A houseboat. Finegan Fine

Joey is clearly anxious about being separated from his only flesh and

blood relative at hand, even if the flesh and blood are not too

responsive.

But then I could never go visit my granpa!

Finegan unties the houseboat and peddals out into open water, away from

any danger of sunken trees. Joey is at the front of the boat, holding

onto one of the corner posts, pointing on occasion as he sees a

landmark he recognizes.

The corpse has been moved up to the front of the boat and positioned so

it is sitting up, as though grandpa were participating in the

homecoming. The flies have gotten thicker now, buzzing around in angry

swarms.

As the houseboat moves along in a parallel line to the new coastline,

it rounds the hill Joey had been pointing to, and Joey can suddenly see

the spot where his home used to be. He gets a stunned look on his face,

stumbles backwards toward grandpa and falls into his lap. Joey is

batting at the buzzing flies and starting to tear up. He scrambles to

his feet and up onto the rooftop where he can face Finegan.

That’s the house, there, in the water!

The one-story suburban ranch house is situated on a hillside so that

the basement is developed with a patio out into the backyard. The house

is flooded to the extent that the basement is under water by a couple

feet. The house appears to be deserted.

10

______________________________

Finegan and Joey slosh up toward the basement sliding doors. Joey is

calling for his mom and dad, but the house is empty. Finegan pulls on

the sliding doors and after a few tugs manages to get one to slide

open. They wade into the basement, developed as a rec room with a pool

table. Finegan heads straight toward the bar and begins rummaging

around. He finds a half filled bottle of whiskey, and looks at it with

satisfaction, puts it on the counter and checks for more.

Joey is clamoring up the stairs in search of his family but returns,

standing at the top of the stairs.

They’re gone.

Finegan has his whiskey bottle and some other booze he has located,

half filled bottles, in an ice pail tucked under his arm as he mounts

the stairs.

Did they leave a note?

The house has an open style, so there are no walls between the kitchen

and living areas. Finegan and Joey are looking around on table tops,

the refrigerator door, the bathroom mirror, and the kitchen counter

top, but are finding no indication of anything but disorganized panic.

Some items of clothing have been left on the sofa. A glass of juice

sits half empty on the kitchen countertop.

Finegan walks into the master bedroom but lingers in the doorway, as

though not wanting to invade the sanctity of the marital bedroom. He

notices a photo of the couple on their wedding day, and removes the

photo from the frame, handing this to Joey.

Here. Will come in handy. Tell folks what they

look like.

Joey is looking solemn. He takes the photo and stuffs it into his

jacket pocket. Finegan brightens and turns, nodding in the direction of

the kitchen.

Lets see what else we can find that’ll be

useful.

Finegan puts a hand on Joey’s head, then pats Joey’s shoulder a few

times.

Anything special you’d like to take along?

______________________________

Finegan and Joey are returning to the houseboat with their arms full of

loot. They are wading in water that is waist-deep for Joey. Finegan

11

has several pots and pans and a coffeepot as well as his precious booze

pail. He has tied all this together with a curtain cord, and slung the

lot over his shoulder so he has a free arm to help Joey.

Joey has a packet of clothing, tied like a Christmas package by another

curtain cord. The packet includes his clothing - a change and clothing

appropriate for various seasons - and a toy airplane, remote

controlled, which is sticking out from the clothes. Joey has all this

balanced on top of his head. He has changed into his swimming trunks,

being practical, though is still wearing his jacket.

Finegan heaves his booty onto the floor of the houseboat and helps Joey

do the same with his parcel, giving Joey a hand up. Finegan wades back

to unhook the grappling hooks tangled in the shrubbery where he has

anchored the houseboat.

Joey is standing shock still, staring at his seated grandpa. By now the

corpse is almost covered with flies and various insects that are trying

to find their way through the sheet that is covering the corpse like a

mummy. Joey has become resigned. He turns to look over his shoulder

toward Finegan, who is wading back with the grappling hooks held high.

What was that about burial at sea?