H What are the boys’ interests.
G They both play soccer. Bobby is in astronaut mode right now. Ricky skateboards. Good grades, no headaches for Maria. Good kids. Cried like babies when I told them. All excited about going fishing.
H Where were you going to go?
G Port Aransas. Stay overnight. Maria and the girls were going to do an overnight on the river in Wimberly
H Fish for what ?
G (Tells him the specifics of fishing from the beach.)
H I saw his fishing licenses in the glove compartment.
G You ever fish?
H Trout pond when I was a kid?
G Catch a trout?
H Hard not to. And hooked my ear.
G Where did you grow up?
H Auburn, California.
G Been there.
H Any particular reason.
G Rodeo in Redding. A friend's grandson was a bull rider. A few of us went to Auburn for a river rafting day. Bet you've done that more than once.
H A few. Good tome?
G Great time. Pretty country. Nice ltown.
H Tom mentioned his junior rodeo experience.
G Shoe box full of buckles.
H Where?
G Ruthie’s.
G Probably didn’t tell you how good he was.
H It barely came up. Good enough to have plans to go pro that were interrupted by Vietnam. But nothing else. We were going to talk more about it when we were going to meet in Jackson Hole. Ruth said you might be willing to tell me more about Tom’s Vietnam experience.
Gil nods.
G Maybe when you’re back.
H It’s a date.
G I have pictures. Speaking of a shoe box.
H Of.
G Me and Tom. Vietnam. Other places.
H You were there.
G I was. Got our draft cards the same day. Turn your head slowly to the white tail at your three o’clock.
H turns to his right to find the white tail buck seeming to stare back at them from fifty yards. Its only movement is to nibble grass.
G You ever hunt, Hunter?
H No. Never wanted to. Hunter is for an uncle on my grandmother’s side. Did Tom?
G Got his first here. Thirteenth birthday. Us and our dads. Tom was a marksman. But if he ever pulled a trigger after he got back, I never saw or heard about it.
DISTANT THUNDER.
G Thar she blows.
to be continued.