Flipper Page #3

That's what

I told you, ma.

He got speared.

Oh, that poor thing.

What'll we do, ma?

Same thing I'd do

for any animal.

Get me the kitchen knife

and the iodine.

And then I just

towed him home.

Where did you go?

What did you do?

Nowhere, nothing, huh?

I think it'll be supper

and a good night's

rest for you.

[Screech]

[Screech]

Sandy!

That water's freezing!

You want to catch

your death of cold?

Back to bed.

Yes, ma'am.

I just wanted to see

how flipper was doing.

Flipper?

Yes, flipper.

I named him flipper.

Don't you think that's

a good name, ma?

I think you should go

back to bed. Go on, now.

Ok.

[Moan]

Poor flipper.

My cousin says

he's awful sorry.

Daddy took him home

this morning.

Ma, is he

going to die?

It's a very bad wound.

But you fixed it.

He needs strength

to recover.

He needs food.

In the ocean,

he'd have a chance--

in the ocean?

Ma, the first shark

that saw him

would kill him.

He's so weak!

He'll die here, too,

without food.

Couldn't we...

Somehow...

Can't I...

Your pa told you how much

fish a dolphin eats.

About 15 pounds

a day.

With the red plague,

where would you find it?

Some days up

at silver cove,

there's a lot.

Not every day.

He'd be well

in a few days,

then we could...

Please, ma?

Please?

Well, you try it,

but just today.

Come on, Kim!

Sandy, don't go

down anymore.

You'll make yourself sick.

But only

two little fish?

Please.

There just

aren't any more.

I guess

you're right.

[Screech screech]

I guess he doesn't like

those kind of fish.

What are we

going to do?

I don't know.

[Screech]

You don't feel

you owe me nothing

for a whole day's

fishing?

[Different man]

You owe us

a day's fishing.

50 Miles out

and 50 back.

Our deal was

for marlin.

All we get

is a bunch of

trash fish.

Don't expect to

see us back

again either.

Mr. lake, sir,

could I have

some of the fish?

Take them all.

To get them,

clean my boat.

Clean it of the smell

of fish, every board

and seam.

From now on,

this is going to be

a coral reef sightseeing boat.

The devil with fish!

Yes, sir.

[Squawk]

[Flipper cries out]

[Chattering]

Ma!

Ma!

Ma!

Hey, ma!

Sandy, come out!

Sandy,

don't do that!

Sandy, come out!

Don't do that!

Please, Sandy!

What's the matter, ma?

I think we better

go in the house

and talk this over.

Still, even if, um...

Flipper.

Even if flipper is

as gentle as a dog,

how will you feed him?

There aren't any fish,

not even at silver cove.

Mr. Abrams is

bringing in fish

from the other keys

to sell here.

Mr. Abrams is not

going to feed your dolphin.

I'll do chores for him.

He needs help to

rebuild his fish house.

What about

your own chores?

I'll do them both.

Mine, too.

Please, ma.

Let me try.

Well...You can try

for a while,

but you'd better get

at that fence

first thing

in the morning.

Ok, ma.

[Chattering]

[Calling]

[Calling]

Hungry again, huh?

All right,

it's a deal.

You're hired.

A dollar an hour.

In fish?

In fish. Start

nailing up the boards.

[Barking]

Hi, Rick.

Hi.

Hi, Roy.

Hey, Kim Parker says

you got a porpoise

at your place

that does tricks.

Dolphin.

You're a bigger liar

than she is.

I've been out to your place

a couple of times.

It don't do no tricks.

I can prove

I'm not a liar.

How?

Tomorrow

afternoon, bring

all your friends,

but everybody's got

to bring a ticket.

Ticket?

One fish.

Each kid has got to

bring a fish.

Ok.

Hi, Charlie.

Watch him

get it.

Take a seat

right over there.

Hi.

& everyone loves

the king of the sea &

& ever so kind

and gentle is he &

& tricks he will do

when children appear &

& and how they laugh

when he's near &

& they call him flipper &

& flipper,

faster than lightning &

go get this,

flipper.

& no one, you see,

is smarter than he &

& and we know flipper lives

in a world full of laughter &

& flying there under... &

flipper,

go get these.

& ...Under the sea &

& look at the sky

when rainbows appear &

bring this back

to me, flipper.

& you can be sure

that flipper is near &

& call him by name,

alas and alack &

& he'll give you

a ride on his back &

& we know our flipper,

flipper knows every answer &

& no one can be... &

flipper,

come on, dance.

Flipper, dance.

Come on.

& and we know flipper lives

in a world full of wonder &

& flying there under,

under the sea &

flipper,

do you love me?

[Barking]

Do you love me,

flipper?

& many a night

way down in the deep &

[dog barking]

& oysters make beds

so flipper can sleep &

& happy and gay

when he comes along &

& they all start

singing this song &

& they call him flipper &

& flipper,

faster than lightning &

& no one, you see,

is smarter than he &

& and we know flipper lives

in a world full of wonder &

& lying there under,

under the sea &&

po telephoned.

I say, po telephoned.

He'll be in tonight.

Say, that boy

of yours

sure has a way with

critters, ain't he?

Po figures to be in

about midnight.

Thank you, Baxter.

[Children laughing]

[Bird squawking]

It seemed like

1o weeks.

It sure did.

That's why I didn't

stop to put the boat

in the water.

[Squawking]

What is it, po?

Oh, maybe it's not right

keeping you out here,

but, Martha,

1o days in ocala

decided me

all over again.

I couldn't trade this

for jammed sidewalks,

auto smoke,

all that hurry...

Unless you said

you wanted to.

I don't want to.

Why, none of the work's

been done...Martha?

Well, po, the day after

you left, it so happened

that a dolphin--

this'll take a while.

We better go inside.

Pa, watch this!

[Screeching]

Come on out, son.

I want to talk to you.

[Barking]

Pretty good,

huh, pa?

I've never known anybody

who's seen anything like it.

It's like the old stories

Nick used to tell about.

But your mother

tells me you expect

to keep the dolphin.

You'll figure some way,

won't you, pa?

Where? The boat's ready.

I'll need the pen.

Couldn't we dig

another, maybe?

It took a month and

$500 to blast that

one out of the coral.

Sandy, the dolphin's

well again.

Let him go free.

Pa, he's come

to be my friend.

I'd lose him.

I couldn't do that.

He's a friend who's

kept you from your work.

Not one thing finished

in the 10 days I was gone.

I'll do my work,

honest.

How'll you feed him?

Doing chores

for Mr. Abrams.

What about

your own chores?

I'll do them, too.

Son, you've

tried that before.

It just

didn't work out.

I couldn't

let him go, pa.

I've gotten

to love him.

Do you remember

Stella velakis

at the funeral?

Didn't she love

her husband?

Sandy, for you,

this may be

the first time.

I know it hurts.

Open the fish gate.

Can't, pa...

Can't.

Pa, please don't.

[Barking]

Flipper, don't go.

Flipper...Come back.

[Church bell ringing]

I sure hope

we find flipper.

I never prayed so hard in

my life as I did this morning.

[Motor starts]

Flipper!

Flipper!

Nothing again?

Nothing.

Have you thought

about what I said

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes