
	A Sample Of The Script!

FISH STORIES by Craig A. Knitt

EXT. A SECLUDED LAKE - DAY

Raccoons play near the water’s edge as a lonely deer comes to drink. Birds flutter through the treetops while the constant drone of chirping frogs fills the air.

A small boat bobs gently in the center of a small lake.

From the boat, three experienced fishermen contently cast and reel. Their day has been long as the fish haven’t been biting. Currently there is a lull in the conversation.

SCHMOOTIE (a heavy set middle aged man) reaches into his tackle box and finds a new lure.

SCHMOOTIE - Whatcha using there, Barncat?

BARNCAT (an unkempt slightly younger man) casts and talks at the same time. It’s a skill he’s picked up over the years.

BARNCAT - Frisky Lure.

SCHMOOTIE - It workin’?

BARNCAT - Ain’t nuttin’ workin’ taday.

SCHMOOTIE tosses a single laugh BARNCAT’s way in agreement.

BARNCAT (cont’d) - Whachoo usin’?

SCHMOOTIE - I ain’t sure...

SCHMOOTIE removes his lure and tosses it into the lake.

SCHMOOTIE (cont’d) - ...but I ain’t usin’ this anymore!

BARNCAT tosses back a single laugh.

AL (a smaller middle aged man) is running out of patience.

AL - Dang it Schmootie, I thought you said this place was hoppin’ with fish!

SCHMOOTIE - (a bit frustrated) It is! It’s still early.

AL sighs then casts.

CUT TO:

AL’s bobber plops into the foreground of the shot.

CUT TO:

BARNCAT reaches into a cooler and pulls out a beer.

BARNCAT - Anybody need a fresh brew?

BARNCAT plays bartender as SCHMOOTIE quickly swallows the last inch of his previous beer.

SCHMOOTIE - Hey Al, what’s Beansack’s real name.

AL - Aw cripes... Leonard somethin-or-other.

BARNCAT - Leonard Hoppe, he useta live by the old radio tower.

SCHMOOTIE - Ya well, you know where he lives now? He bought the old Kriesel farm.

AL - I thought the Aye-mish bought that up.

BARNCAT - It’s Ah-mish Al, Ah-mish.

AL - Technically I think they’re Menonites, Grandpa Know-it-all!

BARNCAT - Listen to you!

AL - (to SCHMOOTIE) What’s old Beansack up to now-a-days?

SCHMOOTIE - I guess he got in good with some of his Amish neighbors. They’re comin’ over to use his phone, gettin’ rides to town, usin’ his tractor.

BARNCAT - Tractor? They can do that?

SCHMOOTIE - As long as they don’t own it! Anyway, last week the neighbor lady comes over and needs to call the cops cause she shot her husband.

AL - She what?

SCHMOOTIE - The Amish lady killed her husband!

AL and BARNCAT stop fishing and turn their full attention toward SCHMOOTIE.

SCHMOOTIE (cont’d) - He was driving her buggy.

AL and BARNCAT sit silently for a second.

AL - (to BARNCAT) He wasn’t ‘drivin’ her buggy’ as in "drivin’ her nuts" he was "drivin’ her buggy’ as in horse and buggy.

BARNCAT - She killed him for that?

AL - (to BARNCAT) It’s a joke.

BARNCAT acknowledges the joke with a single laugh.

AL (cont’d) - I got one, you ain’t gonna believe it but from what I understand it’s true! My cousin’s friend knew the guy that it happened to.

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