Filmmaking / Directing : WOUNDED WARRIOR - The Long Journey Home by William Colby

WOUNDED WARRIOR - The Long Journey Home This is Rand Walker's Story. The re-writes and edits to the script continue. But, tonight, an interesting topic surfaces and gets developed into the script: A WAR IN OUR TIME. For the generations of people born at the end of the Vietnam War and later, the concept of war was remote. Wars were land-based. Nations feuded over disputed territory. Land-based imperialism and domination were the impetus for such wars. Even the Spanish Inquisition involved taking over lands, with the pretext of religious conversion, for the sake of an imperial king. The world is now engaged in an insidious, unmitigated war of ideologies. It is not a land-based war. It is still the typical war of capitalism versus socialism. But layered into that bloody fabric is a war of mutated religious ideologies. I think that I am like most people born after the late Sixties. I studied the historical wars of the ages. War was a far away place and time. I never thought that I would witness a WAR IN OUR TIME. Straight from the script, here is an interesting conversation between Rand and his Aunt Janet, just after his mother's funeral. They talk about this concept. And it is still amazing. We have....a war in our time. INT. BARN AT WALKER RANCH - LATER Rand stands outside horse stall, leaning on gate, petting horse. Hanging lanterns cast a warm glow in the barn. Sound of rain TAPPING on metal roof of barn ECHOES inside barn. Sliding door to barn opens. Janet Harris walks through, turns around to close door, and approaches Rand. She hugs him and leans against gate. Caresses horse with Rand. JANET HARRIS Hey, son. Everybody is wondering where you went. You doing alright? RAND WALKER Just needed to get away. Came out here to check on my girl. JANET HARRIS Boy, it’s just you and me now. I already miss your mom. She was a fine lady. You know, you were the best thing that ever happened to her. I remember when we were growing up, she always wanted to be a mother. She knew exactly what she wanted - to live on a ranch, be a mom, and a wife. RAND WALKER Thank you for being here and for helping out in the last few weeks. I don’t know how I would have done this without you. JANET HARRIS Glad to help out. It’s what Marilyn wanted. She needed to know that you would not be alone, to deal with her passing all by yourself. Honey, I will be around for a few more days. Then, I have to return to Denver. My patients are probably wondering what happened to me. RAND WALKER Hey, I will drive you home. I am deploying back to Afghanistan late next week. Flying out of Denver. JANET HARRIS That would be wonderful. Be just like old times and a great way to decompress from such a difficult two weeks. So, what made you decide to go back? RAND WALKER Guess I have always been a soldier at heart. There is still work to be done. My troops need me. JANET HARRIS Times have changed, boy. I remember the Vietnam War. And your grandfather fought in World War Two. But this war is different. It is a war of ideologies and not a war among nations. That’s what makes it so dangerous and unpredictable. You never know where the enemy is coming from or where the next battle will be fought. RAND WALKER A war in our time. I remember learning about the Civil War, World War One and Two, the Korean War, and Vietnam. For my generation, war was a historical topic. It was something not experienced first-hand by my peers. Until Desert Storm. I never thought that I would witness a war in my time. And I certainly never thought I would be engaged in combat. But this war was brought to us. We had no choice but to act. JANET HARRIS I understand, honey. But it doesn’t make it any easier for me to see you go. Hey, do you trust leaving the ranch in the hands of Ashley? Think she can manage this by herself? RAND WALKER Yes. I mean, we have good people here. Loyal and hard-working staff who have been around since my grandparents ran the place. Ashley just needs to keep an eye on things. They know what they are doing. JANET HARRIS Boy, you just be careful. What you do is so dangerous. Your mother would call me crying every time you deployed. She never stopped worrying about you. Please, tell me this is your last deployment. You need to come home to stay. Time for you to start a family and continue your family’s ranching legacy. RAND WALKER I will, Aunt Janet. I will. Just as soon as my mission is complete. Hell, next time you come back, this ranch will be full of little Walker cowboys. Rand hugs Janet. They stand there watching the horses in the stall as THUNDER from the rainstorm REVERBERATES off the walls of the barn.