Original subtitles

Good time.

We'll go on your side. We're going to bring it up about three inches.

Okay, now, ma 'am. Oh, Michael, now, we've been up here five minutes. It's

straight yet.

It's been straight three times.

I just did give an order.

Well, now, let's beat him up. You're looking at the pint -sized kid, Dino

You sure have been moving. Why shouldn't I be? JJ's coming home, and he's all

right. Yeah, it sure was a relief when the doctor said it was only a flesh

wound. Yeah, and a surprise, too, because we never knew he had flesh.

Yeah, but if I know JJ, even though they only kept him overnight, he'll act like

he came out of major surgery.

Don't you know it, honey? I remember when he had his tonsils out talking

suffering. He ran that...

by myself now.

Oh, I think it was a little bit too premature.

Dad, I think I'm on fog.

Catch me.

Which way are you going to fall, Johnny?

Are you on my left? I'm on your left. Here I come.

Son,

I think you'd better sit down.

Come on, there you are.

Okay. Could y 'all help me bend?

No. Well, sure.

I burped you when you were a year old. I guess I can bend you at 18.

All right.

Junior, I want to say thank you for saving my life. I'm proud of you.

It wasn't nothing, Dad.

Michael! Yeah?

Is that you?

Sure, it's me, J .J. My, how you have grown since I've been away.

Since yesterday.

It's been a long time since you've been wounded, don't it, son?

Like an eternity.

Here, J .J., I got you a nice tall glass of Kool -Aid. I made it myself.

Thanks, Michael. Maybe we ought to feed it to him intravenously.

Why don't we just pour it through the hole in his head?

Now I know I'm home.

And we are glad to have you home, too, you character.

I shake when I think what could have happened.

I'm still thinking the Lord that J .J. is home and he's safe.

It's all over.

Yeah, I'm thinking the Lord he got his health too, baby.

But it ain't all over.

Now, James, not that again.

Yeah, that again. It ain't gonna be over till I get my hands on that gang leader

that shot a mad dog.

James, don't say things like that. Don't even think it. The Lord's gonna take

care of a mad dog.

Yeah, well, the Lord can take care of them the way they want. I'm gonna take

care of them the way I want to.

Seems I don't want no more curtain.

So let's don't talk about it anymore.

We got JJ to look after.

That's right. I'm out of Kool -Aid.

I need some banana cream pie.

I hear it builds the blood.

The first thing we gonna do is get you into bed.

Come on, Thelma, give me a hand. Michael, you take the front now. I got

you handle it? JJ, you gonna be recuperating in style.

I got you that fancy pair of pajamas you always wanted. Ha ha, dynamite!

Yeah, these are them.

The one I saw in the store there. The man said, Jack, you got...

Could you help me into the bathroom where I can change into these things?

JJ. Oh, I'll show you where the bullet nicked me. It was pretty close. Almost

wiped out my beauty mark.

JJ, I'd like to buy you something to read. Anything in particular you want?

Well, since I had such a close brush with death, something deep and serious

a lot of meaning.

Like what?

Like this month's issue of Black Bunnies.

We'll see you all later. Okay, Melona. Thank you. Okay.

That J .J.'s really something.

Oh, he's more than something, Thelma. He's special.

And I like to got him killed when he tried to save my life.

But when I saw he was all right, I like to jump for joy.

Now, baby, all I need is five minutes alone with that mad dog. Just five

with him.

But that is only going to cause more trouble. And besides, after the court

hearing, they'll put Mad Dog away where he belongs.

Yeah, the same as Neckbone and that other character. They still walk in the

street. Now, James, before you do anything you'll be sorry for, remember

the good book says.

Turn the other cheek.

Well, you let Mad Dog turn the other cheek because he ain't going to watch

I get finished doing my number on him.

I'm sorry, if you're going to keep quoting that scripture at me, how about

eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?

And don't keep it up now.

to go after them parts.

Mom, what are we going to do with Daddy?

We ain't going to do nothing about it.

I've got to go in there and try and cool him down.

I thought it was the other shoulder, J .J. See how sick I am?

I'm so delirious, I keep forgetting.

Michael, put me over there to the bed, will you? Come on.

Oh, thanks, Michael. What a brother. Oh, man, yeah.

Yeah,

thanks.

Hey, Thelma, could you pull up the blankets?

Okay. Thanks.

Next time you better be more careful, otherwise I'll tell Ma and Dad you're

taking tender loving care of the man of the hour.

AJ, don't take it too far. The hour's gonna be up before you know it. I could

have an answer for that, but I feel another weak spell coming on.

I think I need a strawberry shake and some french fries.

AJ, you're not wounded, you're pregnant.

Just leave me be here, Florida. Just leave me be. I'm trying to say that

never helped nobody. Well, it's going to help me as soon as I get my hands on

that mad dog for five minutes.

James, we were raised to love one another.

There you go with the Bible again. Always with that Bible. Can you want

Bible? I'll give you some Bible. Now, I'm not going to kill him with the

of an ass, but I'm going to bust that ass's jawbone.

James.

don't you go misusing the good book for your own purposes.

Baby, I ain't gonna misuse the good book. I'm gonna use a good left hook.

James, how long we been married?

Getting on towards 21 years now.

That's right.

And we had a lot of arguments in them 21 years, right?

Yeah, we having a pretty good one right now.

Yeah, that's true.

But remember, James,

never settle no arguments by yelling at one another.

We always talk quietly and reason with one another. And in the end, we always

agree, didn't we?

Yeah, that's because you usually won.

Nobody won, James.

It's just that most of the time we agreed that I was right.

Don't start with that sweet talk again now, Florida. Don't try and trick me

here. James, you know, every... Every time you lose your temper, you get into

trouble. When? When did losing my temper cause me to get in trouble? When?

Do you remember when we was engaged and I was walking with that nice looking

fella? You got so jealous.

You didn't even ask him no questions.

You just picked him up and threw him into the fish pond.

Didn't you feel silly when you found out it was Reverend Henderson?

I was asking him to perform our wedding ceremony.

I still remember his words.

Florida, marry him quick before he kills somebody.

You gotta admit, it did help move our wedding date up some, didn't it?

You've been known to blow your cool a few times, too.

Me? Yeah. When did I ever blow my... I cool.

Remember the time I was walking down the street with Sarah Hines? Now, all I was

doing was asking the woman what would be a nice surprise gift for my wife on her

birthday. Right away, you jumped to conclusions, started scratching the

eyes and tore out all her hair.

Yeah, and I regretted it for months. You might have regretted it for months. She

walked around damn near bald -headed for years.

But at night, we always made up. Yes, Lord.

And some of them make -ups was worth the flare -ups.

I got a confession to make.

Huh? I faked a couple of them flare -ups in order to get to the make -ups.

I figured as much.

Ah,

but James, that's what make our marriage work.

We talk nice to each other and we settle things peaceably.

And in the end, we've always been together.

Yeah, but we ain't gonna be together on this, baby. And we ain't gonna be

together on it till I get my five minutes with that mad dog.

James, you can't change what has already happened.

Yeah, but maybe to make it better for the next kid on the next go -round. Let

the law handle that, dog. The law, the law.

James, please, honey. For my sake.

For our whole family's sake.

Put it out of your mind. Forget it happened.

Oh, Florida, you know something?

You could wear the rocket you brought down to a pebble.

All right, baby. I said I was going to break every bone in Mad Dog's body. I

take it back. I promise I will not break every bone in Mad Dog's body. Good,

James. Just the trigger finger.

Just the trigger finger. I'm going to break it so it's pointing north, south,

east, and west all at the same time.

James. You're yelling again.

I thought we promised we were going to talk about it nice and quiet like.

You're right, baby.

You ready to talk about it nice and quiet like? Mm -hmm.

Me too.

I'm going to break his damn finger.

Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.

Baby, all I want to do is the Lord's work.

I'm starved.

I made the oatmeal myself.

I ain't that starved.

Good morning, children.

Good morning, Mama.

How are you, son?

I feel fine, Mama. Oh, that's good. That means you'll be able to go to school

real soon.

Hey, do you really think I can go, Mama? Do you really think I can get back in

the... Ah, the pain in my chest is terrible.

J .J., stop acting. It's been coming and going for a week now.

I can't stand to look at them pajamas without sunglasses.

Thanks for making the oatmeal, honey. I would have done it myself when I was

trying to help your daddy get dressed for court.

He's still going through with it, huh, Ma? Well, now, Thelma, I'm not against

pressing charges.

Boys like mad dogs should not be allowed to walk the street, and they deserve

anything the courts decide.

But your father wants to get ahead of the law and punish the boy himself.

If Daddy does that, he's liable to end up in jail, too.

Yeah, he better not hear me in front of the judge.

Lord, I hope not.

You should wait till they call a recess.

Good morning, Daddy. Good morning, Daddy.

Good morning, good morning, good morning.

James, isn't there anything I can do to make you change your mind? Nope.

Well, at least... let me go to court with you. Baby, now, I done told you.

ain't got nothing to do with this no more. This is between me and Mad Dog.

One on one.

What are you doing eating pretzels for breakfast?

Baby, don't think of these as pretzels.

Think of them as Mad Dog's finger.

Oh, Jerry.

Aren't you going to have some breakfast? I ain't hungry. Well, at least have a

cup of coffee.

I ain't thirsty.

James! Huh?

At least you can kiss me goodbye.

Ain't that either.

You're in a courtroom, Cleon. Sit up straight.

Name is Mad Dog, dig it?

What you doing here, old man?

Oh, Mr. Mad Dog. I just come to watch the due process of the law.

Excuse me. You want to move your feet, Mr. Mad Dog?

What feet?

These feet.

Best be cool, turkey.

Everybody rise. Judge Daniels presiding.

Young man, did you hear the bailiff?

You talking to me?

I don't hear too good sometimes.

Some of the law beat me upside my head.

What they call police brutality.

Get up, please.

Anything you say, man.

Refer to me as your honor. Don't call me man.

I was giving you the benefit of the doubt.

With that dress you got on, who can tell?

It'll be another one of those days.

You may be seated.

I wish you'd make up your mind, man. Get up, sit down, get up.

Remove the gum.

You hear what the man said?

And you got no respect for the law?

Remove the gum.

I'm referring to you.

Me?

Anything you say, your highness.

the aspirin, will you?

Hey, ain't that your majesty?

You shouldn't be pill -popping in court.

Young man, I've had just about enough out of you. Mr. Connors is his probation

officer. Haven't you impressed upon him the seriousness of this charge?

I did, your honor. I have more than 15 cases to dispose of this morning, and

not going to put up with any more of your childish nonsense.

I'm just a juvenile, you ecstasy.

I don't know how to act. I'm underprivileged.

Sometimes I think this court is underprivileged. Are you this young

father? Lord, no.

Your Honor, this is the gentleman who's pressing charges.

You already have his deposition.

The young man does not have a father. His father left home when he was a

Wise choice.

Is he represented by counsel?

The Office of the Public Defender assigns counsel, Your Honor. The

refuses to speak to him. Well, is there a mother or a guardian?

Mother, Your Honor, she works. She should be here any moment.

Well, we're pressed for time. Let's get on with it.

Frank Jefferson, you're charged with holding up the Lakeside supermarket.

minute. That's the wrong route, Your Majesty. Your Honor, there's been a

mistake. Frank Jefferson is the next case on the docket. Well, then, who am I

talking to?

Cleon Edwards, Your Honor. I thought I put a file on your desk.

Oh, so damn many cases. The backlog is unbelievable.

Here we go.

No, I'm sorry, Your Honor.

Your Honor, I'm sorry. Our file clerk was just transferred to the sheriff's

department.

Here we are. Cleon Edwards.

No, this isn't it either. This is your application for your transfer. You're

leaving.

Sorry about this, Your Honor. Cleon Edwards.

Cleon Edwards.

Here we are.

All of the past violations, the home environment, etc.

I did the best I could with the time that I had.

Excuse me for being late.

Your Honor, this is Cleon's mother.

I'm sorry, Your Honor, but I had to go straight home from work and feed my

kids and get them off to school.

Be seated, please.

Over here, ma 'am.

Well, Cleon, I see you've been a busy young man in the past few years. You've

been arrested five times.

Curfew violation, vandalism, drunkenness, petty theft, assault.

And now assault with a deadly weapon against one James Evans Jr.

That's right. That's right. That's the animal that shot my son. I've seen it

myself. Mr. Evans, please.

What's all the jive, Your Worship?

I plead guilty and throw myself on the mercy of the court.

Do you know what you're waiving your right to?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. I've been here before, man.

Witnesses may be dismissed, Mr. Evans. Thank you.

Oh, now, wait a minute.

I want to see what happened to this animal that shot my son.

He's thrown himself on the mercy of the court, Mr. Evans, and we already have

your deposition.

Well, at least let me hang around and see you throw the book at him.

I'm sorry, you're going to have to leave the court.

Now, wait a minute. I want to see what happens to this dog that shot my son.

court will determine that.

Only the immediate family is needed.

Man, I don't dig it.

See you later, old man.

Yeah, outside.

Outside.

The defendant will stand for sentencing.

Get up.

Cleon, I've decided on an indeterminate sentence at St. Charles Reformatory for

boys until you're 21 or otherwise discharged.

Your Honor, St. Charles is filled up. No vacancies.

Well, the county jail is no place for a juvenile, but he'll have to go there

temporarily. Well, they're even more crowded over there, Your Honor. No

vacancies.

No vacancies? What the hell are we running here? A jail system or a holiday

Probation in particular, Cornwall. During which time you'll report to your

probation officer at least twice a week and attend group rap sessions. Yeah,

yeah, yeah. And if I ever see you in this hearing room again, you'll serve

full sentence even if it's in the county jail.

So later on in your magistration... Oh!

Got my gum.

See that, Mama?

Nothing, too.

I'm in the clear. Everything is cool.

Don't you talk to me, boy.

Don't you ever talk to me again.

There ain't nothing can be done for you, Cleon.

You no good.

Lord knows I have done my best, but you just plain no good.

It's the only way to talk to your beloved son.

You was a beloved one a long time ago, but no more.

And I give up on you, Cleon.

I pray to God every night that none of my other kids turn out like you.

Oh, you ain't got to worry about them, Mama.

See, they got me.

I'm going to teach you what they get over.

See?

Look at you.

You're standing there smirking and bringing all this grief on me.

I never thought I could feel this way about my own child.

But I hate you.

Sometimes I wish you was never born.

Only your father was here. What if he was?

He'd be a whiner on the gutter.

want to hit your son.

I don't want nothing.

Florida, what you doing here? I thought I told you to stay home. I was so

worried about what you might do. I had to come.

You let him go, huh? Yeah.

Plenty of guns, but no places to put the kids that use them.

Well,

there ain't nothing we could do, James.

Yeah, there was something I could have done. I could have broke them in half,

but...

What kind of father am I to feel sorry for the man that shot my son?

The right kind, James.

The right kind.

Just looking out of the window, watching the asphalt road,

thinking how it all looks and we die.

Good times, good times, keeping your head up above water,

making a wave when you can.

Temporary layoff. Good times.

Good times is recorded on tape before a live audience.

Ain't we lucky we got.

Thank you.