Original subtitles

My pops used to always say, ''Dreaming is the luxury of children ''...

...and that I should enjoy it.

He was right.

Here it is, the last year of high school for me and my friends...

...and this is all I can ever really see myself doing.

When you got responsibilities, you ain't got time to dream.

I guess it's the difference between being a boy and a man.

And down South...

...you grow up quick.

Especially in the A TL.

This here is my 'hood.

Mechanicsville.

752 Mandeville Lane.

Middle of the city, center of our universe.

Wake up, A TL, it's 6:23. It's your boy, Frank Ski in the morning.

And we've got another scorcher planned for you here in the Dirty South.

I'm talking Dirty South hot A TL weather today.

I tell you what, another heat index, another record-breaking day.

''What is your ethnic background?''

I am a brother.

Uncle George, my mama's brother.

He supposed to be raising us...

...but responsibility was not really his strong point.

''Bisex-- HeterosexuaI.''

Don't get it twisted, baby.

Hey, Ant. You want a ride, homeboy, you better act Iike it.

-That's my little brother, Ant. -AII right.

I call him ''Jellybean. ''

Hardheaded on the outside, soft on the inside.

And that's me, Rashad.

Heir to the family business, Swann Cleaning Service...

...and man of the house.

''How wouId you describe your physique?

Trim, muscuIar, pIeasantIy pIump.''

-What? -Hey, Iet us get a box of cereaI, man.

We ran out.

Man, they aIways eating.

MuscuIar.

I know how much is in there too.

One bowI each.

Yeah.

My boy, Esquire.

He's basically my best friend. He got accepted to an Ivy League school.

There goes four.

Check out this brother, just grinning, jogging through campus with a white girI.

ProbabIy running from that crowd of white boys on the opposite page.

Either way you Iook at it, man, you Iucky.

Yeah, man. It ain't paid for yet.

I'm gonna need grants, Ioans, a job and a dream to pay this tuition off.

''Ex-bIackIy.''

We had to drive across town because E went to Mount Paran.

My boy book smart...

...maybe even borderline brilliant to these kids...

...but he's just plain old Esquire to us.

Why you aIways be driving in our car?

-Get out the car. -Look, boy.

With your stupid IittIe outfit, man.

Rashad, I'm gonna hurt him.

Man, get out of here.

-Peace. -You mean ''War,'' brother.

War!

-How you doing, Mr. Sapp? -Hey, Ben.

-Have a seat. -Right.

I got the information you wanted regarding the FaIcon Society.

Let's have a Iook.

GPA is over 4.0.

Test scores are high.

Essay's strong.

AII you need is a good Ietter of recommendation.

You're in great shape.

I was wondering if you couId write that for me.

I'm fIattered, Ben, I am, but I'm not reaIIy the right person.

I'm sure your parents know a judge, a businessman?

I don't think my parents know anybody Iike that, sir.

Sometimes it's not what you know...

...but who you know.

Our school was a little different.

See, we in the Trey, Mechanicsville High.

Alma mater to some of the greatest players in the city.

That's my boy Teddy right there.

He A TL for real.

Never been outside of 285.

Hey, what you doing here, man? You must have Iost your job.

Had to get my breakfast on. Brother gotta eat.

Get it how you Iive, pimp.

-Brooklyn, from New y ork. -No means no, man.

And reminds us of it every chance he get.

-Shining, ain't you? -Can't you teII, man?

Guess you gonna fake it tiII you make it, huh?

Man, these gonna be getting me the girIs.

-Not without no game, it ain't. -What up, Tondie?

-Can we taIk right quick? -Just did, bye.

Working aIready.

Seniors, it's almost graduation.

If you haven't done it yet, get your cap and gowns ordered.

We were five weeks from graduation. I had all my credits.

And all I had to do was cruise for the next month and I'd be straight.

Please give them a Tiger round of applause.

And one more thing.

We have a lot of sports going on this week.

And we want to thank the people...

-...who were involved this weekend. -Everybody in a seat.

Year's aImost over. Thank you, Jesus.

Y'aII sIackers better figure out what to do for the summer.

My little brother wasn't exactly a troublemaker.

-That ain't right. -But he ran his mouth too much.

-Why ain't it? -And he was definitely hardheaded.

I know what I'II be doing this summer.

I'm gonna be getting paid.

Ms. Jackson...

...can you pIease cut on the a.c.?

Man, it feeI Iike a sIave ship in here.

Air conditioning is for honors cIasses.

Kids who wanna make something out of themseIves.

Was you in honors cIasses?

Because you ain't got no a.c. either.

See what I'm saying?

He stayed in trouble.

But I couldn't wait on him to get out of detention.

We had to scoop Teddy.

How your sister doing, man?

I been caIIing her, and she ain't been caIIing me back.

She trying to pIay me? She seeing somebody eIse?

Come on, man, keep it reaI with me.

What's happening, Teddy?

-What up, man? You pIaying? -I got next.

Party on the Ieft, man. You know how it is.

Now open wide, wide, wide.

Bite down on that. CooI, cooI.

Hey, man. Ready?

Oh, heII, yeah. I'm gone.

Hey, man, peace.

After we pick up Teddy, we shoot on over to the Shady Grove Country Club.

That's where Esquire works.

We expected him to be late...

...because he was always out there on the golf course, hustling the rich kids.

Yes, yes, and yes.

Oh, my God, I Iove poetry.

I write in my diary every day.

Oh, reaIIy? Let me kick something for you.

She sits there Pain filling the back of her eyes

Forcing them to leak

So aII I need to do is I need to get your digits.

Your daddy ain't around, is he?

Even though her tolerance Has reached its peak

Now, Iook here, when you caII me, don't even trip, okay?

If a Iady answer the phone, that's my mama.

She staying with me because she going through some things.

She's so soft

She could have been The spokesperson for cotton

You know, that's just IittIe things that I Iike do to...

...because I Iike to throw stuff in the air.

These guys don't know anything about poetry.

They're not reaIIy cuItured.

-Hey, what's up, Esquire, man? -Man....

-Hey, man. -WiII you aII come on? Excuse me.

-Can't you see I'm over here-- -You reciting poetry and shit.

-Come on, man. -Damn.

-Can we go pIease? PIease? -Hey, man, scoot over, man. PIease?

You skinny enough. Scoot over, man!

You aIways sit in the front. Sit in the back.

What the heII wrong with you, Tiger Hood?

BIack NickIaus?

I think I miss home or whatever, but, yo, it's so country out here, man.

It's Iike the fIies-- Why are there so many fIies out here?

-Man, I know you not gonna get into this. -For reaI.

Okay, so why is there a rat on every corner in New York City?

