"Mom?" "Mom?" "What I remember most from before was people's voices." "Kind of floating on the wind." "And laughing." "Like everybody was in on something." "Like it all mattered somehow." "I know what I did." "And I don't want forgiveness, from you or anybody else." "I don't deserve it, and with respect, I'm happy here." " Happy?" " Well, I mean, I think it's right." "I think I belong here." "I find it interesting that you think that you should determine where you belong." "Now, you've spent 21 years, six months here at Atborough." "And prior to that, one year, five months at Wentworth Juvenile Facility." "Yes, sir, that's correct, and I expect to remain here as sentenced." "I'm afraid you don't exactly have that choice." "The Board of Review is aware of your record here and is prepared to commute your sentence from life to time served." "There are those who might feel that congratulations are in order here." "So congratulations." "You're a free man." "Sorry." "Shit." "Hey, hey, you." "Yeah, you." "Hold up." "Wentworth." "You was at Wentworth, weren't you?" " Back in the day." " Yeah." "Damn, man, what's up, brother?" "I thought you were gone for good." "Yeah." "Well, they..." "I guess they fixed it." "I'm sorry, man, I forgot your name." " What's your name?" " Jordan." "Jordan!" "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Bryan, right?" " Manuel." " Oh, Manuel, all right." "Manuel Jordan." "Yeah, yeah." " Mackie Whittaker." " I remember you." "How you doing, man?" "I didn't think nobody was gonna be seeing you again, man." " Shit." "Fuck." " Well..." "Hell, anyway." "Hey, welcome back, man." " Well, thanks." " All right, man." " Okay." " Wentworth." " All right." "Okay." "I'll see you round." " Yeah, all right, man." "Thanks." "Yeah." "Yeah, we was at Wentworth together, man." "Me and him." "Wasn't nothing but kids." "I read a book that was written in the 11 th century." "Man said there was five steps toward making amends." "The first involved acknowledging what you did." "The second involved remorse." "The third involved making right with your neighbor." "Like if you stole his chicken, you'd have to go and bring him another." "Only then were you able to go to step four  which was making it right with God." "But it wasn't until step five that you could really get redeemed." "It had to do with being in the same place, in the same situation." "That as it goes, you'd go and do something different." "Only I can't bring Abner Easely back like he was some stolen chicken." "Certainly made sure of that 23 years ago." "And I don't believe in some God that's gonna open his arms to me  even if I did." "So there goes steps three and four." "And as for step five  time makes sure we're never in the same place twice  no matter how much we wish it." "Which is why, for me, I know I'll never be redeemed." "Manuel." "Manuel." " Manuel!" " Manuel!" " Hey!" " Manuel!" " Hey!" " Manuel!" "Hey, man." "Mackie Whittaker, man." "How you doing?" "Remember Earl Whitmore?" "He know you from Atborough." " Yeah." " Me and Whitmore and Dukie got this ride in Claridge." "We need a sideman to run with Dukie because he too fat." "It's like running with a couch." "You know?" " I don't want anything to do with it." " It's a liquor store." "They do cash only." "The dude's making his run in 20 minutes." " I'm really not interested, okay?" " But you perfect for it, man." "You just fresh out, you know?" "It's like a sign or something, you know?" "And it's 8, 900 dollars each." "You know what I'm saying?" "I'm not perfect for it." "I don't want anything to do with it." "Look." "You gotta now." "You're with the people now." " I don't want anything to do with it." " All right." "I remember you now." "Yeah." "Yeah." "You that wimpy-ass crybaby motherfucker from Wentworth." "Yeah, I remember now, man." "Earl told me about you at Atborough too." "He said you never did fight back." "He said you'd make a good sideman because you rather take a bullet than make a noise." " You can do this." "Listen." " I don't have a problem with you." " Let me go." " You come to my neighborhood..." "Leave me alone." "Why don't you mind your business." "I'm gonna fuck you up, now!" "You got a death wish or something, man?" "What's your fucking problem?" "Hey, I just saved your life, man!" "I could have sliced your motherfucking throat!" "Well, fuck you, man!" "You show your face here again, you be dead, motherfucker!" "Where you going?" " All right?" "Yeah." " Fuck, man." "Where you going?" " Oh, fuck." " Let's get out of here." " Come on, let's go!" " What the fuck?" "Just leave it." " Frank." " Come on, let it go!" "What are you doing?" "What are you doing?" " Hello?" " Where the hell you been?" " I'm sorry?" " Deal's a deal." "We had an agreement, right?" "Hold on a second." "You don't have to pay to park, but you have to sit because that's the rules." " No, man." "I don't wanna do that." " Fine, fine." "Suit yourself..." "Where's Duwayne?" "This is a pay phone." "Turn around." "Those apartment buildings over there behind you  O livia May Projects." "Nobody outside there called Duwayne?" "Nobody anywhere." "Yeah, all right." "All right, thanks." "Who is this?" " You there?" " Yeah." "All right, let me ask you a question." " Where you headed?" " I'm not sure." "Hey!" "Hey, you!" " You Manuel Jordan?" " Yeah." "I'm Miles Evans." "You know the rules." "Take it back inside." "Now." "Go." "You're with me." "Deal's a deal." "Right?" "They wanna use my lot, they know the drill." "Park over there." "In exchange, spend 15 minutes in here." "Don't have to listen, don't have to give a shit." " Just have to sit." " Listen to what?" "Me." "Small enough price to pay for keeping Daddy's car safe in the big bad neighborhood, right?" "Inside, inside." "Come on, come on." "You'll get to your nightclub soon enough." "Here." "Here!" "Don't take no shit." "Fifteen minutes, no exceptions." "We'll talk about pay when things get quieter." "All right, everybody, we're back on the clock." "Excuse me." "He gave me this clipboard here and..." " You work here?" " I look to keys." " Yeah." " My name is Señor Aguilar." "My name is Manuel Jordan." "So this guy gives me..." "Duwayne is very, very bad." "Two times no show." " Well, I don't really know Duwayne." " Señor Miles is very mad." "So anyway, the guy gave me this clipboard." "I guess I stand here or something." "If they park here, they have to sign that." "Hey, señor!" "Come on." "So, what's the old guy blabbing about tonight?" "I really wouldn't have a clue." "Worse than goddamn Sunday school." "Here you go, God Boy." "All right, buddy." "Thrashing around like fish in a bucket." "But what kind of dancing is that?" "David danced." "David in Second Samuel." "Chapter 6, Verse 14:" "And David danced before the Lord with all of his might." ""All of his might." Wow." "Hey." "Oh, you're a new God Boy." "Hi, there, new God Boy." " Here, you want some?" " No, thanks." "Oh, God Boy's a good boy." "Where's Duwayne?" " I don't know Duwayne." " I think Duwayne is burning in hell." "Somebody might hear you laughing." "They say that the tree that God told Adam and Eve not to eat of was the tree of knowledge." "In other words, some things you shouldn't know." "But they ate." "And you remember what happened after that?" "Adam and Eve saw that they were naked and took fig leaves and tried to hide from each other and from God." "Now, you think God doesn't know where you are?" "Know, physically?" "But God wants to know, where are you in your sins?" "In your recognition of your sins." "Now, he knows the answer." "He knows the answer because hey, he's God." "And God knows that you know the answer too." " And you do." " Let's go." " Don't you?" "Oh, yes." " Oh, yes." "Oh, yes." "Oh, yes." "You know exactly, exactly where you..." "Kids." "Kids." "Kids." "Kids." "Come with me." "Club goes four nights a week." "I'll need you midnight till about 6." "Or until the last of the little lambs staggers out into the sunlight." "For pay, I got a room at 100 dollars a month which you can work down to nothing if you'll help with cleaning." "What makes you think I need a room?" "God told me." "You're carrying your damn suitcase, man." "You think God talks to me?" "We argue maybe, but he don't participate." "It's all right." "I'll see him one day." "When I do I'm gonna whip his holy ass." " Why are you here?" " You called me." "I called Duwayne." "I mean, why are you here, in this city?" " I don't know." " Payback?" " No." " Apology?" "I know you're supposed to be a preacher or something but where I been..." " Prison." "Well, it's obvious you ain't been on tour with the Ice Capades." "It's a show." "Ice..." " Never mind." " I've talked to preachers." "I've talked to nuns, and I've read some things." "I just..." "I don't know." "With respect, I just don't buy it." "So if I'm gonna have to believe in something to get a bowl of soup I'm not..." "That's really not my bag." "I don't need you to believe." "I just need you to clean." "Señor Aguilar will show you the supplies." "Here are the keys." "Stay till the last car." "I'm going to bed." "I gotta make soup for 100 in three hours." "You know, you could get lucky." "God might decide to grade you on the curve." "It wouldn't matter either way." "You don't know what the hell you talking about, do you?" "Why be afraid of a God you don't believe in?" "Oh, I know it seems like people are making up shit so they can feel good about all the pain, all the cruelty loss, violence, suffering, death." "Famine, bigotry, small-mindedness, repression, depression, oppression." "Want me to keep talking?" "I can go on forever with this shit." " No, I get the point." " The point is:" "I believe in the lie." "Never underestimate its power." "Now, as for me, well I'm lying through my teeth." "I'll see you soon." " Hi." " Hey." " How you doing?" " I'm all right." "Every night, the same thing." "Music, some smoke." "I don't know." "But to his room, nobody go inside." "Jeez." "Oh, man." "Dude, I need waffles." "Hey, tell Paul I'm gonna be a little late." " Your keys, miss." " Well, I was working all night." "I was working very hard, actually, and getting it all together." "If you want me to, I can take care of the last one." " My job." "Zero keys." " All right." "Excuse me, sorry." "You're with the community house, right?" "Yeah." " So you're the new guy, huh?" " Yeah, I guess." "What's up with that guy?" "Preacher guy?" "Oh, I wouldn't have any idea." "I'm sorry to hassle you with this, bro." "It's just, she's usually up by now." "I gotta get the hell out of here." "Can't wait around all day for her, you know?" "These rich kids, man, they come from the suburbs." "I don't know why they bother when they spend half the time unconscious." "Here we go." "Sofia Mellinger, 55 Ivy Grove Terrace." "Many nights like this." "One night, ambulance." "She very bad girl." "Come on." "Get out." "All right, all right." "Here." " Go home." " Yeah, yeah." " Are you sure we didn't...?" " Go home and go to sleep." "Yeah." "Hey." "You know who lives here?" "Claire Mellinger." "You know, lady singer?" "Had that song a while ago." "She's not as good as me, eh?" "All right." "All right." "All right." " Jump ball!" " Jump ball?" " He reached around me!" " Pipe down, Don." "You're so full of shit you're clogging up the whole city!" "Sadiki, I got reaching in on you." "I got pushing off on Ty." "And I got team T's on all of you." " Jump ball!" " Jump the ball." "Get the ball." "Get the ball, man." "Bring the ball." "Thank you so much." "I could help you carry your bags." "Excuse me." "I could help you carry those bags if you like." " You want to carry my bags?" " Yes, ma'am." " Do I know you?" " No, ma'am." " Then why you wanna carry my bags?" " I'd just like to help." " Just like to help?" " Yes, ma'am." "I don't know you?" "We've never spoken, no." "So, what, you've been following me around?" "I sensed someone following me." "Was that you?" " Yes, ma'am." " I think it's best then maybe not." " But thank you anyway." " I just like to help, that's all." " I'll get..." " Excuse me." "Hey!" "What the hell you think you're doing?" "No seconds till everybody's had firsts." "Get your scruffy ass to the back of the line." "Manuel?" "Hey!" "Manuel." "Get up here." "Make yourself useful." "I need to get some more soup." "Give them one ladle, one slice of bread." "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." "Now, how many of you think that that means the Lord is shepherding you through life, answering your prayers?" "Anything you ask for?" "How many?" "Sit down, Charlie." "I'm not done yet." "Yo, man, that's whack." " Our new neighbor." " Fools ain't right." " Another damn liquor store." " Where are we gonna play, man?" "I don't know who I'm madder at, the people who sell it or who drink it." "What about you?" "What about that shit floating out your window at night?" " It just helps me forget." " Forget what?" "Damn, you know, I don't remember." "See?" "It's working." "Come on." "You walked right into it." "Sometimes, you know, you have to transgress a little bit to help the greater good." "You gonna lean on that lettuce or help me get it inside?" "You gotta ask yourself something." "Are you dancing toward something or away from something?" "In other words, are you dancing for pleasure, or you dancing for joy?" "Now, if you dancing for pleasure, why, I can't help you." "But if you dancing for joy then you gotta pull your head out of your ass and look around you at the rest of the world and the people in it." "Because if you wanna help yourself try helping somebody else." " She's the oldest, then?" " Yeah, that's Maria." " She's how old?" " Pardon me?" " She's how old?" " She's 27." "You smell good." "You smell like Indian take-out." "You smell like chutney." "I'm telling you, you do!" " You smell like..." " Miss, your keys." "Hey!" "It's God Boy." " This is Dick, and that's Duwayne." " Hi." " You forgot your keys." " Duwayne will watch them." "He's a very responsible man." "You again." " I didn't mean to scare you." " You've been following me?" " No, ma'am." "Waiting for you." " Much better." " I don't mean it that way." " I know what you meant." "Honestly, I have no intentions of harming you at all." " Could we have a conversation?" " A conversation?" "Yes, ma'am." "I brought you this." "Now, how am I gonna be able to carry a rose?" "Maybe if I help carry the bags, then you can carry the rose." "Thanks again, and thank you for the rose." "You're welcome." "You're making me nervous now." "Oh, I'm sorry." "If you prefer, I could give you these two bags and I could watch over the others until you return." " I need you to speak more formally." " I'm sorry?" "I'm joking." "So I'll be right here." "Okay." "Okay." "Take one at a time, and I'll wait here." "They're very heavy." "Okay, sure." "Well, come on." " Come on?" " Come on, if you're coming." "Well, yes, ma'am." " You have a big family?" " No." "This is for the people I cook for." "I cook for families on the East Side." "Do cleaning, whatever they need." "I'm a custodian now at a community house uptown." " That what you wanted to tell me?" " I'm sorry?" "You said you wanted to have a conversation." "Oh, no." "Yeah, well, I did." "Listen, I sort of need to get to work." "My brother..." "He's a statistic." " I'm sorry." " I know." "Everybody is." " Who's this?" " He's helping with the groceries." " Looks like they're all in." " Abner, I'm fine." "He's a nice man." "Whatever, Mom." "He's just being protective." " You said his name is Abner?" " Yeah." "Forgot something." "Oh, much better, the hat." "Much!" "He is one pissed off little fuck." "Gets it from me, I swear." " You seem okay." " Oh, you don't know me." "I lost track." "Did we have our conversation or not?" "Not really." "Was this conversation about asking me out?" "Because I'll be honest." "Over the years, I have lowered my standards." "Nobody accused you of having an overly acute sense of humor, did they?" " Me?" " My point exactly." "Yeah." "No, I'm not commonly described as being funny." "But it'd be great if we went out and got something to eat if you don't mind." "It'd be nice, and we, you know, we could talk." " Like we're doing right now." " Sure." " But, maybe, you know..." " Faster." " Okay." "I'll try." " Well, you know where I live." "Next time you come, I'll have you lifting furniture, maybe fixing shutters." " That's okay." " Anyhow, thank you for the rose." " You're welcome." " Maybe I'll see you again." "Yes, ma'am." "That would be great." " So maybe..." " Bye." "...we'll do that." "What the hell are you doing?" "You gonna floss the damn thing too?" "I'm sorry?" "You are the strangest, ploddiest motherfucker I ever met." "Seems to be the theme in my life lately." "Well, bring your rebar-reinforced, concrete-filled head inside." " I need some help with something." " All right." "One good thing I did in my life." "I got the county to donate this house to the cause." "The basketball court next door, the neighborhood kids borrowed it." "But the kids, you know, they're not zoning experts." "They get a little territorial, and then they got a little caught." "I promised the county I'd account for them after school, as if any of them go." "And now the kids gotta pay back the construction company somehow." " So, what exactly were...?" " What do I want with you?" "I was thinking that maybe we, and by we, I mean you could come up with something for them to do in the afternoon." "Where are you gonna be?" "I gotta spend some afternoons a few cities over." "Fill in for a friend." "Won't be back for a while." "I don't know that I would know what to do." "Talk." "Shoot pool." "You know, you were a kid more recently than I was." " I don't know." " Well, guess what." " You're already committed?" " Three o'clock." "I guess you're all here because somebody thinks it's gonna have some kind of influence." "Me, I don't know." "I guess we'll have to see that." "Before I came here, I wrote down some things." "A few things I wish somebody had told me when I was you guys' age." "Now that I look at it there's not anything that profound here I have to say really." "So..." "Maybe I should ask you guys some questions and then start it that way." " So who are you, for instance?" " Who are you?" " I'm sorry?" " I said, who are you?" "Okay." "I'm Manuel Jordan." "Why did they tell you you're coming here today?" "It was either this or we go to the woods and do shit with trees, you know." "Okay." "With trees." "How about you?" "Excuse me, you, with the things in your head." "What's your name?" " What is it?" " He don't wanna tell you." " I'm talking to the young man here." " I ain't young." "What are you, 12 or 14?" "You're young, I promise you." " Old enough to know you is a joke." " It's all a joke." " Didn't I tell y'all this was a joke?" " Right." "Yep." "Okay, how many of you have done time?" "Okay, so a few of you have something in common with me." "I spent 21 years in a maximum-security prison." "A year and a half in juvenile detention." " His brother shot four guys." " He on death row." "Leavenworth." "Got six people on my block been shot." "Plus an old lady and her dog." " I know that dog." " What dog?" " Small Charlie." " That pit bull?" "Got shot?" " That dog almost bit off half my ass." " Small Charlie!" "So a dog was shot, and six people." " Anybody feel anything about this?" " I do." "I feel I'd rather be in the woods doing shit with trees, you know?" "Hey, baby!" "She fine too!" "Look at that!" "Look at that walk!" " Can we help you?" " I came here for my keys." "Finally, some pussy!" "You know what they say, you are what you eat." "Then come on over here." "I'll turn you into one big, long dick!" " Hey." " I don't know about that." "I don't wanna take any work away from your