Original subtitles

[birds singing]

[distant barking]

Hi. Morning.

[barking]

[car alarm chirps off]

Come on, Gizmo. We're gonna be late.

[barking]

[door squeaks open]

[barking]

-♪ I don't know...♪ -♪ You just got me actin' so crazy♪

♪ This could be love♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, baby♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, baby...♪

[sighs, sniffles]

♪ Whatever you want, I'm so gone, I can't think♪

♪ Whatever you want♪

♪ And I think it might be love♪

-♪ This could be love♪ -♪ This could be love♪

-♪ Ooh, ooh, baby♪ -♪ Oh, baby, baby♪

♪ Got me acting up♪

-♪ I'm digging on you♪ - [computer chimes]

-♪ I'm digging on you♪ -♪ I don't know what to do♪

♪ No, no, no, no, no no, no, no♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, baby, ooh, baby, baby♪

♪ Got me acting up, don't know what to do♪

♪ You got me so in love♪

♪ 'Cause I'm digging on you♪

♪ I'm so in love♪

-♪ Ooh, ooh, baby, ooh, ooh, baby♪ -♪ Hey♪

-♪ Hey, baby♪ -♪ Don't know what to do wit you, baby♪

♪ You got me going crazy♪

-♪ You just got me acting so crazy♪ -♪ Uh-huh, oh...♪

Oh, my God.

["Kokomo, IN" by Japanese Breakfast begins]

♪ If I could throw my arms♪

♪ Around you for just...♪

[phone ringing]

- Hello. - ALFRED: Earn. Hey, man.

Look, you remember my gamertag login?

How the hell would I know that? Just reset it.

Yeah, what the hell you think I've been trying to do, man?

It just keeps saying go into my old email or something.

Which email?

AIM?

As in AOL?

Oh, that's what that is. Yeah, nigga, that one.

Mm. I-I don't know, dude.

What's the password hint?

It say it's my favorite movie.

Favorite movie...

Scarface?

Scarface, right? Like, that's got to be it, man.

- Hold on. Let me try that. - No.

Man, it was in middle school. Try Mulan.

[laughs] Nigga. Mulan.

Oh, shit. I think that worked.

Yeah.

Hey, what you on for today, ma?

[sighs] Therapy.

Say that again. You on... W-What you doing?

Therapy.

[laughs] See how rich I'm making you?

Bye, Alfred. I'll talk to you later.

No, hold on. So, hold on, hold on. Wait. Oh, so,

you rich rich? Hey, Darius.

Hey, man, he rich off my 15%.

This fool giving money away.

- All right. Bye. - For therapy, nigga. [laughs]

And make sure to call that realtor. Bye.

- Aight, aight. - [phone beeps off]

♪

♪ Keed, talk to 'em♪

-♪ Warrior, warrior♪

-♪ Warrior♪ -♪ Warrior, warrior♪

-♪ Ah♪ -♪ Warrior.♪

- TILLMAN: How was your week? - Fine.

Uh, probation ended.

Uh, my alma mater asked me to speak,

- so... - [phone dings]

[clock ticking]

Hold on.

[phone whooshing]

Sorry.

Um...

Where-where was I? I don't...

Probation, Princeton.

Right.

Um, really is, um, getting a sense of, uh...

[phone dings]

- Sorry. Sorry. - Hmm.

[sighs]

Earn, I know it can be hard to disconnect,

but we can't have productive sessions

with your cellphone on, Earn.

It's important. I can't pay for this if I don't do this.

You seem... frustrated.

I am. I'm having heart troubles, and my doctor is telling me

I need to get my head checked.

That sounds serious.

I hope I can help, but to do so, we can't have distractions.

So, what did your doctor say?

I have a tightness in my chest

and a pain, numbness going down my left arm.

They say I'm healthy. They think I'm lying.

Do you have reason to think they don't believe you?

If they did it to Kim Porter, they'll do it to me.

I had to get a second opinion. They got me

walking around like Alita: Battle Angel all weekend.

Whoa! EKG machine.

Yeah.

- What's their guess? - Depression,

panic attacks, anxiety.

- You know, a smattering. - Hmm.

Well, I mean, panic and anxiety can manifest in many forms.

You should listen to your body. It's smarter than you think.

Yeah, but anxiety about what?

You know, my life is good. It's not a flex,

like, work is really good.

I'm making more money than I've ever made.

You know, the agency keeps giving me more clients.

- I mean, it's great. - Good.

How are things at home?

[clock ticking]

Good. Fine.

Uh, I'm redecorating the condo, so...

Which honestly doesn't make much sense

if I'm moving out of state.

Wow. That's a really big decision.

What... what changed?

Uh... I got a job offer in L.A.

- Creative consulting. - Mm.

Yeah, it's, um...

It's a big deal, I guess. I...

I haven't told Van yet.

Are you worried about the distance

between you and Lottie

if you take this job and Van doesn't want to go?

[clock ticking]

[sighs]

Yeah. Yeah.

If I'm being honest,

I think Lottie needs me more now than ever, you know?

Um...

can I... can I lay down?

Please, yeah. Yeah.

Just don't fall asleep on me.

[both chuckle]

Yeah.

[grunts]

Ah, thank you.

[exhales]

[indistinct chatter]

TRACY: $400?

To change a flight? Hey, what the hell?

Well, what about for medical emergencies?

- Uh-huh. - [clears throat]

10:00 with Gordon? All right, go on and sign in.

Yeah.

A doctor's email?

Will y'all take masthead stationary instead?

Uh-huh.

[quietly]: Sit.

Okay.

[quietly]: Sit down.

Yeah.

Hey.

Hey! Come on.

Gordon. Mm.

Ah, Lisa. Yeah, come, come in, come in.

The name is Gordon Rosenbaum,

literary agent to the Eastern seaboard.

Yeah. Please, please. So, uh,

tell me, uh, you, uh... you signed to anyone yet?

Like a-a book agent? I wish. [chuckles]

Um, I could use your advice on that.

Uh, you are the first person who has reached out to...

Oh, no, no. First rule of negotiations--

never admit that you're not that wanted.

I'll keep this brief. Uh, I found a sample

of your kids' book online,

and I'd love to find you a publisher.

[both laugh]

Uh, how long you been writing?

[laughs] Oh, uh...

my whole life. [chuckles]

- Mr. Rosenbaum. - Mm?

Your 10:30, man.

Oh. Uh, thank you. Thank you.

Uh, so, uh, do you have any drawings

to go along with your book?

Uh, no, sir, not yet. Is that a problem?

Ah, Lis, kids need things to look at, all right?

I-I got you covered. I-I know a few, uh, illustrators

at SCAD you can commission, but time is of the essence.

Deadline is end of week.

Yeah, I don't think that I could aff...

- Deadline? - Well, yeah. Yeah, it's a...

It's a seller's market. End of the quarter.

Publishers are offloading their budget.

- Now, Tracy has a... - TRACY: Huh?

I didn't call you.

Tracy has arranged for a sort of story time reading

at the local library already.

It's, uh... They're mostly inner-city kids.

I've arranged for a publishing legend to scout you there.

Now you can't miss her. Just look for the hat.

Uh, wait. Um, do you think that I could get signed?

Signed? Kid, that story of yours could be

the biggest payday since The Berenstein Bears.

- Or Berensta Or-- You get it. - No, I get it.

Yeah. Oh, uh, uh, don't screw this up for the rest of us.

All right? And congratulations. I accept.

- Uh, accept what? - To be your book agent.

Here's my card. Call me if you need anything.

- [gasps] - Oh.

And there's a hair place at the mall-- Talia's.

They can do something about those grays.

I need you smoking hot for Raul, our photo guy.

[clicks tongue]

[exhales]

[laughs]

TILLMAN: Let's talk about who you trust.

I trust people to be themselves.

Based on their incentives and what they've rationalized.

So... no one.

Yeah. Maybe Darius.

What's in the box?

Oh, uh, new keyboard.

I get everything delivered here.

You know, it's, uh, safer.

Oh. You play?

Yeah, I've been known to get a little busy on the keys. Mm-hmm.

- Little bit. - [chuckles]

Could you play me something?

- Maybe later. - Ah.

So, uh, tell me about, uh, Princeton.

Did you accept their invitation to speak?

[chuckles] No. No.

I told them to give me an honorary degree or kiss my ass.

Mm. And what'd they say?

They said "yes"... to the degree, not my ass.

[chuckles] That's a hell of a negotiation.

Yeah.

Yeah, not-not really.

I mean, it's-it's a pretend degree.

I can't start a medical practice with it.

In the end, I'm making more money

than if I had stayed, so...

You proud of that?

Yeah. Fuck that school.

Sounds like you resent them.

[stammers]

They're only after me now because of two reasons.

One, because being Black is valuable,

and two, donations.

Mm, right.

You know, you've-you've alluded to it,

but what exactly happened to you at Princeton?

Me and this girl named Sasha--

we were new RAs in the same building, right?

And we got close really fast,

and I felt like I could be honest with her, right?

You know, we're new friends, but good friends.

Anyway, I get this job interview,

and I'm really excited about it, you know.

I call my parents, I get a little money from them,

and I scrounge up a little money.

I buy a suit, 'cause I need to look presentable.

I go buy the suit, then I go to the computer lab.

What did you get? What kind of suit?

Navy blue slacks and blazer with leather loafers.

Okay, so you were stylin'.

I was stylin'. It was, like, super nice.

I looked good, right? [chuckles]

So, I'm at the computer lab, and my crush comes in.

And she asked me if I want to go

to this party in Philly with her.

She wants me to go, and I'm like, "Cool."

Sasha is a couple of stalls down.

She hears this and offers to take my suit,

stash it in her room, and I can just go straight from there.

I'm like, "Cool. Thank you." You know?

I go to the party,

I come back, I text her to get the suit.

No response.

I text her again. No response.

I text her a third time. Same thing.

Did something happen?

I don't think so. It was like she was ducking me.

So, it's hours before the interview...

- Right. - ...and I'm freaking out.

So I'm texting her again.

I'm like, "Hey, where's the suit?

I really need the suit."

And she just writes back...

"Sorry. Not around."

Hmm.

So what did you do?

Man, I went downstairs, I knocked on her door.

No one picked up.

You know, so I went in there with my master key,

and I got my suit, and I left.

Big mistake.

[sighs] She was, like, furious. Like...

She told the dean,

and it became, like, a real thing.

He's coming back, saying like, "Oh, this is a suspension."

And then it turns into expulsion.

So I'm guessing Sasha wasn't Black.

No.

- Of course not. - Yeah.

They started using rapist language for what I did.

Rapist language?

"Intruder," "personal assault," "attack on privacy."

Like, I was scared.

You know, I apologized, but it was like no one was listening.

It's like no one cared.

What do you think their perception was?

That this big black gorilla came into this white girl's room

and just destroyed shit. I don't know.

Uh, you know, as an RA,

they make you feel like you have some sort of agency.

But then you turn around,

and then, all of a sudden, you're O.J.

It's, like, why give me the master key

if you didn't trust me to use it?

- How'd that make you feel? - Angry.

Everybody on campus is talking about me.

I'm, like, one of 12 Black kids.

You know, I already felt alone.

What else did you feel?

[exhales]

- Hurt, I guess. - Why? Why?

Because we were supposed to be friends.

We were supposed to be friends.

She never even asked why.

Why I did what I did.

- You trusted Sasha. - Yeah.

And you were hurt by someone you trusted.

Yeah.

Like the family member who abused you.

Yeah.

Which made you feel powerless again.

[inhales sharply]

[exhales sharply]

It's cool.

You should release this.

- No. I'm good. I'm good. - Hey.

No, I'm-I'm good.

So what happened between you two?

We never talked again. You know, I had to leave.

I just promised...

I'd just prove everybody wrong.

Did you prove everyone wrong?

Yeah.

[sniffles] I love spite.

[Tillman chuckles]

- It's a pure, powerful thing. - Hmm.

It gave me courage.

You know, I can count on it.

I used it when I came back to Atlanta, you know?

Spite can be...

Spite can be very powerful.

But it can also leave you...

depressed and empty.

Goals stop becoming yours.

You start becoming a...

a book written by somebody else.

Someone with no incentive for your well-being.

