SYNOPSIS: 1930 at the seaside. Stephen Wall enters a pole-sitting contest against champion Jim Sherry in an effort to win the prize and get his family out of debt. On the second day of competition, his wife Allison discovers him, and warns him that if he does not abandon this silly idea in three days she will be leaving him with their child to the financial haven of her family in California. However, as the days stretch on, Stephen observes from up on his perch that Allison is becoming friendly with a Stranger from the crowd. He becomes increasingly paranoid after warnings from Jim, coupled with an ambiguous letter from Allison about “finding work” there at the beach. By the fourth day, Allison has become distracted by this Stranger, leaving their son to wander off into the deep water. In a climactic decision, Stephen leaps down from the pole, setting aside his pride to rescue their son and confront the Stranger and Allison, but perhaps too much damage has already been done by his inaction.