Superbly acted, although marginalised in both the film and the short story, I like the character of Alma. Although I don't agree with some viewers that she is as much of a victim as our two heroes or even Lureen.
It's interesting that when the first postcard arrives from Jack, she passes it on to Ennis, but there is just the slightest inclination in her voice when she asks Ennis does he know someone called Jack? .
I don't want to be crude, but does she know, because Ennis is shown to take her from behind, or because she just knows.
I think that this element of her character is important. She seems very perceptive.
After she witnesses the reunion embrace, she is clearly is in misery - the shock of it all ages her years in seconds. When we see Alma collecting another postcard from Jack years later, (Anyone know what it says?) She initially hides it in depths of the paper and other mail on the counter, and presumably could quite easily just get rid of the postcard so Ennis never reads it. Is this is a bit similar to the fishing equipment - the ones she knows are not used for fishing, but writes a note on anyway, in a futile attempt to be proven wrong, but displaying the strength of character that she needs to know the truth?
This contrasts so powerfully with Ennis and all 'them things' about Jack that he doesn't know, or more importantly chooses not to.
Anyone else notice that when each man is saying their respective goodbyes, Jack kisses Lureen on the mouth, who, although questions why Jack's friend can't come down to Texas, doesn't seem unduly concerned by it all. Alma on the other hand remains detached, staccato from the situation. There is no embrace between Ennis and Alma as he heads off for his 'fishing trip'.