EXT. HILLSIDE OAK WOODLAND - DAY
Grey sky. Rudimentary lean-to with fire pit, a tire swing hung from a tree limb, a horseshoe pit, an archery target, and a bench aimed at the view of surrounding hills. Near the bench an arrow sign is aimed at what looks like an opening to a trail.
Silent until the ENGINE WHINE OF ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES NEARING. Finally the boys arrive in one and Gil and Hunter in the other arrive. The boys with bows and arrows head to the archery target and commence shooting, Gil parks near the bench, water bottles in both cup-holders.
HUNTER: Wow. You must get a helluva sunrise.
GIL: I'm here to meet it almost every morning.
HUNTER: When did your dad buy the land?
GIL: When he came back from the war. G I bill loan. My uncle Jose used his to start the construction company. When we sold that I bought the neighbor's property and started building the house.
HUNTER: What's the arrow pointing to?
GIL: Trail to the creek.
HUNTER: Where does the creek go?
GIL: When there's water to another that feeds the Medina.
HUNTER: Is there water in it now.
GIL: A trickle. This storm will change that.
HUNTER: Wanda said you were in Vietnam.
GIL: I was. As was Tom, but you probably know that.
HUNTER: It came up. We were going to get back to it later. Would you be willing to talk about it?
GIL: We can do that. Maybe when you're back next week.
HUNTER: I'd like that. Thank you.
GIL: Got our draft cards the same day.
HUNTER: Did you enlist?
GIL: Hell no. Didn't have any plans to be a Marine until they pulled me out of line to tell me I did.
HUNTER: I guess Tom didn't join, either.
GIL: He did not.
HUNTER: I saw his First Cavalry tattoo when they took his body away.
GIL: I have my E G A on the same shoulder.
HUNTER: E G A?
GIL: Eagle, globe and anchor.
HUNTER: Ah, right.
GIL: You ever in the service?
HUNTER: No. My grandfather was Army in Italy.
GIL: In the second.
HUNTER: Yes.
FAINT THUNDER.
GIL (CONT.): Here she comes.
HUNTER:
GIL: How's your monsoon season going?
HUNTER: Wetter than usual. Which is good, we need it. You've been to Las Cruces.
GIL: Driving through plenty of times. I've got a grand-niece in Truth or Consequences.
LOUDER THUNDER.
GIL (CONT.): I've got some photographs from when Tom and I were in Bangkok on R and R.
HUNTER: I'd love to see them.
GIL: When you're back.
HUNTER: Thank you.
GIL: Deer at your three o'clock.
Hunter turns to see the whitetail buck seeming to look at them from partially behind a tree. It finally retreats from view in the woods.
HUNTER: Did Tom hunt?
GIL: He did. Got his first here. At the creek. Pretty sure he's on a wall in Laramie. But not after he got back. I don't think he ever picked up a rifle again.
HUNTER: You?
GIL: Once a year I'll get one to give the church for their Thanksgiving at a homeless shelter in San Antonio.
Gil's PHONE CHIRPS. He checks.
GIL: Lunch time.
Gil turns, WHISTLES at the boys, quick to gather their bows and arrows and load them onto the ATV.
LOUDER THUNDER.
GIL(CONT.): Have you ever hunted, Hunter?
HUNTER: No. My maternal great-grandfather's middle name was Hunter for his paternal grandfather. Not that you asked.
GIL: I would've got around to it. Fished?
HUNTER: Once. Trout pool when I was a kid.
GIL: Something you'd try again if we took the boat out when you're back?
Hunter nods. Gil starts the engine. One of the boys starts theirs.
GIL (CONT.): It's a date.
Gil drives into the woods from whence they'd come, the boys follow. They leave view, ENGINE WHINE FADES to silence broken by CICADA WHIR.
