" Nurse?" " Edward Bocage?" " Nurse?" " Right here." " Come on back, sir." " Oh, but no." "Excuse me." "I was here before him." " You need to wait your turn, sir." " It was my turn." " Easy, bro." " Go ahead." "One or two ERs in the whole damn city." "What you gonna do, huh?" "Yeah." "Dr. Wasserman, call your service." "Dr. Wasserman, call your service." "Nurse?" "Right?" "Yeah!" "I know all about the wind-storm deductible." "What I'm talking about is right and wrong." "Now, I've been making premium payments to you people for 34 years." "And we appreciate your loyalty." "And we're honoring the terms of our agreement with you." "The hell you are." "We determined the primary damage to your home was caused by the flood." "Well, the hurricane caused the goddamn flood." "There are varying opinions as to that, I'm afraid, which would be moot if you'd had flood insurance." "So you're telling me if I had flood insurance, I'd be covered." "But because I didn't, you ain't responsible." "I assume you read your policy carefully before you signed it." "State Farm." "May I help you?" "I know you must be disappointed." "I'm disappointed for you." "But the policy we have with you... is clear." "How you get to sleep at night, man?" "I drink." "I did give him the message and I'm sure he'll be calling." "Dr. Lorenzo, line four." "Dr. Lorenzo, line four." "Antoine Batiste?" "Thank you, Jesus." "We can take my ride, brother." "Houston?" "Man, I don't know." "Rusty's, baby." "Sunday nights are all about New Orleans." "It's Glen David Andrews and most of New Birth representing', man." "But it's really like an open-mike kind of thing." "So we get to sit in, share some of the door." " You know how it goes." " What about Annie?" "Little shitbox I'm driving, man, we can barely hold us three and our gear." "I don't know." "We're usually down here on Frenchmen on Sunday nights." "You'd rather be shucking and jiving in front of the Apple Barrel for spare change than throwing it down at a packed-to-the-rafters Texas honky-tonk?" "It's gonna be a road trip." "An American road trip." "You ever been on one of those?" "I read On The Road." "In English." " I dug it." " You read the book." "Now live the movie, baby." "It's a big fucking country, man." "I mean, Texas itself, shit." "It's not like Holland or Hamsterdam or wherever the fuck you're from." "It's Amsterdam and it's in Holland." "It's the same place." " Let me talk to Annie." " There you go." " How's it going?" " Swell." "I spent the day at temporary evidence looking for a trombone of all things." "Complete chaos." "Nothing's catalogued." " Looks like a..." " Like a storm hit it." "How's it going with you?" "You recognize this one?" "Sofia glued her first-grade photo to it." "That was, what?" "'96?" "That's a special holiday I'll always remember." "Cray, have you been out today?" "You should get dressed, take a walk, see some folks, huh?" "I'm on break till the semester starts, honey." "Can't I just hang out at home?" "You know, Cray, you could think of this downtime as an opportunity." "Weren't you talking about working on the novel?" "I don't know." "My fiction seems a bit inconsequential to me right now." " We all need to work." " I am working." "Aren't you gonna help me here?" "Whatever." "Pass the tinsel." "Tinsel?" "What is this, 1956?" "I say you could change that, Raymond?" "Man, it's time for some Q93 up in here." "Putting me to sleep with that Dixieland merde." "Why am I not smelling onions sautéing happily on the stove?" "In fact, why am I not smelling anything cooking?" "Where are my entrées for table six?" "We have no flame." "I thought Entergy came and blew the water out of the line." "They did." "They must have blown it down the street to somebody." "Who called them back out and they blew it back to me." "Fuck me." "When is the city gonna get this fixed?" "I got a packed house tonight." "We are fully committed." "The only thing we can serve right now is colds." "This is not a deli, Jacques." "People come here, they want cooked cuisine." "Fire up the butane burners and set up the chafing dishes." "My kitchen, my radio, cousin." "Ah, you're my lifeline, baby." "Yeah." "Just a little overcome." "On Stax." "A B-side, no less." " Ollie  The Nightingales." " That's right." "But Ollie Hoskins didn't sing the vocals on this one." "This here is Tommy Tate." "Sir Mack Rice brought him in." " Tommy could do it." " Oh, yeah." "Tate was a giant." "But you know what?" "Most folks don't even remember his name." "Memphis, New Orleans." "All these deep-fried musicians, forgotten or about to be." "Cry a river, you feel the need." "Not gonna get you back on your feet." "My mouth is fucked up, LaDonna." "Al Hirt never played the same after he caught that brick riding' with Bacchus back in the day." "Didn't stop him playing the next 30 years, so that's no excuse." "What did that ER doctor say when he took out your stitches?" "Said I got dental issues." "Then this is one of them bright-side things 'cause you know we got a dentist in the family gonna charge you next to nothing." "I ain't going all the way to Baton Rouge to get my teeth fixed." "Larry does good work." "More to the point, it's an opportunity for you to see your sons." "You can't work right now anyway, so you got no excuse this time." "I'm ass-broke and empty-handed." "I mean, I should put some gifts under their tree." "I'll give you a little something for presents." "The Swift Bus is free, so that ain't no thing." " Yeah, OK." " All right, then." "Don't just throw any old name out there, either." " It must be somebody you really want." " Well, who are your three?" " Beyoncé..." " Oh, my God." "Gabrielle Union, and Janet." "I..." "I couldn't pass up Janet." "You are so shallow." " I'm not about the pretty boys." " Oh, yeah?" "Who would you pick?" " Bernie Williams." " An athlete." "Oh, yeah, you deep." "Have you seen him in an interview?" "He is smart, he is sensitive and he plays guitar." "And you got a thing for musicians." "Let's see." "Tarell Alvin McCraney." "He will have to be on the list." "Who?" "Brilliant, brilliant young brother." "Playwright." "We were in drama school together." "He's gay, but I don't care." "He's on the list." "The game works better if you use people I heard of." "And why you wasting a pick on a gay dude," " I really don't know." " Whatever." "Who's number three?" "McCoy Tyner." "I love that man's music as much as anyone alive, but you just wasted your last pick on a 70-year-old jazz-man." " Jazz legend!" " He's 70!" "And you do not seem to understand that the age thing works differently for women." "We are about the mind." "And in McCoy Tyner's case, his very powerful left hand." "Oh, God!" "What is this game called again?" "Monogamy With Exceptions." "You spot anybody on the shortlist, you get a free pass to make a move." "And how are you gonna play the game when you're not monogamous in the first place?" "You're not trying to claim that I'm the only girl you're seeing, are you?" "Yeah, I didn't think so." "Well..." "OK, then." "Monogamy With Exceptions." "Maybe when we cross the river tonight, Beyoncé will be there waiting for you." "It could happen." "New York is like that." " 70." " All right." "I'm guessing that wasn't a raise." "Severance pay." "A day's pay for half a day's work." " Behavior shit?" " Nah, he's straight." "Boy even wears his pants high up on his waist." "He just can't keep up with me, is all." "Yeah, you're like a bull on two legs, son." "Ain't many can keep up with you." "Don't get me wrong." "Boy got a good back." "He just don't like to tax it, is all." "Yeah, well, he'll learn." "If he want to eat, he gonna learn." "Oh, fuck!" "Fuck!" "Cave of Mystery?" "Cocksuck, motherfuck!" "Did you see that?" "You are a witness, sir!" "Four months later, half the traffic lights in this town still don't work." "I ain't seen one of these potholes getting patched." "The goddamn city!" "God damn motherless cunt Katrina!" "Fuck!" "Well, that particular hole right there wasn't the fault of the storm directly." "What do you mean?" "Utility folks been making what they call "service cuts"" " then filling the holes with gravel." " Gravel?" "That's worthless." "The..." "Oh, God." "I got an appointment I got to get to, man." "Well, my nephew could give you a ride to where you're going, for a small trip charge, of course." "All right." "Just call him." "Fuck!" "Where you goin', anyway?" " East Bank." " East Bank's extra." "Hey, Charles?" "Yeah, we got another one need to cross the bridge." "All right." "No, young man, you'll not be able to take that." " What do you mean?" " Charles is on a bike." " You know, motorcycle." " Well, what about my shit?" " I'll watch it for you." " How much?" "No, consider it lagniappe." "All right." "Thanks, man." "What's happening, baby?" "Where you