For the Record, re realizing plenty of tweaking still to do, mostly re where to place exposition. Late arrival of Kate and Cedric will prove handy (and less clunky) in that regard.
So, yeah, not quite as near Complete as I'd thought (and hop4ed) but it's alright; all toward finding Fnal Form.
So yeah, there'll ber another blog, after I shape this to Almost The End.
After these man years, what's a little more time.
Closer.
EXT. MOUNTAIN MEADOW - DAY
The riders at a leisurely pace cross through tall grass to where meadow meets forest. Sess and Claire lead the way followed at some length by Jackie and Chloe, followed at a similar length by Tom and Hunter.
TOM AND HUNTER
TOM: Are you and her mother on good terms?
HUNTER: Yes. Barbara. We are. And there's no better mother.
TOM: What does she do?
HUNTER: She's a photographer. And teaches a class at Cal Poly.
TOM: San Luis Obispo.
HUNTER: Yes.
TOM: How'dya meet?
HUNTER: We worked for the same newspaper.
TOM: Her folks?
HUNTER: John and Jan. Retired attorneys in Paso Robles.
TOM: Well that ain't to far away, is it?
HUNTER: Half-hour. And there's a train.
TOM: Are they in good health?
HUNTER: They are. They swim a couple times a week, powerwalk every sunrise, and walk nine holes of golf every Saturday. And ski Jackson Hole when they're at John's sister's.
TOM: Does Chloe ski?
HUNTER: Snowboard.
TOM: You.
HUNTER: Ski. Been awhile. You?
TOM: If water skiin' counts.
HUNTER: When's the last time you water skied?
TOM: When we were down last summer?
HUNTER: At Ruth's.
TOM: Yessir.
HUNTER: Where?
TOM: Medina Lake, southeast a Bandera. Actually a reservoir. Got a friend with a boat. Ever been water skiin'?
HUNTER: My honeymoon.
TOM: Where?
HUNTER: Tahiti. Took awhile to figure it out.
TOM: But once ya did.
HUNTER: Good time.
Silence.
TOM: Do you worry about her?
HUNTER: Only constantly.
Chloe turns to them, waves. They wave back.
CHLOE AND JACKIE
JACKIE: I hear you've begun the picking a college process.
CHLOE: Yep.
JACKIE: Does location matter?
CHLOE: Well, I'm leaning toward environmental studies. Berkeley, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz have good programs.
JACKIE: And the latter two are surfing-friendly.
CHLOE: There's that.
JACKIE: Tom's story about taking a lesson was hilarious.
CHLOE: I reckon the landin's softer'n fallin' off a horse.
JACKIE: I reckon it's not quite the dad time you were expecting when you got on the plane.
CHLOE: You reckon correctly. I reckon it wasn't quite the flight to Albuquerque you were expecting when you got on in Chicago.
JACKIE: You reckon correctly.
Chloe presents a high-five that Jackie meets. Their hand clasp is brief.
CHLOE: This is cool.
JACKIE: This is.
Ahead of them, Sess and Claire reach the woods, turn their horses to face the approaching riders.
SESS AND CLAIRE
They face the approaching riders.
CLAIRE: Is it just me or does the cowboy seem to have a calming effect on Polly.
SESS: It is not just you.
CLAIRE: Probably no accident you put him on her.
SESS: You saw that tail swish when she saw him.
CLAIRE: And a little giddyup I haven't seen before.
SESS: Like she wants to play a little.
CLAIRE: Who'da thunk?
SESS: Us.
CLAIRE: Jack's glowing.
SESS: I noticed.
Chloe and Jackie arrive.
SESS (CONT.) How we doin'?
JACKIE: Wheee.
CHLOE: What she said.
CLAIRE: Couldn't ask for a better day.
All watch Tom and Hunter approach.
JACKIE: Speaking of better day, is it just me or does Polly seem to be having one?
SESS/CLAIRE: We were just saying.
JACKIE: I did catch him whispering to her.
Tom and Hunter arrive.
SESS: Tom, this is news to you but we're in agreement that you have an impossible to not notice very positive effect on Polly.
TOM: Well that'd be mutual. She's a sweetheart.
He pats the palomino's neck.
CLAIRE: She's enjoying herself.
TOM: We got that in common, too.
SESS: Almost like she wants to pick up the pace.
Tom leans in to horse's ears.
TOM: Whaddaya think about that, girl.
The horse swishes its tail.
JACKIE: Yes.
The horse snorts.
CLAIRE: Please.
TOM: She raced?
Sess and Claire nod.
TOM (CONT.) Maybe not the best experience?
Sess and Claire nod. Tom handles the horse's mane.
TOM: Maybe she'd take a slow turn or two 'round them barrels back at the ranch.
Sess and Claire look at each other, nod.
SESS: Can't wait to find out. So, uphill to a view and great spot for a group photo, then on to lunch.
CLAIRE: I'm gonna find a spot to shoot from.
Sess nods, Claire rides into the woods, quickly out of view.
CHLOE: Is she going to post her movie online.
SESS: She is. Link to the site for anyone interested.
Hunter, Chloe, Tom and Jackie are quick with their respective affirmatives.
SESS (CONT.): To the top.
She leads the riders into the wood and out of view.