"(SOMBER MUSIC)" "SAMANTHA CRAWFORD:" "Life used to be so beautiful... so full of magic and possibilities." "I would sit for hours drawing and dreaming up crazy stories to tell all my friends." "I thought my stories would inspire the world, make it a better place somehow." "I was such a dreamer." "And for a while, it seemed like all my dreams were coming true." "Billy was my world, the man of my dreams." "But how quickly dreams can be shattered." "That killer didn't just take Billy's life." "He took mine, too." "The only thing the police knew was that the killer wore a red hoodie and left behind a mechanic's rag." "They soon gave up their search, but I could never move on." "What do you do when you've lost your faith, your hope, your will to go on?" "I used to dream of telling stories, but I never dreamed that mine would end like this." "(MUSIC CRESCENDOS)" "(THUNDER)" "(CAMERA CLICKING)" "(POLICE RADIO CHATTER)" "Oh, my God, no!" "No, we doin' this." "(GASPING)" "So tell me, did you miss her?" "(LAUGHING)" "I don't hear nothin'." "I know you as hungry as I am." "(UNZIPS BACKPACK)" "(ZIPS BACKPACK)" "(GASPS)" "Out late for a school night." "Come here!" "(MACHINE BEEPING)" "(GASPING)" "I know you're still there." "(GASPING)" "And I know you're listening." "I sure could use some help right now." "(MACHINE BEEPING)" "No matter what happens to me, watch over those kids." "(TIRES SCREECH, HORN HONKS)" "(THUD)" "MACON:" "Keisha!" "Keisha!" "She..." "She got hit!" "(MUSIC)" "Miss Crawford?" "How is she?" "She got banged up pretty good." "Gonna keep her overnight just to be safe, but she's gonna be fine." "Have you seen the family?" "Someone should be here any minute." "The police, they're downstairs waiting for a statement, but if you got just a second, she wants to see you." "(KNOCKING)" "Hey." "She wanted to tell you something." "No, no, no, don't wake her." "MACON:" "She gonna be mad if she don't get to see you." "Coming tomorrow?" "I don't know." "I think so." "How I know you're not playing?" ""Samantha Crawford."" "Sam." "You can call me Sam." "What's your name?" "I'm Macon, and you just made me a promise." "Well, I guess I did." "JOE BRADFORD:" "So she's okay." "NURSE:" "She's gonna be fine." "She's all right." "You a relative, or..." "I help look after her." "Miss Evans is on her way up now." "What's your name, honey?" "Joe." "Joe Bradford." "Joe?" "Joe Bradford?" "Yes." "It's Sam." "Samantha Thomas." "Sam?" "Sam." "How have you been, girl?" "I can't believe this." "What are you doing here?" "What..." "Are you okay?" "I'm fine." "I..." "NURSE:" "This is the young lady that brought the children up here." "You have got to be kidding me, of all the people." "Those kids yours?" "Well, now, that's complicated." "NURSE:" "I take it you two know each other?" "This was my best friend when we were kids." "(TELEPHONE RINGS) Oh, come here, girl." "NURSE:" "Station three." "Yes, sir, she's right here." "What is it, 20 years?" "Hold on." "Excuse me." "You have a very impatient detective waiting for you downstairs." "Okay." "Okay." "You got a card or something, Sam?" "Here, I found one." "It's tattered there." "Okay." "She's headed your way." "You come see me." "We got a lot of catching up to do." "It was good to see you, Joe." "You, too." "You come see me now." "I will." "(SOUND OF CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER)" "Everyone!" "(CLAPPING)" "This is Joe Bradford." "His grandmother is the new janitor." "Let's all make him feel welcome." "Run along and find a seat." "GIRL:" "Gosh, look at that Afro." "Seat's taken." "What you got?" "Got something to trade?" "Do you like Jell-O?" "Yeah." "How about my Jell-O for your potato chips?" "Okay." "And, uh, maybe we can trade again tomorrow?" "Okay, it's a deal." "(CLASS BELL RINGS)" "SAM:" "Hey, Joe." "BOY:" "Hey, look, Here she comes." "Aah!" "(LAUGHTER)" "Who tripped her?" "She's your girlfriend." "Why don't you make her tell you, coon?" "I'm gonna tell you this once, and I'm gonna talk real slow, so you can understand me." "It'll be a cold day in Jamaica for some... (KIDS CHANTING) Fight, fight, fight, fight!" "Fight, fight, fight, fight!" "Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!" "Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!" "(DOOR CREAKS)" "See you at lunch tomorrow." "Yeah." "Don't forget my 'tater chips." "(TELEPHONE RINGS)" "(RINGS)" "Sam." "(WINCING)" "(GROANS)" "(KISSING SOUNDS)" "Hey, Cricket." "How's my girl?" "Strange day today, huh?" "(LAUGHS)" "(TRUCK DOOR CLOSES)" "(FOOTSTEPS)" "SAM:" "Hey, cowboy." "Hey, pretty lady." "You make it by the bank for me today?" "I sure did." "Good, 'cause I just ran out." "You are finally gonna write that thing." "It should be your best ever." "All right." "So where they at?" "Where's what at?" "My $2.00 bills, my Jeffersons." "I put them in the coffee mug cabinet." "The coffee mug cabinet?" "Now, why would you go and put them in the coffee mug cabinet, huh?" "What's wrong with you?" "(CLUCKING) Oh!" "(LAUGHING)" "Oh, you're gonna get it." "A chicken?" "(PANTING)" "(LAUGHING)" "(KISSING SOUNDS)" "Ah!" "(MUSIC)" "(BIRDS CHIRPING)" "(CELL PHONE RINGS AND VIBRATES)" "(SIGHS)" "(VIBRATION AND RINGING CONTINUES)" "Hello?" "(SIRENS IN BACKGROUND ON OTHER END OF LINE)" "MACON:" "You broke your promise." "What?" "And you owe me a quarter." "No, no, I'm still coming up there." "Too late." "They sent us home." "Home?" "Yeah." "And you just made a big, fat liar out of me, 'cause I told Keisha you was coming to see her." "Looked her in the eye." "(LAUGHS)" "Macon, I am so sorry." "Oh." "So?" "I guess this is good-bye." "No, Macon, hold on a second." "I was just on my way to get something special for Keisha." "Something special?" "SAM:" "Absolutely." "What you got, some candy?" "Sure, what kind does she like?" "Bring her some MMs." "I love..." "I mean, she love them things." "And pizza." "Bring her some pizza, ham and mushrooms." "Okay." "What's your address?" "Told you." "(SIREN IN BACKGROUND)" "Now, how about that?" "MACON:" "About time you showed up." "Well, it's nice to see you, too." "Mind your manners." "Hey." "Yeah." "Hi, Keisha." "It's nice to meet you." "I'm Sam." "Keisha, you better get over here if you want any of this." "Boy, you act like you ain't never seen no candy before." "Name's Maddy." "It's a good thing what you done for my babies." "Well, anybody would've done it." "Aw, no, they wouldn't." "Hey, Tee." "Got a light?" "Mmm." "Can I go hang with Tee a while?" "Leave that man alone, boy." "Can I, Tee?" "Whatever." "Oh." "How far does that road go?" "Mmm, four more streets and a dead end." "Help you find something?" "I passed by this address on my way to see you." "I think it's my friend's house, but I'm not sure." "Give it here." "Your friend Joe Bradford?" "Yes, ma'am." "Well, you're in luck, 'cause that's where he live." "Welcome to the projects, honey." "Thank you." "DENISE:" "You're looking for Joe, aren't you?" "He said you might be stopping by." "I'm Denise." "I work with him." "Hi." "I'm Sam." "Oh, I know who you are." "Told me all about you." "Come on in." "Just make yourself at home." "JOE:" "I knew you'd come." "Hey." "I need your help with something." "I bet I know what you're thinking." "How in the world did I end up here?" "I'm just glad to see you, Joe." "(KIDS SHOUTING)" "Hold this." "I hope you got enough, man." "Thanks, Billy." "Thanks." "Let's go!" "(KIDS SHOUTING AND CHANTING)" "Hey, give me one." "Ha, ha, hey, yeah!" "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about." "That's what I'm talking about." "Huddle up, huddle up, huddle up, here we go." "Here we go." "ALL:" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Haaa!" "Green means they all had good behavior the whole week." "And for that..." "ALL:" "Freestyle Friday!" "Oh, this is my good friend from when we were kids, Miss Sam." "Give it up." "ALL:" "Hi, Miss Sam." "Hello." "JOE:" "You ready?" "KIDS:" "I'm ready!" "You ready." "I'm ready, yeah." "♪ His name is Snuffy" "♪ Yeah, and he's a clown" "♪ Yeah, when he gets jiggy" "♪ Yeah, he breaks it down" "♪ Yeah, go Snuffy" "♪ Go Snuffy, go Snuffy" "♪ Go Snuffy, go Snuffy" "♪ Go Snuffy, go Snuffy" "♪ Yeah" "♪ His name is Papa" "♪ Yeah, and he's a clown" "♪ Yeah, when he gets funky" "♪ Yeah, he breaks it down" "(PLAYING JAZZ) ♪ Yeah, go Papa" "♪ Go Papa, go Papa" "♪ Go Papa, go Papa" "♪ Go Papa, go Papa" "♪ Yeah, his name is Bernie" "♪ Yeah, and he's a clown" "Hey, old man." "You do your dialysis today?" "No, ma'am." "But, uh, I will." "I will." "♪ Her name is Sam" "♪ Yeah, and she's a clown" "♪ Yeah, when she gets happy" "♪ Yeah, she breaks it down" "♪ Yeah, go Sam, go Sam" "♪ Go Sam, go Sam" "♪ Go Sam" "♪ Go Sam" "♪ Uh... ♪ Uh uh-uh uh" "ALL: ♪ Uh-uh uh" "♪ Uh-uh uh" "Hey, all right, girl goes down in flames." "All right!" "(CHEERING)" "DENISE:" "All right, y'all, homework time!" "KIDS:" "Aww!" "So what have you been up to?" "I mean, I saw on your card you're like a children's author or something now." "No, I stopped writing a couple years back." "What's up, Bernard?" "I'm thirsty, Papa Joe." "All right, I got you, big man." "Let's go." "(GROANING)" "Got a lot of catching up to do." "Yeah, we do." "Hey, Denise." "Yeah?" "Tell Joe I'll be right back." "Okay, baby." "(LAUGHS)" "Yo!" "You got the OG holding' it down out here!" "Yeah!" "Boy, don't ever let me catch you wearing this again." "You hear me?" "Go home, Macon." "Hey, I'm sorry, all right?" "Boy, get inside that house!" "(DISTANT SIRENS)" "Miss Crawford?" "Oh, please, sit." "Detective." "So what were you doing down there?" "I was checking on a couple kids that I'd helped get to the ER." "Oh, oh, yeah, yeah, the hit-and-run, girl from the projects." "I heard about that." "While I was in The Commons," "I saw a guy that matched the description of Billy's killer." "He had a red hoodie, and he was a mechanic." "You a detective now?" "You do understand that we questioned every mechanic and chop shop operator in a five-mile grid?" "Here's a news flash for you... all the bangers wear red down there." "You're grasping at straws, Miss Crawford." "Look, I'm no racist, but I am a realist." "This is The Commons." "They throw a party if a boy makes his 21st birthday, because he's defying the odds." "Did you ever play with pit bull pups?" "They're so cute, cuddly." "Then they grow up." "They become what nature intended them to be." "They can't help it." "I think about those kids you picked up, and I wonder what they might become." "You might take solace in this thought." "The man that killed your husband's probably already dead." "Thank you, Detective." "(STOPS ENGINE)" "(MEN CONVERSING INDISTINCTLY)" "(ALUMINUM CAN CLANGS)" "(LAUGHING)" "So you started your new book?" "Oh, no, it's just an idea." "It's nowhere near ready." "Well, I would love to hear." "I'll be nice." "Come on." "(SIGHS)" "All right." "But it's rough." "Once upon a time, there lived a little oriole named Firebird, and Firebird just lived for the sunshine." "He would bask in that glow for hours." "But when the rains would come, he would complain to his mama." "He wanted to know why God gave the storms power to take away the sun." "And his mama would just smile at him and say," ""You'll know someday when you take a walk on the clouds."" "Now, over and over again, the rains would come, and over and over again, little Firebird would complain to his mama." "Until one day, a huge storm rolled in, and his mama had a different answer." "She said, "It's up there waiting for you." "You just have to see it for yourself."" "Now, little Firebird was scared." "He hadn't used his wings much at all." "Yet he went up into the great unknown." "But instead of answers, he was met with lightning and thunder and a howling wind." "He feared it would rip him apart." "He was about to turn back when it happened." "He broke through the clouds, and there it was, more beautiful than ever." "And in that moment, it all became clear." "No storm could take the sun away." "The sun was always shining." "It was as constant as his mother's love." "He just needed to take a walk on the clouds." "(PAPER TEARING)" "Firebird." "Well, that's not bad for a start." "(BOTH LAUGHING)" "You gotta write this, Sam." "(STARTS ENGINE)" "JOE:" "What time is it?" "ALL:" "Joe's honor roll!" "Excellent work this time around, guys." "I'm really, really proud of you." "I will be posting your names in The Commons, so everybody can see how wonderful you all are." "First up, a man who flat-out rocked it, who came up in four classes," "Snuffy." "(CHEERING)" "Great job." "Great job." "Bernard." "(CHEERING)" "Peach, Chloe, Keisha, Trent, and Willis." "Excellent work." "You owe me some of that." "Oh, really?" "Enlighten me." "Five "A"s, baby." "Is that right?" "Yes, sir." "Hmm..." "Never saw any proof, Einstein." "'Cause I don't want my name up on that board." "Mmm, and why is that?" "Got my reasons." "Well, I'm sure you do." "But until I see that card and you let me post your name," "I'm gonna assume you're doing what you do best, which is running a hustle on me." "I ain't hustling you, man." "Then bring me that card, player." "You show me what you made of." "This is stupid." "Well, well, she lives." "Y'all got time for a quick story?" "Yeah!" "Yeah!" "That woman back there, she saved my life once." "Y'all want to hear about it?" "Yeah!" "Yeah!" "I thought so." "(BIRD SINGING)" "Hi-yah!" "You scared away my bird friend." "He was the main character in my new story, see?" "Oh, yeah?" "What's this one about?" "'Bout this little bird who finds out" "God even cares about sparrows, and then he's happy." "Why you always messing with all that drawing and story stuff?" "Why you always wearing your pajamas in public?" "For the last time, these are not pajamas, all right?" "(LAUGHING)" "Come on." "SAM:" "Where are we going?" "Someplace special." "You'll see." "What's all this?" "This is my training ground." "I am gonna be a samurai warrior." "Uh, Joe, I don't think that there are any..." "I know, I know." "There ain't no black samurais." "I am one of a kind." "(STRAINING)" "(LAUGHING)" "Ahh." "Gonna train hard, gonna fight hard, gonna save the world." "I'm gonna be big, Sam." "Huge." "Writing stories is still cooler." "(SIGHS) Whatever." "Ain't busting up Jimmy Landry's face good enough for you?" "Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet." "Hyah!" "(RATTLING)" "Stay back, Sam." "I..." "I got this." "(MUTTERING) Don't..." "Don't do it." "Hi-yah!" "(JOE PANTING)" "Joe!" "What about my dad?" "Is he coming?" "No, baby." "He ain't gonna be able to make it." "Grandma?" "Yes, sir?" "How come my dad don't love me?" "Well, aren't you just a pretty thing?" "You got a visitor, Joe." "Come on over here, miss." "Look here." "Hey." "Made you something." ""Samurai Joe."" "That's what I'm talkin' about." "I was thinking..." "You can survive a snake bite, you can survive just about anything." "I mean, you're invincible, and you're strong enough to make it on your own." "Ain't nobody that strong, baby." "And you ain't got to be, 'cause you're never on your own, Joe." "You're never alone." "JOE:" "Truth is I would've died that night if Miss Sam hadn't been there with me." "How many y'all coming up without a father?" "JOE:" "I know it's tough sometimes, but one thing my grandma told me that day was that sometimes life can be cruel, sometimes life can make you sad or angry, maybe even want to hurt somebody, but no matter how hard life gets," "you're never alone." "(CLAPPING IN RHYTHM)" "(REPEATING RHYTHM)" "(CLAPPING DIFFERENT PATTERN)" "JOE:" "All right." "I got some good news and some bad news." "What do y'all want to hear first?" "ALL:" "Bad news first!" "Okay." "Bad news is food truck... it's not coming tomorrow." "The good news is it already came!" "(CHEERING)" "SAM:" "How are you doing all this, Joe?" "JOE:" "It's amazing what happens when you just ask." "Truth is my neighbor, Denise, came up with this whole thing." "I'm just..." "just doing my part." "Hey, I'm sorry I disappeared on you." "How come she doesn't talk?" "She used to." "She's been through quite a lot." "She wants you to come along." "So where's it at?" "Where's what at?" "You still owe me a quarter." "Are you serious?" "Oh, that is an amazing drawing." "Did you do that?" "Wow, we have a little artist here." "Always drawing them dumb things." "She ain't never even seen a real one before." "There's nothing dumb about a horse now." "They're the most amazing animals on earth." "That one looks just like mine, Cricket." "Stupid waste of time if you ask me." "Well, nobody asked you, did they?" "I think it's beautiful." "MACON:" "Don't think that's a good idea." "She wants you to come inside, so she can show you her room." "I think you should ask your grandma first." "I'll wait here." "MACON:" "She gonna say no." "She don't like white people in her house." "(GASPS)" "Nah, I'm just playing." "(LAUGHS) I'll go see." "Hello?" "(FLOORBOARD CREAKS)" "(DOOR OPENS)" "Macon." "Macon!" "Macon, I told you not to come into my house!" "What?" "We're gonna have to have a talk, boy!" "Come on." "Come walk with me." "Hold up a sec." "What were you just doing?" "You were in Tee's house." "Oh, man." "Where you gonna walk, fool?" "I'll get you back." "Just keep walking." "No, man." "I want to know." "What were you just doing?" "Nothing." "You're hiding something." "You're the po-po." "Nope." "FBI." "This is ridiculous." "I'm just a friend of Joe's." "No, I'm not buying that." "Give it to me straight, or I'm telling Joe you're up to something." "All right, I'll play along." "Name your price." "What?" "I seen how you play." "You want something from me?" "Then name your price." "Double what was in the grocery bag, a case of Coke, three bags of Snickers, and a roll of quarters." "Is that all, Macon?" "The horse!" "And you better take Keisha to see that horse." "And I swear, if you do one more crazy thing, I'm telling Joe." "And I can promise you that." "Oh, you made a promise." "Come on." "I'll be fine." "I'll see you soon." "(DIALING)" "(LINE RINGING)" "You've reached Detective Miller." "Please leave a message." "(BEEP)" "Detective Miller, this is Samantha Crawford." "I need you to run a name for me, Anthony Jones." "I know you think I'm crazy, but just run the name and call me back." "(DOOR OPENS)" "(DOOR CLOSES)" "When did it happen?" "(WHISPERING)" "JOE:" "Is that true... about the horse and the farm?" "Oh." "Absolutely." "Attention, ladies and gentlemen." "Out of the graciousness of her heart," "Miss Sam has invited all of us on a field trip to her farm." "(KIDS CHEERING)" "(SONG STARTS)" "♪ It's looking better, and I'm loving the weather ♪" "♪ Things are coming together" "♪ Now I'm smiling again" "♪ Hope is the reason" "♪ There's a change in the seasons ♪" "♪ And if we keep believin'" "♪ We'll be smiling again" "♪ It's the first day of the best days of our lives ♪" "How's everybody doing back there?" "(CHEERING)" "♪ All because hope saved my life ♪" "♪ I survived" "♪ And now I'm living and giving, too ♪" "♪ Show me the way" "♪ This is the first day of the best days of my life ♪" "You ready?" "Come on." "(HORSE WHICKERS)" "You know they have a special gift, don't you?" "Would you like to know what it is?" "You can tell them all your secrets, and they'll always keep them safe." "Cricket knows all of mine, the happy ones, the sad ones." "And she's never told a soul." "You can tell her anything, and it'll always be safe." "Come on, man!" "You have to see this!" "Okay, Macon." "I'll be right there." "MACON:" "All right." "(KIDS' EXCITED SHOUTS)" "BOY:" "There it is!" "There's a cow!" "That's a cow!" "Now, what you want to do is..." "MACON:" "No, I got this." "Seen this on TV a million times." "See, all you need to do is grab one of these things and pull." "(COW MOOING)" "(LAUGHTER)" "Come here!" "(SHRIEKING)" "(SQUAWKING)" "(MUSIC)" "You don't see it, do you?" "See what?" "Come on, now." "(LAUGHING)" "(SHOUTING)" "(KIDS LAUGHING)" "(CLAPPING)" "(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)" "Ooh, dang!" "Ooh, man?" "What is that trash?" "Kids, guys," "I'd prefer if you didn't play with this stuff." "(TURNS OFF MUSIC)" "I'm sorry." "Miss Sam's right, y'all." "This is, uh, real special stuff right here." "(LAUGHS)" "This girl's country music helped save my life once." "Say what?" "That's right, back when I was in prison." "Mm-hmm." "Oh, I got to hear about this." "Y'all don't want to hear about that." "Yes, we would." "Well, now, the first thing you learn in prison is to always mind your own business." "Keep on walking, young buck." "No, sir." "I think I'll be fine just right here." "We got rules here." "That's why you gotta move it." "Now, scat before I get angry." "(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT ON P.A.)" "You gonna eat that cornbread?" "Take a walk, old man." "You talking to me, Tubby?" "Yes, sir, I was just leaving." "You're new here, so I'm gonna let you off with a warning." "Stay with your own kind, sheep, or Big Mack gonna have to put his hands on somebody." "(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)" "MAN:" "That's right, boy!" "Mop that floor like you was taught to do!" "(LAUGHING)" "I can't listen to this trash no more." "I mean, can't a brother get some r-e-s-p-e-c-t up in here or somethin'?" "(SHOUTS OF AGREEMENT)" "Shut up and mop." "Hey!" "You missed a spot." "MAN:" "That's it, Jimmy!" "Make him clean it up!" "I can't take this." "I can't take this." "Take that, crackers." "(ANGRY SHOUTS) JOE:" "Roy!" "(LAUGHING)" "Yeah, whoo!" "(BUZZER SOUNDS)" "(ON P.A.) It's free time." "(MEN SHOUTING)" "What are we gonna do, man?" "If we live through this, remind me to kill you later." "Yeah." "(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)" "(JOE SINGING ALONG) ♪ Oh, there's just somethin'" "♪ About the way it's lookin' around here ♪" "♪ This old place ain't what it used to be ♪" "♪ So I'll pack up my guitar" "♪ Won't you forgive me, sweetheart?" "♪" "♪ You won't be hearing nothin' more from me ♪" "♪ Darlin', I have to hitch my way to Georgia ♪" "(MAN JOINS IN) ♪ Darlin'" "♪ Gonna have to go away" "♪ Darlin', I hopped a train to California ♪" "♪ Darlin', I'm breakin' out of here today ♪" "♪ And I've cast off these shackles ♪" "♪ And give myself another world away ♪" "♪ I'm breakin' out of here" "(NEEDLE JUMPS) INMATE: ♪ Today" "(SILENCE)" "You know any Hank Williams?" "(MAN LAUGHS)" "Know 'em all." "Which one we doin'?" "GUARD ON P.A.:" "All right, ladies." "That's enough." "Back in your cells." "SECOND MAN:" "We know 'em, too!" "We know 'em, too." "JOE:" "Country was all Sam and most of my other friends used to listen to." "I mean, I must've heard that tune a thousand times." "When I think about it," "Miss Sam done saved my life twice now." "Mm-hmm." "KIDS:" "What is that?" "Okay." "All right, we about to blow it up now." "(KIDS LAUGHING)" "Oh, man." "Y'all ready for this?" "No!" "No!" "(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)" "(SHOUTING AND SCREAMING)" "So you ran the name?" "MILLER:" "Didn't have to." "Your boy was one of our original suspects, but he has an alibi." "He was with his cousin that night." "But I'm telling you, I saw..." "I don't really care what you saw, Miss Crawford." "I care about evidence." "Unfortunately, I can't make arrests based on your gut feelings." "(SIGHS)" "Just stay out of The Commons." "Nothing good is gonna come out of whatever it is you're doing down there." "Don't call me about this again." "You hear me?" "You're on your own." "(MUSIC CONTINUES IN BACKGROUND)" "(SONG ENDS)" "(CLAPPING AND CHEERING)" "(APPLAUSE)" "What an honor it is to be here tonight." "I'm still not certain how a children's author received such a prestigious award for giving away a few books." "Everyone here seeks to make a difference in this world." "My husband Billy would have been right at home with all of you." "Tonight, I'd like to share Billy's idea about changing the world with love." "(APPLAUSE)" "The $2.00 bill, it came to be Billy's symbol of love." "There are millions in print, more than enough to go around, but they're hardly ever seen." "People hoard them or they hide them away." "Billy would always say there's enough love to go around." "You just got to share it." "Then he got this crazy idea, and he started giving away $2.00 bills to perfect strangers." "(SCREAMS)" "It was his way, uh..." "(CRYING)" "I'm so sorry." "Thank you." "JOE:" "So this is where you hide out." "(KIDS LAUGHING IN BACKGROUND)" "Wow, what is all this?" "This is my life." "All these yours?" "Yeah." "Hey, there's that little bird you were always drawing." "Did you write that book?" "No, I gave up on it." "Why?" "Well, I didn't believe in it anymore." "What happened, Sam?" "Where is that hopeful little girl I used to know?" "(CRYING) She died." "(SOBBING)" "(KIDS' VOICES)" "DENISE:" "All right, you buckaroos, time to pack up and head back to the house." "KIDS:" "Aw!" "Oh, yeah, you heard me." "Come on now." "Let's go." "(OWL HOOTING)" "Hey, old man." "Hey." "You do your dialysis today?" "No." "I will." "I promise." "Me and Brett got the kids tonight." "She needs you." "But you owe me one." "Owe you?" "What you mean?" "Like what?" "I don't know." "I'm sure you'll think of something." "Hey." "How about some real dancing?" "JOE:" "Hold on one minute." "You know you can't deny these moves, you know." "(LAUGHS) Oh, yeah." "Oh, yes, I can." "Go on." "I'll see you." "See you." "Hey, Sam, wait up now." "(COYOTE HOWLS IN THE DISTANCE)" "Okay, baby girl, go get it, and I'll wait right here for you." "(HORSE WHICKERS SOFTLY)" "(SNUFFLES)" "(MUSIC)" "JOE:" "Well, he sounds like a wonderful man." "So why'd he pick you?" "(LAUGHS)" "You changed a lot yourself." "Yeah, yeah, I have." "Joe, what's going on?" "Both my kidneys shut down a few years back." "(SAM GASPS)" "Yeah, yeah, permanent disability." "Then I basically went from prison to the projects." "How long were you in there?" "They gave me eight