Blackthorne--Episode 93

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Blackthorne

Cinemagenic Ninety-Three

Picnic

“Life is a picnic on a precipice.”--W.H. Auden.

1(sound cue) sweet piano and violins

2(cut to medium close up) Buck standing at the

bottom of the stairs, his arms folded.

3(sound cue) clank of metal.

4(reverse shot) Buck turning around, his stare

back up the stairs.

5(cut to the door of parent’s bedroom) a strong

breeze from an open upstairs window had

rattled the padlocks on the door; three rusty locks,

hung straight, one above the other.

6(roving crane shots) wandering about the house,

showing peeling paint, framed photographs and

Western prairie paintings, thick red velvet curtains,

fancy kerosene lamps, as we hear...

7(sound cue/Voice Over) Buck: Tomorrow I will

break those locks off, and take a look at my 

parent’s room. My father had taken all of his things

out of the room before he padlocked it. I want to 

see some of my mother’s things. It’s going to be

like opening a crypt, but I might find a bauble or

old photograph that will link yesterday to today.

It’s past time for me to make this house a home

again--not just lumber, nails, glass and tar. I need 

to stop looking at the lights in other people’s 

windows.

8(cut to exterior) We see Buck stepping out on the 

wide porch. Johnny Eagle was straddling the first

corral’s gate, his Winchester across his lap, staring

off to the North.

9(tracking shot) as Buck walks quickly over to the

corral.

10(sound cue) snare drum and guitar.

11(medium wide shot) Buck: What is it?

The Eagle pointed to a cloud of dust rising above

the horizon to the north of the house.

Someone’s coming; more than one horse.

Johnny was wearing a shell belt; something he 

seldom did.

12( two-shot) Buck: Kind of jumpy, aren’t

you?

Johnny: When does the shit fly?

Buck: I’m going to go see Bronson tomorrow.

Johnny: And you figure he’s going to be real

pleased to see you?

Buck: Couldn’t tell you--still I’m going to try to

settle some things with him.

Johnny: I’ll give my rabbit’s foot some tugs for

you; it might help.

Buck: I didn’t know you were Irish.

Johnny: I might be.

13( cut to overhead drone shot) a wagon came up

over the rise, moving fast. It slowed on the flats

below the big boulder, and started down the drive

toward the house.

14(sound cue) fiddle,and banjo.

Voice Over: Johnny: It’s Salina Wallace.

15(medium wide shot) Johnny dismounted from the

gate, on the inside of the corral. He propped his

rifle against the fence. Buck strolled out into the 

yard. Salina rolled up in a black leather carriage,

harnessed to a pair of palominos. 

Salina: Afternoon, Mr. Buck. Hi, Johnny!, her smile

broad, her voice joyous. The Eagle waved a greeting,

and began unsaddling a horse he was working with.

Buck: I notice you’re still Mistering me.

Salina: OK, Rod--I have a question for you.

Buck: Shoot.

Salina: Are you hungry?

Buck: Hell, I could eat. What’s in the basket?

Salina: Fried chicken, potato salad, biscuits and

blackberry pie...are you interested?

Buck: Damn tootin’, lady! We live on bacon and 

beans around here. You hear that, Johnny? This

fair maiden has brought us a feast!

16(sound cue) harmonica and fiddle.

Johnny put the work saddle over a rail sawhorse,

and tramped up to the fence. Salina sat with her

gloved hands in her lap. She wore a pleated riding

skirt, high riding boots, a Spanish peasant blouse,
and a flat green hat with tassels on it.

Johnny: Kind of hot and dusty for a picnic, ain’t it?

Salina: I figured we might go inside to enjoy the

vittles. How would that be?

Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub--OLN