headed?" "Swift Bus to Baton Rouge, Canal Street stop." "Swift Bus stop?" "That's at the train station." "The closest one, man." "Take the l-10, no surface streets." "You don't know who you dealin' with, no?" "To every person who has served and sacrificed in this emergency," "I offer the gratitude of our country." "And tonight, I also offer this pledge of the American people." "Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes... we will stay as long as it takes to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives." "And all who question the future of the Crescent City need to know, there is no way to imagine America without New Orleans." " And this great city will rise again." " Anybody home?" "I'm sorry I'm late." "I bent my wheel rim in a pothole on the West Bank." "No lie." "What in the world were you doing over there?" "Sofia?" "Your piano teacher's here." "And whose fault was that?" "It was Entergy digging holes and filling them back up with gravel." "Can you believe that?" "Typical clusterfuck." "It's prett..." "Excuse my language, darling." "It's OK." "I hear worse every day." " Maybe you should go practice your..." " Right." "How are you?" "Huh?" "Home for the holidays?" "Home for good." "No more Baton Rouge." "Rockin' good news." "Hey, Cray, do you think you can give me a lift back to my car so I can snag my shit and then maybe take me back to the Treme?" "Sure." "It's just for a day or two, OK?" "Aren't we doing OK here?" "New Orleans is the place you wanted to be, right?" "This is a chance to get on the bill with some real players, you know?" "Meet some people, maybe play some clubs." "You can't do that here?" "Maybe I'll have better luck there." " You be good." " You too." "You can work the Square, but don't get with any piano players." "It would be like cheating." "Oh, no, no, no." "Fuck, no!" "You didn't leave anything of actual value in that car, did you?" "God!" "He said he was gonna watch my shit." "Lagniappe." "Lagniappe, my ass!" "Even lagniappe isn't worth what it used to be." "Fuck me!" "Fuck me." "Should I call Entergy again?" "They're not gonna get back out today." "Yeah, call 'em, but we're fucked." "Tell Louise to call the reservations and cancel." "I'm gonna go get drunk." "Show the saxes how we do it!" "Lone Star, Shiner and whiskey, rocks, please." "You want something?" " Oh, big man, I see you." " So?" "You know the cover's five." "Shit, man, it's like watching a rat back up a cat." "Oh, you motherfuckers." "Hello, YouTube?" "This is Creighton Bernette from New Orleans." "Yeah, we're still here." "I just want to say something to all y'all trying to figure out what to do about our city." "Blow me." "You say, "Why rebuild it?" "" I say, "Fuck you."" "You rebuilt Chicago after the fire." "You rebuilt San Francisco after the earthquake." "Let me tell you something." "Anything that's any fucking good in Chicago came from someplace else." "And San Francisco is an overpriced cesspool with hills." "To Houston and Atlanta, may I say," ""Lick my hairy balls."" "You took in thousands of our people, but guess what?" "You still suck." "We got more culture in one neighborhood than you got in all your sorry-ass sprawling suburbs put together." "To New York, fuck you too." "You get attacked by a few fundamentalist fucking assholes and the federal money comes raining down like rose petals." "Our whole fucking coast was destroyed and we're still waiting for somebody to give a good goddamn." "But you want to write off New Orleans, cancel Carnival." "Let me tell you something." "Tuesday, February 28th, wherever the fuck you all are, will be just another gray, dreary, sorry-ass fucked-up Tuesday." "But down here, there'll be Mardi Gras." "Fuck you, you fucking fucks!" " What's up?" " We're from New Orleans, man." "Sure, come on up here, play one with us." "Come on, man." "Go To The Mardi Gras, right?" " Right." "B flat." "I gotcha." " All right." "Ladies and gentlemen, a real hot piano player from Frenchmen Street," " Mr. Sonny..." " Shiller." "Sonny Shiller." "Sonny the chiller, y'all!" "How about a big hand for him?" "Good to have practice, man." "I appreciate you doing this with us." "Just don't tell Monk on me." "Ma'am." "I heard you were in here." "I wasn't doing nothing wrong." "You just can't leave my house and not say where you goin'." " I'm responsible for you." " We was just practicing is all." "He wasn't drinking, was