years for stealing 200 bucks." "Eight years." "Wanted to prove I was worth something, you know, always did." "And I wanted to show my daddy he was wrong for walking out on us, that I was somebody." "You know, Sam, I graduated top of my class in college?" "Computer engineer, had a nice job lined up with IBM, too." "So then what happened?" "Well, me and some friends had gotten into hacking." "Right before graduation, someone bet me I couldn't hack into a bank." "I swear sometimes it's the bets you win end up costing you the most." "It was my pride that took me down." "Worked out for good, 'cause prison is where I had the most powerful realization of my life." "(MAN GROANS)" "(PUNCH LANDING, MAN GROANING)" "(PUNCH, GROAN)" "I was just lookin' for Joe." "I got something for you." "Give me that hand." "No!" "No!" "No!" "Aah!" "That's right, that's right." "And your brothers over there know you crossed the line." "That's why they're staying out of this." "It's just you and me now." "JOE:" "You let him go." "When I let him go and how I let him go is up to you now." "It's easy." "All I want you to do is to step up and spit in this cracker's face." "I mean, that's what they've been doing to us for 400 years, my brother." "No." "Boy, you step up and spit in this cracker's face, or I'll take a lot more out of him." "Go ahead." "It's okay." "You best be letting him go now." "Get him over here." "Come on, man!" "Yeah, do it!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "(MAN GROANS)" "(MEN SHOUTING)" "Right here!" "Yeah!" "Come on!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "JOE:" "I looked down on that man I was about to kill, and in that moment, I saw it so clearly:" "how far my anger and my pride had taken me, how far I had fallen." "(SLAMS)" "I got 40 days and 40 nights in solitary." "I had no one else to talk to, so I talked to God." "It was in that darkness in the loneliest place of all that I felt His love for the first time in my life." "I never been the same since." "I feel that love every day I'm with those kids." "I look into their eyes, and I know..." "I know that there's something worth fighting for." "(GROANS)" "Hey, Sam." "(LABORED BREATHING)" "I think I could use your help." "Joe!" "(GASPING)" "Come on." "Oh, my God." "Here." "(GROANING)" "Joe, should we take you to the hospital?" "No, lookit, you can do this." "Plug it in." "Okay." "Okay." "Hit the switch in the back." "(MACHINE BEEPING)" "Now, take that tube, hook it up." "(GROANING)" "All right?" "You can do it, you're good." "You're doing fine." "Okay." "Unclamp that bag and hit the red button." "The red button." "(GROANING)" "(BEEPING STOPS)" "Okay." "I gu..." "I guess that makes three, huh?" "(FIRE CRACKLING)" "(OWL HOOTING)" "(DOOR OPENS)" "(WHISPERING) Hey, baby." "Come here." "This child is an angel." "Their mama got caught up in the wrong crowd." "One night when Macon was out with a friend, a man broke into their house." "Keisha hid in a cabinet while their mama was murdered." "Well, that monster set the whole place on fire." "Thankfully, somebody heard Keisha screaming and ran into that apartment and saved her life, but (SIGHS) she ain't never spoke again." "You saved her." "You did." "Me?" "Old Samurai Joe?" "No." "No, it was another guy." "His name was Anthony Jones." "The kids didn't have nowhere to go, no relatives, so his neighbor, Maddy, took them in." "Joe, my husband was murdered in your neighborhood behind Murphy's." "It's why I was in The Commons when Keisha got hit." "That's where I..." "(CRYING)" "I thought I had found the man who killed him, but I guess it was just a dead-end road." "Been down a few of those myself." "The one thing I learned along the way is that it ain't a dead end if it takes you somewhere you needed to go." "(SONG BEGINS)" "♪ Sleepless one" "♪ Oh, rest your heart with mine ♪" "♪ And don't you be surprised" "♪ When all your fears fade" "♪ Take your time" "♪ Oh, love, don't be alarmed ♪" "♪ Though pain is found" "♪ Oh, surely now joy still abounds ♪" "(KIDS SHOUTING)" "♪ And in your silence, pray with me ♪" "♪ And in the night, dear, stay with me ♪" "♪ Oh, 'cause the morning is bringin' good news ♪" "Hey, Miss Sam." "I'm hungry." "Well, we'll get something on the way back." "Where's Joe?" "I'll get him." "(KIDS SHOUTING)" "(MUTED BEEPING)" "Joe?" "(MACHINE BEEPING)" "MACON: (FRIGHTENED) Miss Sam?" "Miss Sam?" "(MEDICAL PERSONNEL ALL TALKING)" "You'll have to wait in the waiting room." "I'm so sorry." "Miss Crawford?" "Yes." "I'm Dr. Reeves." "I wanted to give you an update on Mr. Bradford." "Is he okay?" "His body has rejected dialysis." "If he doesn't receive a transplant soon," "I'm afraid we might lose him." "But the moment a kidney is available, it's on its way here." "How long is that gonna take?" "There's no way to know, but we need it to happen soon." "And then he'll make it through, right?" "We're doing all we can." "He's awake if you want to see him." "(SHALLOW BREATHING)" "Hmm." "How are you feeling?" "(SHALLOW BREATHING)" "I heard 'em talking." "They don't think that I'll survive the surgery." "They think this might be it." "You have time for a story?" "Well, I sure hope so." "(COUGHING)" "Then lay back." "Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived in a small village, and he knew he was destined to become a great warrior." "But no one else in his village believed him, not even his best friend." "(QUIVERING BREATH)" "The time passed, and the little boy and his best friend, they grew up, and they grew apart." "And like so many of us in life, they lost their way." "It would be many years before Providence would unite them once again." "But when his friend beheld him at last, she couldn't believe her eyes, for standing in front of her was one of the strongest, most noble, most courageous men she had ever known." "A mighty warrior." "(SNIFFLING)" "Those are my babies." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Thank you." "(THUNDER)" "Had a good time out there now, did you?" "Yes, ma'am." "Joe's in the hospital." "I heard that." "I need some bus money." "Got some business with him." "You know, there be a shortage of good men in this world, Macon." "It's like the Earth only allows so many of them here at a time." "Now, Joe... he's a good man, probably why he's dying." "It ain't fair." "That's just the way life is." "Ain't nothin' in the world you can do about it." "Nothin'." "I wish you'd leave that man die in peace, child." "Lord know he needs some, but if you just have to go, there's some extra change up in my top drawer." "Thank you, ma'am." "Thank you." "(THUNDER)" "MACON: (CRYING) I need to tell you something." "It's my fault Keisha got hit." "I was stealing some stuff, and we got caught." "We was running, and she..." "And she... (WHISPERING) It's all okay." "I'm glad you told me." "Glad you told me." "Look at that, all "A"s." "Why didn't you want to show me?" "Well, the boys at school, they say it's stupid to try hard in class." "It ain't cool." "You are the definition of cool, my man." "You are one of the smartest and most gifted young men I've ever met." "This is nothing to be ashamed of, and I'm proud of you." "(GROANS)" "I need a favor if you can do it." "I'll do my best." "Would you..." "Would you be my dad?" "I wish I could." "I wish I could." "(TRUCK DOOR SLAMS)" "(DISTANT SIRENS)" "Thanks for bringing him back." "How is he?" "There's a small chance with a transplant, but..." "I don't know what happened out there or what you done, but..." "MADDY:" "She did?" "(LAUGHS) Is that a fact?" "I surely, surely will." "She want me to tell you thanks, thanks for having her out to the farm." "Now look what you done to me." "I told the Lord that I would stop drinkin' if my baby ever talked again." "Ah, you, uh... you want to come inside?" "I'd love to." "Okay." "Squeeze my hand when you want me to open my eyes." "(GASPS)" "Oh, that's us." "It's beautiful." "I love it." "Look at all this." "Did you draw this?" "Where..." "Where did you see this?" "Keisha?" "Please, baby, tell me where you saw this!" "Keisha, please!" "Where did she see this?" "Did somebody show this to her?" "Macon!" "It was Tee." "He showed her one day." "Said it was the only thing he could draw good." "Baby, what has gotten into you?" "I have to go." "(BEEPING)" "(GASPS)" "ANTHONY:" "Who are you?" "I'm Samantha Crawford." "You killed my husband." "How'd you find me?" "Don't!" "You don't want to do that now." "(HAMMER CLICKS)" "You need to hear what I got to say to you, 'cause your husband, he... he wanted me to tell you something." "I know you're not gonna believe me, but I need you to try." "You already know that I was there." "(THUNDER)" "(POWER LINES BUZZ)" "(KNOCKS)" "My man, you did it." "It was just a transformer." "STORE OWNER:" "I appreciate it." "You got some coffee on?" "Ain't nothin' to make you some." "All right." "Hey, you live around here?" "You need a ride?" "Headin' over to my cousin's when the rain lets up." "Could be a while." "Can I get you something?" "(THUNDER)" "No, man." "No." "ANTHONY:" "And it hadn't been five minutes, and he was back out the door with a sandwich and some coffee." "He sat with me for an hour in that rain, and we talked." "We talked about a lot of things." "But his truck wouldn't start, and I helped him fix it, though, 'cause I always been good with cars." "He told me he wanted to see me again and said he'd be back the next day." "And then I watched him go." "I appreciate it." "Hey, no, I wouldn't." "You be safe, okay?" "Thanks again, man." "Have a good one." "All right." "(GUNSHOT)" "(GUNSHOT)" "Hey!" "Hey!" "It's gonna be okay." "It's gonna be all right." "Is this what you want?" "Look, I'm gonna go get help." "No, no." "(SPEAKING SOFTLY)" "ANTHONY:" "And before he closed his eyes, he told me something." "He said, "Tell Sam... always walk on the clouds."" "(SIGHS)" "I knew they'd blame me," "(SIREN) so I ran." "Since that day, I ain't never been the same 'cause of your husband." "Did he give you anything else?" "Yes, ma'am." "(SOBBING)" "JOE: "Dearest Sam, you'll never know what it's meant to me seeing your face again, that loving little redheaded girl who welcomed a stranger as a friend."" ""It's been hard to see those once hopeful eyes now only carrying the pain of a shattered life."" "(NO AUDIO)" ""Well, I know those eyes all too well, but with pain comes a new way of seeing