Orca Page #2

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Amen.

That was nice, Reverend.

Thanks.

Would you give this in his name

to the Seamen's Fund?

- He didn't have any family.

- Thank you.

There's something

I'd like to ask you.

Would you wait for me outside, Paul?

- You're Irish?

- Yes.

Can't lose the accent.

I've been here 16 years.

Laborers are a dime a dozen

at home.

I came over here to work

for my uncle in his boat.

He died and left me the boat.

And he left me Gus.

Dear old Gus.

He taught me everything I know.

Which is precious little.

I can understand

how badly you must feel.

Fishermen like to die at sea.

He had a fear of dying in a home,

with tubes sticking out of him.

But to die like this...

Don't take it too much to heart.

What's done is done.

Right.

Reverend?

What I was meaning to ask you...

Can you commit a sin

against an animal?

You can commit a sin against

a blade of grass.

Sins are really against oneself.

You understand?

I do.

Thank you, Reverend.

- Thanks for the tie.

- I'm glad the pants fit.

- Excuse me. Nolan, isn't it?

- Yeah.

- I'm Al Swain. I'm in charge here.

- Hello, Al.

- What do you mean by "in charge"?

- The Fishermen's Union and all that.

- We brought your boat in.

- Was that you? Thank you.

- Can I do anything in return?

- Nothing special.

South Harbor is a friendly place.

Everybody knows everybody.

Are you trying to catch

a big, live killer whale?

No...

We were for a moment,

but I've changed my mind.

Just as well,

because people are superstitious.

What do you mean?

An orca drives our fish away.

It's our livelihood.

You understand?

Is that for me?

Thanks.

"Whales and Dolphins

in Science and... "

"... Mythology. "

In celebration of the world's least

known intelligence. So it's about me.

Herman Melville believed that God

would come back to Earth as a whale.

You can't really believe all this

stuff. Forgive me laughing.

I'm not laughing at you,

but it's a bit heavy for me.

- But thanks for the book.

- You're very welcome.

When we're finished burying

the whale, I'll buy you a drink.

Thanks.

- Nolan, you got a minute?

- What do you want?

You're in a big hurry

to bury that whale.

- You think so?

- I got some good news for you.

The boatyard will fix you up

first thing in the morning.

Would you like a drink? You

didn't come here just to say that.

- We figured you'd want to know.

- That's nice of you.

But I'm not in any great hurry

to sail from South Harbor at all.

You mean you're staying

until you kill that whale?

Not at all! I'm staying -

- because I've got a broken hull and

a crew member with a busted foot.

It's got nothing to do with the whale.

Did I say something wrong?

First two boats are sunk,

now the fish are vanishing.

- All because of your whale.

- My whale?

Forget about the whale. I have.

I'll bet you'll never see him again.

An hour ago a kid saw a fin

with a nick in it.

Stationary. It's just waiting.

- Don't go to the North Point.

- Why would I?

I said, "Why would I?"

- I'll see you tonight, right?

- Wrong.

We've called the Coast Guard,

the Canadian Fisheries Board, -

- even the US Marine Mammal

Commission. They won't do anything.

They say they don't have time.

And you know for damn sure

Nolan's not gonna do anything.

Can I help you?

The men all meet.

They talk of you, and they are angry.

I understand.

They say you're a coward for not

going out and killing the whale.

- I have my reasons.

- I believe you.

You do? Why?

I see in your face fear.

Not of anything alive, -

- it is of some spirit.

I've come to warn you.

It is best you hunt this devil.

If there's any more harm done

by your whale...

Look...

Thank you for the warning.

I know what my ancestors

would have done.

They had this shaman. A skin

whale stuffed with birds' livers.

They piss on it

and throw it into the sea.

If all is done right, the evil spirit

flies out of his mouth and he's dead.

- Maybe you should try it for me.

- The world has changed.

Even our gods dance

to a new song.

Thank you.

Where is that...?

They communicate like humans.

That's exactly what she said.

Hey, Paul! It says in the book

that whales...

It's a pretty good likeness.

- Especially the head.

- What are you doing down here?

I had to see what you wanted

my camping gear for.

Don't tell me that scarecrow

is going to keep him off.

No, I hope to bring him in.

Like last night.

You are the dumbest,

maddest man I've ever met.

That's what I get for my books.

Are you gonna hypnotise him?

No, not exactly.

I came down here to shoot him.

One through each eye.

But then I put myself

into his position...

He won't show.

Why not?

Why do you think he sank

the other boats and not yours?

I must admit that puzzled me.

He left you your boat because

he wants to fight you on the sea.

I won't do that. I refuse.

- In fact, I won't fight him at all.

- You'll shoot him from the jetty.

You're an animal. Science should

be observing creatures like you.

Go somewhere else

for your excitement.

Excitement!

Is that all it means to you?

- I think more of that whale than you.

- With a gun?

I brought this gun

to shoot him, yes. I did.

But when I came to do it,

I knew I couldn't.

So I got to thinking.

If what you say is right

and whales can communicate, -

- then I thought

I'd look him right in the eye.

I'd tell him that the killing

of his wife and child -

- was a terrible accident.

That I didn't mean it.

I'd tell him I was sorry,

and hoped he'd forgive me.

I understand what that whale feels.

The same thing happened to me.

My wife was pregnant

and drove to the hospital.

A drunken driver hit her.

He killed her and my baby.

That's good enough,

now get that thing into the water.

The town's working hard

to fx your boat.

She'll be ready to sail on the tide

at 6:
15.

- Who is this?

- You're not gone at dawn...

Your girl's busted leg

won't seem like nothing.

- Is that you, Swain?

- Just take some good advice.

Well, that decides it.

Paul, come here!

- You're leaving.

- What about the boat?

I'll take care of that.

- What's the matter?

- I'll explain later.

Got any money?

Take that, fill her up with petrol.

I won't tell my mother

I was run out of town by a fish.

You can't blame them.

I'd feel exactly the same way.

Hello?

- I'm going after him.

- After whom? What time is it?

Him. The whale.

Are you awake?

- I am now.

- I just wanted to tell you.

- The village and the whale want it.

- The whale?

- Yes, it's what the whale wants.

- I should explain something to you.

You don't know what it wants.

I don't know, nor do the villagers.

If he's like a human, what he wants

isn't necessarily what he should have.

Forget what I said. I thought

you were an insensitive bore.

But you're a sensitive bore.

- I take that as a compliment.

- Take it any way you like.

I'll take it as a compliment.

See you, I'm off at dawn.

- Nolan! Don't hang up.

- What's the matter?

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