INT. BAR - NIGHT

Marty is tossing peanuts into a glass held by a pretty BARTENDER.

BARTENDER That was really close.

MARTY This one's going in.

Marty grabs a handful of peanuts.

MARTY (CONT'D) It's a numbers game.

He laughs as he tosses them all at the bartender, who laughs.

BARTENDER Three out of twenty four ain't bar.

MARTY These are not regulation peanuts.

BARTENDER Good point. If they had been properly commissioned peanuts--

MARTY --The whole handful would have gone in--

BARTENDER --Absolutely.

(to others) Last call.

MARTY I don't have to go home, but I got to get the hell out of here, alright?

BARTENDER You okay?

MARTY Yeah, I'm fine.

BARTENDER Yeah? Why don't you stick around, tell me what's wrong?

MARTY I had a great time. This has been so much fun. This is exactly what I needed.

(MORE)

MARTY (CONT'D) You pouring me the drinks, me drinking the drinks.

(laughs) But, I don't really know you. I don't want to be rude, it's I don't think I should start ...

BARTENDER Why don't I catch you up? I'm 26 years old ...

MARTY Hold on a second ...

He grabs a straw and starts taking notes.

BARTENDER Oh, you're gonna take notes--

MARTY --I gotta get this down--

BARTENDER --26 years old--

MARTY --26--

BARTENDER I was born and raised in L.A .. Divorced parents. Lived with my mom--

MARTY --that old chestnut--

BARTENDER --uh, huh. I've had three serious relationships--

MARTY --wow--

BARTENDER --two I ended, one who broke my heart. Like the bumper sticker says, "I'd rather be surfing." Dogs, not cats--

MARTY - - fuck cats--

BARTENDER --yeah--

26.

MARTY --Hate cats--

BARTENDER --gross--

MARTY Why'd God make them?

BARTENDER My favorite Bronte sister is ... Charlotte.

MARTY You have a favorite Bronte sister.

BARTENDER It's because I was a lit major at Yale.

MARTY But it does raise an interesting question?

BARTENDER Why is an Ivy League hocking drinks at a dive bar in Mar Vista?

MARTY You've been asked this before.

BARTENDER Yes, I have. A lot.

MARTY And ... you answer ... ?

BARTENDER I say that I don't know. But I'm happy.

MARTY That's emotionally healthy.

BARTENDER Yeah. Thank you.

(chuckles) You say it like it's a bad thing.

MARTY No, no. Somebody said something to me earlier today ... that's a good answer. That's a very good thing. Emotionally healthy.

27.

Thank you. (beat)

BARTENDER

Now you're stalling. Bare your soul.

MARTY I don't want to play.

BARTENDER Why?

MARTY I think the only reason you've been talking to me is because you think I'm a decent person and if I start unpacking my soul ... you're gonna hate me.

BARTENDER I'll hate you if you don't bare your soul.

MARTY Um ... I had a huge professional setback today. Somebody who I trusted, somebody who I respected singled me out and spun me around and stabbed me right in the back.

BARTENDER God, that's awful. I'm sorry.

MARTY Shit, I probably deserved it. I have a ten year old, who hasn't spoken to me in four days. I made a bad decision and ... there are consequences, right? His childhood is ... he's had so much thrown at him, and he's always just taken it in stride, you know? Smiled, a little song and dance, he's a musical theatre geek--

BARTENDER --that's very cute.

MARTY He didn't really shrug this one off like I'd hoped, and I haven't really been able to help with him. I'm so dug in at work.

BARTENDER Fathers' get busy. It doesn't mean they don't want to be with their--

28.

MARTY --no, it's not ... no, I was busy, I was busy, I am busy. Work. There's a lot of pressing issues at work. But that's how I want it. Because I know what I'm doing ... at work. And at home, with him, I don't have a fucking clue. I love him, I really do. I love him so fucking much. I'm just ... I'm failing him, and I know it, and I can't stop it. And I've said too much.

BARTENDER No, not at all.

MARTY Thank you. I'm gonna take off. I appreciate it--

BARTENDER --actually, are you hungry at all?

MARTY Arn I hungry?

BARTENDER

29.

Yeah, because I'm starving, and I don't know your stance on hamburgers, but I know a place where you can get like the best hamburger of your life. ..... ______________________________ .., f '40

INT. BARTENDER'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The bartender and Marty finish having

MARTY Wow. That was a great

Yeah, you, too.

No thank

BARTENDER I'm a total