1
00:01:15,492 --> 00:01:17,743
My name is Clareece "Precious" Jones.

2
00:01:20,246 --> 00:01:24,416
I wish I had a light-skinned boyfriend
with real nice hair.

3
00:01:24,501 --> 00:01:27,044
And I wanna be on the cover of a magazine.

4
00:01:27,128 --> 00:01:30,506
But first, I wanna be
in one of them BET videos.

5
00:01:30,590 --> 00:01:32,925
Momma said I can't dance.

6
00:01:33,009 --> 00:01:36,512
Plus, she said, who wants
to see my big ass dancing, anyhow?

7
00:01:36,596 --> 00:01:40,265
Well, if there's no volunteers,
then I'm going to have to call people.

8
00:01:40,350 --> 00:01:44,186
Okay, Leticia, you got number one. Leticia!

9
00:01:44,270 --> 00:01:45,646
Jess Wesley, number two.

10
00:01:45,730 --> 00:01:48,857
I like math. I don't say nothing.

11
00:01:49,692 --> 00:01:53,112
I don't open my book, even. 
I just sit there.

12
00:01:53,196 --> 00:01:54,738
- You down?
- Number six.

13
00:01:54,823 --> 00:01:58,784
Every day I tell myself
something's gonna happen.

14
00:01:58,868 --> 00:01:59,993
I’m... I’m dead serious.

15
00:02:00,078 --> 00:02:02,412
Like, I'm gonna break through.

16
00:02:02,956 --> 00:02:05,707
Or somebody's gonna break through to me.

17
00:02:06,126 --> 00:02:08,418
I'm gonna be normal

18
00:02:08,503 --> 00:02:11,421
and pay attention,
and sit in the front of the class.

19
00:02:11,506 --> 00:02:13,715
Distributive principles...

20
00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:14,883
Someday.

21
00:02:14,968 --> 00:02:17,219
...are principles that
you can do in your head.

22
00:02:17,303 --> 00:02:19,388
I like Mr. Wicher.

23
00:02:20,348 --> 00:02:24,726
I pretend he my husband
and we live someplace like Westchester.

24
00:02:25,812 --> 00:02:29,439
Look at him. He like me, too, I know it.

25
00:02:30,233 --> 00:02:34,987
I can tell by his eyes.
He always looking at me and smiling at me.

26
00:02:35,071 --> 00:02:37,156
Boys! Boys! Boys!

27
00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:38,448
I’m not your fucking boy!

28
00:02:38,533 --> 00:02:39,658
You're disrupting the class.

29
00:02:39,742 --> 00:02:42,161
Yeah, well, I’m talking now,
so you listen.

30
00:02:43,079 --> 00:02:45,831
Shut the fuck up! I’m trying to listen!

31
00:02:49,085 --> 00:02:51,420
Mr. Wicher know I got his back.

32
00:02:51,838 --> 00:02:53,380
One twenty-two.

33
00:02:55,008 --> 00:02:57,050
Why are we barking, Jess?

34
00:02:57,594 --> 00:03:02,014
Monday's assignment.
I’m assuming everybody did it.

35
00:03:02,432 --> 00:03:04,433
- No.
- No.

36
00:03:07,770 --> 00:03:12,482
Please... Quiet. Precious, get your things.

37
00:03:12,567 --> 00:03:14,651
I have... Come here for a second.

38
00:03:14,736 --> 00:03:15,861
Now this shit.

39
00:03:15,945 --> 00:03:18,947
Is there anybody
who didn't do their homework?

40
00:03:21,451 --> 00:03:26,246
Why? These aren't requests.
These are requirements. Okay?

41
00:03:29,918 --> 00:03:32,836
You have to go to the principal's office.

42
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:44,848
Go to the principal's office!

43
00:03:44,933 --> 00:03:47,851
All right, that's enough. That's enough.

44
00:03:48,228 --> 00:03:51,313
No, he's not allowed on campus.
Where was he seen?

45
00:03:51,439 --> 00:03:53,315
Could you get Mr. Tork from Room 25,

46
00:03:53,399 --> 00:03:55,817
tell him to go to Room 16 right away?
Thank you.

47
00:03:55,902 --> 00:03:58,654
No. He was seen on the second floor.

48
00:03:59,948 --> 00:04:01,490
Yes. Thank you.

49
00:04:01,658 --> 00:04:03,742
Send Clareece in here!

50
00:04:06,996 --> 00:04:08,997
She's ready for you now.

51
00:04:12,669 --> 00:04:14,962
Mr. Taylor? Ms. Lichenstein.

52
00:04:15,463 --> 00:04:16,755
Come in.

53
00:04:17,173 --> 00:04:19,508
Matthew Williams, second floor.

54
00:04:20,343 --> 00:04:23,637
In front of his locker.
Yes. Suspended last week.

55
00:04:26,391 --> 00:04:27,557
Yeah.

56
00:04:28,184 --> 00:04:30,310
Yes, absolutely. Thank you.

57
00:04:31,521 --> 00:04:33,272
Hello, Clareece.

58
00:04:38,361 --> 00:04:40,070
Are you pregnant?

59
00:04:47,370 --> 00:04:51,415
You're 16. 
You're still in junior high school,

60
00:04:53,209 --> 00:04:56,128
and you're pregnant with your second child.

61
00:04:56,212 --> 00:04:58,380
Is that correct, Clareece?

62
00:05:01,134 --> 00:05:03,093
Are you pregnant again?

63
00:05:10,435 --> 00:05:12,769
What happened, Clareece?

64
00:05:12,854 --> 00:05:15,564
I had sex, Ms. Lichenstein.

65
00:05:20,987 --> 00:05:25,032
Do you have any other thoughts
about your situation, Clareece?

66
00:05:30,246 --> 00:05:31,621
Clareece?

67
00:05:31,998 --> 00:05:33,749
Am I in trouble?

68
00:05:35,585 --> 00:05:38,337
Thank you. I gotta get back to math.

69
00:05:38,421 --> 00:05:41,506
Sit down, Clareece. Sit down right now.

70
00:05:43,718 --> 00:05:47,512
We should have a parent-teacher's
conference with you, me and your mother.

71
00:05:47,597 --> 00:05:49,681
My mother's busy.

72
00:05:49,766 --> 00:05:52,100
All right. Well then,
how about if I come to your house?

73
00:05:52,185 --> 00:05:54,144
If I were you, I wouldn't.

74
00:05:54,228 --> 00:05:56,938
I... I’m going to have to suspend you.

75
00:05:58,107 --> 00:06:01,109
That ain't fair! I didn't do nothing!
I do my work!

76
00:06:01,194 --> 00:06:02,277
My grades is good!

77
00:06:02,362 --> 00:06:04,279
Is something going on at home?

78
00:06:04,364 --> 00:06:08,492
If something's going on at home,
I want you to tell me right now.

79
00:06:20,296 --> 00:06:22,297
You get my cigarettes?

80
00:06:22,715 --> 00:06:24,549
No, they didn't have it.

81
00:06:24,634 --> 00:06:27,886
I played the number, though.
I couldn't box it.

82
00:06:55,415 --> 00:06:57,374
Yes. Yeah.

83
00:06:59,252 --> 00:07:02,045
Right there. Yeah. Daddy loves you.

84
00:07:11,180 --> 00:07:13,098
Precious, what did you think of the film?

85
00:07:13,182 --> 00:07:14,349
I thought it was fabulous.

86
00:07:14,434 --> 00:07:16,935
- What's next for you?
- What?

87
00:07:17,019 --> 00:07:19,604
- How are you feeling?
- I feel great!

88
00:07:21,566 --> 00:07:23,108
Just one more, just one more, quick!

89
00:07:23,192 --> 00:07:24,818
I love you, too!

90
00:07:27,196 --> 00:07:28,405
You know I love you!

91
00:07:28,489 --> 00:07:30,073
Hey, boo!

92
00:07:38,374 --> 00:07:40,584
I ain't gonna say it no more.

93
00:07:45,798 --> 00:07:47,924
The door was open, so I let myself in.

94
00:07:48,009 --> 00:07:51,386
Well, there goes my chance
to tell you I'm not home.

95
00:07:51,929 --> 00:07:53,680
Now, Mary, this is important.

96
00:07:58,644 --> 00:08:00,228
Now, come on, Mary,
she'll have a great time.

97
00:08:00,313 --> 00:08:03,732
I'd enroll myself, but I became ineligible
for teen pageants a few days ago.

98
00:08:04,734 --> 00:08:07,611
Yeah, I see your acne's cleared up.

99
00:08:08,571 --> 00:08:10,864
You know, this pageant can do Brenda
a world of good, Mary.

100
00:08:10,948 --> 00:08:14,618
And the man in charge, he's tops
in his field. A brilliant promoter.

101
00:08:14,911 --> 00:08:16,786
How long have you two been dating?

102
00:08:18,247 --> 00:08:20,332
A dance teacher.

103
00:08:22,251 --> 00:08:25,212
Tell them assholes to stop ringing my bell.

104
00:08:25,922 --> 00:08:27,964
I hate crackheads.

105
00:08:28,758 --> 00:08:31,551
No one ever ring this bell
except for crackheads.

106
00:08:31,636 --> 00:08:33,762
Why they fucking with us?

107
00:08:38,267 --> 00:08:41,645
Stop ringing the goddamn buzzers,
motherfuckers!

108
00:08:41,729 --> 00:08:43,897
Give the ghetto a bad name.

109
00:08:49,737 --> 00:08:52,113
Stop ringing the goddamn buzzer!

110
00:09:01,707 --> 00:09:04,834
Stop it!

111
00:09:05,294 --> 00:09:07,295
Press "listen," stupid.

112
00:09:12,635 --> 00:09:16,471
It's Sandra Lichenstein
for Clareece and Ms. Mary Johnston.

113
00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:21,476
Who is that, Precious?

114
00:09:22,061 --> 00:09:24,062
White bitch from school.

115
00:09:31,445 --> 00:09:33,154
What do you want?

116
00:09:33,656 --> 00:09:37,158
Clareece, I want to talk to you
about your education.

117
00:09:40,997 --> 00:09:42,914
Eighty-six that bitch.

118
00:09:43,749 --> 00:09:45,750
My mother don't wanna get cut off welfare.

119
00:09:45,835 --> 00:09:48,378
And that's just what this visit
gonna result in.

120
00:09:51,257 --> 00:09:54,426
Ms. Lichenstein, get out of here
before I kick your ass.

121
00:09:54,510 --> 00:09:56,761
All right, Clareece, I spoke to Mr. Wicher,

122
00:09:56,846 --> 00:09:59,681
and he told me
that you're one of his best math students.

123
00:09:59,765 --> 00:10:02,726
If your fat ass don't get
that bitch away from here...

124
00:10:02,810 --> 00:10:05,437
...like a, like a potential for math.

125
00:10:05,521 --> 00:10:07,063
So I called Mrs. McKnight

126
00:10:07,148 --> 00:10:11,276
from Higher Education Alternative
Each One Teach One.

127
00:10:12,111 --> 00:10:14,279
It’s an alternative school.

128
00:10:15,031 --> 00:10:17,365
Clareece, are you listening to me?

129
00:10:18,034 --> 00:10:18,992
Yeah.

130
00:10:19,076 --> 00:10:22,954
Okay. Mrs. McKnight. Each One Teach One.

131
00:10:23,164 --> 00:10:29,044
It’s located at the 11th floor,
Hotel Theresa, 125th Street.

132
00:10:29,587 --> 00:10:32,005
- Get rid of that bitch.
- The semester started a few days ago,

133
00:10:32,089 --> 00:10:33,131
so you're not too late.

134
00:10:33,215 --> 00:10:34,758
Eleventh floor.

135
00:10:35,176 --> 00:10:36,843
I heard you the first time.

136
00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:38,970
Okay.

137
00:10:40,389 --> 00:10:44,726
I don't know what an alternative school is,
but I feel I wanna know.

138
00:10:46,687 --> 00:10:48,938
My heart is all warm inside.

139
00:10:49,857 --> 00:10:52,442
Mr. Wicher think I'm a good student.

140
00:10:53,986 --> 00:10:55,945
I knew that he liked me.

141
00:11:16,050 --> 00:11:18,468
School ain't gonna help none!

142
00:11:18,552 --> 00:11:21,096
Take your ass down to the welfare.

143
00:11:21,180 --> 00:11:23,431
Who the fuck she think she is?

144
00:11:24,350 --> 00:11:29,187
So I guess you think you cute now, right?
Uppity bitch.

145
00:11:29,271 --> 00:11:32,273
You should have kept
your fucking mouth shut.

146
00:11:34,151 --> 00:11:36,152
Just 'cause he gonna give you
more children than he give me,

147
00:11:36,237 --> 00:11:38,488
you think you something fucking special?

148
00:11:38,572 --> 00:11:40,573
Fuck you and fuck him!

149
00:11:45,037 --> 00:11:46,329
Precious!

150
00:11:48,457 --> 00:11:50,750
Precious! Precious!

151
00:11:51,794 --> 00:11:53,378
Get down here, bitch!

152
00:11:53,462 --> 00:11:55,839
You brought that white bitch up
in my house!

153
00:11:56,757 --> 00:11:58,675
You...
Why would you bring that bitch up in here?

154
00:11:58,759 --> 00:11:59,801
I didn't bring her here.

155
00:11:59,885 --> 00:12:02,762
Well, why the fuck did she ring my buzzer?

156
00:12:04,348 --> 00:12:05,598
I can't hear you, Precious.

157
00:12:05,683 --> 00:12:07,726
Since you got
so much motherfucking mouth,

158
00:12:07,810 --> 00:12:09,477
and you gonna bring a bitch up
in my house,

159
00:12:09,562 --> 00:12:11,604
why would that bitch ring
my goddamn buzzer?

160
00:12:11,689 --> 00:12:13,398
I didn't tell her to come here.

161
00:12:13,482 --> 00:12:17,193
See, I think right now, you feeling
like you're becoming a grown woman.

162
00:12:17,278 --> 00:12:19,112
'Cause of that shit you pulled
in the kitchen.

163
00:12:19,196 --> 00:12:22,574
I should've fucked you up,
but I let you walk away,

164
00:12:22,658 --> 00:12:24,576
and I let you come get yourself together.

165
00:12:24,660 --> 00:12:27,704
But, bitch, I’m gonna let you know
if you ever pull that shit on me again,

166
00:12:27,788 --> 00:12:30,331
that will be your last
motherfucking day standing,

167
00:12:30,416 --> 00:12:31,416
I promise you that.

168
00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:34,043
You gonna send a white bitch
to my motherfucking buzzer?

169
00:12:34,128 --> 00:12:35,754
Talking about some higher education?

170
00:12:35,838 --> 00:12:39,090
You're a dummy, bitch,
you will never know shit.

171
00:12:39,175 --> 00:12:41,468
Don't nobody want you.
Don't nobody need you.

172
00:12:41,552 --> 00:12:44,179
You done fucked around
and fucked my motherfucking man

173
00:12:44,263 --> 00:12:46,181
and had two motherfucking children,

174
00:12:46,265 --> 00:12:47,932
and one of them is a goddamn animal,

175
00:12:48,017 --> 00:12:51,102
running around,
looking crazy as a motherfucker.

176
00:12:51,187 --> 00:12:55,190
Bitch, you know what?
See, I think you... I think you're trying me.

177
00:12:55,858 --> 00:12:59,778
I think you're really trying to fuck with me.
You're fucking with my money.

178
00:12:59,862 --> 00:13:01,946
And you're gonna stand up there
and look down at me

179
00:13:02,031 --> 00:13:03,615
like you're a motherfucking woman.

180
00:13:03,699 --> 00:13:05,658
I’m gonna show you
what real women do, bitch.

181
00:13:05,743 --> 00:13:08,203
See, you don't know
what real motherfucking women do.

182
00:13:08,287 --> 00:13:10,246
Real motherfucking women sacrifice.

183
00:13:10,331 --> 00:13:13,708
I should've aborted your motherfucking ass.
'Cause you ain't shit.

184
00:13:13,793 --> 00:13:16,377
I knew it the day the doctors put you
in my goddamn hand

185
00:13:16,462 --> 00:13:17,962
you wasn't a goddamn thing,

186
00:13:18,047 --> 00:13:20,340
and you have that smirk
on your face, bitch?

187
00:13:20,424 --> 00:13:22,133
Get it off your fucking face!

188
00:13:22,218 --> 00:13:25,804
Now smile about that!
Smile about that, you fat bitch.

189
00:13:29,391 --> 00:13:31,518
I’m gonna kill you, bitch!

190
00:13:41,403 --> 00:13:43,154
Get off me, bitch!

191
00:13:45,407 --> 00:13:46,825
And "blank" and eggs?

192
00:13:46,909 --> 00:13:48,243
- Bacon?
- Right.

193
00:13:48,327 --> 00:13:50,870
- And "What's up, Doc?" He eats these.
- Carrots.

194
00:13:50,955 --> 00:13:54,332
- Right. And ice, it comes in a tray.
- Ice cubes.

195
00:13:54,416 --> 00:13:57,335
Right. And the best part of the steak. The...

196
00:13:57,419 --> 00:13:58,878
- The T-bone. The...
- No.

197
00:13:58,963 --> 00:14:00,296
- Filet mignon.
- Right!

198
00:14:00,381 --> 00:14:03,842
- And an English... Thomas' English...
- Muffin!

199
00:14:03,926 --> 00:14:05,718
- Right.
- That's it!

200
00:14:14,353 --> 00:14:16,813
You really need to get some rest.

201
00:14:16,897 --> 00:14:19,691
You have such a big day
ahead of you tomorrow.

202
00:14:19,775 --> 00:14:22,944
And remember, Mommy loves you.

203
00:14:26,282 --> 00:14:31,619
Describe these things that are planned.
Things that are planned. Ready? Go!

204
00:14:34,790 --> 00:14:37,917
Precious, you know I love you.

205
00:14:38,002 --> 00:14:41,004
I’m gonna kick that white lady
out of my house,

206
00:14:41,088 --> 00:14:42,922
move you in with me.

207
00:14:43,007 --> 00:14:45,133
Wanna live in Westchester?

208
00:14:46,969 --> 00:14:48,303
- Commit a...
- Crime.

209
00:14:48,387 --> 00:14:50,346
And this is you get back together again.

210
00:14:50,431 --> 00:14:51,472
- A class...
- Reunion.

211
00:14:51,557 --> 00:14:53,057
And this is when you're like this,

212
00:14:53,142 --> 00:14:54,392
- you're expecting...
- Pregnant.

213
00:14:54,476 --> 00:14:56,936
- Yeah. And this is you make a fast...
- Escape.

214
00:14:57,021 --> 00:14:58,771
- Right.
- That's it!

215
00:15:31,305 --> 00:15:35,266
Where you going?

216
00:15:35,517 --> 00:15:39,520
Make sure you play my 852
and tell them to box it.

217
00:15:43,067 --> 00:15:45,193
And get some kitty litter.

218
00:15:49,573 --> 00:15:51,449
Ethel, where you at?

219
00:15:55,412 --> 00:15:56,621
Precious, what are we gonna play?

220
00:15:56,705 --> 00:15:57,705
Girl, get the fuck out of here.

221
00:15:57,790 --> 00:15:59,248
Ain't you supposed to be
at school or something?

222
00:15:59,333 --> 00:16:00,959
You said we was gonna play.

223
00:16:01,043 --> 00:16:03,169
That's exactly why
we ain't gonna be playing.

224
00:16:03,253 --> 00:16:04,837
I never said nothing like that.

225
00:17:06,984 --> 00:17:10,695
You would say some shit like that to me,
and you don't even mean it?

226
00:17:10,779 --> 00:17:14,949
No, I’m not playing with you.
No, and she call... Hold on.

227
00:17:15,951 --> 00:17:18,411
Each One Teach One, hold, please.

228
00:17:18,954 --> 00:17:22,415
Yes. She called my house.
I know it wasn't your sister, Trey.

229
00:17:23,083 --> 00:17:25,043
Because it wasn't her.

230
00:17:28,756 --> 00:17:30,506
What this is here?

231
00:17:31,133 --> 00:17:32,467
Each One Teach One.

232
00:17:33,343 --> 00:17:35,386
I’m looking for an alternative school.

233
00:17:35,471 --> 00:17:37,263
This is an alternative.

234
00:17:37,347 --> 00:17:39,474
What alternative is?

235
00:17:39,558 --> 00:17:42,018
What exactly are you asking me?

236
00:17:42,102 --> 00:17:44,145
Lady at my other school
told me to come here.

237
00:17:44,229 --> 00:17:47,565
Hotel Theresa.
Said it's an alternative school.

238
00:17:47,649 --> 00:17:53,696
An alternative school, it's like a choice.
It’s a different way of doing things.

239
00:17:53,781 --> 00:17:57,450
So, I need your discharge papers
saying that they discharged you.

240
00:17:57,534 --> 00:18:00,453
I got kicked out of school
'cause I was pregnant.

241
00:18:00,537 --> 00:18:03,414
Well, I still need your discharge papers,
otherwise we can't let you in.

242
00:18:03,499 --> 00:18:05,541
Ms. Lichenstein didn't say all that.

243
00:18:05,626 --> 00:18:07,960
You the one she called about.

244
00:18:09,755 --> 00:18:11,506
Clareece P. Jones?

245
00:18:12,007 --> 00:18:15,343
They already sent over
your discharge papers and stuff.

246
00:18:15,427 --> 00:18:17,053
I could start today?

247
00:18:17,137 --> 00:18:20,473
Yeah. Are you currently receiving AFDC?

248
00:18:20,557 --> 00:18:23,601
My mother get AFDC
for me and my daughter.

249
00:18:23,685 --> 00:18:26,896
So your mother has custody of you and
your daughter, and you're on her budget?

250
00:18:26,980 --> 00:18:29,941
Okay, well, I’m gonna need a copy
of your mother's budget,

251
00:18:30,025 --> 00:18:33,027
and a copy of your phone bill
and your utility bill.

252
00:18:33,112 --> 00:18:36,405
We gotta give you a few tests,
test your reading and your math level,

253
00:18:36,490 --> 00:18:38,157
see where to place you.

254
00:18:38,784 --> 00:18:41,661
Hold on, baby. Each One Teach One, hold.

255
00:18:42,579 --> 00:18:47,125
To enter into the GED classes,
you gotta get an 8.0 or better on the TABE.

256
00:19:18,574 --> 00:19:21,742
There's always something wrong
with these tests.

257
00:19:23,829 --> 00:19:25,955
These tests paint a picture of me
with no brain.

258
00:19:27,249 --> 00:19:29,333
These tests paint a picture
of me and my mother,

259
00:19:29,418 --> 00:19:31,878
my whole family, as less than dumb.

260
00:19:31,962 --> 00:19:36,048
Just ugly, black grease to be wiped away,
find another job for.

261
00:19:37,801 --> 00:19:40,052
Sometimes I wish I was dead.

262
00:19:41,722 --> 00:19:45,433
I'll be okay, I guess, 
'cause I'm looking up.

263
00:19:47,644 --> 00:19:50,188
I'm looking up for a piano to fall.

264
00:19:50,272 --> 00:19:54,233
Or a desk, couch, TV... Momma, maybe.

265
00:19:55,235 --> 00:19:57,445
Always something in my way.

266
00:19:58,780 --> 00:19:59,780
Yeah, man.

267
00:19:59,865 --> 00:20:02,116
Yo, make sure you get that
for me, too, man.

268
00:20:02,201 --> 00:20:03,701
Alternative.

269
00:20:03,785 --> 00:20:05,786
Man, you gotta stop smoking
them shits, man.

270
00:20:05,871 --> 00:20:08,164
That ain't the only thing
that's gonna fucking kill you.

271
00:20:08,248 --> 00:20:10,124
Hustling in these streets gonna kill you.

272
00:20:10,918 --> 00:20:12,168
It is what it is.

273
00:20:12,252 --> 00:20:14,337
Then my mind come back down to Earth.

274
00:20:15,172 --> 00:20:17,965
Let me get some of that sweet ass, orca!

275
00:20:18,467 --> 00:20:19,467
What up, mama?

276
00:20:19,551 --> 00:20:21,594
Why boys always grabbing on themselves?

277
00:20:21,678 --> 00:20:25,514
You heard what the fuck I said?
I said give me some fucking ass.

278
00:20:25,599 --> 00:20:28,392
I’m serious!
When you gonna let me hit that?

279
00:20:28,477 --> 00:20:29,518
That bitch is laughing...

280
00:20:29,603 --> 00:20:30,978
I wish they'd leave me alone.

281
00:20:31,063 --> 00:20:33,064
- She's stupid.
- Yeah.

282
00:20:35,734 --> 00:20:37,610
Yo, that's not even funny.

283
00:20:38,153 --> 00:20:40,488
That's what she'd get anyway, no.

284
00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:44,492
Precious!

285
00:22:44,279 --> 00:22:47,239
Ma, I need some money!

286
00:22:51,536 --> 00:22:53,162
Ma, I’m hungry!

287
00:22:55,248 --> 00:22:57,792
Come take care of Mommy, Precious.

288
00:23:02,839 --> 00:23:05,091
I wish she'd stop this shit.

289
00:23:12,099 --> 00:23:14,100
The other day I cried.

290
00:23:15,143 --> 00:23:18,854
I felt stupid. But you know what?

291
00:23:19,398 --> 00:23:21,065
Fuck that day.

292
00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:26,195
That's why God, or whoever,
makes new days.

293
00:23:26,947 --> 00:23:28,656
Still hungry, though.

294
00:23:34,454 --> 00:23:36,831
Nigger wants me to leave my kids.

295
00:23:38,041 --> 00:23:39,542
They're my kids.

296
00:23:42,754 --> 00:23:45,589
- What d'you want, baby?
- Give me a basket, please.

297
00:23:45,674 --> 00:23:47,508
- Sides?
- I don't know yet.

298
00:23:47,592 --> 00:23:51,220
Still thinking about it.
Trying to watch my figure.

299
00:23:55,058 --> 00:23:58,060
Butchie, you got a 10-piece ready?

300
00:24:19,833 --> 00:24:21,375
Potato salad.

301
00:24:21,877 --> 00:24:23,043
Thank you.

302
00:24:29,050 --> 00:24:30,885
Hell, no, she didn't!

303
00:24:31,470 --> 00:24:33,929
Get her ass! Get that big bitch!

304
00:25:07,422 --> 00:25:10,049
No, I am not the one.

305
00:26:16,866 --> 00:26:18,325
You in ABE?

306
00:26:20,370 --> 00:26:21,495
Yeah.

307
00:26:23,164 --> 00:26:24,873
Time's a-wasting.

308
00:26:48,189 --> 00:26:49,898
What's your name?

309
00:26:50,734 --> 00:26:52,192
Clareece.

310
00:26:53,403 --> 00:26:55,154
Are you coming in?

311
00:27:01,578 --> 00:27:04,038
That door closes in 20 seconds.

312
00:27:09,419 --> 00:27:11,712
How are you guys doing today?

313
00:27:13,214 --> 00:27:15,799
Would you like to join us, Consuelo?

314
00:27:16,926 --> 00:27:19,470
Consuelo, class is beginning.

315
00:27:22,599 --> 00:27:25,768
You guys know
that you are in the ABE class.

316
00:27:26,269 --> 00:27:29,772
This is not GED.
This is to get you ready for your GED.

317
00:27:50,919 --> 00:27:54,380
These journals are very important
to this class, so do not forget them.

318
00:27:54,464 --> 00:27:56,840
You will need to use them every day
that you are here.

319
00:27:56,925 --> 00:27:58,384
They are the key to this class.

320
00:27:58,468 --> 00:27:59,802
It’s 9:07, Joann. You're late.

321
00:27:59,886 --> 00:28:02,513
You're the one who said breakfast is
the most important meal of the day.

322
00:28:02,597 --> 00:28:05,557
Tomorrow, that door will be locked at 9:00.

323
00:28:08,728 --> 00:28:12,523
I want you to state your name,
where you were born,

324
00:28:12,607 --> 00:28:17,277
your favorite color, something you do well
and why you're here.

325
00:28:18,488 --> 00:28:20,155
I'll go first.

326
00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:21,782
When you due?

327
00:28:22,659 --> 00:28:24,827
- My name...
- What you mean, you don't know?

328
00:28:24,911 --> 00:28:26,578
...is Blu Rain.

329
00:28:26,663 --> 00:28:28,914
- That's your real name?
- Yes, it is.

330
00:28:28,998 --> 00:28:31,458
Your first name's Blu?

331
00:28:34,671 --> 00:28:38,966
My favorite color is purple. I sing well.

332
00:28:40,218 --> 00:28:41,885
And I’m here

333
00:28:44,723 --> 00:28:46,807
because I love to teach.

334
00:28:46,891 --> 00:28:48,350
She like to sing.

335
00:28:48,435 --> 00:28:49,893
Rhonda?

336
00:28:49,978 --> 00:28:53,981
I wish I could sing.
Go to church and sing in the choir.

337
00:28:54,858 --> 00:28:56,233
Show them how it's done.

338
00:28:56,317 --> 00:29:01,029
All right.
My name is Rhonda Patrice Johnson.

339
00:29:02,907 --> 00:29:04,241
Problem?

340
00:29:05,618 --> 00:29:07,536
- I should smack her.
- What?

341
00:29:07,620 --> 00:29:13,167
I was born in Kingston, Jamaica,
and my favorite color is blue.

342
00:29:13,668 --> 00:29:15,252
And I cook good.

343
00:29:15,336 --> 00:29:17,963
My mother, she used to have a restaurant
over on 7th Avenue.

344
00:29:18,047 --> 00:29:20,632
Before she get sick,
she teach me everything.

345
00:29:20,717 --> 00:29:24,553
So I’m here to get my reading up,
so I can get my GED.

346
00:29:29,768 --> 00:29:33,353
My name is Rita Romero.
I was born here in Harlem.

347
00:29:34,773 --> 00:29:38,692
I’m here 'cause I was an addict
and I dropped out of school.

348
00:29:39,527 --> 00:29:42,654
So I never got
my reading and writing together.

349
00:29:43,198 --> 00:29:44,990
My favorite color's black.

350
00:29:45,074 --> 00:29:46,450
What do you do good?

351
00:29:46,534 --> 00:29:49,286
"Well," Joann. "What do you do well?"

352
00:29:49,370 --> 00:29:52,289
- What do I do well?
- No. Rita?

353
00:29:52,916 --> 00:29:55,626
I’m a good mother. Very good mother.

354
00:29:59,047 --> 00:30:02,090
My name's Jermaine.
My favorite color is red.

355
00:30:02,175 --> 00:30:04,301
Tell us where you were born first.

356
00:30:04,385 --> 00:30:07,554
I was born in the Bronx. Still live there.

357
00:30:07,639 --> 00:30:11,558
My favorite color is red. Used to be blue.

358
00:30:12,936 --> 00:30:15,145
I can dance real good.

359
00:30:15,230 --> 00:30:17,439
Homie of mine told me
about Each One Teach One,

360
00:30:17,524 --> 00:30:20,275
so I came here to stay out of trouble.

361
00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:23,153
So you came here to Harlem
to stay out of trouble? Is that right?

362
00:30:23,238 --> 00:30:24,613
Yeah.

363
00:30:24,697 --> 00:30:27,366
- Consuelo?
- This is bullshit.

364
00:30:27,450 --> 00:30:28,992
You think so?

365
00:30:33,748 --> 00:30:35,123
Clareece?

366
00:30:37,752 --> 00:30:39,419
Can I skip, too?

367
00:30:41,422 --> 00:30:42,881
Joann?

368
00:30:42,966 --> 00:30:46,426
Okay. I’m Joann. Hey.

369
00:30:49,055 --> 00:30:51,265
My favorite color is fluorescent beige

370
00:30:51,349 --> 00:30:54,226
and my ambition is to have
my own record layer.

371
00:30:54,310 --> 00:30:55,352
What's a record layer?

372
00:30:55,436 --> 00:30:58,355
Tell us where you come from
and why you come to this school.

373
00:30:58,439 --> 00:31:00,399
I was born in Kings County Hospital,

374
00:31:00,483 --> 00:31:02,901
but my mother moved us to Harlem
when I was nine.

375
00:31:02,986 --> 00:31:08,031
I’m here to get my GED, and then...
Well, I’m already into the music industry.

376
00:31:08,116 --> 00:31:11,702
I’m just trying to take care of
this little education thing so I can move up.

377
00:31:11,786 --> 00:31:16,832
Let's begin. This is ABE.

378
00:31:16,916 --> 00:31:18,250
Can I go?

379
00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:27,134
I wish I could sit
in the back of the class again.

380
00:31:35,643 --> 00:31:39,688
My name Clareece "Precious" Jones.

381
00:31:40,815 --> 00:31:42,566
I go by Precious.

382
00:31:44,319 --> 00:31:47,696
I live in Harlem. I like yellow.

383
00:31:48,781 --> 00:31:54,828
And I had problems at my other school,
so I come here.

384
00:31:57,165 --> 00:31:59,082
Something you do well?

385
00:32:01,586 --> 00:32:02,961
Nothing.

386
00:32:03,671 --> 00:32:06,006
Everybody's good at something.

387
00:32:09,052 --> 00:32:10,469
Come on.

388
00:32:14,057 --> 00:32:17,809
Well, I can cook. And...

389
00:32:20,271 --> 00:32:23,065
I never really talked in class before.

390
00:32:26,945 --> 00:32:29,196
How does that make you feel?

391
00:32:36,579 --> 00:32:37,746
Here.

392
00:32:41,542 --> 00:32:43,543
It makes me feel here.

393
00:32:45,964 --> 00:32:48,006
Everybody open their journal.

394
00:32:48,091 --> 00:32:52,135
Write the date at the top of the page,
and write.

395
00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:55,931
I don't care if you spell everything wrong.

396
00:32:56,015 --> 00:32:58,141
I don't care if it's grammatically incorrect.
But just write.

397
00:32:58,226 --> 00:32:59,935
Write anything that you're feeling.

398
00:33:00,019 --> 00:33:02,354
This class will be a revolving door.

399
00:33:02,438 --> 00:33:05,607
Some of you will make it
and some of you won't.

400
00:33:07,318 --> 00:33:09,069
Fifteen minutes. Go.

401
00:33:11,864 --> 00:33:17,077
Before, I got a A-minus at English,
and I didn't have to say nothing.

402
00:33:18,371 --> 00:33:22,499
Ms. Rain said we gonna read
and write in our notebooks every day.

403
00:33:22,583 --> 00:33:24,751
How we supposed to do that?

404
00:33:27,422 --> 00:33:30,340
But then she see the worry on my face
and she say,

405
00:33:30,425 --> 00:33:33,593
"The longest journey
begin with a single step. "

406
00:33:35,972 --> 00:33:38,890
Whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean.

407
00:33:40,018 --> 00:33:41,518
Come on, come on, do the work.

408
00:33:41,602 --> 00:33:45,022
You love it, love it, learn it.

409
00:33:46,065 --> 00:33:47,482
Consuelo?

410
00:33:48,192 --> 00:33:50,110
"C" for Consuelo.

411
00:33:50,570 --> 00:33:52,320
"C" for kick your ass.

412
00:33:52,405 --> 00:33:54,740
It’s "K" for kick your ass, stupid.

413
00:33:54,824 --> 00:33:56,825
I got the "D," Ms. Rain.

414
00:34:01,164 --> 00:34:02,664
"D" for dick.

415
00:34:03,499 --> 00:34:05,625
Ms. Rain, tell this little-ass bitch
that she don't know me.

416
00:34:05,710 --> 00:34:07,669
Which you wish you had.

417
00:34:15,762 --> 00:34:17,095
- Help her.
- "E."

418
00:34:17,180 --> 00:34:21,808
"E."

419
00:34:48,336 --> 00:34:49,878
"F" for fat.

420
00:34:51,339 --> 00:34:52,547
What?

421
00:34:53,007 --> 00:34:54,174
Good.

422
00:34:57,762 --> 00:35:00,847
Hey! Hey! Hey! Quit it! Hey!

423
00:35:01,974 --> 00:35:03,850
- What?
- Hey, you stop it right now!

424
00:35:03,935 --> 00:35:05,477
- You fucking...
- Quit it!

425
00:35:05,561 --> 00:35:06,686
- She just hit me!
- Drop it!

426
00:35:06,771 --> 00:35:07,896
Shut the fuck up!

427
00:35:09,148 --> 00:35:10,232
She just slapped me!

428
00:35:10,316 --> 00:35:11,650
Get out.

429
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,986
We don't fight in my class. Sit down.

430
00:35:19,867 --> 00:35:21,701
"C" for cold.

431
00:35:31,254 --> 00:35:33,255
Do you live with anybody?

432
00:35:34,590 --> 00:35:36,007
My mother.

433
00:35:36,717 --> 00:35:38,385
What does she do?

434
00:35:40,555 --> 00:35:42,430
She don't do nothing.

435
00:35:46,018 --> 00:35:48,895
I want you to read a page from this book.

436
00:35:57,155 --> 00:35:58,321
Try.

437
00:36:00,074 --> 00:36:03,910
All I need you to do is sound out
these words for me.

438
00:36:03,995 --> 00:36:05,537
You don't have to know every word.

439
00:36:05,621 --> 00:36:09,332
You just have to... It doesn't matter
if you stumble or... Try for me...

440
00:36:09,417 --> 00:36:13,545
...or trip up on it.
You just need to say what you know.

441
00:36:13,629 --> 00:36:17,257
Come on. You can do this.
Try. Take it word by word.

442
00:36:18,301 --> 00:36:19,926
- Are you listening to me?
- Precious!

443
00:36:20,011 --> 00:36:23,013
I just wanna know where you are
in your reading skills.

444
00:36:23,097 --> 00:36:24,389
'Cause I’m looking at your test scores...

445
00:36:24,473 --> 00:36:26,975
Some higher fucking learning.
You're a dumb bitch!

446
00:36:27,059 --> 00:36:28,685
Try to read, okay?

447
00:36:28,769 --> 00:36:31,104
Just help me and then I can help you.

448
00:36:31,689 --> 00:36:33,607
We'll start from scratch. Word for word.

449
00:36:33,691 --> 00:36:36,234
I want you better than your mother.

450
00:36:37,278 --> 00:36:39,696
- I’m gonna call the nurse.
- No.

451
00:36:44,744 --> 00:36:47,120
It all look the same to me.

452
00:36:50,791 --> 00:36:52,375
What's this?

453
00:36:54,754 --> 00:36:57,130
I can't do that, Ms. Rain.

454
00:36:58,174 --> 00:36:59,841
Push yourself.

455
00:37:02,428 --> 00:37:03,637
A.

456
00:37:05,473 --> 00:37:06,890
What's this word?

457
00:37:12,104 --> 00:37:14,940
Do you know the letters? Come on.

458
00:37:16,525 --> 00:37:17,651
"D."

459
00:37:20,905 --> 00:37:22,280
"A."

460
00:37:23,866 --> 00:37:25,242
"Y."

461
00:37:25,993 --> 00:37:27,994
Do you know that word?

462
00:37:30,498 --> 00:37:31,706
"Day. "

463
00:37:33,834 --> 00:37:35,627
What word is that?

464
00:37:37,672 --> 00:37:39,506
Ate. Ate.

465
00:37:39,590 --> 00:37:42,008
Good. Almost. The word is "At. "

466
00:37:43,844 --> 00:37:45,053
"At. "

467
00:37:47,682 --> 00:37:48,932
"The. "

468
00:37:51,644 --> 00:37:52,727
Sound it out.

469
00:37:52,812 --> 00:37:54,312
"Beach. "

470
00:37:54,397 --> 00:37:57,524
The word is "Shore. "
It’s almost like "Beach. "

471
00:37:58,234 --> 00:37:59,693
Very good.

472
00:38:00,319 --> 00:38:02,862
Now, read the whole thing for me.

473
00:38:04,865 --> 00:38:06,032
"A

474
00:38:07,576 --> 00:38:08,994
"Day

475
00:38:11,580 --> 00:38:13,748
"At The

476
00:38:14,792 --> 00:38:16,209
"Shore. "

477
00:38:23,968 --> 00:38:26,052
Get your big ass in here.

478
00:38:38,733 --> 00:38:41,026
Where was you at this morning?

479
00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:50,201
You hear me talking to you?
Where was you at this morning?

480
00:38:50,286 --> 00:38:52,662
School. I was at school.

481
00:38:52,747 --> 00:38:54,164
You a lying whore.

482
00:38:54,248 --> 00:38:56,249
- I’m not lying.
- You is.

483
00:38:56,834 --> 00:38:59,336
The welfare done called here saying
they gonna remove you from my budget

484
00:38:59,420 --> 00:39:01,296
'cause you ain't been
attending school regularly.

485
00:39:01,380 --> 00:39:03,089
I told you I got kicked out.

486
00:39:03,174 --> 00:39:05,216
I been home nearly every day
for two weeks now.

487
00:39:05,301 --> 00:39:08,678
You ain't told me nothing
about no damn school today.

488
00:39:08,763 --> 00:39:11,765
I told you I was going
to school this morning.

489
00:39:13,434 --> 00:39:16,644
You plan on putting some food
in that frying pan?

490
00:39:22,151 --> 00:39:24,486
Precious, you got something
you wanna say?

491
00:39:24,570 --> 00:39:26,696
- No.
- Then don't be slamming shit down in here.

492
00:39:26,781 --> 00:39:28,365
You understand?

493
00:39:29,283 --> 00:39:30,742
Yes, ma'am.

494
00:39:32,453 --> 00:39:35,872
You need to forget about that school shit
and take your ass down to the welfare.

495
00:39:35,956 --> 00:39:37,791
I’m getting a stipend from school.

496
00:39:37,875 --> 00:39:40,085
Fool, what the fuck is a stipend?
What is that?

497
00:39:40,169 --> 00:39:43,755
Fuck a stipend.
I said take your ass down to the welfare.

498
00:39:43,839 --> 00:39:44,964
Right now?

499
00:39:45,049 --> 00:39:48,718
Why in the fuck would you go right now?
It’s at nighttime. Shit is closed.

500
00:39:48,803 --> 00:39:50,053
You gotta be there by 7:00 a. m.

501
00:39:50,137 --> 00:39:52,722
in the morning
if you wanna talk to somebody.

502
00:39:52,807 --> 00:39:54,432
Fucking stupid.

503
00:39:58,104 --> 00:40:01,773
You think you're too good now?
Is that what it is?

504
00:40:02,566 --> 00:40:05,485
You think you is too good for the welfare?

505
00:40:08,739 --> 00:40:13,118
There's more white folk getting assistance
than it is niggers, Ms. Onassis.

506
00:40:14,954 --> 00:40:16,538
I think I said therapy...

507
00:40:16,622 --> 00:40:20,375
Hurry your ass up.
I am in here fucking starving.

508
00:40:21,127 --> 00:40:22,752
Now what you gonna do
if I die of starvation?

509
00:40:22,837 --> 00:40:25,004
Where you gonna go after that?

510
00:40:26,173 --> 00:40:28,133
I forgot. School.

511
00:40:29,593 --> 00:40:32,429
Each... What that bitch say?
Each one do what?

512
00:40:32,513 --> 00:40:34,597
Each one teach one?

513
00:40:34,682 --> 00:40:36,141
Well, they don't know
who the fuck they teaching,

514
00:40:36,225 --> 00:40:38,393
'cause you can't learn shit.

515
00:40:38,936 --> 00:40:41,813
Keep on listening to them white people.

516
00:40:41,897 --> 00:40:44,566
That's what's gonna get you fucked up.

517
00:40:47,111 --> 00:40:49,404
Precious, I’m hungry.

518
00:41:15,389 --> 00:41:19,225
You ain't cooked no collard greens
with the fucking pigs' feet?

519
00:41:19,727 --> 00:41:22,729
Like, how am I supposed to eat pigs' feet
with no collard greens?

520
00:41:22,813 --> 00:41:26,649
And why in the fuck does that pigs' feet
have so much hair in it?

521
00:41:26,734 --> 00:41:30,028
You eat it. You come eat this shit.

522
00:41:30,112 --> 00:41:32,405
- I’m not hungry, though.
- Yes, you is.

523
00:41:32,490 --> 00:41:35,658
Precious, if you don't get
this goddamn plate...

524
00:41:41,081 --> 00:41:45,585
You just fix mine when you get done.
Since you fucked it up, you gonna eat it up.

525
00:41:46,086 --> 00:41:49,005
Hurry up and eat, Precious.
I’m fucking hungry, too.

526
00:41:51,091 --> 00:41:55,470
And don't let it get cold,
'cause cold-ass pigs' feet is nasty as shit.

527
00:44:04,141 --> 00:44:07,352
So, tell me about...
Tell me about your home life.

528
00:44:10,397 --> 00:44:12,899
Ain't nothing to really talk about.

529
00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:15,902
You're in a safe place. Just talk.

530
00:44:16,236 --> 00:44:17,236
What's going on?

531
00:44:17,321 --> 00:44:18,655
What's the first thing
that comes to your mind

532
00:44:18,739 --> 00:44:20,865
when you think about home?

533
00:44:20,949 --> 00:44:24,661
I just wish I had my own TV,
so I could watch it in my room.

534
00:44:25,412 --> 00:44:28,956
If I had my own TV,
I wouldn't have to watch it with my mother.

535
00:44:29,041 --> 00:44:31,834
And what's it like,
watching TV with your mother?

536
00:44:31,919 --> 00:44:34,671
You enjoy watching TV with your mother?

537
00:44:34,755 --> 00:44:39,759
I need to know about your home life.
I need to know what it's like where you live.

538
00:44:40,761 --> 00:44:42,887
My mother's like a whale on the couch.

539
00:44:42,971 --> 00:44:46,974
She say I eat all the time,
but she always making me eat.

540
00:44:47,059 --> 00:44:49,268
Then she call me a fat mess.

541
00:44:49,353 --> 00:44:52,480
She say the apartment
is little 'cause of me.

542
00:44:52,564 --> 00:44:55,358
Only time she ever leaves
is to play her numbers.

543
00:44:55,442 --> 00:44:58,361
I feel like I could just sit in the house
with her every day,

544
00:44:58,445 --> 00:44:59,862
the shades drawn,

545
00:44:59,947 --> 00:45:04,158
watch TV, eat, watch TV, eat again.

546
00:45:05,035 --> 00:45:07,286
Can you help out with that?

547
00:45:08,497 --> 00:45:11,165
Can we talk about something else now?

548
00:45:17,464 --> 00:45:19,382
How about your firstborn?

549
00:45:19,466 --> 00:45:20,800
Mongo?

550
00:45:22,636 --> 00:45:24,721
Mongo is her... Is that...

551
00:45:25,389 --> 00:45:28,057
Mongo. That's short for "mongoloid. "

552
00:45:28,934 --> 00:45:33,271
Is that what you call her? Or that's...
What is that? A nickname?

553
00:45:33,981 --> 00:45:35,898
She got Down's syndrome.

554
00:45:44,116 --> 00:45:45,074
How you doing, Precious?

555
00:45:45,159 --> 00:45:47,744
My grandmother Toosie
bring little Mongo over to our house

556
00:45:47,828 --> 00:45:52,165
on days when the social worker come,
so it look like she live with us.

557
00:45:53,667 --> 00:45:55,710
Answer the fucking door.

558
00:45:57,379 --> 00:45:59,630
Do you see what you did? God damn it.

559
00:45:59,715 --> 00:46:03,009
Then my mother gets money
and the food stamps for me and Mongo.

560
00:46:03,093 --> 00:46:04,510
Who is it?

561
00:46:05,095 --> 00:46:06,721
It’s Ms. Turner.

562
00:46:07,765 --> 00:46:08,806
Social worker's here.

563
00:46:08,891 --> 00:46:12,602
Why didn't you tell me that bitch
was coming so fucking early?

564
00:46:12,686 --> 00:46:15,354
My fucking wig. Come get my wig!

565
00:46:15,439 --> 00:46:16,773
Come up!

566
00:46:21,528 --> 00:46:23,362
Where's my lipstick?

567
00:46:27,117 --> 00:46:29,744
Thank you, thank you.

568
00:46:39,671 --> 00:46:42,924
- Get off of me.
- Leave that child alone, please.

569
00:46:43,008 --> 00:46:45,218
Mind your goddamn business.

570
00:46:47,095 --> 00:46:49,096
- Hi, Precious.
- Hey.

571
00:46:49,515 --> 00:46:52,308
- Hello, Ms. Turner. How you doing?
- Hi, Mary. How are you?

572
00:46:52,392 --> 00:46:55,645
Please excuse that.
My sweet grandbaby just knocked it over.

573
00:46:55,729 --> 00:46:58,022
Please, have a seat. Excuse the mess.

574
00:46:58,106 --> 00:46:59,649
- Thank you.
- Thanks.

575
00:46:59,733 --> 00:47:00,983
How are you, Mary?

576
00:47:01,068 --> 00:47:04,070
I’m doing really good, Ms. Turner.
Thank you.

577
00:47:04,905 --> 00:47:07,448
When was the last time
you've taken her to the doctor?

578
00:47:08,575 --> 00:47:10,910
Precious, when...
When did we take her? The baby?

579
00:47:10,994 --> 00:47:12,036
Last month.

580
00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:15,540
Yeah... On the 16th.
On the 16th. Yes, yes, ma'am.

581
00:47:16,124 --> 00:47:18,709
Okay, and what did the doctor say?

582
00:47:21,296 --> 00:47:24,257
They said
that she's progressing really good.

583
00:47:24,341 --> 00:47:26,133
She's doing really good.

584
00:47:26,218 --> 00:47:28,386
- That's good.
- Yes, ma'am.

585
00:47:28,470 --> 00:47:30,221
And have you been looking for a job?

586
00:47:30,305 --> 00:47:34,600
I have, Ms. Turner. I am.
But they've all been saying the same thing.

587
00:47:34,685 --> 00:47:38,187
You know, they'll call me back.
They'll get back to me.

588
00:47:40,566 --> 00:47:42,692
When did you go looking for the job?

589
00:47:42,776 --> 00:47:46,946
I went last week
and I filled out several applications.

590
00:47:47,030 --> 00:47:50,741
And they all said the same thing,
that they would call me.

591
00:47:52,828 --> 00:47:54,120
Mommy!

592
00:47:54,496 --> 00:47:56,998
No! No!

593
00:47:58,292 --> 00:48:00,543
Is that a new microwave oven?

594
00:48:00,961 --> 00:48:02,920
A... A microwave?

595
00:48:03,964 --> 00:48:07,633
No, ma'am.
We warm our things up in the oven.

596
00:48:08,969 --> 00:48:11,429
- I see. It’s a toaster oven.
- Yes. Yes, ma'am.

597
00:48:11,513 --> 00:48:15,808
Okay.
I will be seeing and speaking with you

598
00:48:17,102 --> 00:48:18,102
in a week or so.

599
00:48:18,186 --> 00:48:19,228
- In a week or so?
- Yes.

600
00:48:19,313 --> 00:48:22,815
Okay, do you know what time you'll be...
You'll be coming?

601
00:48:22,900 --> 00:48:24,150
- I’ll let you know.
- Okay.

602
00:48:24,234 --> 00:48:25,610
- I’ll let you know.
- Thank you so much.

603
00:48:25,694 --> 00:48:28,487
Precious, any questions for me?

604
00:48:30,866 --> 00:48:32,658
How are you, Precious?

605
00:48:32,743 --> 00:48:35,828
I’m doing good. How you doing?

606
00:48:36,580 --> 00:48:38,581
I’m good, thank you.

607
00:48:39,708 --> 00:48:41,751
Ladies, thank you for your time.

608
00:48:41,835 --> 00:48:43,753
Thank you so much, Ms. Turner.
Have a great day.

609
00:48:43,837 --> 00:48:46,005
- And you. Bye, Sheila.
- Bye.

610
00:48:51,094 --> 00:48:53,554
Come get this motherfucking... Get her.

611
00:48:53,639 --> 00:48:56,515
Moving all around and shit
while I’m trying to talk to this bitch.

612
00:48:56,600 --> 00:48:58,517
Makes me fucking itch.

613
00:48:59,770 --> 00:49:02,563
She done threw her fucking candy
on the floor.

614
00:49:02,648 --> 00:49:04,190
Goddamn animal.

615
00:49:05,817 --> 00:49:08,945
And now you gonna give it to her?
Put the fucking candy back on the floor!

616
00:49:09,029 --> 00:49:10,571
Then you go and pick it up
and let her have it.

617
00:49:10,656 --> 00:49:13,866
You're so fucking stupid.
Just like her dumb ass.

618
00:49:13,951 --> 00:49:17,662
That bitch gonna come up in here
and I gotta fucking make pretend?

619
00:49:17,746 --> 00:49:19,080
I’m so sick of it.

620
00:49:19,164 --> 00:49:21,624
I don't know what the fuck
you shaking your head for.

621
00:49:21,708 --> 00:49:23,167
You didn't do no goddamn better.

622
00:49:23,251 --> 00:49:25,336
You know what?
Let's talk about your father.

623
00:49:25,420 --> 00:49:27,880
Tell me about your relationship with him.

624
00:49:27,965 --> 00:49:30,424
I don't know much more
than you do, Ms. White.

625
00:49:30,509 --> 00:49:32,176
It’s Ms. Weiss.

626
00:49:32,260 --> 00:49:34,929
Talk to me about
the little you do know about your father,

627
00:49:35,013 --> 00:49:38,265
'cause it is important,
whether you know it or not.

628
00:49:39,059 --> 00:49:41,644
He give me this baby
and my one before it, but I...

629
00:49:41,728 --> 00:49:44,313
What did you say he gave you?

630
00:49:44,398 --> 00:49:45,815
- Nothing.
- No, Clareece, you just said

631
00:49:45,899 --> 00:49:47,066
your father gave you something.

632
00:49:47,150 --> 00:49:49,151
- I heard you just say...
- You didn't hear shit.

633
00:49:49,236 --> 00:49:52,029
- I heard you say your father...
- I ain't say nothing. I ain't say shit like it.

634
00:49:52,114 --> 00:49:53,948
- I don't care, honey.
- I didn't say nothing like that.

635
00:49:54,032 --> 00:49:55,616
- I need to know this.
- Let's move on.

636
00:49:55,701 --> 00:49:57,076
I need to know this to help you.

637
00:49:57,160 --> 00:50:00,162
- Bitch, can we change the subject?
- Okay.

638
00:50:00,247 --> 00:50:03,416
Well, I’ll see you next time, then.
Or maybe you'll see someone else.

639
00:50:03,500 --> 00:50:08,087
But you're gonna have to talk to somebody
if you want your check, sweetie.

640
00:50:18,306 --> 00:50:20,349
I see vampires, too.

641
00:50:23,186 --> 00:50:26,522
They come at night.
They tell me I’m one of them.

642
00:50:27,899 --> 00:50:31,027
They say, "Precious, you belong with us. "

643
00:50:33,447 --> 00:50:35,948
And then they go downstairs
through the floor.

644
00:50:36,033 --> 00:50:38,868
The people that live under us,
they is vampires,

645
00:50:38,952 --> 00:50:41,287
so that's where they should go.

646
00:50:41,830 --> 00:50:43,998
They be so nasty, though,

647
00:50:44,082 --> 00:50:46,459
leaving their dirty tampons and shit
in the garbage.

648
00:50:46,543 --> 00:50:48,961
Don't even offer to take it out.

649
00:50:49,046 --> 00:50:51,589
They got no fucking home training.

650
00:50:54,634 --> 00:50:58,387
I been going to the doctor, too. It’s nice.

651
00:50:59,806 --> 00:51:04,143
Ms. Rain fall out when she found out
I ain't never been to no doctor before.

652
00:51:07,314 --> 00:51:09,690
Don't know how I had my first baby
on the kitchen floor

653
00:51:09,775 --> 00:51:12,693
with my momma kicking me
upside my head.

654
00:51:15,363 --> 00:51:16,739
Them the kind of things
you're talking about

655
00:51:16,823 --> 00:51:19,658
when you say,
say whatever come to my mind?

656
00:51:24,206 --> 00:51:26,957
That's the end of them welfare checks.

657
00:51:27,042 --> 00:51:31,087
I just couldn't lie no more.
I shouldn't have said none of that.

658
00:51:34,633 --> 00:51:36,425
Momma gonna kill me.

659
00:51:45,268 --> 00:51:46,852
Motherfuckers!

660
00:51:50,482 --> 00:51:52,108
Are we done?

661
00:51:52,192 --> 00:51:53,943
I’m not doing this with you today.

662
00:51:54,027 --> 00:51:56,695
At night, we went out on a field trip.

663
00:52:01,868 --> 00:52:03,786
These girls is crazy.

664
00:52:04,204 --> 00:52:07,540
Ain't nobody ever grabbed my hand
like that before.

665
00:52:24,266 --> 00:52:26,725
...as a candidate
for the Democratic nomination

666
00:52:26,810 --> 00:52:29,812
for the presidency
of the United States of America.

667
00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:34,233
...and by having destroyed it,
now we don't know...

668
00:52:36,611 --> 00:52:41,574
...and the testimony you're about to give
will be the truth, the whole truth...

669
00:52:41,658 --> 00:52:43,534
I still have a dream.

670
00:52:45,370 --> 00:52:48,998
It is a dream deeply rooted
in the American dream.

671
00:52:50,250 --> 00:52:54,003
I have a dream that one day

672
00:52:55,505 --> 00:53:00,676
this nation will rise up
and live out the true meaning of...

673
00:53:00,760 --> 00:53:02,887
I'm gonna teach my baby all of this.

674
00:53:02,971 --> 00:53:06,015
"We hold these truths to be self-evident,

675
00:53:06,099 --> 00:53:08,184
"that all men are created equal. "

676
00:53:08,268 --> 00:53:10,519
No fear. That's bullshit. That's bullshit.

677
00:53:10,604 --> 00:53:11,687
You mean, write a whole new one?

678
00:53:11,771 --> 00:53:14,648
No, girl, if I need to 
explain myself to you...

679
00:53:14,733 --> 00:53:16,483
- You'll figure it out.
- You think that I’m stupid?

680
00:53:16,568 --> 00:53:19,612
Oh, my God. That I believe in you?

681
00:53:21,615 --> 00:53:23,157
That I think you're incredible?

682
00:53:23,241 --> 00:53:24,950
Yes, but I don't know what to do.

683
00:53:25,035 --> 00:53:28,078
All right, pull it together. Okay.
Who's next?

684
00:53:29,039 --> 00:53:30,372
I'm happy to be writing.

685
00:53:30,457 --> 00:53:33,459
- Go ahead, Rhonda.
- I'm happy to be in school, too.

686
00:53:33,543 --> 00:53:36,879
Ms. Rain say we gonna write
every day in our notebook.

687
00:53:36,963 --> 00:53:38,923
She gonna write back to us every day, too.

688
00:53:39,007 --> 00:53:42,801
"Yesterday I went to church for
the first time since I come to this country.

689
00:53:42,886 --> 00:53:44,178
"I got all the way to Brooklyn.

690
00:53:44,262 --> 00:53:47,056
"The church was up the block and around
the corner upon the 3 train.

691
00:53:47,140 --> 00:53:48,807
"The preacher preached
two and a half hours

692
00:53:48,892 --> 00:53:51,393
- "about Jehovah.
- Rhonda! Rhonda!

693
00:53:51,478 --> 00:53:54,897
"And how Lord Jesus, Son of God, Messiah,
Jehovah delivers. "

694
00:53:54,981 --> 00:53:56,982
Is that a fairytale?

695
00:53:58,526 --> 00:53:59,860
Sit down.

696
00:53:59,945 --> 00:54:01,237
Did anybody do this assignment?

697
00:54:01,321 --> 00:54:03,822
Momma say this school ain't shit.

698
00:54:03,907 --> 00:54:06,367
She say you can't learn nothing
writing in no book.

699
00:54:06,451 --> 00:54:11,664
- This is a fairytale called "Enchanted. "
- She wrong about that. I is learning.

700
00:54:14,417 --> 00:54:17,878
"Once upon a time, in a faraway land,

701
00:54:18,296 --> 00:54:22,424
"there lived a beautiful princess
named Joann-a.

702
00:54:23,009 --> 00:54:27,304
"She was very, very fly and extra, 
extra tall,

703
00:54:27,889 --> 00:54:31,392
"and every single boy loved her,
big and small.

704
00:54:32,185 --> 00:54:36,272
"Except for one idiot boy
who was so stupid and dumb.

705
00:54:36,356 --> 00:54:40,567
"And out of all the cute boys who loved her,
he was the cutest one. "

706
00:54:41,695 --> 00:54:44,989
- That's all I got so far.
- That's a good beginning.

707
00:54:45,073 --> 00:54:48,617
Thinking about little Mongo, too. 
I miss her.

708
00:54:48,994 --> 00:54:50,452
That's how you start a fairytale.

