scene 26

scene 25

INT. ROVER - DAY

Hunter driving northeast on Hwy. 70 nearing White Sands National Monument.  

TOM: When's the last time you were on a horse?

CHLOE: Does a mule count?

TOM: Yes ma'am.

CHLOE: Then three years ago at the Grand Canyon. Before that the pony ride at the county fair when I was seven.

HUNTER: When were you last on a horse, Tom?

TOM: May. We got friends with horses near Sheridan. 

CHLOE: Wanda rides?

TOM: She does. Ran barrels back in her day, if ya know what that is.

Chloe nods. 

CHLOE: Did you do rodeo?

TOM: When I was a kid.

CHLOE: What event or events?

TOM: Tie-down ropin'.

CHLOE: That's the one the calves like so much.

Tom smiles.

TOM: I wouldn't say it's their favorite thing.

CHLOE: I'm guessing that would be being branded.

Tom chuckles. Chloe's eyes meet Hunter's in the rear-view mirror. She winks.

TOM: My experience indicates otherwise. 

CHLOE: Did you do any pro tie-down ropin'?

TOM: That was the plan. Uncle Sam had a different one..

CHLOE: Vietnam?

TOM: Yes ma'am.

CHLOE: Drafted?

TOM: I was.

CHLOE: Army?

TOM: Yes ma'am. When's the last time you were on a horse, Hunter?

HUNTER: The same mule ride. And horseback with my grandfather on Catalina Island when I was eleven.

TOM: I been there.

HUNTER/CHLOE: Really?

TOM: Yessir. Not long after I came home from Vietnam I went to L-A with a friend to do some wranglin' on a movie set in Simi Valley.

CHLOE: What movie?

TOM: It was called Palomino Pat Rides Again.

HUNTER: I don't know that one.

TOM: Didn't get finished. Ran outta money. But not before we had a good day in Avalon. 

CHLOE: What did you do?

TOM: We drank. 

CHLOE: Do you drink now?

TOM: Me and Wanda will split a beer and watch Fourth a July fireworks and a glass of wine with supper when we're at Ruth's. Wanda and I met at an A-A meeting, married a year to the day later.

CHLOE: How long have you been married?

TOM: It'll be twenty-five years October eleven.

CHLOE: Plans?

TOM: We're goin' to Hawaii.

CHLOE: Cool. Which island?

TOM: Oahu. 

CHLOE: Have you been?

TOM: No. First time for both of us.

CHLOE: Had either of you been married before?

TOM: No for me, yes for Wanda.

White sand dunes come ino view.   

CHLOE: Does she have kids from that marriage? If you don't mind me asking.

TOM: Y'all can ask me anything. Wanda had a son who drowned when he was twelve. She and the boy's father divorced a couple years later. He had passed before Wanda and I met. There's your white sand dunes.

HUNTER: I thought we'd stop in on the way back for sunset.

CHLOE: Yay.

JACKIE So Tom, my cousin's girlfriend is bringing along her movie camera so I hope you're not camera shy and are okay with what she shoots being posted to her blog.

TOM: Fine with me so long as I link to show my wife and sister, who are both hopin' for pictures.

Chloe is quick with her phone to take a selfie that includes Tom. She readies phone to add a contact, hands phone to Tom.

CHLOE: Would you mind being a contact?

Tom shakes head.

TOM: I would not mind.

He adds his number, hands phone to Chloe.

CHLOE: The three-oh-seven.

TOM: The whole state.

Chloe sends the selfie. Tom picks up when his PHONE RINGS. He smiles at the picture, then at Chloe. 

TOM: Maybe we can get a coupler more a these before the day's over.

Chloe nods.  Tom forwards the selfie to Wanda and Ruth, pockets phone.

TOM (CONT.) Wish I could see their faces.