he?" "Even if he had a mind to, I wouldn't let him, ma'am." " It's Lula, remember?" " Yes, ma'am." " Mr. Lambreaux." " Albert." "Would you care to join us for dinner tomorrow?" " Nothing elaborate." " Delighted." "Ladies and gentlemen, how about a big hand for Mr. John Boutté?" "Come on." "Join us up here, baby." "And my good friend over there, Mr. Joe Krown, ladies and gentlemen, on the piano." "Yo, Glen, I can carry this for you." "Sorry, man, we gotta spread it around." "We got a lot of New Orleans cats tonight." "But thank you." "Thank you." " The high F key sticks a bit." " Oh, man, thank you." "Hey, by the way, you did great on the Fess, Max." " Sonny." " Oh, I'm Joe." "I know." " What key you want to go in, John?" " B flat." "Put it in B flat for John, y'all." "B flat." "Get the fuck off me." "Is there a problem here?" "Is there a problem?" "Get the fuck... get the fuck out!" "Get out!" "Texican don't look like much, but you don't want to fuck with him." "Smallest bouncer I've ever seen." "I thought everything was bigger in Texas." "Don't fuck with that Texican, for real." "Say, man, you up?" "You holding?" "Heard it was bone dry in New Orleans." " To Mayor Nagin." " No." " To the city council." " No!" "Boo!" " Army Corps of Engineers?" " Boo!" "No!" " FEMA." " Oh!" "No!" "And Entergy!" "Is anyone in charge?" "Seriously." "Where are the men of vision?" "I ask you." "Men of sensitivity, of intellect..." "With the hands of an artist?" "Stop, OK?" "I have kitchen funk on me." " All you need's a shower." " Yeah, I like mine warm." "A bath, then." "I'll warm the water on my stove and pour it over you dutifully." "Real... 19th-century romantic stuff." "Right?" "Come on." "Can I get a glass of red wine, please, to go?" "And what say you, my lady?" "Do you think we could use a change in the civic leadership of this sad, squalid town?" "I don't follow politics." "Thanks." "Cheers." "Cheers." " So what do you think?" " I think it's late." " I need to go." " OK, let's go." "We could walk." "Or would you rather grab a cab?" "It's safe, though." "Save for the son of a bitch who snagged my keyboard," " all the thugs are still in Houston." " My house." " OK." " Alone." "But I thought we..." " I work 16 hours a day." " What?" "My house is a wreck and if I had the money to fix it," "I'd throw that into the restaurant too, like every other penny I've ever had." "And for what?" "The city'll never be the same." "My restaurant's on the rocks, I got no life here, no family." "And for a private life I have you." "I mean, what am I doing?" "Bye, Davis." "Cheers." "The one that got away." "Mood swings." "Man." "If the old guard don't change then we need to change it." " Yeah." " Word." "You should step your shit in there, McAlary." "City Council could use some new fire." "I could run this motherfucker, man." "I could." "The only thing you're running is your mouth." "Yeah, you're right." "But we do need to clean house, though." "Huh?" " Right?" " Yeah!" "Right?" "Right?" "City Council, District C" "DJ Davis, vote for me!" "Rhyme that shit, Davis." "Desperate times need desperate plans" "Y'all know I'm a desperate man" " Yeah!" " We'd be desperate to vote for you." "Wait, wait!" "Check this out!" "First thing we do, legalize pot." "Use the revenue, fix our streets." "Noblest of goals." "I call my plan" "Pot for Potholes!" " Yeah!" " What!" "What!" " Pot for Potholes." " Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Right?" "Pen!" "I need a pen." "He's gonna write that shit down." "Look." "Hey, you were playing the piano earlier, right?" " Mr. Bouncer." " The music's fucking great." " It's New Orleans." " From there, huh?" "Amsterdam." "But I got to New Orleans fast as I fucking could." " Must be something, huh?" " Never been?" "Where you from?" "A little town southwest of Houston." "Victoria, Texas." "I came all the way from Europe and you couldn't drive five hours of interstate?" "What the fuck is that?" "You only live once, Mr. Bouncer." "Then you're dead and gone for a long fucking time." "You heard me?" "I don't know, man." "I got a gig at the Vanguard in a couple days." "But this thing is hot right now." "Do the Vanguard and then hit the road." "Come on, Jim, jazz ain't run hot or cold since bebop." " It just is, man." " I mean New Orleans." "The storm." "Everybody wants a taste." "People know Terence Blanchard, Wynton Marsalis." "Christian Scott's making a name