scene 10

Previous.

INT. HUNTER'S GUEST ROOM - DAY

Bed aimed at wall-mounted big-screen TV. Lamp and remote on nightstand. PAINTING tbd above the bed's headboard. Tom's hat on rack near open door to closed door across the hall. Tom's suitcase on the bed and Tom at the desk, gazing out the window to the back yard and mountains, phone in hand. A globe, etch-a-sketch, pencil and pen on legal pad share the desk with a lamp and guest book. FAINT TIK-TOK of the grandfather clock (just now added to the foyer).

EXT. BRICK HOUSE FRONT PORCH - DAY

RUTH and GIL, 70-somethings, in rocking chairs on the shaded porch aimed at the modest front yard and street lined by similar single-level homes along both sides of the quiet leafy street. Texas plates on the 1972 Porsche 911 in the driveway and the Chevrolet pickup truck in the across-the-street neighbor's.

A pitcher of iced lemonade on the barrel between them, full glasses in their hands. Ruth in tennis shoes, knee-length khaki, short-sleeve tee, WIMBERLEY across the front. A visor hangs from the back of her rocker. Gil in cowboy boots, jeans, bold bronze longhorn buckle, western shirt with pearl snap-buttons. Cowboy hat on a knee.

RUTH: I just remembered Maria and the boys are coming up soon.

GIL: Tomorrow. Disappointed to miss Wanda.

RUTH: Me too.

She fishes phone from pocket when it RINGTONES the Willie Nelson instrumental, Bandera.

RUTH: Howdy.

Just back from Fredericksburg with peaches, now on the front porch with lemonade. Where are you?

(Her face expresses her surprise. She looks to Gil, who looks back.)

I'm here, Tom. You can imagine I'm more than a little surprised. 

I'm sure she was. So what's the plan?

Alright. 

I'll be here. And Tom, take a picture, okay?

Love you too. 

I'll tell him.

(She sets phone down.)

GIL: Bated breath.

RUTH: Tom's at Hunter's. Hunter is on the way to the airport to pick up his daughter. Tom will spend the night and leave in the morning.

GIL: Híjole.

RUTH: Si.

INT. HUNTER'S GUEST ROOM

Tom at desk stares at guestbook, phone in hand. The roadrunner leaves. Tom stands, puts phone in pants pocket, finds lighter and pack of cigarettes in suitcase, puts them in shirt pocket, walks to door, gets hat, enters hallway, the KNOCKING OF BOOTS ON HARDWOOD FADE at last to silence moments before Tom steps into frame of desk above window, stands at the stone wall, lights a cigarette from pack he pulls from pocket, takes a puff and after while another, staring toward the mountains.