CALLING FOR THE FINAL FOUR!!!NOW!!!

[Capt-D]

A YOUNG WAHOO IN THE DEEP



A Short Play of One Act, Two Scenes

by

Capt- D


















Cast of Characters

RABALO BOB(first person (fish) narrator):An aboration of
the mortally wounded, Squirmy toddler Acanthocybium solandri.

RABALO BOB: A Squirmy Ten Month old Acanthocybium solandri

WAYNE ONO: A nerdy one year old Acanthocybium solandri classmate to Rabalo Bob and cousin of Jimmi Sripes.

JIMMI STRIPES: A 13 month old Acanthocybium solandri. Friend and
classmate to Rabalo Bob.

PROFESSOR FLASH: A stout five year old Acanthocybium solandri.
Teacher of the class “Surviving 101”. He is strong, pushing 110lbs and has battle scars across his body that include several holes in the jaw where tinned 7/0’s once existed

EXTRAS: Several fish of various ages ranging from 9 months
to 18 months in age.





















ACT I

Scene 1

SETTING: Approximately 34º 10.620’N. Lat. ~ 76º 09.495’W. Long., 39.6 nautical miles South Southeast from Beaufort Inlet, on the ocean floor at a depth of 69 Fathoms.

AT RISE: stage right, RABALO BOB, showered in a cloud of white light appears before the audience shrouded in a white cloth peppered with crimson caused from a mortal wound at his gut. He turns and faces the audience to begin his first person (fish) narration.

Located stage left is a classroom scene full of young wahoo, near the head of the classroom sits an un-attentive RABALO BOB, a jubilant WAYNE ONO, and a cheerful JIMMI STRIPES. At the front of the class stands PROFESSOR FLASH scribing a list of bait fish on the blackboard constructed from the hull of a dilapidated shipwreck.

RABALO BOB(first person (fish) narrator): So I was a know-it-all little punk of a fish. Bread to be a killer, from a family of slayers. My father died of old age which was rare in these waters of North Carolina. My two older brothers still roam these waters in search of their next buffet. I?, I was not so lucky. Well maybe luck had nothing to do with it really; maybe I was just too cocky. If only I had listened to the wiser ones around me and paid attention to the details. Maybe just maybe, this, my story, would have a better outcome.

(light fads stage right, and simultaneously rises stage left)

PROFESSOR FLASH: Now class, lets review, this is a list of easy targets. Food that won’t be able to speed away when you attack.

(The list on the board reads: butterfishes, porcupine fishes, round herrings, scads, jacks, and pompanos.)

Remember the easiest attack that should instantly disable your prey is the slice off. Remember to hit them aft of the dorsal and from behind. Head first will only cause undue panic to your prey. (pause)

(irate) Mr. Rabalo, wake up!!

RABALO BOB: Uh Mahi! (Exclaiming) hum, the answer is mahi.

(the classroom erupts in laughter)

WAYNE ONO: (sarcastically) Bob, your such an idiot!

RABALO BOB: Shut up Dork.

WAYNE ONO: Your gonna regret not paying attention!

RABALO BOB: I don’t need to pay attention. I’m breed to kill!, it comes naturally I’m not the one who’s daddy was eaten by a big blue!

JIMMI STRIPS: Watch it Bob, that’s was my uncle you’re talking about!

PROFESSOR FLASH: (tapping on the board) Ok class, back to the lesson. Mr Rabalo, pay attention!

Now for the better tasting, yet a little quicker of the prey (pointing to a second list of the board that include “mackerel, flying fish and mahi”

WAYNE ONO: I like Mahi, it taste like chicken, It is also called Dorado and Dolphin. It’s scientific name is Coryphaenidae hippurus. Its found in…

PROFESSOR FLASH: (interrupting Wayne Ono) Yes, yes, Mr. Ono, Mahi is quite tasty. (looking at his watch) Ok class that’s enough for now, lets take a break and we will meet here this afternoon for our field trip.

(BLACKOUT)

(END OF SCENE)











ACT I

Scene 2

SETTING: Approximately 34º 10.620’N. Lat. ~ 76º 09.495’W. Long., 39.6 nautical miles South Southeast from Beaufort Inlet, at a depth of 15 of 69 Fathoms.

AT RISE: Professor Flash is surrounded by the class that includes Wayne Ono, Jimmi Stripes and Rabalo Bob. The class is situated under a large mass of Sargasso. Robalo Bob is looking in the opposite direction of the rest of the class, whose attention is focused on Professor Flash. Off in the distance is a small school of baitfish that is unaware of the class’ presence.

PROFESSOR FLASH: Ok now class, I will now demonstrate the slash and burn attack. Take notice that those fish look natural. No strange movements in them. Always observe your prey for a moment before you attack. Study them, and take note of any irregularities. This will keep you out of trouble.

(irritated) Young Mr. Bob, are you paying attention?

RABALO BOB: Uh yeah, I heard ya!!

PROFESSOR FLASH: Ok class, now watch! (Professor Flash immediately spins and streaks past the class. Unknowingly to the school of baitfish he zips in and grabs the last fish in the group turns 180 degrees and streaks away. None of the other bait fish sees what transpired.)

Now that’s how it’s done! Who wants to go first?

(Wayne Ono immediately raises his fin)

WAYNE ONO: Oh, oh, me. I do, I do.

PROFESSOR FLASH: Ok Wayne you’re first. Do it just like I taught you.

(Almost immediately a steadily increasing hum is notice by the entire class. Professor Flash huddle the group deeper in the water and instruct them to look up and what the surface shadows).

Just like I just told you, study the fish before you make your move. Wayne, your up, it’s still your turn.

(A large shadow passes above followed by a school of ballyhoo. Wayne steadies and positions himself for an attack)

WAYNE ONO: I’m ready professor, I’m ready! (He studies the fish closely) Wait there is something wrong with them. (With exuberance) There not swimming professor, there not swimming! It looks like they are being dragged through the water!

PROFESSOR FLASH: Good Wayne, Good. Yes they did not look right and you made the right decision.

RABALO BOB: (interrupting) He didn’t go because he was afraid!!! You’re a big wuss Wayne.

(Just then another hum begins to increase in volume. Again a shadow passes above followed by another school of ballyhoo.)

My turn you Pansy!! (Immediately rabalo bob turns and heads for the school. At that moment, Professor Flash notices that even though the fish are swimming and appear ok, the hum is familiar.)

PROFESSOR FLASH: Rabalo wait! (Professor Flash remembers the familiar hum as the hum of the black belly monster that on several occasions had tricked him and grabbed by the jaw. We was lucky to be alive, only because he acted quickly enough to bite free of its invisible grip)

Rabalo it’s the black belly monster, Stop!

RABALO BOB: What are you talking about, That fish is mine!

PROFESSOR FLASH: Rabalo no!

(Rabalo Bob crashes the fish head first. Immediately he is ripped 180 degrees from the direction he was originally headed.

RABALO BOB: What the hell! I can’t turn, I can’t get away! (shouting) Somebody help me! Help me! Help –

(An invisible leash pulls him up away from the group)

Ack! I can’t fight it. I’m being pulled to the surface and cant stop it!

JIMMI STRIPS: Help him Professor!

(Professor Flash gathers the class into a tight school)

RABALO BOB: Don’t go away! Please help me! Help!

PROFESSOR FLASH: (Swimming away with the remainder of the class in toe) There is nothing that we can do for you now young bob, the black belly monster has you in his grip. (with a bit of sarcasm in his voice) I guess you should not have cut class that day we discussed the black belly monster and how to escape his hold.

RABALO BOB: No, Help! (Rabalo Bob screams begin to fade in the distance)

WAYNE ONO: (shouting with glee) I call dibs on his game boy!!!

(off from the distance the audience hears a jubilant voice bellow, YOU WANT SOME OF THIS? WWW.WHAT....., THATS RIGHT FOLKS,SPORTFISHERMAN.COM!!!!, just as the hum of boat engines fade off)

(BLACKOUT)

(END OF SCENE)


ACT I

Epilogue

RABALO BOB(first person (fish) narrator:

Well I guess that just goes to show you I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew. How life is funny that way. When you come across a true worthy adversary and you think you know everything, you find out its not really much at all.

(BLACKOUT)

(AND CUE APPLAUSES!!!!!!)

[SharkJP]

WOW. . . im gonna have to retype mine if i want any chance. . . .NICE ONE D!!!!!

[Chilli]

Dang D.... I was just getting ready to capitalize on my fortunate reinstatement and you had to go and post something like that! Well stick a gaff in my ass and call me sally.... I gotta go dream up something good now.

Thanks a bunch D....

[WAHOONBOX]

I'M..........I'M........AHHH........I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY

[gaffer]

D,

Damn good stuff. Had me swimming right beside him....

[74Formula233]

Marty,

I must bow-out of this at this point.....I MAY be going to San Diego for work Dec. 14-16, but haven't gotten an answer yet from the higher-ups. I have been waiting on bowing-out but I don't think I'm going to know an answer on SD for a while yet.

Oh well......maybe someday I'll win one of these damned things.

Why does work always have to get in the way of fishing????

[SharkJP]

well, sadly I cannot make the date. I just found out today. I will have to make it down there sometime after new years!!

[Carson Mac]

The playwrite? I think the diesel fumes have gone to all of our heads. Fishermen with creative talents? What next, sharing our feelings at the dock? Pink is always the hot color?

Cmac

[ocnslr]

Read the entire thread.

Read the rules.

GUESTS - GUESTS - GUESTS

The clock is ticking.... TICK, TOCK...

[Capt-D]

Thanks Guys,

Just call me a modern Renaissance man!

Actually, this contest is making me lose my mind!

Read the entire thread.

Read the rules.

GUESTS - GUESTS - GUESTS

The clock is ticking.... TICK, TOCK...

As soon as I can figure who the gust would be if I win, Ill post it.

-D