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All right, people, this my last day!

What you want, you gonna get.

I got ice cubes, all you want, pillows for your head!

I got playin' cards, straight decks or pinochle!

Highballs or hot coffee! Hurry, hurry!

This is my last day, and after this I'm through!

I suppose I'm a little liquored up, people, but that's all right.

It was good liquor.

High-class scotch, right off the top shelf.

Ain't nobody never died from it...

...except my uncle, ol' Wildcat Wilson.

He ain't drank nothin' but that Wildcat Liquor.

Burned his throat so bad he couldn't eat nothin' for 27 days!

Died in the bathtub!

Too weak to turn off the water and too weak to get up out the tub.

But ol' Wildcat, he was somethin'.

Ol' Wildcat, he taught me how to dance! Looka here, people.

Let me show you what ol' Wildcat, he done taught me this here dance.

Do the thing, Brother Wilson, do the thing!

Hey, man, why don't you sit down and shut up!

Makin' me sick with your ol' Uncle Tom self.

Ain't I somethin'?

Yeah, you somethin' all right, you oughta been dead and gone.

Shut up, William.

Shut up, I've been here longer than you.

30 years and 14 days and time out for the War.

Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

This station is Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

This train is headed for Climax, Petersburg...

...Richmond, Alexandria, Virginia, Washington, D.C...

...and Baltimore, Maryland.

...and Baltimore, Maryland.

Baltimore! Baltimore! That's my last stop, brother, Baltimore!

This ain't nothin' but ol' no-count Rocky Mount, North Carolina...

...but when the sun comes up in the morning...

...and the light commences shining on the wheels of this train...

...I'll be in Baltimore for sure.

And that's my last stop!

You folks can get off here if you wanna...

-...or get off at the next stop... - Shut up!

...or the next stop, or the stop after that, but the last stop for me is Baltimore!

- I wonder what I'm a be doin' when-- - Man, will you shut up?

- Sit down, will you, pal? - Now, listen here, young boy!

I ain't the boy! You the boy!

- Boy? - Boy!

Lady, hurry up, please. We have to move.

I want you all to call me just as soon as I get home.

- Don't ask me when I'll get home, - Please, we have to move!

'Cause I don't know. And if I don't know, how you gonna know?

- Lady-- - That's your problem.

Lady, we've got a schedule.

Listen Vaselina...

...I want you to take somethin' for that cold.

Found her sneezin' in the summertime!

Ain't no wintertime. Ain't nobody goin' around sneezin'.

You ain't got no icicles on your teeth!

It's summertime! It ain't no wintertime!

Lady, we're on a schedule.

Don't move this train!

You hear that?

And Tertia Mae...

...I want you to know that I appreciate that potato salad.

I'm so glad.

- You put plenty pickles. - Plenty of pickles...

-...and onions. - Bless your heart.

We can't hold this train no more. Now, you either get on or get off.

I said, don't move this train!

I think the lady, Grace VIP, said, "Don't move that train."

And also, until she finishes farewells to her family...

...reunion relatives, I, her cousin Lincoln...

...from the artistic archives of Hollywood...

...as its first universal, unique movie star...

...do hereby, himself, in person, as Stepin Fetchit...

...agrees with her that you don't move this train!

Thank you, cousin Lincoln!

Now, y'all take care of yourselves and don't do nothin' I wouldn't do.

Bye! Bye!

Bye, honey.

Hello, people.

My name is Grace Teasdale Grimes.

Miss Grace Teasdale Grimes.

What's y'all's name?

"Precious Lord

"Take my hand

-"Lead me on" - Lady, please!

Lady, please. Enough is enough.

Well, do!

Don't pay him no mind, sister.

Ol' Blaney, here, he comes from one them families, you know?

- Myself, I like a little singin'. - Would you like some chicken, son?

No, thank you, sister. I just ate.

First place, you know, I ain't your sister. You know that.

Second place, if you ate, you ain't eat enough.

Third place, you ain't tasted nothin', son...

...till you taste some this!

- You liable to have a point there. - Yeah.

Don't humor the woman!

What you mean, Blaney? She's bein' right nice.

Yes, but she still has an obligation to be a lady!

Whoa, young man.

If this wasn't Tertia Mae's potato salad...

...you'd be wearin' it upside your face and inside o' your britches!

Nice as I try to be to everybody...

...and you come talkin' 'bout I ain't no lady.

Now, now, now...

...just sit down.

All I tried to do...

...was to share my chicken and Tertia Mae's potato salad...

...with everybody, and he come talkin' 'bout I ain't no lady.

I know, I know. But don't pay it no mind.

A snotty-nose nothin'!

I should beat him across his bald head with my suitcase! That's what I should do!

Now, Miss Grace Teasdale Grimes, don't get upset.

Today is my last day.

It is?

Yeah, this is his last day.

Come on, why don't you come on go home with me?

I got a halfway boardin' house anyhow.

You ain't got nothin' else to do.

Why don't you come on... Aw, turn me aloose!

Why don't you come on, go home with me?

No, I got a lot of people waitin' for me.

- Maybe I go over there for a little while. - Yeah. Good-bye, boys!

Be good boys and study hard, you hear?

Nice boys, goin' to college and all.

Ain't they?

But don't worry about me. This is my last day. This is it.

Lemme hear a little bit o' that Precious Lord.

I don't sing in public.

Me neither! Ain't gentleman-like.

No, and it ain't ladylike!

Look out, Baltimore!

Lemme hear you say that one more time!

Look out, Baltimore!

Well, look out, Baltimore.

Look out, Baltimore.

- You know the first thing I'm gonna do? - What?

I'm gonna raise me some hell.

Not in my house you ain't.

I don't allow no gamblin', cussin' and playin' cards...

...and usin' the Lord's name in vain in my house.

Yeah, but what about dancin' and singin' and entertainin'...

...and playin' pretty for the people?

I guess that's all right unless it's on a Sunday.

Today ain't Sunday is it?

- No, if it was, I'd be in church. - Well, look out!

Look out, Baltimore.

Look out, Baltimore!

What's that?

"Welton J. Waters for Mayor?"

That's what it says, now.

I don't care what it says. It says it right next door to my house.

I'll close the door.

"Welton J. Waters for Mayor."

- Sounds colored to me. - Then he ain't runnin' for no Mayor.

- You know what I believe? - What?

I believe this is some kind o' trick.

Me, too. Ain't no colored man runnin' for no Mayor.

I've heard tell of it before, but not right next door to me.

Ain't nobody want that ol' house!

Been up for sale for 99 years.

Grace, what do you think?

I think we oughta see about this.

- That's what I believe, too. - Yeah, we better look into this.

Here, give me your cap. I'll hang it up later.

I'll hang it up later. Just lay it here on top of my hat here.

