Hey, Fran!
How are things at the Dew Drop lnn?
All right.
Can we talk a minute?
So all of your brothers and sisters live here, right?
-Stevie-- -Bunchie, Stevie, me, Sherry.
Subsidized rent, so you each pay about $30 or $40 a month?
Everybody kicks in.
Tell me about the happy house.
I see you know about that.
Over on Booth Street?
That was the party place?
Partying nonstop, all of us...
and my brother Scoogie.
We got high every kind of way, cough syrup, wine...
weed, dropping acid.
So what do you think about Scoogie?
Working at Martin Marietta. He's been clean six years now.
Guess you believe what anybody say.
You think he's still getting high?
So was it at the happy house when you started snorting heroin?
No.
I was living with Gary by that time.
I first started messing with heroin when my sister Darlene died.
She got burnt up in a fire.
I didn't know about your sister. I'm sorry to hear that.
Yeah.
I couldn't hardly deal with it, you know?
Then this family friend came around after the funeral.
He said, ''Do a line of this, it'll make you feel better.''
He laid it out, I sniffed it up.
Day after that, he came around again, laid out some more. Day after that...
he didn't come.
So then it was me. I was looking for him, so you know how that went.
But that was nothing. Because like I said, I'd been getting high since middle school.
-What about your mother and father? -Ask me something else.
Annie, you got a cigarette, girl?
I knew you was holding some.
Thank you, baby.
-Can I ask about DeAndre? -What do you want to know?
Well, it must be tough raising him. He's been in a little trouble.
He knows I don't want him getting caught up in this mess.
I threw him out of the house when I found out he was selling drugs.
Don't you think you're sending him mixed messages?
Basically, you're living in a shooting gallery.
Yeah?
The right message must have gotten through...
because he ain't trying to sling no more coke.
Let me tell you something else.
My sons have never been without a place to lay their heads.
They've never gone hungry.
Not like a lot of these little kids just running totally wild.
-I'm not saying-- -I have been there for DeAndre, okay?
At every school meeting...
and every juvenile hearing downtown, I've been there.
And yeah...
I likes to get high, okay?
But I have been a mother to that boy, and to DeRodd.
So why don't you move the fuck up off my stoop?
You nosy motherfucker.
Get that camera, and get the fuck out of here.
-All right. Take care. -Why don't you take your ass outta here?
Get the fuck out of here!
Captain Yeller tells me you got yellow tops.
Boo!
-I'm talking about next weekend, you going? -Yeah, true.
Yo, Black!
You going to the dance next weekend?
-Miss Ella's having a sock hop. -A sock hop?
-It's like a dance. -Where?
Up at the rec.
-What, you going? -Yeah.
Me and Peaches. You bringing Reeka?
Y'all still together, right?
Yeah, I might.
Five-0!
Yo, McCullough!
Get a haircut.
Andre, your name's still ringing out with the rollers, man.
Scoogie got a new stereo to put in his car.
That boy sound good, too.
He still hasn't paid me back the $20 I gave him out of my last check.
What did he want $20 for?
Why else he come borrowing money from me?
I am on assistance, he got a job.
He on the pipe.
-He ain't asked you for no money? -No.
Look at this.
He ain't in school.
Dre, why you not in school?
And don't give me that half-day shit.
Answer my question. You still going to school, right?
Most days.
What about that speech you're supposed to give?
They said I need a suit.
-So? -I ain't got one.
How big a problem is that, Dre?
-You got a cigarette? -No.
You think he back out there slinging?
Ladies!
What's this nigger into?
I heard he was locked up.
-Doug, where are you coming from? -Out the county.
-What did you boost? -Check it out.
Fran, look at this! Macy's!
Macy's security ain't shit.
You would think I would have taught him a little something.
-So you all know where we can sell these? -Yeah.
-That's what I'm talking about. -Dre!
I want to ask you something.
I'm talking to you.
Why're you playing me like that?
Damn you, boy, come back here.
-Hey, Fran, can I get one? -What?
-Smoke. -Fran, you got an extra one?
-Fran, can I get-- -Goddamn, I ain't no cigarette machine!
