The Simple Things 2015

Mickey leads a breezy, lighthearted seaside morning, whistling a favorite tune as he strolls along a rocky shore with fishing gear in hand. The scene sets a playful, breezy mood, inviting a simple day of beachside mischief. Nearby, Pluto sniffs around and noses out a curious mussel, while a string of tiny, almost cartoonish geysers burbles along the rocks, hinting at the goofy chaos to come. The mussel darts around and soon lobotomizes the moment into a slapstick chase, squirting water at Pluto and sparring with the dog in a feisty, stubborn duel. The mussel even manages to trap itself on Pluto’s tail during the scramble, turning a straightforward rescue into a comical tug-of-war.

Mickey steps in, hoping to resolve the caper, but the situation quickly snowballs into a toss of misunderstandings and pratfalls. Pluto’s instinct is to seek help, and Mickey first offers what seems like a simple relief—feeding Pluto a hot dog. Yet the rebellious mussel isn’t done yet. It snatches the hot dog and, in a further mischief, grabs a pepper shaker, triggering a sneeze that finally loosens its hold from Pluto’s mouth. The sneezy escape sends the mussel bouncing away, and a hungry seagull, drawn by the commotion, arrives on the scene with a new appetite for the chaos.

The seagull’s interest shifts the momentum from playful chaos to full-on pilferage. It hops onto Mickey’s hat, then makes off with the fish bait as the line is being cast, snagging the moment with a sly, cheeky swagger. The mussel’s earlier antics become a game of catch as the seagull keeps stealing, this time targeting the fish itself while Mickey tries to stay ahead of the theft. Pluto, vigilant but overwhelmed, is repeatedly outmaneuvered by the bold seabird, who toys with him—binding Pluto’s tail and ears with the bird’s own clever tailwork—while Mickey shouts in mounting frustration.

In a final gambit, Mickey traps the seagull with the bait and, when the bird attempts to fly off carrying the prize, he hurls a rock to weight the catch and reclaim control of the line. The seagull, ever resourceful, responds with a dramatic display of semaphore—flag signaling the bold message “FREE FRESH FISH”—to summon a flock of allies. The addled scheme spirals as the gulls cascade the beach, driving Mickey and Pluto away in a lighthearted chase. The short wraps on a playful high note: the triumphant, portable-radio-toting seagull sails off with his spoils—fish in his beak—and the closing chorus is a cheeky, melodic nod to the very tune that opened their day, The Simple Things, sung as he drifts away.