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[man] Rolling.

What's your, uh... What's your full name?

Johnnie Mae Brown. Johnnie Mae Brown.

That's a nice name. Thank you.

All right. Where do you work?

Harlem Hospital.

How long have you been there?

Almost eight years.

Eight years? Yeah.

That's a long time to be in one place. Oh, yeah.

Uh, yeah, it is.

It must be an incredible place in terms of energies,

other energies coming at you.

How does that affect your life? Your response to people?

Well, it's not like a job that although, basically...

I work other hours than 9-5.

It's not like a job where you go to and you finish and...

You bring it home. Uh-huh.

Uh, you feel it. It's always exciting in some kind of way.

Sometimes it's painful.

Does it... Do you find you have situations

that actually change your life or change your way of thinking?

Oh, yeah. The people do that sometimes.

I mean, what you see comin' through the door sometimes.

The pain that they're in...

You know, some things are humorous. I laugh a lot.

Do you... You...

You must come across a lot of prophets there.

[Johnnie] I think so. Sometimes.

And you never know. And I talk to everybody, see.

[man] Give me an example. Someone you talk to.

Well, I talked to a boy last night who I think was a young prophet.

Uh...

He... was in pain.

But he was talking about... Not this particular thing, but

he just knew how to survive.

The way he knew how to survive, to me,

means that he's in pain all the time, whether it's physical or not.

He was telling me that if you come in with a bullet wound,

how you got to just...

put your hand and hold that bullet there,

or bullets.

Mm-hmm.

And just keep your head up and keep walkin'.

Walk on in the hospital.

And keep a positive attitude.

With his finger in the hole?

That's right. Yeah.

So... I looked in this young boy's face.

I mean, he's about my daughter's age.

And, uh...

The fact that he knew this and he was...

He's... Him and his friends...

I mean, they just know how to survive.

If they are to survive.

It affected me.

Plus he was from my home... in South Carolina.

South Carolina? Yeah.

So I felt that too.

How... How has it affected your personal life?

Well, when I leave work,

and go home...

I need to, not just relax physically,

but, of course everybody's got their own personal problems.

So you go home, you've got the problems of home.

And if... what has been happening at the hospital affects me so that...

I mean, right now, in my own personal situation,

I have a lot of problems.

So... I'm... tense for a long time.

[man] What did your mo... What kind of work did your mother do?

My mother did domestic work.

Your father? My father did construction work.

Before that, we were farmin' in Carolina.

And we came up North and that's what they did.

What effect did the fact that your mother,

having come from the farm, had gone into domestic work.

What effect did that have?

How did you feel about that?

Well, um, I didn't like her being away from me.

I wanted to have a mommy at home. You know,

I got all caught up in... We got hearin' those ads. Campbell's Soup.

They'd say when a kid come home from school

you have a soup and everything.

I had a key around my neck. So when I came home from school,

I let myself in, had my lunch, watched the clock.

Don't dare be late.

All our neighbors on the block would tell

that you were late going back to school.

And I missed my mommy. I wanted my mommy home with me,

'cause that's what's America was supposed to be, right? Right.

I wanted that.

And, um, I didn't like it very much.

I didn't like the fact, too, that...

We had to clean our house after I came from school,

and after she came from work cleaning somebody else's house.

And so, all I heard...

You asked me about, do I bring my work...

how my work affects me.

All I heard was my mother complainin' she was tired.

She'd clean house all day and then fuss at me.

"You didn't do so and so and so."

And I got to clean. "I'm sick of cleanin' house."

Cleanin' house really affects me to this day.

- I hate to clean house, you know? - [man] Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Tell me something.

Did your mother have other children to take care of?

- White children to take care of? - Yeah. Little girl named Melinda.

I couldn't stand her. What did that do to you?

To see her taking care of...

I didn't like it. I was jealous.

Um, and I of course then,

I didn't know, besides jealousy, I didn't know what it was.

Just that I kind of resented her takin' my mama.

And I felt that, uh...

I guess you could say, in that sense,

my mother was a mammy.

Mm-hmm. A northern mammy.

And she didn't have time to mother me at home.

It was... I think black children

are just put onto just take care of themselves.

And it's a shame. I mean, she was warm and sweet and all that.

But I just didn't like her being a mother someplace else.

How do you feel about poetry?

[chuckles] Oh.

Why would you ask me that?

'Cause I heard you read poetry when no one's looking. I do.

I write it, and I read it.

Uh, I like poetry.

You know, comin' from Carolina, we like to talk a lot.

And I like words. And so, sometimes on the job,

and that's rare when there's not much to do.

Uh, I'll write it. But I'm always thinking of poetry.

And in my spare time, I write some poetry.

What... What are the nicest or the worst things,

or the most hokey things that you remember about the farm?

Pickin' cotton. God, I hated that. Pickin' cotton.

But let me tell you what happened to me one time. It's a funny story.

I was lazy, see?

So I used to hear 'em talk about being sunstroke.

So, we would have to...

Oh, I'm an only child. That's kind of unusual.

Mm-hmm. Cause most black families,

and all people in my family have more than one children.

My parents only had me.

So I grew up with my cousins who were like my brothers and sisters.

And we would have to go every day to the field. And I hated it.

So I kept hearing about this sunstroke.

So one day I decided at midday that I would get sunstroke.

Now I didn't know what it was. I'd never seen it.

So when we came home at noon, we call it dinner. We ate at 12:00.

I went in the back and I got some Watkins Liniment.

And I put it on my chest and I got some octagon soap and I put it in my mouth.

And so then we were sittin' on the porch waiting to go back to the field.

So I walked out and I got under the Chinaberry tree.

I started writhing on the ground and the foam of octagon soap was comin' out my mouth.

So everybody said, "What's wrong with her?"

So I said, "Sunstroke! Sunstroke!"

So my cousin, I have one tongue-tied cousin.

And she was trying to tell 'em... She saw me, you see?

She was tryin' to tell 'em, that wasn't sunstroke.

There wasn't nothin' wrong with me.

My Grandmama Sula said, "I'll bring her in the house."

She brought me in and took care of me.

And she told me I wouldn't have to go to the field no more

because I wasn't strong enough.

So from that day, I never went in the field again.

And I used to stay home and help my Grandmama Sula cook.

And I liked that. I didn't mind.

We would go fishing and catch fish.

And I'd go to the garden and help her cut okra and cook.

I didn't mind that. But I couldn't stand that pickin' cotton.

I mean, I swear.

If you ever look down a cotton field row...

That they talk about a hard road. That's it.

It's a lonesome road. I hated it.

Lonesome road. Tell me somethin'.

You do have a half-brother named Bubba, don't you?

Yes, he's my... People say half brother.

To me, he's my brother. His name's Bubba.

Well, his name's not Bubba, but we call him Bubba.

That's what I thought.

Recite a little... two lines of your poetry, please.

[clicks tongue] Well, I don't know.

Um... I'm workin' on a new poem now.

I mean, not for publication or anything like that.

I'm just writin' it out. Um...

[both chuckle]

They say if you are a true believer,

that is, if the faith runs river deep in your heart,

it's possible in the instant before the yucca-colored night gives way to dawn

to witness a cosmic freeze-frame.

For a magic moment, the Milky Way is a crazy quilt,

a blazing field of colors, running amok, dancing.

Did I say dancing? [chuckles]

[chuckles] They say that ebony rumbas, sepia sambas.

The dance of the colors is so splendid,

that even the lemon-colored sun is dazzled, laid back, waits her turn...

and baby blue and apple green have no shame jitterbugging on the clouds.

And when quiet gray shakes her magenta,

Hmm. even the wind won't behave.

I haven't finished it yet.

A lemon-colored sun is dazzled, laid back, waits her turn.

So, if you are a true believer,

that is, if the faith runs river deep in your heart,

it's possible in the eyelids of one of these mornings,

that you too will witness this exotic vision.

And the wind, heady with the perfume of the colors, will tickle you.

Do not laugh, weep,

for, from dawn to dusk anything can happen.

- [man] Thank you, Mrs. Brown. - You're welcome.

- Thank you. - [woman] You know, Johnnie Mae...

[laughing] What I wanted to ask you

is that I have seen these braids.

Yeah. This new demeanor, shall we say?

What kind of "demeanor?"

Miss Thing got seashells in her hair.

And some gold wire wrapped round... What is she into?

What's happening? Nothing much. [laughs]

I guess Charlie likes all this, right?

[Johnnie] Charles Brown? Yes.

He likes it. You remember him?

[indistinct] That's right. Ooh, hoo.

[Della] Girl's gettin' beside herself here lately.

She's lookin' very reflective and reminiscent. I don't know now.

[Johnnie] Listen, y'all. Watch your mouth.

I don't have nothin' secret goin' on.

I know she can't keep nothin' from us noways, you know what I mean?

You talkin' about this thing that you bought this morning.

This blouse? Let me see. I told you I need to find... Girl!

You talkin' bout "you need silk."

- Oh, yeah. - You gotta catch the sales, honey.

- Let me see. Ooh! - [Della] 'Cause you can't just be...

I got it wrapped up so nothin' will get on it.

Girl, I got this with a skirt. Ooh! Fabulous.

Ooh. Honey, it was marked $98.

What? They want $98for a skirt and a blouse.

Not even a jacket. Are you kidding me?

But no, no, no. It was marked... Where'd you get this?

New Jersey! I can't shop in New York, honey. I'm too poor.

New Jersey. Where's the skirt?

I left the skirt home. I've been trying to match it up.

I got these from Corvette's. These my specials.

You know, the other Corvette?

Oh, yes... They're going out of business.

Yes, I heard, child. That's why I'm trying to pay off all my plastic money.

Put it in plastic, child.

I saw a pair of pants like this in a deep, deep red in burgundy.

You're ready to go home, you're going to lose your... Honey, I'm gonna...

But I want to know before I leave New York, what is it that you is into?

She thinks we gonna forget, but she know I don't forget nothing.

I know, I know. 'Cause I got to know.

'Cause I got to have something to go home with.

I mean, like, really. I can't understand how... Don't take no gossip back home.

Child, you know I'm got to have some. They gonna be asking about you.

I know you dressin' up and all. But I got to have somethin' to tell these people.

I know. Young men.

Yeah, well, all right.

Young men. Young men.

I didn't say one young man, I said "young men."

Well, I went over. Do you know this club?

This thing on the east side? One of those disco things?

- Well, I decided, last week... - [Johnnie] With a Greek name?

Right, with that Greek name. [Johnnie laughs]

No, I decided last week. I was very bored.

It was Friday.

Laverne had called me. I said, "No, I don't want to go out to dinner."

I decided I was gonna go and check out this east side singles scene, right?

I go into this club, five floors, disco, bars.

All these men in their suits and their ties.

[Della] Three-piece suits? Three-piece suits. Shirts, the whole thing, right?

[grunts] And you know you never have to buy anything to drink.

[Della] Mm-mm. No, they buy your drinks.

Some of the conversations you got to go through.

Oh, child, it's like being in elementary school!

I mean, I thought by now they'd come up with some new things!

"Hey, sister." "What do you do?"

"Well, I work on Wall Street. I'm in investments."

What do youdo? Ask him where you live. That's the most important thing.

Where do you live? Not only where do you live but...

what is the size of your bedroom? Like Queen? Oh, stop!

Oh, get outta here. Or a double bed or a twin bed?

Why don't you tell 'em you sleep Japanese?

No, I told one guy that I was so poor

that right now I had just spread a sheet on the floor.

And I was waiting for my furniture to arrive.

And what did he say?

He said, "Oh, that was all right, baby." He could deal with the rustic anytime.

Oh, my word. He wasn't offering you nothing. He couldn't do a thing for you.

That's what the main problem is. Half of 'em can't do nothin' for you.

And they say we uppity. We liberated.

You know what your mother used to say? [indistinct]

Your aunt, your mama, your grandmama, you know what they all say?

Hey, if I can't do no better than that... Hello!

With you? I can do bad by myself.

Hello. I heard that. Mm-hmm.

Maybe I'll run into one of those rich... Arabs, foreigners.

You livin' in a fantasy world.

I mean, why not? I have to get somebody to put together this silk, wool...

You got a point. How about that?

You're Egyptian. Egyptian cotton. Get yourself a boat too.

Honey, get yourself a piece of cloth and wrap it round you some kind of way.

Like I made this dress. You remember the material I had? I really like this.

That's nice. The colors are so beautiful. I really liked that.

Didn't you get that when you went over a couple years ago?

- Remember the revolution? - Yes. [laughs]

We was wearin' gailies and stuff.

Yes, that was real black. Mmm.

[woman with cigarette] That's really nice. I love the colors.

The braids are very becoming. Did you get that done here or when you went away?

Go on, now. No, I got it done here.

That's nice. You looking good.

She's not gonna tell us what's happening.

No, she gonna beat round the bush and trying to keep us.

But you know I'll get it. [laughs]

Before it's over, if we have to sit out here all day, I'm gonna get it.

Girl, I got to go down there.

- Honey, they done built a new hospital. - [laughs] Oh, really?

They want me to come down there and be a supervisor.

Really? A what? They need me.

Uh, Della...

I mean like you...

I told you I put in for this new bid right at CBS. Mm-hmm.

What? I'm not gonna be this receptionist forever.

Well, honey, you need to... I got on this casting thing.

Uh-huh. Now what exactly do you do?

Oh, well I answer the phone, and I cross my legs.

And I smile a lot. Was she a receptionist she said?

No, see what happen is, well...

Tiny pay. Okay. Yeah, she a receptionist.

[laughs]

She have a... [indistinct]

My mother told me this lady who used to work for her...

So the lady thought she was cute, right?

So she said, "I'm doing office work now."

Well, guess what? [giggles]

She meant she was now cleaning offices.

She was cleaning an office building!

That's all right. Laugh if you want. I'm still going down there.

I'm gonna supervise them children. 'Cause they needs guidance.

That's true. And they need me down there,

cause y'all, a hospital is nothin' but a Peyton Place.

Girl, they might close the hospital. I used to say...

No, no, no! They better not. They better not.

No, honey, they used to say when I lived down there, if I had to go to hospital...

You got your ticket? Girl, I got my ticket.

I'm ready to go. I can't believe it myself.

Della, I'm gonna miss you so much. I'm gonna really miss you.

No, I mean the ticket for the...

What you gonna take? What you call that?

On the... On the Amtrak. The night...

Oh, the sleeper car. Yes, you know usually I like to fly and things,

but this year I want to take it a little bit at a time

'cause I don't want to suffer no jet lag.

Because, you know, going from here to there's

gonna be a little bit too much as it is.

Honey, they're so tired and backwards in the country.

But that's all right. I'm gonna straighten it all out.

I told you bout that. When I get to Buford and Orangeburg I have to...

Just look me up. They got the hospital on the highway

so everybody from all the counties can get there.

Y'all don't got to come and visit me.

Hello. Y'all gonna be too much for the children.

They're not gonna be able to deal with you.

I want to go to one of them all-day church meetings.

Oh, good girl. Oh, yeah.

They don't have that. Yes, they do.

Mm-mmm. It's called camp meeting.

I want fried chicken, honey. I want fried chicken and the potato salad.

That's what I want.

'Cause this city don't know nothin' about that.

Make a number two tub. Hello.

One, two, three, four cake and pound cake

and sweet potato pie.

That kind of thing. Yeah, honey.

With jelly. Jelly. Yes. Jelly.

Jelly between the layers. You need that. Yes.

And coconut cake and all that. Yeah. You need that.

Coconut custard pies. Yes, yes, yes, yes. I look back and I hope...

Of course, you don't need that on your diet.

[woman with cigarette] That's right.

[Della] Me on a diet? Now y'all know, I try hard.

But honey, I'm puttin' down eatin' as one of my hobbies.

She won't be runnin' around as much down there as she does up here.

Della's cool. You know why?

'Cause they said men don't really like a bosom.

Wait a minute, Johnnie Mae. Now hold it. Be careful. Be careful.

Men don't really like... That's what they tell me.

- [Della] All they need is a mouthful or a cupful. - [Johnnie] Wait a minute! Girl!

[chattering] [woman with cigarette] You know what somebody told me?

I told you about this place on the east side, right? Uh-huh.

