scene 7

Previous.

EXT. HUNTER'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER 

One of several handsome homes widely spaced along a street in the high desert community of Talavera east of Las Cruces near the base of the Organ Mountains. Open garage shows the newish Range Rover SUV and oldish Honda Goldwing motorcycle. A green bin is next to a blue bin near the mailbox.  Tom's truck approaches from down the road.

INT. TOM'S TRUCK   

Tom in aviator sunglasses nears Hunter's house, slows and stops at the driveway. He gets phone from cup holder, raises it to to take a picture of the house just as Hunter enters garage through door to house, bag in hand. He looks up, sees Tom, Tom takes picture, puts phone in cup holder, holds Hunter's stare for a moment, then drives on up the road.

INT. GARAGE/EXT. DRIVEWAY

Hunter walks to the bin, eyes all the while on Tom's truck. 

INT. TOM'S TRUCK

He keeps his eyes on HUNTER IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR as he nears a street and house around its corner.

EXT. DRIVEWAY

Hunter watches the truck make the turn, obscured by the house. He drops the bag into the blue bin, waits for the truck to reappear, walks back to the garage when it does not, enters house, closes door behind him. 

INT. TOM'S TRUCK

Tom parked and idling on the street ouitside the house that obscured him from Hunter's view. After a moment of contemplation, he makes the U-turn back onto Hunter's street and drives toward his house. 

scene 6

Previous.

INT. NOVELIST'S HOME OFFICE - DAY

Adobe. 

HUNTER, 50ish - running shoes, faded jeans, untucked dress shirt, glasses - types at the laptop on the old wooden desk aimed at the big window view to the up-close Organ Mountains. Blank whiteboard with markers in tray on wall behind him, near a hat rack loaded with baseball caps near open door to hall.

Navajo rug on hardwood. One wall is bookshelves, across the room from an old leather sofa under a framed reproduction of an Ad Reinhardt Red Painting. Telescope and stool in one corner by the window, saguaro cactus sculpture in the other. Books share shelves with model sailing ship, wood owl, antique typewriter, and bronze Smiling Buddha.

Printer on stand next to desk. Laptop shares desk with NMSU coffee mug holding pens and pencils near a stack of yellow legal pads, a white-new baseball, a hardcover of the Evan S. Connell book Son of the Morning Star, and a framed photograph of a 16-year-old girl smiling and flashing a peace sign at the up-close camera that has captured her "tubed" in the wave she is surfing, sandy beach and tropical foliage in the background. 

We can see but not clearly discern the text reflected in Hunter's glasses. He stops typing, stares at screen, taps keyboard. The text in his lenses gives way to color.  

OVER HIS SHOULDER the screensaver shows the same surfer girl in softball uniform, on the mound, ready to pitch, staring in at the catcher, the umpire and camera. Hunter smiles at the picture, powers down computer, leaves into hall, SHOES SQUEAKING. 

INT. KITCHEN - MOMENT LATER

State of the art appliances and stone countertops. Bananas in a wooden bowl that shares the center island with a set of keys, stack of mail, Sunday New York Times. View into adjacent dining room. View through window over sink to grill, four chairs around table under shade on the patio that gives way to xeriscaping bordered by a low stone wall, open space beyond. Door from kitchen to walkway to patio. 

SHOE QUEAK before Hunter enters, gets a plastic water bottle from the refrigerator, finishes it, crushes the bottle, puts it in the plastic bag he pulls from a bin the bin in a closet, ties it off at the top, sets it down, lines the bin with a new bag, closes closet, leaves into hall with full bag. 

scenes 3, 4 and 5

Previous.

CREDITS OVER:

3. INT. TOM'S TRUCK - DAY

Tom driving through wooded hills on a two-lane highway signage shows as 287 southbound. Northbound traffic on the other side of median. Colorado plate on the car ahead of him. He turns on the RADIO. STATIC. He punch-tunes to Rodney Hayden's Down on the Pecos, at the two-minute mark, just before "Once I used to roam," let's it play to the end. A pause before Glen Campbell's Galveston starts, plays to "...sea waves blowing."

4. INT. MOTEL ROOM - SUNSET

Basic room lit through crack in the curtains across the window above the desk. KLICKING OF BOOTS ON CONCRETE, nearing. His form visible through the curtains before the CLICK OF KEY before Tom enters. He puts his hat on the rack near the door, sets suitcase on bed, opens the curtains to second-floor view of Albuquerque skyline under monsoon clouds that obscure the Sandia Mountains. He gets phone from pocket, sets it on desk, sits on chair, takes off boots, picks up phone, speaks into it.

TOM: Wanda.

Just now. What'd you and Daisy end up doin'?

Alright. 

Well, I'd planned to read but as you prob'ly know I left the book behind, so I think I'll run a bath, have Chinese delivered and find a movie or a ballgame.

I love you, too. Call ya in the mornin' when I'm leavin'.

Sweet dreams, sweetheart.

He sets down phone, watches the first rain drops tap the window, picks up phone, speaks into it.

TOM: Ruthie.

Hey sis, just now in my room.  Bout to run a bath, call me when ya can. Love ya.

He sets phone down, leaves into bathroom. We HEAR A BATH STARTED.

5. EXT. YUCCA BLOSSOM MOTEL/PARKING LOT - SUNRISE

Two floors, a couple dozen rooms. Tom's truck and other vehicles in the wet puddled lot under clear sky. Tom comes out of his room, suitcase in hand, gets in the truck, starts engine, buckles up, drives out of lot to street and away out of view.

scene 2

Previous.

EXT. HOUSE/DRIVEWAY- SUNRISE

Modest house and front yard like the neighbors up and down the quiet street. A few United States flags fly from front porches. Wyoming plates on the two-tone 1986 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat model pickup truck backed to the garage. 

Tom in western wear including cowboy boots, two turquoise horseshoes on silver belt buckle, pearl snap-buttons on shirt, and hat, Wanda in robe and slippers, come out front door to porch and toward truck. Tom with suitcase, Wanda a steaming mug of coffee. Keys on ring hang from Tom’s belt loop.  

WANDA: Lunch plans?

TOM: Thinkin’ that Mexican place in Cimarron we stopped at last year.

WANDA: Tortilla Azul. That was delicious.

TOM: Azul, right. Knew it was tortilla somethin’. If it’s still there. 

Tom sets down the suitcase, uses key to open driver’s door, puts suitcase in well under passenger side of the bench seat, key in ignition, takes coffee from Wanda, sets it in cup holder, turns to Wanda, they embrace.

TOM/WANDA: I love you.

They kiss.

TOM: I’ll call every hour.

WANDA: Thank you. I’d like that.

Tom gets in behind the wheel, Wanda pushes the door shut, steps onto the running board. Tom starts engine, lowers window.

TOM: Ready?

Wanda nods. Tom drives forward to the street.

TOM (CONT.) How many more days?

WANDA: Until?

TOM: We land in Honolulu.

Wanda smiles.

WANDA: Ninety-three.

She checks his watch.

WANDA (CONT.): And thirteen hours twenty-two minutes. If we’re on schedule.

TOM: But who's countin’.

WANDA: I love you, Tom.

TOM: I love you, Wanda.

A long kiss, she steps down from the running board.

Wanda winks, Tom winks back. He turns onto the street and drives away toward where it bisects another at a stop sign.

INT. TRUCK

Tom signals a left turn, stops at the sign, his eyes on WANDA IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR. She waves, he sticks his arm out the window, waves.

EXT. DRIVEWAY/STREET

Wanda watches a car pass before Tom makes the turn, blows a kiss out the window. Wanda blows a kiss back, watches the truck leave view.  She lingers, staring down the road, finally walks to porch, waters flowers, looks to the sky as she enters the house. Closes door behind her.