Come on, here.
-Hello, Fran. -Hey, little Stevie.
There go Hungry.
Motherfucker!
I'm gonna kill you if I catch you.
What did he get?
Black-tops, it looks like.
You know the boy learned track in high school.
Yo, Gary.
What's up, Chief?
I checked this place out on Baker Street, scrapyard up there....
This place is unwatched.
Not even a guard dog.
They got so much aluminum, copper, and cast iron, you won't know what to do.
Baker Street?
I went up there myself and creeped out with $30 in aluminum.
I never thought to go that far.
Everything around here to get, niggers done got.
Whole area's been picked clean.
Where on Baker Street, man?
Back up against the rail bed, by the overpass.
So what do you think?
Yeah, man.
I'll take you there
Damn, must be good dope today.
-You leaving now? -Not just yet.
You having a party in there?
Lord, there goes my song.
-Scoogie! -What?
You remember the happy house?
Man, that place stayed jumpin'.
Yeah.
Remember that time...
we all went downtown to see P-Funk...
and you almost fell out of the balcony?
Not P-Funk, War.
Anyway, you was fucked up.
At the Civic Center, tripping on acid.
I stumble out and flip over the railing.
Thank God somebody grabbed me.
It's all a blur to me now, though.
Glad I left that craziness behind.
-Now why you talk that shit? -What?
Like you think you're better than somebody, 'cause you've got a car and a job...
-and fucking cable TV? -I don't think I'm better.
All I'm saying is I'm six years clean, and I'm glad for that.
Six years clean. Shit.
You're talking about stuff you don't know, girl.
Yeah?
Then why're you always coming around the Dew Drop if you ain't getting high?
You're my family, Fran. How the fuck can I be holding down a job if I'm high?
Holding down a job? You've got a job, and you're always borrowing money.
-Is that what it's about? -It's about that.
All right, then. What do I owe you, $15, $20?
-Here. -Yeah.
Shit! Fuck! I'll get your ass.
Fuck your ass.
All right, man. Here we go.
-You sure they ain't got no dogs in here? -No, man.
This is the Big Rock Candy Mountain, man!
-Didn't I tell you? -You told me, you told me!
Grab these old batteries. They're paying $1 apiece for them over at McVale Street Yard.
Right, no problem.
You know, what we need is a truck.
Where're we gonna get a truck?
Let me think on that.
What?
Man, you know, for a dope fiend, you got some ambitious thoughts.
Man, come on and put this in the basket. Come on, now.
Blue!
-Let me have a Newport. -My last!
Gettin' through to you yet, nigger?
No?
Nigger, you even dream about stealing one of my people's ground stashes...
you best wake your punk ass up and apologize.
You hear me? I'm talking to you!
Please!
Please?
There ain't no ''please'' in your game.
You snatch the shit, you get caught, you take all the ass-whipping.
Am I right?
-Yeah. -All right, then.
Call the police!
Somebody call 91 1 .
Hungry, you need an ambulance?
Stay down. Let me call 91 1 .
-I'm all right. -Man, you're messed up.
No, I'm good. I'm good to go.
-How much you snatch from G? -Seven vials.
He mess you up like that for seven vials?
It could be worse.
He could have asked for them seven back.
Same shit, different day?
Yeah, you ain't kidding, Blue.
-Got him. -Why did you run?
Don't run from me. It's asking for an ass-whipping.
-Do what you feel. -Get in the wagon.
-You a rabbit? Run from this. -Fuck you.
All right! Enough of that shit!
Get him in the wagon.
Ms. Fran!
Hey, Fran!
-Who is it? -Ms. Fran!
What?
-The police got Andre. -For what?
I don't know. They got him on Fairmount. They're about to put him in a jail wagon.
You gonna get him out, right?
You ain't gonna send him to Hickey, is you?
A few days in there might do his little ass some good.
Ms. Fran!
Don't send him to Hickey.
All right?
Ms. Fran, they're over here.
Reeka, you got a quarter I could owe?
Who you calling? You calling the bail bondsman?
Ms. Fran!
Is Antoinette there?
This is Fran Boyd. I'm on the waiting list, and I'm checking in.
The neighbor can't find her. How do we reach your mother?
-I could jail. -Oh, yeah?
Thank you, ma'am.
Ain't no thing to do Hickey.
Hickey's full. If your mama don't take you, you're going to Boys' Village.
Boys' Village?
Mostly D.C. boys down there.
But I bet they'll go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
Get a chance, 4-B.
4-B.
What's your 10-20?
En route to PG County. Got 8 clients.
10-4.
Hey, Mr. Blue, what's all that stuff?
Just some things.
You gonna paint something?
I don't know.
Yeah, take care.
Is Ms. Fran up?
Hey, Fran!
Fran!
Wake up, Fran!
I know you ain't even thinking about missing another day.
Phone company going to be fine one more day without me, Gary.
You're messing up, and you'll wind up getting fired!
You and your job. Nobody get fired.
-Fran! -What?
You're early, girl.
I didn't want you to go without me.
Come on, wait up front.
You going to see my brother?
-He locked up. -Don't you think I already know that?
You better quit playing with me.
Scoot down.
What time are we leaving, Miss Fran?
My brother say he coming by after 9:00, which means 10:30.
Your hair look nice like that.
How long did it take you to do that with them curls?
-An hour, about. -What time did you get up this morning?
7:00.
Reeka in love.
You in love, baby!
No, I'm not.
Don't nobody get up at 7:00 in the morning to do their hair...
without sure enough being in love.
Quit teasing her, Fran.
I do my hair like this lots of mornings.
7:00.
Hey.
When you gonna get me out of here?
They got me in the cages with a lot of D.C. boys.
Some of them, they've shot people, killed people.
And the guards, they don't play.
You can't be on home detention, because we don't have no phone.
They need to check up on you.
I could stay with Aunt Jackie, she got a phone.
Andre.
What I'm hoping is, being in here, you get a better idea about things.
Are you saying you want me in here?
Guess who come with me? Tyreeka.
-Where is she at? -I told them that she was your sister...
but they said parents only, so she out in the car with Scoogie.
How're you doing?
My girl's standing by me.
DeRodd's missing you, too.
I want to go home, Ma.
I seen this one boy, like, 10 years old...
trying to make this other boy suck his dick.
It's crazy in here.
I'll talk to Aunt Jackie. Not making promises, though.
All right, show us how to do it.
All right!
Hey.
Socks only.
Socks only?
It's a sock hop. So take off your shoes, and put them over there.
Sorry, Miss Ella, his feet be stinking.
But the shoes do have to come off.
Hey, man, that's Wynita's cousin.
She's fine.
Which one you mean? Her in the yellow?
Dance?
No, it's all right.
Forget your manners?
Yo, you don't want to dance with her?
That's Dre's girl. He's my cousin. Plus he's locked up in a home.
Well, shit...
he ain't my cousin.
Psych! I'm just playing, nigger.
I'm gonna dance with her.
How long do you think Dre's gonna stay locked up?
I don't know. Probably whole summer.
So, you're still with Dre, right?
So? That don't mean we can't dance.
Right.
How old is she?
Tyreeka? I think she's turning 14.
That girl is too bold for 14.
She's just having fun.
-Hi, Miss Ella. -Hi. Come on in, R.C.
Peaches.
Come on in. Take your shoes off.
Shoes off.
Party down.
-I don't want you giving Aunt Jackie trouble. -He won't be no trouble.
You be here every day after 4:30. They're gonna be checking with phone calls.
-I know. -You know what else you got to do?
-Go to school. -That's right.
They find out you're cutting school, you get violated.
Something else I wanna say.
-What? -I've been calling over to BRC.
Every week I've been making that call...
just to be sure that I stay on the list...
and pretty soon, my bed will be coming up.
Good to hear.
That's so you know that I'm trying, too.
All right, then, you're gonna be all right?
I got to get with Boo.
He owes me something from the last package.
-How much? -Like $200.
Don't worry about that today.
You don't wanna go and get violated, your first night.
Yeah, you're right.
You can get with Boo down the way. All right?
Jackie, I'll see you later.
I got that Mike Tyson.
-Is that a Newport? -Yeah, my only one.
I need me one. I just went and got your son out of Boys' Village.
Yeah? Where's he at?
Over at my Aunt Jackie, on home monitor.
You need a light?
You got to get up out of here. You're not cut out for this kind of life.
I'm serious.
Enjoy your smoke.
Everybody, listen to me.
I need you to wait near this wall for one minute.
Lisa, would you watch them for me?
Excuse me. We're bringing the little ones...
from St. Martins over to the rec center, and we're coming past here...
today and every Thursday following.
I'd appreciate it if you could take a moment...
when the little ones are coming through.
Death row! Death row!
Yo, chill, man. You hear what she just say?
Hi, Blue.
-Hey, Ella. -Today maybe?
People, hill out!
-Shorties coming through. -Come on, babies. Let's go.
-I got Mike Tyson. -Death row.
You missed most of the semester.
I certainly can't promise you'll be promoted to the 10th grade.
The thing is, I'm here all alone.
My mother's trying to do better, but she's still struggling.
So whatever I need, I got to get for myself.
You're 16 years old, DeAndre, you're not a truant.
Nobody can force you to stay in school.
But I don't wanna quit, though. I wanna stay and try to graduate.
Is there a way I could get a job and get school credit for working?
If you're serious, we can look into it.
And do you still intend to represent this school in the oratory contest?
You still want me to?
Y'all got something for the rent?
I'm gonna have to get with you later on that.
Damn, Fran, how're you holding that much, this late in the month?
Look at y'all, strolling with a quick $30.
$50.
I know you gentlemen have all kinds of receipts for that.
Motherfucker, my mamma gave me this shit when I was born, nigger.
I had it all up in the crib with me and shit.
He's messed up right there.
Yo, where'd you been at, Black?
What's up, Black?
-Where's my money? -Your money?
My $200! I want it!
-I gave that to your mom. -When?
The other night.
-No, Boo. -She said she's gonna give it to you.
-Nigger, you're lying. -I swear.
Come on.
Hit me back, Boo.
I don't want to.
Nigger, I just knocked the shit out of you!
I feel sorry for you, man. Take a shot.
Boo, you're sorry.
I want my money.
Come on, Bunchie. Come on, baby.
I'm here.
Oh, shit, look at this.
A man on a mission.
I wonder what that's all about.
Whatever it is, it's gonna be a mess.
Grab me that bumper right there.
It's about $20 right there, man.
We're gonna get paid today.
Your girl comes along for kicks, or is she gonna do some work?
She can't put this stuff on the truck?
So we split the money four ways instead of three?
No, don't worry about it. We're good.
I'm saying let's make use of the time.
No, Tony, we're good, man. Come on.
Come on. We're not here for the scenery. Let's move it.
Come on, you all got to get along.
-This is a piece of shit. -It gets it done.
-Why are you so negative? -I just wanna get to the metal yard!
I don't even know why you're excited. It's all junk.
We're gonna sell it to a junkyard!
Seems like bullshit to me.
That aluminum alone will bring us $50, maybe more.
Says who? Him?
Go around!
Hey, you, pull the fuck over!
I told you to pull that piece of shit over.
Hey, man, stop it!
Get out! Get out of the....
Get the fuck out of the truck! All of you.
Get out!
Hey, you! Right there! Don't you even try! Get over here!
-What's up? -Over here, on your knees.
Please, you've got it wrong!
You've got them wrong! Please, put the bat down!
I don't even know them. They just was giving me a lift.
Shut up. I've seen you with them! Now get over there!
You motherfuckers think you can steal from me?
Please, mister.
Give me a reason why I shouldn't kick your ass right here on the street, right now!
-We'll put it all back. -Goddamn right, you'll put it back!
Yes, sir.
I ought to kill you stinking bastards right here and right now!
It was his idea. I didn't know nothing about it.
Please, sir, we didn't mean you any harm.
You didn't mean me no harm?
Get up! Get in that fucking truck, now!
-I'm going! -Yes, sir! Right now!
Turn around and take all my shit...
right back where you got it from! You hear me? Now!
Come on, motherfucker!
I don't want you talking to no other boys.
What do you mean?
While I'm out here, I don't want to hear about you messing with the rest of them.
Is you jealous?
Whatever.
I'm serious, though.
I'm saying the mentality around here....
That man was gonna kill us.
I still can't get over that. He was gonna beat us up.
But you ain't get hit, right?
We were all down on our knees, praying to God.
For what? $40 or $50 worth of junk?
You get hit, you deal with it.
You don't get hit, you move on.
It's like me. I fell out a couple of weeks back, right?
I heard about that. What happened?
I was stretched out on the sidewalk.
Everybody standing around, thinking I overdosed.
But when they dragged my ass up to Bon Secours...
the doctor said it's about my liver.
It's fixing to shut down.
For real? Your liver?
Oh, hell, yeah.
He says it's tired of all this foolishness.
And if I keep up with it....
Goddamn bullshit.
You see that shit?
Motherfucker selling Arm & Hammer and calling it dope.
Doing the vial method?
Playing this game with them burn bags.
Call that shit Killer B, it ain't nothing.
-That ain't right. -Who the fuck are you telling?
You know, there used to be rules to this shit.
Nowadays, people do whatever they want...
and worry about that shit later.
I'm telling, the mentality out here, Curt....
You ain't hearing me.
I love to shoot dope, but not a doctor telling me my liver done quit.
I told him my liver got every goddamn right to quit.
-What's going on, y'all? -Hey, Bryan.
If you wanna play this game, you can't cry when the game plays you.
I got to get a job.
A real job.
I got to get back to work, too.
You keep on keeping on.
It's 3:00 in the damn morning.
Hi, Fran.
There's children asleep, Stevie. Leave the shit be for a little while.
Damn.
Go to sleep, baby.
Miss Davis was saying I could take my core classes before lunch...
then get credit for my work-study in the afternoon.
I need a job.
Maybe there'll be something when places start hiring summer help.
I need a job now, Miss Ella.
If I leave them corners be, I need a paycheck.
-Maybe I could work at the rec. -We have no money for that.
But let me make some calls.
Blue!
How're you doing?
And you brought your supplies, too.
My paints and things.
They're drawing and coloring right now.
Come on over, and let me introduce you.
-My timing's good? -Oh, yes.
Everyone, let me have your attention.
Today's gonna be something different.
We're gonna have an art class, but we'll have it with a real artist.
You know what's great about that?
He lives right here in your neighborhood.
So I want you all to say hi to Mr. Blue.
Hi, Mr. Blue.
I understand you all like art.
Okay, who can give me a definition of what art is?
-A painting in a museum. -A painting.
But art can be a lot of things.
It can be...
a sculpture, it can be a song.
It can be poetry.
You see, art could be anything you want it to be...
to express your moods or feelings.
Now let me see what you're doing so far.
-That's pretty. I like that. -Look at mine.
What's that?
Freddy Krueger, when he slices somebody up.
Freddy Krueger?
Okay, I guess that's art, too.
-Where are you coming from? -The rec center.
-Aunt Jackie doing all right? -She's good.
You make that call to that place this week?
BRC?
Yeah, I owe them a call.
Man, what the fuck is this? Goddamn!
This motherfucking horse pissed on my shit, man!
-Motherfucker, you owe me! -I didn't know that was there--
That horse peed all over Tee-Tee's bag.
-I've seen him do it, too. -All right.
Why hit the horse?
That shit do not make sense!
I don't think this could ever happen.
-What do you mean? -I see some crazy things out here...
but that just don't make sense.
I am not living out in the streets!
-Did Stevie tell you? -Tell me what?
Housing department fixing to throw us out.
Bunchie ain't paid the rent.
-How long? -Three months.
-Where'd all the money go? -Where the fuck you think?
We need $1 20, quick.
Or the little shit we got is going out in the street.
Tell me something.
How do people have days like this and stay straight?
Girl, you're talking to the wrong crowd here.
Damn right, this is the wrong crowd.
We're some low-bottom dope fiends. That's all we're about.
How we look, trying to raise children up in the middle of this craziness?
This shit has got to end.
You're doing the same goddamn thing as the rest of us.
-Where're you going? -To make a phone call.
-We can try going by the house. -I guess.
We have to get ready to go. Why don't you have your suit on?
-Suit don't fit, Miss Davis. -I know the jacket fits.
Have you memorized the speech?
-I lost one of the sheets. -Why didn't you let me know?
I don't want you backing out on us now.
You don't want that either, or you wouldn't have shown up at all.
I ain't memorized it, though.
You did great reading off the pages. Just read it again.
They let you do it like that?
Go put that suit on. Let me see just what does or does not fit.
It's country looking.
Get in there!
''You can take this medal back on up to Washington...
''and tell them I don't want it.
''Take it back, and pin it on your own shirt.
''Tell him to give it to the ones who keeps this big lie going...
''and sends boys like Willie all over the world to die...
''for freedom and democracy, they always get the leavings of.
''l know what you're trying to do.
''l ain't gonna let you do it to me no more.
''He can take it back. ''
Thank you.
Maria Allen, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you.
Our next student is from Francis M. Woods High School in West Baltimore...
with a passage from Dr. Martin Luther King's speech...
from the march on Washington.
DeAndre McCullough.
''l am not unmindful that some ofyou have come here...
''out of excessive trials and tribulations.
''Some ofyou have come fresh from narrowjail cells.
''Some ofyou have come from areas where your quest for freedom...
''left you battered by the storms ofpersecution...
''and staggered by the winds ofpolice brutality.
''You have been the veterans of creative suffering.
''Continue to work with the faith...
''that unearned suffering is redemptive.
''Go back to Mississippi.
''Go back to Alabama.
''Go back to South Carolina.
''Go back to Georgia.
''Go back to Louisiana.
''Go back to the slums and ghettos of the northern cities...
''knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. ''
-So, when are we getting evicted? -Next Wednesday.
I'll be in detox by then.
Oh, yeah?
Here's $100. You mess this up, you're on your own.
Where'd you get this money from?
-You still mad? -I ain't mad.
What did you do?
You got a look on your face.
-I ain't done nothing. -You're happy about something.
-I did that speech, downtown. -That was today?
-Yeah. -You were supposed to tell me.
-It wasn't all that. -I told you I wanted to be there.
You didn't want me there.
I didn't know if I was going to go through with it.
You was nervous, I bet.
I told you I wanted to be there to see you.
-How did you wind up doing? -All right.
-You won the contest? -No.
Well, that don't matter.
Recite it to me, I want to hear how you sounded.
-I ain't memorized it. I read it. -Read it to me now.
-I threw away the pages. -Damn you.
Let me fix you something to eat. You want a tuna sandwich?
All right.
-Andre. -Hey, Daddy.
'Morning.
Can I have some money to get something to eat?
Ain't there nothing to eat here? What did you have for dinner last night?
McDonald's.
McDonald's?
Fran, wake up. We gotta talk.
I said, wake up.
Wake up!
Fran, wake up.
-Hey, Gary. -Hey, Fran.
-Guess what? -Tell me.
I'm in rehab next week. My bed came up.
Seriously?
I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna get clean.
-So when you going in? -Next Tuesday.
Twenty-eight days at BRC.
So, night before that, Monday...
we're having a serious party.
I thought you said this shit got to end.
I'm talking about my last night of getting fucked up, okay?
-What? -You're crazy.
No, that's how you're supposed to do it.
You come out of detox clean...
you go up in there fucked up.
We're gonna party like the old days. Like them parties you used to hate.
All right, gal. Come on.
I haven't had a party like this in so long.
We got the funk
-Gonna have some fun -Come on, now.
We got the funk, give up that funk
You'll be there?
Got some more wax.
I knew it, baby.
Scoogie come to get fucked up, too.
I knew it.
No, I can be around it without doing it.
I'm just here to wish you well, that's all.
Hey, Scooge, do ''Shine.''
-I don't know if I still know it. -No, come on.
All right, you got to give the people what they want.
All right, check it out.
Shine, Scoogie, read me.
''l don't know, but people say...
''that eighth of May was a hell of a day...
''when the Sergeant and the Captain were having a few words...
''when that old Titanic hit that big-ass iceberg.
''Now Shine, he come up from the decks below, yelling:
'''Cap'n! Don't you know...
'''there's 10 feet of water on the boiler room floor?'
''Captain says, 'Shine...
'''this ship is safe and sound.
'''l've got 48 pumps to keep that water down.'
''Shine grabbed that white man by the throat.
'''Look here, Cap'n, can't you see?
'''This ain't no time to be bullshitting me.'
''He said, 'l'd rather be out there, on that iceberg...
'''going round and round...
'''than to be on this big motherfucker when it's slowly sinking down.'
''Captain says, 'Shine, if you save poor me...
'''l'll make you as rich as any black man could be.'
''Shine said, 'Shit...
'''there's fish in the ocean, there's whales in the sea.'
''He said:
'''You better get your ass in the water and swim like me.'''
-That's the story. -All right!
Give me a little something.
He be drinking up the whole thing.
Yo, turn the music back on!
Fran, I wanna talk to you.
Come here.
Motherfucker, have you lost your goddamn mind?
Come on, Fran.
DeAndre!
Come give me some sugar.
Come on.
Come here.
Come on, Ma, we're out on the damn street.
What, are you embarrased?
-You going up to Scoogie's. -He's gonna drive me. Listen.
I want you to help Aunt Jackie take care of DeRodd.
-I'll look out for him. -You look out for yourself, too, okay?
Did Boo give you my $200?
Told him I'd take it up to Aunt Jackie's.
I whupped his ass for it.
It was a dope fiend move, baby, I know that.
But I did use some of it to help Bunchie make the rent.
Anyhow, I'm fixing to get past all that now...
okay?
Ma, come here.
Good luck, okay?
You want me to go in?
No.
All right.
Saw Daddy today.
What did he say?
Nothing much.
-'Morning. -'Morning.
-Do you have an appointment? -I check in today. My bed came up.
You can have a seat.
Antoinette, there's one in the lobby.
Can I help you?
It's Fran Boyd.
Oh, right, Fran, hi.
-I check in today. -Who told you that?
When I called last week, they said, ''One more week.''
You're at the top of the list, but we aren't expecting anybody today.
-They said-- -If they told you that, it was a mistake.
A mistake?
Damn right, it's a mistake. They told me to come in, last week.
They told me to come in here. They told me to come here.
I'm just saying that it's a misunderstanding.
I know we have a bed coming open next week.
Wait a minute. How am I supposed.... I can't believe this shit!
-I told everybody I was gone. -I'm sorry, Fran.
What am I supposed to tell people?
You're at the top of the list.
There'll definitely be a bed next week.
I can't go back.
-I can't make it. -Yes, you can.
I can't.
Next week, definitely.
If you brought a bigger knife, you probably would've got in.
Hey, Fran.
Officer Robert Brown, how long have you policed the Fayette Street strip?
I've worked the bottom end of the Western 17 years.
Seen this neighborhood change.
-What, from drugs? -What else is there?
The rot started in the projects.
Lexington Terrace, Murphy Homes.
Just kept creeping uphill.
You ever feel like you're wasting your time?
The city locks up, what, 18,000 or 19,000 a year on drug charges?
Only about 700 of them get prison time.
There's nowhere to put them. Baltimore has, what, 50,000 users?
I guess that's not your problem.
Look, there's still good people in this neighborhood.
Ladies let me in though their back doors so I can use a window to watch a corner.
People call me with information. Church people, working people.
What about the corner people?
Half of them I've seen come up as kids.
Saw them on the stoops, on the playgrounds.
Saw them go off to school.
It hurts to watch, man.
7-B to 24, what's your 20?
7-B, 24, I'm 10-7 at Mount and Fayette.
The corner boys don't like you much, but say the younger police are way worse.
By the time these younger guys came on, this place had already been shot to hell.
They see these people and figure they always were junkies.
Makes them act hard, I guess.
You talking to me?
Let me ask you something, Officer Brown.
Are we going to win this war on drugs?
No comment.