The Deer and the Dolphin

Synopsis

On an alien spaceship traveling a spiraling trajectory towards the sun Nick Pelham begins his memoirs.

His life has been lived as a sailor on the Pacific Ocean.

George, the first alien Nick encounters inspires him to clean up the ocean. That first attempt fails, plunging Nick into despair.

The aliens come to a decision and declare the human race a planetary pestilence. Humans must clean up their earth or face extinction as a consequence of ecological collapse. And the aliens send other representatives to enlist young men and women to the cause.

Nick views the landing of one of these representatives, John Morris, and soon learns of Johns influence on his nephew, Oliver. Hoping to intervene, Nick travels to the valley only to find hes too late.

Oliver and Alice, Olivers girlfriend, are firmly under Johns influence. They are dedicated ecologists who intend to go on a mysterious voyage from which they will not return unchanged! Exactly what change the young people will experience is not clear but Nick suspects the worst.

Nick joins forces with Alices father, Bill Hardy, to prevent Oliver and Alice and their entire high school class from leaving the valley. They are unsuccessful.

At Olivers mothers request Nick sails out to check on the kids ship. Just after Nick verifies that Oliver and Alice are aboard, the ship explodes and sinks. Oliver and Alice are lost! Or are they?

A dolphin adopts Nicks ship. Nick learns that the dolphin is Oliver.

Oliver leads Nick back to familiar villages on the Pacific Rim. Everywhere peoples attitudes to the ecology have changed for the better. People are working to clean the ocean.

Nick returns to his usual anchorage off the California Coast and finds Yvonne, her son Paolo and her preschool class cleaning the beach. Nick and Yvonne form a rocky relationship. Paolo becomes a special advocate for Nick. Paolo, too, is a special person who sees and understands George. Yvonne, however, cannot see George and objects strongly that her son is involved with what she believes is Nicks imaginary friend.

Nick learns a deer is invading Bill Hardys cabin. Nick deduces the deer is Alice and rushes to rescue her. The deer and the dolphin play.

The deer and the dolphin persuade Nick to take them to a magical island where they can marry. Paolo stows away and becomes the best man at the deer and the dolphins wedding.

Upon their return Nick is arrested briefly for taking Paolo. However, Paolo explains everything and Yvonne dismisses the charges.

Nine months later the deer gives birth to a human baby. Nick adopts the baby girl and names her Olivia. Yvonne blows up for her son, Paolo must have been with Nick when this child was conceived. Theres nothing Nick can say that will make matters better. Yvonne decides to move away.

The deer wants to be a good mother but, as a deer she is terrified of her own baby. The baby is too young to swim with her father. The magical island can only be found once.

The deer, torn between her child and her loathing of humans, drowns in the water between the pasture and Nicks sailboat. In despair, the dolphin commits suicide. George dies in an attempt to save the dolphin. Nick is left alone and in mourning.

Yvonne returns and reconciles with Nick.

Nick and Yvonne marry and their reception is on their boat. Jack, Nicks brother has also become an ecologist. Both brothers have had an impact. As they recount their activities the spaceship rises into the setting sun. Only Paolo sees it leave.

Nick in the future finishes his memoirs. He faces his offspring who plead with him to stay. He chooses the aliens funeral and leaves for the sun. The last thing we see from his eyes is the overwhelming light of the sun.

A quiet evening descends. Toasts are exchanged. Bill Hardy is honored.

Fade to black.

END