Opie, How Come Your Hair So Red?

[Opening scene, the Taylor home, Opie, quietly, in Andy's bedroom] there is an old color photo in a cigar box, opie is looking at it, at home one day] a man and a woman smiling, looking at one another. opie puts it away carefully, just like always.]

[cut to Outdoors scene, a long ago summer's day scene] a man and a woman sitting alongside the road. she was perched on a large rock, and he was seated against it, leaning back against her. her red hair shone in the sun, and her dress was showing her to be shapely, and relaxed. he was dressed
more plainly, but neat, maybe a uniformed shirt, unbuttoned. it was humid,
sultry, especially if not used to the way it feels in the south. the air, thick with honeysuckle, comes up in the breeze. an occasional truck would pass, wheels whine on for a mile or more as it moves on in the distance.
they sit quietly, like they needed to figure some things out, what to do.
like more has happened than they know what to do about right yet. At some point the woman's hand gently runs through the top of the man's curls. He
feels comforted, then reluctant. ] music fades in, fades out

[cut to another hot summer day, perhaps 7 or 8 years later.
About a quarter mile by foot from the same highway, young opie and howard, seated along the bank, fishing poles stretched out toward the water]

[howard and opie, fishing quietly, idle small talk, relaxed. sunshine, cool breezes.]

[opie, briefly remembering a question at school--- "Opie, How come your hair's so red?"]

opie: (sighs, thinking, then speaks) my aunt bee said my ma's hair was red like mine. I seen a picture of her once. she was pretty. real pretty. and she wore clothes that I never seen much around these parts. real fancy like.

howard: yes, ope. I remember your ma. she was a real sparkle. she come
into town with another man, and they got into a tussle, and he left her here. your pa looked after her, and things got serious. (thinks to say more, but falls silent, thinking to himself)

opie: pa don't ever say much about her. and I don't feel it my place to
ask. I guess he'll talk some about her some day.


howard: my goodness, look at the time. pull up your line, opie. I have
a lodge meeting tonight. and I told your pa and floyd I'd pick 'em up.

opie: if you don't mind, I'll stay here awhile.

howard: well, I guess you're old enough to be trusted. you sure?

opie: yeah, sure. I'll be fine. besides, it's my turn to catch one.

howard packs up his things and takes the trail back to the highway.
(thinking, he may have said too much, worrying about how andy would react, were he to find out)

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alternate ending of scene .....
howard (as he packs up his gear, quckly) : get your ass in the truck, opie.
and don't you bring up that woman to me ever again!