My goodness, you know one thing, what's worryin' me?

Who is them people livin' next door to me that I don't know nothin' about?

I don't know nothin' about them people.

Hey, son, bring me that shoppin' bag!

Yes'm, yes'm, fast as I can.

He so used to it, he just can't get away from it, that's all.

I didn't mean to talk to you like that, son.

I forgot this was your last day.

That's all right. Just fix me another plate and everything will be fine and mellow.

I'm gonna fix you that.

Go on in there and sit down. I'll have it ready in a minute.

That child, Tertia Mae...

That's worryin' me.

Them people next door to me, and I don't know nothin' about 'em.

I like to know who's around me.

Don't sound right, I know that.

It sure don't sound right.

That's a good piece o' chicken.

That oughta do it.

That's nice.

That looks nice. Now, here you go.

No, son, don't sit there, in that chair.

That's my grandma's chair, I'm kinda particular about that.

I'm afraid you might break it. There's all right.

You like a whole lotta salt or a little bit?

Half and half.

I guess that's enough. That oughta hold you.

That's good down-home chicken and Tertia Mae's potato salad.

Tastes good. Tastes good.

That house over there worries me.

I don't see nothin' over there.

Eat your chicken and take your time.

I got time! I got time.

That's too much dinin' room for that house!

Well, looka here.

Blessed be His name!

And twice blessed be whoever got to buy that gal's liquor!

There comes Ol' Twice Blessed Be now!

And he's blessin' her, too!

That must be Welton J. Waters!

Yeah, the next Mayor of Baltimore.

Ain't he leanin' on her?

Yeah, he's blessin' her out, too.

How y' do.

Good evening.

Ain't that a kick in the head.

- That ain't gonna stop you, is it? - No, and it ain't gonna stop you neither.

This means war!

- Let's get outta here. - All right.

Put that bottle away and hurry up.

Never mind!

Look, go to the door. Fix your hair.

- Fix your hair! Hurry up! - Just wait a minute.

Don't tell me to wait a minute! Go to the door!

- You go to hell! - Go to the door!

You just wait!

In the mornin', noon, and nighttime, this is the right time to get Zit...

...the roach-killer in a can. If Raid don't get it, Zit it!

Just put the can in your hand...

...and when that bug comes out the rug, make a direct hit with Zit.

Zit don't quit till that roach is hurryin' for a buryin'.

Just a minute.

- Who is it, Creola? - It's Mr. Annenberg, dear.

Have him come right-- Wait a minute.

Right in.

- Creola. - Hi, Jim.

Vision of beauty.

Welton! How are you, Welton?

Jim, it's good to see you. How about a martini?

- Good idea. - I'll get it, Jim.

Just make yourself at home.

Creola, you're a love.

Isn't she great, Jim?

She's great. Just great, and she's really pretty.

And a gem, and I really mean that.

She's been so sensational, moving here and everything.

Listen, that's real courage.

You two must be scared silly living in this neighborhood.

- Remember, I can talk their language. - Yeah, I guess you can.

- I see somethin'. - What's that?

A white man!

Now then, Welton.

- Nectar of the gods. - Boy, doesn't she look great?

- Okay, now we can talk. - All right, then.

Just to remind you what the Mayor says.

You take the black vote away from that fairy-voiced Collins...

...and that means you campaign hard...

...and that means you campaign successfully...

...and you've got yourself $10 million.

That's not $10 million in my pocket.

No, it's not in your pocket.

Who in hell or Baltimore is going to just hand you $10 million, Welton?

But you know as well as I do that if you're in charge...

...of a $10 million urban renewal program for four years...

...I think you can find ways to get a chunk of that money into your pocket.

Besides...

...I know you always want to do good for your people, Welton.

Just think how much good you can do with that kind of money at your disposal.

Handle $10 million right, you've got power.

That's all I need to know...

-...right now. - I hope so.

- Why? - Because you are heavy.

Sure there's a little deception in it.

But the ends, Welton, the ends.

You know what they justify?

Yeah, I know what they justify.

All right.

We shall decide...

...where you do campaign and where you don't.

This ain't gonna do no good.

- Shut up and drill. - I can't go through your wall and theirs.

- Have you got a better way? - Yeah, come on, come on.

I knew my man would have a better idea.

I do want you to know, Welton, that moving in here was a stroke of genius.

Pure genius. The Mayor loved it.

Jim, I have to be with the people.

Fine. Just get out of here right after the election.

- Because I don't think you're gonna-- - Excuse me.

Anybody ready for another drink?

No, thank you, hon. I'm afraid I've got to really take off now.

Really? I'm going to have another one.

- I think Jim's in a hurry, Creola. - So am I, for another drink.

Maybe we should talk a bit more.

We've been over everything. I know what you want.

Yes, but does she know it?

That's what I wanna know. Does she know it?

She is my concern, only my concern.

I'm not a "concern."

You are my concern until this election is over!

My wife is never a concern of yours! You understand that?

- You understand me? - You listen to what I'm saying.

If she ruins your life, that's your problem.

If she does anything to ruin this campaign, that's my problem!

Look, man.

You mention my wife one more time, and I'll go to the street on you.

Go ahead! Go ahead! Where do you think I was raised?

In the fairy castle? Now, you listen to me.

I seen all them big-time singers, couldn't sing half as good as me.

Jimmy Rushing, Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan.

Waited on 'em. Dancers, too.

Bill Robinson, Dancin' Dotson doin' his ol' dance called The Fit.

Everybody. Butterbeans and Susie, had both o' them once.

'Course, they'd speak to me, but they had some ol' kinda air about 'em...

...'cause they could just tell by lookin' that they wasn't good as me.

Couldn't sing as good, dance or tell jokes neither.

Not half as good as me.

...Indian, Puerto Rican, White, anything but what she was.

How do you think that's going to go over with your militants?

- Don't worry. - How will that go over with anybody?

Look, I said, "Don't worry about it."

I'm trying to keep you from hurting yourself.

- You've got a chance-- - I don't need you to tell me--

You need me! You need me to tell you this.

It isn't anything against your wife, but if she drinks a lot...

...she talks a lot.

This business of her trying to pass, small as it may seem to you...

...if the papers get it, if the people get it, you're dead!

No job, no $10 million.

You don't have to like me to listen to me.

Watch her.

Good night.

Good night.

Puerto Rican?

I changed my name, my makeup, my hair...

...and I tried to speak some Spanish.

White?

Those blotches on my skin you used to ask about?

Guess you never heard of Dr. Palmer?

Dr. Palmer's skin lightener.

I'll see you in the morning.

I was only 17.

I went crazy for a year.

Everybody was 17 at one time.

17 and dreaming.

What?

I was 17 one time...

...and guess what I was going to be.

What?

The Mayor.

The Mayor of Baltimore.

I was going to be the best Mayor this city ever had.

I was going to be honest, straighten everything out.

I really meant it.

My father lost his job at City Hall because he didn't play the game.

I was 17 that year.

And I swore...

...there wouldn't be a game when I became the Mayor.

So I went on to school.

And I prepared myself.

Two law degrees.

Two of 'em.

One of 'em is a Master's.

I learned city government inside out and back!

Then I found out what I needed.

Money, big folks' money.

They didn't give it out to us.

Not here in Baltimore.

They don't do that here, Creola.

You're either asleep or passed out drunk.

I don't know which.

But what's so weird is...

...I care.

I don't want to see you drunk.

I don't want to run for Mayor so someone else can win.

And quiet as it's kept...

...that business about you passing...

...doesn't mean a hill of beans.

Doesn't mean a thing.

What's making all this happen is all that money under me.

And you...

...sweet baby, you think it's you.

You folks gotta excuse me...

...for puttin' this microphone down y'all's chimney, but...

...I was in the Signal Corps and show business, too...

...and I know more about microphones than anybody in anyplace.

What I'm doin' here now is more like fishin'.

I never know when I'm gonna catch me somethin' good and big...

...and worth a heap, a heap o' what I want.

Father, you know this is your work that I'm doin'.

Because, if I was just meddlin' in somebody else's business...

...it wouldn't be long before you'd be workin' in mysterious ways...

...your wonders to perform...

...and wind up performin' a wonder upside o' my mysterious head.

But Father, you know as well as I do...

...ain't no white man got no business...

...in no colored folks' house this time o' night!

And like I say...

You know this is your work that I'm doing Father.

You know this is your work.

Your work is all.

I wanna always do your work.

Look at that, the moon's on me.

Do a dance, sing a song or tell a joke.

The moon is on me.

No, not now. Not now.

Excuse me.

Who said excuse me? I'm the one that sneezed.

! thought you were asleep.

Or passed out drunk. You didn't know which.

Forthwith!

Come here, quick!

What's goin' on?

- This thing works! -'Course it works!

What do you expect?

We gonna find out somethin' now.

Good Lord!

Let's listen!

! didn't know you heard me.

Ain't that somethin?

! want to know everything.

Everything they want.

They want Welton J. Waters for $10 million.

Welton J. Waters for Mayor! Vote for Welton J. Waters.

Welton J. Waters for Mayor! Vote for Welton J. Waters.

Waters is runnin', baby.

He's runnin' for you, runnin' hard and fast and can't finish last!

Welton's gonna win when you put him in.

The wells don't run dry with Waters ridin' high.

Put him in the chair! Make him the Mayor!

Welton J. Waters for Mayor!

Just leave me be, because I'm goin' over there!

I'm gonna shut his mouth...

...his eyes, his nose from here to hereafter!

Grace, wait a minute, wait now.

Don't "wait" me!

That man don't mean nobody no good!

He don't mean my people no good!

He's a liar, his feet stinks, and he don't love his Jesus--

I said "wait," woman!

Just listen to me for a minute! Come over here.

- Listen to you? - Come on! Sit on down there a minute.

- I might as well-- - I know what you think.

- Do you know what to do? - Now, that man is runnin' for the Mayor!

- He ain't! - Lemme talk!

- Go ahead, talk. - The man is runnin' for the Mayor.

I don't like what he's doin' no more than you, but he's runnin', you understand?

And I been thinkin' all night long when I was in that other room...

...that I might get some sort of a chance.

- Go ahead and talk. - I might get a chance.

Years ago, I spent some time on the stage, and I'd do my dance...

...and everybody said, "Go 'head!"

And I'd sing my song, and they'd say, "Sing it!"

Then I'd tell my jokes and everybody'd just fall on the floor.

Then, I don't know.

Hard times came and I started workin' on the railroad...

...waitin' on white folks, colored, too.

High yellow, brown skin, high-class blacks.

And here this man is right next door.

Now, he gotta have a big campaign.

Somebody got to entertain and draw the crowd for him to talk to.

Man, don't be no fool!

Fool? I ain't no fool! All I need is a chance!

Forthwith Wilson was way ahead of his time.

- Yeah. - Anybody tell you that.

Everybody like my stuff! All the big producers!

Silas Green from New Orleans, he pat me on the shoulder once.

Because what I did, Grace, I sung: "Hey, big dancin' boy

"What you gonna do when the show close?

"Hey, big dancin' boy, what you gonna do with your shiny toes?

"Gonna tap down the alley to your first-floor rear?

"Sit by yourself and drink day-old beer?

"Hey, big dancin' boy Tell me what you gonna do."

See, Grace, I sung that, then I did my dance.

Now, this is what I'm 'a do at the campaign.

You ain't never seen me do this before. Watch this.

That's enough. That's enough!

Stop dancin' on my linoleum, wearin' my linoleum out!

- I just bought it! - I can see those people now!

20, 30, 40 thousand watchin' ol' Forthwith do it.

Go 'head on, Forthwith!

And you gonna be there, Grace Teasdale Grimes.

You gonna be there sayin', "Everybody, I know him."

That's my friend-- My singin', dancin' gentleman friend.

Hey, Grace, let me go talk to the man. Just lemme go over and talk to him!

Just lemme right go over there and talk to the man, Grace!

If it'll do you any good, go ahead.

You a good church sister, Grace Teasdale Grimes.

- I told you 'bout dancin' in here! -20, 30, 40,000 watchin' ol' Forthwith do it!

Go 'head, Forthwith!

Say, "Good luck!"

- Good luck. - All right!

Good Lord, good luck!

"Flat foot floogie with the floy joy

"Flat foot floogie with the floy doy

"Floy joy, floy doy, floy joy, floy doy"

"Do the camel walk, do the camel walk, do the camel walk, do the next one out"

"Hey, Mr. Funny Man, how you gonna do your duty?

"Hey, Mr. Funny Man, how you gonna tell Aunt Rudy?

"How you gonna tell her that the goose done died?

"Don't seem to me she gonna split her side

"Hey, Mr. Funny Man, tell me what you gonna do

-"Hey, Daddy Raunchy Song--" - Yes?

I wanna see the Mayor!

- Come in. - Thank you very much.

Welton, this is a neighbor.

I'm not just an ordinary neighbor, Mr. Mayor.

- Well, I'm not the Mayor yet. - You the Mayor as far as I'm concerned.

Now, you might o' heard tell o' me. My name is Forthwith Wilson.

Yes, Mr. Wilson, what can I do for you?

I see you don't know nothin' about show business.

If you did, you wouldn't be askin' Forthwith Wilson what he could do for you.

You understand what I'm sayin'?

Now, Forthwith can do this for you.

That's wonderful, Mr. Wilson, but I'm not a stage producer.

I know that. But I can see you got a good eye.

You had to have a good eye to pick this pretty lady.

- Ain't that the truth? - Thank you, Mr. Wilson.

- Just call me Forthwith. - Forthwith.

You, too, Mr. Mayor...

...because Forthwith is gonna be a very important name to you.

Lemme ask you one thing. You gonna have a campaign rally, right?

We do have plans.

I know you got plans, but they ain't big enough!

'Cause I can see in your plans you don't have Forthwith Wilson!

I appreciate that--

You appreciate it? The people are gonna appreciate it!

- You ever heard me sing? - No, but I really don't have the time.

No. I'm not gonna sing for you now!

I gotta have at least a 10-piece band, at least 10 pieces.

You ever hear my jokes? Make you fall on the floor!

- I hadn't intended to fall on the floor! - Go ahead, Mr. Wilson.

- Tell us one of your jokes. - You better get ready to fall on the floor...

...whoop, holler, carry on, 'cause that's what happens!

Brother, I've got a lot of things on my mind.

Go ahead, Mr. Wilson, tell us a quick one. We could use a joke.

- Yes, ma'am. Like I was sayin... - Whatever you want!

I wanna tell you about these two boogabears in the laundromat.

Wait a minute!

There's going to be a rally soon.

- You can entertain. - I can?

Only if you tell us about the two boogabears in the laundromat.

- It's gonna be a big rally, right? - Not really.

You just sayin' that, Mr. Mayor.

I bet you gonna have a marchin' band, a line o' chorus girls...

...and a whole bunch o' tap-dancers, but mainly...

-...you gonna have Forthwith Wilson! - We're gonna have Forthwith Wilson?

That's right!

Lemme explain to you why I'm doin' all this.

I'm doing this because I feel, as one colored man to another...

...I got to help out when and how I can.

Ain't you doin' all you can to help the colored?

Yes, I...

I'm doing my part to help the colored.

So, like! say,! gotta help you out.

I'm 'a "help you out" if you don't hurry up and get in here, I know that.

You've got a deal, brother.

"You got a deal, brother."

It don't even sound colored.

A young piece o' educated nothin' sittin' over there...

...messin' all over the colored people.

And what am I doin'?

Settin' over here like a piece o' salt-pork Philistine...

...waitin' on some used-to-be Pullman Porter...

...to do his song and dance.

And one is 'bout as sad as the other.

Come on in! It ain't never been locked.

I don't lock no doors.

"Hey, Daddy Raunchy Song, runnin' in the store stealin' hair grease

"Hey, Daddy Raunchy Song, what you gonna do 'bout the police?

"What you gonna do when they whip your head?

"What kinda song can you sing when you're dead?

"Hey, Daddy Raunchy Song, tell me what you gonna do"

Sister Grace!

What you want, brother?

I wanna tell you, I'm 'a do it! Do it! Do it!

'Deed, I'm 'a do it, do it!

Wow, I'm 'a do it!

20, 30, 40 thousand people...

...watchin ol' Forthwith do it.

Now, Grace, you seen me act up and carry on and all that kind of stuff.

You get yourself ready for a show tonight, you and all them rest of the people.

I don't know how many'll be there, but they tell me it's gonna be standin' room.

That's what they say in show business-- Standin' room.

Standin' room only.

You don't know nothin' 'bout no show business, but that's all right.

Yeah, but how much further we got to walk?

My feet's tired.

Look like we coulda got a taxi or a bus or somethin'.

No, we can't do that.

Walkin' helps you!

It takes all the worry off your mind, the butterflies out your stomach.

I don't care how many...

...30, 40 thousand people goin' crazy over you tonight.

But I'm gonna do that no-good Waters...

...just like the Lord did Lazarus.

And every sore I leave on top of his head...

...is gonna say, "Yours truly, Grace."

No. Come on, Grace.

Come on. Look, we comin' to the church.

- Big church, too. - Sure is!

Hot dog! Look at that!

Boy, don't you worry 'bout no Waters, 'cause what I do here tonight--

Boy, he gonna be so proud o' me. Boy, he'll do anything I say.

Quit if I say so. So don't worry 'bout no Waters.

Come on, we goin' into this church.

First of all, wait. How do I look?

Turn around, lemme brush your coat off.

Now, don't go dancin' in the Church. That's a sin.

No, I got a surprise in keepin' with the Lord.

Hey, Grace, look. What do that say right up there?

"Tonight, campaign rally

"for Welton J. Waters.

"Special Guest Entertainer, Forthwith Wilson."

Take my arm, girl.

You walkin' with a star!

I don't hear no noise down here.

You sure we at the right church?

Sure! Don't let these churches fool you.

Now, now, they hold plenty o' people.

They're probably quiet sayin' prayers or gettin' their pictures took.

Yeah?

Radio people gonna be there, television, too.

- Yeah? - Yeah!

The arrow's pointin' toward the door. It say right in here.

Now, wait a minute! You sure you ready?

All those years I been waitin'? All those railroad years?

30 years and 14 days, and you ask me, "Am I ready?"

Come on.

Good God!

Please don't use His name in vain!

Not right here in the church!

Go 'head!

Ladies and gentlemen!

Good evening.

Let 'em go ahead. Don't mean nothin'.

Hand me a couple more clothespins, son.

Maybe that's how they do things nowadays.

I don't know.

A colored man's got to do a whole lotta strange things nowadays...

...to make a dollar.

But let him go ahead!

At least he's gonna make some money.

I ain't heard tell o' too many colored millionaires. Have you?

Maybe one or two.

Let him go ahead. More power to him!

God knows white folks lied and stole...

...long enough to get on top.

But somehow...

...I wish we didn't have to do it.

We oughta have more sense, in the first place.

At least more goodness.

But let 'em go ahead. Don't mean nothin'!

Not a thing.

Damn it!

- Did you hurt yourself, honey? - No, I didn't hurt myself!

These damn rotten steps!

These rotten steps, this rotten house, this rotten block...

...this rotten everything around here!

- You need some help? - No, I don't need no help!

Excuse me.

Let her alone!

We ain't got nothin' to do with nothin' over there nohow!

Do I need some help?

What in the hell I need with help with you people for?

Who you gonna help?

You need care packages!

Watch your step, sister!

Livin' here in this scum and filth!

Have you seen my house?

I mean my real house. It's so fine.

And you know something? I got people like you who wait on me.

- No! - Yes.

They say, "Miss Creola, what you want?

"Miss Creola, what you need?

"Your hair's so pretty, Miss Creola.

"Your skin's so creamy, don't you know?"

Gimme a couple o' more clothespins, Forthwith.

Clothespins? What are they for?

To hang up the clothes!

Why don't you have a dryer?

- I have a dryer. - That did it!

Dad-blame it, that did it!

You don't say nothin' about my clothes, you hear?

You don't know nothin' about me!

Don't you know I'll write you a new name in a minute!

You don't talk about my washin', my dryin', all right? Nothin'!

You don't talk about it this mornin', nor neither tomorrow morning!

You tell her, Grace! Thinks she's so smart!

My clothes is beautiful!

I don't need no dryer!

All I need is to take my fist and knock half o' your brains out!

Don't you dare put your hands on me!

What ol' hands?

I'm gonna use my feet!

Baby, I'm gonna stomp you!

Grace.

That's right, tell her, sister!

- Don't you come over here! - I'm comin' over there.

Quit now, Grace!

Listen! You talk about my clothes...

...and my sweet man, Henry Grimes.

And he was crazy about my washin', especially his shirts!

- Get that hussy! - Right on!

- Stay over there, you old-- - No!

My husband died in this "scum and filth..."

...and I'm coming over there.

You better get outta here!

I ain't goin' nowhere until I stomp you!

And then I'm gonna stomp that lyin' husband o' yours!

Get her, Grace! Go on.

Come back here, Grace.

And then I'll tell the whole world, and Baltimore, too...

...just what a no-good nothin'...

...you got for a husband!

You mess with my husband...

...I'll mess with yours!

Get outta here!

Go 'head! Go 'head!

Here's my head, hit it!

You better get outta here!

Listen, y'all cut this out.

Why don't you stop it?

I'm not gettin' between two ol' evil colored women!

- I might be old, but I ain't no fool! - I'm gonna call the police!

- You best call a doctor! - No, I'm gonna call the police.

Go ahead! Call the police!

I'm gonna tell 'em everything I know about that Welton J. Waters.

And Grace knows plenty, baby!

- Tell the truth, Grace! - I'm tellin' the truth.

You know what I had done to this house?

Do you know?

- What was it? - Tapped.

I had it tapped!

That's what I had done to it.

And your ol' man is just runnin' in this race...

...to help that no-good Mayor!

And all that Mayor is runnin' for is the money!

And he's gonna get it!

Just as sure as he can fool them poor colored people...

...out o' their votes.

And you know what that means, Clo... Peol, whatever your fool name is?

That means that your man...

...is foolin' the colored people.

And the only reason the good Lord don't strike him down...

...is because I'm gonna strike him down first!

Come on, Forthwith.

Welton!

Welton J. Waters for Mayor!

Vote for Welton J. Waters.

Waters is runnin', baby. He's runnin' for you...

...runnin' hard and fast and can't finish last!

Welton's gonna win when you put him in.

- Can I help you? - I want to see Welton J. Waters.

Gentlemen, the only reason that I've brought Mr. Waters here this afternoon...

...is to confirm our pledge that he will indeed be rewarded...

...for his efforts on our behalf.

Moreover, he's supremely qualified to head our urban renewal program.

Welton, you have what, two law degrees?

Yes, two. I have a Master's in Labor Law.

Wonderful. Wonderful.

So, you see, gentlemen, as I've told you many times before...

...were not dealing with...

I want to get in there! Don't you know who I am?

We're not dealing here with a mediocre politician...

...but rather with a man who has decided to play ball.

A decision that, I might add, is rather critical to the Mayor's re-election.

- But I said you cannot go in there. - Don't you tell me where I can't go!

Of course, we all realize that Mr. Waters is black...

...but I think we can ignore that. He has.

He has risen in his profession.

What's more, he's honest.

He's reliable, he's responsible, he's respectable.

The three "R's," which I, as a campaign manager, must always...

Welton!

Gentlemen, this is...

Jesus Christ!

You don't know what they're gonna do! You don't know!

- All right, come on! - But you gotta listen to me!

Tell him to listen to me. He's gotta listen to me.

Welton, you're gonna hurt me.

- Why don't you come on, for Christ's sake? - But you've gotta listen to me!

You don't know what they're gonna do. You gotta listen.

He sure messed all over you, didn't he?

Didn't he?

And just think, that ol' snippety-butt...

...Miss Nothin', tried to make a fool outta me.

- She sure did. - And they gonna pay.

Baby, they gonna pay!

'Cause Grace Teasdale Grimes is done spoke!

- Shut up! Just shut up! - They found out about you.

Those little old-timey niggers, they found out!

- I told you to shut up! - No, damn it!

I'm glad they found out! Now you'll be a nothing!

You won't be able to use me anymore!

You shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you!

- You won't be able to use me anymore! - Shut...

You know what I felt like, Grace? I felt like a fool!

I know you did.

A natural fool, standin' there in that church.

Made me feel like a fool. A fool in church!

After I said to him, "20, 30, 40,000."

He say, "Yeah, plenty of people, brother."

And had the nerve to call me brother!

And you know what you shoulda done right then?

God forgive me...

...but you shoulda went over there and busted him right in the mouth!

But it ain't too late.

- An eye for an eye. - Ain't that the truth?

- And that goes for that yellow-- - Watch your mouth, Grace.

Yeah, I declare, it's enough to make you sin.

Don't you dare act like you're gonna hit me!

You wanna swell up my pretty little thin lips.

That's what you like about me, isn't it?

My thin lips, my narrow nose...

...my light skin and my good hair!

All I care about is going down the drain. All I worked for!

The white man won't let you do what you want to do...

...after all you did for him!

After all those sit-ins you never sat down in.

After everything you've done for the white man.

He's not gonna let you do what you want to do.

Come on!

Get out of there! Come on!

Come here.

Come here.

- Get in this house this minute. - We have to go inside.

I'm gonna "inside" you if you don't get in this house!

Come on in here!

- Perhaps we can chat for a moment. - Yeah, we gonna chat.

Listen.

I got one thing to tell you.

You gonna be the Mayor of Baltimore.

- Thank you. It's constituents like yourself-- - Don't be callin' nobody no constituent!

- Nobody knows what that means. - Let's get out of here!

If you go, I'm goin' with you, I'll tell you that.

- Haven't you done enough already? - No, I ain't done enough.

No, she ain't done enough.

Like I said, you gonna be the Mayor.

That's right. Wait a minute. How's he gonna be the Mayor?

Let's get outta here!

You got one more time to raise your voice in my house...

...you hear?

- Now, about bein' the Mayor. - Now, wait a minute, Mrs...

Grimes.

Grace Teasdale Grimes, that's the name.

Mrs. Grimes, being elected Mayor is a highly complicated matter.

I'm gonna "highly complicated" you in the seat o' your britches...

...if you don't listen to what I say!

And sit down!

All right. Thank you.

Help your wife!

- You shoulda let me-- - Shut up!

I got plenty for you to do later!

And getting back to you, Waters, gonna tell you one thing.

Grace Teasdale Grimes...

...knows all that she wants to know about you.

And you gonna get that $10 million when I cut some more teeth.

And you know when that's gonna be. All you gonna get is one more chance.

So you know about that?

She knows about it.

Yeah, she knows about it.

I knew about it way before I come to show you this.

- Sit down! - I'm sorry.

Now listen.

It's not what I know, it's what I wanna know.

And what I wanna know...

...is if you're man enough...

...to be honest with the people.

That's what I wanna know.

So I should just come out and tell the people everything.

That's just what I mean.

That's what she means.

I think--

I ain't asking you what you think!

- Mrs. Grimes-- - You can do it, Welton.

Just think what good it'll do to get all the rot and poison out of both of us.

You got to do it, sonny.

People ain't no fools no more.

The only type of fool that you can fool is a fool.

And people ain't gonna be fools no more.

And neither am I, Mrs. Grimes.

I don't know why you took the time to bring me in here...

...but I'm thankful that you did.

I thank you.

I don't want no thanks, son.

I want one of them things that they give you when you buy a new Fridgidaire.

- What is that they give you, Forthwith? - A guarantee.

A guarantee. That's just what I want.

Forthwith, hand me my Bible.

I'm gonna show you how to get it.

Get up.

Here, put your hand on this.

- Really, a Bible, I... - Put your hand on it like Grace says.

Before I cut it off, leave your hand on here and send you on home.

Repeat after me. I hereby swear...

"I hereby swear..."

- To be the Mayor of Baltimore. -"To be the Mayor of Baltimore."

No ifs, ands, and maybes about it.

"No ifs, ands and maybes about it."

And do as Grace Teasdale Grimes say for me to do.

"And to do as Grace Teasdale Grimes say for me to do."

- If I don't... -"If I don't..."

No tellin' what she's liable to do to me.

"No telling what she's liable to do to me."

Amen.

"Amen."

Don't kiss me, honey, you might start somethin' that you can't stop.

And now, here's your new campaign manager.

- Who, him? - Who, me?

Yes, you.

Yes, you're the new campaign manager.

And I'm gonna start right now making you the Mayor of Baltimore.

I've got a telephone call to make first...

...before I do anything else.

I declare...

...it seems like I get so tired...

...so quick.

If anybody thinks...

...that I'm gonna let all this stuff be going on while I'm alive...

...they got another thought coming.

Hello?

I'm gonna get me a pair of pliers and fix this woman's voice.

Hello, Clarice? This is Grace.

Grace who?

Grace Teasdale Grimes!

What kinda Grace did you think it was?

I didn't know. It could have been the kind of Grace one says when one eats.

Is that the kind of Grace that would call you on the telephone?

You called me, so I suppose--

I'm gonna "suppose" you if you don't shut up and listen to what I got to say.

I'm terribly sorry.

Now, listen to me good.

I wanna know...

...who do day-work for the Mayor.

A mare? A mare is a horse, a lady horse.

No one would do day-work for a lady horse.

I knew I shouldn't have called this woman.

Listen, Clarice...

...I'm talkin' about the Mayor of Baltimore.

Well, you shouldn't talk about the Mayor of Baltimore.

He's a very important man with a lot of responsibility.

Clarice, I'm gonna try it one more time.

Who do day-work...

...for the Mayor?

Why didn't you say that? Who "does" day-work for the Mayor?

Why, don't you know?

No. Who?

It's Nadine. Nadine does day-work for the Mayor.

Nadine?

Is that the same one that sings the high part...

...in Just a Closer Walk?

No!

This is the Nadine that sings the alto in Come, Ye Disconsolate.

But she used to sing second solo in Yield Not to Distemper...

...and before that, she sang the lead on...

...Abide With Me.

And before that, she sang the high part in...

...Just a Closer Walk with Thee.

The high part in Just a Closer Walk, that's what I asked you...

...if that was the same Nadine that sings that song.

Yes, that's Nadine that works for the Mayor.

All right, don't say nothin' else. Just listen.

Tell Nadine to get sick on Tuesday...

...and send me in her place.

- Send you? - Yeah.

That's all. Don't ask no questions.

I don't meddle in your business, don't meddle in mine.

Bye!

That woman would make coffee nervous.

I ain't never seen the like. She run you crazy.

What y'all standin' here for?

Let's start the campaigning.

I'm the campaign manager, like Grace says...

...so let's go to your house and strategize.

I put a lot of years in show business, and I did a lot of managing.

I was gonna manage Snake Hips Tucker, boy from right here in Baltimore.

Then I was gonna manage Bullfrog Shorty, the little short comedian.

And that great contortionist, Jigsaw Jackson.

- Don't talk about no managin'! - Wait a minute.

If I'm going to run for Mayor, and do it seriously.

I'm going to run. And I'm going to run this campaign right!

If I've been wrong, I've been wrong. But that's the past.

This lady has shown me something I should've seen a long time ago.

And now that I've seen it, I'm taking over.

I'm going to run for Mayor, and that's all there is to it.

And my past is my past...

...and I don't care if I passed for a left-footed bulldog.

Neither do I, baby.

I'm going to tell these people right here one thing.

We're going to run a campaign like nobody ever heard of...

...and we're going to win. And when we do...

...I may be the first politician in history to keep his word...

...and my word is "honesty."

Do you hear me, Miss Grace?

I hear you, son.

But I think I'd better help you a little bit.

"Precious Lord

"Take my hand."

Somebody tell that new cleaning girl to knock off that singing!

You can't get a damn thing done around here!

Where's that thing from those fairies in the Human Relations Committee?

And tell that McCloskey he can't have that building...

...unless he forks over like everybody else.

So what?

He got a $100,000 for that last deal! What did I get?

Nothing!

The hell with him, and you, too!

Excuse me!

- Yeah. - Excuse me, Mr. Mayor.

What?

Tell 'em anything! What do I care?

Let me tell you one thing.

You know why I'm pushing that poverty program?

Because my boys rake off 60 percent of that good green...

...Washington money, that's why.

I'll tell you something else.

Redevelopment-wise, once the Negroes are out, they're out!

Who ever heard of finding a place to put them back into?

You know what that costs, George? Money, money!

-"Let me stand " - Leave him in...

- Girlie, will you knock off that singin'? - Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor!

Yes, sir! 'Scuse me!

All you gotta do is to tell 'em you're building houses for 'em.

Break the ground, have a ceremony, call the union, have a strike!

So what if Collins finds out? He's nothin' but a liberal fairy, liberal, that's what.

Anyway, we got this Waters guy to take the colored vote away from him.

Liberal fairy liberals need the colored vote to win!

No colored vote, no win! Now, listen, George...

...you know those buildings over on East Druid Hill?

There's gonna be a strike in 10 days!

Off of Pennsylvania Avenue, five days.

I know the election is in three weeks, but we started the work.

That's the--

What? 'Course there's nobody here.

Would I be talking to you like this if there was anybody here? Don't be a fool!

All right, get crackin', George.

- Yeah? - Sir, your wife is on your private phone.

Hello, honey.

Look, honey--

All right, sweetness.

Yes, candy...honey.

Yes, sweetheart. I'll be right there.

Yeah, "kissy-kissy" to you, too.

Somebody get rid of that private phone.

That's all I wanna know, brother. I'm gonna fix your buns.

Bet that!

I know he didn't mean this...

...to leave this open!

Precious Lord!

Wait until he come talkin' 'bout "ain't nobody here."

He didn't think I was nothin' but some ol'...

...colored woman with a head like a goat.

Didn't have no sense at all, but I'm gonna fix him!

I'm gonna fool him.

I'm gonna hang him if I can.

Wait till he finds that out!

Lemme wipe the fingerprints off.

That's good.

I just don't know. He's got a raving drunk for a wife.

So what? You think my old lady's a teetotaler?

Come on, now.

"Come on" nothing. This guy's gotta pull the colored vote.

And it's your job to see that he--

- Yeah? - There's a man to move a filing cabinet.

What filing...

Yeah, the cleaning girl said something about it.

Send him in, but tell him to be quick.

I'm tellin' you, we've got a problem on our hands.

He's okay, but I'm worried about his wife.

- Pardon me, gentlemen. - Yeah, hurry it up!

You know as well as I do that if we lose the colored vote to Collins, we might--

The only thing I care about is that Welton J. Waters...

...does what he's paid to do and nobody finds out.

Besides that, Jim, I've got another job for you.

What's that?

Pardon me, gentlemen.

Keep my record clean.

Your record's clean, Frank.

Good evening, gentlemen.

It better be.

That's the least of your problems.

- There's enough in here to hang him. - Two or three times.

I don't know much about this.

But I know if the Mayor has big interests in the newspapers and everything...

...no one is ever going to know about this.

You know one thing, honey? You ain't dumb...

...you just ain't as smart as me...

...'cause I got the answer.

Blaney Stokes.

Blaney Stokes?

Don't you remember that boy on the train that didn't want no chicken?

Oh, yeah!

That's the boy. He's at Morgan State College!

Now, I want y'all to listen.

I want you to listen to Grace good...

...'cause I mean every word I say.

Miss Grace, I've got a revolution to deal with.

I'm gonna "revolution" you, if you don't do as I tell you to do.

Now, I want everybody that you can find...

...and have 'em in this building tomorrow!

I don't know how you gonna get 'em here...

...but all I want you to know, I want 'em here!

- I don't know. - I know, 'cause I'm the campaign manager.

I know what you got to do if you're gonna call yourself Colored, Black, Negro or Us.

Now, young man, what you gonna do?

Yeah, what you got on your mind, son?

- Gonna do it. - Yeah, we gonna do it.

- All right, we gonna do it! - My man.

You know we gonna do it. You tellin' me we gonna do it.

I know we gonna do it.

Listen, you young people.

Listen, you young people.

When! was in school...

...! skied on white mountain slopes...

...and! drank green beer on St. Patrick's Day.

! was in another world and time.

But what! did not do then,! will do now.

! will stop them from tearing down our homes...

...and leaving our families stranded!

- Right on. - Yeah.

! will stop them from arresting us, and letting their own go free.

! will stop them from lying about us in the news.

Right on.

And! shall find ways to bring us work.

! will build schools...

...so that we can be educated as we should be educated.

And! will, with your help and God's help...

...and the help of our humanistic nature...

...be the Mayor of all the people of this city!

This is my wife.

My wife.

They tried to use my wife...

...against me.

She denied her blackness once...

...and so did!, more recently than she.

But she and! have been cured of all of that.

Not by a radical movement...

...not by a history course...

...not by relevancy...

...and not by any established movement...

...but by a lady who lives next door to us.

That lady made me do what! am doing now.

And! am blessed to know her.

What she made of me...

...she will make of all of us.

She is what we all must be...

...if we are to be anything!

She is...

...Grace Teasdale Grimes!

Well, how y'all feel?

Fine.

You better feel good!

'Cause I'm tellin' you right now...

...Waters is gonna be the Mayor.

! don't know whether y'all hear me or not...

...but! say Waters is gonna be the Mayor.

And I'm so glad that Waters is gonna be the Mayor!

He's gonna be the Mayor because you are gonna make him the Mayor.

You know how you gonna do that?

You gonna take all that stuff...

...that! know on that...

...lyin' Mayor.

Yes, he's a liar and the truth ain't in him.

! want you to take all that stuff...

...and tell everybody from here to kingdom come...

...and five miles past that.

! wonder, do you understand me?

Yes!

Them folks got everything...

...radios...

...television, newspapers.

We ain't got much o' that to speak about.

But one thing...

...we got is a mouth.

Ain't nobody nowhere...

...got no more mouth than we got.

When we wanna talk about somebody...

...baby, we talk about somebody.

When we wanna whoop and holler...

...we whoop and holler till the lights go out.

When we wanna sing, shout...

...signify or testify...

...we do that, too.

Why?

Because we got a mouth.

! wonder do you children know what I'm talking about?

Now, you take me.

! ain't nothin' but an old church sister...

...fry some chicken...

...cook a good pot of greens.

But you children are something else.

! ain't nothin' but the neck bone.

You children...

...you're the leg and the thigh...

...and the dark meat of God's great chicken.

And! want you to listen to Grace Teasdale Grimes.

You hear me?

You all don't know me, but I'm your mother, honey.

! mean,! got a daughter in New York City.

! don't see her very much.

! had a son...

...but he was in the war...

...and one day...

...one August afternoon...

...! got a telegram.

First telegram! ever got.

And! made up my mind...

...that you were my children.

You all are my children...

...and my children do what! tell 'em to.

And I'm tellin' you to use those brains...

...that God put in your head...

...and go on out...

...and turn this town upside down.

Tell everybody that Waters is gonna be the Mayor!

I'm glad!

I'm so glad that Waters is gonna be the Mayor.

Listen to me!

"I'm so glad

"Waters gonna be the Mayor

"I'm so glad

"That Waters gonna be the Mayor

"I'm so glad

"Waters gonna be the Mayor

"Singin' glory hallelujah

"Waters gonna be the Mayor

"Sing it, children

"I'm so glad

- Sing It, honey! -"Waters gonna be the Mayor

- Tell the truth. -"I'm so glad

- So glad! -"Waters gonna be the Mayor

-"I'm so glad - Yes, yes!

"That Waters gonna be the Mayor

"Singin' glory hallelujah

"Waters gonna be the Mayor

"I'm so glad

"Waters gonna be the Mayor

"Some of my friends don't know it

"But Waters gonna be the Mayor

"The Gallup poll don't show it

"But Waters gonna be the Mayor

"Tell everybody in Baltimore

"Tell them loud and clear

"That I'm so glad

"That Waters gonna be the Mayor"

Tell everybody in Baltimore

that Waters gonna be the man, gonna be the man!

Waters is the man with the plan!

We can do it!

- Don't tell me you can't do it. - We can do it.

I got a bullet in my leg in 1943,

and I know what I got it for.

And my time has come to get what I got it for.

And what I'm getting is Welton J. Waters for Mayor.

In order to rid the city of corruption...

...we must have a viable police force.

By "a viable police force,"! mean we must have people who are in office.

Grace knows you can do it.

Do it! Do it!

I can fry some chicken, baby.

Grace'll have you plenty o' chicken.

Go 'head and do it!

Do it! Do it!

Make him the Mayor. We can do it, children!

You all can do it! Do it!

We want Welton J. Waters! Put him in, folks!

! know you can do it.

We'll turn this city upside down!

Come on!

Come on around!

His name is Waters. Welton J. Waters!

The man with the plan.

"Precious Lord

"Precious Lord

"Take my hand

"Lead me on

"Lord, lend me strength."

I just about got enough here, I think.

"I am so weak

"I am worn

"I am standing."

Come in.

The door ain't locked, ain't never been locked, ain't no lock on It.

Wipe your feet if it's rainin'.

If it ain't, you don't have to bother. Just come on in.

- Miss Grace. - It's my children from the school.

Looka there.

Well, I'll declare.

Miss Grace?

What's the matter, y'all don't even say, "Good evenin"'?

- Good evenin'. - Good evenin'.

That's better. Now what you want?

We came to take you and Mr. Forthwith down to headquarters.

You the police?

What?

No. We mean the campaign headquarters.

Poor boy's been...

He been down there long ago, three or four hours.

Yes, ma'am, but what about you?

I got to get these string beans ready, sonny.

But the election's liable to go either way.

Well, either way it goes, I got to get these string beans ready.

But if it wasn't for you, nothin' would be happening.

And if it wasn't for me, it wouldn't be no string beans.

But that man's liable to win this thing...

...and everybody's gonna wanna know where you are.

For goodness' sake, everybody know where I live.

Now, go on outta here and let me alone!

- Yes, ma'am, but-- - Don't "but" me, or I'll...

- Good evenin', Miss Grace. - Good evenin'.

Wait a minute. Come back here.

I want you to come back after everything's over...

...and get some of these string beans.

- All right. Yes, ma'am. - Yes, ma'am.

And sweet potato pie's gonna be ready, too.

- Okay! - Yeah.

Ain't neither one of you look like you eat right.

They must don't feed y'all good up at that school.

You know, I want you to come back here, now, win or lose...

...'cause the Lord don't stop the world on no election night, you know.

- Yes, ma'am. - All right.

- Now, good evening. - Good night.

Nice boys, goin' to college and everything.

Don't take the door with you, please!

What's a matter with them boys?

If they think that I'm goin' down...

...to that place with them...

...they must be some kind of fools.

I'm tired. I done done enough.

Let 'em take it as they can.

I ain't no Chippie.

Do you know one thing?

A few more days like today...

...and I ain't gonna have no days left at all.

I can't do no more, can I, Jesus?

They must think I'm 17.

I was once, but I ain't no more.

Maybe I'll turn the radio on and listen to the news.

But you know what it is...

...and all it is, and all it's gonna be.

I think I'll just put my hand on the radio...

...and think to you for a little while.

Just a little while...

...before I find out what Welton J. Waters is doin'.

! hope you can hear me!

I can hear you, man, go ahead and say something!

This place has gone mad!

Students, old people, mothers with babies fathers in work clothes...

...high-school kids!

It's the political miracle of the century!

No one gave him a chance...

...but Welton J. Waters is the Mayor of Baltimore!

Welton J. Waters is the Mayor of Baltimore!

That's it!

Got to fix them string beans now. Thank you, Jesus.

Got to fix them string beans now!

Everybody gonna be hungry as wolves when they get here.

I'm gonna be ready for 'em.

String beans, sweet potato pie.

And here he is...

Hope you can hear me. Welton J. Waters!

Thank you!

Thank you!

My wife, Creola.

- Have a little champagne, Mrs. Waters. - No,! don't need that anymore.

Ain't that somethin'?

And here's my campaign manager...

...Forthwith Wilson!

! told you we could do it, because! believed we could do it.

There is nothing nowhere, no time, no place better than doin' it!

Forthwith Wilson, watch your mouth.

People,! want to--

No, that's all right Forthwith.

Okay, you the Mayor.

Yeah, go on, sit down, Forthwith, before you mess up again.

Now, let me say this--

I'm gonna be your Mayor for a good while.

We're going to have honesty.

Grace Teasdale Grimes taught me that...

Where is Mrs. Grimes?

She's fixin' some string beans.

We want Grace! We want Grace!

We want Grace! We want Grace!

Grace ain't comin'. Grace ain't comin'.

Grace done got tired!

That's all it is to it!

My goodness a life! What do they expect o' me?

Lemme go first and turn that radio off in there.

My electric bill will be umpteen dollars.

There.

Ain't goin'.

You know, I got to get these beans on...

...and get my chicken fried...

...and Tertia Mae...

...I'm gonna call her...

...and see if she can't send me some potato salad.

It oughta get here...

...if she sends it air mail.

I'll be dad-blamed!

Ain't that somethin'?

I declare, I declare!

I'm tellin' you, sometime, I believe it.

We ain't good for nothin'...

...only scrubbin' floors, and makin' up beds...

...and shining shoes...

...and pickin' beans...

...and takin' the money and playin' bolito with it.

That's what we call it down home, bolito.

Up here y'all call it the numbers.

It's all the same thing, one'll break you just as quick as the other one will.

Oh, my goodness.

I'm tellin' you.

I'm so tired, I don't know what to do.

I declare.

I believe the Lord must o' made us on the eighth day.

I do.

I'm gonna set down and rest myself awhile.

Lemme see. Where was I at?

The last page of Deuteronomy.

Thank you, Jesus.

That's all it is, children.

Y'all can go home now. That's all.

But watch me.

Watch me. No tellin' where I'll be next.

Liable to be in the White House.

They need me there, believe me.

You better hurry up and believe me. They need me.