[sniffles]

So by not going back to Princeton,

you may be proving something to her and not yourself.

Yeah, maybe.

[clock ticking]

[sniffles]

[both laughing]

I'm sorry, but what were you thinking?

I was thinking that I was going to meet Outkast and get married.

[both laugh]

Which is completely reasonable.

[both laughing]

But why are you smiling so much lately?

[humming]

Are you getting laid?

No.

It's better than that.

Whoa. Ah.

Spill it.

I quit my job.

[snorts softly]

Whoa. Wait.

Why?

An agent read my book online and wants to sign me.

I just have to do this reading thing.

I mean, he thinks it could be, like, the next Harry Potter.

- [gasps] - [laughs]

- Wow. That's great. - [laughs]

What? What is it?

- [chuckles softly] - Nothing. Nuh... nuh...

You've quit your job.

Yeah, I had to quit my job because I have

to just really focus

on hiring an illustrator, a PR firm.

I need a stylist.

I mean, if this thing takes off,

it could be huge, like, franchised.

- [chuckles softly] - It is so lucrative.

Don't you think?

Yeah, sure, but it-it doesn't really matter what I think.

Yes, it does. You're my best friend.

♪ Ground to start from...♪

[chuckles] God.

Look, Lisa, you have my support.

You have my support.

♪ You'll say the world...♪

I just, um...

I can't loan you another $500 this... this month.

I've got a lot of bills, and I...

Look, I'm just worried about you.

Tell me you like my writing.

Lisa...

[sighs softly]

Sorry I'm late.

TILLMAN: No. How you doing, Earn?

Good. [grunts]

Oh, another box. You starting a band?

[chuckles] Not quite. It's a gift.

Go ahead and open it.

- You serious? - I'm serious.

Man, I hate opening gifts in public.

I mean, what if it sucks?

It's a floor pillow.

I mean, you spend so much time laying on the floor, I figured,

you know, might as well be comfortable, right?

That's really thoughtful.

Try it out.

[grunts softly]

Oh...

That's... good.

That is comfy.

Now all I need is some music.

TILLMAN: Oh, okay.

So it's a full-service thing here?

- Mm-hmm. - Yeah, maybe later.

Mm.

So, look, we've had a few sessions

since your Princeton offer.

And, uh, you know, I think it's important.

So did you decide?

Yeah, so I thought about what you said, you know, a lot,

and, uh, I think you're right.

You know, I was holding on to the pain

for no reason, you know?

They totally win

if I don't use my position to help people in my experience.

Well, it's not a war to win, exactly, but that's good.

That's good. So you're going?

Oh, no. Definitely not.

No, I tried. It was a disaster.

Why was it a disaster?

So, I email Princeton,

and I tell 'em, you know, I'll do the panel or whatever.

And the-the idea was I'll bring Lottie and Van,

and then afterwards, I'd take Lottie to Sesame Place.

So we're going to the airport, you know,

I'm looking for my driver's license, I can't find it.

It's probably in my pants somewhere.

So I just bring my passport. No big deal, right?

Right.

We get to the airport, and we start to check in, you know,

and the computer prints out Van's ticket,

and her name's all spelled wrong.

So I'm like, "That's fine. It's okay.

We'll go in the priority lane."

You know, I got platinum status.

We get there, the lady asks to see my passport.

And I'm like, "Why? Like, I'm already checked in."

But I give her the passport anyway.

She looks at it, hands it back to me

and tells me it's too damaged to travel.

- On a domestic flight? - On a domestic flight.

That's exactly what I said.

I mean, the pages were worn, at best.

Damn. White woman?

I mean, do you even need to ask?

- [scoffs] - You know, so I'm like, "That's cool.

Whatever. Let's get a second opinion."

So she calls over her coworker, but she's asking her in a way

that's like, "I'm not gonna let these people on anyway."

And the coworker kind of looks at us and shrugs like,

"I don't want to get involved in this bullshit.

I don't agree with her, but what are you gonna do?"

So at this point, I'm like,

"Let's try the, you know, emotional angle."

I was like, "I got a child here.

"Here are the passes for Sesame Place.

Please let us in."

This lady laughs in my fucking face.

- Wow. - Yeah, I can't believe it.

I'm like, "What am I gonna do, wild out?"

You know, I'm at the airport.

[laughs] So I-I don't want to get on the No Fly List.

Did you ask to speak to a manager?

- She was the manager. - Oh, no.

At least, that's what she says.

You know, so she boots us out of the line.

A couple of minutes later,

Van waves us over to this Black woman

who's working at a different counter.

She checks us in, no problem.

She checks our bags, no problem, and tells us

that that Nazi ticket lady does this all the time

to Black travelers, and guess what?

She's not even a manager.

- You're kidding. - I can't make this shit up.

So, this woman, this nice woman walks us through security

so we can make it on time.

When we get to the gate, homegirl must've tattled,

because TSA is right there waiting for us.

At this point, I'm like, "Fuck this.

I don't want to go. I don't care anymore."

Van starts crying. You know,

she's like, "I'm not gonna go without you."

So, long story short,

we're still waiting on our baggage.

[scoffs]

I'm really sorry you had to go through that.

- Yeah. - Damn.

I mean, tell me, how do you... how do you feel?

Honestly, the whole time...

I was thinking about what you said on spite.

[sighs]

Going back to Princeton-- that wasn't important to me.

Facing my past-- that really was, you know?

I was mad about the time that got wasted.

You know, I-I wanted to spend that time with Van and Lottie.

You know, I wanted to talk to Van about the move.

I really wanted to connect with them.

See, it sounds like you're recognizing the big picture.

Yeah, the anxiousness and anger--

you're not gonna achieve your goals with those, you know?

That's really good, Earn.

[chuckles softly]

Yeah, um...

You know, it's good to hear you say that, 'cause...

I've been thinking a lot, and I-I kind of want

to take some time out from therapy.

Just a little, you know, 'cause you've given me

s-so many good tools, I-I kind of want

to deal with my issues on my own, you know?

Sure. Yeah, I mean, I'd love

to keep working with you, but I-I understand.

And, like, hey, if-if you need anything, you know I'm here.

Thanks.

You know, I'm impressed, 'cause most people,

they end this over a phone call or email or...

Oh, I'm not that cold-blooded.

[both laugh]

Um, you can have this back, man.

Oh, no, no, no, no. Keep it.

- Are you sure? - I'm positive.

- It's too small for me. - [chuckles]

Don't be shitting on my height, man.

[chuckles] Take care, Earn.

All right.

♪

LIBRARIAN: No dogs.

Oh, this is my... this is my service dog.

No, it's not. You're gonna have to leash that outside.

Well... [chuckles] ...I have a note

for that... right here.

[sniffles] It's from my doctor.

[sniffles]

You're here for that story time?

Yes, I am.

[laughing]: How'd you guess?

Your hair. Talia's?

[chuckles]

You still can't bring that dog in here.

[Gizmo whines]

That's absurd.

I work at the airport.

This note is legally FAA approved.

Okay. Well, story time begins in 15 minutes.

Unless, of course, you and your dog want to try the airport.

[quietly]: Come on, baby.

[to "Are you Sleeping, Brother John"]: ♪ Please be quiet♪

♪ Please be quiet♪

♪ Let's calm down♪

♪ Now it's time for reading♪

♪ Now it's time for reading♪

♪ Shh, shh, shh.♪

They're all yours.

[camera shutter clicking]

[inhales sharply, clears throat]

This book is called

The Homeliest Little Horse.

[chuckles softly]

Story by Lisa Mahn.

"There once was a horse who lived on a farm.

"Completely alone, no friends in the barn.

"All other horses kept her away.

"They called her mean names, too ugly to say.

Sad and dismayed, she tried to escape..."

GIRL: I don't like this horse.

It's ugly. I like Sitron.

[camera shutter clicking]

Oh. Okay, well...

- [camera shutter clicking] - [Lisa clears throat]

"...but always got lost by the old farmer's lake."

BOY: This horse is stupid.

That's why no one likes it.

[camera shutter clicking]

"But one Fourth of July,

"a spark hit the ground,

setting the barn ablaze."

[girl sputters]

The horses farted.

- [laughter] - GIRL 3: The horses farted. - No.

The hor...

The horses are scared because of the fire.

They all look like they're farting.

- All that smoke is them farting. - [laughter]

LISA: Okay, but they're not...

- farting. - [kids chuckling]

BOY 2: You fart.

"All except..."

[exit door alarm sounding]

[exhales] Hmm.

[door closes, alarm stops]

"All except the homeliest horse,

"who then took command and said,

"'If we work together, all will be well.'

And all of them kicked in the shed."

BOY: I don't like this story.

-"It worked like a charm." - It's lousy. I want to go.

-"The horses were saved." - Come on. Let's go.

"Alas..."

- Stupid. - Um...

- I don't like this. - [indistinct chatter]

- No, just keep going. - [sighs]

- Keep going. - [camera shutter clicking]

Okay, um...

[snoring]

"It worked like a charm. The horses were saved.

"Alas," um,

"the barn was never the same."

"She earned a medallion for 'bravest of stallions'...

and was even invited to play."

[girl snoring]

[voice breaking]: "And when she came out,

"the horses did shout,

"'Three cheers for the horse.

Hooray!'"

♪ Thought I found the answer to it...♪

EARN: Here you go, man.

MAN: Thank you, Mr. Marks.

- No problem. - Uh, did you get my headshot?

Yes. If I do this again, I promise

you will be the first person I call.

- ALFRED: Yo, yo, yo. - Hey, what's up?

You guys actually came.

- Hey. - What's going on, baby?

- Good to see you. Let's get a drink, all right? - Yes.

- Yeah. - Drink. That's why we're here.

- Okay. - Uh, one sec. Here you go.

I heard that you guys needed new costumes.

I put a little extra for you and your puppet.

Thank you for supporting community theater.

- You're very welcome. - What the hell is going on, man?

You got free booze, arcade games.

You're giving out cash like Nino Brown and shit.

[chuckles] It's a wrap party.

Remember that woman Lisa Mahn?

The one that ruined my-my family, uh, trip?

Oh, yeah, I remember her.

[chuckling]: Yeah, well, I hired all these actors

to ruin her life.

[laughing]: I-I think she's in debt now, seriously.

Wow. Are you still tripping off that?

Like, nigga, that was two months ago.

I know, man. The planning's been crazy.

- What's up, man? - Hey, what's up?

Oh, shit.

Hey, good job, man.

TRACY: Ooh, ooh-ooh!

- Heavy Chevys, baby. - [Earn laughs]

Yo, thanks for the cash, man.

Yo, you crazy as fuck, boy!

- [laughs loudly, speaks indistinctly] - Yeah, man.

Hey, you better watch your back. You're next.

- Nah, man. You're fucking with me, man. - [laughing]

What you gonna do to me, man? You know me.

Told you. Watch out for your cousin. He's sick, man.

- Yeah. - I'll holler at you, brother. All right.

How much, um, did you spend on all this, man?

Enough, but it was worth it, trust me.

So you did all of this to hurt one lady?

- Uh-huh. - ALFRED: Okay.

Hey, look, I'm-a go to that Def Jam Three machine

-'cause this nigga is trippin'. - Yeah. Yeah.

Al. [chuckles softly] It's funny.

Wow.

I can't tell if this is extreme, extreme pettiness...

or terrorism.

Great job.

[chuckles] It can be both.

Ah.

Yo, let me get a Blue Silk.

["Cold Blooded" by Rick James playing]

Mm, mm, mm.

Hmm.

♪

[quietly]: Thanks.

I really need to go back to therapy.

♪ Cold blooded♪

♪ The way you walk♪

♪ Sexy♪

♪ The way you talk, baby♪

♪ Sexy♪

♪ Mama, you're too cold for me♪

♪ Sexy♪

♪ Freaky baby♪

♪ Who are you?♪

♪ You look like a movie star♪

♪ Girl, what's your name and number?♪

♪ Is it true♪

♪ That you think I'm hot?♪

♪ Hot♪

♪ If we try♪

♪ To get to know each other♪

♪ You might find♪

♪ You couldn't trade me for another♪

♪ 'Cause I think you're so♪

♪ Sexy, sexy, sexy.♪

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH