"Then the Lord said:" ""I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt..." ""and have heard their cries because of their taskmasters." ""I know their suffering and have come down..." ""to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians..." ""and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land." ""A land flowing with milk and honey."" "Yeah." "God sends Moses to be the deliverer, then throws a curveball." "God hardens Pharaoh's heart, so Pharaoh won't let the Israelites go." ""Moses, set my people free." "Pharaoh, keep them captive."" "Hey, God, whose side are you on?" "Schillinger, congratulations." "For what?" "It's a boy." "A bouncing baby boy." "Your son arrived yesterday." "Which unit's he in?" "Your favorite." "Emerald City." "I got to see Glynn." "Now." "Beecher, Keller, and O'Reily have been waiting at the gate to fuck with me." "Now McManus gives them my boy on a silver platter." "Your daughter was attacked, right?" "She was beaten, raped." "You know what it is to wanna protect your own." "And you're asking me to..." "Put Andy in unit B with me." "You must really love your son, Schillinger, to come in here and ask me for a favor." "It must be chewing up your insides to have to stand here in my office... begging me for your son's life." "'Cause this is what you're doing, right?" "Begging?" "Yes." "Think of all the times I needed something from you... and you just sit here with that stupid-ass grin on your face singing "doodah."" "This is my son, God damn it." " I thought you had two sons." " Yeah, I do." "Maybe you'll be luckier with the second." "Take him away." "Why would McManus put Schillinger's kid here knowing the history?" " You think he's trying to set us up?" " No." "McManus hates that Nazi fuck more than we do." "Maybe he's looking for us to come up with the right move." "Right move, what's that?" "You think he wants us to whack the kid?" "No." "Schillinger hates that his son uses drugs." "Andy boy's been here a few days... and he's already bought a shitload of tits off of me." "So what do you say we let Andy boy suck on that tit till he ODs?" "Or..." "Or what?" "O'Reily, I need some more of that good shit." "Coming right up, buddy boy." "Yo, Vern!" "Nice fucking kid." "Andrew!" "Hey, Dad." "You piece of shit." " Hey, Lopresti." " Yeah?" "Does this fucking prison still have a no-drug policy?" "Yeah." "Come with me." "Fuck you, Dad!" "I want my son in your rehab group." "That's fine, Vern." "But an addict will only quit doing drugs when he decides it's time." "You ought to get curtains." " Poor Vern." "I heard about his son." " Listen, Tobias..." "I'm gonna bring Andrew into the group." "I hope that won't be a problem for you." "Not at all." "I'll look forward to it." "Yeah, good." "Everybody, let's welcome Andrew." "So, Andrew... the idea here is for us to talk about ourselves... our feelings, our addictions... in the hope that we can find the cause." "So why don't you tell us what you're addicted to." "Go fuck yourself." "Scumbag!" "This is a nun." "You don't talk to her that way." "Yeah?" "Fuck you, too." "Fuck me?" "Fuck you." " Wait a minute!" " Back off." "Jesus fucking Christ!" "What is this bullshit?" "Come on, you fuck." "Hey, you were supposed to punch me in the stomach." "Had to look legit." "Like Mark Mack's nose, right?" " Where's the kid?" " He's there." " What do you mean, no more tits?" " I got a lot of customers." "You're burning through my inventory like a motherfucker." "So until a new shipment comes in, you're cut off." "Fuck you." "You ain't the only one dealing..." "Hey, there's me, and there's them." "I know, based on your beliefs, you ain't trafficking with anyone who ain't your color." "Hey, you okay?" "Can you get me some tits, man?" "Sorry." "You must think I'm an idiot." "You want me to move Keller out of your pod and move Andrew Schillinger in?" "You're wondering what I'll do to the son of the guy who double-fucked me." "It crossed my mind." "McManus, the kid's been here how many days?" "I haven't hurt him, though I've had opportunities." "The truth is, after seeing him in group, my heart goes out to Andrew." "With a fuck like Schillinger for a father... you can understand why a kid would turn to drugs." "God knows I've been there." "I think I can help him." "I want to help him." "Look, Beecher..." "Sister Pete says you stood up for him." "Andrew's sharing a pod with another Aryan." "Schillinger's told his pals