Fishing in Heaven

By
Art D'Alessandro

NightFire Films
artdaless@gmail.com
407.252.6749
 "FISHING IN HEAVEN"

FADE IN:

EXT. A FISHING HOLE -- DAY

Sun and shade patches all over the still water. A lure
flies into the shot and plunks into the stillness. In the
distance, voices in a sing-songy way...

GRANDPA (O.S.)
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night...

ALEX (O.S.)
Sailed off in a wooden shoe...

GRANDPA (O.S.)
On a river of crystal light...

ALEX (O.S.)
Into a sea of dew.

The lure moves slowly toward the sound of the voices...

then sluggishly, suddenly. An old wooden dock comes into
view.

On the dock, ALEX, 8, something of a tomboy, hair pulled

back in pony tail under a floppy bucket hat just like
GRANDPA’s. He has snow white hair and mustache, wears a
bulky lure vest, and is smoking.

GRANDPA
"Where are you going, and what do you
wish?" Whoa!

Grandpa excitedly reels in his catch.

GRANDPA (CONT’D)
Here we go! Here we go!

He reaches down into the lake to pull up... a rusted out

bicycle wheel, rubber long gone. Grandpa unhooks the
wheel, stands, sends it spinning toward shore.

GRANDPA (CONT’D)
Some people don’t mind spoiling beauty.
We’ll dispose of that properly later.

The act of throwing the wheel takes it out of Grandpa, and

he has to sit down. He wipes his forehead with his sleeve.

ALEX
You okay, Gran?
 2.

GRANDPA
Sure, sure. Right as rain.

Alex eyes him a beat.

ALEX
So far, nothing again.

GRANDPA
And your point is?

ALEX
Maybe I'm bringing you bad luck.

GRANDPA
Don’t believe in luck. You make your
own. Right?

ALEX
I guess.

GRANDPA
Without ol’ Buster, I’m just not on my
game, is all.

ALEX
You’ll find it someday.

GRANDPA
That lure was like... Well, anyway, I
don't necessarily come for the fish.
Just bein’ out here with you’s all I
need.

ALEX
I’m glad you came to live with us..

GRANDPA
Me too.
(gazes about)
God sure made us another gorgeous day.

ALEX
God did?

GRANDPA
Yes, ma’am.

He eyes her curiously.

GRANDPA (CONT’D)
This is our private glimpse of Heaven.
 3.

ALEX
Mom says heaven’s made up, like Santa
Claus.

GRANDPA
Guess I need to have a word or two
thousand with my daughter then, don’t I?

Alex laughs, shrugs.

Grandpa starts HACKING, terribly. He stubs out his

cigarette, under Alex's watchful eye.

GRANDPA (CONT’D)
(short gasps)
Be a sport and run up to the car and
fetch my water jug, okay, pal?

ALEX
(as she dashes off)
Sure. Time me.

GRANDPA
You're a fisherman and a scholar.
One-Mississippi. Two-Mississippi.

He removes his hat, pulls a pill bottle out of his vest

pocket. Coughing overtakes him.

EXT. TRAIL/DOCK - CONTINUOUS

Alex dashes back toward the water with her Grandpa's jug.

ALEX
(under her breath)
Ten Mississippi.

AT THE END OF THE DOCK

Alex runs up and stops short. Grandpa is gone. His

fishing pole turns on the dock. Water swirls just below
it. The pill bottle bobs by.

ALEX (O.S.) (CONT'D)

GRAN!!

EXT. A FUNERAL HOME -- DAY

Mourners, faces unseen, milling about. Alex, wearing an

ugly, ill-fitting plaid dress, squeezes between the chaos
of mourners.
 4.

She meanders over to a bench and sits, watches her mother,

ALEX’S MOM, 36, tired, beaten country girl, shakes hands
and receive consoling hugs.

PASTOR PHIL, 42, black, sits down beside Alex.

PASTOR PHIL
You’re the granddaughter. Alexis, right?

ALEX
Alex. You know me?

PASTOR PHIL
I knew your grandpa. He came to our
church. He told me about you. Said you
were very special.

ALEX
You have a church?

PASTOR PHIL
It’s not mine; I’m pastor.

ALEX
Whose is it?

PASTOR PHIL
Excuse... Oh, the church. It’s God’s,
and the peoples’.

ALEX
And my Gran went there??

PASTOR PHIL
He did. Some six months now. Since he
moved in with you.

ALEX
Why?

