The Long Shot

Guido Levits:
I thought you should see this for yourself.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Annie! Annie! Don't you ever interfere with the training of one my horses without asking me.

Annie Garrett:
I'm sorry.

Guido Levits:
You could have been the world's toughest mother, Mary Lou, and it wouldn't have helped Mora.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Guido! Put this stubborn mule away for me.

Annie Garrett:
I remember the day you were born. From the moment you tried to stand on those skinny legs, I fell in love with you.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
What did you do the last time you had big problems?

Annie Garrett:
Got Pregnant and Ran off with the Stable Boy.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
On a blind horse that can't canter.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Look at that stride! Great elevation!

Mary Lou O'Brian:
He's running blind in traffic.

[last lines]

Taylor Garrett, Annie Garrett:
Snowball fight!

Annie Garrett:
Monte, he's my husband. Just accept that, alright?

Guido Levits:
Why are you making life so hard for her?

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Well I'm not here to make it easy for her.

Guido Levits:
Someone's got to be.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
She was wrong and you know it!

Guido Levits:
For what? For trying to do something you couldn't? You're great Mary Lou, but you need her. The farm needs her. So stop being so scrimey to her.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
What the heck does scrimey mean?

Guido Levits:
Look it up!

Ross Garrett:
[Rubs fingers] Come on.

Annie Garrett:
What?

Ross Garrett:
I know your folks, they gave you some money. [Rubs fingers again]

Ross Garrett:
[Annie hands him a gas card] Gas Card?

Annie Garrett:
It's as good as...

Annie Garrett:
And John, it's okay if friends kiss.

[first lines]

Annie Garrett:
[Tolo whinnies] Alright, I hear ya. I'm comin'. Hey, hey boy, hey. Got a cookie for ya. Yeah. I know you hate travelin' but, we gotta get goin'. Alright? Let's go. [Tolo stands there] Alright, if you wanna stay here, fine! [Tolo walks out and follows Annie]

Monte Shelton:
So, Ross got a job in California huh?

Annie Garrett:
Yeah, at a place called Tillman Farms in Hidden Valley.

Monte Shelton:
Come on. Tell me about the job.

Annie Garrett:
[sighs] Well, if it works out, Ross's got a job as barn manager.

Monte Shelton:
Really? Why did you guys leave Billings?

Annie Garrett:
Oh, he had a disagreement with the barn manager.

Monte Shelton:
I heard you were gone for two days before they knew he quit.

Annie Garrett:
I didn't know about that 'til later.

Monte Shelton:
Boulder, Cheyenne, Denver? They all have it in for him too?

Annie Garrett:
Monte, that's not fair!

Monte Shelton:
Look, every time he gets under pressure, his temper blows and he runs. You know it. He ever run on you?

Annie Garrett:
He came back.

Monte Shelton:
How did Taylor handle it?

Annie Garrett:
[laughs] Got mad at me. Ross told her it was mommy's fault why he left.

Monte Shelton:
Oh man. I don't know. I don't know why you stay with him. Well... I just think you could do a lot better, that's all.

Annie Garrett:
Monte, he's my husband. Just accept that, all right?

Monte Shelton:
You're right I'm sorry. So, how's your folks?

Annie Garrett:
Company dad worked for just got downsized so, he's out lookin' for a new job.

Monte Shelton:
Your life's a soap opera.

Annie Garrett:
[laughs] Ain't that the truth?

Monte Shelton:
[hugs Annie] Don't give up on your dreams, Annie. They're what keep us going.

Douglas McCloud:
You're gonna be so far away.

Annie Garrett:
I know.

Douglas McCloud:
And what about the holidays and... your's and Taylor's birthday?

Annie Garrett:
C'mon, there hasn't been a birthday celebration around here since that night, and you know it.

Douglas McCloud:
Annie...

Annie Garrett:
I just don't wanna get into it right now.

Douglas McCloud:
Alright.

Douglas McCloud:
[silence]

Douglas McCloud:
But what about your financial situation?

Annie Garrett:
There's a lien on Tolo. We had to take a loan out to pay the bills.

Douglas McCloud:
Using a horse as collateral? I didn't know you could do that.

