OH MAN, YOU’RE TODD MANNING! - Todd & Blair

This is Todd and Blair’s very first scene together. Todd, very recently pardoned from prison, has just seen Rebecca and has been spurned again. Blair is upset over Max’s devotion to Luna. Both are attempting to drown their sorrows at the bar at Rodi’s sitting right next to each other. The jukebox starts to play Natalie Cole’s, Unforgettable, and they both simultaneously yell to shut it off.

TODD: Why don’t you do everybody a favor and turn that garbage off, would ya?

BLAIR: Oh man, turn that off please! (he looks at her surprised, she at him) Sounds like someone got burned. (she picks up her drink, he works on bowl of chips in front of him)

TODD: Right. (she laughs) Listen to that junk, would ya? (she laughs more) Like talking about how you should follow your heart. Nobody does, everybody's too worried about doing the right thing. Making the right choice! The choice everybody else thinks they should make, not what they want to do.

BLAIR: (very tipsy, talking more to herself) And you......and you keep watching them make the wrong choice every time. They know it. You know they know.

TODD: They can’t stop 'em, it’s all screwed up.

BLAIR: I know this guy, really beautiful.

TODD: Yeah?

BLAIR: The love of his life comes along, a chance to start all over. (very emotional) And she really loved him a lot. And he would have gone with her too, gone, gone away, except.......

TODD: See, except, there’s always an except. Go ahead, what?

BLAIR: Except there’s this accident, his wife. She was....she was hurt.

TODD: Bad?

BLAIR: Real bad. So he’ll just go back to his wife, if she’ll take him back, but not for love.

TODD: Oh no, no, no he’s gotta go ahead and do the right thing!

BLAIR: Ha! Guilt! That’s all! He goes back to her outta guilt, when he really should be.......

TODD: Yeah, he should be, right, he should be with his love, his true love, his real love. He should be with her.

BLAIR: He should be with me. (mumbling to herself, pitifully) He should be with me.

TODD: Ah, the same thing’s going on with me.

BLAIR: Really?

TODD: There’s a chick I know, right? I mean where is she, who’s she with? She’s shacking up with some dumb looking rich preppy jerk. (she laughs) Why, because everyone says, it’s the right thing for her to do, cause he’s such a nice guy.(with extreme disgust) Nice.....nice....nice wimp! (he gives a big sneer and bites down on the chip and Blair is amused) Ah, the hell with 'em, that’s what I say, right? The hell with him. (he accidently knocks her purse down, he goes to pick it up and she does too) Sorry. Sit down, sit down, I’ll get it.

BLAIR: (she gets down to the purse before he does) I already got it. (she spots his ankle monitor)

Scene break

TODD: What’s a matter you stuck down there?

BLAIR: (stands) What.....what is that on your ankle?

TODD: (trying to change subject) I’m gonna get another drink, come on I’ll buy you a drink, you want a drink?

BLAIR: That’s.....that’s one of those bracelet things, so they can monitor......moniter where you are.

TODD: Bartender! (he pounds his glass on the bar)

BLAIR: What, you some kinda convict or something? (her eyes widen) You’re on parole aren’t you......aren’t you?

TODD: (coldly looks at her) What are you looking at now?

BLAIR: Your scar, oh god! Oh man, you’re Todd Manning, I read about you. (hand to her face)

TODD: Oh yeah, you always believe what you read? Must be nice living in a world of newspapers, all your people in black and white.

BLAIR: (mumbling, fumbles in her purse for money, trying to get out quickly) I...I gotta get going.

TODD: Come on, come on, what’s your hurry? Sit down, have a drink.

BLAIR: (stuttering, scared) No, look I just gotta get home, that’s all.

TODD: Alright, fine. (getting angry) Get outta here and take your attitude with you. Who....who the hell are you anyway, you just got through telling me you were trying to steal some moron away from his wife! Only wait, let me get this straight, he wised up, he realized he didn’t want you around either, why don’t you just get off, get out of here. Big surprise, huh? Suzie home wrecker winds up alone. (he turns back to his drink)

BLAIR: Better off alone then with someone like you!

TODD: (menacing, over his shoulder to her) You want to stay here and argue?

BLAIR: (whispering, scared, pointing) You stay away from me! Stay away from me, that’s all I want. I don’t know you, I don’t know you.

TODD: What are you getting so excited about? (mocking her) I don’t know you either, why don’t you just stay away from me, huh, far away. (under his breath) You and everybody else. (she gets out of there, glancing back, he grabs her two drinks and the money she left, pockets the money and downs her drink, and puts his hand to his head in frustration)