Fish In A Tree- ch. 5 & 6
Summary
TLDRIn 'Fish in a Tree' by Linda Mullaly Hunt, Ally's brother Travis shares his successful day restoring vintage machines, revealing dreams of owning a restoration business. Despite Ally's struggles with school and feeling misunderstood, she finds solace in her family's support and shared passion for coins. A poignant encounter at a pawn shop highlights their bond and Travis's wisdom on overcoming low expectations, offering Ally a valuable life lesson.
Takeaways
- đ« The story revolves around the protagonist and her brother Travis, highlighting their close relationship and shared interests.
- đ° Travis has a successful day, which he refers to as a 'silver dollar day', and he shares his excitement about his work in restoration with his sister.
- đ The protagonist's father has been deployed, and her grandfather has passed away, creating a sense of loss and longing for the past.
- đ ïž Travis is passionate about his work at the garage, learning various skills and dreaming of opening his own restoration business.
- đ Travis plans to buy a classic car and is saving up for a neon sign for his future business, showing his ambition and determination.
- đš The protagonist is portrayed as a gifted artist with a love for drawing, particularly her pet llama named Butch Cassidy.
- đ The protagonist's mother expresses concern about her behavior at a party on her 95th birthday, indicating a strained relationship.
- đ« The protagonist struggles with school and feels misunderstood by her peers and her mother, who wants her to focus more on academics.
- đ€ The protagonist's mother believes her daughter is capable of more but is not living up to her potential, leading to a recurring argument about her school performance.
- đŠ Travis and the protagonist visit a pawn shop, where they engage in a negotiation for coins, showcasing Travis's knowledge and negotiation skills.
- đ The story emphasizes the importance of self-worth and not letting others' low expectations define you, as illustrated by Travis's advice to the protagonist.
Q & A
What does the phrase 'silver dollar day' signify in the script?
-In the script, 'silver dollar day' is a metaphor used by the characters to describe a good day, possibly in reference to the value or success of the day's events or activities.
How does the relationship between Ally and Travis appear to be?
-Ally and Travis have a close and supportive relationship. Travis is portrayed as a caring older brother who shares his excitement and achievements with Ally, and Ally appreciates his presence and efforts.
What is Travis's hobby or interest as depicted in the script?
-Travis is interested in restoring and collecting old items, particularly vintage coin-operated machines like the Coke machine and the gumball machine mentioned in the script.
What is the significance of the 'wooden nickel' in the context of the script?
-The 'wooden nickel' is used in contrast to the 'silver dollar' to represent a day that was not as successful or enjoyable, indicating a bad day or a day with difficulties.
How does Ally's mother perceive her daughter's behavior at school?
-Ally's mother is concerned about her daughter's behavior, believing that Ally is too smart for the antics she performs at school. She wants Ally to take her education more seriously and work harder.
What does Ally's mother want for her future that is different from her own?
-Ally's mother wants her to have a better future than working long hours for a few tips, as she does. She believes Ally is smart and talented and should aim higher than what she herself has achieved.
What is the significance of the year '1933' in the script?
-The year '1933' is significant because it is the year both the Walking Liberty Half Dollar and the Mercury Dime coins were minted, and it is also the year Grandpa was born, making these coins particularly special for Travis and Ally.
What lesson does Travis teach Ally about dealing with people who underestimate you?
-Travis teaches Ally that when people have low expectations of you, you can use it to your advantage, implying that one can surprise them or negotiate better deals by not meeting their low expectations.
Why does the pawn shop man try to sell Travis a penny dipped in nitric acid?
-The pawn shop man attempts to sell the penny because he believes its altered state makes it valuable, but Travis recognizes this as a fraudulent attempt to overcharge for a coin with an artificial flaw.
How does Ally feel about her school and social situation?
-Ally feels misunderstood and alienated at school, believing that her peers hate her and that she is too smart for the environment. She struggles with the pressure to conform and perform academically.