Annie Garrett:
People do it all the time.

Douglas McCloud:
Hmm.

Annie Garrett:
Please um, don't say anything to Mom.

Douglas McCloud:
I won't! Annie, come on. She loves you.

Annie Garrett:
She loves Taylor. That's what's important.

Douglas McCloud:
[reaches into pocket and pulls out money and a gas card] This is about all I can afford but... uh, it's for you.

Annie Garrett:
Dad...

Douglas McCloud:
Oh, look, it's just a gas card. You can send it back to me when you get there.

Bonnie McCloud:
It was the day she won her fourth ribbon. She won 37 in all.

Taylor Garrett:
Wow.

Bonnie McCloud:
16 blue, 11 red, 10 yellow.

Bonnie McCloud:
Annie, get the chips!

Annie 16 yrs old:
Got em!

Bonnie McCloud:
Where's Katie?

Annie 16 yrs old:
Uh, she went to get the ice cream.

Bonnie McCloud:
I thought you were gonna pick that up on your way home.

Annie 16 yrs old:
I forgot?

Bonnie McCloud:
[laughs irritatedly] Let's just hope she gets here before your father.

Annie 16 yrs old:
[knock on the door] That might be him!

Bonnie McCloud:
Everybody hide. Hide, hide.

Bonnie McCloud:
[knocking continues] Sshh!

Police Officer:
Mrs. McCloud?

Bonnie McCloud:
Yes?

Police Officer:
Do you have a daughter named Katherine?

Bonnie McCloud:
Katie, yes.

Police Officer:
She has been in a car accident, Mrs. McCloud.

Bonnie McCloud:
Is she in the hospital?

Police Officer:
I'm sorry I have to tell you this. Mrs. McCloud, your daughter died on the way to the hospital.

Bonnie McCloud:
Oh, God! Oh, oh, oh. She wasn't even supposed to be driving. She was supposed to be here! Oh, God, Katie!

Robert Tillman:
[into a phone] Well, I don't know what to tell you, Mrs. Garrett.

Annie Garrett:
[into a phone] So, you sold the farm and his job along with it?

Robert Tillman:
Well I explained all of that to Ross when I gave him the two-thousand dollars.

Annie Garrett:
Y-You gave him what?

Robert Tillman:
$2,000. Figured we owed him that. He uh... He didn't tell you [Annie sighs and hangs up phone] Mrs. Garrett? [Annie fixes Taylor's coat]

Taylor Garrett:
Mom, Mom, Mama I can do it.

Annie Garrett:
[sits down] Oh.

Taylor Garrett:
Are you mad at me?

Annie Garrett:
Mama's mad about a lot of things but, not you honey.

Taylor Garrett:
Where are we gonna sleep tonight? [They walk to the stall where Tolo is sleeping]

Annie Garrett:
[Annie and Taylor are lying in the straw] Hey, you warm enough?

Taylor Garrett:
Mmhhmm. Mom?

Annie Garrett:
Yeah?

Taylor Garrett:
Who's gonna take care of us until Daddy gets back?

Annie Garrett:
I am honey. By God, I am. Hey, go to sleep.

Taylor Garrett:
Mmhhmm.

Taylor Garrett:
Morning mom.

Annie Garrett:
Mornin'. There's a cinnamon roll and some milk in that sack over there. There's a bathroom down the aisle. Why don't you go brush your teeth and them come help me?

Taylor Garrett:
Why are you braiding Tolo?

Annie Garrett:
We're gonna make some money today.

Annie Garrett:
Are you the lady who needs a mane braided? [gasps] You're Mary Lou O'Brian!

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Was the last time I checked. Look, I know his mane needs pulling, but don't. He goes bananas.

Annie Garrett:
Mind if I try?

Mary Lou O'Brian:
You wanna get bitten? Go ahead.

Annie Garrett:
[to the horse] Hey, hey there. That's a good boy. There, you're gonna be just fine. That's right. It's alright. You're gonna be fine.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
I'll be darned. He never lets anybody do that. What's your name?

Annie Garrett:
Annie Garrett. And this is my daughter Taylor.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
[to Taylor] I have a granddaughter about your age. Are you from around here?

Annie Garrett:
No.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
How did you know who I was?

