Original subtitles

(dog barking in distance)

(subway train rushing past)

¶ ¶

¶ The cool September ¶

¶ Blows the seeds away ¶

¶ The harvest blown ¶

¶ Again this year ¶

¶ But I'll return ¶

¶ A stronger man ¶

¶ I'll return to me ¶

¶ My homeland ¶

¶ No grave shall hold ¶

¶ My body down ¶

-(car alarm wailing in distance) -¶ This land is still ¶

¶ My home ¶

¶ I called to my god ¶

¶ But he was sleeping ¶

¶ On that day ¶

¶ I guess I'll just have to ¶

¶ Depend on me ¶

¶ Oh... ¶

(church bell ringing in distance)

¶ This land is still ¶

-¶ My home. ¶ -(rapid thumping)

PRAY TELL: Girl, if you don't stop

-all that fidgeting. -I-I'm... What?

I'm sorry, I can't-I can't control it.

I'm just nervous.

I am, too. But we're in good hands.

You have swollen lymph nodes.

It's very common for people with AIDS.

When we get back the results of the biopsy from Dr. Greenberg,

-we'll have a better idea. -Well, whatever it is, I hope

it gets rid of these night sweats.

I haven't had a full night's sleep in weeks.

(knocking)

May I have a word with, uh... Pray Tell alone?

Uh, no, stay. They...

These women are family.

The tissue samples confirmed my suspicion.

You have AIDS-related lymphoma.

-Cancer? -Yes.

The T cells we need to boost your immunity

and fight the cancer aren't there.

This makes it almost impossible for me to treat you safely.

What about, um... chemo?

Chemotherapy could kill the cancer,

but it'd also kill you.

Uh, how... how long do I have?

At most, six months.

(slow exhale)

NURSE JUDY: Fuck this.

Fuck him. Smug motherfucker.

(echoing): I can tell you, I've seen

a dozen AIDS patients just like you--

night sweats, fevers, swollen glands--

gone on to recover and live.

And we're getting a second opinion.

BLANCA: Pray. Pray.

-(echoing stops) -Where'd you go?

-You okay? -I'm fine. I'm fine.

Don't y'all worry about me. Ain't no white man

in a lab coat and cheap shoes gonna tell me

-I got to throw in the towel. -Amen.

PRAY TELL: I've always known I was living on limited time.

But now...

I know know.

And I have to use this time wisely.

Yeah.

I have to tell the people I love

that I love them.

-I love you, Pray. -I love you, too.

I love y'all. (sighs)

And there are some other people who need to hear that from me.

Some folks I got to forgive.

(door opens)

(footfalls approach)

PRAY TELL: The category is...

Live...

Work...

Pose!

¶ ¶

¶ My heart is cryin', cryin' ¶

¶ Lonely teardrops ¶

¶ My pillows never dry of ¶

¶ Lonely teardrops ¶

¶ Come home ¶

¶ Come home... ¶

¶ Just say you will ¶

-¶ Say you will ¶ -¶ Say you will ¶

¶ Say you will ¶

¶ Say you will ¶

¶ Hey, hey ¶

¶ Say you will ¶

¶ My heart is cryin', cryin' ¶

¶ Lonely teardrops ¶

-¶ My pillows never dry of ¶ -(girls laughing)

¶ Lonely teardrops ¶

¶ Come home ¶

¶ Come home... ¶

¶ Just say you will ¶

-¶ Say you will ¶ -GIRLS (singsongy): Go, Pray. Go, Pray.

-¶ Say you will. ¶ -Go, Pray, hey, hey, go, Pray.

Go, Pray. Go, Pray. Hey, hey, go, Pray.

-Go, Pray. Go, Pray. -CHARLENE: Prayerful?

-Is that you, baby? -Hi, Mommy.

-I thought I'd surprise you. -Ooh,

what a blessing

after all these years.

Oh, my God.

How long I got you?