mother." "That's big talk." "What you're carrying?" "That's small talk." " That's enough." " Wanna find out?" "Sorry, I already flossed this morning." " Hi." " So, what do you want?" "My car keys." "I left them with Duwayne." " With Duwayne?" " The other night." "You left them with me." "No, I think I left them with Duwayne." "Hello?" "Mr. Happity Hee-haw Flippity-flop!" "Mr. Smiley Pumpkin Head." "I've met you three times, and I've told you, I'm not Duwayne." " All right." " Understand?" "Not that you'd remember, the way you poison yourself." "Who died and made you pope?" "You're a young person." "You've got means, got everything you want." "Instead, you're just wasting space." "You know that?" "That's all you are, is a waste of space." " Who the fuck are you to tell me...?" " Hey!" "Come here!" "Come here!" "You stop that!" "You stop it!" "Why are you laughing at me?" " Why are you laughing at me?" " I'm nervous." "Please." "I'm sorry." "Please." "I'm really nervous." "Please." "Nice place." "It's not exactly a mansion on the hill in lvy Grove." "I took you home." "Last week?" "You don't remember." "That's pathetic." " Nice place." " Oh, yeah." "Is anybody here?" " Hey." " Afternoon." "Something I can do for you guys?" "Yeah, we're with the FBI." "I'm Agent Collier." "This here is Agent Pross." "We just want to ask you a couple questions." " You live here?" " Yeah." " Anyone else live here?" " No." "Well, there's a pastor who lives upstairs, but not down here." " Do you have any ID?" " Yeah." "This is a release paper." "I just got out of Atborough." " How about that?" " Know someone named John Gowen?" "There was a guy named Duwayne that worked here before I got here but I never saw what he looked like." " So you being a good boy?" " Yes, sir." "Yeah, he's been a very good boy." "Johnny Gowen." " He seemed like such a nice man." " Oh?" "Face was thinner." "Had shorter hair." "When is the last time you saw Mr. Gowen?" " Six months." "A year maybe." " You ever hear from him?" "Wish I did." "I had a lot of faith in that boy." " Thank you for your time, gentlemen." " Yeah." "Good day, now." "What does it matter what he did?" "Past is the past." "But this guy Gowen is a criminal." "Crime's done." "Can't go back." "What's the use of putting a man in jail?" " Well, he's gotta pay." " It's society who pays." "They pay by not having another good man around." "He wasn't a good man." " Well, can't he become a good man?" " How's that?" "How does anybody become good, Manuel?" "I thought you spent 20-some years thinking." "So you were right?" " About John Gowen?" " Yeah." "Let's just say his past ran a little faster than he did." "Look, you gonna stand here, or you gonna pick up a knife and help?" "Here you go." "Thank you." "Ma'am, I know this is very difficult, but I need you to calm down now." "You need me to calm down?" "I need you to take me to my son." "Now!" "Abner's been shot." "Are you sure?" "You gotta really be sure, man." "Okay?" "Right here, right now, you gotta know." "Oh, man." "All right." "I'll call you back." "Yeah, give me an hour." "It was Genie Tucker." "He's gonna pay for this." " My fault." " Any of you guys seen God Boy?" " Who?" " I'm sorry." " Do that shit again." " Supposed to be here." " Do what shit again?" " Now, that's good." "He'll be okay, but I wouldn't worry." "Hey, Miss Easely." "We know who did it." "It was Genie Tucker." " So?" " So we're gonna fix it." "You're still here." "Come on." "That's the one good thing about bullet wounds, Ms. Isley." "First of all, it's Easely." "My last name is Easely." ""They're sterile." And he chuckles." ""So we're leaving it in." "He may set off a few metal detectors, but that's a small price to pay."" "Small price." "My son has a bullet in his lung." "You haven't touched your pasta thing." "No, I don't really want it." "And the worst part, he's proud of it." "It's like a game to him." "See, it's his friends." "It's his friends." "I should have done things different." " I was just trying to deal." " Deal with what?" "Living." "So now look." "I'm in a hospital cafeteria with someone whose name I don't know." "Yeah." "I'm sorry." "I guess I should probably go." "Who sent you?" "I'm not what you think I am." "I don't care." "See, the fact is I'm late for something I'm supposed to be doing right now." "There's a flower and everything." "So you know take care of yourself." " What the hell was that?" " I'm sorry." "You can't smile when you do it." "You gotta be all stoic like, "I'm sorry."" ""I'm sorry." How about that one?" "You gotta fuck up your hair a little." "It's already pretty fucked up." "I'm sorry I'm late." " You are being so ridiculous." " Listen to me." " I'm serious." "You think this is funny?" " You gotta lighten up a little bit." " What do you think you're doing?" " Having a good time, laughing." " It's not a place to have fun." " Well, I'm sorry." "You were late, and we were just hanging out, waiting for you." "What is that?" "Your icy stare you learned in prison or something?" "What?" "Are you here on earth with me?" "Hello?" "Hello, insane man." " Killed a guy." " Why don't you get out of here." " I heard about your lecture." " I told you to get out of here." " I wanted to thank you." " Thank me?" "For bringing me home." "The other day." " Why do you do that to yourself?" " What?" " In there, in that place at night." " It's just dancing." "Why are you trying to kill yourself?" "Are you hungry?" " What are you talking about?" " I'll make you lunch." " I make a mean frittata." " Well, I don't know what that is but I don't think so." " Why not?" "You haven't been paying attention." "We don't get along so well." "So?" "Please?" " Where are you from?" " Piscine." " Where's that?" " It's just this little town in Illinois." "Your parents there?" "What's your mom, some sort of singer?" "Was." "The bank guy's only letting us stay here because he liked her music in college." "Oh, here." "Like it?" "We call it "Early American Foreclosure."" "It's on the cover of Architectural Digest." " Sofia?" " I'm busy!" "Sofia?" "We could have a blind butler." "It wouldn't matter." "He could always find her, and there's no furniture to trip on." "Where were you?" "There's an ex-con coming up to kill you!" "What?" "Sofia!" " Where's my yellow towel?" " It's in the wash." " What?" " I washed it with the others." "What?" "Nice, raising a 42-year-old child, isn't it?" "Sofia?" "Looks 60, huh?" "Tell her." "It'll make her feel good." "Are you making food?" "It's like living with someone out of "Cats."" "It's a musical? "Cats"?" "It's an '80s thing." "The '80s were a decade?" "I'm hungry." "By the way, if you decide you can't make it in free society and you feel the urge to kill again..." " What are you making?" " Frittatas." " I want ketchup." " I know." "Images." "What do you mean?" "I mostly just remember images." "Like pictures." "There were three of us." "Ripple and Roundabout." "Roundabout?" "Righteous?" "I was Righteous." "Let's do it." "You good, Righteous?" "I remember his face." "Why were you doing it?" "I think..." "Manuel?" " I think I was angry." " Manuel." "Yeah." "I remember his face." "He kind of turned and..." "Give him the fucking cash!" "Do it!" "He was looking at me." "He was looking at me so strange." "Do what he says!" "Stop looking at him!" " Give him the fucking cash now!" " What are you doing?" "I remember his face." "He just kept looking at me." "And I was looking at him." "And he just looked at me so funny." "What are you doing?" "He looked at me like he knew something I didn't know." "I did it." "It was like something was just passing through me." "I don't understand." "Fuck!" " Righteous." " Oh, fuck." "We gotta get the fuck out of here." " Come on!" "Just leave him, okay?" " Let's just fucking go, man!" "Manuel?" "It seemed like it took  just a few seconds and forever." "It's terrible." "Hey." "Sleeping Beauty?" "You got a phone call." "Somebody named Adele." " She's on the phone?" " A little while ago." "She wanted to know if you were free tomorrow." "I told her yeah, until midnight." "Then your dick turns to a pumpkin." "She asked for the custodian." "Like she didn't know your name." "Sorry, but I was a little sleepy, you know, and..." "So I told her it was Duwayne." "I figured you had your reasons for not telling her." "This Adele is she by any chance Adele Easely?" "Hey, man, you're my tenant." "You think I don't do my homework?" "Look, jack, I don't care what you did." "I mean, sometimes I wish I could've done the same thing." " No, you don't." " I said, "wish," not "did."" "All right." "I didn't mean to trivialize." "The club goes in 45 minutes." "You gonna be there, or do I have to start dialing phone booths?" "Manuel, what's done's done." "I need an answer." " I'll be there." " Good because I won't." "I got an aunt." "She's dying of tuberculosis." "I gotta go and be with her do the funeral thing." "It shouldn't be long." "You'll be in charge till I get back." "Miles?" "You'll do fine." "Don't worry about it." "You're no John Gowen." "I went on a date the other night." "It was a blind date..." "I went on a date the other night." "It was a blind date but it didn't start as a blind date." "Just when the girl saw me, she popped her eyes out." "She was a real princess." "She..." "I tried drinking champagne out of her slipper but I nearly choked on the Odor-Eater." "He just seems like an evil fog." "Thank you." "Like, I couldn't even imagine a person with an actual face who could do something like that." "I heard he was beaten in Atborough." "They said he'd die." "He probably did if there's any justice." " Do you think there is?" " For criminals." "Not for the rest of us." "Unless there's a God and then..." "Well..." "Then all bets are off." " Do you think there is a God?" " No, thank God." "Because I've done some bad things." "But I always thought that if I put a good child out into the