Kate and Cedric, home in the woods outside Wilson, Wyoming. Song of Western Meadowlark.
Cedric is reading Foglost. Kate with laptop.
CEDRIC: Do you know if Hunter does or did drink?
KATE: I know that he did. Last I heard he's been clean and sober for a few years. He looked great when I saw him in at Jan's birthday. Like he works out. Why do you ask, unless it gives too much away.
CEDRIC: Well, the protagonist drinks. And Hunter writes about it in such a way that only personal experience can inform. He's poetically poignant. When will I meet him?
KATE: Well, at Chloe's graduation for sure, and I'd bet Chloe's birthday. Both of which we need to talk about as far as where to stay.
CEDRIC: I'm not tired of Pismo.
KATE: It's Pismo. Same or something different.
CEDRIC: Same works for me.
KATE: Settled. Doh.
CEDRIC: A deer.
KATE: I just remembered Chloe's at Hunter's now. They're going on a road trip on a rental motorcycle.
CEDRIC: Eighteenth birthday.
KATE: Yes.
CEDRIC: Do we know what we're getting her?
Kate smiles.
KATE: Your first do we know.
CEDRIC: Been saving it for the right occasion.
KATE: We do not, yet.
CEDRIC: John and Jan?
KATE: They, Hunter and Barbara are talking about a car.
Kate's PHONE RINGTONES MAN'S VOICE CALLING "FORE!"
KATE (CONT.): John's new ringtone.
Cedric chuckles, Kate picks up. Cedric turns page.
KATE: We were just talking about Chloe's birthday after I just remembered she's at Hunter's.
(Her face expresses her surprise.)
I'm here.
(Cedric looks at her.)
Well what a turn. Do we have a middle name?
Do we have as picture?
Can't wait.
I'll be here.
(She sets down phone.)
CEDRIC: Picture of what and whose middle name?
KATE: Do you remember the cowboy in Hunter's short story Honda Knot.
CEDRIC. Vividly. Loyd Landers.
KATE: Loyd Landers is based on Hunter's father. Thomas Travis Walker. Whom, as you might recall, Hunter has never heard from.
CEDRIC: I do.
KATE: He's a retired ranch foreman who lives with his wife in Laramie.
CEDRIC: Which is new information?
KATE: Yes. He showed up at Hunter's yesterday. I should be getting a picture any - there it is. The woman is Hunter's new girlfriend.
(She stares, hands laptop to Cedric, who stares at the San Augustin Pass selfie Wanda showed Daisy.)
CEDRIC: I'll tell ya, Kate. Thomas Travis Walker looks a helluva lot like a Tom I met at a funeral in Casper a couple years ago.
KATE: Who was the deceased to you?
CEDRIC: Frank Baxter. We were in First Infantry together.
KATE: And Tom looks someone you met at his funeral.
CEDRIC: Damn near a doppelganger.
KATE: You spoke?
CEDRIC: Briefly, over a beer. First Cav. He'd been in boot camp with Frank. Both from Texas.
KATE: Tom Walker is from Texas, though we don't where. Wouldn't that be something.
CEDRIC: Yes. It would.
He hands back laptop.
CEDRIC (CONT.): I may pause here and re-read Honda Knot. Any chance Hunter was conceived in Carson City?
KATE: Carson is his middle name.
CAR HORN HONK. They gather and leave. SOUND OF DOOR OPENED, CLOSED.
