Blackthorne--Scene 83

painting by J. Ken Spencer

Blackthorne

Cinemagenic Eighty-Three

Debacle

“What we dread most, in the face of the impending

debacle, is that we may have to give up our

gadgets.”--Henry Miller.

1(wide shot) two riders pushing hard, silhouetted

against a fiery Saturday’s sunset, that had turned

the prairie’s chest to yellow-orange.

2(sound cue) banjo and guitar and violins over 

hoof beats.

3(medium wide overhead crane shot) Buck and

Johnny rein up at the Grange Hall. Cheewa, 

almost invisible in the soft darkness, began

barking.

4(sound cue) harmonica over a cat’s screech.

5(two shot) The dog had flushed out a black cat.

He chased it, a race between two shadows, through 

a crack between two boards on the wall of an

unpainted warehouse adjacent to them.

6(tight two-shot) The two men moved stiffly in their

new store bought shirts. Buck wore a blue shirt, new

denim trousers, a string tie with a turquoise bolo,

and an old pair of boots shined to a brown gloss.

The Eagle wore an earth green shirt, open at the

neck, with the starched fold still in it, and a pair

of clean, but worn jeans. They both wore their 

weapons and old hats.

7(cut to a medium wide shot) the Grange doors

were wide open, with a blazing lantern twinkling

on each side of them; the commotion from the

folks inside flooded the empty streets in waves.

They tied down in front of the BRONSON HOUSE.

Most of the hitching rails were occupied. A half

score of wagons and carriages stood alongside 

the hall.

8(sound cue) piano, banjo, violin’s fiddling over

the crowd’s hubub. 

9(two-shot) Johnny, over Buck’s shoulder: Must

be every sodbuster, cowhand and drifter in the

territory here tonight. He hiked up his britches.

Buck: Yup, everyone came to see the elephant.

The Eagle pulled an old silver watch from his worn

pocket: Almost eight o’clock--hell of a way to start

a romance.

10(medium close up) Buck: Uh-huh--my turn to screw

the heifer. You head on in. I’ll go face the music. I

may return by myself.

11(two-shot) Johnny: OK, boss. I’ll meet you there.

Let’s hope she’s in an understanding mood tonight.

12(medium wide shot) Johnny strutted off in the direction 

of the Grange Hall, brushing the trail dust off himself.

13( cut to wide shot) Buck stood in front of the General

Store. Salina was not there. He peered into the large

front window. The place was empty and dark.

14(overhead drone shot) Wallace had built their living

quarters out from the store, shaping an L out of the

building. Smoke curled up from its chimney. We see

Buck walking around to the back. Their home was

the northwest corner of the building. A sprawling

covered front porch stood next to a tall hump-backed
oak. 

15(cut to a dolly shot) as Buck approached the porch.

We discover Salina sitting on a slider, wearing a shawl,

with her arms folded, smoking a rolled cigarette.

16(sound cue) harmonica over grandfather clock

ticking loudly.

17(two shot) Salina, over Buck’s shoulder: Well, here

you are, big boy. What’s the matter, you lose your

watch?

Buck: I’m so sorry that I’m late.

Salina: Yeah, I’m sorry too. You kind of left me in

the lurch.

Buck: I got busy working on the roof of the bunk

house, and I lost track of time. I feel like an asshole.

Salina: You look just like one at the moment.

They stared at each other for a minute. She smiled

first, and his smile followed suit.

Buck: So...do we still have a date, or do I go alone

with my tail between my legs?

Salina: Did you bring your dog?

Buck: Sure did--he and Johnny are over at the Grange.

Salina: Other than being late, it seems like you held

up your end. So yes, our first date can now kick into

gear. There just are a couple of things we need to 

talk about first.

Buck: OK--shoot.

Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub OLN