-For as long as you'll have me. -Oh! You hungry?

-Mm. (laughs) -I'm making catfish for lunch. Oh.

Is Auntie Latrice and Jada coming over?

Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle?

Nah, even hypertension can't keep Latrice from my cooking.

(laughs)

Look at you! Come in here.

Mmm! Mmm, mmm, mmm.

Mmm. Frying up real nice.

-LATRICE: Mm, sure is. -JADA: It is. (laughs)

Is this real silk?

Yes, of course.

-You think I'd wear rayon? -Should I

pull out your high school yearbook?

(laughs)

-You weren't always a swan. -Eh...

How much a silk shirt like that run you-- hundred, $200?

How gauche.

You can call me all the names you want,

but the money you spend on clothes--

you could fix the leak in that church roof.

CHARLENE: Oh, stop it, now.

It's enough chitter-chatter.

My baby is home. (exclaims)

And you have to tell us about your life in New York.

-LATRICE: Mm. -It's good.

It's fine.

Mm-hmm.

Challenging.

That's why I'm visiting.

-Most I can lend you is $50. -Oh, hush up, now.

Baby, is that why you came home? That... You need money?

No, Mommy.

-Okay. -(chuckles)

I came to share something with you.

Well, it can't be worse than the last time

-you gathered us for a meal. -You mean that time

I bared my soul to the women I love

and bravely told them I was gay?

LATRICE: Oh, Lord, here we go again.

If I have to hear about

your sexuality one more time.

I do not talk about my sex life.

-That's 'cause you ain't got no sex life to talk about. -(chuckles)

I'm not here to talk about my sexuality.

I'm here to talk about my health.

Is it the sugars?

PRAY TELL: No, I don't have diabetes.

-(clears throat) -JADA: Well, what is it--

sickle cell? Asthma?

No. I don't know any other way to say this, so...

I have AIDS.

I'm dying.

I have been...

...HIV positive for six years,

and I didn't want to burden y'all until

it became serious.

I know that we've already been through so much.

Mommy, I'm not trying to upset you.

-Uh-uh. -And I'm so sorry.

-I'm sorry. -Mm-mm.

-I'm really sorry. -Mm-mm.

-Mm-mm. -Mommy. Mommy...

Pray, let her go, baby.

LATRICE: See, I always knew this would happen. Heavenly Father,

-save his soul... -Stop it.

-from eternal damnation. -Please, please,

please, please stop.

I don't need your prayers.

I need your love.

I never stopped loving you.

Hate the sin,

-love the sinner. -Oh, Jesus.

Which is why I care about your soul.

Just shut your ole big mouth.

If you cared about the state of anyone's soul,

then you would have stood up for me

when the church judged me for getting a divorce.

You had a child out of wedlock with a married man!

I lost my community.

All because of some outdated law

that was created by men some 3,000 years ago.

No, God's word is immutable.

Divorce, homosexuality, pedophilia...

No, no, no. Don't put those words beside each other.

Your god made me this way,

and there is nothing wrong with me.

God made you in His image.

Everything else is a choice.

You think it was a choice

for me to be called "faggot" and beat

every day of my childhood?

You think it was a choice

for me to lose every man I've ever loved?

Sometimes I think I wouldn't even have this disease

if it wasn't for the church and how y'all treated me.

I...

That's where the troubles started.

The drinking and the drugging and...

the one-night stands and...

I'm so sorry.

Pray, I didn't know.

I know that I can't undo what's already been done,

but I need you to know I've always loved you, Pray.

And I promise you I will be there with you until the end.

Mm.

Now, look, I'm-a go find your mama

before she spirals into one of her fits.

Charlene?

I am here for you, too, Pray.

Even though, sometimes, we have not always seen eye-to-eye.

-Where you going? -Church.

I got to get my soloist together for Sunday service,

and I could use some company.

I'm not going to that wretched place.

Watch your mouth.

A visit will do you some good.

And you gonna like the new pastor.

Who is it?

Vernon Jackson.

You got to be kidding me.

God forgives and God forgets.

Come on!

(piano playing)

(sighs)

WOMAN: ¶ Just let me live ¶

¶ My life ¶

¶ Let it be pleasing ¶

¶ Lord, to Thee ¶

¶ And should I gain ¶

¶ Any praise ¶

¶ Let it go to ¶

¶ Calvary... ¶

-(piano stops playing) -¶ Ooh. ¶

Hold on. I got an idea.

Devin, you come in after Angela right here.

-Let's try that. -ANGELA: Okay.

(piano resumes playing)

¶ To God ¶

¶ Be the glory ¶

¶ To God ¶

¶ Be the glory ¶

¶ To God ¶

¶ Be the glory ¶

ANGELA: ¶ For the things ¶

¶ He has done ¶

DEVIN: ¶ Oh, for every, every, every ¶

¶ Every victory ¶

-¶ He has won ¶ -¶ Ooh ¶

BOTH: ¶ To God ¶

¶ Be the glory ¶

¶ For the things ¶

¶ He has ¶

¶ Done ¶

¶ Done... ¶

(song ends)

-(chuckles) -LATRICE: Ooh, yes.

Good job, good job. Come on.

PRAY TELL: Y'all better sing! (chuckles)

Hi.

Thank you. Thank you, Sister Williams.

Sister Simms. Brother Walker.

Pastor Vernon Jackson.

I never thought I'd be calling you that.

(chuckles)

It's good to see you, Brother Pray.

It's been, what-- uh, 20 years?

-25. -Mm.

To what do I owe this pleasure?

What if I said I was here to see you?

I'm married, Pray.

Who'd you convince?

Cheryl?

Tina?

Ebony.

We have three kids.

-Ebony Alexander? -Mm-hmm.

You married my high school best friend?

You know I told her every

intimate detail of our love affair.

She knows your truth

and He knows your past.

I'm living my truth.

And I'm happy. It took some time,

but I resolved those feelings.

With Ebony's help. I made a choice,

and I decided to give my life over to Christ, fully.

This is my home.

I thought I was your home.

That's what you said.

When we were young, that's what you said.

Was that a lie?

No, I-I... I loved you.

And I'm not ashamed of what you once meant to me,

but you were asking me to step away from the church, and I...

No, no, no, no, the church stepped away from me.

And I'm not the only one.

Every year I watch hundreds of kids

flock to the city,

looking for what they lost

after the church threw them away.

That's what your church do...

That's what your church did.

To me.

If you just got down on your knees, I promise you...

Oh, trust, I have been down on my knees.

And I have received many blessings from many men.

You know, it's never too late for salvation.

Yeah, well, it's too late for me.

I'm dying.

-What? -Yeah.

How?

You already know.

Same thing that's killing all of us.

Us?

Yeah.

-Us. -(Bible thumps)

Wait, Pray. I-I want you to come over tonight.

Uh, for dinner

-with Ebony and the kids. -That is a terrible idea.

"Be angry and do not sin;

"do not let the sun go down on your anger,

and do not give opportunity to the devil."

Really?

You quoting scripture?

(exhales)

-(dog barking in distance) -(birds chirping)

I see you finally decided to come out of your room.

You want to talk?

Mommy, I need you to say something.

There's nothing to talk about, baby.

What's done is done.

I knew you were gonna get that thing

once you told me you were gay.

I saw Vernon today.

I'm off to dinner with him and Ebony tonight.

Prayerful,

I don't want you starting any trouble

with Pastor Vernon.

He's been good for this community.

And he has helped me out of some darker times

you could not imagine.

What dark times?

The times when I was so alone

I could barely get out of bed.

The times when I was so worried about you

and what you were doing

and-and what kind of trouble you were getting into.

You have no idea

how hurtful it is to have a son

who turns his back on everything you taught him.

Huh? Who blatantly

refuses the word of God?

I care about your soul, Pray.

-I care about your soul. -No,

no, all you care about

is what everybody at the church

thinks about you.

Not me or my soul.

If you did, you-you...

you wouldn't have let your husband

do the things that he did to me for all those years.

You know I didn't know what Ernest was doing.

I told you! I told you everything!

And he stopped, didn't he?

Yeah, after I got old enough to push him off me.

-Well, what was I supposed to do? -You were supposed

to believe me and then leave him!

I could not raise you on my own.

-You needed a father. -No.

You needed a husband

to save face and keep up appearances with the church.

You have no idea what it was like

for me to find my way in this world.

Now, your father was a good man

and I wish the Lord hadn't taken him so young,

but when he died, I needed a man.

Now, Ernest wasn't perfect, but he provided for us.

So, why don't you just...

why don't you just move on?

(stammers)

-I have moved on. -Okay.

Just let it be. I mean, you've been gone 20 years.

Let the past lie.

Okay.

-¶ Oh, happy day ¶ -¶ Oh, happy day ¶

¶ Oh, happy day ¶

¶ Oh, happy day ¶

¶ When Jesus washed ¶

¶ He washed my sins away ¶

¶ Oh, happy day ¶

¶ He taught me how ¶

¶ He taught me how ¶

-¶ To watch ¶ -¶ To watch ¶

¶ Fight and pray ¶

-¶ Yes, he did ¶ -¶ Fight and pray ¶

-¶ Everybody say, "Oh" ¶ -¶ Oh ¶

-¶ Happy day ¶ -¶ Happy day ¶

-¶ Oh ¶ -¶ Oh ¶

-¶ Happy day ¶ -¶ Happy day ¶

-¶ Oh, oh, oh, oh ¶ -¶ Oh ¶

-¶ Happy day ¶ -¶ Happy day ¶

-¶ Oh, happy ¶ -(girl whoops)

¶ Oh, happy ¶

¶ Day ¶

¶ Oh, happy ¶

-¶ Day ¶ -¶ Day. ¶

Good job, everyone.

I'll see you on Sunday at worship.

-GIRL: Okay. -GIRL 2: Yes, ma'am.

(indistinct chatter)

Do you want to walk home together?

Yeah, I'd like that.

¶ Strumming my pain with his fingers ¶

¶ Singing my life with his words ¶

¶ Killing me softly with his song ¶

¶ Killing me softly ¶

¶ With his song ¶

¶ Telling my whole life ¶

¶ With his words ¶

¶ Killing me softly ¶

¶ With his song... ¶

You always look so happy when you're singing.

I love to sing to the Lord.

I wish I sang as good as you.

You have a special gift, Pray.

You really think I have a gift?

You're my favorite singer.

(vocalizing)

Prayerful!

EBONY: Oh, come on, Freddy. You know this one.

-I know! I know! -VERNON: Yeah, let Freddy

have his turn, honey.

FREDDY: "And we know that all things work together

"for good to them that love God,

and to them who are the called according to purpose."

-EBONY: There you go. -Hey, great job. That's my boy.

-That's my son. -CYNTHIA: My turn,

-my turn. -Okay, let me give you a good one.

Uh... how about

-Romans 13:8. -Mm.

"Owe no one anything except to love each other; for the one

who loves another has fulfilled the law."

-EBONY: Oh, so good. (laughs) -VERNON: Oh. Great job.

-(Vernon laughs) -(phone ringing)

-Oh. Uh, honey... -Oh.

-we're-we're at dinner. -I know,

I know, um, just give me a moment.

You guys were amazing. That was amazing.

-(laughs) -VERNON: Hello? Yes.

Oh. Okay.

I'll be there in ten minutes. Thank you.

(hangs up)

Mrs. Williams is near the end.

I won't be long. Uh,

will you be here when I get back, Pray?

Of course he will.

I could use some help cleaning the dishes.

Well, and you know I always know the dish, darling.

-(laughs) Yes, you do. -(chuckles)

All right, you two behave.

EBONY: Okay, kids, clear your plates.

Well, y'all raised some smart and well-behaved children.

-Mm. Thank you. -(chuckles)

I've raised a few myself, although I doubt any of them

-can recite Bible verses. -Oh... (laughs)

Although they do know all the lyrics

to every Whitney and Janet song.

Uh...

so do I.

You do remember that

-I had all the moves back in the day, right? -Mm.

-Mm... -Oh!

Yes! Cheerleading captain, prom queen.

-Yeah, you still got it, girl. -(laughs)

I can hear you thinking,

"Why did that girl marry Vernon?"

Well, I do have to admit

I had to fix my face when Vernon told me.

-Mm. -Girl, you could've had anybody.

Yeah. Vernon is a good man.

I believe in him. What he's built, his mission,

what he means to the community.

See, Pray Tell, that's what marriage is all about.

You take the good with the bad.

And so you just turn a blind eye

to the fact that your husband is gay?

I know my husband. And I trust him.

And I don't want to rock this boat.

But I do need your help.

And I'm asking as an old friend.

You notice how there's five years

between Cynthia and the baby?

Yeah, it's because, uh...

well, he wouldn't lay with me in all that time.

I know how you two

were together back in the school days.

And I hear how Vernon talks to you.

And I see how you look at him.

But I do want to...

I want to make him feel good.

Ebony, you're asking me

to tell you how to pleasure your man?

Yes.

Sweetheart...

-your husband is a homosexual. -No.

-He likes men. -No.

There's nothing you can do to change that.

No, he is a strong, good, God-fearing man.

The good Lord wouldn't give Vernon

something that he couldn't overcome.

He is just as God made him.

It's not a choice.

But you are making a choice.

-Why? -Because I believe in marriage.

How many marriages that aren't as strong as ours

are gonna break apart if ours breaks apart?

Your marriage is not strong.

It's built on sinking sand. I know, I know...

that your church teaches you that there's no higher calling

than to stand by your man.

Men created those lies so that they could act out

and then come back home whenever they wanted to.

What does that mean? Hmm?

That even in their own churches,

Black folks worship a white man.

Jesus didn't absolve our sins through joy and peace.

The crucifixion was torture and pain.

That's the Lord telling us that life is violent.

Life is cruel.

Life hurts.

But the more we hurt,

the closer we are to God.

Your god sounds like a real asshole.

(exhales)

Pray Tell.

It's so hard.

I need your help.

Please.

(baby crying)

I can't...

Baby, Mama's coming.

-(engine stops) -(door opens)

-VERNON: Oh, hey, Pray. -(door closes)

How'd it go?

Mrs. Williams passed peacefully.

Just never get used to it.

-No, you don't. -So, how'd it go in here?

Did you spill any secrets?

(short chuckle) I didn't have to.

You know, it's a nice night out.

Let's go for a walk.

PRAY TELL: I haven't been here in ages.

(chuckles) Does it look different?

The only thing that's changed is us.

(both chuckle)

The years have been kind to you, Pastor Vernon.

Well, thank you.

No, you're supposed to say "You, too."

I see some things never change.

I got to teach you everything.

Well, from what I recall,

we taught each other a lot right here.

All the things that really matter.

I've missed you so much.

Fix it, Jesus.

I've never stopped loving you, Pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to come

and save Vernon from himself.

Forgive him for the wreckage that he's about to create,

and give him some sense, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Don't be flip. This is my life, Pray.

What do you want, Vernon?

Seeing you again.

Reflecting on our past.

You have reawakened something within me.

You were right all those years ago.

I should have gone with you.

But I was too scared.

But you have a wife and kids.

You-you can't abandon them.

You asked me what I want.

This is what I want.

¶ Strumming my pain with his fingers ¶

¶ Singing my life with his words... ¶

I don't... I don't have much longer.

I don't care.

I just want to be with you.

But you have your family and your, and your congregation.

I can't... I can't let you blow up your life

for six months with me.

That's my choice to make.

I wish I'd made it back then, but I-I'm making it now.

(vocalizing)

I'm dying, Vernon.

I'm dying of AIDS.

I was with you in the beginning.

Let me be there for you in the end.

You are the love

of my life, Pray.

Don't you want our story to have a different ending?

¶ With his fingers ¶

¶ Singing my life with his words ¶

¶ Killing me softly with his song... ¶

Rewriting... my past is not gonna change my future.

I know how my story ends.

You want to rewrite yours, fine,

but I cannot hold the pen.

Pray,

we can rewrite our story.

I'm asking you to have faith in me.

In us.

"Faith without works is dead."

James 2:26.

¶ Telling my whole life with his words ¶

¶ Killing me softly... ¶

I'm going home on Sunday.

The bus leaves at 5:00 p.m.

¶ He was strumming my pain ¶

I'll be there.

¶ Yeah, he was singing my life ¶

¶ Killing me softly with his song ¶

¶ Killing me softly ¶

¶ With his song ¶

¶ Telling my whole life with his words ¶

¶ Killing me softly ¶

¶ With his song. ¶

REDD FOXX: Well, no, I didn't mean

to call you no clucking duck.

-(laughing) -(door closes)

What I meant was, like, a cackling hen.

-(Charlene laughs) -No, no, Donna, Donna,

wait a minute, honey, don't cry, don't cry.

Please. Listen to me.

-Mm-hmm. -Mm!

Guess we all got our secrets.

-Don't tell your aunts. -I'm-a tell you like

-you used to always tell me. -What?

-God knows all. -Yes.

(laughs)

-(TV turns off) -Let me ask you something.

When you lived here, how many times

would you say you snuck off to the Greyhound

to go to New York?

Every other week, I guess.

-Uh-huh. -You know, whenever

-I could afford to. -Mm-hmm.

I'd be sitting in that window

waiting for your butt to get back all weekend.

And one day you just didn't.

You didn't start no mess over at Pastor Vernon's house, did you?

That house is plenty messy all by itself without my help.

You know what I love about you people?

Every damn... every one of you

has a secret that you think

the other people don't know about.

But everybody knows everything.

Because peace is more important than truth.

It's because the lies make you feel alive.

It's the lies that keep the fires inside of you burning.

They're the only thing in this godforsaken town

that are real.

Is this why you came back after all these years?

To tell me off?

To cuss out your own mother?

I didn't curse you.

Y'all cursed me,

told me that I would never be blessed.

I only left because it wasn't safe for me here.

And now I've come back to make things right.

But I need you, Mommy...

to admit your faults.

How you let that man do what he did to me.

How you tossed me out

and chose the church over me when all I did...

was tell you my truth.

I know, I know.

I know I did wrong by you.

I was scared

that I would lose everything that I had ever known.

You know, that's my greatest shame.

I knew...

I did know that nothing was ever wrong...

(crying)

Nothing was ever wrong with my beautiful,

headstrong, talented boy.

-(sobs) -I am sorry.

Could you forgive me?

Because I-I really...

I really want to do good this time.

I-I do.

I love you so much.

I love you, too.

Okay...

can I ask you something?

You believe in salvation, don't you?

In God?

Uh...

the way that you do, like...

...with the big man up in the heavens and stuff?

No.

(sniffles) But I do believe in a God.

How is he?

I mean, what's he like, your God?

(sniffles)

He is kind.

-He is loving. -Uh-huh.

He is forgiving.

That is the God that's inside me.

Yes. He is.

(laughs): He is.

(exhales)

(sighs, stammers)

Would you, uh...

...visit the church with me, one more time?

I-I mean, I think it would, I think it would give us peace.