Why, after every sentence, you caII me ''shorty''?

''Yo, shorty, shorty.'' I'm taIIer than you.

Let me ask you this, then.

In New York City, why y'aII say, ''Yo, son,'' after every sentence?

-I'm not your kid. I'm not your chiId. -Right.

Why I gotta be your son?

-Money? -B?

I caII you ''sun'' because you shine Iike one.

-You feeI me? -Yeah, that was reaI sentimentaI, thanks.

-Oh, heII, yeah. -Thank you.

-Thank you. -Thank you.

-Y'aII need anything eIse? -No, we aII right.

-ActuaIIy, Iet me get some iced tea? -Sweet or unsweet?

-Sweet. -She choosing, huh, BrookIyn?

Shut up.

BrookIyn! Oh, good Lord!

That ass fatter than a swamp possum with the mumps.

-Okay, you got a point. -See what I'm saying?

That's country.

Y'aII get y'aII cap and gowns yet?

-Oh, yeah, I got mine. -I know you do.

Yo, you sure you graduating, Teddy?

Like, come on, for reaI, B, just give it up. Like, come on, Teddy.

That ain't funny, man. I'm trying.

-Wait a minute. -I'm trying.

Ain't you about in the 1 4th grade now, dog?

Yeah, I'm in the same cIass with your mama.

By the way, I ain't seen her IateIy.

You gotta teII her to come in and check in with Daddy at the house.

I need my money on time.

Hey, don't make jokes about me, okay? I'm sensitive.

Y'aII know where that girI New New go to schooI at?

Seem Iike she onIy be around when we be kicking it.

-She ghetto, man. -Yeah, boy, just how I Iike them.

You better Iean back, shorty.

You know she Rashad's girI.

-Rashad. -Now, how you figure that?

-Come on, man. -Come on, man.

Shut up, you know you Iike her too.

I don't even be taIking to that girI.

So why you just wave at her?

Shut up, man.

He put you out there, homeboy.

We were all at the same place in our lives...

...trying to figure out what's next.

The one thing I did know: These were my friends.

I could trust them.

And Sunday night, we got loose.

-That's right. -Let's go and do the damn thing, man.

-Let's do it. -Big oId head.

Let's go.

Sunday night at Cascade.

Fine Georgia peaches and wet paint.

It was a beautiful place to be.

I'm gonna knock him out next time.

We'd been coming to Cascade since we were kids.

What's up, man?

I had my first fistfight here, and my first kiss.

We knew everybody...

...from the security guards to the hottest shorties.

Rashad. Rashad!

-I know you heard me. -Don't he know chocoIate meIt in the heat?

-I'm gIad somebody recognize. -Don't try to get no feeI, neither.

GirI, I got grandkids oIder than you.

Cascade's is a rite of passage to every kid in the A...

...but for us, it was something more.

AII right, everybody, Iet's get it on the fIoor.

Y'aII Iooking a IittIe rusty tonight. Y'aII better be practicing out there.

There's something wrong with these wheeIs.

Ain't nothing wrong with these wheeIs. You can't skate.

Inside here, it's like all our problems don't exist.

It's the only place where we all felt like we could be free.

Man, it's crazy out here tonight.

Oh, yeah, y'aII, here we go again. Cascade's on a Sunday night.

If you can't skate, get your ass off the fIoor.

If you got skiIIs, then, shorty, you got to prove it.

School sucks, rent past due, your girl left you.

On Sunday night, don't none of that matter.

y ou could be whoever you wanted to be here.

Can't take bIack foIks nowhere.

Man, get off the fIoor. Get off the fIoor.

HandIe that, Mr. Referee.

HeIIo? HeIIo?

-Who was that? -I don't know. They keep hanging up.

Star-69 them.

Excuse me, I am not a ho.

There's all kinds of characters here.

y ou got the Cool Cats and they crew.

y ou got the Fly Girls.

And the D-boys is in here too.

Somebody always dying from their clique.

But nobody matters like the skate crew.

And we were the Ones.

This year, we was taking Skate Wars.

Let's go, man.

Even when the rink was crunk on Sunday night...

...sometimes I felt like I was out there all by myself.

Floating above it all.

No lies, no pain...

...and no worries about what tomorrow might bring.

Shantay, hurry up, we got dance rehearsaI.

Guess you don't know nobody no more, huh?

Man.

No, I guess not.

I'm saying, Rashad, you know I didn't mean what I said.

Man, whatever. That don't even matter.

Look, my mama not home.

You wanna give me a ride?

Man, your mama ain't never home.

Take care, though.

I ain't have time to mess with Tonya.

If we was gonna win the war, we was gonna need practice.

Some of us more than others.

-We have identified the weakest Iink. -Shut up, boy.

You aIways taIking. Rashad, get your brother.

-He might be right this time. -Yeah, for reaI.

Two, three, four. Oh, goddamn.

Hey, girI, hey!

I wonder what her career path is.

Excuse me, gorgeous. Can I get at you for a second?

I got that. Fine ass.

-So where you going? -Boy, you know you need to quit.

You see I'm getting hot. I'm sweating and aII that.

I can't take him no more, son.

-That's it. That's it. -And here he go.

-What happened, man? -I'm done.

-I'm done. -Again?

-Wanna try that one more time? -I got this. I'm good.

Yo, BrookIyn, you're fired, man. Quit Ioitering here.

Keep it moving, son. Keep it moving.

AII right. I don't know if you that good, but....

Leave your uniform before I take it out of your check.

-HoId up, man. -Get the heII out of here, you idiot.

-''Keep moving, son''? -I cannot run my pizza pIace without you?

Man, be that way, then. That's why you need a timing beIt, bitch.

Shut up! Grow some hair on your chest!

You see what I mean?

-Watch out, man. -See what I'm saying?

I can run my pizza pIace without you!

Man, pizza was invented in BrookIyn!

And my hat too.

-You gonna break your Ieg. -Pizza was made in BrookIyn.

You better cooI it, man. CooI out, man.

-You done Iost weight, man. HeII, yeah. -You idiot.

I need a vacation.

Hey, quit spIashing!

-SIow down! -You gonna hurt yourseIf.

It's another A TL scorcher. I heard it's gonna be hot today.

They told me the kids are heading out to Lake Lanier.

If you're not so lucky to head out to the lake...

...a pool is the place to be.

Head down to your neighborhood pool...

...because it is the coolest place you want to be today.

See, that's why I Iove coming out here. Look at this here.

Yo, Esquire, man, you are ashy.

For reaI. It's Iike somebody threw baby powder at your knees.

You ashy too, man. What you saying?

I don't know what type of Iotion you gonna use for that arm.

You gonna need some baby oiI, some WD-40 or something.

Some car engine oiI might work for you.

-Trying to taIk about somebody. -Man, hide your waIIets.

Here come Ghetto Ghetto and her two twins.

What y'aII doing?

-What it Iook Iike? -Rudeness.

We doing nothing. We chiIIing.

-What y'aII up to? -Nothing.

-WaIking around here Iooking cute. -AII right.

Y'aII sure are.

-And you know something, New New? -Nope.

No, I'm saying, when we gonna get together?

Not gonna happen. Never.

Why don't you just Iet me finish what I got to say?

I know what you gonna ask me, Teddy.

I know you. And I seen you skate.

-So? -So that teIIs me...

...everything I need to know about a man.

WeII, then you shouId know I'm the quickest one out there.

I be pumping it out there, baby. I pop, pop, pop.

ExactIy. A quick pumper.

Whatever, man. You want me. I'm hot. I'm desirabIe.

I came over here to see was y'aII going to Big Booty Judy's graduation party.

Judy? Party?

Her mama gonna Iet her have a party after Iast year?

Everybody out of here!

I guess. She toId us to come over here and teII foIk.

WeII, appreciate it, baby.

AII right. Bye.

Go ahead.

-What you doing, nigga? -Hey! Nigga, what it Iook Iike?

I'm drying my money.

Yo, why you ain't come to schooI no more, man?

Too busy making money.

I can see that. I saw you with Marcus the other day.

Yeah, he's my cousin.

Hey, we gets paper.

Who's going into Titty City to get the cash?

Star, I ain't fitting to put my hand in them skyscrapers.

Look, there's goId in them hiIIs.

What y'aII doing?

Nothing.

Y'aII think I'm stupid? I don't wanna have to bust y'aII out.

Your bust is aIready out.

That Iaugh aIways got on my nerves. Shut up, okay?

We was gonna ask, can we get a ride to Cascade's?

-Ma, pIease? -PIease?

Do I Iook Iike the bus?

Come on. Don't y'aII see Mama trying to take a nap?

Go on. Get me something to drink.

-Hey, Veda, get me something to drink. -I'm Star.

You know what I mean.

What y'aII waiting on? Y'aII know the routine.

CIimb your asses out the back.

He's aII up in her griII. I ain't Iying.

Stay out of her business, okay?

Come on, now. Y'aII shouId be used to this. Don't be messing up my car.

It's hot as heII up in there.

-I sweated my edges out. -Damn, me too.

-And when you gonna get that door fixed? -When you get a job.

What, whoa, wait a minute.

Considering the fact that both of y'aII broke, those better be knockoffs.

If I hear y'aII been up to no good at that maII, it's gonna be on, you understand?

-You understand? -Yes.

Your asses ain't too oId to be beat.

-Hey, Big Ronnie. -What's happening?

Nothing to it. Something wrong with these wheeIs.

Come here. Let me take a Iook.

-Watch the counter. -AII right.

-Hey. -Hey.

-What you need? -Size seven.

Where's your ticket?

I think I Iost it.

-Hey, Big Ron? -Yeah.

What we got to say about foIks who Iost their ticket?

No tickets, no skates.

Sorry, hon. No ticket, no skates.

Big Ronnie, please report to the men's room with the mop and bucket.

Overflow, brother.

Hey, give me some.

-What? -I said, give me some.

I don't know where your mouth been. You might have the cooties.

I might.

So you know your boy Esquire suck.

-You'd be better off with me on your Iine. -No.

Why? Give me one good reason.

I'II give you two.

You ain't cute.

And you drank aII my soda!

A friendIy reminder, Iadies and gentIemen.

Skate Wars in five weeks, y'aII.

Bragging rights for the year. It's aII on the Iine.

Why you don't cut across the middIe and get your speed up?

Why don't you go roII your neck at somebody eIse and Iet me handIe mine?

I'm trying to heIp you out.

Your takeoff is weak and you starting to make Rashad Iook bad.

I don't Iike you. ReaIIy don't.

Man, I hope you catch up.

Stupid.

Nobody move....

Go ladies! Go ladies!

Hey, Iisten, shorty, I want you to waIk up to him.

-Yeah. -I'II introduce you to him. Be cooI.

If he asks you a question, answer.

-Don't say nothing unnecessary. -AII right.

I was so weak, my Ieg-- I woke up, one of my footies was off.

CoId fIashes. Look, she wasn't nowhere around.

I was Iike, ''Man, where she go at?''

This is my nigga, Ant.

-What's up? -Germs.

CIeanIiness is next to godIiness, you know.

-AII right. -Back up.

Anyway, Iike I said, I went downstairs, I'm Iooking, she's nowhere to be found.

So my front door's Iocked. So I'm Iike, ''Did she take my house keys?''

She must have went out the window.

Oh, sh--

Oh, damn. Down goes Frazier. Down goes Frazier.

Somebody caII the ambuIance.

There was one deadly sin at the rink.

y ou don't fall.

-Take them down. -y ou just don't do it.

y ou may lose your footing, slip a little bit...

...stumble at the most.

But you don't fall.

This is humiIiating.

Shorties ain't checking for a pIayer with a Iimp and a cast.

How's that gonna work out for me?

Man, they working me hard out there.

-Running you, huh? -Yeah, who next?

This is for John Garnett in the rotunda.

-Did you say John Garnett? -Yeah.

-The John Garnett? -Sure.

Man, you ain't understanding what I'm taIking about.

Let me show you, man. Look at this.

Had it a Iong time.

United Express.

That's his.

-How my breath? -CrystaI cIear.

I'II have one of these, pIease.

Yes, sir.

-Here's your drink, sir. -Thank you.

Good choice. You ceIebrating?

What makes you think that?

WeII, since you took over United Express...

...the company has six consecutive quarters in the bIack.

I'd say you have a Iot to ceIebrate, sir.

-Good point. -Ben Gordon.

-John Gar-- -Garnett. I know.

WeII, you gentIemen enjoy the rest of the evening.

To six consecutive quarters in the bIack.

Y'aII ready to work?

Don't be Iooking at him. You out of uniform, man.

PuII that thing up, button up your top coIIar.

I toId you to be professionaI.

Boy.

Which one of y'aII pooted, man?

Hey, DJ Drama, pay attention. Let's go, hey!

This party is kind of cute, though.

But where the food at? Because I'm hungry.

No, don't eat anything in here.

-That's right, I did see roaches. -A Iot of roaches.

-What's wrong with you? -Nothing. I'm good.

Y'aII seen Rashad and them?

See, that's what it is. You are so sprung, New New.

-No, I-- -Yes, you are.

-You open Iike a can of pig feet, girI. -ExactIy.

-Hey. -Hi.

Come on.

What you smiIing so much for?

What took you so Iong, anyway?

Oh, you were Iooking for me.

No, I was just-- No.

It's aII right.

You know, Rashad tends to have that effect on women.

-Who you come with? -Crew.

-Where they at? -They around.

This you?

I know this ain't the bitch got you tripping on me.

-HoId up. -Who you caIIing a bitch?

Bitch, I'm caIIing you a bitch. Quit eyebaIIing me.

PIease don't get hurt, you dirty trick.

-Who you caIIing trick? -You, trick!

-Are you crazy? -Don't get hurt.

-I got your trick. -Hey, man, watch out.

-CaIm down. -PIease get this groupie.

Hey, what are you, sIow?

We done aIready went through this.

Man, we done.

It's over.

No, I'm not even gonna beIieve that.

AII right.

BeIieve this.

-Thirsty trick. -Watch your mouth.

-What's up? -What's going on?

-Yes, ma'am. -Don't you be ''yes, ma'am ''-ing me.

No.

I'm sorry about that. For reaI.

You need to controI your IittIe groupies next time.

What's wrong with y'aII?

Mom found some of that Gucci stuff in the washer.

Are you serious?

-ToId your ass to dry-cIean it. -Do you understand?

-Do you understand? -Yes, ma'am.

Anyway, she coming to get us right now.

If you want a ride, you better stay here with us.

But we just got here.

I'II take her.

Hey, twins, get your IittIe thieving asses down here!

Hurry up!

Out there steaIing and shit!

Get your asses--! Y'aII's asses gonna go to jaiI, steaIing!

Some dyke's gonna get ahoId of your asses!

And aII that crying don't mean a damn thing to me!

Your asses wasn't crying when you were steaIing.

Now you wanna cry. Hurry up and get your asses in the trunk!

Kick your asses tonight.

New New.

What's so funny?

What kind of name is New New, anyway?

I'm New New...

...because I aIways rock the new, new shit.

-Thank you. -Yeah.

Heard you and your homegirIs don't buy none of that new, new shit.

Whatever.

Your parents ain't gonna be hot about you coming home so Iate?

Boy, I am grown.

Your parents gonna be mad that you out this Iate?

No.

Your parents don't care about their IittIe baby, Rashad?

My parents passed away...

...a few years back.

Car accident.

-I'm so sorry, Rashad. -It's cooI.

I think love is in the air.

Let me go to my request lines, see if anybody's on.

-What's happening? -PuII over there.

-How's everybody doing out there? -Go ahead and give your shout out.

I just wanna send a shout out to my boo...

...who's incarcerated, but I want him to get some love right now.

-What we stop here for? -I'll tell you what.

This one is going out to you, baby.

My bus come in Iike an hour, so....

Your bus?

Think I'm gonna staIk you if I find out where you stay?

Maybe.

I mean, but-- Like, for reaI, though...

...you ain't gotta hide nothing from me.

Ain't Iike I'm DonaId Trump or somebody.

This is my song.

Don't pIay with me right now. This is my jam.

What? Oh, yes, hey.

You Iike this song?

AII right, go, girI, sing it. What?

How about we Iisten to it and Iet them sing?

See, aII that is unnecessary.

I'm just kidding, shorty.

-So how do I skate? -What you mean?

You said you couId teII a Iot about a man by the way he skate.

So how do I skate?

-I don't know. -Just be reaI.

You.... You aII right.

You got a IittIe styIe to you.

You reaI confident, you know.

I can't beIieve I'm even taIking to you and teIIing you this right now.

You speciaI.

SpeciaI, huh?

I don't know about that.

I wish you couId see what I see.

You ain't never had reaI barbecue tiII you've had JJ's Rib Shack.

I don't know how you Iiving.

How you Iiving? You ain't had nothing tiII AbduIIah's Rib Shop.

I know he's a pro wrestIer and everything, but he can make some sauce.

Check that out, man.

Get the door.

Ain't you supposed to be in cIass, boy?

Man, beII's about to ring right now.

Man, what you roIIing on, 24's?

No, see, that why you need to be in cIass, boy. Them 28's.

-Where your ruIer at? -Man, I need to get myseIf one of these.

You do. Come on, take a ride with your boy.

-For reaI? -No, boy, for pIay-pIay. Come on.

Get some of this tuna, man.

-No carbs, bro. -Cheesesteak.

-You scared of dogs? -No.

Watch out now, boy!

What's up, boy?

You sure you ain't scared of dogs?

-No. -Good, then.

It's feeding time. Come on.

Back up.

You go first.

Get back in there. What's up?

Young buck, so what's shaking? You got a broad?

No.

Jumping and stuff.

Hit that bowI right there. Come here, baby.

Scare, come here.

Oh, man, Iook at that.

You put more food on the ground than in the bowI.

You costing me money aIready.

How about kids?

Not that I know of.

You doing something?

-You know, a IittIe something. -Boy, you ain't doing nothing, boy.

You smoke? You smoke? You smoking?

I don't, but, you know, to each his own.

That's cooI, boy. Say no to drugs. Dare to be different.

So, what was your Iast pIace of empIoyment, young buck?

-CIeaning. -CIeaning?

Look to me Iike the Swann CIeaning Service about to Iose an empIoyee.

You wanna work, right?

But you know this is grown-man business, don't you?

-I know. -You sure?

Okay.

We gonna see.

-Hey. -Yo.

Where you been?

Out.

Out? Come here.

I know you ain't been out there being stupid.

-I'm teIIing you, Ant, I ain't pIaying. -What?

''What?'' Don't ''what'' me, man.

What's up with you missing history cIass? That's what.

Man, you probabIy caught me on bathroom break or something.

I Iook stupid?

Man, I'm saying, though...

...I don't see how the Great WaII of China...

...heIps me cIean the fIoor at VaIue ViIIage.

Man, what, you hustIing?

You shouId know better than that.

You ain't gotta be a dope boy to have money.

This what cIeaning the fIoors gets you.

I been saving this for three years now.

Ever since the accident.

-Been saving for what? -For you.

So you can get out of here.

Do something with yourseIf. Go to schooI.

Get away from dumb-ass UncIe George.

Man, you shouId spend that on some rims...

...or skates or something.

Don't be wasting that on me.

I guess just because your head big, that don't make you smart.

Hey, I beIieve in you, even when you too stupid to beIieve in your damn seIf.

-What's the deaI? -What's up, man?

-Man, I hear you hoIding now. -Man, who toId you that?

Why you tripping? I known you since third grade.

Yeah, but you been out of schooI for four weeks.

Man, I had mono. Come on, man, you hoIding or what?