I was standing getting a drink, and this man ran his hand down my arm.

No, he didn't. But you got hair on your arm.

He said, "Are you hairy like this all over?"

That's right. Stop! Wha-Wha-What did you say?

That's supposed to be sexy. And people put their... [laughs]

Did they do that? No! But what did you... What-What-What did you say?

Well, I told him that if he was nice enough, he might be able to find out.

You didn't say that. Oh! Stop! I can't stand it!

[laughing]

What does it matter, honey?

Let me ask you this. Did he find out?

Did he? No, he didn't find out.

Well, I want to know what did you tell this new man,

since you got these new braids and things. All this stuff in your hair.

Is he from Africa or something? Or what?

No, you know, he wouldn't be from Africa. He wouldn't be?

How you know that? You never can tell.

Miss Thing got braids on her head, this rag round her head.

Ha! And this drizzle?

I ain't gonna talk about them sandals she got on her feet.

Please. Please. Leave me alone. I mean just stay up here.

She's not tellin' us. I can't believe this.

I know. I can't believe it. I really can't.

Come on, Johnnie Mae. You have to tell us.

Della's leaving. You leavin'.

Yeah, I'm not... Don't...

I need somethin' because down there I'm not gonna get nothin'.

I'm not gonna get none of the things that I need to know.

We saw you lookin' at negligees while we were shoppin' this morning, Johnnie.

We saw you tryin' to make believe you wasn't lookin'.

You know? [sighs]

You want some more wine?

I'm fine. I don't need no more wine.

The only thing I need to know. You sure don't!

That's all right. In the first place!

That's all right. That's okay. I just want to know about this new man.

[clears throat] Well, if y'all are real good... Uh-huh.

And act all right... All right.

All right. I might take y'all somewhere.

Ooh.

And I'm not sayin' it's so, but y'all might meet some of my new friends.

Or a new friend. New friend?

New friend. New friend.

What he look like? [chuckles]

That's the first thing you always say.

He look fine. Well, I got to know.

'Cause if he look wrong, I'll tell you right then and there. All right then.

Remember your party a couple weeks ago?

Johnnie Mae, remember that man I saw you with?

It ain't him. No?

So we have never seen this man.

I didn't say therewasa man.

We don't know this man, do we?

We know there's got to be somethin'.

Ain't no woman makin' you dress like this.

Now wait a minute.

[laughing]

Honey, why do we dress? Why do we put this makeup on our face?

It be for a man! Please! She is so crazy.

What's his name?

She goin' home. There a whole bunch like her.

What's his name? She don't know. What's his name?

[woman with cigarette] Wait a minute. Now why... Della, when you go home,

what you gonna do with all these, um... Honey!

They got the bus and the train and the airport.

We got a airport 40 miles away. Hello! Hello!

It's not hard for her, you know. You go to Savannah. That's right.

And go to the little airport.

If they want to see me, all they gotta do is drop a dime, or whatever it costs,

and just let me know, 'cause I don't want to get the schedules crossed,

nothing like that.

Does not mean nothing's happenin' That's all.

A woman got to do the best she can do. Oh, hello.

I heard that. Mm-hmm.

Well, he might be, um, tall.

He might be tall. Well, I hope he ain't shorter than you. He gotta be.

[Della] Now my daddy was shorter than my mama.

So I just, honey, that's the only one I can deal with.

I know this man gonna be taller than her. Could you see her lookin' at him?

[cackling] I can't take it! Oh, mercy.

Well, go ahead. He might be... Might be dark.

He might be. He might be. And? And?

He might be. He got a job?

He might have one. He gonna need one with your taste.

He might...

You know, he might have a tune.

- Is he any good? - [woman with cigarette] Might have a what?

He might sing a tune. Is he any good?

He might sing... Uh, what? In tune?

You know what I mean, girlfriend. I'm not a singer.

I don't know nothin' about no singin'.

Let's say he stays in tune. Well, all right. That's good enough for me.

His piano is not out of key. Hello.

[jazz]

[man singing] ♪ Hope you never say good-bye ♪

♪ I hope you always say hello ♪

♪ I hope this day Will never end ♪

♪ I hope you never go away ♪

♪ 'Cause if you leave me My world would come Crashing down on me ♪

♪ You see, I might be free ♪

♪ But then my life Would be lonely ♪

♪ If you leave me My world come crashing down ♪

♪ Down on me ♪

♪ Down on me ♪

♪ Down on me ♪

♪ Come crashing down on me ♪

♪ I hope you never Say good-bye ♪

♪ Baby I hope you always say hello ♪

♪ I hope this day Will never end ♪

♪ My sweet baby, never go away ♪

♪ 'Cause if you leave me My world ♪

♪ Come crashing down on me ♪

♪ I might be free But then you know my life ♪

♪ Oh, my life would be empty ♪

♪ If you leave me My world come crashing down ♪

♪ Down on me ♪

[holding note]

♪ Come crashing down ♪

♪ Oh, baby Down on me ♪

♪ If you leave me My world come crashing down ♪

♪ On me ♪

♪ Come crashing down ♪

♪ On me ♪

Come with me. I'll buy you some dinner.

[man] That's the kind of game you like to play.

[Johnnie] I don't like to play games. I'm not a game player.

I never win. I never won... I never won the lottery.

Not even a dollar. Not even a two-dollar.

I never won... I've never hit a number. Bingo.

Nothin'. Been losers all your life, and that's fate.

I don't feel like a loser. But I just... I just have no game.

[man] Same with me. You know, I have never won a thing.

[radio chatter] But, I'm close to something.

[Johnnie] What are you close to?

I'm close to... I played the lotto the other day.

I don't know about... I bought five tickets.

First time I ever bought five tickets.

I got a feeling. I got a feeling here, right? I just might win.

The drawing's next week. Of course, if things go right, if I go to that cocktail sip,

I won't be able to stay home and listen for the call numbers.

Oh, get outta here. Get outta here. They'll let you know.

Will they? [laughs]

Stop. It don't mean a thing, man.

Do you know what happened to my cousin in Philadelphia? What?

Well, actually it happened to my cousin's neighbor's granddaughter.

Your cousin's neighbor's granddaughter. Okay.

Leo, Pennsylvania has a state lottery. Mm-hmm.

So, she sells tickets. They're called the daily number.

Not like our number. Okay.

I mean, it's legal.

So she sells tickets. And she's a number seller, ticket seller, whatever.

Anyway, a man came and wanted to buy 20 dollars' worth of tickets. They're a dollar.

So she suggested that he buy 20 different tickets.

Because she said, "If you win, sir, you will pay all this in taxes."

And don't you know what happened? What happened?

He won.

And he came back, and so it was 20 different tickets.

And he was so appreciative, he gave her $500.

[Johnnie] So...

[man] Know what I'm saying? Mm-hmm.

I mean, what difference would it make?

W-Whether you come to the cocktail sip?

I mean, it would make a difference. I don't mean it that way.

But I mean... how much... When is it gonna take place?

It's next Saturday... Friday. Friday.

Next Friday? Yeah.

At what time? 5:00 to 9:00.

That's a bad time for me. I don't know.

Why? You don't have to be at the club till 11:00.

I don't like cocktail sips.

It's a cocktailparty. You like parties?

Yeah, I like parties. Well?

[man] But how much time do we have to spend together, baby?

[Johnnie] Well, we'll have that time.

If you come to the... sip... party.

[both chuckle]

Let me help you down.

That's... I don't know. That doesn't sound right to me.

I don't wanna... Della's gonna be there. Why you have to be there?

It's for Della. It's for Della?

Yes. Wait, wait. Okay.

There you go. Oh.

I don't want you to fall and hurt yourself or anything. No.

But that's gonna be something that I don't think I'll appreciate.

Well, I would appreciate you coming.

But you want to be able to do something for me. What?

You know what I want you to do for me? No. Tell me.

In two weeks. You got two weeks coming. Yeah.

Don't you have two weeks of vacation time? Yes. Next... In the summer.

Why can't you spend two weeks with me then?

I can't. I have to work.

What do you mean you have to work?

I have to go... I'm gonna take those two weeks

going see my family in Carolina, now.

You know that's where I'm from. [muttering]

Where's it gonna be held? It's at 222 West.