PASTOR PHIL
I guess he had questions, and God had
some answers for him.

ALEX
My gran had questions.

PASTOR PHIL
I know this’s a hard time for you. God
knows that, too. Just talk to Him. Tell
Him what’s bothering you.

ALEX
What, like pray?
 5.

PASTOR PHIL
Pray, talk. Share your heart.

Alex’s Mom hurries over to them. Pastor Phil rises,

extends his hand.

PASTOR PHIL (CONT’D)

Pastor Phil. Altaloma Methodist. I’m
sorry for your loss.

Alex’s Mom offers a pretend smile.

ALEX’S MOM
Thank you. C'mon, honey.

As they walk off, Alex glances back at Pastor Phil, who

waves. She dashes back to him, nearly out of breath.

ALEX
So, what you’re saying is God is real,
not made up like Santa Claus.

PASTOR PHIL
Yes, that’s what I’m saying.

ALEX
My mom’s 36. How old are you?

PASTOR PHIL
Me? I’m 42.

ALEX
(mumbles)
Good. Good. Older, smarter.
(draws a long breath)
Do they got fishing in heaven?

PASTOR PHIL
(thinks a beat)
That is a very interesting question. And
I’ll just say, I’m pretty sure they do.

Alex grins wide.

ALEX’S MOM
Alex! We gotta get. Now.

Alex grabs the Pastor’s hand, shakes it, runs back to her
mom, and they walk off briskly for the parking lot.

ALEX’S MOM (CONT’D)

Better hurry. Food to put out.
 6.

ALEX
Why do we have to put out food?

ALEX'S MOM
I don't know. Something about someone
passin' on makes some people hungry, I
guess.

ALEX
Not me.

ALEX'S MOTHER
Or me...

ALEX
I wasn't fast enough, Mom. It's my
fault. Too many Mississippis.

ALEX'S MOM
It wasn’t your fault. Don’t say it
again.

ALEX
Why did he die then?

ALEX'S MOM
Because... one, he smoked too much,
and, two, it was just his time.

They continue their brisk walk toward the parking lot.

EXT. ALEX'S HOUSE - DAY

RICKI, Hispanic, 8, ASHLEY, black, 7, WAYNE, white, 8, and

cousin JASON, 9, playing soccer too close to the street.
Jason, big for his age, runs right out in front of Alex's
Mom’s car to retrieve a ball.

The car SCREECHES to a stop. Jason waves nonchalantly,

picks up the ball and tries to spin it on his finger, but
it falls off and bounces out into the street. He runs
after it.

The car pulls up into the driveway. Alex and her Mom
hustle out of the car and toward the house.

WAYNE
Hey, Alex, you wanna play?

ALEX
No thanks.
 7.

JASON
'Course she don't wanna play with us.
She only plays with grownups. Hey,
that’s a real pretty dress... for a girl!

Alex heads for the house. The ball nails her in the back.

INT. ALEX'S HOUSE/LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN - DAY/LATER

Alex stands looking out the front window, watching the kids
play outside. She’s already out of her dress and in her
jeans and T. She’s also wearing her floppy fishing hat.

CLARICE (O.S.)
Well, if it's not too callous to say, I
prefer the way Aunt Ethel went.

KITCHEN

CARL, 38, bald and paunchy, UNCLE PETE, 40, needs a shave
and shower, prim CLARICE, 35, overly sexy MONA, 42, and
Alex’s Mom sit at a dining room table, a half-eaten pan of
homemade crumb cake and a bowl of fresh peaches before
them.

MONA
From the blackness of deep sleep. That's
how I want to go, too. Sweet Jesus
pluckin’ me up like a fadin’ daisy.
Would you freshen me up, Carl, honey?

Uncle Pete eyeballs Carl, as he tops up everyone.

CARL
Here’s mud in your eye.

Alex slides a chair up to the table.

ALEX
Want to go where, Aunt Mona?

Conversation stops. Uncle Pete tosses a peach up and down.

ALEX'S MOM (O.S.)

Alex, why don't you go outside and play?

MONA
God, that hat is awful, young lady.
What happened to that gorgeous dress?

Alex shrugs. Alex’s Mom removes Alex’s hat, hands it to

her.
 8.

ALEX’S MOM
She’s not so into girlie clothes.
Right, honey?

MONA
(under her breath)
Uh-oh...

ALEX
Can I go to Gran’s room?

Alex’s Mom pats her on the head, and Alex heads out.