I don't know about that.

-Why? -(both laugh)

I don't know that I need to be up in the Lord's house,

knowing how the saints feel about me and my kind.

Well, why don't you go for the music?

Come on, now, you know you were always the star in the choir.

You know you had the best voice.

My God gave you that gift.

Please?

Ple... All right.

-Come on. -(both laugh)

¶ ¶

¶ Welcome to the house of the Lord ¶

¶ Welcome to the house of the Lord ¶

¶ There are no strangers here ¶

¶ Everybody's welcome here ¶

¶ Welcome to the house of the Lord ¶

¶ Make yourself at home ¶

¶ In the house of the Lord ¶

¶ Welcome, welcome ¶

¶ Welcome ¶

¶ Welcome, oh, hallelujah ¶

¶ You are welcome ¶

¶ Welcome here. ¶

(cheering, applause)

Yeah!

Praise Him!

(whooping)

LATRICE: Good morning.

-CONGREGATION: Good morning. -Ooh, I said good morning!

-CONGREGATION: Good morning! -Whoo!

For our next song, I would like to invite

-a special guest to join us. -Mm.

-He was raised in this church. -Mm-hmm.

LATRICE: His voice used to fill this church.

-CHARLENE: Yes. -It's been a very long time

since he's been here.

But the Lord has brought him back to us.

Won't he do it!

-Amen. -OTHERS: Amen.

LATRICE: Prayerful.

Will you join us, please?

Go on, now. You've been summoned.

-Mm-hmm. -LATRICE: Yes.

-Amen! -(cheering, applause)

-Hallelujah! -Uh...

"This Day"?

¶ ¶

¶ Give us ¶

¶ This day ¶

¶ Our daily bread ¶

¶ You said ¶

¶ You would ¶

¶ Supply all ¶

¶ My needs ¶

¶ According to ¶

¶ Your riches ¶

¶ I have ¶

¶ But to ask ¶

¶ And I shall ¶

¶ Receive ¶

-¶ To go ¶ -¶ To go from here ¶

¶ And share this love ¶

¶ You gave ¶

¶ To me ¶

¶ To show ¶

¶ Someone ¶

¶ Who's lost ¶

¶ And help them find ¶

¶ Their way ¶

¶ The way to truth ¶

¶ And faith ¶

¶ So they can ¶

¶ Be free ¶

¶ Like me ¶

¶ Lord ¶

¶ We need your love ¶

¶ Lord ¶

¶ We need your peace ¶

¶ O, Lord ¶

¶ We need your ¶

¶ Joy ¶

¶ This ¶

¶ Day ¶

¶ Thank you, Lord ¶

-¶ Thank you for this day ¶ -¶ Mm ¶

¶ For another day ¶

¶ I thank you ¶

-¶ Thank you, Lord ¶ -¶ I know I've made ¶

¶ Some mistakes in my life ¶

¶ Thank you for your mercy ¶

¶ And your grace ¶

-¶ Thank you for your grace ¶ -¶ I, I ¶

¶ Shake in my body ¶

¶ But I thank you for another day, ah ¶

¶ Thank you for this day ¶

-¶ Thank you ¶ -¶ Been through ¶

¶ So many trials and tribulations ¶

-¶ Thank you for this day ¶ -¶ But I thank you ¶

¶ But I thank you ¶

-¶ I'm so tired, Lord ¶ -¶ Thank you for this day ¶

¶ I surrender ¶

¶ Put my life in your hands ¶

¶ Oh, oh ¶

¶ This ¶

¶ Day. ¶

(cheering, applause)

Hallelujah.

-Oh, that's right. -(cheering continues)

JADA: So you basically came into town

for a farewell performance,

and just tore us all up.

(chuckles)

Child, you ain't changed one bit.

(both laugh)

So, uh, how did things go with your mama?

PRAY TELL: Good, good, I think.

You know, I'm a grown man now.

