The Tackle Box

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JOHN and BRENT are awkwardly silent as they sit in the living room of their fathers house. It has been only a few hours since they buried him. The funeral and the weight of his loss compounded by the unbearable heat that Barbados is known for, has left them both deflated. The deafening silence is suddenly interrupted by the voice of John’s mother AGNES as she returns to the room and continues to lay small trinkets out on the kitchen table in front of them. As she does, she reminisces about each item and tries her best be positive despite the day. She places their father’s tackle box on the table and the two brother’s are speechless as she slowly opens it. Agnes pushes the box towards John’s direction and as she explains the reason why she has chosen him, there is no hiding the pained expression on Brent’s face. He walks out of the room angry and humiliated.

The next day in the early morning shadow’s, John convinces Brent that they should sprinkle their father’s ashes in the lake. As the journey begins towards the southern part of the island, John, Brent and the ashes take one last trip together with 1000 unanswered questions and unspoken words between them.

Arriving at the lake they prepare to set out on the water and lay their Dad to rest. The silence and tranquility of the water is quickly interrupted by the unreleased tensions between them. As they start to argue, Brent drops the ashes into the lake and John dives in after them. Frantic after waiting for eternity for John to resurface, Brent fears he may have lost yet another family member without saying all that needs to be said. John finally resurfaces and as if almost fulfilling a final wish from the grave, the two brothers are at last humbled to fact that they are family and with or without words, they have each other.

Writer

Micheal O'Hara

Date

August 15, 2018

Director