Original subtitles

OK, listen, this is ready to go to the curb.

No, no.

You're gonna take this stuff with you when you move.

We don't have room for this stuff.

Oh, you can't throw this away.

This is our family history.

We've got to pass this down to our kids.

You're right.

Take it to your house.

What?

I ain't got no room for this junk at my house.

CJ, then take it to the curb, baby.

I don't have time for this.

I still have two bedrooms to pack.

I haven't even started cooking Sunday's dinner,

and I have cookies to bake for the church.

Aunt Ella, why don't you just let Janine cook Sunday

dinner over at our house.

CJ, I don't know about that baby.

Now, this takes a lot of work, and everything

has to be just right.

It's OK.

No, Aunt Ella, She can do it.

She can do it.

OK, fine.

Thank you.

Hi!

How was the baseball game?

Great!

Whack!

Well, who was playing?

The boring versus the sucks.

Stop it.

Braves and the Sox.

I just knew you would enjoy baseball.

Ain't nobody even scored, except for the dude behind us

with that shorty.

Hm!

Baby, in the 9th inning, Simmons was on third base,

right?

And he was about to go for the run,

he's looking for the ball--

Let me tell you something.

Dude behind us was on third base way before the 9th inning,

and she was fine.

DeShawn, come back over here and sit down.

How about that?

Like you is a grown man.

I mean, she was.

I really thought you would enjoy baseball, baby.

I thought he would too.

Man, baseball is for punks!

Don't you blaspheme in this house!

He's just a kid.

Ella, you better get it.

OK.

No, he didn't mean it, Unc.

Don't go to the closet.

- No. - Don't go to the closet!

So

No, I'ma teach this hood rat a lesson!

Stay close to me.

Stay close to me.

Curtis, no, baby.

Curtis, just no.

Please? - Get out the way, woman.

Please, no.

Move, woman.

Baby, I'm not gonna hit him.

Yet.

I'm just gonna teach him about baseball.

No, you ain't.

The court is where I do my work.

Yeah, in front of a judge.

Swish.

I'm just gonna hit him one time.

I'm gonna check him for bruises.

[theme music]

Yes, I realize we are past deadline.

I get that.

It's-- it's fine.

The numbers.

You want numbers. OK.

Here, mama.

I need you to sit down for just a moment, OK?

Cheerios.

Cheerios I'll get 'em for you in just a second, baby.

Yes, the numbers.

The numbers are 700 flyers, 60 posters, and 25 volunteers.

Yeah.

[phone ringing]

OK, can you hold on a second?

OK, just a moment, Moni.

Hello?

Yes, I am happy with my auto insurance.

Thank you, bye.

Yes, I'm back.

I'm getting your Cheerios right now.

No, I realize that this is important.

I realize that this is important, but--

[doorbell rings]

Not now!

Not-- no, not you.

OK, I-- can I call you back?

I'll call you right back.

[doorbell rings]

What?

Janine.

Charmaine.

I wasn't expecting you.

Come-- come in, come in.

Are you OK?

Yeah, I'm-- I'm fine.

Just been a little bit swamped.

Is everything OK?

Yeah, I just haven't seen you at the 12

step meetings in a while, and you haven't returned my calls.

Yeah, I've been between work and the kids

and CJ's whole family, I've barely

had time to go to the bathroom.

I see that.

Oh.

You would think after all this time I wouldn't worry,

but I guess that comes with being a sponsor, huh?

Yeah, listen.

You don't have to worry.

I'm-- I'm coping fine.

I'm fine, but I really appreciate you stopping by.

I got all this stuff I gotta do.

Are you sure?

I'm sure.

If you need a meeting, I could bring it to you.

I could use six more arms and about 10 more hours in the day,

but no thank you.

Thanks for checking on me, though.

Hey, baby.

You cooking Sunday dinner.

Mwah!

What?

Charmaine.

Oh, I'm gonna get going.

Wait, wait, wait.

Is everything all right?

Yeah, I was just in the neighborhood.

I should probably go.

OK.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I really appreciate it.

And remember, one day at a time.

One at a time.

Thanks.

CJ, baby, look at this place.

I have a project due.

I can't do this right now.

No, look, I told Aunt Ella that we would help her

out because she's busy packing.

It's gonna be OK.

Look, it-- it's just family, all right?

Yeah, sure, it'll be fine.

That's my superwoman!

Mwah!

Baby.

Now, that was fun.

Oh, stop it.

We was at the batting cage for hours,

and you didn't hit one ball.

Well, you didn't hit nothing either.

That's 'cause I didn't get the bat.

So what?

I'm a little rusty.

And the way you stand!

Let me just see how you old the bat, Mr. Batter.

Well, since you asked, when I'm

saying "get out my neighborhood,"

I hold it like this, right, with a mean mug.

And then, when I'm running from the popo,

you know what I'm saying, they can't catch me.

I got a record.

So I hold it like this and like this.

Give it.

Give it Give it here.

Please, I wasn't a batter, anyway.

I was a pitcher.

Pitcher was my thing.

Just face it.

