Ether's Paradise

There is a place I once found as a kid

which exists deep inside the crevices

of my mind.

I go there in the moments before waking.

It remains there.

It will always be there.

One day, I will never leave.

- -

Sydney!

Get down from there!

Sorry.

I just wanted to see.

-Nui, right? -Yeah, yeah.

The flight out of America was brutal.

Some child kept kicking the back of my chair.

I asked the flight attendant to tell the kid to shut up.

But you know, they wouldn't do it. So...

I almost turned around and did it myself.

Yeah, I hope so.

So, how old are you?

I'm fifteen years old.

How old are you?

I'm sixteen.

Uhm...

Do you know the band Oasis?

-Oasis? -Oasis.

Um, it's music.

America.

Daddy and me like...

Like sisters, right?

You married, Nui?

No, sir.

Makes two of us.

Dad, look!

They're not wearing any helmets.

They'll crash and burn.

You promised me you'll never be so stupid.

I promise.

Atta girl.

You know what she loves?

The color red.

Once upon a time, I was, you know,

going through her things, and I accidentally misplaced

a few red items.

God, did she have a fit!

All I did was move this red thing there, or...

red shirt to this drawer-- Whatever, you know?

She had a full nervous breakdown.

Wouldn't eat for a week.

She believed every piece of clothing

needed to have a story

otherwise, clothes were meaningless...

a costume for parrots.

- -

She questioned if a new story was brewing

in this foreign land.

Yeah.

Hold on.

What's the area?

It's expensive, no?

Hold on. What's that?

What? No. No, that's not gonna work.

No. Client's gonna be there on Monday.

That is exactly what I said.

No.

Hold on.

Mr. Nui, what were you saying?

This shit?

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah, okay.

That'll do.

Yeah, call me when it's done.

Okay.

Yeah, okay.

Mr. Nui.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

Huh?

Ten years from now,

what do you see yourself doing?

You know, your dreams, your ambitions.

Why do you need to sell this land?

Well, Mr. Nui.

When you have no money

you gotta get creative with your resources.

Hello?

Mom?

What time is it there?

Sunset.

It's the middle of the night here.

Do you think when I'm back from Thailand

I could stay with you for a while?

Honey.

But...

can I see you at least?

I mean, that's allowed, right?

Does he know you're calling?

No.

Baby.

I know, I know, but like...

I don't know, I don't know.

Babe, it's late.

It's my daughter.

You didn't show up at my recital.

Baby, I was in a different state.

But you could've come, right?

Dad said he offered to buy your plane ticket.

What? No.

That's not what happened, Syd.

We had a talk.

He told me not to show up.

What? Why?

I don't know.

He was really stern.

Made threats and everything.

And I'm not about to battle him in court.

Maybe if things cool off,

I'll be there for the next one.

All right?

Pinky promise?

Pinky promise.

Ugh, Dad, I can't breathe.

Yeah, yeah, it'll loosen up in the water.

Stop it.

There you go.

Hey!

Take a picture of me and my daughter?

Can we not?

Smile, Sydney.

Ah! Yeah, it's perfect.

We look happy.

Alright.

Have fun, you two.

There are no sharks here, right?

What?

Shark?

No, no have.

- No, no have. - It's not funny!

No, you have sharks, or no, there are no sharks?

No have shark.

Hey, what's your name?

Huh?

Your name?

Name I, Ether.

I'm Sydney.

She could lose herself in things like

speckled patterns of sunlight bouncing over ocean waves.

She considered these minute details

expressive of some universal truth.

I don't know how to fish.

Scared?

Oh, no, not scared.

Just, um, it's dead.

Okay, you.

Again.

-Oh my god. -Oooh!

Oh, that was good, right?