Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Pinus Ponderosa

EXT. PINEY WOODS - DAY

The horses are tied to a rudimentary post near where Jackie, Sess and Claire set a picnic table in a clearing fifty yards away from where Tom, Hunter and Chloe walk into frame. 

TOM: Either of ya have any idea why they're called ponderosa pines?

CHLOE: Pinus ponderosa. Because they're ponderous. Which is to say large, weighty, heavy, et cetera. Not that you don't already know what ponderous means.  

TOM: Which makes one wonder why it's a so-called softwood. 

CHLOE: Right? 

TOM: Ya speak any other languages besides Latin and impeccable English?

CHLOE: Thank you but hardly impeccable. And no Latin. I'll be starting fourth year Spanish.

TOM (Spanish): You must be about as fluent as Octavio Paz.

Chloe stops them, looks at Tom?

CHLOE (Spanish): What do you know about Octavio Paz?  

TOM (Spanish): Not much. My best friend's daughter-in-law is a fan.

CHLOE (Spanish): What is your best friend's name and where does he live?

TOM (Spanish): Guillermo Mendoza. Gil lives in Medina, Texas. A small a little over an hour's drive northwest from San Antonio. Have you ever been to Texas?

CHLOE (SPANISH): The airports in Dallas and Houston. Dad and I are visiting Austin for a long weekend in October to check out the campus and town.

TOM (SPANISH): Softball scholarship offer?

CHLOE (SPANISH): Yes. You've probably been to Austin.

TOM (SPANISH): Several times but it's been awhile. Had an aunt who lived there. 

HUNTER: Interpretación, por favor.    

CHLOE: I asked Tom how he learned Spanish.

HUNTER: I inferred that and bits and pieces previously. How did you learn Spanish, Tom?

TOM: Grew up with it. Being around Gil and his family. A few vaqueros along the way.  

CHLOE: Gil is Guillermo Mendoza, Tom's best friend who lives in Medina, Texas. His daughter-in-law is a fan of Octavio Paz.

HUNTER: Best friend for how long?

TOM: We met in sixth grade. 

HUNTER: Does Gil know about me?

TOM: He does. Him, Ruth and Wanda are the only ones.

We see Jackie raise and RING A TRIANGLE DINNER BELL.  

TOM: Goodness. Just had a flashback to a chuck wagon and a campfire  alongside the San Saba River.

They walk toward the picnic table.

CHLOE: Like a Conestoga wagon? 

TOM: Well no. Those were a couple years before my time. One I'm thinkin' of was a modified Ford Bronco, but whatever and pretty much wherever it was called the chuckwagon. 

CHLOE: Is that one word or two.

TOM: Oh boy.

HUNTER: Pretty sure both are accepted.

TOM: Whew. Thank you, Hunter.

HUNTER: Happy to help. But It'll cost you more details about the campfire alongside the San Saba River.

CHLOE: Yeah.

TOM: I think I can dig up a memory or two.

HUNTER: How 'bout over lunch. I bet Jack, Sess and Claire would like to hear about it.

TOM: Well alrighty then.


PICNIC TABLE

Lunch (TBD) is set. Sure enough it's a triangle dinner bell hanging from the the table. Jackie, Sess and Claire watch Hunter, Tom and Chloe approach. 

SESS: So cousin.

JACKIE: Yes?

SESS: What can you tell us about how Tom and Hunter know each other?

JACKIE (BEAT): They met yesterday.

SESS: Fast friends. 

Jackie and Sess exchange a glance Claire doesn't notice.  

CLAIRE: They have the same gait.

JACKIE: I can see it.

SESS: Certainly similar enough to notice.

CLAIRE: It's a hip thing, right? 

She turns to Sess and Jackie, who nod.

JACKIE: I can see the similarity.

Claire returns her attention to Tom, Hunter and Chloe.

SESS: Uncanny.

Sess and Jackie exchange another look. Jackie nods. They turn their attention to Tom, Hunter and Chloe approaching. 

Act 4 finalish beats

Act 3 final beats

1. Next day. Guest room, guest book, Hunter leaves in Tom's truck. 

2. Chloe, Jan, John and Barbara on boat, Lake Nacimiento. What do we know about Ruth? Story and re her ancestry site. Chloe ties a Honda knot.

3. Wanda and Ruth, Ruth's front porch. Sound of engine, Hunter arrives.

4. That night. Hunter, Wanda, Ruth. Table talk with wine, photo albums. Wine re California, Paso Robles, Ruth there for Disney re late son's 11th birthday. Wanda and Ruth excuse themselves to bed.

5. Chloe at home gets Hunter's ringtone/call from Ruth's guest room. Re Tom's best friend tomorrow. Enter Wanda and Ruth "about the truck."

6. Next day. Hunter driving with Wanda and Ruth. Re Gil. Gil's gate, enter.

7. Gil on deck, truck arrive. Maria and The Boys watch intros through window.

8. Brian and Barbara re John and Jan re exploring the branches of Ruth's family tree. Dad finished Foglost. Did or does Hunter drink?

9. Fort Park.

10. John, Jan and Chloe, driving.

11. Ruth's back porch. Thunder and heavy rain. R, W and Carson, R's homemade beach ice cream. The Chloe Tom Ruidoso ice cream selfie, more on Chloe.

12. Gil in his den/mancave, USMC tattoo and tequila. Photo albums, and the one he's looking at is opened to pages of he and Tom at 19-years-old in Bangkok. Maybe music. Enter The Boys. 

13. Next morning. Hunter leaving. Different route to Las Cruces, one that Tom and Wanda have taken. Truck out of view, engine fading to dog barking. R and W re calling Daisy.

14. H driving salt flat. Flat. Truck manual in glove compartment registratioN, proof of insurance, WY and TX fishing licenses, Yellowstone map. Opens manual, finds spare and jack.

15. Chloe and The Boyfriend.

16. Hunter, flat fixed, sweaty, change of shirts and using sweaty t-shirt to wipe hands. Sound of car nearing. Father and son, about the truck. H: It was my dad's. And his before.

17. Doc and Hunter, in Tom's boot, belt/buckle. Tom's Stetson on the rack. Re Daisy in on house with W and R. Returning with Tom's ashes. Re Hawaii. Speaking of which, re the new fish in Doc's tank. Chloe's got a boyfriend. Hunter leaves, hat on, boot-knock down the hall. Doc types.

18. Hawaii. Uke, If I Needed You.

19. Hunter and Jackie.

20. Chloe's Birthday Truck. 

CREDITS/EPILOGUE: Gil and Hunter fishing, Gil's bass boat. A Tom story. Fish on.