By John M.
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CHARACTERS:
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Scale the Trout, Smiley the Dolphin
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| TIME: |
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| Place: |
Bay of San Pony, deep in the water, near a sunken ship (where they have their serious talks.)
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AT RISE:
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SMILEY is lying on the sunken ship looking at SCALE orbiting around him
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SMILEY
You got something to ask me, Scale?
SCALE
Um…no. Why?
SMILEY
C’mon Scale. I’ve known you for 13 years. I know how you are when you have something on your mind.
SCALE
(Aside) I am very nervous right now. I really want to ask Smiley about going to the Pacific Ocean. I know he found out I got something to ask him. So I guess I need to ask now before it’s too late –
SMILEY
Scale, I know you got something to ask me and it has something to do with the border. So just ask me.
SCALE
Well, remember those other times I asked you to go with me to my homeland?
SMILEY
Well, yes, and every time I said no.
SCALE
Smiley, this will be the last time I will ever ask you this. Besides, it might be the last chance to ask you.
SMILEY
From what you’re saying, is that this will be the last time you will ever ask me?
SCALE
Yes, and the last time to even talk about going to the Pacific Ocean.
SMILEY
So you are saying today is the end of the world?
SCALE
Not funny Smiley.
SMILEY
All right. Let’s be serious, since this is where we always have a serious talk.
SCALE
Uh huh. So be serious.
SMILEY
Okay.
SCALE
Well, what I mean by today is the last chance is that today is when the border will finish building.
SMILEY
You serious? The Gate will be finished building today?
SCALE
It’s not called “The Gate.” It’s called “The Great Wall of the Pacific Ocean.”
SMILEY
Oh.
SCALE
And don’t think it’s a gate. There is no way through this wall after it’s done building.
SMILEY
Wow. How come I don’t know all this information?
SCALE
Because you don’t care.
SMILEY
What you mean I don’t care?
SCALE
I know this for a fact. Whether they build it up or not, you don’t care about the Pacific Ocean.
(SCALE starts to cry and swim away.)
SMILEY
Scale, wait. I really didn’t mean to hurt you. But –
SCALE
But what?
SMILEY
I understand what you mean, Scale. And I’m sorry. I just need you to tell me more about the wall. Why are they building it so fast?
SCALE
They’re not building it fast. It’s already been a month they’ve been building it.
SMILEY
Wow. I guess I’ve been sidetracked on some other things.
SCALE
I think so, too. But I just want to ask you this question one last time: Will you go with me to the Pacific Ocean?
SMILEY
Let me think about it, and before I answer you, can you give me a good reason?
SCALE
C’mon Smiley. I never asked for a reason every time you ask me for a favor.
SMILEY
Well, it was because it wasn’t so important.
SCALE
Nope. You’re wrong. There was one very important one.
SMILEY
Like what?
SCALE
Remember that time when you asked me to help you out and find a few clams so you can put eight pearls on your mom’s grave?
SMILEY
Yes…and?
SCALE
That took me a whole day to do it for you. I could have been doing something better than that, but I did it. Just for you.
SMILEY
That’s true. I remember. All right, let’s cut to the point. What’s the reason why you want to go back to your homeland?
SCALE
Well, first it’s because they’re about to have the border finished. Second, I don’t just want to be home, but also to complete my dad’s goal by building his bone statue.
SMILEY
Yeah I know that but what about my dream? All I want is to be famous and you know that.
SCALE
Of course I know that.
SMILEY
So how can I reach my goal if I go with you? I just want to accomplish this dream
because my dad was once a famous dolphin at the Marine World. I just want to be famous like him at the Marine World and when I retire, I come back here to be admired by everyone here who knows me.
SCALE
Don’t worry, Smiley. I’m not going to use you or anything. It’s a good thing if you go with me because you can be found there easier. If you would just do your tricks for maybe a week in the Pacific Ocean, someone will spot you. The Pacific Ocean is actually one of the most popular oceans in the world.
SMILEY
Are you for real? It makes me really want to go now, but there’s one more problem?
SCALE
What is it?
SMILEY
What if we are going and we meet sharks?
SCALE
Don’t worry Smiley. I just found a safer route to go where there’s only one shark. And if we are bad luck, we will see it.
SMILEY
What you mean?
SCALE
Well, I heard from the other fishes here that the shark will come out at a certain time. I really don’t know when, though. They said between the afternoon and the evening time. But if we leave right now, we should be able to make it to my house just a little after the noon.
SMILEY
How you know for sure?
SCALE
I did my calculations and if we do make it just a little after the noon, I can be 100 percent sure we won’t see the shark.
SMILEY
Well, if it’s safe, why can’t you go alone?
SCALE
Because, you’re like a brother to me. I’ve known you ever since I was born. You’ve done a lot for me. You took care of me like you’re my big brother and you were always there to protect me. I really couldn’t leave this place without you. You’ve become a part of my life already.
(SMILEY now goes up to SCALE and gives him a big hug.)
SCALE
And there is also a dream for me to complete when I go back to my homeland, which is to build this statue that my dad once dreamed to build with fish bones, but he didn’t have the opportunity and chance to do it.
SMILEY
What’s this statue represent?
SCALE
It represents my grandpa because he was one of the greatest fish there in that ocean. My dad says I should always look up to him.
SMILEY
What your saying is that you need help with the statue?
SCALE
Yes, and I want you to build it with me so it will really make me feel like you’re part of my family.
SMILEY
Okay.
THE END