for himself." "And now here comes Delmond Lambreaux, another great trumpet player straight out of New Orleans." "I'm from New Orleans but I don't play New Orleans." "And neither do those guys." "That's why they made names for themselves." "The acts on that bill, they're New Orleans, they're in that pocket." "Donald Harrison is straight-up modern jazz." "And he's on the bill." "He even told the label he'll share the stage with you." "You and Donald will headline this." "You start out in Portland, Oregon, work down the coast to LA," "Phoenix, Houston, end in New Orleans." "Big homecoming show." "Portland, Oregon?" "I played Portland before." "Nice folks." "But you know they clap on the one and three?" "Open." "LaDonna will be here on Christmas Eve." " You stayin'?" " I'm goin' back, me." " I got Desiree and the baby." " Yeah." "Been by the bar?" " Yeah." " How's it doin'?" "All right, I guess." "Well, she's not one to share the financial details." "I'm sure if she needed help, she wouldn't ask for it." " The woman's proud like that." " Don't I know?" "Once I get these impressions, I'll make you a permanent bridge." "In the meantime, you'll walk out with a temporary." "Should be able to play behind it." "Oh, man, I do need to work." "The boys look good." "Ah, they're pleased to see you." "You done a good job with them, man." "I appreciate you putting me up here and, you know, all this." "It's not a problem." "I want you to breathe through your nose, relax your lower jaw." "This is gonna taste a little funny." "Relax." "Prints came back." "The man wearing David Maurice Brooks's bracelet is not David Maurice Brooks." "That we know." "So who is he?" "Keevon White." "Time at Angola on assault and gun charges, currently awaiting trial on a murder, suspect in another but the witness recanted." "Jesus." "How'd he come to be wearing my kid's bracelet?" "Hate to think." "Look, Toni, we're not even acknowledging that we ever had David Brooks." "Keevon White arrived at that backwater parish wearing a bracelet issued by OPP in David's name." "How can you say you never had him?" "For all we know, this badass knew David Brooks from grade school, or dated his cousin, or just made up the name when he got booked." "Middle name too?" "Just happened to get all three right?" "Thanks for finding Keevon White for us." "I do appreciate it." "Thought I'd give y'all an early taste." "What?" "You think baseball's just for white folks?" "Randall plays on a travel team." "He's a bit past the Nerf ball thing." " Thanks, Pop." " I hope that fit." "If it doesn't, maybe you could take it back." "Coming to dinner with us, Larry?" "I don't think so." "You doin' fine on your own." "Thanks, man." "I never really play that much Cajun." "I mean, just a little bit on Royal Street." "Well, if it was a real Cajun band, then they'd have a real Cajun fiddle player, I'd guarantee." "But they ain't exactly the Balfa Brothers." " Are you playing?" " No call for a mandolin or a guitar." "I've never done a recording session." "Two years at conservatory." "All classical." "You know, this playing on the street and club gigs, it's a whole other world." " How long you been down here?" " A year and a half." " From where?" " New York." "I came here with my boyfriend." "I met him in Europe backpacking." "He's the one who wanted to come to New Orleans." "He's been talking about it since he was a kid and he heard his first Fats Domino record." "Well, you want us to call these guys?" "I mean, you know, they do need a fiddle for one track." "Coolest thing, seeing your name on a real CD." "I'll let you know when I'm ready." "You're that guy!" "Terry, it's that guy!" "Oh, yeah." "Cool." "Excellent stuff, my man." ""Fuck you, you fuckin' fucks!"" "Don't leave me hanging." "Your coffee drink is comped on account of the overwhelming righteousness of your vid rant." " What are you having?" " Skinny latte." "Hey, give 'em hell, big man!" "Fuck, yeah!" "OK, which one y'all like?" "TGI Friday's is the bomb." "Olive Garden and Coco's is good too." " Yeah?" " We like 'em all, Daddy." "Don't they have these in New Orleans?" "Out in Metairie." "But I can't say I've ever had the pleasure." "Where'd you get these mirlitons?" "I heard they was all washed away." "I lost my vines from the yard, but they can still be got." "So you must have a place other than that bar, right?" "Brick rancher in Gentilly." "I'm still fighting