Annie Garrett:
Monte Shelton's the first one to tell me about you.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
You're from Denver!

Annie Garrett:
Monte's kinda like a second father to me.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Umm... how long have you been around here?

Annie Garrett:
Just a couple of days.

Annie Garrett:
I'm lookin' for a stable job. Muckin' stalls, I'll do anything.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
You're in a hurry, huh?

Annie Garrett:
Right now I need to be.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Bring your resume by next week and... I'll take a look at it.

Annie Garrett:
How 'bout tomorrow?

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Lotta barns. Why so many?

Annie Garrett:
They were my husband's jobs. Everywhere he worked, I worked.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
You two still together?

Annie Garrett:
No.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Since when?

Annie Garrett:
He left three days ago.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
He split the day you got here?

Annie Garrett:
Yeah.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Look, this is a small farm Annie, and we just scrape by as it is. If I hire you today and your husband shows up tomorrow, you leave!

Annie Garrett:
That's not gonna happen!

Mary Lou O'Brian:
I've heard that tune before.

Annie Garrett:
Look, I can do more than just muck stalls. I'm a good groom, I'm a heck of a trainer, especially with kids. And I can break and train horses.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
If I hire you today where are you gonna live? How are you gonna get to work without a car? And who is gonna take care of Taylor?

Annie Garrett:
I know those are problems I need to solve, but I really need this job, Mrs. O'Brian. Please, just... gimme a chance to prove I'm worth the gamble.

Taylor Garrett:
What about Dad? How's he gonna find us?

Annie Garrett:
Honey... I don't think your Dad's lookin' for us.

Taylor Garrett:
What do you mean?

Annie Garrett:
I mean... I don't think he's comin' back.

Taylor Garrett:
But you said that he was.

Annie Garrett:
I know, I was hopin' he would. I'm sorry.

Taylor Garrett:
What did you do to make him go?

Annie Garrett:
Taylor, I didn't do anything to your Dad.

Taylor Garrett:
I don't believe you! I want my Dad!

Mary Lou O'Brian:
[Watching Annie and Tolo practice dressage] Who trained him?

Annie Garrett:
I did.

Annie Garrett:
[speaking to group] All good dancers take ballet first. And all good horseback riders first master dressage. It teaches you the control and discipline you need to become a great rider. And you know what else? Hmm? You also get to fall in love with some really great horses.

Annie Garrett:
So, tell me about Mary Lou's daughter.

Guido Levits:
Mora?

Annie Garrett:
Yeah, where is she?

Guido Levits:
Crown-Hills Cemetery.

Annie Garrett:
What happened?

Guido Levits:
Uh... got into drugs all kinds of things. Run away for days at a time. Came home pregnant once, had Colleen. Ran away again and died of an overdose.

Annie Garrett:
How old was she?

Guido Levits:
Seventeen.

Annie Garrett:
Aw... So sad.

Guido Levits:
Killed Mary Lou's marriage. Just about destroyed her. Still carries a lot of guilt. She thinks if she had been a stronger mother, Mora would have been okay.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Um... I just got off the phone with the manager over at the equestrian center, and he tells me he's got a Ross Garrett working there nights mucking stalls. Would that be your Ross Garrett?

Annie Garrett:
I'm sure it is. Look, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to anyone. I don't want Taylor to know.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
[nods head] Annie, you've done... really well here. You should be proud of yourself.

Annie Garrett:
Thank you.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Good night.

Annie Garrett:
Good night.

Annie Garrett:
[to Mary Lou] I guess she overheard our conversation and went to find her dad.

John Oaks:
And she did.

Annie Garrett:
She what?

John Oaks:
Well, from what I can piece together from what she said: He was working when she got there. Said he was going to Denver. She said she wanted to go along, he said okay. Then he went to get his stuff, saying he was gonna come back and he never showed.

Guido Levits:
I thought you should see this for yourself.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
She didn't talk to me about working with Red.

Guido Levits:
Just watch. [Nods head]

Guido Levits:
Look at that half-pass. Not bad, huh?

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Annie! [Climbs over fence]

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Who told you you could work with Red?

Annie Garrett:
No one, I just thought it would...

