scene 25

scene 24

INT. ROVER - DAY

Hunter driving, headed northeast on Highway 70 through White Sands Missile Range in the Tularosa Basin, nearing White Sands National Park. Tom's hat in his lap.

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

CHLOE: If a mule counts, then three years ago at the Grand Canyon.

TOM: I'd say a mule counts. Good time?

Chloe nods.

CHLOE: Have you been?

TOM: Once, sixty-somethin' years ago. Had an uncle, aunt and two cousins who lived in Flagstaff. My dad's brother Randy, his wife Opal and their two daughters Brenda and Paula. We drove out and stayed with them for a week, got up to the canyon one day.

CHLOE: We being whom?

TOM: Mom and dad, me and Ruth.

HUNTER: Drove out in what?

TOM: Mom's car. Sixty-two Buick Skylark convertible. First car I ever drove.

HUNTER: What was dad's car?

TOM: Pickup. Fifty-five Chevy thirty-one hundred. 

HUNTER: Classic.

TOM: Yep.

HUNTER: What became of it.

TOM: Totaled it when he hit a big buck outside San Angelo. 

CHLOE: What's a big buck?

TOM: Male whitetail deer.

CHLOE: Oh.

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

HUNTER: I don't mind. Since it counts, the same mule ride. How about you?

TOM: Couple months ago. We got friends with land and outside Sheridan. We get up there a couple times a year.

CHLOE: Wanda rides?

TOM: Since she was a girl in Idaho. How long you been ridin', Jackie?

JACKIE: Since I was a girl, with my cousin you'll be meeting. We did a little barrel-racing back in the day.

TOM: Alright.

HUNTER: News to me.

JACKIE: Now you know.

TOM: You know what barrel-racin' is.

CHLOE: Of course. When barrels race each other.  Yes, I've seen it on TV. So Jackie were doing rodeo?

JACKIE: Not so much, mostly casual weekend activity. Sess, my cousin, was pro for few years. How about you, Tom? Ever dabble in rodeo?.

TOM: I did, also briefly, like you. Junior rodeo. When I was a boy I raced a couple barrels myself.

CHLOE: Did you ever win?

TOM: I got couple buckles in a box somewhere.

HUNTER: Really?

TOM: Yes sir. Did some whatcha call tie-down ropin'.

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

Tom and Hunter smile.

TOM: Well I reckon it wasn't their favorite thing.

CHLOE: That would have been being branded.

Hunter shakes his head slightly. Tom's smile is bigger.

TOM: No ma'am. That'd be more like grazin' and roamin'. Brandin'

wasn't the favorite part a my job either, but it had to be done. I could tell ya more about that another time, if you're ever int'rested.

CHLOE: I am, thank you. And more about what your favorite part of the job was.

TOM: We can do that.

HUNTER: So Tom, no pro rodeo?

TOM: Well, I was aimin' for that. Uncle Sam had a different plan for me. Got drafted, went off to Vietnam.

Pause.

HUNTER: Maybe we could talk more about that sometime.

TOM: We can do that, too.

Pause. Tom looks at his window at the first sight of the dunes of White Sands National Park.

TOM (CONT.) I'm guessin' we're pretty near White Sands.

CHLOE: Good guess. Have you been?

TOM: I have not.

HUNTER: I thought we might stop by for sunset on the way home.

TOM: I'd like that.

He turns away from the window to see Chloe positioned to take a selfie that includes Tom. She does so, shows Tom.

TOM (CONT.): Maybe you can send that to me so I can forward it to Wanda and Ruth, 'cause they'd sure be tickled to see it.

CHLOE: We can do that.

.