Walkerbay Fisherman

WALKER BAY VISSERMANNE By Rowen Smith

10 lothian road Rondebosch Cape Town 7700 0796470077 rowen.work@gmail.com Student nr:900593

Draft 1

FADE IN: EXT. WALKER BAY HARBOR - MORNING The sun rises over the old fishing harbor of Walker Bay. Sea gulls eat scraps from the docks and fishermen make their way to their vessels. ABRAHAM MARITZ, a sunburned and sea wrecked 60 year old man, sits in a wheelchair throwing breadcrumbs to harbor fish in the water.

ABRAHAM (coughing) Dit vat net n moment in visserman se liewe om hom te herinner aan sy liefdes.

EXT. STILLE WATERS FISHING TRAWLER - DAY STILLE WATERS, a rusty fishing trawler lay anchored amongst many others in the commercial quay. The boat is manned by CAPT. ABRAHAM MARITZ, a 50 year old fisherman who is working in the engineroom.

INT. STILLE WATERS - DAY The vessel is old and unmaintained, with seagull manure stained railings and weathered teak. MUSIC from the local radio station is heard from the cockpit at the stern.

INT. COCKPIT - DAY Cigarette buds overflow an ashtray on the navigation panel.

Saltwater marks on the windows makes it almost impossible to look through. A cupboard on starboard is covered in family photo’s. Those of Abraham and his now deseased wife ELMARIE MATIRZ, a skinny and elegant 40 year old coloured women and his little 7 year old boy SIMON MARITZ. The photo’s are plastered over each other, mostly of Simon and Abraham on their fishing adventures.

INT. ENGINE ROOM - DAY Abraham’s sweaty shirtless body is uncomfortably manouvered in to fix a leaking valve somewhere in the engine. A greasy spanner tighters the nutt. Abraham’s face is dripping with sweat and dirt.

His cellphone rings on a counter nearby.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

Abraham bumps his head while making his way out.

ABRAHAM Eina jou moer!

He anwers his phone and walks out of the engineroom toward the main deck.

EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY ABRAHAM (into cellphone) Maritz & Son Fisheries how can I help you?

CUT TO: INT. PRINCIPALS OFFICE - DAY JUFFROU GOUWS, A sturdy 40 year old woman sits at her desk talking on the telephone. SIMON MARITZ, a 14 year old boy, sits across her on a leather waiting chair with his arms crossed.

PRINCIPAL GOUWS (into telephone) Goeiedag, praat ek nou met meneer Abraham Maritz?

ABRAHAM Dis hy wie praat.

PRINCIPAL GOUWS Ek is Mevrou Gouws hier van Walkerbay Hoerskool.

CUT TO: EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY ABRAHAM Ja? CUT TO:

3.

INT. PRINCIPALS OFFICE - DAY PRINCIPAL GOUWS U seun sit hier voor my in my kantoor.

Simon looks morbidly down into his chest.

EXT. MAIN DECK - DAY ABRAHAM Oraait, eks nou daar. Totsiens Mevrou.

Abraham puts the phone down, grabs a towel and wipes the dirt off his face.

INT. WALKER BAY HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY Abraham comes walking around the corner of a long corridor.

Simon sits outside on a bench avoiding eye contact as his father passes him and enters the Principal Gouws’s office.

INT. PRINCIPALS OFFICE - DAY Principal Gouws and Abraham are verbally attacking each other.

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY Simon silently observes the scene through the office door window.

Abraham furiously rushes outside.

ABRAHAM Kom. INT. PRINCIPALS OFFICE - DAY Principal Gouws looks outside at Abraham and Simon driving off in their white Nissan Bakkie.

4.

INT. THE MARITZ’S HOUSE/KITCHEN - NIGHT A gas stove ignites. A stew is brewing in a pot. Abraham dishes Simon’s plate. The kitchen is dull and longs for a women’s touch. Abraham and Simon are sitting at opposite ends of the kitchen table looking at each other.

Simon breaks the SILENCE. SIMON Ek’s nie honger nie.

He gets up from his seat.

ABRAHAM Sit!(beat)Eet jou kos.

Simon does what he is told.

ABRAHAM Dis die hoeveelste keer dat ek ingeroep is skooltoe. Dit moet end kry, eks gatvol vir jou en jou gangs!

SIMON Gatvol vir my? Gatvol vir my?

Simon becomes emotional.

SIMON Ek is die een wat elke aand Pa se dronk lyf moet toe gooi.

ABRAHAM Hoe durf jy so met my praat, Eks jou Pa! SIMON Djy was nog nie n Pa vir my vannat ma dood isie.

ABRAHAM Ek doen alles vir jou, dink jy dis maklik. Ek run die bussines aleen terwyl jy jou lewe weg gooi met daai gangs!

SIMON Temunste give hulle n shit oor my, unlike jy, wat nooit hier isie.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

ABRAHAM Loop.Gaan kamer toe!

Simon throws his fork across the table.

ABRAHAM Ek se gaan kamer toe!

Simon does as he is told.

Abraham sits alone, recollecting himself. He stands up and opens the liqueur cabinet. Only one bottle of cheap whiskey is inside and he downs the last remaining alchohol.