What is the significance of the pet llama named Butch Cassidy in the script?
-Butch Cassidy, the pet llama, serves as a creative outlet for Ally, allowing her to express herself through drawing. The name and the cowboy attire she imagines for the llama reflect her desire for a different, more adventurous life.
Outlines
đ Family Bonds and Aspirations
In this paragraph, the protagonist is greeted by her brother Travis after a tough day. They share a close relationship, and Travis's successful day of restoring antique vending machines inspires him to dream of owning his own restoration shop. Despite their father's recent deployment and grandfather's passing, Travis remains optimistic about their future. The protagonist, Ally, struggles with her school life and feels misunderstood by her peers and her mother, who wants her to focus more on academics and less on humor. The conversation between Ally and her mother highlights the tension between Ally's desire to fit in and her mother's aspirations for her to succeed academically.
đ Cherishing Memories and Coin Collecting
The second paragraph takes us on a trip to a pawn shop with Travis and Ally, where they reminisce about their past coin collecting adventures with their father and grandfather. The shop is filled with nostalgic memories, and Travis's knowledge of coins and negotiation skills come to the forefront as he haggles for a rare 1933 Walking Liberty Half Dollar and a Mercury Dime. The coins hold sentimental value, as 1933 was the year their grandfather was born. The paragraph also showcases Travis's protective nature towards Ally and his ability to use people's underestimations to his advantage.
đ€ Life Lessons and Self-Expectations
In the final paragraph, Travis imparts wisdom to Ally about not letting others' low expectations define her. He emphasizes the importance of self-belief and having high personal standards, especially when others may underestimate her abilities. This conversation occurs after an encounter where a shopkeeper tried to overcharge Travis for a flawed penny, highlighting the importance of knowledge and assertiveness in navigating life's challenges. Ally reflects on the difficulty of maintaining high expectations for oneself amidst daily struggles.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄSilver Dollar Day
đĄWooden Nickel
đĄRestoration
đĄNickerson Restoration
đĄPawn Shop
đĄLiberty Coins
đĄMercury Dime
đĄWalking Liberty Half Dollar
đĄFraud
đĄExpectations
đĄClowning Around
Highlights
Travis comes home smelling like grease and shares his 'silver dollar day' with his sister, referencing their family tradition of asking about each other's day.
Travis' father has been deployed and their grandfather has passed away, creating a sense of loss and longing for better times.
Travis finds joy in restoring old items like a Coke machine and a gumball machine, showing his entrepreneurial spirit and love for vintage items.
The protagonist, Ally, struggles with fitting in at school and feels misunderstood by her peers and even her own mother.
Ally's mother expresses concern about her daughter's behavior and academic performance, urging her to take school more seriously.
Ally feels the pressure to live up to her mother's expectations but struggles with self-doubt and a desire to be accepted.
Travis takes Ally to a pawn shop, reminiscent of their childhood trips with their father and grandfather to collect coins.
The siblings bond over their shared interest in coins and the memories of their father and grandfather, providing a sense of connection and continuity.
Travis demonstrates his knowledge and negotiation skills when purchasing coins, outsmarting the pawn shop owner.
Travis buys a special 1933 Walking Liberty Half Dollar and Mercury Dime for Ally, connecting the coins to their family history and showing his thoughtfulness.
Ally appreciates the gift from Travis and reflects on the enduring nature of coins compared to the transience of people.
Travis imparts wisdom to Ally about using others' low expectations to one's advantage and maintaining self-belief.
Ally grapples with the challenge of not letting others' low expectations define her self-worth and identity.
