Hey. They're coming.
Billy, we don't care.
You'll all be sorry when it's too late.
Is he gonna do it or not?
Billy, if you don't hurry, I'm gonna tell mom and dad you've been skipping school.
Spread 'em out. Let's see 'em.
Brunettes, 20, blondes, 30¢. Yeah.
Billy, I'll give you 40¢.
Forty cents? Fifty.
Oh, I got the good one.
- She's got the full dress on. - Wait, let me see it. Looking up...
No, no, no. That's, like, all of mine.
- I saw it first. - Come on. I paid good money...
Give me that.
Yeah. Bup, bup, bup.
Pay up. All right.
Okay. This is all I have. Come on.
Anyone want this one?
- Mark! -Yes. - Double-sided.
Billy! School!
Now!
336, 337,
338, 339. It's your play. Oh.
- 340. - Debbie!
Take that.
- Four feet. 345, 346. - Walk like a normal girl!
Forty-six.
Do what feels right to you, and you can't go wrong.
What happens if you reach 5,000?
I don't know. Something horrible.
You sure?
Look, baby.
Lot of friends for you to play with round here.
Right?
Yeah. This is it.
Welcome to the middle class, mama. Thank you.
Oh. Hmm?
Top of the morning! Top of the morning.
You the, uh, carpet cleaner?
We're moving into the West Virginia, sir.
Well, if you need help carrying anything,
Mowbray's elevator operator will help you out...
If you give him something.
I got all the manpower I need right here.
Hmm.
I'm gonna go start unloading the truck.
You wanna help dad? That's how they watch us.
Time for school. Your friends are leaving.
Go on. 347.
- Wait for me! - 348, 349, 350.
She looks more like her mother every day.
- Your turn. - Six, seven, eight. One...
One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.
Fight like a champ.
One, two, three, four. Fight like a champ. That's it, that's it.
All right, okay.
We'd better go help mommy before she sees us.
No reason to be scared of some old ladies, champ. Come on.
Let go, let go. Come on.
Stay away from the Mowbray twins. They prefer to be left alone.
How old are you? Five.
What are you gonna be when you grow up?
Mom says I'll be in college.
This is Troy.
We call him champ because he's going to be the next champion of the world.
What about that, uh, Floyd Patterson?
I'm more a Cassius Clay kind of type.
You better move your truck. It's wrong to park so close to the bus stop.
- Understand. - What did we do wrong?
It's all right, champ. Let's go help mama unpack.
That's right, six seasons. And here's where the fun begins.
Do yourself a favor.
You have to breathe free and easy.
Some people like to tell you to nap because they're so chic,
and most people like six-feet-long because it gives them a sense they seek
and the world-famous complete opening.
That's right, and nearly everyone likes this world-famous weather with the top...
Why are you not at work? Why are you not in school?
I asked you first.
Each player gets two completely different mazes.
The first one to get through the maze with all three balls lights up the tower!
Chocolate cookie, sir?
Why do you think I only want chocolate?
- You only eat vanilla? - No.
Right, so why do you ask?
The girl who sells the most gets a blue ribbon.
2,010, 2,011, 2,012, 2,013...
2,014, 2015,
16, 17, 18, 2,019, 2,020.
2,021, 2,022, 2,023, 2,024,
2,025, 2,026.
Hi, Debbie. Why didn't you ring the bell?
The music was too loud. Oh, I'm sorry.
Do you want to come to my birthday?
I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Oh, my.
Did you make this yourself? It's beautiful.
All right.
Come walk me to my car.
What is...
Your biggest wish this year?
Oh, honey. Hey.
Maybe she'll come this year. You never know, right?
What if she doesn't recognize me?
Oh!
Who can forget a face like this?
Ooh, I have an idea. Hold this.
Like that.
Oh, look at that smile. Oh.
It's perfect.
Blackbirds, blackbirds, sitting on a wire.
What do you do there? May we inquire?
We just sit to see the day.
Then we flock and fly away.
By one, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight,
nine, ten, eleven...
We can't come to your birthday party.
Why not?
My parents said your mother's in hell for what she did.
She didn't do anything.
They say that your grandparents are lying to get the insurance money.
Do you want to jump with us?
I can't. I have to save...
I have to save enough steps for later.
- Blackbirds, blackbirds, sitting on a wire... - Hey, kitty.
Tonight the night you're gonna be my girlfriend?
I am a taken woman.
- You should find a man to take care of you. - I can't get a man.
I'm always gonna earn more than him.
It's not easy getting a job these days.
- Dinner then? - Uh...
I'm working the night shift, and she's going out.
All right. Bye, Sam.
Bye, guys. I'll see you tomorrow.
Four, five, six, seven...
Billy, lend me a cigarette.
One? Fifteen cents.
I'll pay you back tomorrow.
Twenty cents.
- Fine. At the end of the week, you get 20¢. -Okay.
I didn't think a kid from Mowbray would need money.
I'm preparing for when they come.
Hmm?
It ain't gonna happen here. Too many people.
When... if it happens, if they come,
it'll be at some far away, remote place.
I've seen a UFO.
Are you telling the truth or lying? Shh.
Truth.
They come when it's a full moon,
and when they land, all the trees cry with blood.
I saw one with my son back home in México.
How old is your son? Like you.
Can I play with him? No.
Why not? He's in México.
You left him?
Come here.
Pick a card, any card.
Don't show me.
- Got it? - Yeah.
Okay, put it back.
That's it. No.
No, really, that's it. No, it's not.
I was kidding. That's it, hmm?
No. Okay, go play.
2,630, 2,631,
2,632...
2,641, 2,642,
2,643.
2,644.
Simon says, "jump up on the box!"
I'm ready. Are you ready?
Want me to do? Ready?
Mm-hmm. Okay.
Simon says, "jump and spin off the box."
Touch your nose.
Simon says, "touch your nose."
Simon says, "spin around."
Stop. Stop.
Simon says, "keep turning around. Keep turning around."
Stop. Good. Simon says, "stop."
Simon says, "give your Dolly a kiss."
Simon says, "rub your belly." Ooh!
Champ, hand me that blanket.
Champ.
Simon says, "pick up the blanket for daddy."
- Put it in the chair. -Simon says, "put it on the"...
Archibald Smith, your father, says, "put it on the chair."
Daddy. Good.
- You got to say, "Simon says." Right? - Mm-hmm.
Champ, why should I kneel down because Simon says "kneel down"?
I don't know why you gotta be so harsh. It's just a game.
Come. I got this, mama.
It's kitchen stuff. Oh, right.
You wouldn't want me seeing stuff I'm not supposed to see, right?
Simon says, "go help your daddy with the mattresses," babe.
Come here.
Don't give up your power to no man, whatever his name is.
If you show weakness, people will walk all over you.
Smithism.
2,688.
2,689.
2,690.
3,205, 3,206, 3,207.
3,208.
Buick is going home. Must be dinnertime.
All right. Same conversation tomorrow?
That's right. See you tomorrow.
How's Gonzales today?
Good, sir. Thank you for asking.
You work all night? I get out at 4:00 A.M.
That's good.
It's a job.
Must be nice to have the silence of the nights to do what you want.
Makes no difference if you live alone.
You're a good father, Gonzales. You put the rest of us to shame.
Take care of yourself. You too, sir.
Oh.
Yeah.
Oh.
Scissors.
Ah. There you are.
What about Debbie?
One of those days?
Let's give her 15 minutes, and then we'll eat.
"March 13, 1944.
They don't like me. I told mother.
She said it was my own fault for not trying hard enough.
Today they set fire to my hair.
I wish they would leave me alone.
I wish everyone would leave me alone."
"Today I faked a stomachache.
Mother believed me. I stayed in bed all day.
In the evening she brought me soup. It was nice.
I don't want to go to school tomorrow.
I had to go to school today. We had a test in math. I think I did all right.
The girls did not want me to play with them since they said I was still sick."
- What are you doing? - -Watching dad.
He's not home yet. Have you been playing in your school clothes again?
All right.
That is your first strike.
- Go change your clothes. - But I want to play.
Second strike.
Just wait till your father gets home.
He's been home all day. What's wrong with him?
Fine.
I've been thinking for a while...
You know what? Can you help me with this jar?
I'm having trouble opening it after I closed it.
Thank you.
I think it's best for me... well, for everyone... did you get it?
I think it's best for me... Use the knife.
Thank you.
And the faucet has been dripping all day.
I can't turn it off.
- Yeah, I tried that.
I'll fix it tomorrow.
Well, just, uh, take your coat off.
We're gonna have dinner in a little bit.
Not here.
There isn't enough room. Did you get stuff on you? No.
Jesus Christ, Billy!
Strike four.
It's not fair. I just wanted to know why he's always in there.
Okay, ready? Ready? All right.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Look at the champ! Sounds like elephants moved in.
Why did the other ones move?
They didn't move. They died.
Why? Mm, they were old.
It was their time to go.
The neighbor found them dead when the smell got too bad.
Five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four.
Look at the champ. He's gonna make us a lot of money.
He's gonna make us rich.
No fighting at the table.
All righty.
Who's that tiny little kid?
Let mommy do that for you.
- Can you put the curtains up before we go to bed? - My back is killing me.
Please?
Please, I don't want people looking right into our apartment.
- Nobody'll look in. - Is looking.
Baby, you are special. You know that?
You can do and be anything you want to.
Look.
You don't need to be an educated man to know how the world works.
You got to be tough. Tough.
Tough. Show me tough.
Show me tough. Show me the guns.
Yeah. Yeah. Tough.
- Come on. - Fine.
Why are you covering your glass?
No beer tonight. Come.
Not tonight.
Whoa.
Troy!
- Come back here, Troy! - -It's not dead!
And do something. It's squirming!
Leave it alone, champ. It might have diseases.
Not say something. Do something.
Have you been hanging around that tutor again?
- Oy. - It's just a little lipstick.
Oh.
Troy. Troy! Put it down.
Move away, baby.
Isn't it bad to let it suffer, mama?
Leave it alone, champ. It will die naturally.
You need to buy better traps.
If they're good enough for Harlem rats,
they're good enough for queens mice.
Mama, it's crying. Can I set it free?
Always do the right thing even if it's the hardest thing.
- Hey, what are you doing? - Teaching him what you just said.
What? Stop that. He's too young to understand. You do it yourself.
You're pampering him. He's old enough to do it.
- He's a tough little boy. - Come on. Hey, stop that.
Come on. Come here.
Cover your eyes and ears.
Hey. Happy almost birthday.
- Cheers. - -Hmm?
Psst.
Are your friends coming tomorrow?
Yes, Nana.
And kitty too.
Wouldn't you rather it was just you and your friends?
Kitty is my friend.
I want to show her to... To mommy.
You can't keep making up stuff and then expect it to happen.
You're too old for that.
Wait! Did I forget to tell you this?
Mommy phoned me.
She said she bought an airplane ticket.
She'll be here. Really?
That's what she said.
Father, we thank you for this food
and for the hands that prepared it.
We ask you to consecrate this food for the nourishment of our bodies.
For Christ's sake. Amen. Amen.
The boys are getting too big to be sleeping in the same room together.
I don't know if it's the right time for that.
Before you know it, we're gonna have two teenage boys living under the same roof.
I-I don't think it would do any harm to look into it.
It's such a big place. We can have, um... We could have a dinner party.
I know, we would have to get rid of the smell. It's unsanitary.
What a treat! A flavorful blast...
You know, they should be living in a home.
You know, I mean, I tried telling you before.
Here's an especially out-of-this-world free offer.
I wish I had a better explanation to give to you.
The house is on fire! We're all gonna die!
Fire, fire, fire!
- What will the neighbors think? - Maybe if you talk to him, he'd stop.
He's wearing his sign.
Your mother is right.
Rules are rules.
You get this wonderful game only through this free offer.
Send your name and address plus one box top from these specially marked packages
to moon rocket kit, mount Vernon 10, New York.
Babe. You can't play that now.
Man, when I was young, we danced all night. No one ever complained.
Everyone had a good time.
You're too young, but it was beautiful.
Not the same anymore. Now I'm no fun?
No, not you, mama. You're my world.
It's just... It's just different now.
I used to be able to play my music whenever I wanted to.
Mm.
There ain't no rules. See? She likes it.
Does she? Yeah.
Right here. Yeah. She's dancing with us.
Yeah.
See? See? You worry about me playing my music.
We got all this going on... Upstairs, next door.
Hey, speedy Gonzales!
Why don't you go home?
Tsk.
They're brainwashing me in my sleep.
Debbie's friends are having a sleepover without her.
It's a school night.
She should be at home in bed anyway.
- I wish she'd act more normal around the girls.
Who calls at this hour? It's a wrong number. Don't answer it.
Florel Bernstein speaking.
Knock, knock. Excuse me? Who's this?
No, you have to say "who's there?"
All right, who's there?
Not six million Jews. Enough.
I'm gonna call the police. I-i mean it this time.
Now for every kid who has ever seen a science fiction movie,
thrill to the amazing strength from an out-of-this-world movie monster,
comes great Garloo by Marx.
Garloo the mighty.
Garloo the untamed.
Garloo the terrible!
Who can stop him? Who can control this monstrous creature?
You can...
Excuse me.
Hello, it's me.
I told you I'd call again.
Well, of course it's late. We're night people.
All right, suit yourself.
Yeah, good night then.
Hey, are you coming over or not?
Kidding me?
Millions of miles away. It was up to us.
Is that you, dear?
Mama?
Shh. Mama needs her rest.
Baby sister's been kicking her all night.
I want to sleep in mama's bed.
You've got your own room now
with your own big boy bed.
- What are you doing? - What is that?
Aaah.
That's the apple Eve gave to Adam. I can't swallow it.
- Why? - Women.
You can't trust 'em. Why?
Because they always going around changin' things.
Whose idea do you think it was moving here?
Mama? Yeah, that's right. It was mama.
There we go.
- I want to sleep in mama's bed. - Oh.
Okay, here's what we're gonna do.
You're gonna have to clean up these toys.
You wake up in the morning, you're gonna pick these toys up.
Oh, man, these people lived here?
Oh. Typical.
They got to be kidding me, champ.
Look there. Good. All good. All good.
Yeah. All right. Look at the champ.
Champ is watching over you. Keep looking. Keep watching.
Keep watching him looking over you. Champ is watching over you.
See, now god doesn't have time for everyone's prayers, but the champ?
Pray to the champ, and the champ will listen.
Okay? Just keep watching him.
Keep watching. Keep watching.
Okay? Hmm?
Just keep your eyes on the champ. Sleep tight.
Where you get those cookies from?
Earlier.
Why you not comin' back to bed?
They said I'd get fined if I parked at the bus stop.
Guess the rules don't apply to them. Come on.
I was barely touching the yellow line.
This guy is right in front of the bus stop.
Maybe they got other rules when it's after midnight.
Or maybe they make up rules as they go along, if you know what I mean.
What was that?
You hear it? There's always a train.
You weren't there. That old Jew tried to put me down in front of my own son.
Let it go, baby.
You're not listening to me. They're laughing at us.
How they laughing?
But I still have a smile on my face.
I'm just a...
Boring, plain... What?
Middle-class negro...
Oh, my god. Being a good-natured boy
in the presence of a white man.
Uh. Uh.
- See? See? See? - Oh, stop it.
I should've listened to my daddy when he said, "move back home."
You're so... stop it! Look, they can see us.
What? I heard noises.
There are always noises.
This was a different kind of noise.
The Negroes are up.
Mmm.
It came from outside.
It's those Mowbray boys again.
Let the Mowbray handle their own. Don't let them get to you.
Any of ours?
No, not this time around.
Well, I can't sleep. I'm-I'm gonna go make the cake.
Is it your stomach?
We have... Th-there are tums on the top shelf.
Are-are you coming to bed?
It's late. Uh, will you come to bed?
Sure.
Anything else?
Billy is still awake.
- He has one strike left. - I'll have a talk with him.
I can't find the ones with Hannah.
I threw them out.
How could you do that?
I wanted to set it up for Debbie's birthday.
Do you remember when we gave Hannah that Dollhouse?
That was a good time.
Life has a funny way of working things out
if we just let it take its time.
Yeah.
There's a man chasing a woman outside.
Keep your voice down. The house is asleep.
Yeah, but look. I'm not telling a lie.
Gonzales is up. He'll take care of it.
Just come, please. Right outside. Look!
Stop it. Stop it.
You want to help? Shine the light while I fix the faucet.
Debbie, honey, what are you doing?
- She's come for me. - Who? Who's coming?
Mommy. She's coming for me.
No, no, no, honey, that was a dream.
Go back to bed and I'll sit with you.
I swear I saw her. No, honey, let's go.
The guy's on the street. He's... Debbie, Debbie, calm down.
I swear I saw her. It's true.
No, no, it... she's out there! She needs me!
No, it was a bad dream.
I... why does nobody ever believe me?
I saw her. It's true! You have to stop it!
Stop it!
Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy! Stop it!
You're crazy. You're crazy like her! Mommy!
2,660. Sixty, sixty-one.
Mommy!
Let me out! Mommy!
Mommy!
- Mommy! - Ow! Mmm.
Help!
Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray to champ my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the champ my soul to take.
Champ, bless my family and my neighbors.
Amen.
499, 4,500, 4,501.
Debbie, if you don't calm down immediately,
there will be no birthday party tomorrow.
She's upset enough as it is.
That is not helping.
I don't know how to talk to her when she's like this.
- Honey, it's just me. Nana is gone.
Tsk.
Tomorrow will be better. I promise.
All your friends will be there.
And you're right.
Mommy is coming.
So, sleep now.
And when you wake up, it's tomorrow, and mommy will be there.
Ten, 11,
12, 13, 14,
15, 16, 17, 18,
19, 20, 21, 22, 23...
516, 517...
519, 520, 521...
Thirty-three, 34...
We shouldn't watch. If we can see it, so can they.
It must look worse than it is.
I'm coming in.
4,502, 4,503, 4,504,
4,505...
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have pushed you.
4,564, 4,565...
It's okay. Come here.
Ow!
Troy?
No!
She's crying!
It's all right, champ. It's a drunken fight.
Shine over here... Lower.
You can't go out there looking like that.
See, baby?
There's nobody out there.
Eight, nine.
There's somebody out there.
This can't be normal, not for this building.
Define "normal."
Hello?
Be quiet.
- Hello? - Champ!
Debbie?
It's okay.
I'll let you lick the spoon.
I'm making mommy's favorite.
Chocolate cake with cherries.
She acts more like Hannah every day.
She'll come back inside when she's ready.
Ninety-three, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98...
Simon says, "go back to bed."
We have more reason to be scared of them than them of us.
If I treat them as they treat us, I'd be in jail. I'd be dead by now.
This is Bob Cunningham. I'd like to speak to the police, please.
One moment, sir.
Do you want me to put you on hold, sir? Yes, thank you, miss.
I can't hear anything.
How many steps did she have left?
I don't know. Enough to get back home?
I don't know.
Hold on. Don't do... Shh.
Oh.
She's not there. She's always there.
This is why I don't like the games you and Debbie are always playing.
You've created this dream world, and she is trapped.
You cannot even say her name.
Saying the name doesn't change anything.
Debbie wouldn't hurt herself.
I can see the street from the kitchen.
If she goes outside, I'll go get her. All right.
You want to sleep with mommy tonight?
Come here. Isn't it bad to let her suffer, mama?
Yes, baby, when people suffer, we-we call the police.
Whoa.
Uh, the police are here to protect us.
Must be a nice world you're living in,
with streets made of gold and a money tree growing in your backyard.
You're an idiot.
Don't call me an idiot in front of my son.
Back home, no one would even consider calling New York's finest.
Nobody cares about above 125th street.
First rule of survival: Do not get involved.
Smithism.
- Where did I put that telephone? - I can assure you
cops come knocking on the door, and I'm the only black man in this godforsaken place.
You don't want daddy to go to jail? No.
- Tell her. - Daddy's lying.
I didn't make the world what it is. I can just live in it.
I'm teaching my son good values.
You're doing more, aren't you? What does that mean?
You want to see the evidence? Hold on.
Where is it?
Help me!
4,091, 4,092, 4,093, 4,094,
4,095, 4,096, 4,097, 4,098...
Don't play innocent.
The jar. The Troy jar. The jar with the money.
Oh, really? Cat got your tongue. I'm securing his future.
It's for college. What good will that do?
You're pampering him! He has to be tough!
He won't get a chance otherwise.
Archie, there are programs that we can get...
What? Help? Charity? Begging?
Okay, now is not the time for your pride.
Read any newspaper.
When society is sick and mean, the innocent get the blame. Smithism.
You don't need to be an educated man to learn how to survive.
Aha!
Why you hidin' the jar from me? I told you.
I'm trying to get a better life for Troy.
- This life isn't good enough? - I appreciate you.
I thought it's the good life you wanted for him. It's not enough!
It's not enough? No, it is not.
You won't let me be the mother he needs.
I let you do exactly what you need... he's my baby.
He is not a baby! He is a baby!
The sooner you realize that, then the sooner...
He needs to learn how to survive!
You know how he'll be treated out there.
I don't know what you're talking... i know you don't.
I gotta train him, and you keep pampering him.
You're yelling and our son's in the next room!
He can hear what I have to say, and you keep mommying him.
He's scared of you, Archie! He is not scared of me! My son loves me!
My son loves me and respects me!
Shut up. 'Cause he knows who I am!
Shut up! Don't tell me to shut up!
I'm trying to teach him how to survive,
and you're putting these notions in his head that aren't true.
Oh?
I can't.
You can't what?
Uh... I can't. You can't what?
A couple of stupid...
One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven,
eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve.
Hmm. Can you believe it?
Twelve years old.
It's those Mowbray kids again. They want us to be scared so they can laugh at us.
No!
What are you going to tell them about Debbie not being here?
If you call, they take her away from us.
Leave that girl alone!
Keep your mouth shut. You're gonna wake up your mother.
- But, dad, she needs help. -No one asked you to get involved.
Go to bed now.
That's his last strike.
One.
Two.
Three. Four.
Five. Six.
Seven, eight, nine, ten...
12, 13,
14, 15, 16...
17, 18, 19, 20.
4,980, 4,981.
4,985.
4,986.
4,987.
4,993.
4,994.
4,995, 4,996.
4,997.
4,998.
4,999.
Mama!
What?
Please, help me. Please, help me.
No! Help!
God, stop, stop, stop.
Oh...
No!
Jesus.
It-it's me, your neighbor, Sam.
It's-it's-it's, uh...
I'm sorry about the music earlier.
It's kitty. She's...
She's been beaten badly and she needs help.
I had nothing to do with it.
Can you call the police and tell them that?
I think it'd be better if you called. I'm not good with police stuff.
Too many questions.
Can you... can you do it?
Okay, fine.
Where's mama? Don't worry about mommy. You're with me now.
This is it. Okay. Come on. Let's go.
Come on. One, two, three, four, five, six.
Fight for your right. Don't slow down.
Gotta stand up for yourself. Thirty-six. Make a change. Thirty-seven.
I can't feel it. Tough, tough, tough, tough.
Faster. Faster, faster, faster.
Faster, faster. Simon says, "jump to your daddy."
What did I tell you? Only trust yourself or you fall.
Smithism. Get up.
Repeat after me. I'm a man.
Look at me. Look at me. Look.
Look at me, Troy. Look at me. Look at me.
Say "I am a man."
"I am a man."
Give me this. My father was tough on me, but he taught me life.
When you have a son of your own, you'll understand.
Be a good boy and go fetch some more for me, will you?
Strike one.
They both hate me. At least they notice you.
When I grow up, I'm not gonna be like them.
You don't hate me, do you?
Of course not. You're my brother, and I love you.
Good night, Billy. You have to go to sleep.