Original subtitles

Announcer: for 22 years,

Shirley did not know that her

Son was gay.

He came in the house one day

And said...

[ tv turns off ]

Calvin: hey, ma.

Look what I just bought.

Ella: calvin...Is there

Something you haven't told me?

Calvin: ma, this isn't

For me.

This is my new business

Venture.

Ella: how do you find time

For this and school?

Calvin: easy.

I changed my schedule.

Ella: again?

Calvin, please, don't tell your

Father that.

Now when do you have time for

Classes?

Calvin: well, me and the

Teachers have an understanding.

Ella: what do you mean?

Calvin: sometimes I don't go,

And they understand.

Ella: wait a minute.

I like this one.

Calvin: oh, you like that?

Ella: what is this, a coach?

Calvin: no, a "Cooch."

Ella: a what now?

Calvin: you know, a knockoff.

Check this out.

Curtis: ooh, ella, I told you

Don't eat all that sugar when

You was breast-feeding!

He's a sweeter!

Why are you here, calvino?

Why I paying for your dorm?

Calvin: because you love me.

Besides, you know I'll

Pay you back.

Curtis: with what?

Calvin: I'm glad you asked!

Look.

Curtis: I don't want no

Purse.

And what is a "Larry vuitton"?

Calvin: well, that's louis'

Second cousin, twice removed

From his mama's side.

Ella: I don't think this is a

Good idea.

Right, curtis?

Curtis: I don't know.

Hey, will this hustle help

You pay for your tuition?

Calvin: if I say yes, will

You buy two?

Calvin: then I'm still paying

Your tuition.

Calvin: exactly.

Curtis: ella, he got a little

Hustle in him.

I see it, boy, I see the gleam.

You got the teeth thing, boy.

All right. All right.

All right.

Hey, if you need a little extra

Help, c.J. Needs some extra

Money.

So you can hire him.

Ella: have you lost your

Mind?

That means both of them will

Be going to jail.

Curtis: as long as they get

Out of my house, I don't care

Where they go.

I know one thing -- if you do go

To jail, and you take them

Purses...

Better not drop the soap!

Janine: yeah, I-- but, look,

I said I would pay you back

By the end of the week.

Come on, now, you -- I just --

I gotta go.

C.J.: hey.

I said, "Hey."

Hey.

Janine: I'm sorry, baby.

I didn't hear you.

Hi.

C.J.: who was that on

The phone?

Janine: nobody important.

C.J.: girl, don't play with

Me.

I will star-69 that number.

Curtis: hey, I just got on

The phone!

C.J.: sorry, unc, sorry.

Janine: would you relax?

It was just a bill collector.

C.J.: and I thought we agreed

That you were gonna run all

The bills through me.

Janine: I would love to if

You were ever around.

And why are you all up on me?

"Who was that on the phone?

Where you been?

Where you going?"

Can I get some space? Damn.

C.J.: did you say "Space"?

Space?!

Lately all you had is space.

Leaving early, coming home late,

Getting strange phone calls.

Are you cheating on me?

Huh?

I'm gonna ask you one more time.

Are you cheating on me?

Janine: how many times do I

Have to tell you?

[ voice breaking ] I am not

Cheating on you.

C.J.: then why are you

Crying?

Janine: because you don't

Trust me.

C.J.: okay.

I'm-- I'm sorry, okay?

I just...

I just want things to go back

The way they used to be,

You know?

I love you much, baby.

Janine: I love you more.

C.J.: you know what?

Take care of them bills.

Janine: no.

No, c.J., you're right.

You're better at it.

C.J.: no, no, I'm

Serious now, I trust you.

Janine: okay.

Thanks, baby.

C.J.: [ laughs ]

I trust you?

Must think I'm crazy.

Ella: okay, have a seat.

Would you care for some coffee?

Claretha: oh, no, girl.

I'll be too jittery.

Ella: good.

So, what gossip brings you by

This morning?

Claretha: ella, I just

Finished my praise workout.

But I saw janine walk out your

Front door at 6:00 this morning.

Ella: no, child, unh-unh.

Janine is back there in the

Bed asleep.

Claretha: ella, janine walked

Out your front door at 6:00 a.M.

Ella: you don't know what

You talking about.

Janine is back there in the bed

Asleep.

Janine...

Honey, I thought you were back

There in the bed asleep.

Janine: you know, I was.

But I got up, I had to

Go get my jog.

Run.

Ella: you're already

Wasting away.

You don't need to be out

Jogging.

And you went in that, huh?

Janine: yeah, the rest of my

Clothes, they all dirty, so...

Ella: no.

No, no, no.

No, I washed all your clothes.

Janine: I-I didn't see them.

I-I couldn't find them.

Ella: yeah, I put them away

In your drawers.

Janine: next time I'm gonna

Look there.

Claretha: janine, why are you

Coming in the back door?

Janine: 'cause I wanted to

Feel like people like you back

In the day.

Claretha: ella, did she just

Try to read me?

Where's my purse?

Ella: claretha, mnh-mnh.

Janine, baby, would you-- would

You care for some breakfast?

Janine: I'm not really that

Hungry.

Calvin: hey, janine.

Janine: hey.

Calvin: say, who's the

Brother that dropped you off?

Janine: that wasn't me.

I-I was running.

And then I -- whew! -- tired.

And I came -- I ran back.

These two.

I came back, myself.

By myself.

Calvin: whatever, look.

You want to buy a purse?

Janine: I'd rather help you

Sell them, though.

I could use some extra money.

We could sell the straps

Separate.

Calvin: uh, we're not hiring.

Hey, miss claretha, you want to

Buy a purse?

Claretha: ooh, is that

A cooch?

Calvin: [ laughs ]

Step into my office.

Come on.

Claretha: I'll take two.

And could you throw in a

Larry vuitton wallet?

Calvin: oh, no problem.

Ella: oh, shoot, we are out

Of bread.

Janine, janine, didn't I give

You money for bread

The other day?

Janine: mnh-mnh.

No, I think that was c.J.

Ella: no, no, no, no, no.

It had to be you, 'cause c.J.

And curtis were at work.

Janine: oh, you know what?

I must have forgot with all my

Errands I had to run.

But you know what?

Check it out, check it out.

* give me some money *

* mm-hmm, mm-hmm *

* give me some money *

I'll go get it for

You right now.

What you want, what you want?

Some bread and some eggs.

Ella: * okay, okay *

* no, no, no, that's okay *

* I'll get it myself *

Janine: all right.

Suit yourself.

* I gotta be -- ow! -- going *

Calvin: uh...What's with her?

Ella: I don't know, but

Something is going on.

Claretha: I think you're

Right.

Maybe she's sick.

Calvin: she does look a

Little skinny.

Ella: well, she claims she's

Jogging.

But, look, all I know is I keep

Giving her money, and nothing

Ever shows of it.

Claretha: I mean, think about

It -- borrowing money.

Calvin: losing weight.

Claretha: keeping late hours.

Ella: oh, lord.

You don't think she --

Curtis: yup.

She's a crackhead.

Who dat? Who dat?

Ella: yoo-hoo!

Curtis: what are y'all doing

Here?

You know the firehouse is off

Limits!

Calvin: they're here to talk

To c.J.

Now, look, c.J.'s out running

An errand.

But, mom, listen, when he gets

Here, don't overreact.

Ella: overreact?

Claretha: that's right.

You know how emotional you get,

Ella.

When you break the news to

C.J., be gentle and delicate.

Ella: gentle and delicate.

C.J.: hey.

What y'all doing here?

Claretha: oh, baby!

Everything's gonna be

All right.

* precious lord *

* take my hand *

* lead me on *

Calvin: miss claretha!

Didn't I just tell you not to

Overreact?

Claretha: no, you told your

Mama that.

Ella: claretha, sit down.

Okay, c.J., we need to talk...

About janine.

C.J.: what's going on?

Curtis: ella, there's a

Crack in your delivery.

Ella: curtis, I got this.

Okay, c.J., have you noticed

That janine has been...

Losing weight lately?

C.J.: maybe.

A little, but --

Claretha: yeah, her butt's

Getting little all right.

Curtis: whoo! I'll tell you.

I sure got to fix the cracks in

These walls.

Get on with it!

Ella: okay, so you have

Noticed, huh?

Okay, c.J., she's been keeping

Late hours --

Claretha: streetwalkers

Aren't out that late!

Calvin: yes, they are.

Over on there on ponce, you give

Them $20, there's a girl that

Will come and pick you up.

Curtis: ha!

You talking about beverly?

I-I-I've heard. So I've heard.

Ella: okay.

Um, c.J., listen, baby, she's

Been borrowing money from

People, so --

C.J.: so what are you trying

To say?

Curtis: oh, I got it!

I know! I know!

I got it! I got it!

Ella: curtis, curtis...

Be gentle and delicate.

Curtis: okay, okay,

Gentle and delicate.

I'm gonna give you a hint.

Janine's a crackhead.

C.J.: a crackhead?

A crackhead?!

What are you saying?

Curtis: I'm saying, if you

Want your wife to stay at

Home...Go get some crack.

C.J.: man, you don't know

What you're talking about.

Ella: c.J., think about it.

The signs, they're all there.

C.J.: signs?

What do you know about signs?

You don't know any crackheads.

Calvin: we do now.

Ella: c.J., I work at a help

Center.

Duh!

I see the signs every day.

C.J.: look, look, look,

I don't know what y'all think

Y'all know, all right,

But I know my wife, all right?

So I'm gonna go across the

Street to the house.

And I'm gonna talk to her

Right now.

Ella: huh.

Well, I think I did pretty

Good.

Calvin: wow.

C.J.'s house burned down, his

Wife's on crack, and he's living

With my parents.

He's doing worse than me.

Don't you think, pops?

Curtis: nah.

Ella: uh-oh.

What did janine say?

C.J.: nothing.

I just saw her get in the car

And drive off with some woman.

Curtis: was it beverly?

Ella: so where-- where do

You think she was going?

Curtis: beverly probably took

Her out smoking.

C.J.: for the last time,

Unc, janine is not on drugs.

Curtis: hold on, hold on.

Why are you getting so

Defensive?

C.J.: wouldn't you be

Defensive if I was calling your

Wife names?

Curtis: no.

Try it.

Calvin: don't do it, c.J.

I tried it when I was 16.

Woke up two days later in the

Hospital.

Curtis: [ laughs ]

I remember that, boy.

But hold on, it wasn't

No two days later.

It was a week later.

Ella: c.J., open your eyes.

Curtis: and look into

Janine's.

And you will see they're glassy.

C.J.: so? She's stressed.

Calvin: well, what about the

Weight loss?

C.J.: stress.

Ella: what about all that

Borrowing of the money?

C.J.: stress.

Stress.

Curtis: aha! Told you!

Janine is on that stuff!

Ella: okay, come on,

We need to get together.

As a family, we're gonna pray.

Come on.

Come on, we're praying!

And you're gonna lead us.

Curtis: okay, I'll lead you.

C.J.: oh, no, auntie, don't

Let him, please.

Curtis: what y'all talking

About?

Ella: seriously.

Curtis: come on now.

Y'all got to straighten up.

C.J.: not him.

Curtis: shut up.

Bow your heads.

* the devil thought he had me *

* I'm gonna run *

* father god, lord jesus *

* the creator of heaven and

Earth *

* we come before you right now *

* somebody called you a burden

Bearer *

* somebody called you a

Heavy-load carrier *

* my wife called you a wheel in

The middle of a wheel *

* and I'd like to call you...

The deliverer of crackheads

Right now *

* father, we want to thank ya *

* thank ya! *

* for chicken *

* thank god for chicken *

* you gave them two legs *

* and two thighs *

* two breasts *

* and two wings *

* a little hot sauce on them *

* and I can hear that chicken

Dance *

* offer up a sacrifice of

Praise *

* I'm gonna fry up to the... *

Come on, everybody, join in.

Come on.

Jazmine: [ giggling ]

Malik: dad, jazmine took my

Gamepal.

And you know what happened

The last time she touched

It.

C.J.: jazi, did you take

Malik's new game?

Jazmine: I prefer the term

"Borrowed."

C.J.: well, you know that's

Not right.

So you got to get a time-out

For that.

Jazmine: but that's not fair.

You're going through mommy's

Purse and you don't get a

Time-out.

C.J.: see, that's different,

Baby, 'cause, see, me and your

Mother, we married.

So what's mine is hers, and

What's hers is mine.

Janine: is that so?

Jazmine: oh, you are so

Busted!

C.J.: kids, why don't y'all

Go into the room and play?

Me and your mother need to talk.

Malik: when we in the room,

You tell us to come out the

Room!

When we out the room, you tell

Us to go in the room.

What do you want, man?!

The room it is.

Jazmine: yeah.

C.J.: unc...

Can we get a little privacy,

Please?

Curtis: oh, c.J., I'm--

I'm feeling really vulnerable

Right now.