Transcripts
fish in a tree by linda mulally hunt
chapter five silver dollars and wooden
nickels
the back door swings open and my brother
travis is there
smelling like grease looking like he
rolled in it and i instantly feel better
how's my favorite little sister i'm your
only little sister
doesn't matter you'd still be my
favorite he smiles
so your favorite big brother had a
silver dollar day today
i think of grandpa and dad who always
asked us if we were having a silver
dollar day or a wooden nickel one
travis is doing that thing where he
wiggles his fingers in the air and asks
his daily question
what are these he looks older more like
my dad who's been deployed since just
before thanksgiving last year
it was hard to feel thankful after he'd
gone especially since grandpa had died
three months before that
the hands of a genius i say
correcta mundo do you realize you come
home
every day and ask me to compliment you
not really he says opening the fridge
just asking you to state the facts
you are unbelievable exactly he says
pointing at me
guess what i finished restoring an old
coke machine today
thing is like 70 years old he pops open
a soda
those things are worth a bundle fixed up
then he holds up the can look at this
disappointing compared to those old
green bottles
travis must be happy the happier he is
the more he goes on about things
and he says i picked up an old gumball
machine
the kind that takes pennies i'll sell it
for 10 times what i paid for it
his voice drops as he takes a sip i will
have to throw some money and elbow
grease at it first though
he comes over like he's going to mess up
my hair but i block his dirty hands
no way i laugh don't touch me aw come on
al
i've had a great day and guess what i
almost have enough to buy those rolling
tool cabinets
and someday my big neon sign he sweeps
his hand through the air like he's
showing me a row of mountains
nickerson restoration my own place
my name our name is going to be in light
someday al but then his voice deflates
i just have to get out of high school
we're like oil and water schooling me
i wish mom would let me quit she would
kill you
yeah so a dad and being dead won't
be good for my business he smiles won't
be long though
i'm learning a ton at the garage the
boss is letting me do all kinds of
different stuff
i smile i'm gonna buy a car soon too a
classic and a v6 at least
and then he's off and i can still smell
the grease after he's gone
i'm glad he had a silver dollar day when
my mom finally gets home i've already
microwaved my dinner and i'm watching tv
while i sketch pictures of my pet llama
named butch cassidy
with a name like that i give him a
cowboy hat a bandana
and a holster but in the holster he
carries an ear of corn
when my mom comes home in from work she
turns off the tv and i can feel it
coming
so she begins when are we going to
really talk about today
on my 95th birthday funny one
she shifts her weight i'm trying to be
patient honey i really am but today was
a party
how could you get into trouble at a
party
i don't have to do anything they all
hate me i blurt out
i doubt that but can't you see why
they'd be tired of your behavior
these shocking things you do and say to
get laughs
she doesn't get it being funny when you
don't mean to be
is terrible having to laugh at yourself
along with everyone else is humiliating
oh ally you're too smart for this school
is too important to joke about
i don't want you working long hours on
your feet for a bunch of tips like me
i want more for you and you're so smart
good at math
a gifted artist don't you think it's
time to start
stop clowning around i'm not that smart
you say that but i'm not now we know
that isn't true
you could stand to work a little harder
though i'm so tired of this conversation
we've had it a hundred times even though
my third grade teacher told her that i
might just be slow
that my mom shouldn't expect too much
for me my mom's eyes got all wide and
shiny when she heard that and i felt sad
and embarrassed for her
having to be my mom but my mother's
never bought what that teacher said
i sometimes wish she would but most
times i'm grateful that she hasn't
she bends over to look me dead in the
eyes i know that moving as much as we
have had
has been hard on you and i know i work
all the time and can't keep tabs on your
schoolwork
it has made it hard for you to keep up
with some subjects and i understand that
i really do
but you're going to have to make more
effort ally things worth having are
worth working for
i'll do better i tell her i used to say
this and mean it
now it feels like i'm just making up one
of my stories
her smile is sad okay then
she kisses the top of my head can i turn
the tv back on now
she unties her apron and stares did you
take your bath yet
no i sigh the tiredness in her voice
says there's no use arguing
i trudge toward the hallway by the way
i don't want to hear you say that people
hate you she calls out
how could anyone on earth possibly hate
you
i wish she could understand my world but
it would be like trying to explain to a
whale what it's like to live in the
forest
chapter 6 triple sided coin
opens the door of the pawn shop in town
and waves me in ahead of him
the bell on the door announces our
arrival as it hits the glass
the dusty smell of the place triggers a
bunch of memories good
times together times when dad and
grandpa would take travis and me out
looking for coins
numbers and money are something travis
and i can do well so we took to it fast
grandpa loved the dusty stores best
because they were the ones that would
have uncracked rolls of coins in the
backs of their safes
when the store owners would trade the
old rolls for new bills
we'd open them at home to see what was
inside sometimes we'd find a buffalo
nickel a mercury dime or an indian head
penny
it was like a little bit of christmas
being here makes me ache to go back in
time the man behind the counter doesn't
say hello
he rolls a toothpick back and forth in
his mouth with his tongue
in one way it's a completely impressive
and in another the grossest thing i've
ever seen
travis rests his fingertips on the glass
counter looking down into the case
filled with coins
you need something the man doesn't talk
that way to
that way to mom says you're supposed to
talk to customers
i want to buy some coins travis says oh
yeah
yeah travis brushes his chin with his
knuckle something he does when he's
nervous
the guy reaches up and takes the
toothpick out of his mouth he uses it to
point at travis
do you have money or are you all talk
travis does what dad said never do he
shows him his money
and not money like a regular person a
roll of money wrapped in an elastic band
the guy's eyes widen then he asks
looking for something special
i want liberty coins you got any he
takes out several coins
one is a mercury dime with a head that
looks like it has wings for ears
i remember those i say like the one
daddy has in his wallet
travis turns them over in his hand nice
you have anything more unusual
the guy's eyebrows jump he reaches into
a drawer
this is unusual but it'll cost you big i
don't mind paying for something special
okay then he says this one is special he
puts a penny on the counter
travis picks it up and his eyebrows
bunch up this is smaller than the other
pennies
the guy nods it is a rare find
travis glances at me and then he turns
towards the guy how much
well the guy says if you know anything
about coins you know that a coin with a
flaw in it
is far more valuable than a regular coin
something isn't right with it and it's
worth more
like i said travis says how much the guy
tilts his head to the side
well normally i'd ask for 80 but i'll
charge you
say 75 travis smiles
even i remember how dad used to tell us
never to smile when you get a number
never even if it's the best number in
the world
and here he is smiling like he won the
lottery i try to look serious enough for
the both of us
well that's really generous of you 75
bucks for a penny that's been dipped in
nitric acid the guy's smile falls off
his face
i bet the police would be interested in
a little bit of fraud
now listen travis interrupts look i
wasn't born yesterday stop
messing with me travis at a coin in the
case that has a walking woman wrapped in
a sheet that was the sun rays behind her
it is beautiful
that 1933 walking liberty half dollar
how much for that one
well that one is in really fine
condition in fact just
tell me how much travis says leaning in
palms on the glass
45 36 and you throw in the mercury dime
for my little sister
i look up quick for me then i do the
math yep he is following dad's rule of
offering 20
less than what they offer but travis
threw in something extra
the guy squints 40. travis nods
done he slaps the money on the glass
count glass case
outside the store travis holds the dime
toward me
oh it's beautiful i love it so much
thank you travis you're the best
he looks a little sad staring at the
coin
you know grandpa was born in 1933.
that's why i chose these coins
they were both minted in that year i
looked down at my mercury dime and it
stated
wishing people could last as long as
coins when we get into the car travis
says
did you see how that guy in there took
me for a fool trying to rip me off
remember ally when people have low
expectations of you you can sometimes
use it to your advantage
then he looks me right in the eyes and
points at my nose as long as you
don't have low expectations of yourself
you hear
i nod again but i think to myself that
it's hard
not to these days
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