That moment at the end?
There is a moment at the very end of this film that mystifies me, and none of the reviews I've read have commented on it. Billy (Stacy Keach) and Ernie (Jeff Bridges) are having a cup of coffee together and discussing how terrible it would be to be the old man behind the counter. Then Billy looks out into the cafe. Suddenly everything freezes and the sound goes quiet. We zoom in on Billy's eyes and then we cut to his point of view as he scans from one table full of black men gambling to another. Then motion resumes and the sound comes back on. Ernie says he has to go, Billy begs him to stay, Ernie agrees, and the film ends with Billy staring into space with a funny little smile that fades into a sad, vacant expression.
The moment I just described seems pregnant with meaning -- it comes at the end and stands out from the rest of the film like a sore thumb. But what is the meaning? I can't suss it out for the life of me.
Any thoughts?