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California Dreamin'

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California Dreamin' is the seventh episode of the first season and seventh episode overall of Reservation Dogs.

Synopsis[]

Elora Danan takes her driver's test.

Plot[]

The following episode contains sensitive material. Viewer discretion is advised.

One Year Ago

Mose and Mekko ride through the street rapping. Elora, Daniel, Willie Jack, Bear, and Cheese walk through a field as Willie Jack talks about going to Bible camp and getting hornet bites. They also had to play in a graveyard. As they approach Daniel's house, they hear fighting from inside, so Elora suggests they go for a walk. Bear can't because he has to go eat dinner with his mom. He invites them to come with if they want. Cheese can't because it's Monopoly night with his uncle. Willie Jack can't either because they're having deer stew. Elora and Daniel start walking as the others leave.

Elora looks at a poster advertising California. Cassidy breaks Elora out of her thoughts by asking if she's Elora, then asking her for an ID. Cassidy sees that her permit was revoked twice and she was ticketed for driving without a license. She's also failed her driving test three times before. She gives Elora a form to sign, then tells her the instructor will meet her outside. Cassidy tells her not to fail again and questions how she could fail three times.

Coach Bobson finds Elora waiting outside. He was her basketball coach and recalls her getting in a fight after being fouled out during a game and then walking off the court. Elora says school just wasn't for her. Bobson says she was good, though, and asks why she left. She says she had to work. She tells him she works at a casino.

Elora walks around a casino picking people's pockets.

Bobson's heartbroken to hear that. He's her driving instructor and he's tough, or so he's heard. They get into Elora's car and she wonders how she can even see out of the windshield. She also has no rearview mirror, but she pulls it out of the glove box and tapes it back into place with her new tape. He doesn't even know how to mark that down. Elora hangs a feather from the mirror and they get started.

Elora is nervous. She says it's because she was told it was the last time she could take the test, but Bobson has known people who took it ten times. Walking's underrated. Elora says she's been walking her whole life and doesn't want to walk anymore. Small towns are great, though, because there isn't a lot of traffic, but Elora's not staying here. She's going to California. He tells her she won't make it there in her car. Elora says it won't be in this car. This one's her grandma's. He asks her how Mabel is doing. As he starts to say how sweet she always was, Elora says she's still mean and barely talks to her at all anymore. Bobson says she loved Elora's mom, so he can imagine her death took a toll. Elora tries to turn on the radio, but he tells her it's a distraction.

It's time for Elora to parallel park. He tells her when she's about to hit one and she starts over. When she hits the car, she tells him just to flunk her. She starts crying and says she hasn't had anyone to teach her. He tells her to switch places with him and he'll give her a quick lesson. He struggles to park and ends up hitting the same car she hit. Then his phone rings and he goes to answer it. After talking, he continues driving and ends up pulling onto the curb before finally driving out of the space.

Bobson pulls up at a house and Elora asks what they're doing there. Bobson thinks there's criminal activity and spots a woman he believes confirms his theory. He pulls a gun out of his boot and tells Elora to wait in the car. Elora gets out her phone and sends her location to Bear, Willie Jack, and Cheese with a note in case she dies.

Daniel tries to open several car doors. Elora says he'll hit an alarm, which is why he's picking crappy cars. He's not ready to go home. Elora hears music coming from inside and tells Daniel to come with her as they don't card.

Inside, they sit down and enjoy the music. Daniel says his grandpa used to play the upright bass and was an Indian cowboy. Elora invites him to dance. They get up and she shows him how to dance.

Daniel is still dancing. He wants Elora to join, but she's ready to go home. Daniel goes back to dancing. He bumps into an older man, who asks him to be more careful. Daniel yells at the man and walks out.

Outside, Elora asks Daniel where he's going. He says he's going home, but he's going the wrong way. He admits that he can't go home, so she's just going to walk around. She says he can text her if he needs her. She says he better text her. As she walks away, he stops her and asks if she'd ever go to California with him. He's always wanted to go. She says she will.

Elora hears arguing, then a gunshot. Bobson gets back in the car and tells Elora to drive. He asks if she saw where the woman went. It's his daughter, Ashley, who looks a lot different from how Elora remembers her. A man with a wounded leg comes out and starts shooting at the car. Elora drives away.

Bobson looks around for Ashley, but doesn't spot her. Someone must have picked her up. Elora's sure she's all right. Bobson knows she doesn't want to be found. Elora offers to keep looking. She turns on music and asks him what happened to Ashley. Bobson says he taught her to walk and talk and then she started running with the wrong crowd. He couldn't stop it. She got into drugs. He hasn't seen her or heard from her in weeks. He was worried she was dead. He just shot someone in the leg. If not showing up back at work doesn't get him fired, shooting a methhead in the knee certainly will. Elora promises not to say anything. He can tell them they broke down. Bobson won't sent Elora home with a busted tail light. She knows a place that'll fix it, which doesn't surprise Bobson.

Ansel says 73% of beach litter is plastic. Kenny Boy tells him to stop talking about plastic as he greets Bobson. Bobson says they need a taillight. Ansel looks at the car and asks if they were in a shootout. Elora says it was her driver's test. Kenny spouts off some movie trivia and Bobson asks if he can have it done in an hour. Kenny Boy says they'll try.

Elora has texted Bear to ask if he wants to meet at the hideout, but he says everyone is spent and will probably just go home. She has another text from Jackie, from two days ago. Bobson comes and tosses a ball to Elora, which she easily shoots into the hoop. She says it's in her blood. He says her mom could shoot and they're a lot alike. Elora says that's probably where she got her attitude. Bobson agrees and says Cookie also gave her her smile and caring heart. Elora claims she doesn't care as she makes another basket. Bobson says of course she cares. She was just his getaway driver. Elora asks if Bobson knows what happened to her mother. No one ever told her, so she doesn't know, beyond that it was a wreck. Bobson says they were drinking. They all were, including Bobson. They tried to get Rodney not to drive. They were dating. Uncle Brownie and Rodney fought about it. But Rodney drove anyway and wrecked the car. Cukoce. That's what Cookie used to call him. She said it meant "great white warrior" or something like that. She used to yell it. Losing friends like that is hard. Bobson starts to cry. They grew up together. There's before they died and after and there's ripples in between.

Elora goes to Daniel's window with catfish, but he's not there.

Bear's in class when he gets a text. It's Elora, asking if Daniel decided to go to class. He looks at Daniel's empty desk and says no.

Elora walks into the hideout and looks around. She walks out and goes into another building, where she finds Daniel's body hanging. She starts crying as she runs over and tries to hold him up by his feet.

Elora sniffles and Bobson puts his arm around her. Kenny Boy and Ansel approach and tell them the car is ready. He also fixed the rearview mirror. Bobson asks how much they owe. Kenny Boy says they don't want riches, which he claims is a quote and then says they'll take $20, which Bobson pays, with a $20 tip.

Elora drops Bobson off at home. He thanks her for the ride and she thanks him for paying for the taillight. He says he'll turn in the paperwork for her test tomorrow. He congratulates her on passing and wishes her luck in California. Elora leans out the window and tells him that Cukoce actually means toilet, not great white warrior. Bobson laughs. He's told that to so many people and no one ever corrected him. Her mom had a sense of humor.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Take action for yourself and be there for others.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Notes and Trivia[]

Gallery[]

Episode Stills[]

See Also[]

A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here.

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