Original subtitles

(children chattering and laughing)

Look what I got for you.

Come on, have a piece of bread. Come on.

Come on, little squirrel. Come on.

You don't have to be afraid.

- Nobody's gonna hurt you. - Woman: When I was a kid,

sometimes we had them for supper

with potatoes and carrots.

Well, no wonder he won't come down.

Come on, honey. We have to go see a lady.

I hope she's home.

Some people like you to call first.

(doorbell rings)

- Mrs. Prentice. - Yes?

Do you remember me? Theresa Johnson.

I used to be on your housekeeping crew

when I worked afternoons.

Oh, yes, Theresa. How are you?

Are you still working at the hotel?

Yes, ma'am, only now I'm on day shift,

and this is my daughter, Hillary.

What a pretty girl. Well, come in, please.

I'm being put out of my place.

They're tearing down the whole building,

putting up a convention center or something.

I'm not real sure.

We have to be out by this weekend.

Oh, dear.

- I've been looking at apartments. - Uh-huh.

They all want too much.

Well, what about your husband?

Did you ever hear from him?

Hillary got a postcard from Houston--

a picture of the Astrodome. That was nine months ago.

I don't think we'll be seeing him again.

Anyway, I'm still looking at places,

but, just in case, I was wondering if me

and Hillary could stay with you for a little while.

You haven't any relatives, any friends?

Just my daughter.

All we'd need is a couch to sleep on,

just till I find something I could afford.

Well, I'd have to ask my husband.

Thank you.

Mommy, what's this?

It's a blender.

People use it to make their own juice.

What's that?

It's a crock pot. You've seen them on TV.

What about this?

Come here, hon.

It smells nice in here, huh?

You see, the thing is,

it hasn't been that long since our own kids moved out.

This is the first time we've had the house to ourselves.

You can see for yourself how small it is.

I really wish we could help, but it's...

Sweetheart, would you like to take some of those with you?

Yeah? Okay. Here, I tell you what.

We'll bundle them all up in a napkin, okay? Yeah.

I think I'm gonna save these for breakfast tomorrow.

I think that's a good idea.

- Hey. You getting up? - Mm-hmm.

Don't forget you got to wash my clothes today.

Put 'em in a bag.

I'll see if I can do 'em at work.

You be good now and listen to your teacher.

I will.

Tired before you start.

Gonna make for a long day.

I've been looking at apartments all weekend.

I got to look at more tonight.

They all want first month's rent and a deposit on top of that.

We're just living pay to pay.

I got to find something soon, though.

Maybe they'll let me have some time off to look.

Child, you don't even want to let 'em know

you got problems.

They got 50 Puerto Ricans and half of Saigon

ready to jump in your place.

They got no time for your headaches.

Well...

could one of you put us up for a few weeks?

Just till I can save up some money?

I got five children of my own in a 2-bedroom apartment.

I just don't have the space.

The last thing I need is you stretched out on my sofa.

My husband looking at you when he go to bed,

when he get up in the morning.

Best to avoid those kind of situations.

( both laughing )

So what do you do

when you're being put outdoors?

You got no money, you don't know anybody?

Where do you go?

Maybe it's time to go back home.

My daddy died.

My mom is on a pension.

She's living in a trailer with my two sisters.

She got diabetes real bad. She can't help me.

I stayed in a rooming house once.

Awful place.

I'd sooner sleep in the woods.

Well, there's always the shelters.

Our church got one.

Give you a warm place to stay

until you get back on your feet.

I don't know.

Sleeping with all those strangers.

You have any furniture?

Just some pots and pans and a small TV.

The rest belongs to the landlord.

Pack it up in a couple of boxes.

All the stuff you can't carry with you,

you can keep it with me until you get an address.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

You're gonna be needing to travel light.

( television chatter )

Woman: She said he was spending

too much time at the hospital.

She was worried about him.

Man: You didn't tell her anything, did you?

Woman: Of course not. What could I tell her?

That he was trying to save the life of a son

she doesn't know he has?

Man: Look, Paul isn't even sure that...

Announcer: ...storms batter Florida Keys

as a result of hurricane Hector

making its way up toward the Gulf.

Rain and winds of up to 100 miles per hour

caused structural damage to two resorts

and forced the closure of all others in the area.

On the mainland, volunteers worked throughout the night

with sandbags and shovels

to protect the expensive beachfront properties

threatened by tides more than 10 feet above normal.

The weather service predicts the hurricane

will begin to lose its--

Hi.

I was sleepy.

I washed all your clothes. They're in my room.

Okay.

I looked all over.

I couldn't find us an apartment.

Why not? Everybody else has someplace to live.

Please don't be mad at me.

Are you and Mary Beth ready?

Are we gonna go to the church now?

Yeah, but first...

we're gonna do something special.

Come on.

- Can I help you? - Yes.

- We're looking for a place to stay. - For tonight?

For a couple of nights.

For as long as you'll let us.

Miss, you didn't think there'd be a bed

just waiting for you, did you?

Those beds are very precious.

People start lining up for them at 4:00.

Oh.

Most of the time, there's a waiting list.

I didn't know that.

Rosalie Davis hasn't shown up.

It's 20 minutes past curfew.

We can let you have her space.

You're a very lucky young woman.

- Thank you. - There's a two-week limit.

The shelter is for women and children only.

There's no smoking, no alcoholic beverages,

no weapons, and you're responsible for your own meals.

And we have a very strict curfew.

You must be in by 7:00 at night

and out by 7:00 in the morning with all your belongings.

That's no problem.

I have to get my daughter to school

and then I have to be at work at 8:00, so...

You have a job?

Mm-hmm.

