Ghost of Rod Serling introducing the show:
The calm placid waters of Bolles Harbor, Michigan, on Lake Erie offered little indication of anything spectacular or out of
the ordinairy for Kyle Von Davidson, a forty one year old fisherman. But as he would soon learn, anything is possible, even
the most outlandish things that we reserve for the fairy tales we tell our kids.
"Another day, another dollar," said Kyle, as he greeted his wife and children.
"Can you read me a story Dad?" asked John, the smallest boy.
"As soon as I'm done calling a friend," replied Kyle. "It won't take long at all"
Kyle bit into a tuna fish sandwich as he dialed his friends number.
"This is delicious, Sarah," Kyle told his wife. "You always make the best tuna fish sandwiches, our whole town can vouch
for that" said Kyle. Sarah had won every sandwich making contest in the county.
"Thank you, sweetie" said Sarah. After struggling for a while, Kyle finally got ahold of his old fishing buddy, Rick Clamp.
"Hey, Rick how are you doing?" asked Kyle.
"Not too shabby, Kyle my man. The Bassmasters Classic is coming up in a month or so, we should cast the ol' line into the
lake, for old times sake" said Rick.
"Four time Toyota Tundra Angler of the year winner, it would be mighty hard to beat those records, eh, Rick ol bud?" said
Kyle.
"We're still tied for all time records. And I did win some Angler of the Year trophies as well, Kyle. How about we go down
to Bolles Harbor, like you keep wanting to!" suggested Rick.
"Sounds good. That used to be my favorite fishing charter. Why were you always so reluctant to take me there
anyway?" asked Kyle
"Oh, I guess its just superstition. The papers say there are spaceships flying above those waters!" explained Rick.
"Pardon me, but, spaceships? Over Lake Erie? That sure is mighty ironic" said Kyle.
"Yeah, heh," chuckled Rick. "Some even say Bigfoot the monkey dwells down there with little five footed Bisquick Biscuit
people, that posess giant eyestalks. I caught one just the other day, when I was out fishing with my wife. Quite the skirt
chaser that little feller" said Rick. Kyle was completely dumbfounded.
"Good luck with that, this should make a good fish story to tell my little Johnny boy" said Kyle, laughing, and hanging up
the phone.
"Crazy feller!" muttered Kyle.
Later...we join Kyle, reading to his son
"The best book you'll ever read as a little booger like you is this one," said Kyle, pulling an old childrens paperback
off the family shelf.
"What is it Daddy?" asked John.
"It's called the Treasure. It's about a man who goes to seek fulfilment in life, realizing that what he wanted was with him
all along, and that life can be much more liberating and amazing than you would ever believe" said Kyle.
"That sounds cool" said John.
"Well it is. But if you want, I'll read you a different story. Fish retaliate in fear when I read The Proud Angler to them" said
Kyle.
"Do you really read that to the fish?" asked John.
"No, John. I don't. I think I'll read you The Treasure. It just seems more like your thing to me" said Kyle.
Mr. Kyle Von Davidson does not realize that that little fairy tale is going to hit closer to home than anything ever did.
He also doesn't know that sometimes a really good fish story, and reality...can merge together as one, in the Twilight Zone.
Months later, after the Bassmasters, at a fourth of july hotdog party...near a campfire...
Kyle was telling ghost stories. He had just finished, and was ready to go to bed.
"And that..is why no angler ever dared go near Bolles Harbor, Lake Erie, ever again" said Kyle. The children cheered.
Don, a member of the largest accounting firm in Kalamazoo City Michigan, another old buddy of Kyle's who was in his late
forties, always dreamed of reincarnating as a fish. He hated numbers, and wanted to live free in the waters.
"What's so scary about a guy getting transformed into a fish? You know, if I die, hopefully it'll be after all the
important regionals on the television, but if I were to die one day, it wouldn't be so bad to reincarnate as a fish. Even if I
were caught. I wouldn't want to be an ordinairy fish, mind you. I'd live forever, as a fish!" said Don.
"I don't believe in reincarnation," said Kyle. "I'm a Christian"
"The early Christians did believe in reincarnation. You should study the Gnostics. You can be a gnostic!" said John.
"That's a smart five year old boy, maybe the spaceships down on Lake Erie modified his brain!" said Kyle.
"I was a fish once," said a man called Frizby sitting by the fire. "Old Fishy Frizby they called me!" he added. Kyle groaned.
"Frizby and his crazy tales!" said Kyle. Everyone laughed.
They all went to bed.
A week later, while fishing at Lake Erie...
Kyle had just set his last cast for the evening, when suddenly, his cell phone began beeping. He was receiving a text.
"I feel like throwing this damn thing in the ocean!" yelled Kyle. But he hesitantly picked it up out of his pocket.
He saw a text. It read:
DON DIED. Of terminal cancer. Just to let you know.
"That's too bad," thought Kyle, wiping premature raindrop-blue tears out of his eyes. Just as he was about to call it quits,
he felt a tug on his line.
LATER...
That night...
"Love you Sarah," said Kyle, kissing his wife on her cheek.
"Love you too," said Sarah repaying Kyle with a kiss of her own.
"Too bad Don died" said Kyle.
"Yes, that's a darn shame" replied Sarah.
"I caught a fish today. We won't have to go hungry tonight" said Kyle.
"That's wonderful," said Sarah. "But I had a strange dream last night" she added. Suddenly, Kyle's fishing bucket began
rattling heavily.
"It's as if there's a snake in there!" said Kyle.
"Yes, or a spirit from beyond" said Sarah.
"That's odd that you would suggest that! Remember Don and I? And our conversation down by the docks?" asked Kyle.
"Yes. Don't cook that fish!" insisted Sarah.
"Now you're just being silly!" said Kyle. Then Kyle turned his head to see a familiar nursery rhyme engraved on the wall. He
had never seen it written there before. He felt chills going up his spine as he read it. It read:
"Fish are amazing beasts of the sea, should man eat them? Or should they be free?"
He then saw another plaque on the wall, with words written on it. It read:
"The hand that feeds you is also the one that enslaves you. Just ask a fish!"
LATER...
"Fish is probably done by now!" said Sarah.
"I'll go check!" said Kyle, reading the newspaper headlines. He opened the oven door. To his shock, the fish was still alive.
"IT'S STILL ALIVE! AAAH!" screamed Kyle.
"EEEEEEE!" shrieked Sarah. The fish leapt into Kyle's mouth, and Kyle ended up swallowing him whole.
Seconds later...of sheer horror
"I need to be FREE!" yelled Kyle. "I want to be a fish, not an accountant!" he screamed, running outside and diving into the
lake. He did incredible stunts in the ocean, shocking the hell out of Sarah who was watching from inside the cabin. The
spirit of Don had apparently reincarnated into a fish, a magical immortal fish, that would haunt the body of
Kyle...forever...would he act normal again? Sure, probably. Perhaps he could use his skills to save someone who was
drowning, but at any rate Kyle learned that reincarnation was no laughing matter, especially, if you live...
IF YOU LIVE...
IN...
THE TWILIGHT ZONE! But, that's just a story...A FISH STORY!
THE END