Moonstalker

Where are you getting beer?

I'm so cold.

Get me one of them beers.

Vera, got 'em burgers ready to go?

Shit.

Dear, how about another beer, will ya?

So what do you think, kids?

Some vacation, huh?

Fabulous, daddy.

All my friends are gonna be so jealous.

This place sucks.

I'm freezing.

Why couldn't we go to Florida, like everybody else?

- And waitin' in all those lines with all those tourists?

Huh, son?

Huh, huh, huh?

No, this year, we're gonna miss those crowds.

We're gonna see the great outdoors.

Hell, we got this whole campground to ourselves.

As soon as 'em coals get hot,

I'm gonna cook us up some real burgers.

Vera, got them burgers and my beer?

Damn it, where is that woman?

You kids sit here and enjoy the scenery.

I'm gonna see what's happened to that goof.

Will you stop that?

I'm trying to read.

I didn't think you knew how.

Listen, you little brat,

just because I was forced to come on this stupid vacation

with you doesn't mean I have to listen to any more

of your smart-ass remarks.

- And what are you gonna do about it?

- How about this, you little miserable little shit?

Ow!

Vera, where in the hell's my beer?

- Please, I'll do whatever you want.

Vera?

Just don't hurt my babies.

Vera, are you in there?

They're my babies, too, Jennifer.

Vera?

You okay?

Harry?

What the hell's going on, woman?

Please, Harry, Jennifer's husband, Rex,

just turned up out of nowhere.

Everybody thought he was dead.

Damn it, Vera,

I thought we agreed there wasn't gonna be no soap operas.

We're gonna cook them barbecue hamburgers outside now.

I can just pop 'em in the microwave.

No microwave.

We're gonna cook over an open fire outside.

Now come on, the kids are waiting.

But Harry, it's freezing out there.

This is the life, huh, kids?

I'm cold.

- My fingers are numb, I think it's frostbite.

- They said on TV it's 75 degrees in Los Angeles.

We could be there by tomorrow night.

Oh, God. The beach, Hollywood.

And Disneyland, surfing.

And traffic and smog and winos.

Take a look around you.

You see any traffic?

You see any smog?

You see any winos?

Oh, shit.

Maybe they won't stop.

Stop!

Stop, you can't come in here!

You can't come in here!

Stop!

Say, what the --

Look, you can't come in here, old timer.

This spot's taken.

- Hey, sign on the highway says public campground, mister.

Besides, I see three, four empty campsites up there.

- Look, friend, I passed up Six campgrounds

to find this spot.

Me and my wife kinda figured on being alone with the kids.

You understand, don't you?

I know exactly what you mean.

There ain't nothing like being in the great outdoors

to bring a man closer to his kids.

Raised my boy Bernie up here, as a matter of fact.

Shoulda seen the fish we pulled out of that river there.

Yeah?

Oh, yeah, real whoppers.

Of course, Bernie was just a little dipper then.

Some of them fish was as big as he was.

Say, that your boy over there?

Yep.

That's my Mikey.

I wanted to get him out of the city.

Well, best thing in the world for a boy.

Hey, my name's Bromley.

Ben Bromley.

You can call me Pop, though.

Everybody calls me Pop.

Harry Scrubs.

Glad to meet you, Pop.

Look, see, I'm kinda sorry, you know, about the campsite.

Oh, forget it, mister.

Understand exactly.

Hey, I'll pull over on the far side.

You folks won't even know I'm here.

Who is that dirty old man?

Oh, he's just some harmless old guy.

He won't bother us.

He looks like a derelict.

Nah, he's just some poor old guy.

Used to live up here.

Taught his boy to fish right in this river.

There's fish here?

That's what Pop said.

What's he doing over there?

Chopping firewood, I guess.

Wow, he's gonna make a real campfire.

Dad, you think we could go over and talk to him

about fishing and stuff?

Yeah, sure.

Maybe we'll all go.

Daddy, please.

Really, Harry.

What if he's got some disease?

Hey, he's just a harmless old guy.

He's up there all alone.

Think what it'd mean to him to be with a real family.

When Bernie and I used to live up here,

we'd go for weeks and not see a human being.

Bernie used to sit on that rock over there.

Deer would come right up and eat out of his hand.

Used to be a lot of deer up here then.

That boy sure loved them deer.

More cake, Mr. Bromley?

Oh, no.

No, thank you, ma'am.

If I had another piece, I'm liable to bust.

You're sure a lucky man, Harry.

Two great kids and a pretty little cook like Vera.

Yep.

I guess I am pretty lucky.

Got a good job.

Motorhome's almost paid for.

- Yeah, I was looking at that motorhome you got, Harry.

That's sure a beautiful rig.

Vera tells me you even got a microwave oven in there.

Microwave, central heating,

air conditioning for the summer, color television.

You name it, this baby's got it, Pop.

- Bernie always wanted to get a microwave oven for his ma.

Of course, we couldn't afford it.

We couldn't afford electricity.

But he used to sit there and he'd tell her,

"Someday, I'm gonna get you a microwave, ma."

He woulda, too.

Poor woman died before he had a chance.

- Your Bernie sounds like such a wonderful boy.

Oh, yes, ma'am.

A man couldn't ask for a better son than Bernie.

He was gonna take care of his ma and me in our old age.

How wonderful.

- We used to have some good old times together.

Then the boy took sick.

They took him to one of them big hospitals down state.

Bernie was never the same after that.

How sad.

What was wrong with the boy?

It was nerves, Harry.

Just nerves.

What the hell was that?

Ah, probably just some old black bear

out looking for his lady friend.

There's bears around here?

Why, sure.

Bears, mountain lions,

all kinds of critters wandering around these mountains.

Mostly, they keep out of sight now.

How come?

It's the campers, son.

Critters don't trust 'em.

Can't trust those humans out in the wilds, Harry,

‘cause they'll give you the ax every time!

I don't know about everybody else,

but I'm about ready to call it a night.

How about you, honey?

My goodness, I suppose I am tired.

Come on, kids, say goodnight to Mr. Bromley.

Goodnight.

Goodnight, Pop.

Goodnight.

Hold on just a minute.

You forgot something.

- Why don't you just keep that for a snack, Mr. Bromley?

Thank you.

Thank you kindly, ma'am.

Hey!

Night, all!