the insurance on it, though." "Insurance some scheming-ass bitches." "I'm sorry, but they are." "He's not wrong, you know." "Oh, it's my cell phone." "It's still new." "I'm not used to it." "It's my daughter from Houston." "Excuse me." "Hi, Davina?" "How you doin', baby?" "I'm good." "I'm all right." "Oh, just sitting here with some friends." "Daddy, does our half-sister look like us?" "Honorée?" "Nah, you know, a little bit." "Got a picture?" "I don't carry pictures of none of y'all." "Keep 'em on the dresser." "That way I know where they're at." "Maybe you can bring our new sister to Baton Rouge for a visit." "Well, you can come to New Orleans." "It's hard for me to get up here, see?" "I gotta keep working." "And when you two go to college... and I said when, not if," "I hope to contribute some." "Now, look, I know I don't get to see y'all that much." "But, look, even though I don't get to see y'all... you're always right here all the time." "And lucky for you, you have a strong woman for a mom, and Larry, he's a good man, a good stepfather for y'all." "That's lucky too." "I gotta pee." "Hey." " Your daughter good?" " Son too." "Got on the call from New York." "About to go on a big tour, end up here in New Orleans." "This is some fine bread pudding." "I ain't ate like this since I came back." "Darius, what you gonna do now that your hauling' career got cut short?" "Look for new work, I guess." "Least till school start back." "There's plenty of work, you really want it." "You look, you'll find it." "How's your business?" "People have still got walls and ceilings needing fixed." "I got a crack in my wall upstairs needing tending to." "Well, I could maybe take a look at that for you later." " You say Wynton gonna be here?" " That's what I heard." " Who else?" " Lots of people." "Everybody who's anybody." "Hey, sweetie, how you doin'?" " How you doin', Stanley?" " All right." "You know, about that piece you wrote about 52nd Street." "I was... as they say, pleasantly surprised." "Oh, thank you, Stanley." "I'm gonna go get a glass of wine." " Then I'll be back for more flattery." " Oh, you'll get it." "Stanley, you know my friend Delmond Lambreaux?" " Stanley Crouch." " I know him from his recording." " Yeah, OK." "Nice to meet you, Stanley." " Right." " I better..." " Jill, so good to see you!" " I think you better get a move on." " Yeah, nice to meet you." "How they treating you over at The Village Voice?" "Ah, good enough." "Delmond Lambreaux, Nelson George." "Hey, Delmond." "So good of you to come, man." "Thanks for having me." "Appreciate it." "Jill, you know that special treat I promised you?" " I have it right over here." " Oh, my God." "See y'all later." "Can you believe that?" "A legend right there." "Mr. Tyner?" "McCoy Tyner?" "This is Jill I spoke to you about." " Oh, yeah." "How are you, Jill?" " It is an absolute honor to meet you, sir." " I read you in the Voice." " You did?" " Yeah." " Sorry, folks." " I'd like to introduce you to Delmond." " I am such a big fan." " What's going on, everybody?" " Cliff Robinson." " Yeah, big fan, man." "Big fan." " Hi, Delmond." " Renée Neufville." " Hi, hi, hi." "I love your work, Renée." "Hey." " Spencer Means." " All right." " Kenny Anderson." " Good to meet you, man." "Big fan." "Delmond Lambreaux." " Thank you very much." " Would you play for us tonight?" " Not bad at all." " Maybe a little something." "You happen to have a Yankee outfielder walking around here?" "Bernie Williams is here." "I saw him on the roof with Spike Lee maybe a half hour ago." " You want to meet him?" " Yeah, why not?" "Why not?" " One second." " Sure." "Well, if you could..." " Mr. Tyner?" " Yeah." " Good to see you, Del." " Good to see you." " Let me just borrow Jill for a second?" " Sure." "I'll be right back." "You fuckin' set me up." "Oh, look, there's Janet Jackson." "Psych!" " You're real funny." " You know I am." "Yeah." "She's a trip." "Delmond, you've been in New York a few years now?" "Who, me?" "No, I'm a country boy..." "So it seems." "Big Chief!" "Hey, baby." "Coming to the service this afternoon, right?" "Yeah." "I got a little job to do this morning." "Then I'm gonna go pick up a suit down at Dillard's over in Metairie, come back home, change." " What brings you by?" " My grandmother." "My father's mother." " How's she doing?" " She's taking it hard." "Thing is, she don't want a funeral with..." "You know she