I'm not a child anymore, and she's her own woman,

and I forgive that woman.

I forgive her.

Do you forgive me?

For what?

For not protecting you.

Pray, I knew,

and I didn't... I did nothing!

I'm sorry, though.

-It's okay. It's okay. -I'm sorry.

-(crying softly) -Is that why you wanted to have chicken and waffles?

For absolution before I go?

(laughs) You...

You stop that silly talk.

When things get tough for you in New York,

I will be coming there

so that you can feel your family in those last days.

More than that,

I want you to get everything you want

exactly the way you want it to be.

-Power of attorney? -Mm-hmm.

Now, I know you got people there who love you and all, you know,

but you know how it works.

The law won't let them make decisions for you

because they're not blood.

Now, you sign these papers

and I will make sure that you get everything that you want.

I will come there and I will see it through.

So tell me, what are your final wishes?

I know you've been thinking about this already, now.

What, you... you want a parade or something?

(laughs): No. No.

The opposite of that.

I... want to die peacefully at home.

And then I want to be cremated.

So where do you want us to put your ashes?

I want you to buy a bunch of heart lockets

and fill them with a little piece of me.

And give them to all my friends

and one for you and Aunt Latrice and Mommy.

And then you'll all have a piece of me, wherever you go.

Y'all ain't never getting rid of me.

(both laugh)

Okay.

You let me do all of that for you, Pray.

Let me love you now like I wasn't strong enough

to love you then.

You deserve that.

(sniffles)

Oh, there's this bossy bitch named Elektra

who's gonna think that she deserves one of these lockets.

I want you to tell her that I said from the grave

-that she can kiss my entire ass. -(laughs)

Okay?

Only good thing about dying is that I won't have to listen

-to her bullshit no more. -(both laugh)

Cheers.

Oh, mm-hmm.

(laughing)

¶ ¶

(indistinct chatter)

¶ ¶

¶ ¶

("Free" by Deniece Williams playing)

(bus brakes squeak, hiss)

¶ And I've just got to be me ¶

¶ Be, be ¶

¶ Be ¶

¶ And I've just got to be me, yeah ¶

¶ Be, be ¶

¶ I've got to be free... ¶

YOUNG VERNON: I don't know, I think Elvis is pretty cool.

YOUNG PRAY TELL: Please. Elvis got nothing

on Jackie Wilson.

Have you heard "Lonely Teardrops"?

¶ Oh ¶

¶ And I've just got to be me ¶

¶ Yeah, yeah ¶

¶ Be ¶

-¶ Be ¶ -¶ Ooh ¶

¶ Oh ¶

¶ Be free ¶

¶ Be, yeah, be me ¶

¶ I've just got to be free... ¶

ELEKTRA: Have you seen her mug shots?

-PAPI: Wait, who-de-who? -BLANCA: Left Eye.

I heard that when she got arrested that day,

she walked out of that house

with the thing still under her eye.

-She's a G. -ANGEL: That is so inspiring.

-She's a hero. -PAPI: Hold on, what about his sneakers, though?

-Huh? -ANGEL: Baby, if you ever cheat on me,

I'm gonna take all your sneakers and your clothes, too,

and I'm gonna put them in the tub

and I'm gonna light them on fire,

but not with gasoline.

I'm-a do it with essential oils,

so you think about me when they're burning.

-(laughs): Oh... -Okay, shall we?

(quietly): Yes.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you

for this food and drink that we're about to receive.

In a world where so many are hungry,

may we eat with humble hearts.

In a world where so many are lonely,

may we love with open arms.

May we all be fed, may we all be healed,

may we all be loved, may we all be at peace.

-Amen. -OTHERS: Amen.

-(exhales) -Ah...

-Hey, woman. Hey, trans. -Soup, please.

-Mmm-mmm. -Hey, trans woman.

-This is my mama's recipe. -Ooh, this shit looks good.

-Just need a little broth. -Hey.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH