Blackthorne--Episode 86

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Blackthorne

Cinemagenic Eighty-Six

Conflict

“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage.

The human spirit grows stronger by conflict.”

--William Ellery Channing.

1(overhead wide crane shot) Farmer’s daughters,

whores, old maids and young maidens whirled about

with the the dancing; their petticoats flashing clean,

white and frilly--hoots and hollers like Rebel yells,

and stamping feet sounding like a brigade marching.

The great hay-strewn place steamed from the hot

excited mass of people who jumped about and

sweated in it.

2(cut to medium steadicam wide shot) To the left of

the band platform, stood a less active knot of folks.

Bronson had sent over some of his painted ladies;

all cleavage, bright hair combs, and lace. Buck

recognized the fat whore he had been with his first

day in town. Paulie stood alongside his ginger-haired

girlfriend, holding a punch glass full of whiskey;

already tipsy. Thor stood tall in their midst, and when 

Buck’s eyes got to him, once again he had been 

watching Buck, waiting to be noticed. Cash was not

there. Thor was not wearing a gun.

3(cut to a two-shot) Salina: Didn’t you come here to

dance? Buck turned to her: Yes, Ma’dam, I did!

4(steadicam traveling shots) He got lost in her bright

eyes. Seeing no one else after that, they stepped into

the middle of the milling bodies. He swung, twirled.

jumped and hopped with her for a frantic forty minutes.

They came to a halt after a particularly fast dance,

stepping to the side, both smiling, both short of

breath. Salina hugged him. He put an arm around her

tiny waist, and gave her a sweaty peck on her rosy

cheek. He steered her to the punch bowl. Her father

was still manning his post.

5(cut to a three-shot) Wallace: I see you are still on 

your feet; congratulations.

Buck: I haven’t danced that much since the time the

pigs ate my cousin!

Salina: Dad, are you going to stay glued to this punch
bowl all evening? There are plenty of good-looking
women here that are dying to dance with you.

Wallace: The hell you say, daughter? None of these

fore-mentioned ladies have asked me to dance yet.

Salina: They tell me that it’s the gentleman who is

supposed to ask the lady for a dance.

Wallace: Don’t give me that bull...you asked Buck,
didn’t you?

Salina: Is it possible that you have sampled more

than your share of the punch?

Wallace: I’m every bit as handsome as Rod..so I

will just stand here a wait for my charm and good

looks to overwhelm one of these ladies.

6(two-shot) Buck: Would you like some punch?

--asking Salina. Love some, she replied, radiant

and happy.

7(sound cue--voice over) How about filling mine?

8(four-shot) They turned to find Thor, his back to

the camera: Made me powerful thirsty just

watching you two kicking up your heels.

9(medium close-up) Buck, forcing a grin: Sure.

10(four-shot) Buck’s back to the camera, Thor

with a cruel smile. Buck reached out and took

Thor’s empty punch glass. 

11(close-up) Wallace: Hey, Thor--how’s the

rawhiding business? 

12(medium close-up) Thor chuckled, and cracked

a wide smile; he had big white teeth, like a mule

in his thin face. Thor: Damn, Henry, are you trying

to bait me?

13(two-shot) Wallace: Why in Christ’s world would

I want to do that?

Thor: Oh, I don’t know, maybe to show off in front

of your daughter and her date, perhaps to just put

a burr in my blanket, because you know that I would
never lay a hand on you.

Wallace: Is that right?

Salina: Dad...

Wallace: You owe me nothing, Mr. Hardcase. 

Everybody knows that my daughter wants nothing

to do with you anymore, and I would like to add to

that I never liked you.

Here, Buck interrupted, handing a full glass of punch

to Thor, who took it, sipped from it, and said: You

know, buffman, you’re one royal pain in the ass.

So are you, sheriff Joe Hop said from behind

Thor. The Eagle stood alongside him.

Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub O