Frogs – Episode 3

He shouts through the house: “Mom! Dad! Hurry!” His parents rush to him. The last seconds of the commercial is running and the voice on TV says: “The winner will receive a golden crown and a million dollars. Don’t miss your chance of a lifetime. The casting will be held only this Sunday at Radio City Music Hall, in New York City.” Henry leaves, shaking his head. Gerry throws himself on the bed in disappointment. His mama sits beside him and says, “Oh, my darling.” Gerry sighs, “Mommy!” Sophia sensitively says, “I know.” Sophia wipes away the tears. Flower cries for mama. Gerry: “Go on. She needs you more.” Sophia turns off the TV, turns out the light with the words, “Sleep well, my hero,” and leaves. The microphone that Gerry threw on the bed in the morning presses on his back. He sits up, holds it in front of his mouth, and spreads the fingers of his other hand behind his head. The moonlight throws the silhouette of an animal star with microphone and crown on the wall. Gerry’s Crown Move is born.

Al and Larry are sitting with bibs at the table in the stork base. Al hammers with the cutlery on the table top. Eddy blows the dust off a rusty fish tin. Squeak! The can opens. Eddy slaps three unappetizing fish on the plates and prettifies them frantically with seaweed. Al throws the cutlery: “What is this?” Eddy tries to calm him down: “Delicious Fish Boss.” Larry pushes his plate gingerly to Al: “I am not hungry.” His stomach growls. Al devours both portions and chews: “Well, so you are not hungry.” Larry sneaks away. Al looks at him suspiciously.

Larry stumbles after his greedy beak, hidden in the reeds. “Chomp, chomp, chomp.” Yummy duckweed. Until he hits Eddy’s feet. Caught looks up. Dark looks down. Larry begs, “No! Please don’t say anything.” Eddy blurts out, “Boss, you gotta see this.” Al steps up to them. He looks deep into Larry’s eyes. “Larry?” Eddy gossips, “Larry has…” He gets Al to say, “Who’s talking to you?” Duckweed dripping from Larry’s beak. He stares down intimidated. Al continues, “Again? Tomorrow you’ll prove you’re a frog eater. Otherwise, I’m gonna have to put you in baby delivery.” Eddy mocks, “Baby delivery.” Al sends Eddy dark stork looks and yells to Larry: “Get it?” Larry sheepishly says, “Yes.” Al bursts out, “Did you hear me?” Larry braces: “Yes, boss.”

Henry spills his morning coffee when Gerry takes him firmly in his arms. “I have to go, Dad.” Henry wonders, “But it’s Sunday? Okay. I’ll see you later.” Gerry runs away. Larry sits on a stone by the lake, his head hangs down, and he hits his reflection in the water. Al and Eddy admire the stork base within earshot. They marvel at the Pentagon made of sticks, with a helipad with S instead of H, and a flag with a stork instead of an eagle. Al explains: “We are a special unit and do not tolerate weaklings.” Al takes down the photo with the Pentagon. The real stork base comes to light: A shabby fishing hut. Al continues: “Let’s go. We have a mission. Where is this weakling?” Eddy triumphantly says: “Frog eating!” Larry sobs on the shore, “Weakling!” He shakes and flies away unnoticed.

Larry circles aimlessly over the forest and discovers Gerry among the trees. He encourages himself: “Weakling?” Nosedive! Larry pounces on Gerry. Snap! Just missed. Gerry runs away in panic and screams for help. Larry makes a sharp turn. Gerry gets caught in a spider web. His legs dangle in the air. The beak comes threateningly close. “No, please don’t. I am too small. Help Daddy.” Snap! Silence. Gerry disappears in the beak. Gulp. Larry spits him out. He lands hard at Larry’s feet, soaked in drool and wrapped in cobwebs. Larry comes up: “Ahh, that’s disgusting.” He wipes his tongue with his wings. Gerry asks carefully: “Am I dead?” Larry shakes his head, and Gerry shakes off the drool and cobweb. “What kind of stork are you?” Larry replies, embarrassed: “Vegetarian. A weakling.” Gerry enthusiastically says: “Veggie stork. That’s cool.” Larry says, “If I don’t eat frogs, I’ll have to deliver babies.” And Gerry says sensitively, “I heard about that.” “And you, what kind of frog are you?” “I’m running away,” Larry continues, “That sticky?” Gerry blames him, “This is all your fault! I’ll never make it to Animal Stars looking like this.” “You’re running away for a casting show?” “It’s a long story.” Larry asks him to sing, looks him straight in the eye, and says, “Please.” Gerry begins anxiously. Larry’s googly eyes get bigger and bigger. He starts to clatter to the rhythm and applauds at the end. Gerry is terrified when Larry’s beak comes too close. “All is well, little frog. I’m not going to hurt you.” Larry carefully leans over to him, caresses him with his beak, and says smilingly: “Veggiestork. No danger.” “What’s your name?” Gerry asks. Larry answers: “Larry,” and Gerry says “Gerry.” Larry laughs, “Gerry and Larry?” Both cheer, “Gerry and Larry!” Gerry swabs off the last cobweb remains. Thusnelda, the spider, coughs to get attention for herself and her destroyed web. Larry depressed: “Sorry, Thusnelda.” Gerry carefully puts her back into the web. Thusnelda attacks them both: “Rowdies!” Larry takes off his scarf, puts it in his beak, and shouts, “Please take your places. Your flight to Animal Stars will take off in a few moments.” Gerry jumps skeptically into the scarf and Larry takes off jerkily. Larry triumphantly says, “Animal Stars ahead.” Gerry enters “NYC” into his cell phone and notices: “I think you’re flying in the wrong direction.” Larry outraged: “Never. Storks are the kings of the air.” The voice in Gerry’s cell phone corrects, “Please turn around at the next possibility.” Larry suddenly turns around. Both call: “Animal stars ahead.”