INT. "BABY BARE" STRIP BAR — AFTERNOON

               Dick and Carl walk in.  A neon light, "BABY BARE" glows over
               a worn but cared for bar.  This is not a gentleman’s club.
               Neon lights, smoke, bottles of beer and breasts abound.  

                                   DANCING GIRL
                         Hey Richard, how you doing Sweetie?
                         You too Carl.

               Carl picks up two beers and expends the most money on the
               girls.  Carl ogles breasts.  Dick smiles at the girls.

                                   CARL
                         When did Sara start calling you
                         Richard?

                                   DICK
                         Last week I told her, I like it
                         better.

                                   CARL
                         You hound.  Twenty eight day break,
                         starting today, hell of a deal for
                         you, Dick.  And now strippers know
                         your real name.

                                   DICK (POINTS AT EMPTY BOTTLE)
                         Your round.

                                   CARL (WAVES TO WAITRESS)
                         What I wouldn’t give to have 28
                         days from Susan.

                                   DICK
                         I’ll go visit as much as I can.

                                   CARL
                         And ruin your vacation?

                                   DICK
                         Vacation?

                                   CARL
                         You earned time off for good
                         behavior.  She really hung you out
                         to dry.  Chase a few.  Get drunk.
                         Get laid.  Get happy.  I have to
                         say it, Stop saving that bitch.

                                   DICK
                         I did what I had to do.

               More beers arrive and both men kill the previous bottle.

                                   CARL
                         Had to do?  Fuck that, you could
                         have gone to jail for being stupid.

                                   DICK
                         Why doesn’t anyone get that she’s
                         my wife?

                                   CARL
                         Have you ever even looked at
                         another woman?

                                   DICK
                         There was one woman.  God she was
                         amazing.  Flirted with me at a
                         party the night of the arrest.

               Dick pulls out Alex’s match book.

               Carl offers Dick a cigarette.  He hesitates and gives in.

                                   CARL
                         Are you going to call her?

                                   DICK
                         Wish I could.

                                   CARL
                         Take it, she won’t smell a thing;
                         in treatment they all smoke.

                                   DICK
                         Yes, she will.

                                   CARL
                         See, busts your balls every day.

                                   DICK
                         It’s just part of being married,
                         compromising, making marriage work.

                                   CARL
                         Being compromised, you mean.

                                   DICK
                         Mom was hard on Dad, women are hard
                         on men, Susan can be hard on you.

                                   CARL
                         I love Susan, have since I don’t
                         remember when, but I don’t let her
                         control me like Jane does you.

                                   DICK (A BIT PISSED)
                         I’m here, naked chicks, tits, ass,
                         cigs, beer.  I still have nuts.

                                   CARL
                         Jane know you are here?

                                   DICK
                         Susan know you are?

               Resolutely, they touch glasses and take a swig.

                                   CARL
                         You’re a good guy, better than me,
                         get someone who won’t use you.

               Dick ignores him.

               A dancer moves close to Dick and spins around his chair.
               Dick smiles into her eyes and Carl leers lower.  Dick offers
               up his dollar and gets a sweet kiss on the cheek and whisper.

               DANCER (WHISPERS IN DICK’S EAR)

               He’s right sweetie; you are one of the good guys.  The dancer
               moves away, smiling her best for the next table.

                                   CARL
                         So, why do you take the beating?

                                   DICK
                         Cause you stick.  My parents did.
                         Dad was a pain in the ass and Mom
                         had an affair, They stuck.  Same
                         for Jane and I, she’ll get better.
                         Everyone gets better.

               Dick drowns the moment in a big drink and recollects himself.

                                   DICK (CONT’D)
                         Besides, with treatment, who knows
                         how she will come out.

                                   CARL
                         Mean as a snake and wanting a
                         drink.

                                   DICK
                         And she still won’t let me smoke.

               Carl offers Dick another smoke and Dick lights up, waves the
               waitress over, and holds the bottle up for a toast with Carl.

                                   DICK (CONT’D)
                         To twenty eight days, Baby.