Mumford Page #36

MUMFORD:

What was that?

SOFIE:

Transference!

MUMFORD:

Transference.

SOFIE:

Yes, and that is what I have got

right now. I have taken my feelings

of gratitude... and relief... and

transferred them onto... you. I have

taken all those warm, grateful

emotions and confused them with

feelings for you... So that now I am

under the delusion...

(a deep breath)

...that I am in love with you.

Mumford appears frozen in his chair. There is a heavy silence

in the room. Sofie does not look back there.

SOFIE:

Hello?

MUMFORD:

Hello.

SOFIE:

I think you can understand why I

have some serious questions about

your methods. I mean, obviously it

becomes much more likely that I'm

going to have confusion about this

when your idea of treatment is to go

walking in the woods and up to make-

outs-ville and do all these highly

romantic activities --

Suddenly, Sofie's voice cracks. She is starting to cry, but

refuses to acknowledge it.

SOFIE:

-- We had a paper route together,

for godssake! Do you understand how

I might be a little resentful? Knowing

that this so-called "love" I'm feeling

is totally bogus, and just a pathetic

case of... transference?

Mumford doesn't know what to say. He's on the rack. Finally --

MUMFORD:

Yes.

Silence. Then Sofie gets up, wiping at tears with the back

of her bare hand. Mumford jumps up to offer her a tissue,

but she ignores it. She will not meet his gaze.

SOFIE:

Maybe you ought to think about how

you're going to fix this. And when

you do...

(suddenly losing her

will)

...please get back to me.

Sofie turns to go out through the waiting room, but after a

step, she stops, pirouettes and goes out the back.

EXT. THE DUPLEX HOUSE - MAGIC

Mumford comes up the street, lost in thought, and turns into

the driveway toward his stairs. Ainge leaps over the front

yard fence. Mumford pets the dog distractedly, still moving.

MUMFORD:

Hey, Ainge.

Lily rises up suddenly from where she's been working in the

garden.

LILY:

Doc...

MUMFORD:

(keeps walking)

Lily.

LILY:

Doc.

Mumford reluctantly stops. Lily comes up to the fence.

LILY:

I don't want you to be mad at Skip...

MUMFORD:

He told you.

LILY:

(yes)

Skip and I wouldn't have got together

if it weren't for you. That's a big

deal.

MUMFORD:

(dismisses it)

You would have met in some shower

eventually...

LILY:

I want to give you something. Will

you let me?

MUMFORD:

Thanks, Lily, I don't need anything.

LILY:

Yes, you do, you damn well do.

MUMFORD:

(can't fight)

Okay.

LILY:

Here it is, some advice -- do the

hard thing.

MUMFORD:

That's it? That's what you're giving

me?

LILY:

Clean up the mess. No matter what it

takes.

Mumford leans down to pet Ainge.

MUMFORD:

What it might take is... doing time.

LILY:

Too bad. That's tough, I mean it.

I'm not unsympathetic. But Skip says

you're in love.

Mumford straightens, looks at Lily and acknowledges it.

LILY:

Then it's worth it.

Mumford looks at Lily a long moment, then leans over the

fence and kisses her on the forehead. Ainge jumps back over

to her side.

MUMFORD:

I'll tell her tonight.

Mumford turns and continues toward his stairs.

INT. MUMFORD'S APARTMENT - MAGIC

Mumford comes in, drops his coat, gets a carton of orange

juice out of the fridge and drinks directly from it.

Distracted, he picks up the remote from the kitchen counter

and switches on the TV, then opens his freezer and stares

inside.

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES comes on. The opening segment previews a

story about a couple who claim to have had a visitation from

Gianni Versace, then one about a yacht that went down near

Venezuela. ROBERT STACK, in his characteristic fragmented

delivery, intones the preview for the last story, accompanied

by appropriate footage:

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