad.

If I get tired, you can drive,

yeah?

-(GROANS)

-ROBIN: Keys.

T minus 36 hours.

I'm excited for ya.

-Bye, birds.

-ROBIN: Bye.

(KNIFE SLICING)

(PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING)

(BATHTUB BY BABEHOVEN PLAYING)

I scored something

Close to her

Did you ever think

I'm worth it?

They're here, they're here,

they're here.

They're here!

(INDISTINCT CHATTER OUTSIDE)

This... This is luxury.

WOMAN: Not sure

what you mean, John.

JOHN: The air, Caroline.

Fresh f*cking air.

Smell that.

It's the same air.

There's no walls between us.

Your perspective never fails

to confound me.

-(CAROLINE CHUCKLES)

-What's the door code?

CAROLINE:

Uh, I think Henry has it.

JOHN: Henry, get your lazy a*s

out here.

CAROLINE: Oh, no, I remember.

Of course. Grab the suitcases.

Oh, my God, he saw me.

-(ROBIN CHUCKLES)

-It's not funny!

ROBIN: (IN SING-SONG VOICE)

Blue's got a crush.

-Shut up!

-Blue's got a crush.

-Shut it!

-(ROBIN LAUGHS)

(DISHES CLINKING)

ROBIN: Are you sure

you don't want any?

Oh, you know, I would

but we ate at 6:00.

We had peanuts on an airplane.

CAROLINE:

And, unlike the boys here,

I have been cursed

with a catastrophically

slow metabolism.

(LAUGHS)

It's like a whole thing.

Actually, do you girls have

a boat that I could borrow?

ROBIN: Uh, we've got some

kayaks down by the lake.

That should work.

Mmm. Hey, honey.

You promised you wouldn't

go down there.

-Hey, honey.

-Yeah.

I promised you wouldn't

go down there.

-(CAROLINE CHUCKLES)

-I love you.

CAROLINE: I love you.

ROBIN: Because of

the missing fisherman?

No, the whole theory's bogus.

Lived here my whole life and

never seen anything like it.

Me neither.

See? Thank you.

-Eaten by the big fish.

-(ALL CHUCKLE)

-Happy we can put that to bed.

-CAROLINE: Thank you.

JOHN: Why don't you get

another blueberry, sweetie?

You're doing the pouty thing.

You're doing the pouty thing!

CAROLINE: I thought that

you said you were staying

at a lake house.

JOHN: This is a lake house.

Literally a house on the lake.

CAROLINE: I was picturing,

I don't know, Tahoe?

JOHN: I never said...

You pictured the wrong thing,

-I never said Lake Tahoe.

-CAROLINE: You want to know

-what you never said?

-What?

CAROLINE: Bunk beds.

Dinner was great, Robbie.

CAROLINE: I didn't pack any

of the right clothes, John.

I was picturing, I don't know,

beach side villa,

-not fifth grade summer camp!

-(DISHES CLINKING)

She's rather rude, isn't she?

HENRY: Hey, Mom, do you want

top or bottom bunk?

CAROLINE: Christ!

Henry, I'm sorry.

Not right now.

Mommy needs a second.

-(MOUTHS) Mommy.

-(BOTH SNICKERING)

JOHN: Do you have a swimsuit?

CAROLINE: Yeah,

-I have a swimsuit.

-JOHN: Lake house.

Do you have something warm?

Lake house. Do you have...

CAROLINE: It's not the right

kind of warm, John!

JOHN: This is what you wear

on a lake house!

CAROLINE:

I brought fancy dresses.

I can't wear them with

the dirt and the mosquitoes.

There's no white

marble flooring.

JOHN: I'm sorry the water

and everything

isn't as clear

and crystal diamond blue...

(JOHN CHUCKLES)

Wow, listen to this.

"After days of searching,

"they still have

not located the body

"and Sheriff Ward speculates,

and I quote,

"'He must have been swallowed

"'by the giant fish.'"

End quote.

(CHUCKLES)

CAROLINE:

It's not funny, John.

JOHN: Uh, that's incredible.

I can't make this sh*t up.

(LAUGHS)

-Hey, Hen.

-Huh? What?

-Go join 'em.

-CAROLINE: No.

Don't, you're gonna get

swimmer's itch.

For f*ck's sake, Caroline.

(WHISPERS) Therapist said

not to use that phrase.

-He's gonna be fine.

-CAROLINE: A fish ate a guy.

JOHN: He's a young adult.

This is a made-up story.

-What are you talking about?

-It's fine.

CAROLINE: It's a grown man

in that story.

I'll just read.

JOHN: Now he's just gonna

be a reader.

CAROLINE: What's wrong

with that?

JOHN: He's gonna do nothing

with his life but read.

-Do you understand that?

-He'll be brilliant.

ROBIN: You're drooling.

I am not.

(CHUCKLES)

Where are you going?

Oh, just to invite him

to play euchre.

-Wait, Robin.

-(CHUCKLES)

Robin, don't, it's an

extremely complicated game.

He'll never get it.

Well, then, we'll whup his a*s

and it'll be a lot of fun.

It's a four-player game.

There's only three of us,

not enough.

-Oh, that's true.

-Bummer.

I guess we're just gonna have

to invite his mom

-to play, then.

-No.

Robin, I would rather die!

Robin.

ROBIN: Okay, highest card

is jack of the trump suit.

BLUE: The right bower.

-CAROLINE: The what?

-Bower.

What is bower?

BLUE: I don't know.

Well, I thought that

you invented this game.

No.

Okay, well,

I've never heard of that.

Okay, it... it doesn't matter.

The name of the card

doesn't matter.

It's just the highest card.

-Okay.

-Right.

And so the second-highest card

is the jack of the other suit

-of the same color.

-The left...

(MOUTHS) Bower.

So the jack of spades is

higher than the ace of clubs?

Yes, but only if...

Clubs is the trump suit.

-Mmm-hmm.

-Quick learner.

Good job, Hen Hen.

-Mom!

-What?

JOHN: You're embarrassing him.

Dad!

(LAUGHTER)

And who's my partner?

ROBIN: Well,

partners sit opposite

so that would be Blue.

Well, I guess

it's a stacked game, then.

Hey, I'll have you know

that I'm a great...

In our favor.

BLUE: Yeah,

and then discard low card...

-(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)

-(ROBIN HUMMING)

JOHN: It was

amazing out there.

BLUE: Did you get wet?

JOHN: No.

What are we playing?

BLUE: Euchre.

JOHN: Euchre? What's euchre?

CAROLINE:

Just watch and learn.

(LAUGHTER)

ROBIN: I think I won that one.

(CONVERSATION CONTINUES

INDISTINCTLY)

ROBIN: Okay.

I'm going to pack.

(CONVERSATION CONTINUES

INDISTINCTLY)

BLUE: He likes the lake.

(SCOFFS) Does he?

He said that he'd never seen

fresh water before.

Does it look different

than salt water?

In your hair it does.

He said that salt water

makes your hair

feel crunchy and weird.

He said that if he lived

by a lake and not an ocean,

he'd never

take a shower again.

-That's gross.

-Is it?

I mean,

if the lake were gross,

we wouldn't call it

fresh water, now, would we?

Uh, I don't think that's

why we call it fresh, Blue.

From this angle,

it almost looks like

you're unpacking those boxes.

ROBIN: Oh, does it?

No.

Hey.

Hey!

-This is mine.

-Since when?

-Since always.

-I always wear that.

Just 'cause

I let you borrow it once

doesn't automatically

make it yours, you know.

I have never

seen you wear that.

Of course not, you must have

been too busy baking muffins

-from freaking scratch.

-Okay, please calm down.

You know, Betty Crocker makes

box mix for a reason.

It's honestly

a toss up which I prefer...

I am leaving you an entire

closet full of clothes,

-I just really like that one.

-Yours have fresh blueberries

but Betty's

aren't pretentious.

You are being selfish, Blue.

This is my sweater

and you can't have it.

-Hey.

-Hi.

Sorry, I was just looking

for a snack.

Yeah, come on. It's that way.

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)

BLUE: So... bread.

I don't think

we have anything for Chex.

BLUE: Do you need help

tying that?

HENRY: Uh, yeah.

-Vanilla. I'll get the oats.

-Teaspoon of vanilla extract.

(BLUE GIGGLES)

No, we need... Yeah. We need,

like, two or three scoops...

-Woah! That's a lot of sugar.

-More, more, more.

-More?

-More. (LAUGHS)

-More?

-More!

This feels very...

Should we put in

baking powder?

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

(BLUE LAUGHS)

BLUE: Taste test?

HENRY: Yeah.

All right.

Those are actually

really good.

HENRY: Mmm.

HENRY: Come on.

BLUE:

You don't ever touch the pan.

HENRY: I'm about to touch

the cookies on the pan...

What's the difference?

BLUE: Well...

HENRY: You can have some.

ROBIN: Yum. Yes, please.

ROBIN: Nice. Cheers.

HENRY: Cheers.

ALL: Mmm. Hot.

(ALL CHUCKLE)

ROBIN: Good job.

HENRY: It's good.

BLUE: Thank you.

ROBIN: Mmm-hmm.

Where's Chicago?

Chicago is here.

Mmm. So...

Do you think it's walkable?

-ROBIN: From here?

-Yeah.

ROBIN: No.

BLUE: Bikeable?

ROBIN: Dad'll teach you

to drive soon.

-Hey.

-Hmm.

Don't fall asleep.

But, Blue, I'm tired.

I know, but if we fall asleep

it'll be morning.

(MAP RUSTLING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(BOXES THUDDING)

(BOX THUDS)

Is that everything?

Yeah. Can you put this

in the car?

(TRUCK TAILGATE SQUEAKING)

-(SOBS)

-(ROBIN SIGHS)

(BLUE CONTINUES SOBBING)

You're gonna be okay.

I love you.

(BLUE SOBS)

Okay. (SNIFFLES, CHUCKLES)

(TEARFULLY) Robin, wait.

(CHUCKLES)

It's not a gift, it's a loan.

So I want it back.

Well, it looks

way better on me.

(BREATH TREMBLES)

Bring it back.

Promise.

(TRUCK ENGINE STARTS)

See you in the summer,

Blue Jay!

(BLUE BELL

BY GOLDEN DAZE PLAYING)

Maybe I should

Stick around

Swore that I was leaving

Maybe

I just hit the ground

Try my luck another season

How's it feel when you fall

For the first time?

How's it feel

Getting younger as days go by?

Autumn leaves

Are staying 'round

Watch the day

Turn into evening

All the pain

We carry 'round

I can swear

We see it leaving

And it feels like I fall

For the first time

And I feel so much younger

As days go by

And it feels like I fall

For the first time

And I feel so much younger

As days go by

(SONG FADES)

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC FADES)