EXT. QUIET AND LEAFY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
John and Jan in uphill powerwalk mode on a sidewalk shaded by trees along a street lined by vintage homes in various architectural styles. Each in running shoes, khaki knee-length shorts, polo shirts. John's ballcap advertises PEBBLE BEACH, Jan's INDIAN WELLS. Each with five-pound dumbbells in both hands which, added to the incline and their pace, have sweat-stained their collars and armpits and make their conversation breathy. Awhile before::
JAN: Have you ever set foot in a pair of cowboy boots?
JOHN: Yes. Roy Rogers signature under the tree our first Christmas in Meridian Hills.
JAN: Had I not asked.
JOHN: Our German Shepherd got hold of them.
JAN: Pop.
JOHN: Pop. Yes. Very good, sweetheart. He also got to Rachel's white leather coat. Which put Pop in the doghouse for awhile.
JAN: Have you told her about Tom Walker.
JOHN: Not yet. I want to wait for Barb's report.
A pause.
JAN: Gut feeling.
JOHN: Positive.
JAN: Me too.
JOHN: Hopeful. I'm finding it difficult to ignore his arrival coinciding with Foglost becoming a bestseller.
JAN: As am I.
Pause.
JAN: And we were worried about Brian.
JOHN: And weren't we wrong?
JAN: We were.
Pause.
JOHN: He says his son is going to play at Cuesta for a year, go from there.
JAN: He seems like a good kid.
JOHN: Kind of wonder why he's passing on Santa Barbara.
JAN: Ask him Monday.
JOHN: I might.
JAN: Closer to dad.
JOHN: Good reason.
JAN: Good looking too.
JOHN: I noticed. I can't wait until he and Chloe meet.
JAN: Oh my goodness. Can you imagine such a scenario?
JOHN: Probably but I'll pass. We have scenario enough, I think.
Pause.
JAN: Besides which, Chloe will probably be in Eugene this time next year.
John stops, Jan stops.
JOHN: And how do we know that?
JAN: We don't. Thus only probably. Chloe's expressed thoughts and Barb's intuition.
JOHN: Hmm.
JAN: Right. Barbara wanted me to give you the heads-up. She's interested in their Environmental Studies program.
JAN'S PHONE RINGTONES SURF GUITAR. She sets down dumbbells, gets phone from pocket, stares at screen, hands phone to John, who sets down his dumbbells. We see OVER HIS SHOULDER the photo taken through the window over Hunter's kitchen sink of Tom at the stone wall, hands in back pockets, hat on, gaze aimed at the mountains.
JOHN: The Marlboro man.
He hands her the phone, she pockets it, they pick up their weights, resume walk out of frame.