Mumford Page #10

EXT. REAR VERANDA, BROCKETT HOUSE - MAGIC

They come out onto the wide porch, which commands a

spectacular view of the surrounding countryside. There's an

elaborate bar cart out here, which Althea points Mumford

toward.

ALTHEA:

I'm awful I know, but will you please

help yourself. I just got a new copper

sauciere from Williams-Sonoma and

I'm afraid it'll be the death of us

all if I don't get back in there...

She disappears inside with a bang of the screen door. Mumford

gets a drink for himself, taking in the view. He sees

something out there.

MUMFORD'S POV:
Way in the distance, coming out of the woods

and down toward the house is a teenage boy.

KATIE (O.S.)

You're the doctor, aren't you?

Mumford turns to see that Althea's thirteen year old daughter

KATIE has silently appeared. Her jeans and little tee-shirt

are meant to be sexy; it seems sad on her. Mumford nods.

MUMFORD:

You must be Katie. People call me

Doc.

KATIE:

(motioning urgently)

C'mere. Quick... c'mon!

Mumford follows as she disappears around the corner of the

porch.

INT. SIDE HALL, BROCKETT HOUSE - MAGIC

Mumford follows Katie into a gloomy hall from a side entrance.

Here too, the walls are lined with boxes. She tiptoes to one

of two facing doors and waits for him.

When he has joined her, she motions him back a foot for

safety, then carefully opens the door to a large walk-in

closet. Katie's caution becomes understandable: the space is

packed so fully and chaotically with catalogue item cartons

that it might come tumbling out the door with one careless

move. Katie closes the door, then pirouettes to the opposing

door, which she swings open freely -- REVEALING: what was

once a study is now completely filled with hundreds of

cartons, in an infinite variety of shapes and sizes.

Mumford is taken aback. Katie points at packages and speaks

in a hypnotic WHISPER --

KATIE:

Cuddledown... Linen & Lace... Scully

& Scully... Smith & Hawken... Plow &

Hearth... Museum of Modern Art...

Smithsonian Museum... J. Crew...

Wolferman's... Hold Everything...

Nieman Marcus... Coldwater Creek...

Garnett Hill... Norm Thompson...

Victoria's Secret... Sharper Image...

Hammacher Schlemmer...

EXT. REAR VERANDA, BROCKETT HOUSE - MAGIC

Just as Mumford and Katie come back around the corner, MARTIN,

Althea's sixteen year old son, crosses the yard and comes up

onto the porch. He's wearing an old black leather jacket

with a lot of zippers, dirty jeans and black Converse All-

Stars that are coming apart. In his hand, casually but

properly held, is a .22 caliber rifle. He looks Mumford over.

MARTIN:

Is this him?

KATIE:

(nods)

I showed him.

MARTIN:

(to Mumford)

Do you get it now? This is no joke.

Mumford takes them both in and nods. He understands. Suddenly,

their manner changes, for the worse. What they can see that

Mumford cannot is JEREMY BROCKETT, Althea's husband, who has

come to the back screen door, with the bustle of a late

arrival.

JEREMY:

Hey, kids. Oh, hi.

Seeing Mumford, Jeremy steps out onto the porch to shake his

hand. Jeremy is quite handsome and a fantastic dresser; his

Armani outfit cost $4200 all in. His tone: hearty and strained --

JEREMY:

You must be Dr. Mumford of Mumford.

Jeremy Brockett.

MUMFORD:

Doc. Nice to meet you.

JEREMY:

Sorry I'm late... traffic was a

motherf***er. Have another drink,

I'll be back in five.

Jeremy goes inside. Martin and Katie exchange a look with

each other, then to Mumford. Martin goes inside.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. REAR VERANDA, BROCKETT HOUSE - NIGHT

LATER. Dinner is over. Jeremy comes out onto the veranda

carrying two Cuban cigars. His casual outfit is as stylish

and pricey as his work outfit. He joins Mumford and Althea,

who immediately gets up.

ALTHEA:

I'll be back.

She goes inside. The men each have a snifter of cognac. Jeremy

makes a ceremony of cutting the cigars --

JEREMY:

I think you'll like this. Know much

about Cuban cigars?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes