MOUNT PLEASANTbyJoe FloodWGA #788560joeflood@joeflood.com www.joeflood.com

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FADE IN:EXT. MOUNT PLEASANT AVENUE - DAYWe hear the sound of SIRENS, the WHOOSH of tear gas canistersbeing fired off and the distinct sound of police batonsPOUNDING ON FLESH. A city block away, in the distance, we see a confusedstruggle going on, framed by clouds of smoke. Three peopleappear to be locked in combat - A YOUNG BLACK MAN, a YOUNGBLACK WOMAN and a YOUNG WHITE MAN.They wrestle in the middle of the street.The white man is wearing a suit and the black man and womanappear to be trying to pull something out of his hands.Then we hear an ANGRY ROAR from a crowd and the scene goesdark.INT. LAW FIRM--LOBBY. DAYCURTIS JEFFERSON, enters the lobby of Kirkpatrick, Jones, andRoth, a Washington law firm. Curtis is black, 19, just outof high school. He is pushing a red handcart loaded with white document boxes.Trailing behind Curtis are KENWE and TOMAS, two other black men. They are several years older than Curtis. All three ofthem are wearing khakis and blue shirts with the name oftheir temporary labor company on the shirts: BEST PEOPLE.They are covered in dust and dirt from moving boxes aroundall day.Kenwe and Tomas watch Curtis wrestle the handcart through thefront door and into the lobby of the fancy law firm.The RECEPTIONIST looks up and scowls at them.MOUNT PLEASANT2.CONTINUED:(CONTINUED)

KENWENow what?TOMASI dunno, we got the boxes.CURTIS(whispering)The lady said to find her when we got'em.KENWEI'll go get her.Kenwe exits. Tomas wanders after him.CURTISWhere you goin'?TOMASGonna go look around.Curtis remains, standing in the middle of the lobby with thehandcart loaded with boxes. He feels out of place andintimidated by this very formal white law firm.CURTIS’ POV LOBBYCurtis looks around the lobby and sees a young white man in asuit sitting on the couch. WILL KNIGHT, 23, is nervouslystudying his notes in preparation for a job interview anddoes not even notice Curtis.Casually placed next to Will on the couch is his attachecase, a luxurious soft thing of dark leather. Curtis can seethat the briefcase has initials in gold on it: WSK. A SECRETARY walks up to Will and smiles at him.SECRETARYRight this way, Mr. Knight.WILLThank you.MOUNT PLEASANT3.CONTINUED:(CONTINUED)