Mumford Page #19

SERIES OF SHOTS:
computer records scrolling rapidly, paper

files being pulled, documents being routed.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

I guess the standards weren't too

high there, because my superiors got

excited and pushed me to take the

advancement tests...

INT. YMCA GYM - NIGHT

An intense basketball game. The ball zips from behind camera

(Mumford) to an older guy, MUMFORD'S SUPERVISOR, under the

basket; he lays it in easily, then comes over to high-five.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

One guy in particular thought I should

be a Revenue Officer. There was more

money to be made as your

classification went up. Which had a

lot of appeal to me...

INT. KITCHEN TABLE, MUMFORD'S CITY APARTMENT (PAST) - NIGHT

A COCAINE MILL is loaded with white chunks and screwed shut

in MUMFORD'S POV; the steady grinding begins. Spread across

the messy kitchen table is the regular user's paraphernalia.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

...since, even though I was certain

I could stop anytime I wanted, I had

developed a real affection for

cocaine. It was my favorite hobby I

had ever had.

INT. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OFFICES - DAY

MUMFORD'S POV SHIFTS around the office. First, he's looking

at an irate TAXPAYER yelling across a desk at a REVENUE

OFFICER, who remains unruffled --

MUMFORD (V.O.)

But I sure didn't want to be a Revenue

Officer, where you were face to face

abusing -- and getting abused -- all

day long...

His POV PANS with a couple of intense COLLECTION AGENTS who

pass behind the first scene on their way out of the offices.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

...And being a Collection Agent was

definitely not in my genetic make-

up...

His POV STOPS, letting the Collection Agents go, on another

fellow, with the disreputable, cocksure demeanor of a private

dick, who is lolling near the water cooler, watching the

altercation with amusement. He is GREGORY, an IRS

INVESTIGATOR.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

But there was one job that looked

like it might be fun -- Investigator.

SKIP (V.O.)

Are you telling me your last job

before becoming a psychologist was --

EXT. SECOND FLOOR PORCH, THE DUPLEX HOUSE - NIGHT

BACK TO PRESENT. Skip is leaning intensely toward Mumford.

SKIP:

-- an investigator for the Internal

Revenue Service?

MUMFORD:

Everybody has a story, Skip.

SKIP:

Sounds like you have several.

MUMFORD:

What it felt like was... a series of

separate, unconnected lives --

hillbilly kid, wrecked college boy,

garbage man, civil service guy...

(Yul Brynner accent)

...et cetera... et cetera. Every

time I'd leave a life, it felt good.

Whatever problems I was having were

suddenly gone. I had no friends and

I didn't talk to my family. The only

constant, stabilizing force in my

life was... drugs.

SKIP:

An IRS investigator with a drug

problem?

MUMFORD:

It wasn't the best situation.

SKIP:

Did you carry a gun?

MUMFORD:

Didn't need one. We didn't even need

a warrant for most of the sh*t we

did. Man, the IRS... we could go in

your bank account, your credit

cards... hell, we used to go into

doctors' files and get all the juicy

details. Nobody wants to argue with

the IRS.

EXT. ALLEY, REAR OF DRY CLEANING FACILITY - MAGIC

MOVING POV as Mumford follows GREGORY down the gloomy alley

to a corner where they can spy at the scene beyond.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

I got teamed with one of the top

guys, a fanatic named Gregory. He

always got his man, whether they

deserved it or not. He was a "closer"

and everybody admired that...

WHAT THEY SEE:
The DRY CLEANING BOSS, a Middle-Eastern fellow,

is standing at the back door of his place paying his Asian

employees in cash as they leave.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

He'd make the case and the Collection

guys would come in and clean up. Our

specialty was... sleazy skulking...

Gregory turns to look at camera (Mumford) with a devilish

grin.

MUMFORD (V.O.)

We were a good team. I was a dope

addict and Gregory was insane.

INT. GREGORY'S HOUSE, CITY STREET - NIGHT

MUMFORD'S POV as he supports a drunken Gregory as they stagger

down the sidewalk to a row house. Holding Gregory up on the

other side, is CANDY, Gregory's pretty wife. They wrangle

Gregory up the front steps. Gregory stumbles inside and

Mumford retreats down the steps, his eyes still on the front

door. Candy appears there and stares down at Mumford, who

stops where he is.

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