Scene in front of trailer:
QUENTIN pulls up in a rattletrap pickup that dies just as he stops. He gets out and kicks the back tire, while JOKER (who's leaning against the trailer waiting for AGUIRRE) looks on.
QUENTIN Shit!
Scene at door of trailer (AGUIRRE looks down at JOKER and QUENTIN):
AGUIRRE If you two pair of deuces are lookin' for work, I suggest you get your scrawny asses in here pronto.
Scene in trailer:
AGUIRRE Up on Brokeback, the Forest Service got designated campsites on the allotments. Them camps can be 3, 4 miles from where we pasture the woollies. Bad predator loss if there's nobody lookin' after them at night. Now what I want is the camp tender to stay in the main camp where the Forest Service says, but the herder, he's gonna pitch a pup tent on the Q.T. with the sheep, and he's gonna sleep there. You eat your supper and breakfast in camp, but you sleep with the sheep, hundred percent, no fire, don't leave no sign. You roll up that tent every mornin' case Forest Service snoops around. (indicates QUENTIN as herder)
(on phone) Yeah? No. No. Not on your fuckin' life.
You got your dogs, your 30/30, you sleep there. Last summer I had goddamn near 25% loss. I don't want that again. (indicates JOKER) You . . . Fridays at noon be down at the bridge with your grocery list and mules. Somebody with supplies will be there at the pickup. (tosses watch to JOKER) Tomorrow mornin' we'll truck you up to the jump-off.
Scene in front of trailer:
QUENTIN Quentin Twist.
JOKER Joker.
QUENTIN Your folks just stop at Joker?
JOKER Del Mar.
QUENTIN Nice to know you, Joker Del Mar.
Scene in bar:
QUENTIN My second year up here. Last year one storm the lightnin' killed 42 sheep. Thought I'd asphyxiate from the smell. Aguirre got all over my ass like I was supposed to control the weather. But beats workin' for my old man. Can't please my old man, no way. That's why I took to rodeoin'. Do you ever rodeo?
JOKER You know . . . I mean, once in a while, when I got the entry fee in my pocket.
QUENTIN Yeah. Are you from ranch people?
JOKER Yeah I was.
QUENTIN Your folks run you off?
JOKER No, they run themselves off. There was one curve in the road in 43 miles, and they missed it. The bank took the ranch, and my brother and sister raised me, mostly.
QUENTIN Shit. That's hard.
JOKER (reaches for lighter) Can I? Thank you.
Scene at trailhead:
BASQUE Don't let them stray. Joe'll have your ass if you do. One thing, don't never order soup. Them soup boxes are hard to pack.
JOKER Well, I don't eat soup. (Sees Quentin on jumpy horse.) You wanna watch it there. That horse has a low startle point.
QUENTIN Doubt there's a filly that can throw me. Let's get, 'less you wanna sit around tyin' knots all day.
Scene in camp:
QUENTIN Oh shit. Can't wait till I got my own spread, and I won't have to put up with Joe Aguirre's crap no more.
JOKER I'm savin' for a place myself. Harley and me, we'll be gettin' married when I come down off this mountain.
QUENTIN Shit, that stay with the sheep, no fire bullshit. Aguirre got no right makin' us do somethin' against the rules.
Scene in camp:
QUENTIN (riding out on a Friday) No more beans.
Scene at herd:
QUENTIN (shooting at a coyote and missing) Dammit! Shit!
Scene at bridge:
JOKER I don't know.
BASQUE Something wrong?
JOKER Yeah, so why didn't we get the powdered milk 'n the spuds?
BASQUE That's all we got.
JOKER (handing over the list) Well . . . here's next week's.
BASQUE Thought you didn't eat soup.
JOKER Yeah, I'm sick of beans.
BASQUE Too early in the summer to be sick of beans.
JOKER (to horses, coaxing them to walk) Come on.
Scene on trail:
JOKER (to mules) Come on. Come on.
Scene at bridge:
JOKER (thrown off horse, startled by a bear, with mules running off) Hold it--whoa, whoa. Shit. Whoa. Come back here!
Scene at camp:
JOKER (to horse) Whoa there, whoa. All right. Fuck it. Okay, you bastard.
QUENTIN Where the hell you been? Been up with the sheep all day, I get down here, hungry as hell and all I find is beans.
(JOKER mumbles as he walks past; Quentin sees head wound.)
QUENTIN What in the hell happened, Joker?
JOKER I come on a bear is what happened. Goddamn horse spooked and the mules took off, and scattered food everywhere. Beans is about all we got left.
(QUENTIN tries to hand water canteen to JOKER.)
JOKER Got whiskey or somethin'? (Takes a drink of whiskey.) Dumbass mule. I can't believe that. Goddamn.
QUENTIN (wets bandana and tries to dab JOKER's head). Let me see.
JOKER Shit.
QUENTIN Well, we gotta do somethin' 'bout this food situation. Maybe I'll shoot one of the sheep.
JOKER Yeah, what if Aguirre finds out, huh? We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em.
QUENTIN What's the matter with you? There's a thousand of 'em.
JOKER I'll stick with beans.
QUENTIN Well, I won't.
Scene in meadow:
(JOKER shoots an elk.)
QUENTIN Woowee!
JOKER Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'.
QUENTIN Let's get a move on. Don't want the Game and Fish catch us with no elk.
Scene in camp:
QUENTIN (returning to camp on horse) Come on. Shit. (Dismounts.) Yeah, I'm commutin' four hours a day. I come in for breakfast, and go back to the sheep, evenin' get 'em bedded down, come in for supper, go back to the sheep, spend half the night checkin' for damn coyotes. Aguirre got no right to make me do this.
JOKER You wanna switch? I wouldn't mind sleepin' out there.
QUENTIN That ain't the point. The point is, we both oughta be in this camp. Goddamn pup tent smells like cat piss or worse.
JOKER I wouldn't mind bein' out there.
QUENTIN Well, I'm happy to switch with you, but I warn you, I can't cook worth a damn. I am pretty good with a can opener, though.
JOKER You can't be no worse than me, then. (Dishes up food for Quentin.) Here you go.
Scene in camp:
(JOKER ready to ride off.)
QUENTIN You won't get much sleep, I'll tell you that.
JOKER Yup. (To horse) Come on.
Scene in camp:
(QUENTIN opens a can of beans as as JOKER scrubs down with his shirt off.)
JOKER Shot a coyote up there. It's a big son of a bitch, balls on him size a apples. He looked like he could eat himself a camel. You want some of this hot water?
QUENTIN It's all yours.
Scene in camp:
(QUENTIN takes a piss at edge of camp as Joker finishes his can of beans.)
JOKER Mmm.
(QUENTIN walks up and taps on his rodeo belt buckle.)
JOKER I don't rodeo much myself. I mean, what's the point of ridin' some piece of stock for eight seconds?
QUENTIN Money's a good point.
JOKER True enough, if you don't get stomped winnin' it, huh?
(QUENTIN pours some whiskey in JOKER's cup.)
JOKER Thank you.
QUENTIN Well, my ol' man was a bull rider, pretty well known in his day, though he kept his secrets to himself. Never taught me a thing, never once come to see me ride. Your brother and sister do right by you?
JOKER They did the best they could after my folks was gone, considerin' they didn't leave us nothin' but 24 dollars in a coffee can. I got me a year of high school before the transmission went on the pickup. My sis left. She married a roughneck, moved to Casper. Me and my brother, we got ourselves some work on a ranch up near Worland until I was 19, and then he got married. No more room for me. That's how come me end up here. (Notices QUENTIN smiling.) Whut?
QUENTIN Friend, that's more words than you've spoke in the past two weeks.
JOKER Hell, that's the most I've spoke in a year. My dad, he was a fine roper. Didn't rodeo much, though. He thought rodeo cowboys was all fuck-ups.
QUENTIN The hell they are! (Gets into JOKER's face and whoops.) Yee-haw!
JOKER There you go.
(QUENTIN continues to whoop and carry on.) I'm spurrin' his guts out, wavin' to the girls in the stands! He's kickin' to high heaven, but he don't dashboard me, no way! (Stumbles and collapses in laughter.)
JOKER (also laughing) I think my dad was right.
Scene in new camp:
JOKER Tent don't look right. (Works on it.)
QUENTIN Well, it ain't goin' nowhere. Let it be. (Plays harmonica.)
JOKER That harmonica don't sound quite right either.
QUENTIN That's 'cause it got kinda flattened when that mare threw me.
JOKER Oh yeah? I thought you said that mare couldn't throw you.
QUENTIN Ah, she got lucky.
JOKER Yeah, well, if I got lucky, that harmonica would've broke in two.
Scene in camp:
QUENTIN (singing) "I know I shall meet you on that final day, Water Walkin' Jesus, take me away . . ."
JOKER (taps rhythm of song out) Very good.
QUENTIN Oh yeah. My mama, she believes in the Pentecost.
JOKER Oh yeah? Exactly what is the Pentecost? I mean, my folks, they was Methodist.
QUENTIN The Pentecost. I don't know. I don't know what the Pentecost is. Mom never explained it to me. I guess it's when the world ends and fellas like you and me march off to hell.
JOKER Speak for yourself. You may be a sinner, but I ain't yet had the opportunity. (takes the whiskey) Thank you.
Scene in camp (dead of night):
JOKER (drunk) Shit. I'm goin' to go up to the sheep now.
QUENTIN (drunk) Give 'em hell.
JOKER No, I'm . . . I can hardly stand. It's too late to go to them sheep. Well, you got a extra blanket? I'll just roll up out here and grab 40 winks, and I'll ride out at first light.
(QUENTIN throws JOKER a blanket.)
JOKER Oh that's good.
QUENTIN You'll freeze your ass off when that fire dies down. You're better off sleepin' in the tent.
JOKER Yeah. (Ignores QUENTIN)
QUENTIN All right.
Scene in and out of tent:
(QUENTIN wakes up, sighs. Hears JOKER outside, teeth chattering.)
QUENTIN Joker!
JOKER Wha . . .
QUENTIN Just quit your hammerin' and get in here.
(JOKER staggers into tent.)
(As "first night in tent" develops, a little dialogue is exchanged.)
QUENTIN Come on, come on.
JOKER What're you doin'?
Scene in camp:
(JOKER is getting ready to ride out.)
QUENTIN (walks up) See you for supper.
JOKER (ignores him; talks to horse) Yah. Come on. (Rides out.)
Scene overlooking herd:
JOKER This is a one-shot thing we got goin' on here.
QUENTIN It's nobody's business but ours.
JOKER You know I ain't queer.
QUENTIN Me neither.
Scene in camp, later that night:
(QUENTIN in tent, shirt off. JOKER slowly gets up and comes in for "second night in tent." They embrace.)
QUENTIN I'm sorry. Lie back. Come on.
Scene in camp:
AGUIRRE Twist, your Uncle Harold's in the hospital with pneumonia. Docs don't expect he'll make it. Your ma sent me to tell you. So here I am.
QUENTIN Bad news. There ain't nothin' I can do about it up here, I guess.
AGUIRRE There's not much you can do down there either. Not unless you can cure pneumonia.
Scene in camp:
(reaction to hail storm)
QUENTIN Goddamn! Jesus!
(both run into tent)
JOKER Them sheep'll drift if I don't get back up there tonight.
QUENTIN You'll get pitched off your mount in a storm like this. You'll wish you hadn't tried it. It's too cold! Close it up!
Scene on mountain in front of blended herds of sheep:
JOKER Well, what're we supposed to do now, huh?
QUENTIN Get on in there and untangle them Chilean sheep out from ours, I guess.
Scene in the herd:
QUENTIN (looking for color markings on sheep) Oh, where is it? Shit! God, half the goddamn paint brands are wore off.
JOKER We gotta try, at least we can get the count right for Aguirre.
QUENTIN Fuck Aguirre.
JOKER Oh yeah, fuck Aguirre. What if we need to work for him again, huh? You think of that? We gotta stick this out, Quentin.
Scene herding the retrieved sheep:
JOKER (responding to QUENTIN's harmonica playing, but smiling) You'll run them sheep off again if you don't quiet down.
Scene in camp:
JOKER (riding up as QUENTIN stows tent) What are you doin'?
QUENTIN Aguirre came by again. Said my uncle didn't die after all. Says bring 'em down.
JOKER Bring 'em down? Why, it's the middle of August.
QUENTIN Says there's a storm comin', movin' in from the Pacific. Worse than this one.
JOKER That snow barely stuck an hour, huh? Besides, the sonofabitch, he's cutting us out of a whole month's pay. It ain't right!
QUENTIN Well, I can spare you a loan, bud, if you're short on cash. Give it to you when we get to Signal.
JOKER I don't need your money, huh? You know, I ain't in the poorhouse. Shit!
QUENTIN All right.
Scene near camp:
QUENTIN (approaches JOKER sitting outside camp) Time to get goin', cowboy.
(JOKER gets up and QUENTIN trips him with lariat throw. JOKER yanks on rope and pulls QUENTIN off his feet onto him.)
JOKER Come here. This ain't no rodeo, cowboy.
QUENTIN Shit!
(QUENTIN accidently elbows JOKER in the face, and his nose spurts blood. QUENTIN reaches out and wipes some of the blood with the sleeve of his shirt.)
QUENTIN Joker, Joker. Come here. You okay?
JOKER Yeah.
(JOKER knocks QUENTIN down with a punch in the face.)
Scene at trail head, at sheep pens:
AGUIRRE (talking to JOKER and QUENTIN) Some of these never went up there with you. The count ain't what I'd hoped for, neither. You ranch stiffs, you ain't never no good.
Scene in parking lot in front of AGUIRRE's trailer:
JOKER (under hood of QUENTIN's truck) You wanna give it some gas?
(Car starts and JOKER closes hood.)
JOKER I can't believe I left my damn shirt up there.
QUENTIN Yeah. You gonna do this again next summer?
JOKER Well, maybe not. Like I said, me and Harley's gettin' married in November. So I'll try to get somethin' on a ranch, I guess. And you?
QUENTIN Might go up to my daddy's place, and give him a hand through the winter. Or I might be back. If the Army don't get me.
JOKER Well, I guess, see you around, huh?
QUENTIN Right.
(QUENTIN drives off and JOKER starts walking out of town. Stops and walks to the side of the road, wretching and punching the wall.)
JOKER God damn, god . . . (A COWBOY walking by starts to come over.) What the fuck you lookin' at, huh? (COWBOY walks on.)
Scene in church at Riverton:
CONGREGATION (led by MINISTER) . . . and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever.
HARLEY Amen.
MINISTER Under the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man & wife. You may kiss the bride . . . & if you don't, I will.
Scene on a hill, a winter's day:
(JOKER & HARLEY are on a toboggan that turns over.)
JOKER You all right? (He roughhouses with her.)
HARLEY No. Stop! No. Please don't.
Scene on a highway construction crew:
TIMMY (to JOKER) My old lady's tryin' to get me to quit this job. She says I'm gettin' too old to be breakin' my back shoveling asphalt. I told her strong backs & weak minds runs in the family. She didn't think that was too funny. I told her, it keeps me fit.
Scene at a drive-in movie playing SURF PARTY:
(We hear the following dialogue from the film while JOKER & HARLEY watch. HARLEY is now pregnant.)
HE Morning.
SHE Morning.
HE Pulled in last night. Didn't want to wake you up.
SHE Oh now, I was just . . .
HE I thought I'd tell you before the sergeant showed up. Parking this trailer on the beach is illegal.
Scene in Aguirre's trailer:
AGUIRRE (looks up as QUENTIN walks in) Well, look what the wind blew in.
QUENTIN Hi, Mr. Aguirre. I'm wonderin' if you was needin' any help this summer.
AGUIRRE You're wasting your time here.
QUENTIN What, you ain't got nothin'?
AGUIRRE Ain't got no work for you.
QUENTIN (starting to leave but turning around) Joker Del Mar ain't been around, has he?
AGUIRRE You boys sure found a way to make the time pass up there. Twist, you guys wasn't gettin' paid to leave the dogs baby-sit the sheep while you stemmed the rose. Now get the hell out of my trailer.
Scene at ranch house DEL MAR family lives in now:
JOKER (comes in and approaches HARLEY at sink) How my girls doin'?
HARLEY All right. Jenny's still got a runny nose.
(He walks back into the bedroom where both children squall.)
HARLEY Joker, could you wipe Harley Jr.'s nose?
JOKER If I had three hands I could. Come here, come here. Oh! (picks both girls up)
Scene in bedroom:
HARLEY Girls all right?
JOKER Yeah. Jenny stopped her coughin'. I think I should take the girls into town this weekend. Get 'em an ice cream. Somethin'.
HARLEY Joker, can't we move to town? I'm tired of these lonesome old ranches. No one for Harley Jr. to play with. Besides, I'm scared for Jenny, scared if she has another one of them bad asthma spells.
JOKER No, rent in town is too high.
HARLEY There's a cheap place in Riverton, over the laundomat. I bet I could fix it up real nice.
JOKER I bet you could fix this place up real nice if you wanted to.
HARLEY Joker?
JOKER Hmm?
HARLEY I know you'd like it too. Real home, other kids for the girls to play with. Not so lonely, like you were raised. You don't want it to be so lonely, do you?
JOKER Yeah. Come here. (They kiss.) It ain't so lonely now, is it?
HARLEY Are you sure the girls are asleep?
JOKER Yeah.
HARLEY Come here. (He flips her over.) Joker . . .
Scene in Texas rodeo arena:
ANNOUNCER Let 'er rip and snort, boys! Quentin Twist, hangin' on for dear life! And down he goes! Watch out there, fella! He's comin' for ya! Send in the clowns! Okay, a fine ride by Mr. Twist. Four seconds for him. Give 'em a hand, folks, our very own rodeo clowns.
QUENTIN (speaks during the ANNOUNCER's spiel) Shit!
At a redneck bar after the rodeo:
JIMBO (the clown) Give us a beer, Doug.
QUENTIN (comes over and throws down money on the bar counter) I'd like to buy Jimbo here a beer. Best damn rodeo clown I've ever worked with.
JIMBO No thanks, cowboy. If I was to let every rodeo hand I pulled a bull off of buy me liquor, I'd have been an alcoholic long ago. Pulling bulls off you buckaroos is just my job. So save your money for your next entry fee, cowboy. (Gives bartender a raised-eyebrow look and walks off to another group around a pool table.)
BARTENDER You ever try calf-roping?
QUENTIN Do I look like I can afford a fuckin' ropin' horse? (leaves bar)
Scene at Riverton July 4th fireworks celebration:
JOKER Shouldn't we move a little closer?
HARLEY No, come on, let's don't. Jenny'll get scared.
(Two drunk BIKERS sit down behind them.)
BIKER 1 Wooeee. Look at this crowd! Bound to be a lot of pussy on the hoof in a crowd like this.
BIKER 2 All swelled up with patriotic feeling and ready to be humped like a frog.
BIKER 1 So where do you figure the most pussy's at--Las Vegas or California?
BIKER 2 Hell, I don't know. But if you make it between Wyoming and Montana, I'd pick Wyoming in a minute.
JOKER Hey, you might want to keep it down, I got two little girls here.
BIKER 1 Fuck you! Asshole. (To friend) Probably quit givin' it to his wife after his kids was born. You know what that's like?
HARLEY Joker, let's move, let's just move, okay?
JOKER Now I don't want no trouble from you. You need to shut your slop-bucket mouths, you hear me?
BIKER 2 You oughta listen to your ol' lady, then.
JOKER Is that right?
BIKER 1 Yeah. Move somewhere else.
JOKER (kicks one in the face, knocking him out) What about it? You wanna lose your half your fuckin' teeth? Huh?
BIKER 2 Not tonight, bud. I'd sure rather not.
Scene at Childress rodeo arena:
ANNOUNCER Here she comes, ladies & gentlemen! Oh boy, look at her fly. It's Lureen Newsome from right here in Childress, Texas. Come on folks, she's gotta hear it, let's give her a big hand! She's turnin' on two! She's around three! Come on folks, help her home! Come on, come on! And the time is 16 & 9! Here's Cheyenne Hodson from Cody, Wyoming! Come on girl! She's headed around two! Is there anybody here from Wyoming?
(LUREEN rides back up to QUENTIN, who is now holding her hat, which flew off.)
QUENTIN Ma'am. (Hands her hat. She takes it, gives him the eye, and rides off.)
ANNOUNCER Come on, Cheyenne! And her time is 17 & 2.
Scene at Texas rodeo arena (later):
ANNOUNCER Here comes Scotty Griffiths, out of Lubbock, Texas. Come on, Scotty! Damn it! Let's give Scotty Griffiths a big hand, folks. Better luck next time, cowboy. Boy I tell you folks, what a heck of a way to make a living! Next up is an up-and-comer, Quentin Twist from all the way up in Lightning Flat, Wyoming. He's onboard Sleepy today. Let's hope he's not! Okay.
(QUENTIN, on a bull in behind the gate, is released into the arena.)
ANNOUNCER There they go, folks. And look at Sleepy go, boy. He's broke free today, folks! Come on, spin & spin & spin! I tell you, folks, that sure looked like the winnin' ride to me.
Scene in a Childress redneck bar and dance club:
QUENTIN (to BARTENDER) You know that girl? (Points out LUREEN, who is looking at him.)
BARTENDER I sure do. Lureen Newsome. Her dad sells farm equipment. I mean big farm equipment. Hundred-thousand-dollar tractors, shit like that.
LUREEN (walking over to QUENTIN) What are you waiting for, cowboy? A mating call?
(They dance to the live performance of a woman singing the following lyrics:
No one's gonna love you like me,
No one else, can't you see,
No one's gonna love you like me,
No one, no one.
No one else, can't you see,
No one's gonna love you like me,
No one, no one.
I know sometimes you feel so lonely,
I know you felt so sad and blue . . .)
Scene on a country road, in LUREEN's red sportscar:
(They move from the front seat to the back, with LUREEN on top of QUENTIN. Making out.)
LUREEN Oh wait, hold on. You don't think I'm too fast, do you? Maybe we should put the brakes on.
QUENTIN Fast or slow, I just like the direction you're going in. (LUREEN undoes her top completely)
QUENTIN You are in a hurry!
LUREEN My daddy's the hurry. He expects me home with the car by midnight.
Scene in Riverton grocery store:
JOKER (hurrying in with his two girls) Hey Monroe.
MONROE Hey Joker.
JOKER Is Harley here?
MONROE Yeah, she's in the condiments aisle.
JOKER The what?
MONROE Uh, ketchup.
JOKER Thanks.
(JOKER finds his wife.)
HARLEY Hey honey. What're ya'll doing here?
JOKER In a big hurry. My boss called, and he wants me to go out to the ranch. I guess all of the heifers must've decided to calve at the same time. I figured I could drop the girls with you.
HARLEY Joker, I got a million things I gotta do here before I can leave. I don't get off for another three hours.
HARLEY JR. Mama, I need crayons.
HARLEY Not right now, Harley. Joker, please, you promised you'd take them tonight.
JOKER I can't afford to not be there when the heifers calve. It'll be my job if I lose any of 'em.
HARLEY What about my job? Okay, all right. I'll call my sister, I'll see if she can take 'em.
JOKER All right. I'll be half the night. Bring home some round steak if you think of it. (To HARLEY JR.) Come here. You be good girls for your mama, all right? (Kisses HARLEY JR., then leaves. HARLEY JR. promptly pulls down an entire display of peanuts, shattering several jars and scattering peanuts everywhere.)
MONROE Oh boy.
HARLEY Monroe, I am so sorry.
MONROE It's okay, it's okay, Harley.
HARLEY I'll clean this up just as soon as I call my sister to come get the girls.
MONROE Really, Harley, it's okay. I'll get it.
HARLEY Harley, come with me.
MONROE Watch your feet.
HARLEY Harley! (Holds out her hand to HARLEY JR., who takes it.)
Scene in Childress hospital room:
LUREEN (holding her new baby, BOBBY, comparing her hand to his) Just like my hand.
QUENTIN Honey, got a surprise for you. (LUREEN's parents, L.D. and FAYETTE, enter.)
LUREEN Ah! Hey!
FAYETTE Got two whole boxes of formula for you. A hundred and twenty cans. (To L.D.) Where did you put 'em?
LUREEN A hundred and twenty?
L.D. Oh hell, backseat of the car where I left 'em. Rodeo can get 'em. (Throws keys contemptuously at Quentin, who misses them.)
FAYETTE Oh L.D.! I can already see who little Bobby looks like!
L.D. Good job, little girl. He's the spittin' image of his grandpa. (To QUENTIN) Isn't he the spittin' image of his grandpa? (QUENTIN says nothing, smiling stiffly.)
Scene in Riverton apartment 2, over the laundromat:
(JOKER comes in from work. HARLEY is at the stove. Girls underfoot.)
HARLEY Hey.
JOKER How ya doin'? (Goes to sink.)
HARLEY Hey Joker, you know somebody name of Quentin?
JOKER Maybe. But why?
HARLEY 'Cause you got a postcard. It come General Delivery.
(JOKER picks up a postcard on the kitchen table. It's a picture postcard of Guadalupe Peak ["El Capitán and Signal Peak"] postmarked Childress, TX, Sept. 1967, and addressed to "Mr. Joker Del Mar, Genral Delivery, Riverton Wy.": "Friend this letter is long over due. Coming thru on the 24th. Drop me a line if your there. Quentin")
HARLEY Is he somebody you cowboy'd with or what?
JOKER No, Quentin, he rodeos mostly. We was fishing buddies.
Scene at Riverton post office:
(JOKER fills out a 4c printed Lincoln postcard at the counter. He writes "You bet" on the message side, turns it over to reveal the address already filled out: "Joker Del Mar, Riverton, Wy. Quentin Twist, RFD 2, Childress, Texas." Drops it into mail slot.)
Scene at Riverton apartment on September 24th:
(JOKER is cleaned up, in his best shirt, paces, swills beer, smokes nervously.)
HARLEY Maybe we could get a baby-sitter?
JOKER Huh?
HARLEY Take your friend to the Knife and Fork.
JOKER Well, Quentin ain't the restaurant type. We'll more'n likely just go out and get drunk. If he shows.
Scene at Riverton apartment (hours later):
(JOKER slumped on sofa, looking rather out of it, with several empty beer bottles and a full ashtray nearby.)
HARLEY (at kitchen table with HARLEY JR.) Okay, we take one more bite and then you're finished with dinner. There, that's a good bite. All right. You're excused. (HARLEY JR. races off.) (The following spoken to herself.) Please, thank you.
Scene in parking lot below Riverton apartment:
(QUENTIN drives up in a red and white pickup truck. JOKER stands and looks out the window, then hurries out the door of apartment 2, standing at the top of the stairs as QUENTIN gets out of the truck.)
JOKER Quentin fuckin' Twist!
(QUENTIN and JOKER embrace.)
QUENTIN Son of a bitch. (The two men kiss, observed by HARLEY at the screen door; she retreats back inside in shock. Finally, she goes back to the door and they come up the stairs. She's back in the kitchen by now.)
JOKER Harley, this is Quentin Twist. And Quentin, this is my wife, Harley.
QUENTIN Howdy.
HARLEY Hullo.
(JENNY babbles to herself in another room.)
QUENTIN Oh, you got a kid?
JOKER Yeah, I got two little girls: Harley Jr. and Jenny.
QUENTIN I got a boy. Eight months old.
JOKER Well!
QUENTIN Smiles a lot. Married the prettiest little gal in Childress, Texas.
JOKER Yeah?
QUENTIN Lureen.
JOKER (To HARLEY) Well, me and Quentin, we're gonna head out and get ourselves a drink.
HARLEY Sure enough.
QUENTIN Pleased to meet you, ma'am.
JOKER We might not get back tonight, when we get to drinkin' and talkin' and all.
HARLEY (following them out) Joker, would you get me a pack of smokes . . .
JOKER You need smokes, they're in the top pocket of my blue shirt, they're in the bedroom. (he's out the door by now)
Scene in a Riverton motel room:
(QUENTIN and JOKER are curled up together, both smoking.)
QUENTIN Four years. Damn.
JOKER Yeah, four years. Didn't think I'd hear from you again. I figured you was sore from the that punch.
QUENTIN That next summer, I drove back up to Brokeback, and talked to Aguirre 'bout a job, and told me you hadn't been back there, so I left. Went down to Texas for rodeoin'. That's how I met Lureen. Made two thousand dollars that year bullridin', nearly starved. Lureen's old man makes serious money, farm machine business. 'Course he hates my guts, though.
JOKER Hmm. The Army didn't get you?
QUENTIN No, too busted up. And that rodeoin' ain't like it was in my daddy's day. Got out while I could still walk. Swear to god I didn't know we was going to get into this again. Hell, yes I did. I red-lined it all the way, and couldn't get here fast enough. What about you?
JOKER Me? I don't know.
QUENTIN Old Brokeback got us good, don't it? What are we gonna do now?
JOKER I doubt there's nothin' we can do. I'm stuck with what I got here. Makin' a livin's about all I got time for now.
Scene in Riverton apartment:
(HARLEY at kitchen table, miserable. Hears truck drive up, becomes alert.)
JOKER (rushing in) Hey. Well, me and Quentin's heading up in the mountains for a day or two. Do ourselves a little fishin'.
HARLEY You know, your friend could come inside, have a cup of coffee.
JOKER He's from Texas.
HARLEY Texans don't drink coffee? (JOKER starts throwing things together for trip.) You sure that foreman won't fire you for taking off?
JOKER Ya know, that foreman, he owes me. I worked through a blizzard last Christmas, remember that? Besides, I'll only be a coupla days.
HARLEY JR. (coming in) Bring a fish, Daddy, a big one.
(JOKER picks HARLEY JR. up and hands her to HARLEY.)
HARLEY (hugs daughter to her) Come here. Come here.
JOKER (embraces HARLEY, holding child) Come here. (Kisses HARLEY) See you Sunday, latest.
Scene in parking lot below apartment:
QUENTIN (getting into his truck on driver's side as JOKER gets in passenger side) I'm starvin'. Wanna get somethin' to eat?
JOKER Yup.
Scene in Riverton apartment:
HARLEY (weeping, holding HARLEY JR. to her) Come here, honey.
Scene in mountains:
(Both men jump out of the truck, parked near the top of a cliff overlooking a lake.)
JOKER Last one in!
(They disrobe as they run and leap off the cliff, falling to the water. Both exclaim as they hit the water, but there are no audible words.)
Scene in mountains at night around campfire:
QUENTIN Is there anything interesting up there in heaven?
JOKER Well, I was just sending up a prayer of thanks.
QUENTIN For what?
JOKER For you forgettin' to bring that harmonica. I'm enjoyin' the peace and quiet.
QUENTIN You know, it could be like this, just like this, always.
JOKER Yeah? How you figure that?
QUENTIN What if you and me had a little ranch somewhere, a little cow-and-calf operation, it'd be a sweet life. I mean, hell, Lureen's old man, you bet he'd give me a down payment if I'd get lost. I mean, he more or less already said it.
JOKER No, I told you, it ain't gonna be that way. You know, you got your wife and baby in Texas, and you know, I got my life in Riverton.
QUENTIN Is that so? You and Harley, that's a life?
JOKER Now you shut up about Harley. This ain't her fault. The bottom line is, we're around each other and this thing grabs hold of us again, the wrong place, in the wrong time, we're dead.
Flashback scene to 1952, down a trail by a ditch:
JOKER There were these two old guys ranched up together down home, Earl and Rich. They was the joke of town, even though they were pretty tough old birds. Anyway, they found Earl dead in a irrigation ditch. They took a tire iron to him, spurred him up and drug him around by his dick till it pulled off.
(A young JOKER and his brother K.E. see the dead man in the ditch. We see only the lower half of their father's body as he makes both boys look at the dead man.)
Scene at campfire in present time:
QUENTIN You seen this?
JOKER Yeah, I was, what, nine years old? My daddy, he made sure me and my brother seen it. Hell, for all I know, he done the job. Two guys livin' together? No way. Now, we can get together once in a while way the hell out in the middle of nowhere, but . . .
QUENTIN Once in a while? Ever' four fuckin' years?
JOKER Well, if you can't fix it, Quentin, you gotta stand it.
QUENTIN For how long?
JOKER As long as we can ride it. There ain't no reins on this one.
Scene below Riverton apartment four years later, with the girls on a swing set:
(Arguing voices from apartment above them. The girls stop swinging as they hear their parents arguing.)
JOKER It's nearly suppertime. Where the hell do you think you're goin'?
HARLEY To work.
JOKER Hell, I thought you had the day off!
HARLEY Well, you thought wrong!
JOKER The girls need to be fed. (HARLEY pushes out the door and heads down the stairs.)
HARLEY Well, you take care of it! (JOKER follows her out.)
JOKER Harley! Harley!
HARLEY Supper's on the stove!
JOKER No one's eatin' unless you're servin' it.
HARLEY I already promised I'd take the extra shift.
JOKER Fuckin' tell 'em you made a mistake, then! Harley! Harley! (HARLEY ignores him and turns a corner, moving out of sight.) Goddamn it! (Notices his girls.) You girls need a push or somethin'?
GIRLS No. (They start to swing again. JOKER kicks a bucket he tripped over on the way out and walks back up the stairs.)
Scene outside at NEWSOME business in Childress:
QUENTIN (to a large group of farmers and ranchers, demonstrating a new oversized air-conditioned tractor) Listen to her purr, gentlemen! You ain't gonna get that with your Caddy! I told you what she could do, now let me show you.
Scene inside at the NEWSOME business:
(LUREEN sits behind a desk and overhears the following exchange as QUENTIN's demonstration continues outside the window.)
FARMER 1 Say, didn't that pissant use to ride the bulls?
FARMER 2 He used to try. (Glances over at LUREEN to make sure she heard him.)
Scene in Riverton apartment:
(HARLEY brings a grocery bag in, mail in hand. She sees a postcard, with a 6c Eisenhower stamp, postmarked July 1972, reading: "Joker See you in a couple weeks fish should be jumping Quentin," and addressed to "Joker Del Mar, 80 Pershing street, Apt. #2, Riverton, Wy 82501" She folds the postcard back inside the circular ads as she hears JOKER's truck outside.)
Scene in office at NEWSOME business in Childress:
QUENTIN Honey, have you seen my blue parka?
LUREEN (at adding machine) Um, last time I seen it you was in it. Day we had that big ice storm.
QUENTIN Well, I could have swore I seen it here.
LUREEN You know, you been going up to Wyoming all these years. Why can't your buddy come down here to Texas and fish?
QUENTIN 'Cause the Big Horn Mountains' ain't in Texas. And I don't think his pickup could make it down here anyway.
LUREEN New model coming in this week, remember. You're the best combine salesman we got. You're the only combine salesman, in fact.
QUENTIN Yeah, well, I'll be back in a week. That is, unless I freeze to death, and I'll freeze if I don't find that parka.
LUREEN Well, I don't have your goddamn parka. You know, you're worse than Bobby when it comes to losin' stuff.
QUENTIN Oh, speaking of Bobby, did you call the school about gettin' him a tutor?
LUREEN I thought you were gonna call.
QUENTIN I complain too much. That teacher don't like me. Now it's your turn.
LUREEN Right. Okay, fine, so I'll just . . . I'll call later.
QUENTIN Right. Fine. 'Bye. (giving her a perfunctory kiss) I got fourteen hours of driving ahead of me.
LUREEN See now, it don't seem fair, you goin' up there two or three times a year, with him never comin' down here. (QUENTIN waves her remark off on the way out the door.)
Scene in Riverton apartment:
(JOKER is banging around getting ready for another trip with QUENTIN, as a radio in the background is going)
ANNOUNCER Oh that's right, you heard the one about the great big guy, he's a big, hairy, monstrous guy, must've been a construction worker all his life, and he's sitting in a bar next to this little bitty fellow, and the bartender says . . . (becomes inaudible)
HARLEY (reading newspaper) Joker, they got a openin' over at the power company. Might be good pay.
JOKER Well, as clumsy as I am, I'd probably get electrocuted.
HARLEY JR. (in next room playing with JENNY) Daddy, the church picnic's next weekend. Will you be back from fishin' by next weekend? Please, Daddy? Please?
JENNY Can you take us, Daddy? Please?
JOKER Well, all right, as long as I don't have to sing, hmm?
JENNY Daddy! Thank you!
(JOKER turns to leave without approaching his wife.)
HARLEY You forgettin' somethin'?
(JOKER turns and grabs the tackle box, mutters something inaudible, hurries out.)
Scene in mountains at campsite:
(JOKER drives up in his truck and gets out with fishing tackle and rod in hand.)
QUENTIN You're late.
JOKER Look what I brought.
(Further dialogue inaudible under swelling music. More outdoor scenes, of both on horseback, then a shot of a stream.)
Scene outside NEWSOME business in Childress:
QUENTIN (with BOBBY on his lap as QUENTIN steers a large red tractor, brand name "VERSATILE," in circles) There you go! No hands! (Tractor continues to move.) It's all yours, buddy. It's all yours.
Scene on a ranch:
JOKER (on the back of a moving truck, throwing hay down by handfuls for the cattle to eat) Come on! Come on!
Scene in Riverton apartment:
(JOKER is lying on the couch holding a beer, an ashtray on his stomach. HARLEY sits bored, while the girls play with dolls on the floor. KOJAK is on TV, with the following scene in progress: A man walks into a room while another inside points a gun at his head. MAN: "Come on in, Alvin. I've been trying to call you for hours.")
HARLEY It's Saturday night, you know. We could still smarten up, head over to the church social.
JOKER That fire and brimstone crowd?
HARLEY I think it'd be nice. (Crushed.)
(JOKER doesn't answer.)
Scene in Riverton apartment:
(JOKER and HARLEY making love.)
HARLEY Joker, as far behind as we are on the bills, it makes me nervous not to take no precaution.
JOKER (pulls back) If you don't want no more of my kids, I'll be happy to leave you alone.
HARLEY I'd have 'em if you'd support 'em.
(JOKER gets off her and both turn their backs to one another.)
Scene in Wyoming divorce court:
JUDGE Custody of the two minor children, Harley Del Mar Jr. and Jennifer Del Mar, is awarded to plaintiff. Defendant is ordered to pay child support to plaintiff in the sum of $125 per month, for each of the minor children, until they reach the age of 18 years. Divorce granted, this 6th day of November, 1975.
(HARLEY looks bitter and determined. JOKER looks miserable.)
Scene in truck driving into Wyoming:
(QUENTIN sings along to the lyrics of Roger Miller's "King of the Road.")
Scene outside ranch house in Wyoming:
(JOKER's daughters are just getting put in his truck as QUENTIN drives up.)
JOKER What're you doin' here, huh?
QUENTIN Got your message about the divorce.
JOKER (to daughters) This here is Quentin. Quentin, these are my baby girls, Harley Jr. and Jenny.
QUENTIN (to the GIRLS) Hey.
JOKER Say "hi," girls.
GIRLS Hi.
QUENTIN I got your card, the divorce came through. So here I am.
JOKER Yeah.
QUENTIN Had to ask about ten different people in Riverton where you had moved to.
JOKER Well . . .
QUENTIN I guess I thought that this means you . . .
JOKER Um, Quentin. I don't know what to say. Uh . . . See, I got the girls this weekend. Uh . . . and jeez . . . I'm sure as hell sorry. You know I am. See, I only get 'em once a month. And I missed last month, so I just . . . because of the roundup . . . so I . . . well.
QUENTIN Yeah. All right.
JOKER Quentin.
QUENTIN I'll see you next month then. (Leaves in his truck.)
Scene in truck driving south:
(QUENTIN weeps, then wipes his eyes and looks determined to do something. Shot of a highway sign: EL PASO 65 / JUAREZ-MEXICO BORDER 68.)
Scene on a Juárez street:
(Babble of Spanish, especially from kids swarming all over the place. QUENTIN walks into a dangerous looking part of town, and finally down an alley where hustlers are leaning against the wall on both sides. Approaches one of them.)
HUSTLER Señor.
(QUENTIN nods. HUSTLER and QUENTIN walk together down the alley into darkness.)
Scene in Childress home of the TWIST family on Thanksgiving:
LUREEN (bringing in a bowl) Comin' up.
QUENTIN (bringing in turkey) Here we go. Here we are.
L.D. Whoa there, Rodeo. The stud duck do the carvin' around here.
QUENTIN You bet, L.D. I was just saving you the trouble.
LUREEN (noticing BOBBY is watching the TV football broadcast) Bobby, if you don't eat your dinner, I'm gonna have to turn off that television.
BOBBY Why, Mama? I'm gonna be eatin' this food for the next two weeks.
QUENTIN You heard your mama. You finish your meal and then you can watch the game.
(Gets up and turns TV off. L.D. stops carving the turkey and turns the TV back on.)
LUREEN Daddy? Daddy!
L.D. Hell, we don't eat with our eyes. You want your son to grow up to be a man, don't you, daughter? Boys should watch football.
QUENTIN Not until he finishes eatin' the meal that his mama took three hours to fix. (Gets up and turns TV off.)
(L.D. stands up to turn on the TV again.)
QUENTIN Now you sit down, you old son of a bitch! This is my house, this is my child, and you are my guest! Now you sit down, before I knock your ignorant ass into next week.
(L.D. sits as LUREEN wipes a smile off her face. QUENTIN starts carving the turkey.)
Scene in Riverton home of the MONROE family on Thanksgiving 1977:
(JOKER sits at the table with his former wife, now pregnant, her new husband MONROE, and his DAUGHTERS.)
HARLEY JR. Daddy, tell about when you rode broncs in the rodeo.
JOKER Well, that's a short story, honey. It was only about three seconds I was on that bronc. The next thing I knew I was flyin' through the air. Only I was no angel like you and Jenny here. I didn't have no wings. And that's the story of my saddle bronc career.
Scene in Monroe home (later the same night):
(The GIRLS are watching competitive ice skating on TV with MONROE.)
ANNOUNCER At this moment, they are in 12th place. (Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio espagnol" is used as skating music. JOKER brings in plates from the table as HARLEY stands at the sink, scraping them off.)
JOKER There you go.
HARLEY You ought to get married again, Joker. Me and the girls worry about you bein' alone so much.
JOKER Well, once burned.
HARLEY You still go fishin' with Quentin Twist?
JOKER Hmm, not often.
HARLEY You know, I used to wonder how come you never brought any trouts home. You always said you caught plenty, and you know how me and the girls like fish. So one night I got your creel case open night before you went on one of your little trips -- price tag still on it after five years -- and I tied a note to the end of the line. It said, "Hello, Joker, bring some fish home. Love, Harley." And then you come back lookin' all perky and said you'd caught a bunch of brownies and you ate them up. Do you remember? I looked in the case first chance I got and there was my note still tied there. That line hadn't touched water in its life.
JOKER That don't mean nothin', Harley.
HARLEY Don't try to fool me no more, Joker, I know what it means. Quentin Twist.
JOKER Harley.
HARLEY Quentin Nasty. You didn't go up there to fish. You and him . . .
JOKER (grabs her wrist and twists it) Now you listen to me, you don't know nothin' about it.
HARLEY I'm goin' to yell for Monroe.
JOKER You do it and I'll make you eat the fuckin' floor.
HARLEY (screaming) Get out! Get out!
JOKER And you too!
HARLEY (screaming) Get out! Get out! Get out of my house, Joker Del Mar! You hear me? You get out!
(JOKER storms into the other room, grabbing his jacket and hat. HARLEY continues to scream, hysterical now, in the kitchen.)
JENNY Daddy?
MONROE Harley?
(JOKER slams out of the house into the snowy night. The GIRLS hurry onto the porch as he rushes to his truck.)
JENNY 'Bye, Daddy.
HARLEY JR. 'Bye.
Scene in front of a redneck bar in Riverton:
(JOKER pulls up, gets out of his truck and runs across the street, causing a truck pulling up to break sharply to avoid hitting him.)
DRIVER Hey asshole, watch where you're goin'!
(JOKER reaches in the DRIVER's window and pulls him out of the truck, swinging at him.)
DRIVER What . . . You stupid fuck. (A fight starts.) God damn! God! God damn! (Finally the DRIVER gets the best of JOKER, who falls to the ground as he gets stomped.)
JOKER Oh fuck. (The stomping continues.)
DRIVER Damn it!
Scene at camp in the mountains:
(JOKER is washing metal dishes at the edge of the stream.)
QUENTIN (walking towards JOKER from the direction of the tent, visibly older now, with a moustache) All I'm saying is, what's the point of makin' it? If the taxes don't get it, the inflation eats it all up. You should see Lureen, punchin' numbers in her adding machine, huntin' for extra zeros, her eyes gettin' smaller and smaller, it's like watchin' a rabbit tryin' to squeeze into a snakehole with a coyote on its tail.
JOKER That's high-class entertainment if you ask me.
QUENTIN For what it's worth.
JOKER You and Lureen, it's normal and all?
QUENTIN Sure.
JOKER She don't ever suspect? (QUENTIN shakes his head "no.") You ever get the feelin', I don't know, uh, when you're in town, and someone looks at you, suspicious, like he knows. And then you go out on the pavement, and everyone's lookin' at you, like they all know too?
QUENTIN Maybe you oughta get out of there. You know, find yourself someplace different. Maybe Texas.
JOKER Texas? Sure, and maybe you can convince Harley to let you and Lureen adopt the girls. Then we could just live together, herding sheep, and it'll rain money from L.D. Newsome, and whiskey'll flow in the streams. Quentin, that's real smart.
QUENTIN Go to hell, Joker Del Mar. You wanna live your miserable fuckin' life, you go right ahead. I was just thinkin' out loud. (Storms off.)
JOKER Yep, you're a real thinker there. (Loses hold of one of the containers he's washing, which floats away, and he chases it.) God damn . . . Quentin fuckin' Twist. Got it all figured out, ain't he?
Scene in a redneck bar in Riverton:
(Babble of voices. JOKER sits drinking the last of several beers, smoking.)
MAN (in background, unseen) All right, hon.
(JOKER gets up to go to the bathroom. A woman at the jukebox takes his arm.)
JOKER I was on my way to the . . .
CASSIE I'm Cassie. Cassie Cartwright. (Pulls him to the dance floor, currently empty of dancers.)
JOKER Joker. Del Mar. (They start to dance, her dancing more than him.)
Scene in same bar (later):
JOKER (falling into his chair) No more dancin' for me, I hope.
CASSIE (sitting across from him) You're safe. My feet hurt. (Takes shoes off.)
JOKER It's hard work, is it?
CASSIE Yeah, drunks like you demanding beer after beer, smokin'. Gets tiresome. What do you do, Joker Del Mar?
JOKER Mmm, earlier today I was castratin' calves. (CASSIE looks disgusted. Suddenly she puts her feet into JOKER's lap.) What are you doin'?
CASSIE Tryin' to get a foot rub, dummy.
JOKER All right. (Rubs her feet.) That good?
CASSIE Uhuh.
Scene in a Childress dance hall:
(LUREEN and QUENTIN are sitting at the same table with LASHAWN and RANDALL. LASHAWN is babbling before we can hear the words she's saying.)
LASHAWN And then I pledged Tri Delt at SMU, and I sure never thought I'd end up in a poky little place like Childress, but then I met ol' Randall here at an Aggie game. He was an animal husbandry major, so we been here a month, and he got the foreman job over at Roy Taylor's ranch. Like it or not, here I am!
LUREEN Was you Tri Delt? I was Kappa Phi myself.
LASHAWN Well, even though we ain't quite sorority sisters, we may just have to dance with ourselves, Lureen. Our husbands ain't the least bit interested in dancin', they ain't got a smidgen of rhythm between 'em.
LUREEN It's funny, isn't it? Husbands don't never seem to wanna dance with their wives. Why do you think that is, Quentin?
QUENTIN I don't know, I never give it any thought. (Turns to LASHAWN.) Wanna dance?
LASHAWN Yes -- thank you!
QUENTIN (to RANDALL) Do you mind?
RANDALL No, it's all right. Go ahead.
QUENTIN All right. (LUREEN, clearly miffed, says nothing.)
LASHAWN (getting up) Pardon us. Thank you for asking me to dance with you. I really appreciate that, Randall never does. Last time I did, I think it was our wedding. It's a good thing you and Lureen happened along when you did, or else we'd still be stuck on the side of the road in that durn pickup. I told Randall we oughta take the car. Of course he never listens to me. He wouldn't listen to me if he was goin' deaf tomorrow. I told him it takes more than chewing gum and baling wire to fix that pickup. Well, he's never been very mechanical, though. (most of this said while dancing)
Scene in Childress, in front of dance hall (later that night):
(QUENTIN and RANDALL sit on a bench smoking. A group walks down the steps out the door of the hall.)
MAN Come over here and ask me . . . (voice fades)
QUENTIN You ever notice how a woman'll powder her nose before she goes to a party. Then she'll powder it again once the party's over? I mean, why powder your nose just to go home and go to bed?
RANDALL Don't know. Even if I wanted to know, I couldn't get a word in with Lashawn long enough to ask. Woman talks a blue streak.
QUENTIN Lively little gal. (clears throat) You'll like working for Roy Taylor. He's solid, Roy.
RANDALL Yeah, Roy, he's a good old boy. (pause) He's got a little cabin down on Lake Kemp. Got a croppie house, a little boat. (QUENTIN nods.) Said I could use it whenever I want. We oughta go down there some weekend. Drink a little whiskey, fish some. Get away, you know?
(LASHAWN and LUREEN come through the door and down the steps.)
LASHAWN When I was right out of SMU I coulda had my pick of pretty much any job in North Dallas, so my pick was Neiman Marcus, which was a disaster, because honey, where clothes is concerned, I got no resistance, I was spending more than I made, more than Randall ever will make. We come here thinking ranching was still big hats and Marlboros, boy were we behind the times.
Scene in Riverton, on the porch of MONROE's house:
(HARLEY JR. is waiting for JOKER to drive up. When he does, she sees a woman in the front seat with him, and the smile falls from her face.)
JOKER Hey there Junior. Ready?
Scene in redneck bar where CASSIE works:
(JOKER is at the jukebox, which is currently playing Tammy Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E")
CASSIE (across from HARLEY JR. at a table) What do you think? Your daddy ever gonna see fit to settle down again?
HARLEY JR. Don't know. (pause) Maybe he's not the marrying kind.
CASSIE You don't think so? Or you don't think I'm the one for him?
HARLEY JR. You're good enough.
CASSIE (smiles) You don't say much, but you get your point across.
HARLEY JR. Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude.
JOKER (walks up and starts to sit down) All right.
CASSIE (pulls JOKER back up) You're stayin' on your feet, cowboy.
JOKER (to HARLEY JR.) Excuse me, darlin'.
(HARLEY JR. watches them dance, visibly distressed.)
Scene in Riverton, in front seat of moving truck:
JOKER So I'll pick you and Jenny up next weekend after church.
HARLEY JR. Fine.
JOKER You all right?
HARLEY JR. Yes.
JOKER Are you sure?
HARLEY JR. Daddy, I was thinking, what with the new baby and all. Ma and Monroe have been awful strict on me. More on me than Jenny even. I was thinking, maybe I could come stay with you. I'd be an awful good help, I know I would.
JOKER Now, uh, you know I ain't set up for that. And with the roundup comin', I won't ever be home.
HARLEY JR. It's all right, Daddy.
JOKER I'm not sayin' that I wouldn't . . .
HARLEY JR. It's all right, I understand.
JOKER Well, I'll see you on Sunday, then.
HARLEY 'Bye. (gets out of car)
JOKER 'Bye, sweetheart.
Scene at night in camp in the mountains:
QUENTIN Gonna snow tonight for sure.
JOKER Yup.
QUENTIN All this time and you ain't found nobody else to marry.
JOKER I been puttin' the blocks to a good-lookin' little gal over in Riverton. She's a waitress, wants to go to nursing school or somethin'. I don't know. (pause) What about you and Lureen?
QUENTIN (looks at JOKER sharply) Lureen's good at makin' hard deals in the machine business, but as far as our marriage goes, we could do it over the phone. I kinda got this thing goin' with a ranch foreman's wife over in Rutters.
JOKER What? (laughs)
QUENTIN I'm bound to get shot by Lureen or her husband each time I slip off to see her.
JOKER Well, you probably deserve it.
QUENTIN Tell you what . . . Truth is, sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it.
(JOKER doesn't answer. Scene cuts to them in the tent that night, asleep together.)
Scene at trailhead in the morning, both trucks packed and ready to leave:
QUENTIN I guess I'll head on up to Lightning Flat. See the folks for a day or two.
JOKER There's somethin' I been meanin' to tell you, bud. It's likely November before I can come out here again. After we ship stock and before the winter feedin' starts again.
QUENTIN November. What in the hell happened to August? (slams truck door, and JOKER flinches) Christ, Joker, you know, you had a fuckin' week to say some little word about this.
JOKER Well . . .
QUENTIN And why's it we're always in the friggin' cold? We oughta go south, where it's warm, you know. We oughta go to Mexico.
JOKER Mexico? Hell, you know me. About all the travelin' I ever done is around a coffeepot, lookin' for the handle. (No response.) Come on, Quentin. Lighten up on me. We can hunt in November, kill us a nice elk. I'll try if I can get Don Wroe's cabin again. We had a good time that year, didn't we?
QUENTIN There's never enough time, never enough. You know, friend, this is a goddamn bitch of an unsatisfactory situation. You used to come away easy. Now it's like seein' the Pope.
JOKER Quentin, I gotta work. Huh? Them earlier days I just quit the job. You forget what it's like bein' broke all the time. You ever hear of child support? I'll tell you this, I can't quit this one. And I can't get the time off. It was hard enough gettin' this time. The tradeoff was August. You got a better idea?
QUENTIN I did once.
JOKER You did once. (Approaches till he's in QUENTIN's face.) Well, have you been to Mexico, Quentin? 'Cause I hear what they got in Mexico for boys like you.
QUENTIN Hell yes, I been to Mexico. Is that a fuckin' problem?
JOKER I'm gonna tell you this one time, Quentin fuckin' Twist. And I ain't foolin'. What I don't know, all them things that I don't know, could get you killed if I come to know them. I ain't jokin'. (Walks away.)
QUENTIN Yeah well, try this one, and I'll say it just once.
JOKER Go ahead.
QUENTIN Tell you what, we coulda had a good life together, fuckin' real good life, had us a place of our own. But you didn't want it, Joker! So what we got now is Brokeback Mountain. Everything's built on that. That's all we got, boy, fuckin' all, so I hope you know that if you don't never know the rest.
JOKER God damn it.
QUENTIN You count the damn few times that we have been together in nearly 20 years. Measure the short fuckin' leash you keep me on, and then you ask me about Mexico and you tell me you'll kill me for needin' somethin' I don't hardly never get. You got no idea how bad it gets. And I'm not you. I can't make it on a coupla high-altitude fucks once or twice a year. You are too much for me, Joker, you son of a whoreson bitch. I wish I knew how to quit you.
JOKER (stricken, weeping) Then why don't you? Why don't you let me be, huh? It's because of you, Quentin, that I'm like this. I'm nothin'. I'm nowhere. (QUENTIN attempts to hug JOKER but is pushed away.) Get the fuck off me!
QUENTIN (hugging JOKER again as JOKER sinks to the ground, sobbing) It's all right. It's all right. Damn you, Joker.
JOKER I just can't stand this anymore, Quentin.
Scene cuts to flashback in 1963 on Brokeback Mountain at daybreak:
(QUENTIN stands half asleep at fire, as JOKER approaches from behind and wraps his arms around him and rocks him.)
JOKER Come on now, you're sleepin' on your feet like a horse. My mama used to say that to me when I was little . . . and sing to me . . . (hums a song) I gotta go. See you in the mornin'.
(JOKER gives QUENTIN one more hug as QUENTIN nods slightly, then lets QUENTIN go. As JOKER leaves, we see QUENTIN's face, with an expression of love and longing.)
Scene at trailhead, back to present:
(JOKER's loaded truck drives off. Cut to QUENTIN's face. He appears disillusioned, bitter, empty of hope.)
Scene at Riverton Greyhound bus station:
(JOKER sits alone in dining room, eating apple pie and drinking coffee. CASSIE breezes in with CARL and notices JOKER.)
CASSIE (to Carl) Excuse me. (approaching JOKER) Hey. Joker Del Mar. Where you been?
JOKER Here and there.
CASSIE I left word for you with Steve at the ranch. And you must've got those notes I left at your place.
JOKER Looks like I got the message, in any case. (his glance indicates CARL)
CASSIE Carl? Yeah, Carl's nice. He even talks.
JOKER Good for you.
CASSIE Yeah. Good for me. (pause) I don't get you, Joker Del Mar.
JOKER I'm sorry. I was probably no fun anyways, was I?
CASSIE (in tears) Joker, girls don't fall in love with fun. (Flees the bus station dragging CARL behind her.)
Scene at the Riverton post office:
(JOKER is sorting through his mail in front of the post office when he comes across the following postcard, which he sent to Quentin, now returned:
"Quentin. How about november 7 for you. I can meet you at pine creek. Joker Del Mar." Stamped across this message is DECEASED in red letters.
JOKER is stunned, dead in his tracks.)
Scenes in a Riverton phone booth and in TWIST home in Childress, crosscut:
LUREEN (picks up phone) Hello?
JOKER Hello, this is Joker Del Mar, I, uh . . .
LUREEN Who? Who is this?
JOKER Joker Del Mar. An old buddy of Quentin's.
LUREEN Quentin used to mention you. You're the fishing buddy or the hunting buddy, I know that. Woulda let you know what happened, but I wasn't sure about your name or address. Quentin kept his friends' addresses in his head.
JOKER That's why I'm callin', uh, see what happened.
LUREEN Oh yeah. Quentin was pumping up a flat on the truck out on a back road when the tire blew up. The rim of the tire slammed into his face, broke his nose and jaw, and knocked him unconscious on his back. By the time somebody come along, he'd drowned in his own blood. He was only 39 years old.
(JOKER flashes on images of QUENTIN being attacked by three men and beaten to death; one of them has a tire iron.)
LUREEN Hello? Hello? Hello?
JOKER Was he buried down there?
LUREEN We put a stone up. He was cremated like he wanted, half his ashes was interred here. The rest I sent up with his folks. He used to say he wanted his ashes scattered on Brokeback Mountain, but I wasn't sure where that was. Thought Brokeback Mountain might be around where he grew up. Knowing Quentin, it might be some pretend place where bluebirds sing and there's a whiskey spring.
JOKER No ma'am, we was herdin' sheep up on Brokeback one summer . . . back in '63.
LUREEN (gives an involuntary moan as she puts 2 & 2 together) Well, he said it was his favorite place. I thought he meant to get drunk. He drank a lot.
JOKER Is his folks still up in Lightnin' Flat?
LUREEN They'll be there till the day they die.
JOKER I thank you for your time. I sure am sorry. We was good friends.
LUREEN (winces at JOKER's last remark) Get in touch with his folks. Suppose they'd appreciate it if his wishes was carried out. About the ashes, I mean. (Abruptly hangs up, leaving JOKER stricken, the phone receiver in his hand.)
Scene outside of Lightning Flat, at the TWIST homestead:
(JOKER drives up in his pickup, and QUENTIN'S MOTHER comes out the door to see him in, evidently expecting him.)
Scene in the TWIST home's kitchen:
(JOKER sits across from JOHN TWIST, QUENTIN's father, at the dining table, while QUENTIN's MOTHER stands.)
QUENTIN'S MOTHER Want a cup of coffee, don't you? Piece of cherry cake?
JOKER Yes ma'am, I'll have a cup of coffee, but I can't eat no cake just now, thank you.
(QUENTIN'S MOTHER gets a cup of coffee and puts it down in front of JOKER on the table, continuing to stand.)
JOKER (to JOHN) I feel awful bad about Quentin. I can't begin to tell you how bad I feel. I knew him a long time. I come by to say that if you want me to take his ashes up there on Brokeback like his wife said he wanted to, then I'd be happy to.
(QUENTIN'S MOTHER glances sharply at her husband.)
JOHN Tell you what, I know where Brokeback Mountain is. Thought he was too goddamn special to be buried in the family plot. Quentin used to say, "Joker Del Mar," he used to say, "I'm gonna bring him up here one of these days and we'll lick this damn ranch into shape." Had some half-baked notion the two of you was gonna move up here, build a cabin, help run the place. (spitting into his cup) Then this spring he got another fella gonna come up here with him, build a place, help run the ranch, some ranch neighbor of his from down in Texas. Gonna split up with his wife and come back here. So he says. But like most of Quentin's ideas, it never come to pass.
(JOKER is visibly shocked at the news of QUENTIN's plans with someone else. QUENTIN'S MOTHER touches his shoulder.)
QUENTIN'S MOTHER I kept his room like it was when he was a boy. I think he appreciated that. You are welcome to go up to his room, if you want.
JOKER (barely able to speak) Yeah, I'd like that, thank you.
Scene in QUENTIN's boyhood room upstairs:
(After walking up the stairs, JOKER finds the room and locates the pair of shirts hidden at the back of QUENTIN's closet; both shirts have bloody sleeves from the fight they had had 20 years before on Brokeback Mountain. JOKER's white shirt is on the inside, and QUENTIN's blue shirt is on the outside. JOKER pulls the hanger off the hook and cradles the shirts to his face, weeping. He breathes in through the shirts, then exhales the words "I love you" directly into the shirts.)
Scene in the TWIST homestead's kitchen:
(JOKER walks back in with the shirts rolled up, only QUENTIN's blue shirt visible. JOKER signals he wants to take the shirts, and QUENTIN'S MOTHER nods, turns and takes out a paper bag. She puts the shirts in the bag for JOKER.)
JOHN Tell you what. We got a family plot. He's goin' in it.
JOKER Yes sir.
QUENTIN'S MOTHER You come back and see us again. (She hands JOKER the sack and he walks out the open door.)
JOKER (whispering to QUENTIN'S MOTHER) Thank you for this. (She nods and shuts the door.)
Scene outside a house trailer off a country road in Wyoming:
(JOKER puts peel-off numbers [1 & 7] on the mailbox outside his trailer, then tosses the plastic backing on the numbers into an open trash can. A sportscar he doesn't recognize drives up; he leans over and peers into the windshield to see who it is. HARLEY JR. gets out wearing a sweater.)
JOKER Hey there, Junior.
HARLEY JR. Hey Daddy. Like the car?
JOKER (nods) Yeah. Is it yours?
HARLEY JR. It's Kurt's.
JOKER Well, I thought you were seein' Troy.
HARLEY JR. Troy? Daddy, that was two years ago.
JOKER Troy still playin' baseball?
HARLEY JR. I don't know what he's doin'. I'm seein' Kurt now.
JOKER Well, what does Kurt do?
HARLEY JR. Works out in the oil fields.
JOKER So he's a roughneck, huh?
HARLEY JR. (laughs) Yeah.
JOKER I guess you're 19, you can do whatever you want, is that right?
HARLEY JR. Sure. (Both step into the trailer.)
Scene inside trailer (continues last scene):
(HARLEY JR. takes off her sweater and puts it behind her on the bed where she sits.)
HARLEY JR. Daddy, you need more furniture.
JOKER Yeah, well, if you got nothin', you don't need nothin'. (sits across from her)
So what's the occasion?
HARLEY JR. Me and Kurt. We're gettin' married.
JOKER Well, how long you known this guy for?
HARLEY JR. About a year. The wedding'll be June 5th at the Methodist Church. Jenny will be singing, and Monroe is gonna cater the reception.
JOKER Now this Kurt fella -- he loves you?
HARLEY JR. Yeah, Daddy. He loves me. (JOKER looks away.) Was hoping you'd be there.
JOKER Yeah, I think I'm supposed to be on a roundup down near the Tetons.
(HARLEY JR. is visibly disappointed, but says nothing. JOKER sighs, comes to a decision, stands and walks to the refrigerator.)
JOKER You know what? I reckon they can find themselves a new cowboy. (JOKER takes a half full bottle of wine from the refrigerator as HARLEY JR. laughs and smiles. He pours the wine into two small glasses.) My little girl, gettin' married, huh? (Goes back to his chair, handing HARLEY JR. one glass.) To Harley and Kurt. (They toast the coming marriage.)
Scene outside trailer:
(JOKER watches HARLEY JR. drive off, then turns and goes inside.)
Scene inside trailer:
(JOKER puts his hat back on a hanger on the wall, shuffling across the floor. He notices HARLEY JR.'s sweater on the bed, picks it up, folds it. He pulls open the door of a closet and puts the sweater on a shelf. The two shirts are on a hanger held by a nail on the inside of the door, now reversed from how QUENTIN left them -- JOKER's shirt is on the outside, QUENTIN's on the inside. A postcard of Brokeback Mountain is tacked up just above the shirts, and it's tilted to one side. QUENTIN snaps a button on QUENTIN's shirt, touching it carefully. He straightens the postcard with a finger. He looks at both with tears in his eyes.)
JOKER Quentin, I swear.
(JOKER swings the door shut and moves offscreen to the left. We can see out the trailer's window: a road outside cuts across the bottom of the window, with a green field behind it, a yellow field further out, and then a flat horizon, no mountain visible.)
Fade out.