to ignore him... so the kid's becoming more and more isolated, and you don't want that." "Not that I would pretend to know what you do want... or why you brought him to Em City in the first place." "You must've been a pretty good lawyer." "You can be fairly persuasive when you want to be." "When it's important." "He gets hurt, it's your ass." "Little Andrew is gonna be as safe as if he was in his mother's arms." "Hey." "By the way, thanks for hitting that guy." "You know, standing up for me." "It's okay." "I know what it's like to be on the bottom bunk." "You got any tattoos?" "Yeah, a couple." " Very nice." " How about you?" "I got one." "Yeah, let me see." "Someday." "We don't know each other that well yet." "Plague." "God plagues the mighty Pharaoh for not letting the Israelites go." "God smites Pharaoh with the first of 10 disasters." "One morning, old boy Pharaoh strolls down to the beach for a swim... for a tan, something." "He goes down, checks it." "And all the water in the Nile has turned to blood." "McManus, be in my office at noon." "What for?" "To meet the president of the officers' union and the state's attorney." " Might wanna have your lawyer present." " Why?" "Claire Howell is suing you for sexual harassment." "What?" "Should've told me when you asked me to fire her that you'd been fucking her." "As head of the officers' union, I want assurances that such things don't happen." "All staff members are gonna have to undergo intense sensitivity training." "And I want Officer Claire Howell immediately reinstated in her job." "Wait a minute, Mr. Strauch, I think we're getting ahead of ourselves." "My client did not harass Officer Howell." "There are inmates who will testify... to having seen Mr. McManus force himself on her in his office." "If anyone was the aggressor here, it was Claire." "She came into my office, she asked me out." " Dinner is not an invitation to sex." " I agree." "We ate, we went to the parking lot to get our cars." "We started kissing." "Next thing, we were back at my place naked." " The sex was consensual?" " Yes!" "Two or three nights later, we sleep together again." "She assumed that the relationship was a lot farther along than I did." "I told her I wanted it to stop." "She got pissed, threatening." "That's what the inmates saw." "Then you had her fired." "She was fired because she was incompetent... not because I didn't want to fuck her anymore!" "Mr. Strauch... inform Officer Howell that the state will settle this out of court." "She can return to work as soon as she likes." "You say one word to me and I'll scream." "I must go." "I have a visitor." "It's my sister." "Goodson..." "I asked to see you because I received a rather troubling visit from a young woman." " Tricia Ross." " Yes." "Then you do know her?" "Yes, she's a plaintiff in the lawsuit we're bringing against the state." " Her brother was murdered during the riot." " I see." "Why did she come to see you?" "She said she's been trying to reach you, that you've been ignoring her." " Yes, I have." " Why?" "Thought so." "She's in love with you." "And you're in love with her." "We've only seen each other twice." "Since when does it take more than that?" "Goodson, when you turned your back on our faith, became a Muslim..." "I took it very personally." "Like you had somehow rejected me and Daddy." "I know you did, but it wasn't about that." "The worst thing you've ever done was before that... when you were gonna marry Marilyn Crenshaw." "I could never understand how you fell in love with that woman." "Why don't you say what you mean?" " That white woman!" " Yes!" "That white woman." "And here you go again." "For all your talk, for all your fervor... there's still a part of you that wants to be something you are not." "How many people will you hurt before you accept the fact... that you are exactly what you are!" "And what is that?" "I am Black, I am a Muslim, and I am a man." "And sometimes those three things, they war with each other." "I'm not proud of my feelings for Tricia Ross, but I am not ashamed of them either." "Because, sweet, sweet sister, when I stop my feelings... when I shut down my emotions, then this prison... it has truly won." "Yo, Said, man." "That thing you did with the hunger strike, how you beat the hacks at their own game..." "Yeah." "Man, I know I let you down." "I know you worked hard to get me published, to get me free." "And I fucked up." "But I'm saying, man, I ain't even been writing... because I wanted to punish myself but I miss it, minister." "Without poetry, man, I'm half of myself." "You're asking my permission to write?" "Then write, my brother." "You know what?" "I will." "And the very first poem that I write is gonna be dedicated to you... and how you inspire all of us." "No, don't write that." "If you're gonna write, you write for yourself." "For your own soul, not because of me." "I'm no better than you, you know." "I'm just a punk like all the rest." "I was glad you called..." "Let's not talk." "I am done with talking." "So, you've confessed to breaking Beecher's arms and legs." "I broke his arms." "Schillinger broke his legs." "Oh, yeah, that's right." "Then you feel less guilty, right?" "'Cause you only broke his arms." " Nun first or shrink first?" " Shrink." "What made you want to crawl inside other people's heads?" "I thought I could help them." " And you do." " Sometimes." "Sometimes I can get a fellow to see life from a slightly different angle... and then maybe he can cope a little better." "Slightly?" "A little?" "You measure everything in all these small steps." "Well, you have to." "There's rarely any dramatic breakthroughs." "Everything is stops and starts and stutter steps." "And that frustrates you?" "It hurts you." "Hurts me?" "No, I was trained not to take any of that personally." " That's a tough lesson to learn." " Yeah." " Especially here." " Yeah." "I mean, it's not your fault that your patients don't get better." "Still, you worry." "You wonder... if you're just not good enough." "Time's up." "Visiting hours." "One of my ex-wives is coming to visit me." " Goddamn!" "Did you see Keller's ex?" " What?" "Pete, I heard Leo agreed to let Alvarez participate in the victim-offender program?" "Yeah." "I'm on my way to talk to Alvarez right now." "Great." "I'll come along." "Ray, I don't think that would be a good idea." "I know you were there for Alvarez since he came to Oz... but in order for this to work, I need to establish a rapport with him." "You know, separate from you." " Well, I want to be involved." " Yeah, I know you do." "But you can't." "From now on this is between Alvarez and Rivera and me." "Miguel, I want to talk to you about Officer Rivera." "Would you be willing to meet with him face to face?" " With Rivera?" " Yeah." " Me?" " Yeah." "For what?" "Well, so he can ask questions, express his feelings... and to give you the opportunity... to take responsibility for blinding him." "What do you call this?" "I take responsibility every fucking day." "No." "Miguel, this is not remorse." "This is only punishment." "Rivera wants to see me?" "I can't speak to him until I know you're willing to cooperate." "Will you?" " Yeah." " That's great." "Good." "The warden has agreed to release you from solitary... while you're participating in the program." "What's the deal?" "I know Glynn's not gonna let me out for free." "What does he want?" "At some point you're gonna have to tell him who raped his daughter, Ardith." "Or what?" "Or you come back here." "It's up to you." "This isn't a way out." "It's a way in." "Understand?" "Hello, is Eugene there?" "Tina, hi." "This is Sister Peter Marie Reimondo calling from Oswald." "I was wondering..." "Could I come over there to see you and Eugene?" "Or you could come here, if you like." "Shit." "Am I seeing things, or is that Alvarez?" "What's up, Miguelito?" "You look really well rested, man." "You want us to forgive Alvarez?" "There is no expectation of forgiveness." "Come on, Sister." "We're Catholic, too." "We know what you're after." "I'm not here as a nun, not even as a psychologist." "I'm here simply to encourage discussion, to listen, to help clarify your feelings." ""Clarify"?" "What the fuck does that mean?" "Clarify what?" " Tina!" " No, Eugene." "What do you need to clarify to that piece of shit?" "He gouged your eyes out." "Blind forever." "Forget solitary." "Alvarez should be on death row, end of story." "Why do you want to go through with this crap?" "Baby, you don't have to be here, but I do." "And I need you to understand that." "Who says Alvarez is gonna give Eugene what he wants?" "If I sense a dead end, it's over." "And either party can call it quits at any time." "You know what I want?" "To look at him in the eye... just for a second, to have him see me... what he did, and to find out why." "Why?" "Why?" "That's what Pharaoh's asking himself." "Why is there blood in the Nile?" "He asks his priests and his soothsayers, but before they can figure it out... swarms of frogs hop out of the water and into the Egyptians' homes." "Into their beds and bathtubs and mixing bowls." "Pharaoh says, "Enough, the Israelites can get the fuck out."" ""Yippee!" says Moses." "And then, God hardens Pharaoh's heart again." "At the last minute, Pharaoh decides the Israelites can't leave." "Suddenly, the dust of Egypt turns to gnats and flies." "Imagine:" "Your house, your office, your whole city filled with flies." "Imagine the noise, all the buzzing in your head... and bug spray won't be invented for 4,000 years yet." "Get the fuck out of here, man." "What, man, somebody cut off your tongue like your old man?" "What's up, Miguel?" "Suddenly you're back in Em City, and you ain't got nothing to say?" "I did what you asked me." "You ain't got nothing to say to me?" "You wanna talk, we can talk." "You can start by telling me what you're doing out of solitary." "You suck the warden's dick..." "Reimondo's got me on some new program." "Bullshit." "You gave us up." "I gave you up." "Blood in, blood out, Alvarez." "You made a pledge." "I'm in, El Cid." "I'm in." "Good." "Listen, man, Carlo Ricardo, he was boxing for us." "He fucked up, he's in the hole." " I hear you used to box." " Yeah." "All you gotta do is beat some fag." "They got me on some of these drugs to stop me from going crazy." "Crazy is good, bro." "Crazy wins fights." "Stop taking that shit, man." "It's no good for you." "Cyril, let's go." "Come on." "Get up." "First we gotta go work the kitchen, then we gotta go box." "I don't wanna box today." "Relax, Cyril, your next fight's not for two weeks." "I don't wanna box anymore." "Cyril, I'm getting sick and tired of your fucking whining." "Get your ass out of bed." "O'Reily, your brother looked good in the ring the other day." "What can I say?" "He gives good hooks." "Alvarez, you got your first fight today?" "Yeah, I fight Jason Cramer." "The faggot?" "My money's on you, cuz." "Speaking of money, you bet me that Cyril would lose to Robson, so pay up." "I still can't figure out what happened." "Robson lost, period." "Cyril won, exclamation point." "There's no way Robson got beat fair." "You accusing me of cheating, Guerra?" "You wanna back off, O'Reily?" "Nobody's accusing nobody." "Better luck later." "Prisoner number 98C931, Jason Cramer." "Convicted September 6, '98." "Murder in the first degree, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous instrument." "Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole." " Hi, O'Reily." " Hey, Cramer." "You all ready for your big fight?" " Feeling good." " Looking good." "Of course, so is Miguel Alvarez." "I got to tell you, Jason, you going in the ring against Alvarez..." " you got balls." " I didn't think you noticed." "Of course you're going to need them." "What do you mean?" "I overheard Hernandez talking to the other spics." "They say if you lose, they're going to gang bang Anthony." " My Anthony?" " That's what they said." "They'd better not put their paws on my Anthony." "Odds are 50-to-1 in Miguel's favor." "Oh, sure." "Nobody thinks a fag can defend himself." "Let me tell you something." "There's only two things I know how to do:" "Fight and suck." "Next!" "Nice roll, O'Reily." "You know the rule." "All betting goes through me." "Yeah, sure." "You ain't by any chance doing some side action?" "No, this is just some extra green I've been saving up, you know." "As a sign of good faith, maybe you ought to give me a little slice." " How little?" " 25%." " You got Alvarez for the fight today, right?" " I'm betting on the faggot." "That's crazy." "That's me." " You got it?" " I got it." "Cool, let me see it." "I know it's none of my business, but this is the second time... you've asked me to take chloral hydrate from the hospital ward." " What are you doing with this stuff?" " You're right." "It's none of your business." "Get up!" "Three, four... five, six, seven." "Come to me." " Go fight." "Fight!" " All right." "Come on!" "Five." "What's wrong with you?" "You're getting your ass kicked by a fucking faggot." "Now come on, man." "Come on, man." "You're getting your ass kicked." "Yes!" "Darkness." "For three days straight, only darkness." "Think of it." "Sitting in your house for three days." "No lights, no TVs... not even the flashlight you keep for blackouts." "Pharaoh, just sitting there on his throne, in the dark... wondering when it's all going to end." "All because of God." "Doesn't make sense, does it?" "Pharaoh taking the blame for what God was going to do anyway." "Fuck, yeah, it makes sense." "Pharaohs brought it on themselves and their people." "Four hundred and thirty years, the Israelites were slaves... one Pharaoh after another." "No one gets away with that... dead or alive." "Fuck me, girl!" "Oh, man!" "Nooter and Pecky are funny." "Who?" "The puppets." "Oh, yeah, the puppets." "I had a dream last night that I came between Miss Sally's breasts." "You shouldn't talk like that about Miss Sally." "She's a goddess." "Goddess?" "She a ho." "What the fuck is this?" "Not the fucking God squad again!" "Sit the fuck down!" "We know why you watch this show." "Sit down, man!" " It's not for its educational value." " Shut the fuck up!" " But out of lust." " Man, get away." " Sermon's over, Cudney." "Move away." " No." "Lockdown!" "Hey, champ." "Don't distract me." "I'm beating the shit out of Kareem Said." "Jason Cramer beat Miguel Alvarez." "Tim, how's Officer Hughes making out?" " You want the truth?" " Yeah." "He's just hanging on." " What's the matter with him?" " I don't know, Leo." "I just don't think he has what it takes." " Why?" " I was just curious." "You asked me to bring him into Em City." "That's a lot more than curious." "Clayton's dad and I were cos back when." "We were like brothers, looking out for each other... scheduling our shifts together." "Sam died 17 years ago." " Killed in Oz." " No shit." "Clayton is his only son." "Yo, Alvarez, great fight, man." "What're you talking about?" "I fucking lost." "Yeah, but I won." "How come everybody you bet on wins?" "What can I say?" "I got a gift." "Miguel, how's it feel to get your ass whooped by a faggot?" "You better watch your fucking mouth." "What'll you do, hit me with your purse, motherfucker?" "That's enough, you two!" "You made us look bad, Alvarez." "You made us look like a bunch of mariconas." "Fuck you!" "Get off him!" "He zapped him with a stun gun!" "How did a goddamn stun gun make it through security?" "Probably the same way the drugs get through." " I'll find out who had his eyes closed." " Wait a minute." "What about Hughes?" "The guy who used the stun gun?" "He's tangled with the Latinos, he smuggles in an illegal weapon... he zaps Hernandez for a minor infraction." "The guy's out of control." " You don't know what it's like being a CO." " Come on." "You never have and you never will." "Look, Hughes fucked up and I will deal with it." "Case closed." "Come in." " Leo, I'm sorry I..." " Come here." "Get over here." " Look at that." " What?" "Closer." " Fuck!" " That's how fast it was for your father to die." "You think you're invincible?" "Making your own set of rules?" " I needed an extra advantage to get respect." " Respect?" "I said I'm sorry!" "It won't happen again." "No, it won't happen again." "Are you going to fire me?" "I'm transferring you to the library." "Permanently." "The library?" "Leo, I can't work..." "Go!" "I got work to do, like explain this wrist slap to my staff." "Morning." "Getting ready to go to the city for your appeal?" "I don't know." "Woke up today... got a good feeling." "Well, I hope the judge overturns your verdict." "Of course, if he does, I'll never see you again." "I'll miss you, Richie." "Yeah, but if they don't overturn the verdict..." "I decided I'm going to do what you suggested." "I'm going to tell the cops that Schillinger and I killed Alexander Vogel together." "At least if I have to die, he'll die, too." "Get some justice." "Good boy." "I'm almost done with your sweater." "Okay, let's go." "Au revoir, Shirley." "No." "Goodbye, my darling." ""Thieves' law."" "We would dress up as police officers... and rob the homes of wealthy Russians." "But I got caught, sent to Tulun." "But fortunately I was able to bribe a magistrate and was released early... so I came to America to find a better life." "How did the INS let you in with a criminal record?" "They didn't." "I lied on the application." "But the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow... informed the FBI." "Followed me, wiretaps." "So here I am." "Big news, boys." "Richie Hanlon's murder conviction got overturned." "Some loophole in the law." "He squeezed through." "Hanlon killed Alexander Vogel." "Yeah, you said you knew Vogel." "He was my enemy." "They're setting Hanlon free?" "No, he's still got to serve time for the original drug arrest." "You think they'll bring Hanlon back to Em City?" "He's on his way back now." "Well, this is cause to celebrate." "I have in my cell some vodka." "You do?" "Wow, real Russian vodka?" "How did you get it in?" ""When life is good, it's better not to question why."" "Jesus, I never thought I'd be thrilled coming back to Em City." "Man, I feel great." "You know, you sit up there on death row, counting down the days... knowing all you got in your future is the sharp end of a lethal needle." "I'm telling you, my heart is pumping so fast I think it'll explode out of my chest." "I am so fucking happy to be alive." "I'm sorry, am I talking too much?" "What?" "It's been a while since I did this." "I lied." "Alexander Vogel was my friend." "The last plague is the worst one." "That's the one that messes up our ideas about a loving God." "All the firstborn in the land of Egypt killed on one night when everyone's asleep." "You the oldest child in the family?" "Would have been you." "No questions asked." "Pharaoh's son dies, too." "His heir... his pride and joy... his sweet... innocent little boy." "Lights out, Shirley." "You're HIV positive." " That is not possible." " I'll schedule you for counseling." " And make arrangements for your transfer..." " Transfer?" "All inmates who test positive for HIV are to be isolated in one place." "This isn't happening to me." "Can I offer you something to drink, Father?" "Cappuccino?" "You have a cappuccino machine?" "I'm trying to make the best of a worst-case situation." "The only upside to being in this unit... is the hacks think we're already dead, so they pretty much let us do as we please." "I'll have a cappuccino, sure." "Okay, sit." "You know, Father, I've always considered you nothing but a hack in black." "I know that a lot of inmates don't trust me, but I'm trying to demonstrate... that I'm more than just a stoolie for the warden." "For me it goes deeper than that." "In my neighborhood, growing up, a boy became one of four things:" "A doctor, a lawyer, a priest, or a businessman." "I understand." "And in order to become a businessman, you had to burn a saint." " You know about burning a saint?" " Yeah." "That's when you burn a picture of a saint to renounce your obligation to the church... in order to prove your loyalty to the other businessmen." " Right." " Thank you." "I thought it was a mistake, the test saying I was HIV positive... so I had my own doctor check the results, and it's true." "You know, being HIV today does not necessarily mean a death sentence." "Many people live..." "I've heard all the speeches, so save your breath." "In my business, you're always ready to die... ready for the quick shot in the back of the head, but... it's the slow dying that's different." "It gives you time to think." "Time to reflect on your life." "I want to make a confession." "A confession?" "I want to confess to everything I've done in the course of my life." "Everything... and make a good act of contrition." "All right." "It's been a while." "Can you get me started?" "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned..." "Right, it's like riding a bicycle." "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." "My last confession was..." "Boss, you have two seconds?" "Yeah, sit down." "Years ago, Nino Schibetta taught me how to play this game." "Pinocchio." "Pinocchio." "It's pinochle, you dumb fuck." "We were good friends." "Good buddies." "He said I was more Italian than any nigger in this place." "Adebisi, you want to waltz down memory lane?" "Go dance somewhere else." "You and I could be partners." " I already got a partner." "Wangler." " But you hate Wangler." "I hate you, too, so what does that mean?" "I still remember when you split my head open." "You were trying to kill me... because I was a strong enemy." "I could be a strong ally." "I'm listening." "If something were to happen to Wangler... we could be partners." "Sure." "Good." "Did you see that?" "We got to whack Adebisi." " Nappa said to chill on that." " Fuck Nappa." "Nappa's gone." "Yeah." "Word." "I know you're having trouble with Wangler and his crew." " Yeah, those bitches." " You want to let the man talk?" "This is simple." "You help me get rid of the niggers..." " we take over the drug trade." " Simple." "What about the white guys?" "They don't care who they work with as long as the job gets done." "You're asking us to help you get rid of your people?" "They are not my people." "I am an African." "Okay." "Deal." "Gentlemen, this room here is the computer room." "Call me crazy, but I think when I see people in this room... they should be using computers." "But you three aren't... which leads me to guess, 'cause I'm such a bright fellow... that you're here for a different reason." "Forgive me for being distrustful... that probably means you're up to no good." "That's right, come on, take a hike." "Let's go." "You, too, Simon." "I am using the computer." "Can I give you one little small suggestion?" "Turn it on." "You reap what you sow." "Pharaoh got what he deserved." "But what about Abdul the farmer who woke up with frogs on his face... his cattle dead from anthrax, his wife fucked up with lesions... his only child dead, all because of a leader he didn't even get to vote for?" "What about all the people who reap what they don't sow?" "Babies born addicted to crack, 4- year-olds molested, ethnic cleansing?" "What about you?" "Is there a law in the universe or something... a law about needless suffering?" "A law that even God can't break?" "That's it?" " You sure?" " Yeah." " Check again." " That's all there is." "Get the fuck out of here." "What did you get?" "Birthday card from my mom." " It's your birthday?" " Today." "How old are you, nigger?" "Eighteen up in this motherfucker." "Eight-fucking-teen!" "Guess that makes you a motherfucking man." "Get out of here." "I've been a man a long time." "Don't play me out." "Son, let's go lick these titties like men." "That sounds cool to me." "Bricks, you down?" "I'll check you later." "I got to make a phone call." " I'm going to catch up to y'all." "Peace out." " All right." "Laurie, how you doing?" "Yeah?" "How's the baby?" "That's good." "Didn't you forget something?" "My birthday." "It's okay." "But I wrote you asking for some boots 'cause these shits just kind of hurt." "I know money's tight, so just do whatever you got to do, okay?" "All right, look, I got to go, okay?" "I love you, too." "All right, bye." " Ma, have you seen Laurie?" " Not lately." "She brought the baby around about three weeks ago." "Left him with me for the weekend." " Where she been going?" " I don't know." " You don't ask?" " I asked." "She said to visit a sick friend." "Honey, I could tell by the way she said it, there was no sick friend." " You never liked her anyway." " This is why." "She is a mother." "She should be home with her child, not off gallivanting." "Who she gallivanting with?" "I've got my suspicions." "Like who, Ma?" "Ronnie Smith." "What the fuck?" "She knows I don't like that motherfucker!" " And I got other suspicions." " Like?" "What, Ma?" "I know that face." "Don't hold back on me." "I think he's hurting the baby." "Little Jordan's got black-and-blue marks." "She said he fell." "Babies fall, but not that much." "Fuck!" "Fucking motherfucker!" "You get my son!" "I'm getting the fuck out of here, and I'm getting that motherfucker!" "I don't give a fuck!" "I said it once before, and I'll say it again." "All women is bitches!" "The nigger she's fucking is hurting my son... my seed, my prince." "What the fuck?" "Come on, what kind of shit is that?" "What the fuck am I going to do in here?" "How can I help him in here?" "You and me both, we know people that can make this right." "I use my people... there's no way the cops will be able to trace it back to you." "Make the call." "Any price, I don't give a fuck." "I want Ronnie Smith dead." "Dead, motherfucker." "Pierce... my wife, too." "Ma?" "Yeah, it's me." "Look, I want you to go over to Laurie's tonight... and get the baby out of the house." "Never mind why." "Just go over there and get the baby out the house tonight." "You hear me?" "Get him out the house, Ma." "All right." "Moses finally got the chosen people to the Promised Land." "Things didn't really get any better." "They were constantly at war... with the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Jebusites." "Eventually the Israelites were completely crushed by the Romans." "The suffering continues, which leads me to wonder... is there too much suffering in the world?" "Fuck the world." "Here in Oz... there's too much suffering even for a guilty man to endure." "Bricks, you coming?" "No, I'm going to catch up to y'all in a minute, though." "Happy birthday to me" "Happy motherfucking birthday to me" "Happy birthday" "To Kenny" "Happy birthday to you"