I don't think I should be

Alone.

Janine: I thought you said

You trust me.

C.J.: I do.

But my aunt and uncle,

They don't.

Look, I was trying to look out

For you.

Janine: you know what?

You're unbelievable.

C.J.: look, I was looking

Out for you.

Look, I'm trying to protect

You-- trying to

Prove them wrong.

Janine: you're...

Trying to prove them wrong

About what?

C.J.: about you being on

Drugs!

Crack, to be exact.

Janine: that's crazy.

Crack is wack, all right?

If I'm on crack, then show me

Some receipts.

Show me some receipts that I

Bought crack.

You can't show me any.

C.J.: they don't have

Receipts for that!

You can't get crack receipts!

Matter of fact, you looking like

You high right now.

Janine: for real? Am I?

C.J.: aw, damn.

I know times are hard, baby,

But drugs?

Janine: are you judging me?

I mean, so what.

I skipped a bill here and there,

All right?

I asked a couple of people for

20 bucks every now and then.

I burnt down the house.

Y'all need to leave me alone.

C.J.: whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

What did you just say?!

Curtis: she said she burned

Down the house!

C.J.: I heard what she said.

Curtis: then why'd you ask me

What she said?

C.J.: how the hell did you

Burn down the house?!

Curtis: ella, come here!

You got to hear this!

Janine: it was an accident.

All right?

I went to the bathroom, and

When I came back downstairs, the

Couch was on fire.

[ blowing ]

Curtis: oh, god, you can't

Blow on it.

You supposed to stop, drop,

And roll on it.

Janine: I didn't know that.

All right?

So I just left.

C.J.: you were smoking in the

House?!

Janine: aren't you happy I'm

Alive?

C.J.: no, not at the moment!

No!

Janine: come on, c.J.

I'm not hooked.

All right, baby, I can stop

Anytime I want to.

Curtis: and that is the

Number-one line when somebody is

Addicted to drugs.

Janine: baby, I'm sorry.

Ella: and that's is the

Number-two line.

C.J.: yeah, yeah, you sorry.

Sorry and pitiful!

Janine, you burned down the

Damn house!

Janine: you still on the

House, c.J.?

The house is gone. Let it go.

Okay?

You know what?

I don't need this.

I'm out.

Hey, beverly!

Girl, no, I'm coming down.

Wait!

C.J.: where's she going?

Curtis: if you want to call

Beverly, I got the number.

C.J.: what?

Curtis: I can get it from

Calvin.

Ella: c.J., come on, now.

You know it's not your fault.

C.J.: yeah, I know.

But janine doesn't think so.

Curtis: man, what does she

Know?

She on that stuff.

Calvin: so, what are you

Gonna do?

C.J.: I don't know.

Curtis: I know what you can

Do, c.J.

It'll help the whole family.

Come on and help me look for my

Stuff, make sure she ain't stole

Nothing.

Y'all start in here.

I'm gonna go back here.

[ crickets chirping ]

[ knock on door ]

Malik: hey, it's mom.

Janine: hey, come here.

Hey, is your daddy around?

Malik: yeah, they're all in

The kitchen.

Janine: good, 'cause I really

Wanted to talk to you two alone.

Have a seat, have a seat.

Jazmine: hey, mommy,

Where have you been?

Janine: sweetheart, I've been

Around, I've been around.

But, you know...

Wow.

Look, y'all, mommy's got to go

Away for a little while, okay?

But I want you to listen to your

Father, and I want you to mind

Your manners, jazi, with your

Auntie and your uncle, okay?

Jazmine: okay.

Mommy, are you coming back

Tomorrow?

Janine: not that soon,

Sweetie.

But one day, okay?

Malik: mom, are you sick?

Janine: no.

No, baby, mommy is fine.

I just need for y'all to pray

For me every night, okay?

Will you do that?

Jazmine: yes.

Janine: okay.

Look, y'all, I got to go.

I got to go, so give me a hug.

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

[ sniffling ]

I love you.

Jazmine: I love you, too,

Mommy.

Janine: okay, go on in the

House.

Malik: here.

Janine: malik, I can't take

That.

Malik: I'm not a little kid

Anymore.

I know what's wrong.

Just take it.

Janine: hey, I'll give it

Back to you as soon as I can,

Okay?

Malik: okay.

Janine: I love you.

Malik: I love you more.

Janine: all right.

Go ahead.