INT. SIMON’S BEDROOM - NIGHT Simon lays in bed with his duvet cover tightly pressed against his face.

The door screeches open and Abraham stands in the doorway.

ABRAHAM More gaan jy saam my see toe.

The door closes.

FADE TO: EXT. THE MARITZ’S HOUSE - DAY The sun rises.

Simon exits the front door. Abraham closes the hatch of the bakkie.

EXT. WALKER BAY HARBOR - DAY Seagulls standing in a row, waiting for the first sunlight.

Abraham and Simon walk on the docks toward their boat, Simon a few meters behind his dad.

EXT. STILLE WATERS F/T - DAY The two fishermen are preparing the vessel for departure.

Simon at the bow and Abraham at the stern in the cockpit.

Black smoke bursts through exit valve. a loud HORN goes off and the vessel starts to motor.

6.

EXT. WALKER BAY HARBOR - DAY SERIES OF SHOTS BEGIN 1. Stille Waters exits the port 2. Stille Waters motoring across the sea.

3. Fresh sea air blowing in Simon’s face.

4. Abraham smokes a cigarette in the cockpit.

SERIES OF SHOTS END EXT. STILLE WATERS - DAY Abraham and Simon is hard at work on the main deck. Abraham leaning over the starboard side and Simon reeling in the crab cages.

ABRAHAM Trek vinniger man. Die son trek water.

Simon reels it in with might.

ABRAHAM Daar’s hy! kyk hoe spartel hulle.

Ha-ha.

Abraham looks at Simon and nods his head.

INT. STILLE WATERS - DAY The cages are dropped on the deck by a hanging pully.

Abraham bends over and clips the hook loose from the cage.

As he gets back up, he notices that the weather is picking up.

ABRAHAM Simon! Kry vir jou n reenjas aan, die weather tel op.

7.

INT. COCKPIT - DAY Simon searches the drawers and cupboards. He finds box with all his mother’s most precious and sentimental objects inside. He picks up a small brass sailing boat and wipes the dust from it.

INT. MAIN DECK - DAY Rain is poring from Abraham’s face. Simon runs toward him in wearing a raining jacket and carries a second one for Abraham.

Simon taps his dad on the shoulder and offers him the jacket.

SIMON Pa. Abraham accepts it.

ABRAHAM Dankie.

Waves spalsh all over the main deck. THUNDER is vividly hear as a storm hits up and day turns into night.

ABRAHAM (shouting) Kom ons gaan binnetoe!

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT Abraham enters the cockpit and removes the hood from his head. He picks up a microphone.

ABRAHAM Port office, Port Office, this is Stille Waters, Stille Waters.

Koordinate 132 Suid,55 Wes,10 Oos, 40 Noord.

INT. MAIN DECK - DAY One of the fishing nets hooks into something outside, Simon rushes outside to fix the problem. Abraham tries to call him back, but Simon doesn’t hear the call.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

ABRAHAM Simon los dit, dis orraait. Simon!

A huge freak wave capsizes the vessel.

EXT/INT. SEA - NIGHT Simon is thrown into the water. He comes up for air, but chokes on waves crashing against each other. He goes underwater and swims toward the cockpit.

Everything is floating around. Simon dodges the crab crates blocking his way into the cockpit.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT The boat is rapidly sinking. Water is filling up the last remaining air in the cockpit. Abraham is underwater, searching for the metal box containing all his precious objects from Elmarie and Simon.

As he opens the box, everything inside scatters and floats all around.

Simon enters the sinking cockpit. The DISTORTED response from Port Control is coming from the microphone. Simon takes it and sends out and emergency call.

SIMON MAYDAY!, MAYDAY!, MAYDAY! this is Stille Waters, in need of a rescue mission. Over.

He dives down to get his dad. Abraham is relieved to see and follows him out of the cockpit.

INT. SEA - NIGHT They make their way out into open water, but piece of rope hooks Simon’s left foot. He twists and turns in order to get it loose, but it entangles him even more.

Abraham tries to get it loose, but fails as well. Bright lights flashing red and blue appear on Abraham’s face.

A scuba diver appears out of the darkness to rescue them. He signals that Abraham must follow him, but Abraham resists.

He holds Simon tightly against his chest and shakes his head.

9.

The diver pulls him with force. As Abraham lets go and Simon’s lifeless body slips out of his reach, the small brass boat appears in his hand. Abraham grabs it, just before it sinks away.

INT. RESCUE DINGY - NIGHT Abraham is pulled into a rescue dingy and he lays flat on his back, breathing heavily, with the little brass boat held tightly against his chest.

INT. SEA - NIGHT Stille Waters sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

FADE OUT: EXT. WALKER BAY HARBOR - DAY Seagulls flying across the harbor. Patrons walking around.

Some taking photograph’s others bartering for the best prices at local fishermen stalls.

Araham Maritz rides along the docks in his wheelchair. He stops at the end of the quay, holding the little brass boat.

ABRAHAM (coughing) Net n moment en alles is weg.

He drives off the edge.

FADE TO BLACK: THE END