Oh, I know where that building is. It's upstairs.

Right? Up on the second floor. Yes.

Then I know I'm not coming. Why?

[both chuckle]

Oh, come on. A cocktail sip is not my style. A cocktail party.

All they're gonna be talkin' about is Nurse's Aid uniforms.

No. They're gonna be having a party.

I don't know. I-I don't think I'm interested.

I mean, I don't wanna hurt your feelings,

'cause we don't have that much time together.

I know, but you're gonna have fun.

Look, I'll tell you what. What's that? Tell me what.

I'll make a deal with you. Okay. Make a deal. Let's Make a Deal.

How about dinner? Okay.

[both laugh]

[no audible dialogue]

[jazz]

[Johnnie]A blazing field of colors, running amok, dancin'.

Did I say dancin'? [chuckles]

They say that ebony rumbas, sepia sambas.

The dance of the colors is so splendid,

that even the lemon-colored sun is dazzled, laid back, waits her turn...

and baby blue and apple green have no shame jitterbugging on the clouds.

And when quiet gray shakes her magenta,

Mm-hmm. even the wind won't behave.

I haven't finished it yet.

Oh, that's nice. Yeah.

I'll finish it later.

But, you know... You see, you amaze me.

You absolutely amaze me.

I didn't know you even wrote poetry.

Well... How many more faces are there to you?

[chuckles] Seven.

Seven. [laughs] Seven more of these.

Here's to you, baby.

Hello! Hello.

How are you? I feel good.

What are you doing sitting all the way over there?

Thinkin'. [chuckles]

About?

Life.

I know she's not gonna leave... her husband.

She's already told me that and...

Boy, that really messes with my mind,

'cause I don't know what to do with that.

I mean, how can I tell her to leave someone that she has given part of her life to?

No matter what the situation is,

no matter how deep the wounds may be because of her relationship.

But it hurts me because I can't keep her.

And I know she's not gonna leave her old man.

[applause, chatter]

Ready? Okay, then.

[smooth jazz]

[people chatter] Hello. All right.

[applause]

All right. [woman] All right.

All right.

Oh.

[jazz continues] Hello.

[others respond] Hey.

♪ You know I saw blue lilies ♪

♪ Today ♪

♪ I saw blue lilies today ♪

[man] Sing it, now. All right!

♪ I feel one-to-one with you ♪

♪ So don't it make you feel ♪

♪ One to one With me? ♪

♪ I saw blue lilies today ♪

♪ Mmm, I tell you that I saw blue lilies today ♪

♪ Whoa, yeah I feel one-to-one with you ♪

♪ Ah, so don't it Make you feel ♪

♪ One-to-one With me? ♪

♪ Ooh, and there are things ♪

♪ That I'll never Understand ♪

♪ But I know I've got to Sing my way to you ♪

♪ I've got to sing my way to ♪

♪ When people get together ♪

[crowd] All right! ♪To stay together ♪

♪ I wonder where ♪

♪ Has all ♪

♪ The time gone ♪

♪ I saw blue lilies today ♪

♪ Yes, I did ♪

♪ Oh, my baby I saw blue lilies ♪

♪ Today ♪

Sing us somethin'. It's all right.

[crowd chatters] ♪ Now I feel one-to-one with you ♪

♪ So darlin' don't it Don't it make you feel ♪

♪ One-to-one with me? ♪

[audience urges]

♪ Sure, I got my ♪ [scatting]

♪ Hey, my baby ♪

♪Mmm♪

♪ I saw blue lilies today ♪

[sighs]

♪ You know you got a way of Making me feel ♪

♪ So good inside ♪

♪ I now feel one-to-one Oh ♪

[crowd chatters excitedly] ♪ One-to-one with you ♪

♪Oh♪

♪ And now I think ♪

♪ That I'll never understand ♪

♪ And I know I've got to See my way ♪

♪ I've got to see my way Got to see my way through ♪

♪ When people get together ♪

♪ Oh, stay together ♪

♪ I wonder ♪

♪ Where does all the time go? ♪

♪ Go, go, go, go, go Go, go, go, go, go ♪

♪ Go, go, go, go [scatting] ♪

[chatter, applause] Oh.

♪ And I did I saw blue lilies ♪

[smooth jazz continues]

♪ I feel one-to-one ♪

♪ Don't you feel one-to-one Oh, with me? ♪

♪Hey♪

♪ I say don't it make you feel Don't it make you feel ♪

All right! ♪Don't it make you feel Don't, don't, don't ♪

♪ Aha Don't it make you feel One-to-one ♪

♪ I say now Don't it make you feel My, my, my, my, my ♪

♪ Don't it make you feel One-to-one ♪

♪ Don't it make you feel Don't it, don't it, don't it ♪

♪ Oh, whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Don't it Hey, now ♪

♪ I say now, don't it Make you feel one-to-one ♪

♪ Oh, with me ♪

♪Oh♪

♪ With me ♪

♪ Oh, with me ♪

♪ With me ♪

♪ Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ Baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ Oh, with me ♪

♪ Oh, baby ♪

♪Ohh♪

♪ Child, with me ♪

♪ Oh, with me ♪

♪ Oh, with me ♪

♪ Ah, with me ♪

♪ With me ♪

♪ With me ♪

♪ Ohh, whoa, whoa, yeah ♪

[audience chatters] ♪ With me ♪

♪ Oh, wow, with me ♪

♪ With me ♪

♪ Ahh, with me ♪

[audience claps rhythmically]

♪ With me ♪

♪ Ah, with me Yeah ♪

[piano arpeggios] [audience cheers]

Oh, all right.

[applause]

[applause]

[cheering] [indistinct]

What are y'all doin' here? This is a public place.

We can come in here any time we feel like it.

I bet you I know why you were in here.

Johnnie Mae, honey. You just carry on, darlin'. Do it to the max.

You just got very real with our singer.

Them seashells must be gettin' to her brain!

[laughs]

You go wake up out of your narrow little way of life.

You're gonna make a certain amount of money. You don't know me, man.

You're the black equivalent of the house Jew.

Man, 'cause you wanna wear... You wanna wear the...

- How's this? - Right.

You're putting me down for wearing working people's clothes.

You want to wear the clothing of the oppressing class.

The what?

Oppressing class? What are you talking about?

[women laugh]

You know what that man says?

He said... Did you hear that, Joe?

[voices overlapping]

You know what you remind me of? You know, those hippies? Typical.

I'm not a hippie.

[person] So-called. You wanna be an artist.

[laughs]

Middle class, workin' in some middle-class house...

He's tryin' to be the hip... You know what class I came from?

Go back a couple of steps. You know this African thing?

I got this. An African gave this to me

'cause I was running guns for a real liberatory army, stuff like that.

He gave me this out of a token of appreciation, stuff like that.

- I put my life on the line. - I didn't come up here to get...

I didn't come here to get into politics, but I will.

You got into politics... Don't you realize that book is politics?

So many people who was down. Next thing you'll be telling me

about how you marched with Martin Luther King.

I'm not interested in no poor people stories. I know you're not.

No, I'm not. You're interested in taking money

and becoming just like the class that oppressed you in the first place.

Nobody's oppressin' me here. Get out of here. When you read that book,

your mind will be occupied about whether something is a metaphor or not a metaphor,

as opposed to whether it's revolutionary or not revolutionary,

means it's oppressing you.

You don't even realize it. That's the weird thing.

You don't even realize it that you're being oppressed.

You tellin' me that he don't understand that he's oppressed.

I don't... What's this oppression?

I don't know what he is.

Look, I tell you what, man. Why don't you go in the corner? [laughs]

I came here for the music. I like this music.

I'm gonna listen to it.

- He's trying to get himself a rock 'n' roll hip. - [woman] A what?

He come round and hang 'round black people, hear what they say,

next thing you know... [voices overlapping]

You a musician? He probably write for Chuck Berry or somebody.

Or Jackie Wilson. I wouldn't waste my time with that stuff.

Got a big ol' limousine. You can go back to the suburbs any time you want.

- He got a limousine? - [sighs]

I tell you one thing. I tell you one thing.

When he finishes this book, he's gonna be the same place he is now.

Charles Ellison is what his name is.

Let the book move you, baby. But that's not gonna move him anyplace he isn't now.

[woman] What's your name? Doesn't matter.

Why don't you go to the other table? What do you mean?

Go to the other table. Know what I mean?

Why don't you just go on to the other table? 'Cause we're tired of listening to you.

I can sit here. I had to say something.

If I didn't say it... BS, man.

Because nobody, everybody. I voted for Ronald Reagan, myself.

[people hooting] What?

To take care of people like him.

Get some of these hippies off the street.

Don't know how to take a shave. They look grungy.

They got the beard. Shave your beard off.

- Wear a tie. - [woman] Are you serious?

You wanna borrow my tie? I hope what he just said...

is gonna make you realize he's not one of you also.

'Cause he's now really tryin' to be one of the oppressors.

Ronald Reagan is president. Take these people's heads and put them in line.

Runnin' around here, listening in on...

Child... Making rock and roll records.

Not like in movies, too.

Bonzo... Bedtime for Bonzo.

You remember that one he did with the monkey? That was good.

What monkey? Bonzo.

I ain't never seen... You don't remember that movie?

I never seen nothing... So, we... We don't...

[woman] I don't like him 'cause he's from California.

[man] He's not just some man in some monkey suit, he got a real monkey.

- And we need a president like that. - [woman] He had a monkey?

[man] Somebody from the movies.

So, who will be our next president?

I think he'd get some of these hippies off the street.

George Wallace said if one of those hippies

lie down in front of his car, he'd run over them.

- That'd be the last car... - [woman] Well, you see what happened to him.

Those things happen. You know. [woman laughing]

[all chatting] People get very emotional about politics, they start shooting.

We're gonna talk about the state of the world right now.

[R & B music playing]

Okay, here we go.

♪ Up on your feet ♪

♪ You're what I need ♪

♪ To give me some security ♪

♪ Hey, baby ♪

♪ Security is what I need ♪

♪ Baby, don't be shy ♪

♪ You're what I need To get me high ♪

♪ Come on, baby Get me high ♪

♪ With your love So I can fly ♪

[all chatting] A capitalist politician's a capitalist politician.

Everybody should get together, all the press people in this country should get together...

I know it's gonna sound... [man] Let me ask you a question.

What were you born? Where do you come from, anyway? Where do you come from?

- Look. - [woman] He's a citizen...

I come from an urban centre. [man] Urban centre.

I come from a middle-class family, but I left that middle-class family

to align myself with the working class...

[all chatting at once] [woman] Call him the chairman of the board again...

[man] So you had, literally... I bet he don't even write his parents letters.

He don't care about the old folk. [indistinct]

Who are you talking to, man?

[all chatting, indistinct]

You got a set route and that's your route.

Why don't you go on down to Chuck Ellison's?

Because a man lives in a set route. He's got a set route.

He's got a narrow way of... I work hard! I work hard!

I work hard. You know, I work down there...

I work hard also! I am a manager.

I gave... I'm a manager...

I've had to work hard and align myself to work hard!

Let me tell you something, man. I want to see what the world looks like...

I'm a manager... I want to work...

I can't even talk to this dude.

Man, you've been talking all the time.

I'm trying to relate to him, see?

The people... I'm trying to read my book,

and here he come talking about politics or something like that.

- "Malti Song" or somebody. - [woman] "Malti Song"?

- "Malti Song," the man in China. - [woman] Mao Tse-tung. China.

He was... He ran China. And the women decided they wanted to behead him.

I think he's a spy, myself, y'all.

Hey! I put my... I went to Africa to fight... [all chatting]

Hey! Come on! This guy's a...

I went to Africa to fight. I put my life on the line, man!

I put my life on the line! [all chatting]

I gave up the advantage of the people in the middle class.

[man] You ought to go put your life on the line. [all laughing]

[man] Tell you that right now.

[all chatting, laughing]

[man] Y'all, keep it clean. None of your business.

[all chatting, indistinct]

- [woman] That's my friend. - [woman 2] I can't take it.

[man] I don't understand how you can rap on this man's book, and you haven't read the book.

It doesn't matter, you can tell... It's like, you don't have to jump off the roof

to know you're breaking... You ever heard of Doggie Diner?

I'm the manager of Doggie Diner, man.

And I work hard. I get up in the morning...

You probably feed working people bad food so you can make more money,

so you can be just like the oppressing class.

So you wear that clothing so that...

You-You're against having... [man arguing, indistinct]

- You against hamburgers? - [man] Yep!

He's against... He's against people eating hot dogs and things.

- Man, what's wrong with you? - How much crap you put in that hot dogs, man?

I wonder how much real meat's in the hot dogs?

How much carbohydrates and other stuff?

Just so as you can make enough money to act like

that the class that was oppressing you before.

And what did you have for breakfast?

[smooth jazz playing]

♪ I got to get away ♪

♪Oh♪

♪ I got to get away ♪

♪ Oh, I got to get away ♪

♪ Get away ♪

♪ Get away, get away, get away ♪

And you people won't listen, ya know?

[woman] What's that, "you people"?

[all shouting, indistinct]

Somebody comes to you and tells you what you can do with your life...

Who brought the white man in here in the first place?

You're all at risk, you know!

How many millions did your folks have at Long Island?

Doesn't matter what my folks...

[man] See? [all chatting at once]

[man laughing]

Jesus Christ.

[woman] And he still didn't tell you what he had for breakfast yet, either.

[man] He probably had filet... What's that steak?

I don't eat filet mignon!

- [man] Yeah, filet something. - [woman] Oh, I speak French.

[all laughing]

[woman] Filet... What is it called?

[man] Wait a minute! Wait a minute!

[all chatting at once]

[man] Why don't you go down there to, uh, Kansas City or something.

You're all punks.

You all...

[all chatting at once]

You go.

[woman] Bradley Mitchell.

[people chatting, indistinct]

[woman] Bradley Mitchell.

Oh, you got a patient. Here come a patient.

[groaning]

Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on, man.

[groaning] Come on.

Come on. Come on.

[woman] Right here.

[sighing, groaning]

Sit. All right.

Can you see about this? Just... she'll take care of it.

Can I have your last name, please?

Smalls.

Your first name, please. Welsley.

How do you spell that? W-E-L-S-L-E-Y.

Your middle name, please.

Smalls. Your middle name?

Oh, it's Jenkins. Beg your pardon?

Hamilton, Hamilton, Hamilton, Hamilton.

Have you ever been to Harlem Hospital before?

No, ma'am.

Your address, please.

501 West 64th Street.

Your apartment number? 5B.

That's "B" as in "boy"? Yes, ma'am.

- Your city is Manhattan? - [man] Yeah, "B" as in "boy."

Yes, ma'am. Okay.

Do you know your zip code, sir?

10030. 10030?

- Yes, ma'am. - [man] Why you asking all those...

Do you have a telephone? Yes.

[woman] We have to take all information.

What is the telephone number, please? 3-6-8...

[man and woman chat, indistinct]

- 4-0... - [man] Can't you see the man is...

...3-2.

[man mutters]

Okay. Your birthday?

- 5-9... - [man] She's trying to play all cute.

...57.

Your place of birth? Charleston, South Carolina.

[man] Man! [groans]

[man speaks, indistinct]

[groans]

[man] She can't write no faster than that?

Are you single, divorced, separated, married...

Single.

- [man] You all right, man? - [man 2] Come on, man!

Your religion, sir? Black.

Yourreligion?

None. Black.

[man] Come on, man.

[groans]

May I have your mother's maiden name?

H-Hamilton. Come on.

Her first name?

Don't shake him, honey. Gloria.

Easy, easy, easy, Just press, okay?

He's hurting. Don't shake him.

And your father's full name, please. Okay?

It's okay. Nathaniel Hamilton.

All right.

[groaning]

In case of emergency, who should we notify?

Kim Dow.

And what is her relationship to you?

Friend.

Her address, please. Oh, come on!

We have to get all that, sir. I'm sorry.

St. Nicholas Avenue. I'm sorry.

[groans]

Her apartment number?

7M.

That's "M" like in "Mary"? Yes, ma'am.

Does she have a phone? Yes, ma'am.

And the phone number, please? 281-4435.

Do you have Blue Cross Blue Shield?