709
00:54:50,537 --> 00:54:52,830
I'm happy my baby coming up.

710
00:54:53,957 --> 00:54:57,793
I'm gonna read to this baby, too,
and hang colors on its wall.

711
00:54:58,712 --> 00:55:01,630
Listen, baby. Mother not dumb.

712
00:55:01,715 --> 00:55:04,008
Mother love you. Listen.

713
00:55:04,509 --> 00:55:08,178
"Once upon a time,
there was a magical princess

714
00:55:08,263 --> 00:55:11,432
"who lived in a magical bubble
under the sea.

715
00:55:11,975 --> 00:55:14,059
"And she was from land. "

716
00:55:29,284 --> 00:55:30,951
Stop screaming.

717
00:55:51,931 --> 00:55:55,768
His name's Abdul Jamal Lewis Jones.

718
00:55:56,770 --> 00:55:59,605
He healthy. His mother love him.

719
00:56:15,747 --> 00:56:17,956
The food in this hospital's nasty.

720
00:56:18,625 --> 00:56:19,750
It’s not from here.

721
00:56:19,834 --> 00:56:21,418
Where it from?

722
00:56:21,503 --> 00:56:24,046
A little shop by my house where

723
00:56:24,130 --> 00:56:26,548
I get my organic food,
so I don't have to eat that

724
00:56:26,633 --> 00:56:29,218
nasty mystery-meat stuff
they got downstairs.

725
00:56:29,302 --> 00:56:32,304
Can you bring me something?
I don't like fruit. I like McDonald's.

726
00:56:32,389 --> 00:56:34,598
First of all, I don't eat McDonald's.

727
00:56:34,682 --> 00:56:37,351
Second of all, you don't need
to be eating McDonald's, either.

728
00:56:37,435 --> 00:56:38,477
It’s not healthy.

729
00:56:38,561 --> 00:56:40,771
But I like McDonald's.
We all like McDonald's, right?

730
00:56:40,855 --> 00:56:43,482
We like McDonald's, too, over here.

731
00:56:43,566 --> 00:56:45,067
I don't like no damn McDonald's.

732
00:56:45,151 --> 00:56:48,237
I want some of that organic shit
like you got.

733
00:56:48,655 --> 00:56:50,114
Well, I tell you what,

734
00:56:50,198 --> 00:56:52,741
when you get up out of here,
you go with all your little friends,

735
00:56:52,826 --> 00:56:53,784
and you go to McDonald's,

736
00:56:53,868 --> 00:56:55,744
and you get as much
McDonald's as you want.

737
00:56:55,829 --> 00:56:58,288
But right now,
you're gonna take care of your health.

738
00:56:58,373 --> 00:57:00,082
Are you a doctor?

739
00:57:01,167 --> 00:57:03,127
- Are you her doctor?
- Am I a doctor?

740
00:57:03,211 --> 00:57:05,879
- Yeah.
- I am a nurse's aide.

741
00:57:05,964 --> 00:57:07,756
Nurse John-John.

742
00:57:07,841 --> 00:57:09,508
Oh, that's funny?

743
00:57:10,009 --> 00:57:11,760
Well, you're a man.

744
00:57:12,512 --> 00:57:15,180
- You've never seen a male nurse?
- No.

745
00:57:15,348 --> 00:57:17,433
Not looking like you do.

746
00:57:18,226 --> 00:57:22,354
I am a male nurse.
I am Nurse John McFadden.

747
00:57:22,439 --> 00:57:25,023
So was you up in the room
when she popped the baby out?

748
00:57:25,108 --> 00:57:26,150
You was like, all up in between her...

749
00:57:26,234 --> 00:57:28,277
Joann, don't be nasty!

750
00:57:28,361 --> 00:57:29,945
How was it? Was he screaming?

751
00:57:30,029 --> 00:57:31,113
It hurt.

752
00:57:31,197 --> 00:57:32,781
Tough gal like you had to scream?

753
00:57:32,866 --> 00:57:37,119
Not so tough with a baby coming out of me.
It hurt. And it burned.

754
00:57:37,203 --> 00:57:38,454
- Are you married?
- Shut up!

755
00:57:38,538 --> 00:57:40,205
You got a girlfriend?

756
00:57:40,290 --> 00:57:42,708
- Why you asking? He don't want you.
- How would you know?

757
00:57:42,792 --> 00:57:44,460
Why don't you stop being a ho
for 10 minutes?

758
00:57:44,544 --> 00:57:45,711
What's wrong with these people?

759
00:57:45,795 --> 00:57:47,171
You don't want her, right?

760
00:57:47,255 --> 00:57:50,048
I wish I was a cantaloupe in that cup.

761
00:57:50,133 --> 00:57:51,633
So he could eat you?

762
00:57:51,718 --> 00:57:55,345
Okay, no. I gotta go. I gotta go.

763
00:57:55,763 --> 00:57:58,557
No, that's all right. That's all right.

764
00:58:01,811 --> 00:58:03,770
Can I get a kiss, too, Nurse John?

765
00:58:03,855 --> 00:58:06,607
- Good afternoon, ladies.
- Bye, Nurse John.

766
00:58:06,691 --> 00:58:09,568
- Bye!
- Good night, Nurse John-John!

767
00:58:10,987 --> 00:58:13,280
Precious and John-John

768
00:58:13,364 --> 00:58:15,324
Sitting in a tree

769
00:58:15,408 --> 00:58:19,203
- F-U-C-K-I-N-G
- Shut up! Y'all are nasty.

770
00:58:22,916 --> 00:58:25,584
You think he's spending the night
up in here?

771
00:58:27,754 --> 00:58:30,964
Now she gonna write
about Nurse John in her book!

772
00:58:32,258 --> 00:58:33,926
"Dear Ms. Rain,

773
00:58:34,427 --> 00:58:37,596
"All the years I sit in class,
 I never learned.

774
00:58:37,889 --> 00:58:40,766
"Now I got a baby again by my father.

775
00:58:41,518 --> 00:58:44,144
"I wish I had a boyfriend like other girls.

776
00:58:44,229 --> 00:58:47,397
"Then I'll feel right
that I have to quit school.

777
00:58:47,482 --> 00:58:50,984
"I love my baby, but I want school, too.

778
00:58:51,069 --> 00:58:53,445
"Social worker ask me
if I wanna give little Mongo

779
00:58:53,530 --> 00:58:57,074
"and Abdul up for adoption.
I could kill her.

780
00:58:57,492 --> 00:59:01,245
"She never helped before.
Now she wanna take my kids away?

781
00:59:01,955 --> 00:59:05,207
"If she takes Abdul,
I won't have nothing no more. "

782
00:59:05,291 --> 00:59:07,251
"Dear Precious,

783
00:59:07,335 --> 00:59:10,629
"I think your first responsibility
has to be to yourself.

784
00:59:10,838 --> 00:59:13,382
"If you keep Abdul, you might have nothing.

785
00:59:13,466 --> 00:59:15,926
"You're learning to read and write.
That's everything.

786
00:59:16,010 --> 00:59:18,679
"You come back to school
when you get out of the hospital.

787
00:59:18,763 --> 00:59:19,888
"You're only 17."

788
00:59:19,973 --> 00:59:22,391
This looks like a big-ass condom.

789
00:59:24,269 --> 00:59:26,353
Use that for Nurse John.

790
00:59:26,854 --> 00:59:29,022
Not looking like that.
Your hair looks a mess.

791
00:59:29,107 --> 00:59:31,817
- I’m giving you banjee.
- Shut up!

792
00:59:31,901 --> 00:59:33,402
I got your journal.

793
00:59:33,486 --> 00:59:34,987
Thank you.

794
00:59:40,243 --> 00:59:41,785
What's wrong?

795
00:59:41,869 --> 00:59:43,203
Nothing.

796
00:59:43,288 --> 00:59:44,871
Are you sure?

797
00:59:44,956 --> 00:59:45,998
Yeah, I’m sure.

798
00:59:46,082 --> 00:59:50,502
All right. I’m bored. 
I’m about to leave. Bye.

799
00:59:52,171 --> 00:59:53,839
Bye, Ms. Toosie.

800
00:59:54,340 --> 00:59:55,924
You got a nasty-ass mouth.

801
00:59:56,009 --> 00:59:58,093
You got a nasty-ass hat.

802
01:00:00,513 --> 01:00:03,307
That's what's wrong,
you hanging out with bitches like that.

803
01:00:03,391 --> 01:00:04,975
Here's your baby.

804
01:00:05,059 --> 01:00:07,436
It’s probably the last time
you're gonna ever see him.

805
01:00:07,520 --> 01:00:08,937
Grandmother come and visit and say,

806
01:00:09,022 --> 01:00:11,607
"Only a dog would drop a baby
and walk off. "

807
01:00:11,691 --> 01:00:12,983
Not even a dog.

808
01:00:13,276 --> 01:00:15,694
Say later, "Not even a dog. "

809
01:00:15,778 --> 01:00:18,864
I’m proud of you.
Ain't nothing like your mother.

810
01:00:18,948 --> 01:00:22,284
"Where was your grandmother
when your father was abusing you?

811
01:00:22,368 --> 01:00:24,453
"Where is little Mongo now?

812
01:00:25,204 --> 01:00:27,956
"What is going to be the best thing for you
in this situation?"

813
01:00:28,041 --> 01:00:30,334
"Ms. Rain, you ask too many questions.

814
01:00:30,418 --> 01:00:32,961
"Sometimes I wish I could stop breathing.

815
01:00:33,046 --> 01:00:35,422
"I just wanna be a good mother. "

816
01:00:36,466 --> 01:00:38,634
"Being a good mother might mean
letting Abdul be raised

817
01:00:38,718 --> 01:00:42,387
"by someone who's better able than you
to meet his needs. "

818
01:00:43,097 --> 01:00:46,600
"Ms. Rain, I is the best
to meet my child's needs. "

819
01:00:55,985 --> 01:00:57,819
"Who's gonna help you?

820
01:00:58,363 --> 01:01:00,656
"How will you support yourself?

821
01:01:01,866 --> 01:01:04,910
"How will you keep learning
to read and write?"

822
01:01:05,953 --> 01:01:08,038
"The welfare helped Momma. "

823
01:01:08,831 --> 01:01:12,417
"You look and see
how much welfare has helped your mom.

824
01:01:14,712 --> 01:01:16,338
"You could get your GED,

825
01:01:16,422 --> 01:01:19,091
"and go to college.
You can do anything, Precious. "

826
01:02:41,215 --> 01:02:42,632
You back?

827
01:02:43,217 --> 01:02:44,593
What's his name?

828
01:02:45,094 --> 01:02:46,678
Can I hold it?

829
01:03:50,493 --> 01:03:52,077
Hey, Precious.

830
01:03:55,832 --> 01:03:57,082
Hey.

831
01:04:00,545 --> 01:04:02,254
You had the baby?

832
01:04:02,839 --> 01:04:04,130
A boy.

833
01:04:05,383 --> 01:04:07,634
Where you been all this time?

834
01:04:14,267 --> 01:04:15,934
Let me see him.

835
01:04:23,150 --> 01:04:24,901
Can I hold him?

836
01:04:44,422 --> 01:04:46,423
He look like his daddy.

837
01:04:51,971 --> 01:04:53,471
He named Abdul.

838
01:04:54,765 --> 01:04:58,351
Put all this shit down
and go get me something to drink.

839
01:05:16,829 --> 01:05:18,288
You bitch!

840
01:05:18,873 --> 01:05:21,082
- You fucking bitch!
- You crazy, Momma?

841
01:05:21,167 --> 01:05:23,668
Am I crazy? Bitch, if I was to...

842
01:05:24,670 --> 01:05:26,379
You ruined my fucking life!

843
01:05:26,464 --> 01:05:29,132
You done took my man,
you had those fucking babies,

844
01:05:29,216 --> 01:05:30,467
and you got me put off the welfare

845
01:05:30,551 --> 01:05:32,844
for running your goddamned
stupid-ass mouth!

846
01:05:32,970 --> 01:05:36,806
I ain't stupid and I didn't take your man.
Your husband raped me!

847
01:05:36,891 --> 01:05:38,391
Didn't no-fucking-body rape you!

848
01:05:38,476 --> 01:05:40,810
Bitch, don't you put
your fucking hands on me!

849
01:06:01,415 --> 01:06:03,708
Mary, leave that girl alone!

850
01:06:42,289 --> 01:06:44,249
Can I see the baby now?

