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British Columbia Penitentiary – 1958.

Voiceover Alright, dirtbags. Lights out!

The auditorium is plunged into darkness.

Lights up on Mitch and Raul sitting in their prison cell. Mitch is lifting a dumbbell. Cooper (a guard) enters.

Cooper Inspection! On your feet, prisoners!

Warden enters.

Warden Thank you, Neil.

Cooper While Warden Johnson is present you do not move off that spot. Do you understand?

Mitch and Raul Yes, Officer Cooper.

Warden So you’re the troublemaker I been hearing about? Name?

Cooper Mitchell Ruscitti, sir.

Warden Age?

Cooper Twenty-seven.

Warden Height?

Cooper Six-one.

Warden Weight?

Silence.

Warden Weight!

Cooper I am waiting, sir.

Warden No! Give me his weight!

Cooper Oh, a hundred and eighty pounds, sir.

Warden What’s his behavior like?

Cooper Well he’s pretty unemotional, sir. He acts coldly towards the guards.

Warden I see.

Cooper Icy, sir, exactly. But he’s a good labourer, once he dug out three water holes in one day.

Warden Well, well, well.

Cooper Exactly, sir.

Warden So, are you enjoying your time here at British Columbia Penitentiary?

Mitch I’m having a ball.

Warden Tell me about his sentence.

Cooper It was kinda sarcastic, sir.

Warden No, no, how long is the man’s sentence?

Cooper It was four words, sir.

Warden No! How long is his jail term?

Cooper Ten years sir.

Warden And what’s he served?

Cooper Porridge in the morning. Meat stew at night, sir.

Warden No! How long has he been with us?

Cooper (checks watch) A minute and a half, sir.

Warden At the prison.

Cooper Two years, sir.

Warden What’s your background?

Mitch A grey wall and a chair.

Warden I don’t wanna see any lip.

Cooper Yes, sir.

He holds his clipboard over Mitch’s mouth.

Warden No! Why did he end up here?

Cooper He was arrested after an armed robbery when his getaway driver didn’t show. But there have been other charges brought against him over the years.

Warden With conviction?

Cooper (spoken with conviction) There have been other charges brought against him over the years.

Warden Neil!

Cooper Yes, sir.

He kneels.

Warden No, no, get up. What charges were brought against him?

Cooper Oh! Well, let’s see here. Assault. Robbery.

Warden Who steals salt? What a piece of garbage, thrash him, can’t let him forget who’s boss.

Cooper Yes, sir.

He hits Mitch to the floor and beats him with his truncheon. Warden exits.
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