No, ma'am.

Do you have any kind of medical coverage?

Do you have Medicare or Medicaid?

Yes, ma'am, Medicaid... Which one do you have?

Medicaid. Medicaid?

Yes, ma'am. Do you know your Medicaid number, sir?

No, ma'am. Okay.

[man] Do you know yours?

No. Sir...

Your employer, sir?

I don't know his name.

Uh, what's the name of the company?

District 65.

[man sighs]

You'll be watching him? It's okay. I'm gonna take care of him.

And how did you get to the hospital? Subway.

Can't you see... Can't you take him?

[groaning]

[man] What else you got to do?

- [woman] Just hold on. - [man] Come on, please.

[announcer chattering over loudspeakers]

[man] Can you get somebody working here, please?

It's all right. It's gonna be all right.

Get somebody working.

- Well, where's the doctor? - [man] You taking your time!

He'll see a doctor, sir.

You taking... You can't move no faster than that?

[woman] Della?

[groaning]

[man] Check it out.

[announcer chattering over loudspeakers]

[man] Man, what they pay you for?

Would you sign your name here, please, sir?

What is that, ma'am? Just let him sign. It'll be all right.

Why don't you put the cigarette out?

Because when we go back there, you can't have a cigarette.

[phone ringing]

[woman] Bradley Mitchell!

Bradley Mitchell!

Thank you. You're welcome.

Someone will be with you shortly.

Yes, ma'am. All right. Can we take him?

[woman] Just a minute. Wait. You gonna have to stay, okay?

You wait here. What relationship you have with him?

[man] I'm his uncle. I'll help you take him back, okay?

You just wait here. You sit down.

Della, just... Okay.

Okay, you come on. You gonna be all right.

Just come back here.

[uncle] You have a stretcher or something he can get on?

- [woman] Yeah, yeah. - [uncle] Where is it?

[woman] Don't worry about it. It's okay.

[Welsley groaning]

[uncle] Take it.

Okay. Let's take him on.

[groaning]

It's gonna be all right. It's gonna be all right.

It's gonna be all right. How you feeling?

It's gonna be all right. Just... It's gonna be all right, now.

You gonna be all right. Okay. All right.

All the way down. Be right back.

Okay, all right. Fine. Don't you worry about anything.

Don't worry, okay? Don't worry.

You know, look... Uh... What's up?

I think the kid has taken some stuff.

Well, you don't know that. The doctor will...

They're gonna find out? They'll find out.

Everything will be all right.

We'll find out what it is. [groaning]

Hey, you gonna be okay. Don't worry about it.

Don't worry about it.

What are you... You can't smoke in here.

Okay? You gotta put the cigarette out. Okay?

Don't worry about anything. You gonna be all right.

[groaning] Okay, Charleston?

Okay. All right, all right.

Now, tell me, why do you think he's on stuff?

Oh, you know the kids be messing around with it.

Is it... You don't know that.

[uncle] I know what I'm talking about.

[woman] Well, we'll see. We'll see. You trust us.

- [uncle] God damn. - [woman] Okay, just trust us.

- [uncle] All right. - [woman] Okay?

[Welsley moaning]

[woman] How long has this been going on?

[uncle] He's only 17, you know. Can't have been that long.

[woman] How long y'all been up here?

- [uncle] About two months. - [woman] That's all? That's all?

- [uncle] Yeah. - [woman] That's too bad.

Okay. Okay, could be anything.

And we gonna find out what it is.

It don't have to be the stuff.

Could be appendicitis. It could be anything.

Where you going? Upstairs, change my clothes and go home.

All right. See you.

Take it easy. You too. Bye-bye.

I'm home.

[man on radio chattering in French]

[toilet flushes]

[radio continues]

[radio stops]

What's wrong with you?

[gargling]

Nothing. I was up late last night waiting for you.

I was in the Bronx.

At a party.

In the Bronx? Yeah.

A party for Della.

You know Della from South Carolina.

She went home. It was a bon voyage.

You know, a farewell party.

All hours of the night.

[sighs] Well, I had to go. She's my homegirl.

What could I do?

[water running]

What was you doing up?

Drinking? Watching television.

What? I was watching The Guns of Navarone.

The television was off when I got home.

And you was watching The Guns of Navaroneagain?

You know it comes on once a year.

Every time it comes on, I watch it. That's all.

That's my favorite program, Guns of Navarone, you know that.

Anyway, I stayed up half the night waiting for you to get in.

Well, I couldn't leave the party.

Mm-hmm.

She's gone home.

Who? Della!

Oh, yeah. You met Della.

Yeah, I met Della.

You don't like Della?

Ain't got nothing to do with it.

You're mad 'cause I was out?

I can't go out? I work hard. I can't go out?

[sighs] You can do what you want to do. I don't care.

Oh, you don't care about whatever I do?

[water running]

Is that what you're telling me?

I can do anything I want?

You know what I want to do?

I know one thing you want to do is get out of my face.

Or what?

Get out of your face or what?

Don't look at me like that.

I mean, you mad about me being out.

Answer me.

What do you think?

I don't know. That's why I'm asking you.

You gonna fix some breakfast?

What do you want for breakfast, eggs? Grits?

Yeah, I want some eggs.

How do you want them?

Sunny side up. You've got 'em.

[people chatting, indistinct]

[radio chattering, indistinct]

[man] $65.30. Right.

[water running]

How long before them eggs are ready?

What you say? I said how is it gonna be before them eggs are ready?

Won't be long, I told you.

I'm fixing the eggs. What do you want me to do?

Well, you know I got to go to work...

Listen, you go to work every day, right? You eat eggs every day.

What you want? What you want?

I'm fixing 'em. I'm fixing 'em.

Just give me a minute. How many you want, two or three?

How many you want, two or three? Two.

You want coffee or tea? What do you want?

Wait... Huh? Some coffee.

Okay.

Oh, did you know that Bubba called?

Yeah.

Yeah, he's gonna be up here soon.

What'd you say? Who called?

I said Bubba called. He will be up here soon.

What are you talking about, "Be up here"?

What do you mean, "Be up here"?

He'll be up here. Because... To see us.

He coming here, in New York?

Yes, Bubba and Mary Alice.

The baby's still in the home, but, uh...

Wait a minute, what are you talking about? I thought Mary Alice left Bubba.

Mary Alice left Bubba. She ran off to Florida with James from the disco.

Yeah, that old slick nigga. Yeah.

Yeah, the DJ in the disco.

Well, anyhow, what happened was, um...

she went to California with James.

- And then James... - To California?

Yeah, they wrote some bad checks, and then,

I don't know. She had to go to jail.

And then, she got in touch with Bubba and the baby's in the home.

And Bubba went to California to get her, and he called me.

And so he's gonna come here. They didn't have no place else to go.

The baby's in a home?

Yeah, they got to get some money

and go back to California to get the baby.

So they got the Greyhound bus, and they on their way, you know.

Yeah.

You mean, they're coming here to live with us?

Now, I didn't say nothing about live with us.

Well, what are you talking about then?

They're coming here to stay with us. It's different.

Well, that's the same thing.

It's not the same thing.

And the baby's in California?

Yeah. [dish clatters]

I don't know. I don't know about this.

I don't know about this.

Well, what can I do? It's my brother.

He's got to stay with us.

I can't do nothing about that.

We ain't got no room for all that.

Well, I know. But I didn't say that when your father came.

Well, that's... Here's the juice.

That's different. Why is that different?

What's the different between my brother and your father... You ain't got no bread?

[sighs]

[man] The man, the man.

Oh, that's my man.

[coughing]

Yeah.

Yeah, what's happening? How you doing?

Uncle Brown, what's up? Hey, man.

[car horn blaring]

What's up? What's going down? Everything's fine.

We've gotten it all straightened out.

But I asked the guy what was the number, you know.

And he gave me the Brooklyn number.

I think he thought he was funny. Yeah.

I haven't played a Brooklyn number since the Dodgers left, so...

How long was that... You know how I feel about that.

Yeah. But anyway, we straight, Junior.

Right. And I got two more days with you, brother.

And on the third, we'll see you again.

[both laugh]

All right. Take it easy, now.

Right on. All right.

[Johnnie] Here. Take the bread.