world..." "But I don't see that I did that." "So I don't know what to do." "Abner gets out of the hospital tomorrow." "He won't listen to me." "And he has no real men." "Anywhere." "At all." "Which leaves only his friends, and they're..." "Well, you saw them." "But if you're asking me to talk to him, I don't know about that." "Well, they've got something planned on the guy who shot him." "I really think I'm the wrong person to ask." "Duwayne." "I don't know where else to turn." "Okay." "I don't know why God made me the way I am." "Or whoever did it." "I'm certainly not proud of who I am." "We're all capable of anything." "I know that now." "Me?" "I could have been anything." "Farmer, businessman." "Just one more body out of the billions." "What are you thinking about?" "I don't know." "Gravity." "Yeah, well don't last long." "I know what you think you'll feel." "It's not like that." "You think it's gonna make the world a better place afterward?" "Do you think it's gonna make you any better?" "I'm wearing his bullet." "You didn't answer my question." "I know you're a friend of my mom, but what's right is right." " According to who?" " What are you talking about?" "What are you fucking talking about?" "You can save him." "Are you fucking deaf?" "He shot me." "He wants me dead." "If I don't get him, he'll get me." " What about your mother?" " Look, this ain't about her." " All right, I got plans." " Abner?" "Can I ask you a question?" "Who were you named after?" "My dead uncle." "What's your problem?" "I knew your uncle." " Bullshit." " Really." " Yeah, why are you into this?" " Because I care about your mother and she cares about you." "Yeah, you care about yourself." "You're just like everyone else." "I don't know." " Come on." " Come on, boy." "What?" "Roll, man!" "Let's go!" "Yo, yo, Abner, chill." "The cops, bro." "Let's get out of here, man." "Come on." " Hey." " "Hey"?" "What do you mean, "hey"?" " What happened?" " Nothing." "He was lucky." " Who?" " Genie Tucker." "He heard I was coming." "He totally split." "Gone." "What do you mean?" "He ran." "He heard I was coming, and he split." " What are you talking about?" " What do...?" "You stand here and talk to me." "Tell me what you're talking about." " No!" "I'm fine!" "Everything's over!" " I don't believe you." " Mom, it is over." " We have been sitting here..." "Nothing happened." "He ran." "He heard I was coming, and he left." "Him and all of his friends, okay?" "Dude left town." "It's over." "What do you mean, "dude left town"?" "What is this?" ""The Wild, Wild West"?" "Abner!" "Come in here and talk to me!" "Mom, I just told you, it is over." "Not a big deal." "Look, Mr. Rogers, he can go home." "Nothing happened." "All right?" "Here." "Everything's done." "It's over." "Okay?" "Now, I may be a little while." "I don't know if you want to do the bone dance." "Everything's fine." "All right?" "I'll see you later." "I'm sorry." " It's complicated." " Oh, no kidding." "Men." "Oh, God." "See..." "God." " I'm not who you think I am." " Neither am I." " No, you don't understand." " You seriously don't know me." "I wish you wouldn't say that." "What are you looking at?" "Duwayne?" "Did somebody hurt you?" "It doesn't matter, does it?" " I really need you to help me." " How?" "I just..." "I need you." "I just need you to help me." "It's okay." " What's okay?" " Whatever." "It's okay." "Don't worry." "Baby, don't worry." " Have you seen Miles around?" " Señor Miles is gone." "What do you mean, "gone"?" "Where?" "Hey, God Boy!" "Hey, God Boy!" "I need your help." "Sorry to do this to you again, bro." "I got two guys who called in sick tonight." "She's been puking, and she's been asking for God Boy." "Hey!" "Why don't you get up and go home." " I can't." " Why not?" "Because we got evicted." "Come on." "You should sleep." " You smell like sex." " Well, you smell like puke." "Miles." "Miles." " What do you want?" " I need to talk." "Well, hurry up." "Miles?" "Miles?" " What do you want to talk about?" " Adele." " What about Adele?" " I got weak and I crossed the line." " I just wanted to help her and then..." " You needed too much from her." " What do you mean?" " That's why you came back, Manuel." "Not to help her, to ask for forgiveness." " I want to help her." " Lie to others, Manuel." "Don't lie to yourself." "Miles." "Wait a minute!" "Sorry." "I can't help you." "You're on your own." "Miles?" "My name is John." "It might not make any sense, but instead of thinking about what he did try thinking about what he did for you." "That's the important thing." "You're saying this guy was on the run the whole time?" " He lied to us." " Yeah." " For real." " I think it's kind of cool, though." "Dude never said nothing about who he was." "I just assumed he was for real." "Well, one thing you can assume is that he was sincere about what he said to you." "I mean, that's..." " People mess up, you know?" " What about you?" "What do you mean?" "What about me?" "We gonna have to sit here and listen to you bullshit us too now?" "No, you don't have to sit here and listen to me bullshit you." "I'm leaving." "How come?" "Because I messed up, and I gotta pay for it." "What, you going back to jail?" "No, I'm just going away." " Where?" " I don't know." " What time is it?" " Afternoon." "It's like 3:30." " You look like shit, girl." " That's "shit, woman" to you." "So, player, tell me how it really went down." "I just said, "Yo." "Please get off me." "Please." "You're not good."" " Stop lying, man." " Word is bond." "Lee had, like, two beers and he's drunk." "You know Raul don't drink." "Hey, guys." "What's up?" "Oh, thanks." "How much you owe these guys anyway?" "Constructors?" "Like 4000." " Man." "Why we gotta give it to them?" " Because you owe it to them." "Like we need another liquor store around here?" "Shut up!" "Crazy." "So, what happens now?" "To Adele Easely:" "I keep thinking about what you said." "About how your brother Abner, to you, is now just a statistic." "Well, for 23 years, I've been carrying a weight." "And for 23 years, I never knew how I could possibly release it." "I thought it would be b y making myself known to you." "Telling you who I was and apologizing." "I had a fantasy that I could help things." "As if b y doing some number of good things now  it could make up for one very bad thing then." "But I think that b y telling you who I am  I would only be helping myself." "But I'm too weak to carry this weight." "And I need you to know how sorry I am." "I'm a murderer and a coward." "And I will always remain these things." "I read a book once on redemption." "A man said there were five steps toward making amends." "The first involved acknowledging what you did." "The second involved remorse." "The third involved making right with your neighbor." "Only then were you able to go to step four  which was making it right with God." "Only I can't bring Abner Easely back like he's some stolen chicken." "Certainly made sure of that 23 years ago." "And I don't believe in some God  that's gonna open his arms to me even if I did." "So there go steps three and four." "And as for step five  time makes sure we're never in the same place twice  no matter how much we wish it." "Which is why, for me, I know I'll never be redeemed." "What goes around comes around, motherfucker!" "Abner!" " Put the gun down!" " What the fuck are you doing?" " Get the fuck out of here!" " Abner, put the gun down." "Don't be stupid." "He shot me, all right?" "He shot me!" " It doesn't matter." " Yes, it does!" " Just put it down!" " No!" "He's done!" "He's dead!" "It's not worth it, trust me." "What are you fucking doing?" " Abner, put the gun down." " Like you're gonna pull that." " Yes, I will." " Bullshit!" "Yes, I will." "I'm putting him in the dumpster!" "You better shoot me, or it's him!" "I don't care about him!" " No." "Fuck that." "Back off!" " Manuel." " Don't come any closer!" " You listen to me!" " Listen to me!" " Get the fuck away from me!" "Stop!" "Stop!" "No!" "No!" "Stop!" "Don't let him get away!" "Stop!" "Get the fuck off me!" "What are you doing?" "He fucking got away!" "What the fuck?" "Shit!" "Why did you get involved in this?" "He was gonna shoot me!" "Goddamn it!" "What's your problem?" "Abner." "What the hell?" "What the hell?" "Shit." "Shit!" "Oh, fuck!" "Shit!" " Abner!" " No, no, no, no." " Abner?" " Mom?" "Ma?" "Abner." "Are you okay?" "Are you okay?" " Are you okay?" " I'm okay, Mom." " Oh, God!" " He jumped in front." " Is he okay, Mom?" " I'm sorry." " Don't you say a word!" " Mom?" "Wait here." "Keep him warm." "Ma!" "Help!" "Somebody!" "Help!" "Ma!" " Mom." " Help me!" "Manuel." "Manuel." "Manuel." "Manuel Jordan." "Manuel Jordan." " How long have I been in here?" " Two days." "You saved me." "You brought me here." "Why?" "I don't know, Manuel." "Doctor says you're gonna be fine." "Some clothes, a little bit of money." "I'm not staying." "I just needed to see you're okay." "See that I didn't waste my energy and I wanted to say goodbye." "Can I come see you?" "No." "Please." "Please don't ever come to see me." "Ever." "This is my town." "It's my home." "You got the rest of the world." " What?" " I can't." "What do you mean, you can't?" "You've got to." "These kids like you." "You make them laugh." "So?" "So I think that's important." "Yeah, but I don't know anything." " The routine..." " Hell, just make something up." "It doesn't really matter." "Just stop whining and do it." "Just figure it out together." "They get you." "I don't know what I'm supposed to do." "Well, neither do I, but you'll think of something, okay?" "Are you coming back?" "I don't know." "You'll be fine." "Hey, how are you?" " It's 15 bucks." " Is what's his name here?" " No, he's not here anymore." " Well, I'm not paying 15 bucks." " Park in the street." " Twenty bucks or get your cheap ass off the lot." " Oh, hey, it's cool." "It's cool." "Thank you."