Sensing now is a good time to end this blog and begin Final Draft next week after getting beats set in detail this weekend. Also trending toward relocating Texas from Hill Country to Big Bend land. This blog, like the previous (semi-final), has served its purpose. So, probably, final beats as last post on this blog Tuesday.
CHLOE: Where did you get that buckle?
TOM: This was my great grandad's.
CHLOE: On whose side?
TOM: My mom's. Buford Sawer Robertson was her father's father. He won the buckle in a poker game in Laredo.
CHLOE: Did you meet him?
TOM: A few times when I was a kid, when he and my great grandmother Ruby lived north of Galveston.
CHLOE: They're on the family tree?
TOM: They are. And their grandparents.
HUNTER: What did Buford Sawyer Robertson do for a living?
TOM: Roughneckin' in oil fields before he went off to France in the first world war. Came back and started the hardware store in Lubbock he had for thirty years 'til he sold it and moved to San Marcos to be closer to my mom.
Jackie RINGS A TRIANGLE DINNER BELL.
TOM: Goodness.
CHLOE: What?
TOM: Just had a flashback to a chuckwagon alongside the San Saba River.
CHLOE: Did the chuckwagon serve vittles?
Tom smiles.
TOM: It did.
CHLOE: What foods qualify as vittles?
TOM: Well.
WITH JACKIE, SESS AND CLAIRE AT THE PICNIC TABLE
They watch Tom, Hunter and Chloe approach.
to be continued.
Tom, Chloe and Hunter walk among the pines. In the distance, Jackie, Claire and Sess set up lunch a picnic table. The horses are tied to a nearby post.
TOM: Why ya reckon they call 'em ponderosa pines?
CHLOE: Pinus ponderosa. Because they're ponderous. Which is to say their wood is heavy, which I assume to be relative to other woods.
TOM: Like balsa?
CHLOE: Like balsa.
TOM: Where did ya pick up the Latin?
CHLOE: Eighth grade extra credit lccal flora class.
TOM: Like flora and fauna.
CHLOE: Just like.
TOM: So ya got pine trees in San Luis Obispo?
CHLOE: A few. Bishop pines. Pinus muricata. Bishop because of it being found, or identified anyway, near the mission. There are other common and prior scientific names related to variant forms. Prickle cone pine, Obispo pine, Santa Cruz pine and dwarf marine pine.
TOM: What's the most prominent tree in the area.
CHLOE: Coastal oak.
TOM: We got a variety of oaks in the hill country.
CHLOE: What kind of variety?
TOM: Live Oak, Red Oak, Post Oak, Lacey Oak, the rare Spanish Oak
A lull.
TOM (CONT.): Speakin' a trees, sort of, if y'all are int'rested, Ruth's got our family tree online at an ancestry website.
HUNTER/CHLOE: Really?
TOM: Yep. Goes back quite a-ways.
CHLOE: Would you send me the link to that website?
TOM: Course I will.
CHLOE: Thank you.
to be continued.
DAD: What are Barbara's thoughts on where she goes to college?
BRIAN: Conflicted in that she'd like her to stay home or close to it, she also wants her to spread her wings a little. She and her dad are meeting the coach and checking out Tucson for a few days.
DAD: Where's her dad?
BRIAN: Las Cruces.
DAD: What does he do?
BRIAN: Novelist.
DAD: What's his name?
BRIAN: Hunter.
DAD: Hunter what?
BRIAN: Hardyn. With a Y.
DAD: H C Hardyn?
BRIAN: Yes. How do you know about H C Hardyn.
DAD: Your sister dragged me into a bookstore last week. Foglost was on a display table near the checkout line. Six degrees of a best selling author. Have you read it?
BRIAN: Halfway through.
DAD: Likin' it?
BRIAN: Very much.
DAD: Well lemmee read it when you're done.
BRIAN: I will.
DAD: What's it about?
BRIAN: We'll talk about that when you're done.
DAD: Fair enough.
They arrive at the Porsche.
BRIAN: Up for getting us to Creston?
He hands dad the key, Dad stops, stares at it, then at the Porsche, then at Brian.
BRIAN (CONT.): If you think your foot is up for the clutch, dad.
DAD: Let's find out.
They get in, Dad depresses the clutch pedal, keeps it there, releases. He depresses the clutch, maneuvers the stick shift from neutral through the five gears in sequence.
BRIAN: Well?
DAD: Buckle up, son.
They buckle up, Dad insterts key, starts engine, turning the heads of a couple Cider House customers. Dad shifts into reverse, backs up, shifts into first, rolls to the highway, stops, lets traffic pass, looks at Brian, who winks. Dad looks left for traffic, drives into the highway and shifts from first to second and finally, at fifty miles per hour, into third. He turns to Brian, both beaming They turn their attention to the road, Brian lowers his sunglasses into place.
CUT TO:
DAD: Golf tomorrow, right?
BRIAN: Yep.
DAD: You probably told me where you're playing.
BRIAN: Hunter Ranch.
DAD: Right, you did. What do you know about John’s game?
BRIAN:Eight handicap,
DAD: Damn.
BRIAN; Jan is usually around ninety.
BRIAN: They play twice a week.
DAD: At Hunter?
BRIAN: River Oaks, not far from where they live. Ready to meet them?
DAD: Are they ready to meet me, Brian?
BRIAN: Yes. They’re alright, dad.
DAD: I’m sure they are just by Barbara.
Brian smiles at dad and throws his arm over his shoulder.
DAD (CONT.): Gonna keep her?
BRIAN: If she’ll let me. Ready?
DAD: Ready.
They finish their ciders, drop the cups into a nearby bin, stand - Dad with assistance of his cane - and walk to the parking lot, Dad with a slight limp.
DAD: Chloe impressed.
BRIAN: Chloe’s impressive.
It’s clear they’re walking to the Porsche.
To be continued.
EXT. ROADSIDE CIDER HOUSE - SHANDON, CA - DAY
Brian, in work boots, jeans, untucked and unbuttoned long-sleeve over tee, sunglasses propped atop head, sits next to DAD, late-70s, dressed similarly and wearing a Vietnam Veteran ballcap, on a bench under shade of awning, sipping drinks from plastic cups. A cane at Dad's side. A dozen vehicles including two motorcycles with helmets attached in the parking lot, the star of which is a mid-80s Porsche 911.1. Next morning. Tom re truck, heeere's Jackie, away they go.
2. Gil, Maria re Tom's Las Cruces layover.
3. Int. Rover, last time on a horse, rodeo, Vietnam. Chloe Tom selfie.
4. Barbara arrive home, Chloe Tom selfie.
5. Sess and Claire, Rover arrive, intros.
6. Pines, woodpecker, horses.
7. John and Jan, Chloe Tom selfie.
8. Mountain meadow.
9. Wanda with Daisy gets Tom Chloe selfie.
10. Horses uphill 'round bend, Sierra Blanca view.
11. Ruth places framed Tom Chloe selfie.
12. Hunter, Tom and Chloe, the story about Tom's buckle. Chuckwagon call from Jackie, Sess and Claire prepping lunch.
13. Brian and his dad.
14. Horses and riders at the creek. Tom to Hunter re fishing.
15. Gil with friend, Bandera VFW.
16. Horse barn and a honda knot.
17. Barbara places framed photo of Hunter, Tom and Chloe with wooden bear in Chloe's room.
18. John and Jan stare at same photo.
19. Hunter, Tom, Chloe and Jackie, White Sands sunset.
20. Night. Jackie leaves Hunter's. Starry skies and one shooting. Hunter inquires about a movie, Tom declines, "a little tuckered." Call Wanda and Ruth, get on to bed. Hunter re inquiring about a photograph.
21. Tom tells the story of his and Olivia's Tahoe day re the selfie Olivia took. Tom asks Chloe re help re three-way facetiming Wanda and Ruth.
22. That three-way facetime, including Chloe's hello and goodnight to Ruth and Wanda, both rendered verklempt. End call, Tom ponders guestbook.
Two different dreams this morning
A light blue Ferrari Daytona parks where I am standing, nose aimed at me, a foot away.. All I see is the hood. End dream.
The other:
Elon Musk is about to get behind the wheel of a red 911, the same fire-engine red as the 911 in *the Zuckerberg dream. Musk(rat) is looking at me, I'm standing near the passenger door.
Found Object:
Mission Trail Cider House, Cholame, California. The 911 in the parking lot.
They are parked in the pullout near the Snowy Range Rd. Overland Trail marker, Wanda at the wheel of the Subaru wagon aimed at the sunset on the mountains.
Tom's GMC pickup, WY plates
Hunter's Range Rover, CA
Wanda's Subaru WY
John's and Jan's Mercedes G-Wagon and Aston Martin DB7, CA
Jackie's Alfa Romeo Spider, NM
Ruth's Volvo wagon (Fredericksburg peaches), TXs
Sess's Dodge Ram HD dually and horse trailer, NM
Claire's Harley, OK
Barbara's Mini-Cooper
Gil's old Corvette, new Ford F-350 and bass boat/trailer, TX
Brian's Porsche 911, CA
Maria's KIA SUV, TX
1. Night. Tom and Wanda, Foglost, Hawaii.
2. Sunrise. Tom leaves in truck w/WY plates.
3. Credits over Tom driving, enter Colorado, radio music.
4. Gil, Maria, the boys. Re Tom and Wanda move, Foglost and Hunter's blurb and Organ Mountains.
5. Sunset. Wanda and Daisy. Tom's call from ABQ motel. Tom leaves Ruth VM.
6. Sunrise. Tom leave ABQ motel lot.
7. John (driving), Jan, Barbara, Chloe, re Jackie and Horse Day.
8. Hunter home office, kitchen, recycle bag.
9. Tom arrive at Hunter's, garage door open, Range Rover, Hunter out, Tom drives away.
10. Tom's U-turn.
11. Hunter foyer, Tom front door, Howdy, Tom enters.
12. John, Jan and Barbara's call from Hunter. John re middle name.
13. Wanda and Daisy, Tom's call from Hunter's guest room, Tom calls Ruth (with peaches in Fredericksburg), leaves room, framed in window at patio, takes selfie.
14. Gil receives that selfie. Hijole.
15. Hunter and Chloe.
16. Barbara and Brian, re Tom and Olivia.
17. Hunter and Chloe arrive, intros, how Tom found him.
18. Wanda and Ruth Facetime.
19. John and Jan uphill neighborhood powerwalk sunset.
20. Night. Hunter, Chloe, Tom, re Hawaii and Wanda. Excuses himself. Chloe and Hunter about another horse. Hunter calls Jackie.
silly interludes increasing as i near the end of this blog and beginning Final, probably next week after setting beats in wet cement tomorrow and stepping away to let it gestate.
It's daytime, I'm trying to get somewhere, though I don't recall knowing where/what. But I do know that I am aggravated with the changes in direction re how-to-get-there I am encountering and the delay involved.
Then I come.across a woman who exudes in every way Glinda, the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. She notes my frustration and tells me, just as Glinda encourages Dorothy "you know you have the ticket." A beat before she continues, "you know you're going to get there."
(Affirmation tingle as I write this.)
End of dream.
Posted here because I know this screenplay is that ticket, pardon my (ever wavering) confidence.
And other dreams also involving the ticket to a flight, thinking/fearing I don't have it, then realizing I do.
WITH SESS AND CLAIRE
They near where the meadow meets the woods.