You want some juice?

Now, what we supposed to do? I mean, how we gonna fit all those people in this...

We can't live like that.

Well, we have to make do the best we can.

I can't say no to him. It's my brother.

It's your stepbrother.

Well, he's like my brother. What can I say?

Say, "No, you can't come here. My husband won't allow it"?

James is still in jail out in California.

Yeah, James is in jail. See, Bubba went out there, and then he hit James.

And he almost had to go to jail. It was a mess. It's a mess.

Anyway, they're probably in Ohio by now. They'll be here soon.

When did they call you?

They called yesterday, day before yesterday, something like that.

Why didn't you tell me?

'Cause I didn't see you. I mean, I forgot to tell you. I'm telling you now.

You didn't tell me 'cause you know what I was gonna say. That's why you didn't tell me.

I'm telling you now. I don't know what else you can say but, "Yeah."

I can say no.

You wouldn't say no, would you?

To my brother?

It ain't just up to me. It's up to you too.

[coughs] Well, I'm saying yeah, so then you'll say yeah. All right?

How are we gonna... I mean, that's gonna make things awful hard...

It's not forever. It's not forever.

It's just for a little while, he gonna come and stay. Have some juice.

Anyway... But if you want to talk about it, we can talk about it.

As long as we talk about it before they get here.

I don't want us talking, like this in front of him

make him feel like he's not welcome.

Now, you know I ain't gonna do that.

Okay.

But I gotta think about it.

What's there to think about?

There's nothing to think about.

I got to go... I'll go to work. I'll call you from work.

When you gonna call? 'Cause I got some things to do. What time you gonna call?

[Charles] I don't know. Now, we gotta work something out here...

[Johnnie] I don't want to talk to you unless...

- [Charles] We gotta work... - [Johnnie] I don't wanna talk to you on the telephone...

[Charles] I don't know about this. I don't know about all these people coming in here.

[Johnnie] It's not "all these people." It's two people.

[Charles] I mean, you just come and throw that on me in the morning.

I'm eating my breakfast... Anyway.

- [Charles] You come tell me... - [Johnnie] Why don't you fix your own breakfast?

[Charles] What the hell is that? What the hell is that?

You come and tell me somebody's moving in here,

I'm sitting here getting ready to go to work

and you tell me some people are coming to move in the house.

What the hell you telling me about you gonna telephone me?

You sitting in front of me... Well, I can't...

Now you telling me you gonna phone me.

I ain't got time to argue now, I gotta go to work... Why we can't talk about it now?

Who's arguing? There's no argument.

I'm not giving you no argument about it.

What time will you be home?

I'll be late. Why late?

Because I got to meet Rabbit. I got a little business deal I gotta talk about.

[scoffs] With Rabbit?

Yes, with Rabbit. A business deal with Rabbit?

Oh, that's ridiculous. A business deal with Rabbit.

No, he knows this fellow who wants to invest some money, see?

[laughing] Invest some money with Rabbit?

Well, we're gonna try and work something out.

This guy's got some cash to invest and we figured we can work a deal out.

You know what this reminds me of?

You know that movie that colored lady wrote?

What movie? It was a colored lady wrote it.

Let me see, Diana Sands was in it.

I seen everything Diana Sands made.

Okay, you know the one I'm talking about, about the money, the investment?

And the father died, and let me see,

it was the insurance money was all messed up.

Sidney Poitier was in it.

Sidney Poitier played the father?

No, no. Sidney Poitier was the son.

Diana Sands' son?

No! Not Diana Sands' son.

No, he was the one who messed up the insurance money.

It was in Chicago, and they bought this house. Remember?

And they couldn't let... Whose insurance money?

The father's insurance money. I told you.

The father's insurance money was messed up because...

Wait a minute. The mother died and the father got the insurance...

No.

[sighs] Lorraine Hansberry. It was called...

Lorraine Hansberry played the mother?

No, Lorraine Hansberry's the colored woman who wrote it.

I ain't never heard of... What is it called?

It's calledA Raisin... A Raisin in the Sun.

I got... No, I ain't never heard of no raisin in no sun.

Well, that's what it is... With Sidney Poitier, no.

Okay. I got the story mixed up, but that's what it is.

No, what you're thinking about isUptown Saturday Night.

That's what you're thinking about. Oh, no, no. Not that.

This is about a family where the husband invests the money with some friends of his

like you wanna do with Rabbit.

Even if I had the story mixed up, I know what I'm talking about.

You got the whole thing mixed up.

[man] Yeah.

[muttering] Hi.

Good morning. Good morning.

I know the name of that movie.

That movie was theCabin in the Sky.

With Ethel Waters. She was the star... It was not.

Yes, indeed. That was a good movie.

You should've seen it.

Well, I got to go.

Oh, boy, and them tales.

You know, they had a cabaret scene in there that wouldn't wait.

Father Brown. Yeah.

I'll call you.

Yeah, you know who else was in there? Lena Horne. Oh...

Lena Horne? Lena Horne!

Look... Ed Rochester too!

Father Brown... Rochester.

The movie was notTavern in the Sky. It was notCabin in the Sky,

it wasRaisin in the Sun.

Damn! Sound likeTavern in the Skyto me.

Well, they must have stolen from this movie.

[sighs]

Good movie. I enjoyed that movie.

I got something to tell you. Yeah?

I got some information for you.

My brother Bubba is coming to stay with us.

Yeah? Mm-hmm.

With his wife Mary Alice.

When?

Tonight. Tomorrow morning.

I'm telling you so that you can get yourself prepared.

There's gonna be a lot of company around here.

Or in other words, what I'm trying to tell you, Father Brown,

is you gonna have to move on over.

Well. You hankty today, too, ain't you?

I am never hankty.

What's on your mind?

There's nothing on my mind except what I told you's on my mind.

My brother is coming.

All right. Okay. We'll make it.

Hmm. I know we will.

I love Charles Brown.

I like Raymon.

I mean, I'm in love with Raymon.

But Charles is my husband.

I don't know.

Sometimes I wish I had never left home.

It's not that I'm unhappy. It's just that I'm not happy.

I want to go home to Daufuskie.

But I don't want to leave here.

Leave everything we worked for.

I'm getting tired of this...

scuffling, scrimping, scrounging.

Working hard, getting nothing out of it.

All this concrete.

And I don't know what's wrong with Charles.

Father Brown gets on my nerve.

He don't know no other way but to be his self.

But with everybody leaning on me,

that's what I like about Raymon.

He understands me.

The me I want to be.

Just lets me be me. I can lean for a while.

[ringing doorbell]

[man] I'm coming!

I'm coming! I'm...

[lock clicks]

Shit... What...

Get back here. What are you doing here? Come on back.

What are you coming over here for?

Are you out of your mind?

[Charles] I missed you.

[both moaning]

Take your dress off.

Think I should? Take it off.

[kissing]

Sharon.

Oh, my Lord. Oh, my God.

[chatting, indistinct]

Is everything all right? Fine, thank you.

Everything's fine.

[woman] Will you wait up?

- [man] Hurry up. Come on. - [woman] I said wait up!

You know I can't walk in these heels.

What's wrong, your feet hurt again?

[chatting, indistinct]

[woman] Bubba!

[panting] We got it.

If I never see another bus, it'll be too soon.

No. Never see another...

There will be no more buses!

Oh, Bubba, we gonna take a plane back.

We go back first class! Oh, Bubba.

Bubba, look at that building. No, she said this way.

No, look at that building, Bubba, look at it.

Yeah! We gonna live in that! Don't worry, baby.

We gotta walk six blocks.

If I never see another bus, it'll be too soon.

[chatting, indistinct]

This way. Walk with me.

We gonna find it. We got it, we got it.

Bubba, we're gonna get killed. Watch out.

See, this way. She said this way.

Now we gotta walk three blocks.

Look at them peppers.

They ought to be ashamed selling that.

They give those away. My feet!

Yeah. Come on, come on.

Oh, look at this bread. They used to have that kind of bread in that restaurant.

You know? Yeah.

It's Italian bread. Yeah. Oh, I'm hungry.

Come on, now. We gonna get home.

I'm hungry, Bubba. We'll come back here.

You have some money? You got money?