851
01:08:55,840 --> 01:08:58,967
B... C... D...

852
01:08:59,885 --> 01:09:04,305
E... F... G... H...

853
01:09:04,974 --> 01:09:07,684
I... J... K...

854
01:09:14,733 --> 01:09:16,317
I’m tired of shopping.

855
01:09:16,402 --> 01:09:18,361
Yes, because they all trying
to take your money.

856
01:09:18,445 --> 01:09:20,321
They don't...

857
01:09:30,958 --> 01:09:32,876
I’m calling the cops.

858
01:09:38,090 --> 01:09:40,592
Tell me what you see back there.

859
01:09:52,980 --> 01:09:57,483
I could tell by Ms. Rain's face
I ain't gonna be homeless no more.

860
01:09:57,568 --> 01:09:59,611
I just don't know
where I'm gonna end up, though.

861
01:09:59,695 --> 01:10:01,279
I’ll hold.

862
01:10:03,199 --> 01:10:04,949
I feel bad for her.

863
01:10:05,034 --> 01:10:08,786
She just an ABC teacher.
She ain't no social worker.

864
01:10:10,414 --> 01:10:11,664
What's going on?

865
01:10:11,749 --> 01:10:12,916
But she all I could think of.

866
01:10:13,000 --> 01:10:15,460
Look, when the others get here,
tell them to start writing.

867
01:10:15,544 --> 01:10:17,712
And whichever one of you is older
is in charge, okay?

868
01:10:17,796 --> 01:10:19,464
Consuelo, I know that's not you.
Come here.

869
01:10:19,548 --> 01:10:21,674
Ms. Rain, I can't stay. I’m serious.
I've tried to talk...

870
01:10:21,759 --> 01:10:24,344
Consuelo, you're not leaving class
and I’m not dealing with this right now.

871
01:10:24,428 --> 01:10:26,763
Take this money.
Go get something for Precious to wear.

872
01:10:26,847 --> 01:10:29,307
Quick. And bring back my change.

873
01:10:29,391 --> 01:10:33,102
Sixteen years old. A three-day-old infant.

874
01:10:33,729 --> 01:10:35,855
The baby not bleeding.
I think this is Precious' blood.

875
01:10:35,940 --> 01:10:38,816
Well, why didn't you tell me that before?

876
01:10:40,152 --> 01:10:42,612
We'll find you a place to live.

877
01:10:45,824 --> 01:10:47,533
Joann, you're late.

878
01:10:47,618 --> 01:10:49,827
Rhonda, you ain't the teacher.

879
01:10:49,954 --> 01:10:52,288
Joann, Ms. Rain is busy
with Precious today,

880
01:10:52,373 --> 01:10:54,499
so I am the teacher today.

881
01:10:54,583 --> 01:10:56,459
Okay. Why?

882
01:10:56,919 --> 01:10:58,670
- Where's Precious?
- Just sit. Pull out your notebook.

883
01:10:58,754 --> 01:11:01,172
Joann, you wanna say one of your raps
to the baby?

884
01:11:01,257 --> 01:11:02,674
What's the baby doing here?

885
01:11:02,758 --> 01:11:04,467
- Joann's gonna rap for you.
- Let me see.

886
01:11:04,677 --> 01:11:06,970
She all right. She's doing good.

887
01:11:07,680 --> 01:11:10,640
Why is the baby wrapped up
in a blood-covered blanket?

888
01:11:10,724 --> 01:11:13,476
- Joann, what's so funny?
- For real. What happened?

889
01:11:13,560 --> 01:11:14,978
You don't wanna know is
how it got on the blanket.

890
01:11:15,062 --> 01:11:16,145
You know what your problem is, Joann?

891
01:11:16,230 --> 01:11:18,022
That you can't take anything
serious enough.

892
01:11:18,107 --> 01:11:20,525
- Jermaine, me expect better from you.
- Okay, Rhonda.

893
01:11:20,609 --> 01:11:23,152
Joann, stop laughing at this baby.

894
01:11:24,822 --> 01:11:26,114
Queens.

895
01:11:28,450 --> 01:11:30,201
Let me call you back.

896
01:11:30,286 --> 01:11:31,577
Just tell me what happened!

897
01:11:31,662 --> 01:11:32,996
No, it's not funny.

898
01:11:33,080 --> 01:11:35,915
But Joann, there's nothing funny
about a baby with blood on it.

899
01:11:36,000 --> 01:11:37,792
I got a West Indian friend
who's a Council member.

900
01:11:37,876 --> 01:11:40,003
Let me see what she can do.
Hold on a second.

901
01:11:40,087 --> 01:11:43,381
I found a lesson plan in our notebooks.
We're gonna...

902
01:11:44,925 --> 01:11:46,634
Clareece Jones.

903
01:11:46,719 --> 01:11:49,012
Hey, Ms. Lisa. How you been?

904
01:11:49,847 --> 01:11:51,055
I don't know.

905
01:11:51,140 --> 01:11:55,059
I went to see that movie, Barfly, last night.
Piece of shit.

906
01:11:56,061 --> 01:11:59,188
- I’m sorry.
- It’s on my desk. Can you hold?

907
01:11:59,273 --> 01:12:01,566
Something's wrong with you, Precious.

908
01:12:01,650 --> 01:12:03,192
This baby stink.

909
01:12:03,277 --> 01:12:05,570
Well, we don't have a Pamper,
so have a seat with the baby.

910
01:12:05,654 --> 01:12:08,323
- I am sitting.
- In your seat, please.

911
01:12:08,407 --> 01:12:10,491
The first thing

912
01:12:10,576 --> 01:12:16,247
is shut the bumba-ros-clot...

913
01:12:17,124 --> 01:12:19,625
Ms. Rain, why did you let Rhonda
teach the class?

914
01:12:19,710 --> 01:12:21,336
She don't even know how to speak English.

915
01:12:21,420 --> 01:12:22,462
Let Rhonda take over.

916
01:12:22,546 --> 01:12:26,174
- Shut the bumba-ros-clot up.
- What the fuck is a "ros clot"?

917
01:12:26,258 --> 01:12:28,176
Yeah, Brenda, you there?

918
01:12:28,260 --> 01:12:30,845
The last four of the Social are...

919
01:12:30,929 --> 01:12:33,514
2-4-2-1.

920
01:12:33,599 --> 01:12:35,725
- Rita?
- I just wanna know how to spell "Aquarius. "

921
01:12:35,809 --> 01:12:38,686
- Anybody know how to spell "Aquarius"?
- It’s A-Q-U-A-R-I-U-S.

922
01:12:38,771 --> 01:12:39,979
Can you spell "boy" then?

923
01:12:40,064 --> 01:12:41,314
Can you spell "slut" then?

924
01:12:41,398 --> 01:12:43,024
Let's explore that.

925
01:12:43,108 --> 01:12:46,444
You wanna spell "slut," Consuelo,
I’ll give you the first letter.

926
01:12:46,528 --> 01:12:48,654
Can you spell "illegal immigrant," then?

927
01:12:48,739 --> 01:12:50,782
Great, thank you.

928
01:12:52,368 --> 01:12:54,869
Can you please use "slut" in a sentence?

929
01:12:54,953 --> 01:12:56,329
Consuelo is a slut...

930
01:12:56,413 --> 01:12:59,207
- You the one who's the ho up in here...
- Joann is not a slut.

931
01:12:59,291 --> 01:13:01,667
Perfect. You get a gold star.

932
01:13:03,504 --> 01:13:05,213
But you know she likes that.

933
01:13:05,297 --> 01:13:07,590
Well, she's just insecure.

934
01:13:07,674 --> 01:13:09,300
- You think?
- Yeah.

935
01:13:09,802 --> 01:13:13,388
- That chicken was good.
- Really good. Did you have enough?

936
01:13:13,472 --> 01:13:15,390
There ain't more, is there?

937
01:13:15,474 --> 01:13:17,141
- Is there more?
- Yeah.

938
01:13:17,476 --> 01:13:19,769
Maybe later. Not now.

939
01:13:19,853 --> 01:13:21,813
I don't want you to think I’m greedy.

940
01:13:21,897 --> 01:13:24,232
You're not greedy.
If you're hungry, let's get you some more.

941
01:13:24,316 --> 01:13:27,485
I guess I kind of eat
too much sometimes, though.

942
01:13:27,569 --> 01:13:28,820
No, you don't.

943
01:13:28,904 --> 01:13:30,780
- Blu, is that you?
- Not always.

944
01:13:30,864 --> 01:13:32,949
What are you doing here?

945
01:13:33,409 --> 01:13:36,077
I live here. Why didn't you tell me?

946
01:13:36,161 --> 01:13:38,955
- Hey, sweetie.
- Is this... Is this...

947
01:13:40,541 --> 01:13:42,750
This is Katherine, Precious.

948
01:13:42,835 --> 01:13:44,877
- Are you okay?
- It’s so nice to meet you, finally.

949
01:13:44,962 --> 01:13:48,381
Oh, my God. These straight-up lesbians.

950
01:13:48,465 --> 01:13:52,051
- This is Abdul.
- He's gorgeous. He looks just like you.

951
01:13:53,095 --> 01:13:54,429
Precious, can I hold him?

952
01:13:54,513 --> 01:13:56,264
You know how to?

953
01:13:56,348 --> 01:13:58,349
They still nice enough
to let us stay in their home

954
01:13:58,434 --> 01:14:00,768
until I get situated, though.

955
01:14:00,853 --> 01:14:04,939
- He's heavy. Oh, my God!
- You wanna hold him?

956
01:14:05,023 --> 01:14:07,525
I guess this is how the peoples
on TV feel at Christmastime.

957
01:14:07,609 --> 01:14:10,194
- Don't drop him.
- Come on. I only work with children.

958
01:14:10,279 --> 01:14:11,320
You know how you are. I saw you...

959
01:14:11,405 --> 01:14:13,448
When we were putting up the tree,
you dropped half the top of it.

960
01:14:13,532 --> 01:14:15,116
They're so nice to me and Abdul.

961
01:14:15,200 --> 01:14:17,285
- Be careful. Hold him with both hands.
- Please.

962
01:14:17,369 --> 01:14:19,078
Oh, Abdul.

963
01:14:21,039 --> 01:14:23,207
Merry Christmas, Precious.

964
01:14:24,042 --> 01:14:25,168
Thank you.

965
01:14:25,252 --> 01:14:26,586
Why peoples that barely know me

966
01:14:26,670 --> 01:14:30,006
should be nicer to me
than my mother and my father?

967
01:14:30,632 --> 01:14:32,049
I felt warm.

968
01:14:32,384 --> 01:14:33,593
- What?
- I’m just...

969
01:14:33,677 --> 01:14:36,846
I’m just concerned about the baby
and the cats upstairs.

970
01:14:36,930 --> 01:14:38,097
They're fine.

971
01:14:38,182 --> 01:14:40,183
Grandmother's scared of Momma.

972
01:14:40,267 --> 01:14:42,685
I know that's why
she ain't letting me stay with her.

973
01:14:42,769 --> 01:14:44,687
If Ronald McDonald were running things...

974
01:14:44,771 --> 01:14:47,565
Ms. Rain say don't be afraid of nothing.

975
01:14:48,233 --> 01:14:50,693
I bet she ain't scared of Momma.

976
01:14:50,777 --> 01:14:53,404
Wouldn't you be a little bit suspicious?

977
01:14:53,489 --> 01:14:54,739
Just write the book.

978
01:14:54,823 --> 01:14:58,075
- Well, who's gonna read it?
- Nobody, if you don't write it.

979
01:14:58,160 --> 01:15:01,704
You know, Precious writes every day.
You should try it.

980
01:15:01,788 --> 01:15:05,041
Is that right?
What do you write about, Precious?

981
01:15:05,834 --> 01:15:07,084
Stuff.

982
01:15:08,170 --> 01:15:10,588
My life. Abdul.

983
01:15:13,008 --> 01:15:15,176
How come y'all don't like McDonald's?

984
01:15:15,260 --> 01:15:17,094
Katherine was just drawing a comparison

985
01:15:17,221 --> 01:15:19,263
so that her point could be
more easily understood.

986
01:15:19,348 --> 01:15:20,348
Yes.

987
01:15:20,432 --> 01:15:22,934
They talk like TV channels I don't watch.

988
01:15:23,018 --> 01:15:24,393
My Uncle Clayton.

