EXT. NEWSPAPER OFFICE — HOLLYWOOD — DAY

Another beautiful day in sunny Southern California. The blue sky is tinged with gray smog on the horizon.

INT. NEWSPAPER OFFICE — HOLLYWOOD — DAY

The newsroom buzzes with typical late-afternoon activity. A twentysomething hipster with corduroy pants and a fauxhawk, JASON, walks down a row of desks carrying a file folder. He stops at the last desk.

Sitting there is a pasty, tired-looking young man, also mid-twenties: DAN. Dan balances a ham sandwich on his knee and browses the Internet.

JASON
So, what’d you think of the game?

DAN
I liked it.

JASON
What do you mean, you liked it?

DAN
I mean I liked the game. It was good.

JASON
So you’re a Steelers fan?

DAN
No, not really.

JASON
No?

DAN
Couldn’t name a single player, much less positions, stats, etc.

JASON
So why’d you like the game?

DAN
I don’t know, it was a good game.

JASON
Yeah, you said that, except how can you think it’s good if you didn’t even care who won?

DAN
I don’t know. It was just good, is all.

JASON
(beat)
Did you watch the game?

DAN
(instantly)
No.

JASON
Not at all?

DAN
No.

JASON
Highlights? Recaps? SportsCenter?

DAN
No, no, and only in front of men I’ve just met so they’ll think I’m normal.

JASON
So nothing?

DAN
Well, Yahoo had the final score and footage of the commercial with Jessica Simpson, so I feel I got the full effect of the game without having to actually, you know, sit through it.

JASON
Huh.

DAN
Yeah.

JASON
Well …

DAN
Yeah.

Jason stares at the folder in his hands for a moment.

JASON
Well, I should get this over to …

DAN
Yeah.

JASON
But I’ll see you later.

DAN
Yeah.

Jason walks away.

[END.]