The Falls

THE FALLS

A few years ago, my daughter started to work at a gas station near a beautiful waterfall. I would drive her to work, walk our dog around the area and pick her up after the shift after walking the dog once more.

Along these walks, I began communicating, observing and appreciating the interesting people living around this gas station. To one side of the gas station was a beautiful series of tiny cabin-style resort homes; these people had their own walking trails, gym and a lovely large swimming pool. Immediately on the other side of the gas station was an old RV Park with an old restaurant and hall area. This site was home to fifty to sixty old RVs, Motorhomes and trailers.

Behold these old trailers, and motorhomes was a well-groomed motor and campground.

The gas station was much more than a place for fossil fuel. It also had a small gem museum and a restaurant; it sold lottery tickets, liquor and an assortment of interesting CDs, Western Hats and other goods.

After observing the locals, the visitors and the assortment of local characters, not to mention the wildlife, I decided this place was just too interesting to be ignored by the film industry; they all had stories that must be shared.

Should someone ask me if it is like any other series on television, this is how I would have to reply. Picture the Trailer Park Boys, envision Corner Gas and, of course, Kim's Convenience all put into a blender mixed for a few moments, and you would have "THE FALLS"

The Pilot Episode of this series would deal with how covid affected everyone in Canada and the world. The store clerks are trying to enforce the mask policies of province health. The store owner avoids conflicts with local anti-maskers that want to overthrow the Federal Government and start a new country. The Falls is the capital, with the Asian Canadian owner being the head of government.

The storyline for the pilot would be around Delenn's first few days at the gas station. People wander in and out of the store arguing about masks, talking about government cover-ups and plots against the working-class poor. After what seemed like an eternity selling liquor and lottery tickets and hearing about plots, a young woman runs up to the counter, complaining the toilet has exploded.

Delenn goes into the bathroom to see water pouring out of the toilet and a set of muddy footprints going up the wall and onto the ceiling. Her boss walks to the door as she is pointing at the footprints. "HOW did they get so muddy?" she exclaims.

Thomas responds with a halfway grin, "It is not mud."

As the shift progresses, her father arrives at the station to walk the dog along the back road before picking up Delenn. He is surprised by rustling bushes along their walk, and the dog growls as they move to the other side of the roughly paved narrow road. A man that could be somewhere between thirty and fifty with an unkept beard and wide-open blue eyes appears as he climbs out of the bushes. The first thing anyone would notice and could not miss was except for the long beard, he had nothing else to cover his body. He looked at the man walking the dog and ran toward the old RV Park.

Delenn's father notices Thomas near the propane pumps, locking them up for the evening. He tells him about the man that came out of the bushes. Thomas smiles and says, "Ah, we just call him the naked man."

On the way home in the car, Delenn talks about her first day. She talks about the exploding toilet and footprints on the ceiling. She casually mentions people buying hundreds of dollars of lottery tickets and several misadventures with people lost trying to find border crossings, campgrounds and where the Falls were.

The first year of the show will look at some of the following.

The Pilot (See above)

The Water Park

(Soaking wet guests arriving needing their liquor. Staff from adjoining properties arrived in Golf carts and electric scooters coming to purchase their liquor.)

The Bear

(Several over-friend bears try to dine in at the Gas Station Restaurant)

Police Panic.

(The police search for a suspect hiding out near The Falls. The old RV park residents go into a frenzy hiding items and putting away empty propane bottles scattered all around.)

THE PIPELINE WORKERS

(The pipeline workers begin to arrive and tear up sections of the wilderness. They constantly go into the store with dirty feet and plugging toilets. They also discover a skunk.)

RV Terror

(An old truck pulls in with an extended camping trailer. The driver knocks over garbage cans, backs into a motorhome, then drives away at high speed, garbage can attached to the trailer's rear bumper. Three motorhomes become lost and nearly collide with a motor-driven wheelchair. Delenn receives a big tip of ten dollars)

The pilot and series will examine the comical mishaps of those who reside, play, or work near The Falls. You will laugh, you might shed a tear, and before you know it, you will be goggling The Falls, wanting to come for a visit.

Author's Notes

Thank you for reading my pilot, "The Falls" This pilot is based loosely on a place in British Columbia, Canada. Yes, it does explore Covid-19 and the effects it has on everyday people. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this pilot are either the product of the author's imagination or may be used fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events is coincidental.

Please feel free to comment or follow my writing.

Thank you

Bruce Curle