[Bubba] Sure.

- Oh, God. - [Bubba] Come on.

[sighs]

Father Brown! Mary Alice! Bubba! Charles!

I want to see y'all, all y'all, in the living room right now!

Right now! Do you hear me! Right now, every one of you!

Right now! God damn it, now! Now!

You know what? I have just had it. I have had it.

I am sick and tired of cigarette butts and banana peels and beer!

And you know, people coming here late at night,

the damn television, Con Edison, I'm sick and tired of it!

I'm sick and tired of all of you up in my house!

You know? Get your asses out and do some work! Do something!

I've had it!

What's the matter with her, Charles?

Don't ask him what's the matter with me!

You know what's the matter with me!

Every... I come home in the morning.

You and your friends... Look at this! Look at this!

I'm sick of it!

I'm sick of you not doing nothing...

Johnnie Mae, I be trying...

You shut up! You don't try.

You don't cook! Why don't you shut up?

Don't tell my brother... You ain't doing nothing!

Shut up! Shut your mouth!

I asked you once before, and I'll ask you again.

Do you want a crazy contest? Bitch, you will not win.

Not this time, you won't win.

You know what? You better teach her better than that.

You come up here. I let you in my house, right?

You don't know how to act. Your whole family was like that in Carolina.

I'm tired and sick. I'm sick and tired... I'm sick of working for nothing!

I'm sick of them goddamn crazy people!

[Mary Alice] I been trying... Shut up!

God damn it. I told you to shut up!

Shut up in my house, or get the hell out, all of you!

My daughter come. I want a place for her to live!

This is my family! I work hard!

And none of y'all don't do shit!

Nothing! Nothing! You don't do nothing!

Except mess up my house.

No, the toilet paper is out.

Does anybody go down to the bodega and get some toilet paper? No!

You sit up in here and watch... watchGuns of Navarone

and Johnny Carson and all that.

I come home from dealing with them sick people... Johnnie Mae...

Just shut up! I told you. Don't say nothing to me.

Don't you say nothing.

Don't you raise your hand, to my brother, either.

All y'all make me sick.

Everybody's just making me sick.

Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about.

Every one of you know what I'm talking about.

[Mary Alice] I know what you're talking about Johnnie Mae.

Then why don't you do something? You know what you could do? I'ma tell you what you could do.

You could cook dinner at least three... three times a week. Right?

I got to come... I got to shop.

I go to the supermarket, I got to bring...

I got to bring the cart up. I got to do that.

What you nodding your head about, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah"?

You can't even get to the unemployment office on time!

On time!

10:00, you can't even get there. What you so busy doing?

What are y'all so busy doing?

You come up here... It's my house.

Nobody act... Y'all don't give that up. It's my house.

[Mary Alice] Johnnie Mae, I respect...

[Johnnie] I'm not running a hotel! Do you understand something?

I am not running a hotel. Go to a damn hotel!

This is not a hotel.

I'm tired of having to wash the bathtub out every time I want to wash up, okay?

Not even the tub! Just the sink!

I got to do that.

I go to have a cup of coffee. All the coffee is gone.

All the sugar is gone.

Little things like that. That bothers me!

And I don't wanna be bothered! I work too hard! Is that clear?

- [Bubba] Right. - [Mary Alice] Yes, Johnnie.

[Bubba] Right.

"Right, right, right, right." Wrong!

'Cause you don't understand nothing.

You better know how to act or else none of you are gonna stay.

I'll put everybody out.

I swear to God, I'll put every one of you out.

And I mean I will do it too. You think I can't do it?

I bet you goddamn well, I can do it.

I'll do it. I'll do it soon.

I'll do it real soon if y'all keep on acting like this.

You know what I mean?

Nasty, dirty dishes, they be all greasy.

- You pick up a glass... - [Mary Alice] Johnnie Mae, I'm gonna wash the dishes.

Yes, you gonna wash the dishes! I know you gonna wash the dishes!

You gonna do more than wash the dishes.

That's right, you gonna wash the dishes.

How about the laundry? The towels be funky.

I got to... On my way, back and to from work,

I got to take the... I can't do that and work too and deal with this!

I am not running a hotel. I keep telling y'all, I ain't running no hotel.

Think I'm running a hotel?

Oh, I'm gonna work at the hospital,

watch these people come in cut up, shot up and everything,

then I'm gonna be a chambermaid in a hotel in my own house.

I don't have a space to go to where I can rest?

And I have to watch your funky friends come up here,

stink up my house with their loud talk and everything,

and the beer bottles, and drink... drink up all my liquor.

I have... So I have friends come over,

I got to be embarrassed 'cause your dumb friends, huh?

What they come here and do? You know, I don't want all of them... numbers runners.

I don't want them in my house!

I don't want it! Do y'all understand that?

I don't want it!

None of y'all, I don't want. I don't... I don't want you in here.

I'm trying to help y'all, but I don't want... I don't want it.

I don't want it. I don't want it. That's the truth.

[groans]

[sighs]

That's...

Hmm.

Cigarettes!

[sighs]

You think you could be a medical records administrator,

or a traffic manager, or a copywriter,

or an advertising traffic coordinator?

I can be anything I want to be. Yeah.

This is the United States of America, don't you know that, my dear?

[laughs]

You been drinking?

You got something to drink over there?

You want some? No, I don't.

Then leave it alone.

Stupid.

Do you want some coffee?

No.

You gonna get up? You know, you smell.

You should get up and take a bath because you smell.

You didn't say that last night.

I was drunk last night.

[chuckles]

I'll drink to that.

Do you want some coffee? No.

Well, I do.

And I'm gonna make you a cup, 'cause you're gonna drink it anyway.

You know that?

[sighs]

Anything you say, my dear.

To a point. I think you should get up.

[sighs]

That's what I think.

I'm gonna check out that OTB place they have up here.

You just lose money there. You ain't got no money to lose.

What do you mean, lose money?

You gotta get a job, and I gotta get a job.

And I'm looking. I don't know about you.

Well, you keep on looking.

And what are you gonna do? Nothing.

I'm gonna work my way. You're gonna work your way.

Got to get some money, go back to California.

Get Scooter.

I don't think they're taking care of him.

He's been sick, you know that.

I miss him.

Are you listening to me, Bubba?

Yes, dearest.

I'm talking to you!

You're stupid.

Let's see, Steve Cauthen's riding today.

He's a winner.

Close friend of yours too, I'll bet, right?

Get off my back, okay?

Tell that to matron! Get off my back!

Tell that to the matron!

Shut up. We can go right back to California now!

I'm ready to go. Any time you're ready.

You just... You got it.

You produce the money, okay?

I took my money and got you out of there.

You didn't... Now you wanna go back?

You go back by your damn self. Okay, I will.

Just like you split with James on your damn self.

Well, book! I dare you!

You wait till I get some money, okay?

You wait.

Get up in the morning, your whole day is gone.

And you really don't have nothing to do.

The weekends come. You know, I come by, see you, hang out.

Nothing... I don't know. I really... This is not the day.

That's all I been saying.

I been thinking. Trying to get myself ready.

Trying to pack and call my mama, talk to her.

Everybody's excited 'cause I'm coming home, you know how that can be.

I have fun. I go down there for Christmas.

And when I was younger, I liked it a lot

'cause I could walk around and take my shoes off and run through the grass.

And every chance I get, the first thing I do, winter, spring or fall,

I take my shoes off, and I walk around in the yard.

And it's just like a whole, just a free, free thing.

The summers get to me, but most of the year... The gnats and mosquitoes...

Yeah, the gnats, the mosquitoes, but I can deal with that.

I'd rather deal with gnats and mosquitoes than these nasty, dirty streets.

I can't take it. I really... I really, I'm getting very, very tired of New York.

And I might just need, like, a change.

Need a change, you know?

[Johnnie] You don't have to explain to me.

Child, please, please, please.

My people down there, they could use me.

Doing what? Help 'em out.

They can use me. I mean, I love you all up here at the hospital and all, but...

I just... I just need a break. Things aren't happening before.

Before, everything was up, on an up.

Now things are getting, like, on a down.

Hello!

How are you?

I feel good.

What are you doing, sitting all the way over there?

Thinking.

[both chuckle]

About?

Life.