30 hours a week, cleaning rooms.

Then you have money.

These beds are for people who have no place else to go.

You can get a room of your own.

( sighs )

If you make me go to a hotel,

I'll be back in two weeks, and I won't have anything.

I'm just trying to get a little bit ahead.

I'm trying to find us a home.

You want to see Carrie downstairs.

She's wearing a red sweater.

She'll show you where your bed is.

Thank you very much.

Do you have your money on you?

- Yes. - Keep it close to you.

Don't let anybody see it.

Okay.

Good night.

Good night.

I had to take two buses all the way across town,

an hour and a half each way.

Man said he had a job to talk about.

- He never even showed up. - I'm sorry, Mrs. Davis.

but your bed has been reassigned.

You gave it away? You gave away my bed?

You know the rules on curfew.

I don't care about your damn curfew.

Where am I supposed to sleep?

Mrs. Davis, this is a church.

What kind of church throws women out into the street?

You people got not right. That was my bed.

That bed was mine!

( toilet flushes )

Excuse me,

they said you'd show me where my bed is.

( baby cooing, loud snoring )

What's wrong?

I can't sleep. There's too many people.

Shh.

( coughing )

* All through the night

* All through the night

* All little ones

* Are sleeping

* God bless babes

* And beasts and birds

* All small things

* That have no words

* All through the night

* All through the night

* All little ones

* Are sleeping

Hi.

Hi.

Would you like an apple?

Help yourself.

You didn't sleep here last night.

No, I only do that a couple of nights of the week.

- Last night I stayed home. - You have a house?

Mm-hmm, in Willow Brook about six miles from here.

My mom still hasn't found us a place to live.

Maybe we can come stay with you?

Oh, I wish you could, sweetheart.

I wish I could open up a big hotel

and take in every kid that doesn't have a home.

But I can't. I'm sorry.

You know what would make your mom real happy?

If you were to take this washcloth

and go to the bathroom

and get yourself all cleaned up before she got here, hmm?

- Thanks for the apple. - You're welcome.

- Good evening. - Hi.

Where's Mary Beth? She likes to eat with me.

She's in my suitcase.

I'll take her out later.

Cheap sandwiches.

When are we gonna have something else?

Hillary, I've had a really hard day today,

and the last thing I need is your complaining, okay?

Look over there.

Woman: Poor soul.

I spent all morning talking to the welfare lady.

She's probably having a better conversation than I did.

They cut off my food stamps.

Said I needed an address to prove I was a resident.

I said, "How can I give you an address

when I ain't got a home?"

They said, "You got have a stove to cook on."

I said, "I may not have a stove, but I still got a stomach.

Me and my boy still got to eat."

Two hours of that,

and I was ready to talk to a light bulb.

Hey, you! Get away from those kids.

I guess when you're living in a shelter,

you can't be too fussy about who your neighbors are.

I never figured it'd be this expensive.

Buying all your meals out,

taking two or three buses to get anywhere,

using payphones all the time.

You can't keep any money in your pocket.

I know.

Was that your husband out by the truck?

Ed. We used to have a farm.

The bank's got it now.

We came here trying to get set up again.

It's been hard though, especially for Kenny.

One day he's got a home and friends,

his own way of life, next day, nothing.

It's hard for him to understand that.

Yeah.

And your husband he sleeps in the truck?

Sometimes.

Sometimes he just walks the streets.

I can't tell you how much that scares me.

During the day though,

Ed and I, we go looking for work.

Kenny, he just goes to the park,

sits there by himself thinking and brooding.

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do about Hillary.

I'm supposed to go to work on Saturday,

usually she's in school.

Kenny could watch her.

- I didn't mean that. - No, really.

He's very good with children.

He's very responsible.

If he had someone else to take care of,

it would help take his mind off his own troubles.

We used to have a lot of animals,

chickens and rabbits and a pig that won prizes.

There was a creek in the backyard,

woods to play in.

Even had my own treehouse.

Now I don't even have a house at all.

We used to have an apartment, but they made us move out.

My mother used to give stuff to the poor.

Now we are poor.

I don't know how that happened.

You ran out of money.

We sit around in the back of the truck,

and people look at us like we're bums,

like we're not as good as they are.

I'm not gonna let this happen to me.

When I grow up, I'm gonna get a good job.

I'm not gonna let this happen to me.

We better go. It's getting late.

- Mrs. Johnson? - There's no hot water left.

Mrs. Johnson, the ladies upstairs asked me

to remind you that you only have three days left here.

Your bed will be reassigned on Sunday.

Okay, thank you.

Where you're staying right now, this here's the Hilton.

Clean sheets, room to move around,

space for the kids to play.

You ain't gonna find anything better than this.

Salvation Army gives you your own room.

But they only got 15 of them. Good luck getting one.

Mm-hmm.

Now the Lenox house ain't too bad.

That's a neighborhood shelter on Broxton.

They give you five nights.

But don't just show up at the last minute,

You got to go down there round about 3:30, 4:00,

get your name on the list.

I don't get off work till 5:00.

Those beds go fast.

The Harvest mission,

that's the last place you want to go.

They give out beds one at a time,

and they give them out to anybody.

- Man: Hey, hey, look what I got here. - Who's that?

Woman: Outreach worker.

If you need some eyeglasses or something,

if you can't figure out your welfare forms,

he'll help you out. He's all right.

Hey, little lady. What you got there?

Let's see, looks to me like maybe a space capsule

getting ready to go to the moon?

- Nope, it's a turtle. - Oh.

Where did you get those?

I got these in New Orleans.

They have a big parade there,

and people in beautiful costumes

throw these out to the crowd.

- They're pretty. - Thank you.

Theresa: Hillary.

Look what he's wearing on his neck.

I go to Mardis Gras every year,

and I like to bring these back for the children.

Is is okay to give her one?

Sure. It's okay.

The little blue one, baby. Here you go. Here you go.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

I'm gonna go show Kenny.

I'm Calvin Reed.

I'm an outreach worker for a group of churches.

They pay me to help people.

Is there anything I can do for you?

Can you find me an apartment for $225 a month?

Those are pretty hard to come by...

- I know. - But every now and then one of them pops up.

They won't be anything too luxurious, now.

Four walls and a roof sound just about right.

- And your name is? - Theresa...

- Johnson. - Okay, Miss Johnson,

I'll keep my eyes open.

Thank you.

- Good night. - Good night.

( school bell rings )

What's the matter? Why did you come to school?

I lost my job.

I left early yesterday to sign up for another shelter

and they found out.

When I came in today, they said I was fired.

I can't do anything right.

I can't keep a job.

I can't keep a husband.

Mom, it's okay. Don't cry.

It's not okay, sweetie. What are we gonna do?

Please, Mommy, don't cry.

- It's okay. - What are we gonna do?

Oh, sweetheart, what are we gonna do?

What are we gonna do today?

After the clothes are done,

maybe we'll go over to the park.

The park? We always go to the park.

Why can't we go somewhere else?

You never took me to the zoo?

That costs money.

We're gonna have to watch our pennies for a little while.

Well, tomorrow's school. We gotta catch the bus.

I think we're gonna let you miss school for a little bit.

But I like school. All my friends are at school.

That's the only place I have fun!

- I don't want to go with you! - Hillary!

I'm not sure where we're gonna be staying at tonight,

when they want us in, when they want us out,

how we're gonna get back and forth,

what buses we have to take,

let alone how you're gonna get to school.

It's just too much for me to figure out.

But I'm doing good in school.

And you can go back when we find a place.

But I'll be behind everybody,

and everybody will make fun of me.

Come here.

When I was a little girl,

I had to miss a lot of school, too.

It ain't so bad. You'll catch up.

Come here.

I hope we find a place soon.

I don't like living like this.

I'm Theresa Johnson.

I signed up for a bed a few days ago.

Oh, yes, Mrs. Johnson.

You know we're co-ed here.

Men on the first floor, women on the second.

- No men are allowed upstairs. - I understand.

You're bed's up that way.

- Far room on the left. - Thank you.

Give me the phone. I said, give me the phone!

Excuse me, could you hang on a minute?

What the hell is your problem?

Can't you see I'm on the phone?

( both shouting )

- I'll kill you! - I swear to God!

( door slams )

Does that bed belong to anybody?

Is this okay with you?

Come on, baby.

You do the pillow, okay.

Do you have any savings accounts,

checking accounts, stocks, bonds, jewelry,

or other items of cash value?

No.

Have you been looking for another job?

Yes, ma'am, I've been looking all week.

And how's that going?

It goes fine up until they ask me my address.

Nobody wants to hire you if you're moving every two weeks,

if they're not sure they can get a hold of you.

Some of the shelters are all the way across town

and I'd get there too late to make curfew.

I can't work nights, afternoons or weekends

because there's no place

for me to leave Hillary except school.

I can't leave her in a shelter all by herself.

It's like I can't get a job unless I have a place,

and I can't get a place unless I have a job.

I need to ask you a few questions about your husband.

We came out here together with Hillary.

He was looking for factory work,

something better than we had back home.

He'd get jobs off and on,

but then it just it all kind of dried up.

That's when he left.

Are you divorced?

Not that I know of.

So it's a case of desertion.

Yes.

Do you have a boyfriend,

or is there any other man in your life right now?

No.

Is there likely to be in the near future?

I don't think so.

Well, you are required to notify this office

should that situation change.

Okay, it would seem you're eligible for AFDC.

How much?

With one child, about $240 a month.

I'll put your papers through this afternoon,

and we should have a check ready for you

in about four weeks.

Four weeks?

Miss, I got barely a $100 in my pocket.

How are we supposed to get by for four weeks?

The Salvation Army, church kitchens.

I'm sorry.

Man: Number 63. Number 63.

Is there anything else? I'm still hungry.

We'll go over to St. Paul's later on.

They're gonna be serving spaghetti.

- When? - Just a couple of hours.

Why don't you throw those away?

Excuse me, miss is there a problem?

What?

You've been sitting on this bench for an hour.

- Are you waiting for a bus? - No, I'm just sitting here, resting a little.

Man: Well, this isn't a place to be hanging around

with your daughter.

Maybe you should go over to the park or playground.

Yes, sir.

See the guy with the clipboard, ma'am.

He'll set you up.

I've got a 7-year-old girl.

We've been walking all day and we can't go no further.

We used up our time at most of the other shelters.

We're real tired, and we need a place to sleep.

See the guy with the clipboard.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Woman on television: $1,150.

Bob Barker: $1,150. Lisa, what's your bid?

- $1,201. - $1,201.

- ( buzzer buzzes ) - You all overbid.

The lowest bid is $1,050.

Go lower than $1,050.

- ( audience shouting ) - Woman: $895.

Thank you.

Barker: $895. Arthur?

- $900. - $900.

- $901. - $901. Lisa?

- $850. - $850.

( cheers and applause )

- Hillary. - Actual retail price, $1,000.

- ( buzzer buzzes ) - You all overbid.

Don't you ever walk away from me again.

- I was just watching TV. - Until I tell you different,

you stay next to me every minute. Okay.

It's okay. It's just for tonight.