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Don't you *ever* interfere with the training of one of my horses again without asking me first.

Annie Garrett:
I'm sorry.

Guido Levits:
How can you be so nice to her one minute and so... scrimey the next?

Mary Lou O'Brian:
She was wrong and you know it!

Guido Levits:
For what? For tryin' to do somethin' you couldn't do? You're great Mary Lou, but you need her. The farm needs her. So quit makin' things so hard for her.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Well I'm not here to make it easy for her.

Guido Levits:
Well... I'm sorry Mary Lou. You could'a been the world's toughest mother. And it' wouldn't have helped Mora. So don't take it out on her!

Mary Lou O'Brian:
What the heck does scrimey mean?

Guido Levits:
Look it up!

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Your mama's got a good leg.

Taylor Garrett:
What's that mean?

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Well it means that she's telling Tolo what to do... with little movements in her legs.

Taylor Garrett:
Oh.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
You see? How easily he broke into that canter? Well she told him to do that with her leg. Flying lead changes... Half-pass loop...

John Oaks:
Ah, don't look now but I think that's Annie's husband back there behind the tree.

Guido Levits:
[turns and looks] Huh?

John Oaks:
No no, don't look.

Announcer:
And with a percentage of seventy-five, this puts Annie Garrett and Tolo in first place.

Guido Levits:
This qualifies Tolo.

Annie Garrett:
I know.

John Oaks:
I didn't know I had a champion in my stall that night.

Annie Garrett:
He did okay today.

John Oaks:
So did you.

Colleen O'Brian:
Annie, Annie!

Annie Garrett:
You're late. Where's Taylor?

Colleen O'Brian:
She can't get Tolo to come out of his stall.

Taylor Garrett:
Come on Tolo!

Annie Garrett:
Taylor?

Taylor Garrett:
Huh?

Annie Garrett:
You alright?

Taylor Garrett:
Yeah, it, it's just that he's not moving.

Annie Garrett:
Okay. [turns and strokes Tolo] Hey buddy. Hey there, yeah. It's okay. It's okay buddy.

Annie Garrett:
[inspects all of Tolo's body] That's a good boy. You're a good boy. Good boy. You're okay. Woah. Woah.

Annie Garrett:
Hey. [Stares worriedly into Tolo's eyes] Oh. Oh. Oh no.

Annie Garrett:
[Sniffles] Hey, it's okay.

John Oaks:
[waves opthomaloscope in front of Tolo's eyes and sighs] He's blind, Annie.

Annie Garrett:
Why?

John Oaks:
Well he's got hemoraging in both eyes, which is really rare.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
What caused it?

John Oaks:
Could be the slow deterioration of the vessels in the back of the eyes but I can't be sure.

Annie Garrett:
Is there anything you can do for him?

John Oaks:
The hemorraging attacks the retinas of both the eyes. I'm afraid it's permanent.

John Oaks:
I'm not gonna sugar-coat this, Annie. Situation like this, we usually put the horse down.

Annie Garrett:
[starts crying] But I love him so much, I... what if I don't put him down?

John Oaks:
Well I'm... I'm not saying you should. But... Well the reality is: he's not gonna be able to find his water, his food, anything. He bumps into something it's gonna terrify him. When a person goes blind you can talk to them, explain what's happening, ease their fear. A horse just doesn't understand.

Annie Garrett:
This is so hard. I need some time.

John Oaks:
Take it. You know, just see how he does, alright? [Annie replies: "yeah"] If anybody can help him, you can.

John Oaks:
I'm sorry.

Annie Garrett:
Let's show 'em, Tolo. Let's show 'em how big your heart is.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
I swear, that girl talks to horses.

Guido Levits:
Yeah, and the funny thing is they talk back.

Annie Garrett:
I know why you want Taylor in Denver. But why me?

Bonnie McCloud:
[frowns] That's a silly question.

Annie Garrett:
I don't think so.

Bonnie McCloud:
What's gotten into you?

Annie Garrett:
Just answer the question.

Bonnie McCloud:
Oh for goodness sake's, Annie, stop being melodramatic.

Annie Garrett:
Oh, I have p*ssy-footed around this for too many years, let's just get it out in the open right now, okay?

Bonnie McCloud:
I don't know what you're talking about!

Annie Garrett:
Katie's ghost. She permeates that house you call home.

Bonnie McCloud:
Why? Because I hang a few pictures of her on the walls?

Annie Garrett:
Pictures are great, but you've turned them into shrines, along with her whole bedroom!

Bonnie McCloud:
The memory of Katie lives in that room and will as long as I'm alive.

Annie Garrett:
You can cite how many ribbons she won and when she won them.

Bonnie McCloud:
Of course I can. I was there.

Annie Garrett:
How many have I won? Huh? I know you've always blamed me for Katie's death.

Bonnie McCloud:
That's a terrible thing to say.

Annie Garrett:
It's true. If I had picked up the ice-cream that night, she would still be alive.

Bonnie McCloud:
I don't blame you for that.

Annie Garrett:
Don't insult me by lying to my face. "She wasn't supposed to be driving, she was supposed to be home". That's what you said to me that night, Mother, and I heard it loud and clear.

Bonnie McCloud:
I had just lost a daughter!

Annie Garrett:
What, and I didn't lose anything?

Bonnie McCloud:
Losing a sister is not the same.

Annie Garrett:
Wrong! I lost more than Katie. That night, my mother died too. You emotionally died with her. I am trying to put away the guilt and move on with my life. Go home Mother, bury Katie, and get on with your own life. Taylor and I will be just fine.

Bonnie McCloud:
Three white, five yellow, eighteen red, and twenty-two blue.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Ribbons?

Bonnie McCloud:
[nods] The number Annie won before she left Denver.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Have you ever told Annie you know that?

Bonnie McCloud:
[shakes head]

Mary Lou O'Brian:
You know Bonnie, we've both lost a daughter. But you still have one that's very much alive. You shouldn't be afraid to love her.

Bonnie McCloud:
I think ever since Katie died, I've been afraid of everything.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
How about I call you from time to time?

Ross Garrett:
[takes Annie's hand] I wanna come back.

Annie Garrett:
Why? Do you wanna be a family again?

Ross Garrett:
We could go to Virginia. It's a great horse country. I know I could get on as barn manager at one of those farms, we'd be rollin' in dough.

Annie Garrett:
So we just... we just pull up stakes and go to Virginia?

Ross Garrett:
Well, my truck ain't runnin' right now, but if you got a little bit of cash we could... make her good as new.

Annie Garrett:
Why don't you just use my half of the $2,000 you ran off with?

Ross Garrett:
Who told you about that?

Annie Garrett:
[getting angry] Or... we could tell Taylor she's going with us, and then leave her asleep in a stall!

Ross Garrett:
Look, that was in her head. I never promised her I'd take her.

Annie Garrett:
Oh, you're pathetic! There was a time when I would've smashed your face for walking out on us, now I just feel sorry for you. Get outta here!

Ross Garrett:
[grabs Annie by the collar] You're a loser! You hear me?

[Shoves Annie into water trough]

Ross Garrett:
You think you're gonna win today? Huh? Try winning on a lame horse!

[bangs Red's leg with a shovel]

Annie Garrett:
Guido!

Annie Garrett:
[to Red] Woah, woah, it's alright. You're alright.

Guido Levits:
What is it? What happened?

Annie Garrett:
[points] He tried to cripple Red. [to Tolo] Hey, hey, it's alright. It's alright. [to Ross] Hey, wait a second. I have some papers for you to sign. You sign them, and I won't press any charges. Let's go.

Announcer:
I've just been informed that Annie Garret will be riding her other qualified horse: Tolo.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
On a blind horse who can't canter.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
Oh gosh, here it comes... she's gotta try to canter. Yes! Yes! Look at that stride, great elevation! [pause] Oh, he's running blind in traffic. It's like she's his eyes and he's her legs.

Mary Lou O'Brian:
[whispers to announcer] The winner's horse is totally blind.

Announcer:
Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've all been waiting for... This year's first place winner in the Hidden Valley Musical Freestyle is... Annie Garrett. And ladies and gentlemen, you've just witnessed a miracle. I just learned that the winner's horse Tolo, who performed so wonderfully, is totally blind.