EXT. YUCCA SPRINGS MOTEL PARKING LOT - SUNRISE
Tom comes out from his room, hat on, suitcase in hand, different pearl snap-button shirt, walks to truck, gets in, suitcase on passenger seat, hat atop it, gets in, starts engine, buckles up, drives to street, waits for car to pass, turns into light traffic, drives away, out of view when obscured by the registration office and adjacent building.
INT. MOTEL ROOM - SUNSET
Basic room. Yucca-related print on the wall above queen bed aimed at TV on opposite wall. Curtains closed across window at desk with pencil and pen on Yucca Springs Motel stationery near phone and small potted cactus. Hat rack near door. Open door to bathroom.
We HEAR NEARING BOOTFALL before the DOOR LOCK CLICK before Tom enters, puts hat on rack, suitcase on bed, room key on desk. He opens curtains to second-floor view to this truck and other vehicles in the wet and puddled parking lot of the Yucca Springs Motel, advertised by the neon sign above the registration office guarded by potted yuccas. Beyond, the Albuquerque skyline and Sandia Mountains are under and obscured by monsoon clouds. Light rain taps the window.
Tom gets phone from shirt pocket, speaks into it.
TOM: Wanda.
Hey sweetheart, bet you're at the lake so outta reception. Just now in my room, just missed the monsoon, bout to run a bath, have Chinese delivered, read my book, maybe finish with a movie or ballgame. Call me when ya get this. Miss ya already.
(Phone in hand, he watches a roadrunner enter frame and stop on the rail directly across from Tom, seem to stare back before continuing out of view. He speaks into phone.)
Ruth.
Hey sis, betcher on your way to bingo. Eagle has landed and will call when I'm leavin' at sunrise. Love ya. See ya soon.
(He sets phone on desk, removes boots, sets them near hat rack, unbuckles and removes belt, lays it on suitcase, enters bathroom.)
SOUND OF BATH STARTED.
EXT. AMERICAN LEGION POST 157 - BANDERA, TX - DAY
GIL and DALE, both MID-70s, dressed for carpentry, sit next to each other on one of the concrete steps to the post, their backs to its glass double-doors. A cane at Dale’s side. Clear protective glasses propped on their heads, army-green hardhats between them on the step. Dale sips from a bottle labeled as sarsaparilla, Gil from a bottle of Jarrito soda. Intermittent SAWING, HAMMERING and DRILLING from inside the hall.
Flagpole flies United States flag at top, Texas flag below it, above a black POW-MIA flag. All three limp. Texas plates on van in the handicap space near the ramp to the doors and three newish pickup trucks and a late-70s Corvette convertible in the parking area. The post's old marquee sign identifies the post number and advertises 8 pm Wednesday night bingo.
GIL: Big news.
DALE: Good news.
GIL: Great news. Tom and Wanda are moving down.
DALE: Down where?
GIL: Down here? Well, Kerrville. They and Ruth are buying a house.
DALE: No shoot. When?
GIL: Before winter arrives in Laramie. Recent decision. He's on his way right now to spend a week with Ruth driving around and stepping into open houses.
DALE: Well I'll darned. Wanda ain't comin'?
GIL: Staying behind with a friend whose husband just passed.
DALE: Mm. Did I tell ya Charlie Collingwood died?
GIL: Bill did.
DALE: We fishin'?
GIL: Tom's call is that spot on the west prong near Carpenter Creek.
DALE: Good call. The boys comin'?
GIL: Yep. Next Sunday?
DALE: Early or late?
GIL: Late? The boys are sleepers.
DALE: Late's great. We're goin' to Lois's friend's church in Boerne.
GIL: Speaking of Boerne, have you heard from or about Claude and Nadine.
DALE: Yes. We were gonna pay 'em a visit but they just left for Cancun for their fortieth anniversary. Speaking of anniversaries do you know if Tom and Wanda have decided where they're doing theirs?
GIL: Hawaii. Oahu. They booked last week. Seven nights. Neither have been.
DALE: Well good for them.
GIL: Ready?
Dale nods. They finish their drinks, put on their hardhats and protective glasses, stand. Gil keeps an eye on Dale who rises a little wobbly. He uses a rail as they ascend the steps, they both place their bottles in a plastic bin,
Gil stops them just before they enter when his PHONE RINGTONES THE WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP OF HELICOPTER BLADES.
DALE: That sure as hell brings it back.
GIL: Tom.
DALE: Roger that.
Gil looks at and shows Dale the selfie Tom has taken at the Vietnam-era Huey helicopter display at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire, New Mexico. They stare at the image.
DALE: I can smell it.
GIL: Strongest sense memory.
Gil pockets phone puts arm around Dale, they enter the hall, leave view.
WHIR OF CICADAS.
EXT. MANUFACTURED HOME - SUNRISE
The driveway/carport and front stoop/porch of one of similar manufactured homes that line both sides of a lane that leads in both directions to bisect a similar lane. United States flags fly from two homes, Wyoming plates on every vehicle.
In this particular driveway/carport a 1985 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD pickup truck is aimed at the lane, in front of 2000ish Subaru Outback. The truck is in good condition for its age, feature running lights, running boards, grill guard and trailer hitch. We can see through the screen door the hint of lamplight.
WESTERN MEADKOWLARK SONG before Tom opens the screen door, for Wanda to come out. She's in slippers, robe over pajamas, both hands around a thermos. Tom is a cowboy from boots to new Wranglers held up by belt cinched by a silver buckle featuring two linked turquoise horseshoes. Western-style dress shirt with pearl snap-buttons. Straw Stetson. Suitcase in one hand, keys in another. They walk to the steps and the truck.
TOM: Whadda you and Daisy got planned?
WANDA: Brunch at Creekside, walk along the river, movie at the library, sunset at Mirror Lake.
TOM: What's playin' at the library.
WANDA: Cheyenne Autumn.
TOM: Sixty-four.
WANDA: Very good.
TOM: Me and dad saw it at the Bantex theatre in town. Burned down in sixty-nine. When did they start playin' Hollywood movies at the library?
They have a summer Saturday matinee series.
TOM: You must have told me that.
WANDA: Nope. Only found out about it yesterday when I checked the website.
TOM: Let's do that when I'm back.
They arrive at the truck.
WANDA: You gotta date, cowboy.
Another kiss. Tom opens door, puts suitcase on passenger seat, hat atop it, key in ignition, takes thermos from Wanda, places in console, turns to Wanda, they embrace.
TOM: How many more days?
WANDA: Ninety-two. You really are thinking about taking a surfing lesson, aren't you?
TOM: Done thinkin' about it. Doin' it.
Another kiss. Tom gets in behind wheel, starts engine, rolls down driver's window. Wanda pushes door shut, steps up onto running board, face in window.
TOM (CONT.): Ready?
She nods. Tom drives forward to the lane.
TOM/WANDA: I love you.
A kiss. Wanda steps down from running board.
WANDA: Do me a favor before you go.
TOM: Anything in my power.
WANDA: Buckle your seatbelt, sweetheart.
Tom buckles up.
TOM: You're still a distraction.
WANDA: Aaah.
She steps for another kiss, then back down.
TOM: See ya in an hour, angel.
WANDA: You're on the clock.
Tom winks, turns right onto lane, drives away.
INT TRUCK.
Tom's eyes on WAND IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR or as he nears where the lane ends.
WITH WANDA as she watches truck stop, Tom make turn, blow kiss out window, drive out of view. She waits until the TRUCK ENGINE SOUND FADES AWAY, crosses arms over chest, walks to the stoop/porch, waters the potted plants that populate it, enters house, closes door.
A STRONG BREEZE RATTLES TREE LEAVES, RINGS THE WIND CHIMES.