CLAIRE: So.
SESS: So.
CLAIRE: Any guess on the cowboy's relation to Hunter other than surprise visitor?
SESS: A wild one.
CLAIRE: Bet it's the same as mine.
SESS: Bet you're right.
CLAIRE: And makes you wonder, if that's the case, why he wouldn't be introduced as such?
SESS (beat): Yes.
CLAIRE: Do you think Jack knows?
SESS: I do. I'll ask.
CLAIRE: I'm going to ask if she thinks Hunter will be okay with being in a selfie to send to my dad.
SESS: Well she'll be the one calling for the group photo somewhere along the way.
They arrive at the woods, turn their horses to face Jackie and Chloe nearing, Tom and Hunter the same behind them. Jackie and Chloe arrive.
SESS: How we doin?
JACKIE/CHLOE: Great.
JACKIE/CHLOE: Jinx.
JACKIE: A color on three.
CHLOE: On three.
JACKIE: Sess?
SESS: One two three.
JACKIE/CHLOE: Green.
CLAIRE: Oh boy.
CHLOE: A letter.
SESS: A B C.
CHLOE/JACKIE: Q/R.
CLAIRE: S T.
SESS: U V.
Tom and Hunter arrive.
HUNTER: I smell alphabet soup.
CHLOE: Jackie and I are in jinx mode.
JACKIE: One more.
CHLOE: Have to.
JACKIE: Your call.
Chloe considers. The HAWK CALL aims all eyes to the red-tail flying over them then out of view.
CHLOE: A bird that is not a hawk.
SESS: On tweet.
CHLOE/JACKIE: On tweet.
They wink at each other. Tom and Hunter exchange a glance.
SESS: Claire.
CLAIRE: Buhgawk, chirp, tweet.
CHLOE/JACKIE: Eagle/dove.
CLAIRE: Hmm.
TOM: Rose.
Hunter looks at Tom.
HUNTER: Fisted glove.
CLAIRE: And if you can't be with the one you love, honey.
SESS/JACKIE/TOM/HUNTER: Love the one you're with.
All smile. Hunter extends the fist-bump that Tom reciprocates.
CHLOE: That was cool.
Jackie and Sess look at each other.
JACKIE/SESS: Way cool.
CLAIRE: Maybe charades with lunch?
SESS: I'm down.
JACKIE: And speaking of lunch, the uphill to get to it offers a view of the mountain that I think will be a wonderful backdrop for a group photo.
Sess winks at Claire, who smiles.
SESS: Great idea, Jack. Lead the way?
Jackie sets her horse in motion into the woods, the rest follow, leave view. FAINT WOODPECKER KNOCKING.
WITH JACKIE AND CHLOE
JACKIE: Have you been to Tucson?
CHLOE: Two airport layovers. You?
JACKIE: I'm there a few times a year to see a friend.
CHLOE: Where did you go to school?
JACKIE: U N M undergrad, University of Washington for my Masters.
CHLOE: Albuquerque and Seattle.
JACKIE: Yep.
CHLOE: Why Washington?
JACKIE: Great program and my ex-husband. How much a factor is location?
CHLOE: It matters.
JACKIE: Weather?
CHLOE: Weather, culture, basic vibe. It isn't like cold and snow are a deal-killer. I liked Boulder and they have a pre-vet program. But I'm not even close to sure about that. We'll see. Not a big rush.
JACKIE: And nice to have options.
CHLOE: For sure.
JACKIE: Cal Poly in the running?
CHLOE: No. I do know I don't want to stay home. My mom wouldn't mind and my grandparents would be happy if I did but I need change. Which they understand and officially encourage.
JACKIE: Where did your grandparents go to school?
CHLOE: Gramps grew up in Indiana and went to I U for undergrad. Grams grew up in Virginia, undergrad at U V. They met in law school at Berkeley. Maybe later I could ask you a few questions about U W and Seattle.
JACKIE: Of course. That's on the radar?
CHLOE: Yeah.
JACKIE: Give me your email and I'll write up a report.
CHLOE: Cool. Thanks.
JACKIE: My pleasure. It rains a little.
CHLOE: So I've heard.
[CUT TO
WITH SESS AND CLAIRE]
EXT. MOUNTAIN MEADOW - DAY
Sess and Claire on horseback are the first to ride out of the woods into the meadow, followed by Jackie and Chloe, twenty yards behind them, then Hunter and Tom, at a similar distance.
ALONGSIDE HUNTER AND TOM
TOM: How often do you get to see her?
HUNTER: Every spring break, every other Christmas, the last three weeks of her summer vacation and I'll go out there for an occasional weekend.
TOM: Where do ya fly into?
HUNTER: Los Angeles or Oakland.
TOM: Where do ya stay?
HUNTER: Hotel downtown.
TOM: You and Barbara on good terms?
HUNTER: Yes. And she's the best mother I could wish for Chloe.
TOM: What does she do, if ya don't mind me askin'.
HUNTER: She's a photographer and teaches a class at Cal Poly.
TOM: How 'bout her parents?
HUNTER: John and Jan, retired attorneys in Paso Robles.
TOM: Well that ain't too far from San Luis Obispo, is it?
HUNTER: Half an hour. She takes the train up and back about every other weekend, or they come down.
TOM: In good health?
HUNTER: Yes. They swim and play golf.
TOM: Barbara have any siblings?
HUNTER: Nope. Only child. Engaged to be married on Valentine's Day.
TOM: You know the fella.
HUNTER: We met once. Brian. Residential architect. Good guy. Great with Chloe.
TOM: You mentioned y'all won't be here in a week.
HUNTER: We're meeting the U of A softball coach in Tucson.
TOM: I reckon she's got a few scholarship offers.
HUNTER: A couple dozen.
TOM: Does she have a field of study in mind? A major?
HUNTER: Not yet but recent mention of veterinary.
TOM: My best friend's daughter-in-law is a veterinarian.
HUNTER: What's your best friend's name?
TOM: Gil. For Guillermo.
HUNTER: How long have you known Gil?
TOM: Since fourth grade.
HUNTER: Does Gil know about me?
TOM: He does. Just him, Ruth and Wanda.
HUNTER: Where does he live?
TOM: The house he built outside Medina, Texas.
HUNTER: He knows you're here.
TOM: He does. Sent him a selfie from your patio table. He's finishin' up Foglost, too. Hunter, wouldja mind if I took another with you in it?
HUNTER: Of course not. You'll have to send it to me, of course. How do I stop my horse?
TOM: When's the last time you was on one?
HUNTER: That Grand Canyon mule ride.
TOM: Before that?
HUNTER: Pony ride at the county fair when I was five.
TOM: What county?
HUNTER: Orange, California.
TOM: Is that where ya grew up?
HUNTER: Yep. Have you been?
TOM: No. How many times have ya been to Disneyland?
HUNTER: A few, when I was a kid.
TOM: Chloe?
HUNTER: Once. Her tenth birthday weekend.
Silence but for FAINT BIRDSONG.
TOM: So I'm thinkin' if ya apply some leg pressure, sorta gradually squeezin, and hold your reins right about your waist and tug with a verbal whoa or ho, she'll prob'ly hold up. And maybe sit up straight and lean back just a little.
Hunter does exactly as instructed and the horse halts. Tom guides his horse next to Hunter's, stops with a slight tug and cluck sound. He gets phone from shirt pocket, takes the selfie, pockets the phone.
TOM (CONT.): Thank you, Hunter.
HUNTER: My pleasure.
TOM: A little calf pressure and a giddyup or go'll prob'ly get her goin'.
HUNTER: Giddyup.
His horse resumes moving forward. Tom's double-cluck moves his horse into forward motion.