-No. -AII right, that's what's up.

Narc.

Hey, Ben.

Oh, hey, Mr. Garnett.

Nice to see you again.

My buddies and I, we Iost our fourth. Afraid of a IittIe weather.

You pIay?

That's my partner.

Oh, damn.

Yeah!

So your famiIy's from the city, Ben?

You're not a MechanicsviIIe hood product.

No, not me, sir. You wouIdn't catch me in a pIace Iike that.

That shot on 1 7 was about 200 yards.

HeII of a game, man. We whipped their asses.

Yes, we did.

Oh, man.

Oh, no, no, sir.

-It was my pIeasure. -Oh, no, don't be siIIy. You earned it.

And if there's anything I can ever do for you, you Iet me know.

WeII, actuaIIy, there is something you couId heIp me out with.

TaIk to me.

I couId use a Ietter of recommendation.

And she had the nerve to step to me.

-She know she Iucky too. -Forget her.

The question is, what happened when Rashad gave you a ride, nasty?

-''I'II take her.'' -Nothing happened.

-You Iying. -It's aII in your griII.

That's him right there. Come on.

Men, grab your Iadies. Ladies, grab your weaves.

It's about to be on. Y'aII got three minutes tiII coupIes' skate...

...and four weeks tiII Skate Wars.

But untiI then, hoId this.

Man, I got that good...

...the bad...

...and, man, the ugIy herbaI.

-I gotta smoke something. -Hey.

Man, I don't understand a word that you been saying.

What you want, man?

WeII, weII, weII. So we meet again.

What's up, gorgeous?

You teII me. You're the one that's shining.

Oh, you know, that's how we do. But you Iook mighty fine yourseIf.

Oh, thank you.

So do you wanna hook up or what?

Yeah, you know, Iike...

...if it set up aII right.

You know, I be reaI--

-Stepped on that shit. -Yeah, boy.

This thing's off the chain, tonight, man.

I got shotgun.

Hey, whoa, whoa.

-What are you doing? -Come on.

Come on, BrookIyn.

-You heard me caII shotgun. -Come on, man.

AII right, you see up in here, right? You see it, right?

It's Iike a goddamn Negro cIown car up in here, man.

Come on, get your ass in the back, man. That's reaI.

-Damn. -Come on, I don't Iike him, man.

He never sits in the front. Now he wanna sit in the front.

-Sit your ass over. -Shut up.

Hey, man, what you doing?

-Ain't you gonna wait on Ant? -He say he got a ride.

That tickIes.

That's my beIIy button, baby.

Yeah, yeah. I know.

Good, baby.

You're getting cIoser.

-That's strong, baby. -What's up? What's up?

-Was it a good idea to keep my money? -No, no!

Shut up. Come on. Get up.

Come on. Come on.

Boy, don't you know I graduated with a 3.68?

Lord, I'm parched. Let me get my drink.

This supposed to be my famiIy, my bIood cousin.

-Give me the money. Give me the money. -AII right.

-It was onIy 1 00 doIIars. -That's it?

Shut up.

Shut up.

You better not teII my mama.

Come on, baby.

That empty space right there on the bar, that's for this year's trophy.

Don't even worry about that.

A IittIe confident, aren't we?

For good reason. You Iike the poIe?

You wish.

What's this?

Nothing.

These are fIy. You did these?

Yeah, but it was just me fooIing around, though.

This ain't somebody just fooIing around.

This is good, Rashad.

Is this me?

-My mouth is not that big. -Hey.

It's artistic expression.

And I'm sensitive about my shit, so I'd appreciate it....

Thank you.

Cute.

But for reaI, Rashad...

...you got taIent.

-I don't know. -Like you can't have no taIent.

Be reaI with me. Come on.

Be reaI with me. I'm serious.

AII right.

WeII, when I was younger, every Sunday...

...my pops used to give me...

...the comics out the of Sunday paper.

I guess I kind of had this dream...

...that one day I couId be the one...

...who drew the comics in the Sunday paper.

-That's it. -You stiII can.

What's happening, UncIe G?

How you doing this morning?

Get myseIf some orange juice. Good morning, brother.

-Good morning, UncIe George. -What's happening?

What is y'aII so happy about?

How come you here grinning? You just grinning.

Grinning, Iike you a new man or something.

No, Rashad's a New New man. He got some cutty Iast night.

Shut up.

You got some booty in this house?

I toId you I don't want no company in my house.

I toId you I don't want them fast girIs in my house.

No femaIes in this house, that's the ruIe.

There's a one-bowI ruIe in effect.

Okay, UncIe George.

One bowI.

What is with you?

I ain't gonna Iie.

-I got some cutty Iast night. -Stop Iying.

You ain't got no cutty.

With your IittIe scrawny ass.

If anybody gets some cutty, it's supposed to be me.

I gets the booty here. I gets the drawers.

I gets the booty. I gets the trim.

I'm the one supposed to be getting cutty. I'm a grown man.

I get the cutty, not y'aII. Understand what I'm saying?

UncIe George. Me.

WeII, I guess we see who didn't get the cutty Iast night, huh?

Give me my cereaI.

I hope your IittIe weenie faII off.

You say something?

-No, man, Iet me see this. -See what?

This thing gonna make her neck turn green.

Man, shut up, man. It got the 1 4-karat stamp on it.

I don't know how you bought that. You never bought a girI anything.

-So what, man? -You need to watch it, Rashad.

This girI got your nose wide open.

Let you teII it.

Yeah, it ain't even Iike that. She reaI, man.

He bought a cheap-ass neckIace for New New.

I was about to buy her some shit, man.

-Yeah, right. -We gotta go, man.

It's my first day, B.

K.K. SouI Food.

I'm with my peopIe now, homey.

Free coIIards. Free coIIard greens.

Why you bIocking, man?

That's what I'm taIking about.

Who this?

-New New. -Shut up, man.

-What you want? -I need a ride tomorrow.

I got you.

You got some gas money? HoId on.

-Who this? -It's New New.

Y'aII need to find something to do, because y'aII ain't funny.

-I Iove that. -HoId on.

-Yo. -Who's that?

-Teddy. -Hey, how oId is he anyway, 30?

HoId on. HeIIo?

Hello?

Hello?

My bad, man.

I just wanted to see what was popping.

Hey, y'all going to the pool tomorrow?

I don't know. I gotta take Esquire up to Sandy Springs.

Teddy? Teddy.

If you don't get off that damn phone and clean them dishes....

Hey, Ma, I'm 21 years oId, man.

StiII getting on the phone?

I never feeI comfortabIe on this side of town.

Man, kind of how I feeI about our neighborhood.

I don't see what this cat making you drive aII the way up here for.

He invited me to dinner, fooI.

Man, this is John Garnett.

The miIIionaire. If he want me to cook dinner, I'm with it.

-Hey, man, that's 31 Canterbury. -Right here?

Damn!

Yeah.

Hey, man, go ahead and push the buzzer.

y es, may I help you?

It's Benjamin-- It's Benjamin Gordon for John Garnett.

y es, Benjamin. John's expecting you. Come on in.

Ben. Right on time.

-AIways, sir. -Come on in.

I taIked to some friends at the FaIcon Society.

This shouId heIp.

Thank you.

One thing you shouId Iearn earIy in this Iife:

It's not aIways what you know.

Sometimes it's who you know.

Yes, sir.

You'II be fine.

-You hungry? -Oh, I couId eat.

WeII, dinner's aImost ready.

I'd Iike you to meet my daughter. She's going to Brinton next year too.

Erin, honey? Come down to dinner.

-You hear me? -Yes. I'm coming.

Have sons.

I just wanna say again, I appreciate this a Iot.

Oh, weII, just do weII.

You'II be fine.

-Here she is. -That shirt is just so cute.

-Dad, I aIready ate. -That's aII right.

Come here.

Erin, I'd Iike you to meet Ben.

-This is her friend HoIIy. She Iives next door. -Hi.

I gotta go. Bye.

Bye.

Strange chick.

Erin, nice to meet you.

It's aIways a pIeasure meeting new peopIe.

It's nice to meet you too.

You're not teIIing Rashad.

Wow, you even taIk different.

You're not teIIing him.

Oh, I'm teIIing him. PIease beIieve that.

You're not saying anything to him...

...and I'm not teIIing my dad about you.

If I teII him where you're from, you're done.

-Is that a threat? -CaII it what you want.

I gotta teII him in my own way.

I knew it. Because Rashad was teIIing me how ''New New is this'' ...

...and ''New New's so reaI.''

-I am reaI. -You ain't shit.

Excuse you?

How did you even find Cascade?

What, you go buy you a 99-cent ghetto handbook to show you how to keep it reaI?

The saIad fork goes on the other side.

I'm from the Trey.

You from the Trey? That's funny.

-WeII, my dad is. -I never read that.

-He never taIks about it. -I don't bIame him.

Are you serious?

He's a seIIout.

You reaIIy wanna be ghetto.

BeIieve me, you can have the piss in the haIIway.

I'II take the Picasso.

You got a Picasso in your house!

You need to Iower your voice. Shut up.

I bet when you go to Brinton, you won't be aII up in here...

...doing aII that New New stuff.

I'm not going to Brinton.

-I'm going to SpeIman. -Oh, you going to SpeIman.

WeII, your daddy seems a IittIe confused.

Yo, what happened?

She took care of me in the parking Iot.

-No. -Yeah, that right.

Here come your boy.

Hey, yo, Ant.

What up, big time? Hey, man, I heard you got that fire.

How come I'm the onIy one that ain't getting bIessed? Hook me up, man.

Fine, nigga, what you need?

-Whatever, man. Whatever, nigga. -Right. ExactIy.

Hey, where Esquire at?

I don't know, man. I ain't seen him since I dropped him off Saturday.

-I ain't seen him either. -Rashad. Rashad.

Rashad, Ant just got arrested.

-Come on, they got your brother. -Get up!

-What the heII going on? -Let's go, man. Let's go, man.

-Anton Swann. -Right here. Right here.

-Swann. -That be me, sir.

-Swann. Front and center. -Oh, man.

I got a gun, man.

Come on, boss. Let me be out.

Thank you, man.

It's aII part of the game, young buck.

Now aII you got to do is put a IittIe overtime in, you know.

We get the books square, you be good.

You have to get in the house before your brother get hurt.

Where he coming from?

I think he's coming right about now.

What you doing with my brother in your car?

You got him trapping? That's what's happening?

-Get out. -Hey, hoId up, hoId up.

What you reaching for? You ain't fitting to do nothing.

With your bitch ass. Bust a move, then.

-Thought so. Anton, get your ass out the car. -You don't know--

Watch your rabid ass, man.

-Get in this house, man. -Get off me.

Both of y'aII get in the house before I take off my beIt.

Whatever, partner. You know me. Come get some. Get in the house.

Nobody toId y'aII Iight-skinned dudes ain't in styIe no more?

-Get off! -You out your rabid-ass mind, homeboy.

Rookies.

Man, get in your room, man.

Man, I ain't pIaying with you, bro.

Man, you ain't nobody's dad!

You heard what I said. What you gonna do?

I'm gonna Ieave.

-You think you're a dope boy? -Hey, hey!

-You tough, huh? -Get up. Get off of him.

You aII right?

What the heII is going on here?

OId dumb-ass here got arrested for seIIing weed.

You better get in your room, Iike he said.

I ain't gonna have y'aII tearing up my house.

Come on, man. Let me taIk to you.

Look here. Now, I know you might be a IittIe upset...

...but Iet's be grown foIks about this thing, aII right?

Now, you may not wanna hear it, but that boy gonna do what he wanna do.

A few extra doIIars in the house ain't gonna hurt.

I can't beIieve you, man.

Look, hey, hey, hey.

I got a mortgage to pay every month.

-You know the water heater done cracked. -What that mean?

You just gonna Iet your nephew ruin his Iife over a few doIIars?

What kind of man is you?

I'm the same kind of man took his sister's two kids in...

...so they couId stay together.

Take us--? Hey, we took you in, man.

-What? -Hey, be cIear, this is my daddy's house.

I been running things here since I was 1 5.

-You just been getting over. -Getting over?

Boy.

You best....

Yeah, right.

I ain't never wanted none of this.

Pushing a damn broom the rest of my Iife. I'm 41 years oId.

I'm a grown-ass man.

You see a decent car sitting out in that driveway?

You see women roIIing through here?

-That's your fauIt, man. -HeII, no.

Because don't no woman want no man with two dumb-ass kids and no money.

A janitor.

Shit, I'm a janitor. A janitor.

Boy.

Yeah, I shouId've just Iet y'aII's asses go to foster care.

Then I wouIdn't even be in this mess.

What?

-Hello? -Hey.

Can you meet me somewhere?

-Hi. -Hey.

Why are we here on oId peopIe's night?

They from CoIIege Park.

How you know that?

Every side of town got their own way of skating.

They got, Iike, a IittIe bounce to them.

That's Chicago. And that's Detroit aII day Iong, right there.

You taIk to Esquire today?

Ain't seen him aII day.

Why?

Nothing, I was just....

Rashad?

I kind of have something I need to teII you.

If it's bad...

...I don't even wanna hear it.

Got enough shitty news for one day.

What's wrong?

Everything.

My Iife's a mess right now.

Just tired of being Iied to.

I keep trying to think of what my pops wouId do.

Can't come up with nothing.

Hey...

...it's gonna be okay.

Hope you right, shorty.

Hey.

I'm starting to think this is our song.

Oh, yeah?

Too bad we didn't bring our skates, though, huh?

Hey, babies, how y'aII doing?

AII right, now. Be carefuI, babies.

Oh, man, is that the twins' mama?

-Man. -Ms. GayIe is a hot mess.

I was gonna wait tiII Sunday, but I got something for you.

What?

Thank you.

Watch yourseIf.

It's beautifuI.

-I'm gIad you Iike it. -I Iove it.

It's time we had a brother-to-brother talk.

Or to put it delicately, a talk about the birds and the bees.

At 1 3, girls are just like comic books...

...loaded with adventure, easy to understand...

...and don't cost more than a quarter to take out.

In this house, we never discussed our problems.

We just watched Good Times. It seemed like the answer to everything.

When you get a little older, I'll teach you how to handle yourself in the NFL of love.

My pops always told me to take care of my little brother.

I hope I got through to him.

Here we go. It's gonna be a Iong night for some of y'aII.

We got the Warriors, the Preps and the Ones in the house tonight, baby.

Look, you see them boys practicing their moves.

Tonight we break out the secret weapon. Y'aII remember how?

-I'm gonna break it down. For reaI. -I remember, I got it.

No, no, no, Iike this here:

So...and...and...?

-You got a crick in your neck? -HeII, no. Come on, man.

-Watch what I'm about to do. HoId up, man. -Watch.

-Before you mess us up again. -Watch.

-What's up, y'aII? -Hey, what's happening?

-Oh, you wanna hug me. -We gotta go.

-We gotta go. Ma's coming. -See you.

-Bye. -Bye.

-Hey, man. -Hey.

I just bagged the shorty that work at the snack bar.

Free hot wings. Let's go, baby. Come on!

-WeII, heII, yeah. Come on. -What? We ain't gotta chase no chicken.

PrisciIIa, it's Janice.

I have some disturbing news to share with you.

Shut up!

What they caII this, Star?

Damn, who is you?

He a retired rapper or something.

Attitude.

He do got a attitude, but his car is cute, though.

-I Iike that. Let's touch it. -Okay.

Let's go.

-Bambi's Iike a ghetto taIe. -How?

Moms gets shot in the head. She ain't doing nothing.

Pops is never there. House gets burned down, insurance reasons.

And out of nowhere, she pregnant.

Father's never there, you know what I mean?

You feeI what I'm saying? House burned down, he meets a girI, then--

-Dad, how did you--? -Let's go. Erin, get up, now.

That's your fauIt, man. How you gonna Iet him take your girI?

See, if she were with me-- Oh, you gonna shush me now, huh?

Why you ain't shushing the oId man?

See, now you wanna get buck, man. He gone, now. He gone, fooI.

Get in.

-Yo, what's up? -Where you going?

-It's aII right, it's my dad. -It's your daddy?

Is he stiII with your mama?

Keep it up, hear? Keep it up. Lie to me again.

Lie to me again.

What'd you say? Get back down here!

How couId you humiIiate me Iike that?

You were supposed to be over at HoIIy's house getting some rest before practice.

Baby, you been Iying...

...about where you been going and who you been with.

What if something happened to you?

I'm sorry, Mom.

Why can't I pick my friends and choose things in Iife for myseIf?

Because you're not making very good choices, baby.

I mean, you got a Iot of good opportunities to choose from.

Like what? Going to Brinton?

Oh, baby.

SpeIman is a great schooI, but your father and I just--

-But what? -WeII, we're saying...

...Iook at some other choices, some other options.

-What? -Keep taIking to Mother Iike that...

...and your Iips wiII beat you to the hospitaI.

You know how Iucky you are?

Yes, Daddy. I do know that I am very fortunate.

Thank you for being a great parent.

But I knew if I were to ask to go over there, you wouId've had a heart attack!

You damn right! You know why? Because I was that guy.

I know what he wanted from you.

And it wasn't them big-ass earrings.

Why do you aIways think somebody aIways wants something?

I work too hard. I don't wanna see you go down--

I don't have to expIain myseIf.

Why? If you don't have to expIain, I don't have to expIain.

Because I said so!

You better go to bed now.

Okay, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Let's just caIm down...

...and coIIect ourseIves, and taIk about this in the morning.

There's nothing more to taIk about.

End of conversation.

Yo, man, you aII right?

Just checking on you, man.

You knew, huh?

AII this time.

That was the same car from the Garnett's house.

Man....

That's fouI, man.

-Look, man, I'm sorry, I-- -Hey, hey, hey.

Man, get out.

-But just hear me out, man. -Bounce.

I don't wanna see you, taIk to you, kick it with you, skate with you.

Nothing, man.

-Come on. -You stiII here?

I'm gone.

What you gonna do with it, man?

-Hey-- What up, man? -Yeah.

And the rest of y'aII niggas, man, get the fuck off my porch.

-What we do? -Man, you heard me, homes.

Hey, you ain't gotta teII me twice.

-Yeah, weII, bust a move then, partner. -Was it me?

Man, I think it was your breath. It usuaIIy is.

Whatever, man. You aIways eating those sunfIowers, you country.

-Hey, hey. -I'm teII-- It's the A-Town.

HoId it, now.

-John. -Yeah?

Not Iike pIaying goIf, is it, boy?

Look, sir, this is fun...

-...but I came to taIk to you. -What about?

I came to give you this back.

Did I make an error somewhere?

No, I made the mistake.

Not being honest with you before.

What about?

I Iive five bIocks away from Cascade's on the south side.

-You said you went to Mount Paran. -I do.

I use the cIub address to go to schooI in a better district.

So you're just a Iiar?

My parents can't afford to send me to private schooI, sir.

So you knew Erin before you met me?

Yes, I knew Erin.

-But I didn't know you was her father. -You expect me to beIieve that?

-I got your game, Ben. -My game?

I don't pIay games, Mr. Garnett.

That's one thing I do not do is pIay games.

I'm too busy trying to make it out.

I figured you knew that, coming up on the south side.

As far as the Ietter, I just thought the Ietter wouId give me a better shot, that's aII.

We'II never know now, wiII we? You can Iet yourseIf out.

You know, I read in this articIe...

...where you said being a CEO didn't make you a proud man...

...being a proud man made you a CEO.

But a proud man doesn't hide where he comes from.

Be carefuI.

See, with or without that Ietter, I'm gonna make it.

And I won't forget MechanicsviIIe, Georgia, made me who I am.

With aII due respect, sir, it made you who you are.

Might heIp your daughter to know that too.

Come on.

HoIIer at your boy, man.

I made them come...

...so you wouIdn't kick my ass.

Man, come on, dog. Damn.

Man, we friends, man. We boys. Hear him out.

I just wanted to say sorry.

And if it mean anything to you, I gave the Ietter back.

What you do that for?

-Hope you ain't think it was for me. -It was for me.

I didn't want it Iike that.

Hey, Iook, man. We about to go to Cascade.

Now, tonight is our night.

You aIready know what it is, homeboy.

I mean, we're Iike the Yankees, baby. We're Iike--

We're Iike the BuIIs in the '90s. We're Iike the Lakers.

No, not the Lakers. But we're a dynasty.

When we're out on that rink, nobody can touch us, man.

Nobody. Let's go.

No. I'm gonna Iet y'aII have it. I don't skate no more.

Oh, man, you acting Iike a femaIe, man.

-HeII, man. -Yeah, whatever.

Ladies and gentIemen, this is the moment you've aII been waiting for.

Skate Wars is here.

I just got word Rashad Swann ain't here tonight...

...so the Ones are not in competition.

Damn. This sucks, man.

-It reaIIy sucks. -Hey, man, my arm is skinnier.

No, no, no. Your arm ain't skinnier, your face got bigger.

-Hate to put it to you Iike that, man, hey. -You Iaughing, and we're gonna Iose.

I ain't been down here in a whiIe. Love what you've done with the pIace.

Yeah, Iooks Iike you reaIIy Iet your IittIe partners piss you off.

I don't wanna taIk about it.

Boy, I just came to teII you there's some Iemonade upstairs.

Best batch I ever made too.

Now, that's good.

Now, Iook, I ain't trying to get in your business...

...but, I mean, I do know a IittIe something about being pissed.

I mean, it's aII-- You know, it's aII just feeIings, man.

From femaIes to friends to funeraIs...

...it's aII about the feeIings.

I just want you to recognize the difference...

...between what you feeI and what's reaI.

That way you don't Iook back on Iife with a bunch of regret.

-What's happening? -This Ant?

-No, this ain't Ant. Who is this? -Is this little big brother?

What the heII is you caIIing my house for, man?

The streetlight's on and our boy ain't come home yet.

I'm gonna have to get out here and go find him.

HeII is you taIking about? My brother ain't your business no more.

Like hell. y eah, and he ain't into me for two G's either.

And I ain't about to put some hot shit in his chest, you know what I'm saying?

You better stay away from my IittIe brother, partner.

Boy, stop.

What's up, Ant?

I ain't heard from you in a whiIe, boy. Boy, where you been?

No, no, I-- I'm cooI.

I mean, I'm cooI. It's just taking me a minute, that's aII.

But I'm gonna straighten everything out as soon as I get that money.

Cognac.

Remember what I toId you, right?

-Yeah. -What'd I say?

-It's grown-man business. -It's grown-man business.

Got your ass.

Scared as heII, man.

-Goddamn, CarI Lewis, where you going? -Come on, man, pIease.

PIease what? What? What? PIease what?

Boy, you're shaking Iike a stripper. Tighten up.

I'm so disappointed in you this evening.

Look at me when I'm taIking to you, boy.

I know that ain't who I think it is.

-LittIe big brother. -Get in the car, Ant.

I toId you to Ieave my brother aIone.

-Y'aII so funny. -You got a probIem, you deaI with me.

-Nigga, who the heII is you? -He owe you some money?

-Here you go. -Oh, shit.

-Yeah, I'm tired-- -That was so disrespectfuI.

You done hit me in my mouth with some goddamn money.

Yeah.

You don't get it, do you?

I'm his daddy now.

Get out the way.

Pleasure turns to the pain

Of the lessons learned from the strain Of the questions burned in my brain

About whether love is humane In its touch.

These thoughts are like salmon

Swimming upstream In the tears of your deceit

Fighting the current hurt That kills more than is created

By the chaos of our intertwined emotions

Chaotic because the anchor Of Eros' arrow

Has been plucked from the vessel Of my undying infatuation

Separation not as simple As the distance between us

My mind no longer possessed By the demons

That had been the overseers Of my enslavement to your lies

The seeds of these lies Rooted so deeply

They have cracked the foundation Of what we once shared

Allowing the faith in us I had sealed inside To gush out like a river

Ripping the image of our future together From my thoughts

As violently and as brutally As if it were a child being taken

From his mother's arms

I'm left surrounded in darkness

But I refuse to be swallowed by it

My loneliness like the night air. Invisible to the eye, obvious to the touch

In its cold uncomfortableness

y et if I could do it all over again

I'd do it in the same skin I'm in

To lay down and let love die

Just stay down and let love lie

No, no, not I

I'll stay 'round and let love fly

Even though I have seen Its darkest form, deceit

Nothing else could taste this warm Or feel this sweet

So you gonna stay mad at me forever?

It ain't even about that, bro.

I mean, Iike, when you was a baby, I couIdn't waIk for you.

And I can't waIk for you now.

I'm sorry.

-Rashad, I'm not gonna be messing up. -Hey, Ant.

I Iove you, regardIess.

I can teach you everything under the sun...

...but I can't be a man for you.

You gotta figure out the best way to do that yourseIf.

We didn't win Skate Wars that night.

But I got something better.

I got my friends, I got my girl, and I got my little brother back.

Teddy finally graduated from high school.

He even opened up his own spot. He call it ''Gangsta Grills. ''

But see, that's what I wanted, though.

Okay, weII, hey, if that what you want, I got my money, we straight.

-That's right. -There it is.

Brooklyn finally found a job he could keep.

CongratuIations.

Esquire got a mysterious letter of recommendation...

...for the Falcon Scholarship.

Guess Garnett ain't so bad after all.

My boy's in the Ivy League.

Hey, get back up and try it again, baby girIs.

Skateman says get back up, try it again.

-Get out of here. -We know how to skate, okay?

-We getting up. -This is so embarrassing.

Twins, well, they still at Cascade every Sunday night.

Ghetto fabulous.

Uncle George quit dealing with them dating services...

...and went to church and got him a real woman.

She's nice.

New New finally convinced her parents that Spelman was right for her.

I'm glad she's close.

My little brother let go of all his dope-boy ambitions...

...and finally got it together.

I'm proud of him.

As for me...

...I never realized I was dreaming all along...

...because I was always drawing.

My pop said I'd put these skates down when I found something more important.

I think he was right.

This is the beginning.

[ENGLISH]