A Fine Step

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1

( SOFT MUSIC PLAYING )

CLAIRE (V.O.):

They say when someone close leaves you...

you lose a part of yourself.

I believe that.

Whoever said it, though...

forgot to mention if that

part ever comes back.

( SOFT MUSIC CONTINUES )

( AUDIENCE APPLAUDS )

ANNOUNCER (OVER PA): We're now

left with our two finalists...

the first of which is Marzo

Bolivar riding El Diablo.

A misstep.

( MUSIC CONTINUES )

( AUDIENCE APPLAUDS )

Come on, babe.

ANNOUNCER (OVER P.A.): And now,

four-time consecutive champ...

Cal Masterson riding Fandango.

ANNOUNCER (OVER P.A.): And this year's

winner is, for a fifth consecutive time...

Cal Masterson and Fandango.

( MUSIC FADES DOWN )

Hey.

Oh, hey. Sorry, I was, uh,

I was just thinking.

About what? Where you're gonna

put your next trophy?

No. I was actually thinking

about retiring.

Serious?

Yeah. I'm gonna be 45

before the next Cup.

I got five titles in a row. I was thinking

now might be a good time to cash it in.

On the other hand, a final competition,

me and Fandango, six?

No horse in the world's

ever won six.

Well, I think six would be a mighty

fine retirement record, Cal.

We'll keep you around for the

day-to-day stuff, though.

Maybe a little raise

in there, too?

I don't want to get too crazy.

I'll be done

in about ten minutes.

Let's grab a hotdog on the way out.

Yeah.

Why don't you go grab it now? I'll finish

up here. Yeah, take Maggie with you.

I don't want you getting stuck at the concession

stand yappin' to some little filly all day.

Me?

You want anything else?

Nah, I'll be all right.

Okay. Will you help me

walk in this mud?

MAN (O.S.):
Hey. Oh, no. Oh, no.

Look out! Hey! Look out!

( STOMPING )

FEMALE (OVER P.A.): Dr. Davis, telephone,

please. Dr. Davis, telephone, please.

Good. Doing a lot better.

You really had us worried there

for the first few days.

How you feeling?

Like I've been in an accident.

Good.

Good?

I, uh, hear you do some work

with, uh, horses.

I ride a five-time

world champ Paso Fino.

Going for six this year.

Not anymore, I'm afraid.

Now that hand will heal, but the

real damage is in your leg.

That won't. Not for the strain

of riding anymore.

What're you saying?

I'm telling you that you're a

very lucky man. You're alive.

I'm gonna be back in a little while, and...

try and get some rest.

FEMALE (OVER P.A.): Dr. Davis, telephone,

please. Dr. Davis, telephone, please.

Fandango?

He's fine.

No, don't try to get out.

Honey, it's gonna be okay.

You can still have

the stud farm.

I still have you.

I know.

Life has a funny way.

Look, you heard the doctor.

You're lucky.

I come close. That's the

closest I ever been.

Makes you think.

What do you mean?

No. I...

I'm just saying stuff.

Why don't you just sleep

for a while?

( GROANS )

( SOFT MUSIC PLAYING )

FEMALE (OVER P.A.): Dr. Davis, telephone,

please. Dr. Davis, telephone, please.

They're trying to close the lid on my

coffin before I've even had a chance.

Listen to this.

"Renowned trainer and rider,

Cal Masterson...

who was hospitalized after a debilitating

accident several weeks ago, has retired.

Doctors have confirmed that he

will not be able to ride...

for a possible sixth victory in

next year's Paso Fino World Cup."

What's that writer's name?

Garret Jobody.

Well, I hope he gets hit

by a Mack truck.

Cal!

What? Have you read

this garbage?

No... and for good reason.

I tell you, somebody's

dancing a jig right now.

( OPERA MUSIC FADES UP )

It's good news, no?

Why you wish ill will

to people? It's a bad habit.

Get out of it. So,

he's your rival? So, what?

Maybe he's half dead now.

Show a little respect.

I think it's terrible

what happened.

It's tragic.

Should we send something?

We'll send flowers.

Yeah. Lily's.

Anyone know about the horses?

He's fine.

Aren't you supposed to be at

a piano lesson or something?

Um, I canceled.

Papa, I thought maybe I could work

with the horses a little bit more.

Well, you had the whole morning

to do that, Lily. I don't know.

All my life,

I tried to create options.

That's all I wanted... options,

for both of you. That's all.

You play the piano.

You go to China.

It's immaterial to me.

Lily, take the time now.

Just improve yourself

a little. That's all.

As a lady would do.

Yeah. Come on, Lily.

You know any real handlers

out there?

You should thank me for taking care

of the horses you get to ride.

Papa. Papa, you know I am better

than anyone with these horses.

You know, I try to choose

what's best for both of you.

If I fail, I fail. So be it.

You're not a stable boy.

I give you your time. These

horses eat while I sleep.

You eat while I sleep.

You make an agreement

with me, just stick to it.

That's all I ask.

Okay.

I can move on

with my life. I can.

She's as stubborn as a horse.

Show disrespect to her again.

Come on! In front of me.

Could you do what

she did on a horse?

She was half your age.

Hey. And send the flowers.

Okay.

Okay, come on, honey.

You're a stubborn old man.

I ain't old yet.

The truck's pulled up.

Look at you.

You look like Mad Max.

Yeah. All right.

Come on, let's get you

out of here.

No, the last I saw, they were

right behind us. Yeah.

I'm here right now.

Okay. Okay, well,

I'll see you in five.

Sorry, honey,

we're a little off track.

What?

I said, "We're a little off

track." I'm sorry.

I'm not in a rush to get there.

Oh, come on, sweetheart.

This'll be good for us,

I promise.

( WHINNIES)

( SOFT MUSIC PLAYING )

Look at that. Looks like that

old Murphy ranch finally sold.

Yeah. Bet the new owners want me

to fix that property line fence.

Okay.

Let's saddle up Fandango.

Now you're getting ahead

of yourself, there, Cal.

He ain't gonna let me

ride him yet.

Ah, just gonna walk him

around a few laps.

( SOFT MUSIC PLAYING )

Howdy, Miss.

Oh, that's all right.

Come on, you can have a gander.

This here's, uh, Fandango.

Fandango.

I guess that makes me

your new neighbor.

I'm Cal Masterson.

You're the Cal Masterson?

Well...

Five World Cup wins.

I'm Claire.

So nice to meet you.

You, too.

How's your leg?

Oh, it's, uh, it's fine.

I'm healing up real good.

You know a thing or two

about horses, do you?

Oh, yeah. Everything.

Top of the head is the pole...

and the crest behind that down

to the withers is the croup.

And the hindquarters down

to the gaskin is the hock.

Well, I guess you do know

a thing or two about 'em.

You do some riding?

Never ridden before.

Well, wait a minute.

You... you love horses,

but you've never ridden?

There's something wrong

with that.

You know, you ought to come

over here sometime. We'll tr...

I hope Claire isn't trying to

tell you how to keep your horses.

Uh, no, no. She... she's got her

head screwed on pretty straight.

Mason Scott...

I'm your new neighbor.

I'm, uh, Cal Masterson.

You ranching over there?

No, I'm a developer.

Retired.

Semi-retired. I still dabble

here and there.

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