didn't exactly approve of my dad masking' Indian." "Never did." " You sayin' she don't want us there at all?" " No, no." "Understand, my family wants you there." "You are family to me." "So what is it, then?" "She don't want y'all to speak." "No words at the graveside, no chanting, nothin' like that." "We did our thing last week in the Lower Nine, so she ain't got to worry about that." " I know." " I did want to say a few words about Jesse." "Not as an Indian, as a man." "I know that." "But see, my grandmother..." "for her, it was, I don't know, disreputable." "You his Chief." "You say anything, it just reminds folks." "I hope you understand." "I will honor your grandmother's wishes." "Thank you." "I'm sorry." "I expect to see you at the next practice." "You are the Wild Man's son and we need you." " I'm leaving town after." " Why?" "I got work, you need it." "The house is gone." "Ain't no place to live here." "Least, nothing that I could afford." "I don't know." "I'll see you this afternoon, Chief." "OK, now." "Keevon White?" "Prints came back." "You knew they would." "You could have saved us a trip." "Carryin' a murder charge." "I ain't in no hurry to have my name ring out." "Do you know the current whereabouts of David Brooks?" "Nope." "Well, you're wearing his bracelet." "Maybe we goin' steady." "Look at us." "You look at us, God damn it!" "This is my mother..." "David's mother." "Help us." "A'ight." "It's hot as hell up on that overpass." "No water for three, four days." "Some drank flood water if they could scoop it." "That's where you met David?" "I noticed him more like he was soft, shivering'." "He was sick?" "Let's say, it looked like he needed something to make him feel better." " I do not believe that." " I don't either, Mama." "Go on." "We didn't actually speak." "But I took note of the boy." "And they put us on them buses up to the Hunt, threw us all in the field." "Wasn't no bedrolls or toilets." "Guards would toss sandwiches over the wire and laugh, like they were feeding animals at a zoo." "And we fightin' over them sandwiches too, moldy as they was." "Wasn't nobody protected." "Your brother way too kindhearted." "So I took him up under my wing." "You was just looking out for him, huh?" "I told him how it was gonna be." "He needed to give up his bracelet and wear mine." "And if he did that," "I would be sure that nobody would punk him or cause him any bodily harm." "That's what happened?" "You persuaded David to trade bracelets?" "Wasn't about to wear no murder bracelet." "I could wear one with some bullshit charges on it." "Shit, I thought I might get tip on out of here if they got to setting' bails again." "And do you know where they sent him after Hunt?" "Last time I seen him, he was steppin' on the bus to some other damn parish." "I don't know which." "Why would you do this?" "Why would you take my boy's name like that, cause us all this misery?" "Respectfully, ma'am," "I know how to jail." "Your boy don't." "I'd like to... read this back to you and have you sign it." "We need your statement." "Conversation never happened." "I ain't about to take another charge over this." "But I hope you find your boy, ma'am." "I heard you on Royal Street." "You can play." "Thank you." "You should come sit in with us." "I shouldn't." "Not without Sonny." "Baby, he couldn't carry your bow." "We brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we can carry nothing out." "The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away." "Blessed be the name of the Lord." "Blessed are they that die in the Lord, even so sayeth the Spirit, that they may rest from their labor." "As it has pleased the Almighty God in His wise providence to take out of the world the soul of this, our deceased brother, we do now therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth," "ashes to ashes, and dust to dust." "Looking for the general resurrection on the last day and the life of the world to come through our Lord, Jesus Christ, at whose second coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the earth and the sea shall give up their dead." "I'll UPS that permanent bridge to you." "You ever have any problems with it, you call me, you hear?" "Come here, boys." "Y'all remember what I told you." "Right here all the time." "Merry Christmas, baby." "Y'all too." "Is this a business or pleasure trip for you?" "Pleasure." "New Orleans." "Always for pleasure."