Baseball ain't no black man's game.

Duh!

What?

Some of the best players in baseball were black!

What are you talking about?

Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, Reggie Jackson!

Satchel Paige!

What you know about the Paige?

Ain't that the dude that bums change down at the bus station?

Satchel Paige was one of the greatest pitchers

that ever played the game!

I mean, he was in the Negro League

before he went to the majors.

Negro League?

Oh, come on.

Oh, oh, come on.

You ain't never heard of the Negro League?

Oh, no.

Where you going?

You ain't got another bat in there, right?

Oh no.

Oh my goodness.

I can't believe you!

What the heck y'all be doing, these kids these days?

What they teaching you?

Come here.

You need sunglasses.

When I open this thing, it's gonna be like--

Look at the light, look at the light!

You see, the Negro League, the blacks weren't allowed to play

in the all white major leagues.

So they went and created a league of their own.

For real?

That is tight.

Don't you dare!

Don't do that, OK?

OK?

Handle it with care.

That's history.

Look at that.

Satchel Paige.

Satchel Paige was one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

He was a showman, kind of like myself.

Oh, and he could ring that ball.

Let me tell you something.

He'd wind 'em up and let it go just at the right time.

[glass shatters]

[car alarm wailing]

Told you baseball wasn't our sport.

But you know what?

We can run some track!

Hey, Janine, is it gonna be much longer?

I'm working as fast as I can.

Please.

Oh, those twins are so precious when they're are

over here.

Yeah, after they've been fed and they're sleep.

Yeah, well, at least somebody is getting fed.

Don't do that, Curtis.

Listen, I'm sorry, OK?

I got a late start.

I had to finish some work, and then

I had to take Jazzy to dance rehearsal, and I didn't--

Hey, Janine, could I borrow your cell

phone charger, please?

Sure, yeah.

It's over there somewhere on the little table.

Janine, honey, is there anything I could help you do?

No. No, I've got it.

I'm good.

Baby, we were supposed to eat at 4:00.

It's 5:30 already.

Be patient, Curtis.

It's just an hour and a half.

Janine, do you think it may be in your purse?

Because I don't-- I don't see it over there.

Look over there somewhere on the other table, Miranda.

OK, wait, what other table?

Look for it!

OK.

You know, I could go out, pick something

up real quick, bring it back?

OK.

Relax, we're gonna eat soon.

Baby, let me help. Can I help you some kind of way?

I don't need any help.

I don't need you to help me, CJ.

I can just take this.

I've got it, CJ.

No, just stop it.

God, would you just listen to me?

Stop. I got it.

I've got it!

OK, the charger isn't over there.

Is there anywhere else that it could be?

That's what you can help me with right there.

OK, Miranda, I'll help you find the charger.

Thank you.

Oh, here's a coupon.

We could do Chinese.

All righty, are you sure you don't need any help?

No, I-- I've got it. I've got it.

I've got it.

You haven't even started on the potatoes.

I usually do the potatoes the night before.

And what I do is I boil them.

Sometimes I put the skin on the potatoes, and sometimes--

It's almost 6:00.

Curtis, she's doing the best she can, baby.

She haven't even started boiling the potatoes.

Look, I gotta meet somebody at the house, OK?

I can't be here all day.

Hey, baby, we can't find that charger.

Oh, how about pizza?

Oh my goodness, you are worse than the kids!

You're worse than the kids!

Do you have to eat right now?

Yes.

Take the turkey.

Everybody, just shut up, shut up!

Baby.

Baby, you didn't even cook the turkey.

Ugh.

It ain't got no gravy.

Janine, where's the gravy?

Janine.

Get right there.

Come on.

Brings back memories, don't it, son?

I feel bad.

I didn't mean to make her blow up like that.

Oh, baby, please.

We know you did not mean to do that.

And I don't think it had anything to do with you

or any of us, really.

Calvin, don't you have to go to work?

Yeah, I do.

Hey, you missed a spot.

You get it.

Oh, you--

Mama.

Bye, baby.

I gotta go too.

I'm late, baby.

OK, baby.

Oh, one question--

are the yams ready?

You know I prepared Sunday dinner before I came over here.

Your plate is on the stove.

That's my baby.

Thank you.

All right.

So Miss Ella, what was that?

Oh, I think it was for the fried apples.

No, no, no, no.

I'm talking about Janine and the way she--

Well--

Well, that was something.

How is she?

She' not talking to me.

She won't even let me in the room.

Maybe she just needs a little time.

You know, I've never seen her lose control like that.

Women, we take on a lot, CJ.

Yes, we do.

We think we can take on everything.

And then we try to take care of everybody

but ourselves, of course.

So what do you do?

I pray my way through, and I cry.

And I pray my way through, and I cry.

And then sometimes I cry.

And then I pray my way through.

I eat chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate.

Yeah, I eat chocolates too.

High five on chocolate.

And I'm sure there are some things

that Janine does when she's stressed out,

or when she is feeling stressed.

She does.

CJ, let's not go there.

Come on, you're late.

Hurry up.

Why did you call me?

Got somebody for you to meet.

