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472 miles northwest of Dutch Harbor
Captain Wild Bill Wichrowski is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"I am looking forward to finishing the blues. This isn't adding up to BLEEP."
The seasoned captain
has completely
lost his mojo.
"Oh no!"
Now, his fragile self-esteem
is at an all-time low.
"This fishery will shake a guy's confidence."
"Mine is shook."
Something needs to be done.
Wild Bill is at the end of his rope, and appears to be out of ideas.
There's no doubt about it - he's all shook up.
"I'm all shook up." "Numbers have been absolutely horrible. We haven't been catching much crab."
To no one's surprise, Nick McGlashon begins to whine. "BLEEP three average."
If things turn around soon, Nick and Wild Bill will quite possibly burst into tears.
"It's not adding up like I hoped."
Bill needs to find a spot. "I NEED to find a SPOT."
Right. But that'll take time. Right now, what Bill really needs
is a distraction.
"MISS!" Something to get his mind off the fact that he just can't find a crab."
"You have to throw the damn hook
like you mean it."
As the skipper's son, Zack's first priority
is to make sure
morale is kept high
even if it means sacrificing himself.
He assumes the role of a scapegoat. It's a convincing performance.
"I'm not used to throwing on these things."
"When there's a pot right up your BLEEP it's kinda ..."
"And the way I throw ..."
"Hook tossing is most exciting job on the boat."
"Every pot you have a competition. To me, it was a personal thing."
"If I missed the hook it was a failure. I blew it. I sucked."
"It's what I've been trying to get across to him."
For the past two seasons
Zack has quietly manipulated everyone.
"GOD, Zack! "
"THROW the BLEEPing hook."
By concealing his natural ability at the rail
Zack is providing a much-needed diversion.
"You've probably made your mom proud to throw the hook this season."
"She always wanted a girl."
Zack absorbs the insults with quiet grace.
"What a strange web we weave."
"My time with him and molding him was the reason I'm back fishing."
"What the hell am I here for then?" I don't know, Bill. Catching crab?
"Hey, Zack ..." "Ha ha ha ha."
"Nick's got the miss sign up."
Again, by making himself the target, Zack has
has given Nick a way to see himself not as an "insecure bully", but rather, a "giver of constructive criticism." has given Nick a way to see himself not as an insecure bully
but rather a "giver of constructive criticism." Ingenious.
"If you miss three times you're off the rail."
"You miss a rotation."
with every dollar admits
With every deliberate miss, Zach allows Nick to feel superior
building his confidence
reinforcing the illusion
that he's the boat's top hand.
"He just barely lobs it out there on these easy shots and he BLEEPED it up."
"You miss three, you're gone."
It's another brilliant deception.
Zack steps aside, and for Nick
who just can't wait to show off for the cameras.
"I'll do this one behind the back for you."
"Nick's a hell of a hand."
"I mean, he's what a deck hand should be."
"I have a feeling it's going to be a long trip."
Perhaps
but thanks to Zack's sacrifice and quiet leadership, Nick will still feel like
the captain's special pet
and his father will still feel like a captain
and neither one will ever know they were played like a cheap violin.