scene 31

Previous.

INT. ROVER - DAY

Hunter driving southwest on Highway 70, White Sands and the sun over the San Andres Mountains dead-ahead.  Tom's hat in his lap.  The lariat remains on Chloe’s shoulders, the remainder of the rope wrapped around herb torso like a snake.

TOM: Hunter, who taught you to drive?

HUNTER: My grandfather. Is my driving okay?

TOM: Drivin's great. Jusscurious. How old were ya, what were ya drivin' and where?

HUNTER: His nineteen seventy-five M G. We started in the parking lot of the baseball stadium where the then-called California Angels team played.

TOM: The big A.

HUNTER: That's right. 

TOM: Seen it on TV plenty a times watchin’ Rangers games.

HUNTER: Fan?

TOM: Not so much. When we’re at Ruth’s and they’re playin’  She can tell ya the startin’ lineup. Manual transmission?

HUNTER: Five-speed.  Ever drive a stick?

TOM: My best friend Gil’s gotta seventy-four Stingray with a four-speed. We’ll usually take it for a spin when we’re down. So, from the big A to where?

HUNTER: Chapman Avenue to the canyons at the base of the Santa Ana mountains where he took the wheel for the ride to Laguna and back up the coast on P C H.

TOM: Sounds like a nice drive.

HUNTER; It was. That land is nothing now like it was then.

TOM: I’d sure like to hear more about that drive sometime. 

CHLOE/JACKIE: Me too.

Chloe and Jackie high five each other.

HUNTER: I’d be happy to revisit the day.

CHLOE: Yay.

Lull

CHLOE: Who taught you?

TOM: My dad. In the Impala.I mentioned. Did a couple laps around the block then took one seventy-three down to a town called Hondo.

CHLOE: Named after John Wayne, right?

Tom smiles.

TOM: You seen the movie?

CHLOE: Miss Evans's U.S. Culture and Entertainment class last year. I'm sorry, I'm interrupting.

TOM: Ah, nah y'aint. I'd love to hear more about it.

CHLOE: It was extra credit elective. Back to one seventy-three, please.

TOM: Yep. Half-hour straight shot. Had lunch at the D Q, came back home.

CHLOE: D Q?

TOM: Dairy Queen. 

CHLOE: Ah, right. Doh.  

HUNTER: How old were you?

TOM: Thirteenth birthday.

CHLOE: That's young.

TOM: Different time and place. 

CHLOE: When is your birthday?

TOM: March eleven.

CHLOE (BEAT): I'm March sixth.

TOM: We're fish accordin' to the horoscope stuff.

Chloe nods.

CHLOE: Jackie?

JACKIE: Birthday or who taught me to drive?

CHLOE/HUNTER/TOM: Yes. (BEAT.) Jinx.

All smile.