UNCLE PETE (O.S.)

Anyway, back to our original topic, if
it's between booze and smokes, I pick
booze. Keep my tonsils moist right 'til
the bitter and dry end.

A subdued laugh quakes around the table.

MONA
(re Alex)
Does she ever see her father?

Alex’s Mom pulls a face, shakes her head, removes the crumb
cake from the table, grabs the coffee pot, offers refills.

INT. GRAN'S BEDROOM -- DAY

Hat back on, Alex walks in. Some moving boxes still in a
corner.

Outside: SOUNDS OF KIDS PLAYING.

Alex walks to the window, looks out.

HER POV:

Kids chase a soccer ball between oak trees.

BACK TO SCENE:

She eyes a nearby shelf, and picks up a framed 8 x 10 from

its place.

INSERT PHOTO:

Grandpa, in his fisherman's garb, his vest with a big bass

lure dangling from it, a cigarette hanging from his lips.
Dangling from his right hand, a 9 lb. bass.

A caption’s been added below the photo that reads, “Buster

dit it!”
 9.

BACK TO SCENE:

Alex traces her fingertip around the outline of her

grandpa.

She carries the photo to Gran’s bed, where she sits,

tracing her finger. She tosses her hat, settles back.

ALEX
God, if you are real, I hope you take
good care of my Gran... and let him go
fishin’ if he wants to. If you hear me,
make a noise or move something around.
(a long moment, nothing)
Didn’t think so.

She sighs and lets her eyes slowly fall closed.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. A FISHING HOLE - DAY (DREAM)

Alex walks through a verdant forest along a glittering

pathway. BIRD SONGS all around her. She comes to the
pathway’s end to a small lake, its surface a mirror to the
cotton ball clouds drifting lazily above

She steps closer and spies a dock. At the end sits

Grandpa, his line out in the water. His back to her, he
gently reels the lure closer to him. Another fishing pole
lies right next to him.

GRANDPA
Are you gonna stand there all day, or
you gonna get your line wet?

He turns to Alex, wearing a huge grin.

GRANDPA (CONT’D)
On a river of crystal light...

ALEX
Into a sea of dew.

With that, Alex dashes toward her Grand and wraps her arms
around him. Grandpa hugs her back, picks up her pole for
her, and Alex settles in next to him. She sends her line
flying out into the lake.

ALEX (CONT’D)
I’m sorry I wasn’t fast enough.
 10.

GRANDPA
What? Hey, wanna see somethin’?

Alex nods enthusiastically. Grandpa quickly reels in his

line, shows her -- a giant green-spotted bass lure.

ALEX
Is that...?

GRANDPA
Yes, ma’am. That’s Buster, best darn
catcher in the business, just like his
namesake Buster Posey used to be.

ALEX
Wow. Where’d you find it?

GRANDPA
It was right here waitin’ for me when I
showed up. Hooks gone, but he stills
knows how to catch’m. Look out, fish,
huh?

ALEX
No hooks, wait... Where are we?

GRANDPA
Why, we’re... I’m in Heaven.

ALEX
So, it’s true.

GRANDPA
Hundred per cent.

Tug on her line, Alex reels.

ALEX
And I’m here, in Heaven, too?

GRANDPA
You’re here with me, fishin’ like always,
but on what they call a visitor’s pass.

He points to her chest, and there is a “visitor’s pass”

pinned to her shirt. Wasn’t there even a moment ago.

ALEX
Where’d that come from?

Grandpa smiles, shrugs.

 11.

GRANDPA
(with a wink)
Guess they know what they’re doin’ after
all these years.

Alex reels her catch closer and closer. Lifts a silvery

bass from the water. Grandpa pulls the hookless lure out,
tosses the fish back in.

ALEX
Wait, that was a keeper.

GRANDPA
No keepers here. All the fun with
none of the nasty stuff, huh?

They share a good laugh.

ALEX
Sounds good!

Two majestic white swans glide by.

GRANDPA
So, here’s the deal, old pal. I need you
to help your Mom. Know what I mean?

ALEX
I think so.
(a beat)
You mean about Heaven and stuff.

GRANDPA
Exactamundo. Since your pop hightailed
it, she’s kinda given up on God and
what’s waiting for her. That’s not good
for her... or you. Understand?

ALEX
I think so.

GRANDPA
Maybe Pastor Phil can give you a tip or
two. That daughter of mine can be a hard
nut to crack sometimes.
(a long moment)
Listen, I know you’re gonna miss me. But
I need you to know I’m better than
terrific, so you get out there and play a
little, enjoy the beauty and youth God
gave you. Think you can pull that one
off?
 12.

ALEX
Guess I could try.

GRANDPA
That’s all you can do, Allie. In
anything. Give it your best shot. Keep
God in your heart. Talk to Him. Tell
Him what you’re feeling. He’ll listen.
You maybe won’t hear Him talkin’ back.
But He’s there all right, and He’ll see
you through.

ALEX
You met Him yet?

GRANDPA
Who, God?

Alex nods coyly.

GRANDPA (CONT’D)
Take a look around. Whatta ya see?

Alex gazes out at the beauty spread before her, the

glistening mirror lake, sunlight playing at the lush green
tree tops, swarms of singing birds, the swans floating off.

ALEX
Sure is a wonder.

GRANDPA
It sure is. That’s God. Understand?

She considers for a beat.

ALEX
Yessir, I think I do.

Grandpa reels in his line and uses a pocket knife to cut

Buster free.

GRANDPA
Here, take this.
(hands the lure to Alex)
Buster won’t let you down.

ALEX
You don’t need it?

GRANDPA
No. I have everything I need. Oh, by
the way, you were plenty fast enough.
 13.

ALEX
I was?

GRANDPA
Yup. You were lickety split. It
was just my time. That's all.

He wraps his arm around her, and they gaze out onto the
placid lake. Alex closes her eyes, lets the sunshine warm
her face.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. GRAN'S BEDROOM -- RETURN TO SCENE

CLOSE ON ALEX'S CLOSED EYES.

JASON
Alex! Hey, wake up!

Alex's eyes ease open. Jason stands near the old man’s
dresser.

ALEX
Oh, hey, Jason.

JASON
You were really chattin’ it
up bigtime in your sleep, cuz!

ALEX
(rubs her eyes)
What'd I say?

JASON
Not much. Some stupid fishing stuff.
(eyeballs the room)
Man, his room is like way scary,
isn’t it?

ALEX
I love it.

JASON
O-kay. Hey, guess what I found in his
sock drawer?

Jason tiptoes toward Alex, his hand behind his back.

JASON (CONT’D)
Guess. C'mon.
(displays a pack of
smokes)
(MORE)
 14.

JASON (CONT’D)
Just like the big boys puff. Where
can we go?

Jason slides a smoke out and lets it dangle from his lips,
a la the one in Grandpa's photo.

Alex looks down at the photo of her Grandpa. Her eyes

bulge. She sets the photo down, heads for Jason.

JASON (CONT'D)
All right. That's more like it.
Snag us some fire and let's --

But Alex snags the cigarette from Jason's mouth and snaps
it in front of his face.

ALEX
Maybe I’ll tell your dad, see if he wants
a smoke.

JASON
Hey, Snitch! Don't you wanna have some
fun?

ALEX
No. That’s not fun, it’s dumb.

Alex pulls open the door and pushes Jason out, locks it.

JASON (O.S.)
C'mon, cuz. Better not tell!

Alex heads for her Gran’s bed, jumps on it, grabs the photo
and kicks back. She reaches out for the pillow and winces -
- a shiny treble hook from Grandpa's lure, Buster, is stuck
on her pinky. She carefully pulls the hook out.

She eyes her finger. A TINY BUBBLE OF BLOOD forms. She

sticks her fingertip into her mouth. Blood gone.

She walks over to the window, opens it, and stares up

through the tree outside. SOUNDS OF KIDS AT PLAY. Ashley
runs up.

ASHLEY
Alex! Wanna play?

Alex draws in a deep breath, then...

ALEX
Yeah, okay, I'll be right out.
 15.

She closes the window, walks back to the shelf, sets the
"grandpa" photo down, the lure right in front of it, then
grabs her Gran’s floppy fishing hat and heads for the door,
SINGING, as she exits.

ALEX (CONT’D)
“Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night...
Sailed off in a wooden shoe...
On a river of crystal light...
Into a sea of dew. Where are you going
and what do you wish?”

MOVE through the room to the photos and the lure. ON

GRANDPA'S PHOTO: Buster, the lure that was once on his
vest, is missing, so is the cigarette.

THROUGH THE WINDOW: THE SOUNDS OF KIDS AT PLAY grow louder

by one, as Alex runs up and sends the ball flying. They
all dash off after it, and we slowly...

FADE OUT.