things."" ""You see, here at the edge of death," "I never felt more alive."" ""I know that I've done what I was created to do, to love these kids."" ""I knew Denise couldn't do it alone, and then you came along."" ""Well, maybe these kids can help you find your way again, Sam, like they did me."" "Heard what happened to your husband." "I'm so sorry, child." "No, I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to cause any trouble." "Oh, you're no trouble, baby." "You family." "JOE: "Remember that story you wrote about God and the sparrow?"" ""I heard you say you didn't believe it anymore, and that's okay."" ""He's patient."" ""I'm proof of that."" ""Whatever happens, I have peace, and I only want the same for you."" ""Find your stride, Sam."" ""Share your stories."" ""They matter."" ""Live, breathe, and find a way to believe again."" "SAM:" "Life is so beautiful, so full of magic and possibilities." "I thought that my story had come to an end, but I was wrong." ""Once upon a time, there lived a little baby oriole bird."" ""His mama called him Firebird on account of his amazingly beautiful orange feathers."" ""Now, little Firebird, he just lived for the sunshine."" ""He would bask in that sunshine for hours."" "SAM:" "Very good." "SAM:" "Joe helped me find something that I had lost along the way, something I had once believed so strongly... that the storms of life are bound to come, but that maybe even in those storms, in the loneliest times of all," "you're never really alone." "Love is the most powerful thing on earth." "I've seen what it can do, and it can do amazing things." "Sometimes I imagine a world where everyone knows a love that's unconditional, and what a beautiful world it is." "I think Billy had it right, that there truly is enough love to go around." "All you have to do is share it." "(MUSIC)" "What if God's love is like the sun, constant and unchanging?" "What if you woke up one day and realized... nothing can take that away?" "Hey, this is Joe Bradford." "You can make a difference in the life of a hurting child." "There are many organizations all across the country dedicated to helping at-risk kids, but they need your help." "Please take a moment to visit the "act" page to find out how you can bring hope and change into the lives of these children, because every child deserves unconditional love." "(SONG STARTS)" "♪ It's looking better, and I'm loving the weather ♪" "♪ Things are coming together" "♪ Now I'm smiling again" "♪ Hope is the reason there's a change in the seasons ♪" "♪ And if we keep believin'" "♪ We'll be smiling again" "♪ It's the first day of the best days of our life ♪" "♪ All because hope saved my life ♪" "♪ Saved my life" "♪ I survived" "♪ I survived" "♪ And now I'm feeling, feeling hope ♪" "♪ Show me the way" "♪ Show me the way" "♪ This is the first day" "♪ This is the first day" "♪ Of the best days" "♪ So I keep on singing" "♪ I'll keep on singing" "♪ Things are changin'" "♪ That things are changin'" "♪ I'll keep believing ♪ I'll keep believing" "♪ Hope is all we need" "♪ Keep on prayin' ♪ Keep on prayin'" "♪ Things are changin'" "♪ Things are changin'" "♪ I think I see it" "♪ Hope is, hope is, all I need ♪" "♪ We need hope" "♪ Hope for the world" "♪ Hope for the nations ♪" "♪ For every boy and girl" "♪ He put a rainbow in the sky ♪" "♪ So that we would know we don't have to cry ♪" "♪ We don't have to cry" "♪ So wipe your tears" "♪ Say goodbye to fear" "♪ The worst is over" "♪ And the best is here" "♪ So keep on hopin'" "♪ Keep on hopin'" "♪ Keep on prayin'" "♪ Keep on prayin'" "♪ Keep believin' ♪ Keep believin'" "♪ Yeah ♪ Yeah" "♪ I'm gonna make it" "♪ I'm gonna make it" "♪ Get salvation" "♪ Yes, I'll make it" "♪ I'm gonna make it" "♪ If I just have hope" "♪ I'm gonna make it" "♪ I'm gonna make it" "♪ You're gonna make it, keep on ♪" "♪ If I have just have hope" "♪ Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ Ooh" "♪ Oh, yeah" "♪ Ooh" "♪ Sun is shinin' ♪ Sun is shinin'" "♪ Wind is blowin'" "♪ Wind is blowin'" "♪ Winds of change" "♪ Yeah" "♪ We can make it ♪ We can make it" "♪ We can make it" "♪ Ooh, yes, we can" "♪ If we just have hope" "(NEW SONG STARTS)" "♪ Mmm-mm-mmm" "♪ So far from all these fights ♪" "♪ Not far from danger" "♪ Sit back and sip my cup" "♪ Taste my bit of anger" "♪ Oh, take my war beneath these skies ♪" "♪ Lose it on the way to home" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ You'll fall into this fight" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ No" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ You'll hold me through this night ♪" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh" "♪ All the love your arms could need ♪" "♪ Proves to be so sweet" "♪ It's your heart that keeps me ♪" "♪ Your love carries me on" "♪ I walk this road a thousand miles ♪" "♪ To find you here and talk awhile ♪" "♪ It's your hope that leads me all the way back home ♪" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ You'll fall into this fight ♪" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ You'll hold me through this night ♪" "♪ You're not gonna leave me here ♪" "♪ No, you won't leave me" "♪ Love won't leave me here" "(ENGLISH US" " SDH)"