I'll find us a better place tomorrow.

I'll sit up tonight. You can sleep on my lap.

Come here, baby.

Come up here, sweetie. Right up here.

That a girl.

Good night.

I hate the night,

'cause you got to lay down in a place like this.

I hate the day,

'cause you got to keep on moving,

scrounging for a little bit of food.

Always hungry, always tired.

God forgive me.

I hate being alive.

Woman: Wake up, you all! Wake up!

Wake up, you all. Wake up. You got to go.

Wake up, you all! Got to go!

Wake up! Come on, you all! Wake up!

Wake up! Wake up, darling!

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

Wake up, darling. Wake up, darling, wake up.

Wake up! Come on, you all. Get up.

Get up, get up. Now, go. Come on, you all.

- Come on. - That woman stole my shoes.

Well, what did you take them off for?

- She had shoes of her own. - And now she's got yours

and she'll probably be selling them for food

because food is what it's all about, darling.

I can't go around with no shoes.

Look, there's a thrift shop about four blocks

over on Jefferson.

You can get a pair of shoes there for $3.00.

Wake up, you all! Get up, get up!

Come on, you all. Get up.

Get up. Got to go.

Was it good?

Mm-hmm. Just like you used to make,

except yours is better.

It's stopped raining.

Thank you.

We should go now.

You go use the bathroom. It's right back there.

I'll pay the bill and I'll meet you outside.

Mommy?

You're not gonna leave me, are you?

Hillary, why would you even ask that?

Because things got bad before, Daddy left.

Baby, I'd never leave you.

You're what keeps me going from day to day,

the one and only thing that makes me smile.

If I ever lost you, I don't know what I'd do.

I love you, okay?

- Okay? - Okay.

Okay. Go back and do your business

and wash your hands,

and I'll meet you right up front.

Yes? Okay.

Move away from the door, please!

There is no more room here!

( crowd shouting )

You'll have to clear off the stairway!

All the downtown shelters are full!

You'll have to find a bed on your own!

I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

You all will have to go! I'm sorry!

Put this on.

You warm enough? Yeah?

Come here, baby.

Hillary.

I'm sorry.

I wish I was smarter.

I wish I knew how to take care of you better.

It's okay, I don't mind.

- Good night, baby. - Good night, Mommy.

You don't want any more?

( sirens wailing )

Calvin: I see you still got my beads.

Hey, how you doing? I'm Calvin Reed?

Don't you remember me, the outreach worker?

Hi.

Calvin: I've been looking all over for you.

I think I've found you a place.

All my money's gone. I don't have a cent.

Ah, don't worry about that.

Come on, let's go take a look at it.

Come on.

The water pressure's not too good

and the ceiling leaks,

and you're probably gonna have to deal with some roaches.

- It's better than a doorway. - Yeah, that's right.

That's right. It's definitely better than a doorway.

This is the bedroom.

I think I can get you

a blanket and some sheets for that.

I can get you a couch for this room over here.

Maybe even a end table and a lamp.

- How much is the rent? - $180 a month, no deposit.

I talked to the landlord.

He said he'll wait for your AFDC check,

take the first month's rent out of that.

That only leaves me $60 a month.

Well, plus food stamps.

That ought to give you another $100 or so.

I'll help you with the applications.

Oh, right over here's the kitchen.

Now believe it or not,

this old refrigerator works pretty good.

I don't know what we're gonna do about a stove.

A lady I used to work with

is holding some things of mine.

- I got a hotplate. - Well, there you go.

There you go.

See how sometimes things just kinda fall into place?

Here, just write down your friend's name and address,

and I'll run over in my van

and pick up that stuff for you.

I'll bring you a couple boxes of food

to get you started.

My outreach center's just up the street.

I work it out of my house.

So if you find yourself in trouble,

just stop on by.

I might be able to help you out.

- Why are you doing this? - That's my job.

Why are you doing this for me?

Well, most people don't understand about poverty.

Poverty's like a disease.

It grabs a hold of you, don't let go.

It just keeps on beating you down.

You want to break free of it so bad,

but you don't know how, and before too long,

it just crushes all the hope out of you.

Yeah, I've gotten so I can look in people's eyes

and tell who's given up and who's still trying.

You want to work.

You're not an alcoholic. You're not a dope addict.

You got a chance to make it.

- I'll bring the stuff back in an hour. - Okay.

Mr. Reed?

Thank you.

You're welcome, Miss Johnson.

Are you okay out there?

There's another little girl over there.

- Can I go play with her? - Come on.

Hi.

I'm Theresa Johnson.

I moved in to that house right back there.

Hi, I'm Sharee.

My daughter was wondering if she could play

with your daughter.

Sure.

We've been moving around a lot.

She hadn't had much of a chance to make any friends.

What are you doing? Are you drawing something?

What's your name?

Her name's Keisha. What's yours?

Hillary.

I know a song. * Farmer in the dell

Want me to teach it to you?

Here, put these in her hair. She likes these.

Andre, Caesar, if you rip those pants,

I'm gonna rip your hind end!

I'll put one here

and one here.

Mommy, I look pretty like the ladies on TV!

That's right, baby, you look real pretty.

- Do more. Put more in. - Okay.

Hey.

- Hi. - Hi.

- How you doing? - Okay.

If you keep doing that baby like that,

she gonna puke all over the floor,

and I ain't cleaning it up.

Oh, go get grandma. Bad grandma.

- Go spank her. - Don't teach her that.

- How was school today? - Great.

I got an 82 on my book report.

- An 82? - Yeah.

Did you hear that?

Your brother got a 82 on his schoolwork!

Yeah, I could have done better,

but my spelling wasn't too good.

When am I gonna get a dictionary?

When I get a job.

Oh, yeah, and when I grow wings,

I'm gonna fly to Tahiti and drink coconut milk.

You don't even know where Tahiti is.

They got a dictionary at the library.

You can study there.

I guess you're right. Is the toilet still broke?

Yeah, uh, use that bucket over there by the sink

to flush it with.

Okay.

Your brother's graduating in a few weeks.

- He's graduating mid-term? - Yeah.

And I want you to talk to your husband,

see can he spare a few dollars.

Richard's gonna need some new clothes.

Mama, you think Thomas has money he don't need?

Richard's a proud boy.

If he's got to sit through that graduation

in those same old rags,

everybody else in a new coat and tie,

he just won't go.

I didn't go to my eighth grade graduation.

And you quit school two years later.

That's what happens when you can't keep up.

You give up.

Now your brother's a bright boy.

He's got a good head on his shoulders.

He's got a chance to make it out of here.

I don't want him having any excuses to quit.

Thomas is out in his car waiting for you.

Mama, did you wash my blue blouse?

It's hanging out there on the line, Tracy.

Girl: Matthew, we're going.

- Chandra, - Mm?

Don't forget to ask Thomas.

Come on, Matthew.

Richard!

Bobby?

You okay?

My dad came home drinking

and my mom made me get out of the house.

Could I stay with you tonight?

Was he hitting her?

He was yelling. Wine makes him crazy.

You can't tell what he's gonna do.

Last time he put her face through a window

and she was all cut up and bleeding.

Man, you guys should just leave.

I mean, get away.

Sometimes I wish I was a cop. Then I could stop him.

Boy, I'd shoot him, but I wouldn't kill him,

just wound him in the arm or the leg

just to stop him.

Look, um, come by after supper.

I'll leave my window open for you.

- Thanks, man. - I'll see you later.

How is it?

Mmm, Mary Beth likes it, too.

She does? Well, we'll give her more.

It's nice having a home again, huh?

Am I gonna go back to school now?

I talked to Mr. Reed

and he said that the new term will start in a few weeks.

We'll get you in then.

Are you gonna get a job?

As soon as you start school.

I'm tired.

These last couple of months have worn me down.

I'd like to rest a little,

take a little time to settle in,

and then I'll start looking for a job,

something that pays decent money,

lets me set a little aside.

Maybe then we can get us some nice things.

Bicycle for you, hmm?

And new clothes for me.

Something I'd look good in.

Maybe somebody will ask me out...

to a movie or to dinner.

Who?

Sweetheart.

Your daddy left us, honey.

And he's not coming back,

and I don't want to go through this life alone.

Eat your vegetables.

Make sure Mary Beth eats hers, too.

Okay, today, we're going to do patty-cake.

Put your hands up like this.

Now I'm gonna pat 'em.

* Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake *

No.

Keep your hands up.

Ready?

* Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man *

* Roll 'em up, roll 'em up

* Put 'em in a pan

* Bake me a cake as fast as you can *

* Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man *

- * Bake me a cake... - Mama, me and Bob

are gonna go scrapping over on the Delaware.

Okay, but watch yourself. People drive crazy over there.

Richard: Yeah.

- I had this dream last night. - Yeah?

I was living on this farm, I had lots of space,

lots of fresh air,

fresh vegetables anytime you wanted to eat 'em.

- A farmer? - Yeah!

And I had my own horse, this big gray one.

We were riding around all over. It was great.

No, man, a singer.

That's what I dream about being,

like Prince or Freddie Jackson.

- You? - Yeah.

Get to wear mean-looking clothes,

ride around in a big limousine,

girls screaming at you.

The first thing I'd do is buy my mama a big mansion.

Um, Bob, is your mom okay?

I mean, did your dad hurt her?

He cut her lip, but nothing too bad.

Hey, look at that.

Someday.

Someday, I'd like to work in a place like that.

Come on, man, there's still a couple more blocks.

Theresa: It was this big,

eating through my bread just as bold as you please

in my cupboard.

I told Hillary not to go in them anymore.

The best thing to do is keep all your food

in the refrigerator.

Can't we do something? Can't we tell the landlord?

Well, with these houses,

everybody's gotta put up with something.

I mean, some people don't have water.

Some people don't have electricity.

Just about everybody got rats.

They ate through everything--

the bread, the rice, the macaroni.

All we got left is a few cans of vegetables

I can't give you much this time.

We're coming into the fourth week.

Fourth week?

Food stamps only last about three weeks.

Now getting through that fourth week,

that's the killer.

People live on cornbread and ketchup.

Maybe a cup of coffee and one egg a day.

Maybe a box of oatmeal for a whole week.

And when that runs out, they come to me.

Seems like it's getting worse every month.

Whatever you can give me.

Let's see what I can do.

Announcer: If ratified, the treaty would eliminate

more than 1,000 intermediate-range missiles.

If they gave me what it costs to build just one of those,

I could feed more people than that missile could kill.

I'm sorry, Hillary,

but your mama should be here soon, okay?

( knock on door )

I'm sorry, Mrs. Watkins. Hi.

I wasn't expecting to be so long.

- We got to go, so say bye-bye. - Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Caesar, you got food on your own plate.

Leave Keisha's supper alone.

Man on TV: You know, a daughter's wedding

is a joyous day for a man.

So as that momentous day draws even closer,

I'd like to make a toast

to the bride and groom.

To Alissa and Alex,

may their union bring happiness

and good fortune to us all.

All: To Alissa and Alex.

I'm going out for a little while.

I'll be back by 11:00.

You going to see Curtis?

Don't tell Mom, okay?

I should tell Mom. I should tell the police.

That boy's too old for you.

- Can I tell you something? - What?

Curtis has been pressing me.

He wants to have sex with me.

You make sure that boy keeps his pants on.

You tell him to keep his business to himself.

But he's so handsome, and he's not poor.

He could be with anybody he wants.

And what if he gives you a baby?

Maybe we'll get married.

Did he tell you that?

I could always get on welfare.

Girl, what is wrong with you?

Don't you see how it is around here?

You got your eyes closed?

That welfare is a trap.

It gives you enough to get by,

but not enough to get out.

Once you're on it, you never get off.

You still got your babies.

You got somebody to love you.

Yeah, and when you hear them crying at night,

when they look up at you and say,

"Mama, I'm hungry," and you can't feed 'em,

that love will tear you apart.

And what you gonna do if you have a baby like Keisha?

You know that child ain't right,

and there ain't a thing I can do to help her.

Curtis pays attention to me.

He makes me feel special.

Then hold his hand.

Go for a walk and look at the stars.

But you don't have to be giving him no sex.

It's all I got to give him.

I just don't know.

Mama, Mama, the check is here!

Mama, the check is here!

Okay, okay, come on.

Thank you.

My AFDC check.

Don't forget you got to get soap,

toothpaste, and toilet paper.

I know, honey.

I know.

- Mama, I want a baseball. - Mom, I want a GI Joe.

This is our welfare check. I didn't hit no lottery.

Mama, you said you'd get me some makeup.

Maybe next month, Tracy.

We got to try to hold on to some of this

for your brother's graduation clothes.

Richard, your father's here.

Okay.

Man: Hey, Richard.

Look, I'm going over to Jefferson Street

to watch some boxing. You want to come?

Let me tell you something.

Trading punches, that's all they was doing.

Trading punches. That wasn't boxing.

- That was ugly. - It sure was.

- Hey, you want to get something to eat? - Yeah, sounds good.

- Let's go down this way here. - All right.

Let me tell you something.

Now when I fought, whether it was in the gym

or in the streets, man, I was smooth.

See, I knew how to move, man, and I had this right,

this right that came out of nowhere.

It came out the sky.

Bam! Raymond Watkins said hello.

Hey, I'm surprised you ain't put the gloves on.

You seem to be pretty quick.

I've been busy with school.

- I got two As on my last report card. - That's good.

That's real good, man.

My graduation's next week. You think you can come?

They probably wouldn't even let me in the school.

Me and school ain't never got along too good.

Ah, they'd let you in.

- So you got two As, huh? - Yeah, yesterday.

That's good. That's real good.

I had a buddy of mine who used to get As all the time.

His name was, uh, Rainbow Bennett.

Yeah, Rainbow Bennett.

Yeah, ended up on the corner like the rest of us.

Started messing with them needles.

Took himself right out of the picture.

You see sometimes, being smart can hurt you.

You know what I mean?

It lets you see how bad things are.

Oh, look, I ain't gonna be fooling with no drugs.

- Good. - I got plans for my future.

- Mm-hmm. - I'm gonna finish school.

I'm gonna get a good job,

and I ain't gonna be hanging on the corner.

- I'm gonna be somebody. - You talking about me?

I'm talking about getting out of here.

( scoffs )

Let me tell you something.

I took every job anybody ever offered me--

factory work, hauling, painting houses.

Hey, look, just 'cause you want to be somebody,

don't mean somebody gonna let you.

Your mother gets a check right now 'cause I'm not there.

I am worth more than her gone than I am being in the house.

Do you know what that does to a man, huh?

But you got two As, so you gonna beat all that.

Look, I ain't gonna be poor for the rest of my life, okay?

I'm gonna fight till I get out of here.

You must be a pretty tough little kid

'cause you're gonna fight the streets.

You're gonna fight the man. You're gonna fight history.

You come back and see me in 10 years,

let me see me how much fight you got left in you.

Look, I'm not hungry anymore. Can I go home now?

Hey, the car's back that way.

( no audible dialogue )

Hillary: Mommy! Mommy!

Get 'em off me, Mommy! Mommy!

( moans )

Get away! Mommy! Mommy!

Mommy! Mommy!

Get away from her! Get away from her!

- Get away! - Mom!

- Get off of her! - Mommy!

You're okay, baby. You're okay.

You're okay because they're gone.

They're all gone.

They're gone, honey. Did they bite you?

Did you feel them bite you, honey?

I don't see any marks.

Look at me. I don't see any marks.

You're okay. You're okay.

Your mommy's got you.

Your mommy's got you.

- ( sirens ) - Richard.

Richard, there's an ambulance down by Bobby's house.

- What? - ( siren )

( chattering )

( chatter continues )

What are you doing here?

I pay the rent. This is my place.

Let's go, man.

Woman: Bobby! Bobby!

( woman sobs )

Oh, Bobby, no!

Let me sit with him.

( continues sobbing )

Let me go!

( siren )

Bobby.

They were all around her. The biggest rats I ever seen.

They weren't afraid of the light.

They weren't afraid of Hillary.

They weren't afraid of me.

I had to go after them with a broom.

Living in this neighborhood,

every evening brings a new nightmare.

I want to talk to that landlord.

I want him to do something.

I hardly spoke to him. He says the house comes as is.

His position is if you don't like it,

- you don't have to stay there. - Well, that ain't right.

Can't we do something? Can we tell somebody?

If you want, you can report him

to the public health department.

Okay, then.

Yeah, that's what I want to do.

That could bring even bigger problems, Mrs. Johnson.

You don't want your landlord coming--

There were rats crawling on my little girl.

All right. All right.

I'll get the number. We can call from here.

Thank you.

Are you all right? You look tired.

We lost one of our children last night.

A little boy, Bobby Gifford.

Oh, God.

His parents were having an argument.

He stepped in between them.

I'm sorry.

People die in these neighborhoods.

They-- they die from cold.

They die from hunger.

They die from...

rage and violence.

Oh, but when a child dies...

that's when I can't sleep.

Here's the number. Let's see if they're in.

( knock on door )

Are you okay?

I got a letter from the power company today.

I've been holding back a little bit on the bills each month

trying to save some money.

Now they say I got to pay the whole thing

or they're going to cut the lights off.

I'm not going to be able to get you your graduation clothes.

It's okay.

But I'm thinking about talking to Ms. Marshall,

that lady I used to sew for.

- She got a boy-- - Mama, don't do that.

I'm sorry, baby.

When's this is all gonna change?

What do I have to do?

You got to stay in school. You got to study hard.

I do that already...

and it doesn't seem to make any difference

because every day's the same.

I wake up feeling ashamed and...

it never goes away.

Sometimes...

I feel like killing myself.

Don't you ever talk like that.

Your life is a precious gift.

Mama, we ain't got a chance.

Me and Bobby, we used to talk about--

we used to talk about getting out.

But, I mean...

it was just a dream...

and now Bobby's gone.

He got out of here, but...

he had to die to do it.

It ain't fair, Mama.

It just ain't fair.

( knock on door )

You Teresa Johnson?

Yes.

I'm Howard Matthias. I own this place.

I want you out of here by Friday.

What?

You got a hell of a nerve, lady.

I let you in here without a deposit,

I wait for your welfare to start up,

and you turn me into the Health Department.

That's real gratitude.

There's rats running all over here.

Well, what do you want for 180 a month?

That's the problem with you people.

You want everything handed to you--

welfare checks, food stamps,

cheap housing, and even then you bitch.

Well, I've had my fill of it.

I want you off these premises by noon Friday.

You can't do that.

You have to give me 60 days or 90 days or--

You're gonna get cute with me, huh?

Well, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.

Friday afternoon, I'm gonna have one of my people come by

and take the doors off the hinges.

You want to live in this neighborhood without doors?

It's up to you.

You know landlords all around here

are burning these places down for the insurance.

Can't say that I blame them.

You people are more trouble than you're worth.

Are we going to have to go back in the shelters?

I don't know. Maybe for a little while.

Oh.

Honey.

( chattering )

Richard.

Your mama came by my place today.

She told me about Bobby.

He was a good kid.

- I got to get home. - She also told me

you're having some problem with your wardrobe.

- You're not going to your graduation? - It's no big thing.

I still get my diploma. They'll mail it to me.

You know, I never did get mine.

I was in the 10th grade.

Construction company was offering jobs

paying $6.50 an hour.

That diploma seemed far away, you know?

It was out there somewhere.

Nobody I knew had a diploma.

But that job was real. It was right there.

But you had to be 18 years old to work for them,

so I lied about my age, went to work laying concrete.

I've been doing that same kind of work ever since,

working with my hands,

working with my back.

And you know, man, sometimes I wonder

what it would be like to work with my brains.

Here.

Take this. Put in your pocket.

Put it in your pocket.

Tell your mother I said to take you shopping,

get you a nice jacket and tie for your graduation.

'Cause I'm going to be there man,

and I'm going to be watching you.

I want my son to look good.

Hey, let's get this party moving!

They ain't gonna hold up graduation

for your raggedy butts!

Ohh! Look at you!

( all chattering )

Proud of you.

You're going to graduate today!

( chatter continues )

I want a picture. I want a picture!

Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Come on, gather round.

Andre, come here, baby.

All right, everyone-- I'm proud of you!

- All right, come on. My brother, all right? - Say cheese!

All: Cheese!

Oh, Keisha, get in there. Come on.

Get in the picture! Come on, get in the picture!

Andre, turn around.

( chatter continues )

Smile!

All: One, two, three, cheese!

( laughter )

Woman: Okay, let's have one picture.

Woman #2: Come on, everybody.

One, two, three.

All: Cheese!

( laughter )

I got kicked out of my house.

All the other shelters are full.

I got my name on the waiting lists.

You know where the beds are.

Down there.

Right there.

Mommy? I don't feel good.

My head hurts. My stomach hurts.

Here, let me see.

( Hillary retching )

Okay. Okay.

Okay.

Okay, come here. Come here.

Let me put some cold water on your face.

Hillary? Hillary!

Lead poisoning? How'd she get that?

Paint, window putty,

even the dust in her environment.

You been staying in the shelters?

Yes.

Some of those older buildings are loaded with it.

Same with a lot of old houses.

It can take some time to accumulate in a child's system.

Unless you've been staying in one place,

it's very difficult to pinpoint the source.

The important thing is this--

you can't let it happen again.

You have to watch her closely.

You have to be very, very careful

about everything she puts in her mouth.

What am I supposed to do?

We have to stay wherever there's room.

Any reoccurrence can lead to very serious consequences--

neurological damage, learning disabilities.

Right now your daughter's in good hands.

We'll keep her here on the IV for about a week

and then schedule some follow-up examinations.

Just let her rest, and go get some sleep yourself.

Come back tomorrow.

I have to go now, baby.

The doctor says you're gonna be okay.

I'll be back in the morning.

I love you.

Woman on PA: Paging Dr. Silverman, room 103, stat.

- Dr. Silverman. - Hi.

( chattering )

Hi, honey. Hi. How you feeling today?

Mommy, look what I painted. Here's the hospital.

Here's the doctor and here's the nurse.

And when I'm all done, we're gonna hang it up on the wall!

Is that you with the big smile?

- Uh-huh. - Great.

- Guess what I had for lunch. - What?

Hamburger, French fries,

and chocolate pudding for dessert.

Chocolate pudding! Boy, are you lucky.

See this?

His name's Nibbles.

He runs around this wheel all day

and he likes me to feed him lettuce.

Here, Nibbles, have some lettuce.

I talked to the doctor a little while ago.

He said you've been doing real good.

He says you can leave here day after tomorrow.

I don't want to leave here! I like it here!

I have my own bed! Everybody's nice to me!

It's the best place I ever stayed,

and I don't want to go!

We'll see what the doctor says.

Brought you a candy bar

No, I don't want a candy bar.

Well, I'll hold onto it for you.

You might want it after supper.

Go back to your paints, honey. They're gonna dry up.

Go on. Come on, go on.

Woman on PA: Orderly, third floor nurses' station.

Orderly, third floor nurses' station.

Man: Come on, give me the things back.

Man #2: Quit pushing me. Quit pushing me!

- Aah! - ( siren )

Come on, get back here!

Mrs. Johnson.

I need to talk you.

Come in.

I want you to take Hillary.

I want you to find her a home.

Are you sure about this?

We stay in places where you're afraid to fall asleep.

We eat food nobody else wants.

We spend all day on the street walking with no place to go.

People look at us like we're trash.

They don't want to stand next to us.

They don't want to talk to us.

They don't even want to know we're there.

It's the loneliest kind of life.

It's no way for a child live.

Others can give her better.

Can they love her as much as you?

No. No.

But she needs more than love.

She needs other kids to play with,

friends who aren't gonna be leaving every two weeks.

She needs decent clothes

and food that don't make her sick.

She needs a roof over her head and a safe place to sleep.

She needs a home.

Mrs. Johnson, please, sit down.

The first thing we'll need to do

is contact the juvenile court.

They'll assign a counselor to see if there's any way

you and Hillary can remain together.

If that doesn't seem to be in her best interest,

they'll begin court proceedings.

They'll need to talk to Hillary's father.

Her father? I don't know where he is.

They'll try to track him down.

In the meantime, you'll be assigned an attorney

to help you with the hearings.

How long is all this gonna take?

It could take six months. It could take longer.

Six months? That's too long.

She can't live like this another six months.

What if she gets sick again? What if she gets hurt?

There's only one way they'll take a child immediately.

How?

If she's been abused or abandoned.

Abandoned?

You tell me where, you tell me when.

I call a woman from the juvenile court.

We'd come get her.

They'll put her in a children's shelter for two weeks,

then place her in a foster home.

After that, they'll start working on her adoption.

There's no easy answer, Mrs. Johnson.

If you do this,

it's gonna affect Hillary for a long time to come.

She'll have a hard time trusting people

and more than likely, she'll blame you.

So I have to choose between keeping her on the streets

or having her hate me.

I can't think about me right now.

I have to think about Hillary.

I have to think about her future.

My family has always been poor, Mister Reed--

my mother, and my grandmother,

and her mother before that.

We worked hard and we sweated,

but we ain't never been anything but poor.

I don't know how to stop that for Hillary.

I don't know how.

Except to give her to somebody else.

Her doctor's name is Dr. Cheney.

She has to go back for a checkup once a month.

That's the medicine she has to take.

Don't worry, Mrs. Johnson we'll take care of this.

It's the best thing I can do, isn't it, Mr. Reed?

Maybe she'll grow up to be healthy and smart.

And maybe one day,

she'll forgive me for what I've done.

I love my daughter.

I love my daughter.

I love her so much. I love her.

I know. I know.

Let's sit down a minute, okay?

I got something I want to show you.

Over there.

You were so good while you were in here.

You did everything the nurses told you to,

and you never cried once.

You made me so proud.

And I got you a present.

A present?

See if you like it.

Do you like it?

Yes.

Here, let's put it on you.

First we'll take this one off.

And then...

There.

Oh.

It looks beautiful on you.

It's pretty.

You know what that heart means?

What?

It means your mommy loves you.

And whenever you look at it,

that's what I want you to remember.

Your mommy loves you.

I love you too, Mommy.

Come on, let's go to the park.

Excuse me, can you tell me what time it is?

11:30.

Honey, it's almost lunchtime.

I'm going to go get us some sandwiches.

You think you can stay here and play by yourself

for a little while?

Yeah, I want to go on the swing.

Good.

No, wait!

Don't forget Mary Beth.

Okay.

- Hillary! - Hi!

Hi. Could you come over here, please?

My mom's gone.

She went to get sandwiches.

I know, she asked me to come get you,

take you over to my house.

Why, is she gonna be there?

Hillary, you and I are gonna have to talk about some things.

- Who's that? - Her name is Mrs. McCurdy.

She's a very nice lady, She's gonna come with us.

But I'm not supposed to go with anybody but my mommy.

I know, sweetheart, but this time's different.

My mommy told me to stay here.

It's okay, it's okay. We're just gonna go to my house.

Why can't we wait for her?

We'll talk about all that later.

- Come to the car. - Come on, sweetheart.

- Come on, come on. - No.

I don't want to go. Where's my mommy?

- It's okay. - Mommy! Mommy!

Here we go. Here we go.

( Hillary sobbing )

Theresa: Her doll.

Please, pick up her doll.

( engine starts )

Pick up her doll.

Mommy!

Hillary, your doll. Here you go.

There you go.

Mommy!

Mommy!

(Hillary sobs)