- Who? - You'll see.

Hush.

Are you a probation officer?

Uh, no.

No, this is one of the deacons from Ella's church.

And he happens to be one of my heroes.

DeShawn, I want you to meet John Briefcase Jefferson.

He played in the Negro League.

Briefcase, really?

Hey there, young man.

I hear somebody around is crazy about baseball.

Yeah, I am.

That's me.

I am!

He can't stand it.

Oh, that's too bad.

I hate to hear a young person hate the game

that I fought so hard to play.

John was a shortstop.

And man, he was good.

Well, I don't wanna brag, but yeah, I was good.

You doggone right you was good!

I'm telling you, you were the best!

There were a lot of us that were really good in those days.

Had to be.

Yeah.

Hey, so look here, sit down.

They had to ride buses from city to city, because they

were playing exhibition games. Ain't that right?

- That's right. - Briefcase?

That's right.

I mean, you don't mind I call you "Briefcase," do you?

Sure.

Yeah, they traveled from city to city on the buses.

Sometimes, they had to sleep on those very buses.

I mean, if they couldn't find a hotel that allowed blacks.

What?

It was tough on blacks back then.

A lot of times, we got spit on.

Well, did you whoop they--

Shut up.

Well, I'd have quit after I gave somebody a beat-down.

I couldn't quit.

I loved the game.

And I wanted young people to see that they could

play professional ball too.

So what happened to the League?

Oh, them guys got so good!

I mean, you don't mind if I tell it, do you?

Sure.

Look, they got so good that the all white

majors started recruiting 'em.

Boy, I swear, I'll kill you dead!

Don't do that.

Now, you gonna have to handle this with a little

more care than that.

That's history.

They got so good the all white Major

League started recruiting 'em.

I didn't know all that.

And this was the first one right here, Jackie Robinson.

I'll kill you dead!

Don't you ever do it again.

Sit it down.

I said to drop it down.

You know what?

I'm really trying.

I'm really trying.

We gonna do this again, OK?

Jackie Robinson.

Jackie was the first, when the Negro League started to fade.

Yeah, call him Jackie.

Was that because you knew him?

Yeah.

Yeah.

But he still paved the way for a lot of us

to play the game in the day.

I didn't know that.

You look like you might have a pretty arm.

You think so?

Yeah.

Who wants to go back and pitch a few?

Oh, I do.

I do!

I was talking to the boy.

Well, I guess he can come.

I guess.

Where are the kids?

Aunt Ella's looking after them.

You OK?

I'm better.

What happened?

I don't-- I don't know.

I don't know.

Man, you scared us.

I scared me.

I was trying not to admit it, but it's-- it's-- it's all

getting to be too much.

What?

CJ, I wanted to be the perfect mom, the perfect wife,

the perfect employee.

I guess, I just--

I-- I can't.

Nobody's asking you to be perfect.

But I Taught to be.

Then there are other times when I just wanna let go.

I wanna escape.

Oh, you don't mean--

No, no, no.

OK.

OK.

All right.

I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it,

that I haven't been tempted.

Janine, and I can't--

I can't go through that again.

And I can't either.

That's why I try everyday to hold on.

That's why I'm trying to be perfect, but baby, I--

I gotta be really honest with you.

Sometimes, I need to let go.

I don't know what that means.

OK you have a hard day, you go to the fridge, you grab a beer,

you chill out.

No problem, right?

Yeah?

I can't do that.

And that makes it really hard for me.

I don't have anywhere, any way to release.

I didn't know you felt like that.

I know.

You're not an addict.

OK, well, look.

You know, I just won't--

I won't drink in the house anymore.

OK?

It's not a problem.

I understand you get overwhelmed, you know?

But what happened today, that just can't happen again.

So what do we need to do, all right?

How can I help you?

You can't.

I gotta do this.

I know what I need to do.

Wow, I appreciate this.

And-- and I'll see you at church.

Yeah.

Thanks for signing the ball!

Wow.

That is kind of dope.

Ain't that cool?

I wish I had a ball like that.

Well, that's too bad.

'Cause this one's mine.

So maybe we can go to a few games some time

and you can collect your own autographs.

Really?

Yeah.

Cool.

Thanks. - OK.

- I'll see you later. - All right.

- All right. - Hey, DeShawn.

Huh?

Do you wanna give me my baseball?

No.

Give me that ball!

Um, hi.

I am Janine.

My name is Janine, and I am an addict.

Hi, Janine.

Hi.

I have been clean for three years, three years now.

It hasn't been easy.

I am so proud of my oldest son.

He just went off to college, but I miss him terribly.

I have three more beautiful children who take

up a lot of my time and energy.

I work a crazy hour long day job,

and my marriage lately has been kind of tough.

So I guess everything kind of just started getting to me.

And I felt like I needed to pick up an old habit.

Not the drugs.

I felt like I needed to start coming back to my meetings

so I could have a release, I can have some kind of escape.

So that's it.

That's all.

We're glad to have you back.

Glad to be back.

- Love you, baby. - Love you too.

Thank you.

[theme music]