T&B First Meet at Rodi's


Todd and Blair are both at Rodi's, both hurting over Rebecca and Max respectively.  Blair is sitting at the bar when Todd walks over, wanting to take the seat next to her.

Todd: Excuse me...excuse me, is somebody sitting here?
Blair: (lost in her own thoughts, doesn't seem to hear Todd)
Todd: Pardon me but is somebody sitting here or not?
Blair: No, go ahead -- no one.
Todd: Gee, thanks.  (sits down)
Blair: (ignoring Todd, still caught up in her own misery)  No one at all.

Another Rodi's customer turns on the jukebox, and the song is Natalie Cole's duet with her father, Nat King Cole, of the song "Unforgettable." Todd and Blair both have the same reaction to the song...it's hardly the kind of thing that two losers in love are keen on hearing.

Blair: (disgusted)  Oh, man --
Todd: (snapping at the offending Rodi's customer)  Why don't you do everybody a favor and turn that garbage off, would ya'?

The song continues to play despite Todd's protest. Blair casts a look at Todd, noticing him for the first time since he sat down next to her.

Blair: Sounds like someone got burned.
Todd: Fried.
Blair: (laughs)
Todd: Listen to that junk, would you? Everybody talking about how you should follow your heart. Nobody does, everybody's too worried about doing the right thing -- making the right choice.
Blair: Yeah.
Todd: A choice everybody else thinks they should make, not what they want to do.
Blair: And you -- and you keep watching them make the wrong choice every time. They know it. You know they know.
Todd: You can't stop them. It's all screwed up.
Blair: Yeah.  (wistfully)  I know this guy -- really beautiful --
Todd: Yeah?
Blair: Yeah. The love of his life comes along -- a chance to start all over.  (she shakes her head sadly)  She really loved him a lot. You know, 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 was this accident. His wife -- 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: No, no, no. He's got to go ahead and do "the right thing."  (rolls eyes)
Blair: Out of guilt. That's all. He goes back to her out of 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: (whispers)  He should be with me. He should be with me.
Todd: Oh, the same thing's going on with me.
Blair: Really?
Todd: There's this chick I know, right? Only where is she? Who's she with? She's shacking up with some dumb-looking, rich, preppy jerk. And why? Because everybody says it's the right thing for her to do because he's such a nice guy. He's such a nice, nice, nice wimp.  (pause)  Eh, to hell with them. That's what I say, right, to hell with them.

To emphasize his remarks, Todd smacks his hand down on the bar and ends up knocking Blair's purse to the ground. He's immediately apologetic, but Blair acts like it's not a big deal.

Todd: Sorry.
Blair: (getting out of her seat to get the purse)  No, no...
Todd: Sit down, I'll get it.
Blair: I already got it.

Blair stoops down to the floor and, while she's getting her purse, she spots Todd's ankle bracelet -- the electronic one that monitors where he is at all times -- the mark of a recently released ex-con. Realization dawns on Blair's face.

--end scene--

Todd: What's the matter, you stuck down there?
Blair: (hastily stands up, purse in hand)  What -- what is that on your ankle?
Todd: (trying to change the subject)  I'm going to get another drink. Can I buy you another drink? You want a drink?
Blair: That's one of those bracelet things so they can monitor where you are.
Todd: (slamming his hand down on the bar)  Bartender!
Blair: Are you some kind of convict or something?  (thinks for a moment, studying him)  Wait. You're on parole, aren't you?
Todd: What are you looking at now?
Blair: Your scar. Oh, God. Oh, man, you're Todd Manning. I read about you.
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: (starts going through her purse trying to find money to pay for her drink)  I got to get going.
Todd: Come on, come on, what's your hurry? Sit down, have a drink.
Blair: Look, no, I've just got to get home, that's all.
Todd: All right, fine! Get out of here and take your attitude with you. 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 get on? Get out of here.  (scoffs)  Big surprise, huh? Susie Homewrecker ends up alone.
Blair: Better off alone than with someone like you!!
Todd: (looking at Blair coldly)  You want to stay here and argue?
Blair: You -- you stay away from me.  (shaking her finger at Todd)  Stay away from me. That's all I want. I don't know you. I don't know you!
Todd: Well, then, what are you getting so excited about?  (imitates Blair, shaking his finger in the air)  "I don't know you." Well, I don't know you either! Why don't you just stay away from, me, huh? Far away! You and everybody else!

Blair walks out of Rodi's and Todd stays behind, drinking.

--end scene--



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