Thyme on the River
One-Hour Premium Dramedy
Logline : When Melissa Anderson convinces her family to leave behind a safe life and risk everything to buy a historic wilderness lodge, she becomes responsible for everyone who walks through its doors, forcing her to hold together the business, the marriage, and the family - even as she quietly falls apart herself.
EXT. Grounds day
The river is stunning, traveling through a deep canyon surrounded by forest. It's jewel tones mirror the trees and sky. It curves and flows down towards the lodge. It's breathtaking, it's serene, it's...
INT. Kitchen day
CHAOS! Equipment HUMS, BUZZES. Timers BLARE. Pots and pans CLASH in the dish pit. Blurs of staff SLAM into each other. There are no smiles, even fake ones. Everyone is in the weeds.
On the well worn and messy stove in the small kitchen a pot BOILS OVER causing the gas to flame up behind CHEF BRIAN. He's mid 30's, skinny, tattooed, and over it.
He yanks the pot away, flips the knob and wipes sweat on his splattered chef coat.
Exasperated, he glares at BILLIE, mid-70's, tiny and sweet in her dated floral dress and ruffled apron. She carries a full sheet tray of asparagus up to the pass.
CHEF BRIAN
(re: asparagus)
I just need you to blanch them...
BILLIE
Motherfucker, I'm not doing a goddamn thing until you tell me what you are making and why!
CHEF BRIAN
It doesn't matter, Billie, just blanch that shit. Come on now, please just work with me... Christ!
BILLIE
Tell me what you're fucking up now so I can do it right. And don't give me any of that French bullshit. Mirror Paw my ass. What a bitch...
CHEF BRIAN
BLANCHED...FUCKING...ASPARAGUS!
Chef Brian yanks a sharpie from behind his ear and points at BILLIE aggressively.
CHEF BRIAN
Just say "yes chef" and do your job!
He SLAMS the sharpie on the counter. Billie THROWS the tray down with a loud bang sending asparagus flying and staff scurrying away.
BILLIE
You,...you little shit, don't tell me what do in MY kitchen.
MELISSA ANDERSON, early 40's, attired in uniform and apron, put together, yet a little out of place, storms in.
Everyone remains fixed in place staring at her, even the equipment freezes.
MELISSA
It's MY kitchen...
EXT. DRIFT BOAT - DAY
Melissa and her husband, WOODROW "WOODY" ANDERSON, late 30's, blond hair, blue eyes, an outdoorsman straight out of a Patagonia catalog, float down the river lazily in a drift boat.
Their daughter SAHALIE, 10, who looks just like her dad is with them.
Woody, standing barefoot in the back of the boat, casts a fly rod but isn't seriously fishing. He is just enjoying the afternoon. Melissa and Sahalie lounge in the front seats.
Everyone is relaxed.
LEGEND: About Six Months Before...
WOODY
I wish we could do this every day.
MELISSA
You could be a guide. "Woody's Guide Service" has a ring to it.
WOODY
I'd never be able to put up with Sports all day.
MELISSA
I'm basically a Sport.
WOODY
Yeah, but you are a pretty Sport, and you fish better than most of those guys.
MELISSA
Why don't we quit and do something for ourselves.
WOODY
We can't do that, Melissa.
MELISSA
Why not?
WOODY
We can't afford to quit. It's too risky.
MELISSA
Come on, Woody, your boss is a dick and they won't ever let me be the boss because I don't have one.
WOODY
True...
MELISSA
It's not like you golf with your dick, and if you did, those country club guys could lay on their bellies and still not reach the ball. I'm tired of doing all the work while the someone else gets the credit because he can go on the men's trips.
SAHALIE
Mom, language.
Melissa gives Sahalie a whatever look.
MELISSA
If those idiots can run businesses, we can. What's stopping us?
WOODY
Money...
Melissa turns and faces Woody.
MELISSA
What should we do?
WOODY
There is a fishing lodge for sale downriver.
MELISSA
Let's do it!
WOODY
You can't be serious? I was joking.
MELISSA
Of course I am. Come on, I'll run it, you fix it, Sahalie can grow up in the forest. It's perfect. Plus, you can fish everyday. This is exactly what we need.
Sahalie waves her phone around looking for a signal.
SAHALIE
No way. There is no cell service here. I'll die.
WOODY
It would be nice... If we could afford it. Did you win the lottery and not tell me?
SAHALIE
I'm not moving, Mom. I have friends.
WOODY
Why do you want to quit the country club? It's safe, we could burn the place down and not get fired. Plus we could do our jobs in our sleep. You don't quit safe and easy.
MELISSA
I hate safe and easy. I miss my old business. I'm glad I started over, so glad, but I'm stressed that I had to give up everything I built. The country club life is taking a piece of my soul and crushing the rest. Plus, the GM just cut my sales commission again and added more responsibility, now they are going to make your boss the new GM but I have to do all his paperwork. For less money. I will never be the GM but I will have do the work while someone gets the credit. I already did that with my ex. I'm not doing it again. Besides, you say you are going to quit everyday.
Sahalie puts her phone in Melissa's face.
SAHALIE
No cell service, mom. Do you hate me? Do you want me to hate you?
WOODY
I know you miss the company you lost, but why would you want to put yourself through all that stress again?
MELISSA
I didn't lose, I walked away. Big difference. The divorce was so worth it. I didn't fail then and I won't fail now.
WOODY
I work with a bunch of dumb shits but it pays the bills. All I have to do is fix stuff and mow grass. I'd never actually quit.
MELISSA
I'm calling as soon as we get home.
WOODY
Don't worry Sahalie, she'll never pull this off.
SAHALIE
She's going to ruin everything.