989
01:15:24,478 --> 01:15:27,939
I'm glad Abdul here to listen in on them,
though, 'cause I know they're smart.

990
01:15:28,023 --> 01:15:29,440
Before he got saved,

991
01:15:29,525 --> 01:15:32,193
he used to smoke like a chimney
and drink like a fish.

992
01:15:32,277 --> 01:15:34,320
I don't understand a word they're saying.

993
01:15:34,404 --> 01:15:35,988
You understand?

994
01:15:39,576 --> 01:15:41,035
Y'all be watching Oprah?

995
01:15:41,119 --> 01:15:44,038
No. I don't, actually.
You know what time I get home from work.

996
01:15:44,122 --> 01:15:47,250
- I watch it.
- Momma say homos is bad peoples.

997
01:15:47,960 --> 01:15:50,378
But Momma,
homos not ones who raped me.

998
01:15:50,462 --> 01:15:52,755
And what do that make you?

999
01:15:52,839 --> 01:15:56,968
Homos not ones who let me sit in class
all them years and never learn nothing.

1000
01:15:57,052 --> 01:15:59,929
The homos not ones who sell crack
to peoples in Harlem.

1001
01:16:00,013 --> 01:16:02,014
- ... that I have ever seen. Tell her!
- That doesn't work.

1002
01:16:02,099 --> 01:16:04,684
I wonder what Oprah got to say about that.

1003
01:16:04,768 --> 01:16:07,144
Ms. Rain is the one
who put the chalk in my hand,

1004
01:16:07,229 --> 01:16:09,689
made me queen of the ABC's.

1005
01:16:12,651 --> 01:16:14,569
After I settled at the halfway house,

1006
01:16:14,653 --> 01:16:17,071
I worked my hardest
to memorize letter sounds,

1007
01:16:17,155 --> 01:16:20,157
writing in the journal,
and reading smaller and fatter books.

1008
01:16:20,284 --> 01:16:23,494
Then I found out the Mayor's office
give me a literacy award

1009
01:16:23,579 --> 01:16:25,329
and a check for progress.

1010
01:16:27,749 --> 01:16:29,500
One, two, three.

1011
01:16:29,585 --> 01:16:31,335
The party is on.

1012
01:16:31,628 --> 01:16:33,004
Go, Joann!

1013
01:16:36,300 --> 01:16:38,384
Let me see what you got!

1014
01:16:38,468 --> 01:16:43,556
Everybody come. Nurse John, Cornrows,
all the staff was out there.

1015
01:16:44,099 --> 01:16:46,350
Even Ms. Katherine showed up.

1016
01:16:46,685 --> 01:16:47,977
Precious.

1017
01:16:51,189 --> 01:16:52,607
What's up?

1018
01:16:53,108 --> 01:16:54,609
What's that?

1019
01:16:55,193 --> 01:16:56,861
What does it look like?

1020
01:16:56,945 --> 01:16:58,863
Plastic stupid apple.

1021
01:17:02,034 --> 01:17:03,701
A little something for you.

1022
01:17:03,785 --> 01:17:06,495
- Is there more money in it?
- You're so greedy.

1023
01:17:06,580 --> 01:17:09,332
Yo, who's that?

1024
01:17:12,252 --> 01:17:13,502
What?

1025
01:17:16,381 --> 01:17:18,382
- What?
- Come on.

1026
01:17:18,884 --> 01:17:21,344
Precious, where are you taking me?

1027
01:17:22,763 --> 01:17:26,474
What am I supposed to do, diva? Yeah?
Wait a minute. Hold on, girl.

1028
01:17:26,558 --> 01:17:28,100
Yeah...

1029
01:17:32,272 --> 01:17:34,398
My mom called last night.

1030
01:17:37,069 --> 01:17:40,363
And we don't really have a relationship.

1031
01:17:40,822 --> 01:17:43,658
We don't talk,
because she really has a problem with...

1032
01:17:43,742 --> 01:17:47,495
Some folks got a light around them
that shine for other peoples.

1033
01:17:47,579 --> 01:17:50,665
I think maybe some of them was in tunnels,

1034
01:17:50,749 --> 01:17:53,459
and in that tunnel,
maybe the only light they had

1035
01:17:53,543 --> 01:17:55,086
was inside of them.

1036
01:17:55,170 --> 01:17:58,422
Then I thought about how strong
you've had to be.

1037
01:18:01,009 --> 01:18:04,762
And then,
even long after they escaped that tunnel...

1038
01:18:06,098 --> 01:18:08,933
- I’ll help you clean up.
- Okay.

1039
01:18:09,601 --> 01:18:12,603
...they still be shining for everybody else.

1040
01:18:16,817 --> 01:18:18,859
That's Ms. Rain to me.

1041
01:18:21,822 --> 01:18:23,364
"Award for Outstanding Achievement. "

1042
01:18:23,448 --> 01:18:27,076
In a book I read,
this lady escaped to a halfway house.

1043
01:18:27,160 --> 01:18:28,369
And when she was there,

1044
01:18:28,453 --> 01:18:31,372
she asked the people there
what a halfway house was.

1045
01:18:31,456 --> 01:18:35,793
They told her it was halfway between
her old life and where she wanna be.

1046
01:18:35,877 --> 01:18:37,795
That's kind of nice.

1047
01:18:39,464 --> 01:18:42,550
That also mean I can't stay here forever.

1048
01:18:42,634 --> 01:18:44,802
There's still a way to go.

1049
01:18:45,512 --> 01:18:48,472
It'd be something to get my own apartment.

1050
01:18:49,307 --> 01:18:52,810
Abdul nine months and almost walking.
He's smart, too.

1051
01:18:53,478 --> 01:18:56,564
I've been reading to him
since the day he was born.

1052
01:18:56,648 --> 01:18:59,692
He's barely talking,
but he's already counting.

1053
01:19:00,652 --> 01:19:02,486
Momma, Daddy,

1054
01:19:03,238 --> 01:19:07,658
IS 111,444 Lenox all seem
like some old, bad dream.

1055
01:19:09,828 --> 01:19:13,831
I wish I could've just started out here,
but still with Abdul.

1056
01:19:15,250 --> 01:19:19,420
I'm gonna get Mongo, too.
I gotta get Mongo back.

1057
01:19:21,506 --> 01:19:22,590
Hey, Miss Cassidy.

1058
01:19:22,674 --> 01:19:24,884
Hey, Precious,
somebody downstairs for you.

1059
01:19:24,968 --> 01:19:26,719
- Who is it?
- I didn't ask who it was.

1060
01:19:26,803 --> 01:19:28,012
You want me to watch the baby?

1061
01:19:28,096 --> 01:19:30,973
No, I gotta go down and get him anyway.

1062
01:20:05,383 --> 01:20:07,051
Your daddy dead.

1063
01:20:08,970 --> 01:20:10,429
That's all?

1064
01:20:15,519 --> 01:20:17,394
He had that AIDS virus.

1065
01:20:32,911 --> 01:20:34,161
There you go, dreaming again!

1066
01:20:34,246 --> 01:20:36,914
Precious, do you hear me talking to you?

1067
01:20:38,333 --> 01:20:39,458
Did you hear what I said?

1068
01:20:44,422 --> 01:20:45,840
You got it?

1069
01:20:47,092 --> 01:20:48,717
Got what?

1070
01:20:48,802 --> 01:20:50,761
- The AIDS virus.
- No.

1071
01:20:51,763 --> 01:20:53,430
How do you know?

1072
01:20:53,515 --> 01:20:56,392
We never did it up in the ass, so I know.

1073
01:21:00,772 --> 01:21:03,232
You better get to a doctor, Mom.

1074
01:21:05,944 --> 01:21:07,653
You coming home?

1075
01:21:24,629 --> 01:21:26,130
Yo, Precious!

1076
01:21:44,774 --> 01:21:47,776
Rita, what do I mean when I say the author

1077
01:21:47,861 --> 01:21:52,531
describes her protagonist's circumstances
as "unrelenting"?

1078
01:21:53,533 --> 01:21:55,868
I don't know. I don't know.

1079
01:21:58,246 --> 01:22:01,832
It’s like, say, like if Rita,
she tries to do something,

1080
01:22:01,917 --> 01:22:04,376
and she's going and she's going,
and me, I try to stop her

1081
01:22:04,461 --> 01:22:07,087
and she no stop, she keep on going.

1082
01:22:07,714 --> 01:22:09,506
Relentless-un.

1083
01:23:02,227 --> 01:23:04,687
I’ll see you tonight. Bye.

1084
01:23:53,778 --> 01:23:55,279
Come with me.

1085
01:23:56,698 --> 01:23:58,115
Precious?

1086
01:23:59,951 --> 01:24:01,410
Excuse me?

1087
01:24:03,329 --> 01:24:05,456
Nurse say I’m HIV positive.

1088
01:24:12,088 --> 01:24:14,631
I ain't got nothing to write today.

1089
01:24:16,468 --> 01:24:18,135
Is your baby okay?

1090
01:24:19,179 --> 01:24:22,556
He all right.
I just got to stop breastfeeding him.

1091
01:24:26,269 --> 01:24:28,437
Remember, you once told me

1092
01:24:28,938 --> 01:24:31,815
you never really got to tell your story.

1093
01:24:33,276 --> 01:24:35,319
- Write.
- Fuck you!

1094
01:24:35,820 --> 01:24:38,822
You know nothing
of what I’ve been through.

1095
01:24:39,991 --> 01:24:42,326
I ain't never had no boyfriend.

1096
01:24:44,996 --> 01:24:47,581
My daddy said he gonna marry me.

1097
01:24:48,249 --> 01:24:51,543
How he gonna do that?
It would fucking be illegal!

1098
01:25:07,811 --> 01:25:09,019
Write.

1099
01:25:11,147 --> 01:25:13,690
I’m tired, Ms. Rain.

1100
01:25:14,567 --> 01:25:17,736
If not for yourself,
then for the people who love you.

1101
01:25:17,821 --> 01:25:19,613
Nobody loves me.

1102
01:25:19,697 --> 01:25:21,949
People do love you, Precious.

1103
01:25:22,408 --> 01:25:24,868
Please don't lie to me, Ms. Rain.

1104
01:25:25,703 --> 01:25:28,080
Love ain't done nothing for me.

1105
01:25:29,124 --> 01:25:32,543
Love beat me, raped me,

1106
01:25:33,962 --> 01:25:37,965
called me an animal,
make me feel worthless.

1107
01:25:38,633 --> 01:25:40,217
Make me sick.

1108
01:25:42,554 --> 01:25:44,638
That wasn't love, Precious.

1109
01:25:46,724 --> 01:25:48,559
Your baby loves you.

1110
01:25:51,855 --> 01:25:53,313
I love you.

1111
01:26:00,613 --> 01:26:01,864
Write.

1112
01:26:10,790 --> 01:26:12,749
What are you thinking?

1113
01:26:14,919 --> 01:26:19,131
You never told me about
your relationship with your mother.

1114
01:26:21,885 --> 01:26:23,552
I didn't, did I?

1115
01:26:24,262 --> 01:26:26,847
Really, I’m here to help you.

1116
01:26:26,931 --> 01:26:30,100
You can talk to me.
This is a safe environment.

1117
01:26:31,436 --> 01:26:32,811
You're right.

1118
01:26:32,896 --> 01:26:35,439
We could talk about your daddy instead.

1119
01:26:35,523 --> 01:26:38,358
We could talk about my mother, my father,

1120
01:26:38,443 --> 01:26:42,821
my aunts or my sister or my brother,
but none of it's gonna help you.

1121
01:26:43,489 --> 01:26:44,990
You don't even like me.

1122
01:26:45,074 --> 01:26:48,118
Have we not been in this room together

1123
01:26:48,203 --> 01:26:51,455
for, like, a year, discussing your life?

1124
01:26:51,539 --> 01:26:54,541
Does that mean we like each other,
because we discuss my life?

1125
01:26:54,626 --> 01:26:56,084
I can't speak for you.

1126
01:26:56,169 --> 01:27:00,631
I can only speak for me,
and I do like you. I do.

1127
01:27:01,299 --> 01:27:03,133
So, are you Italian, or...

1128
01:27:03,218 --> 01:27:04,509
What color are you, anyway?

1129
01:27:04,594 --> 01:27:06,678
Are you some type of black or Spanish?

1130
01:27:06,763 --> 01:27:08,972
What color do you think I am?

1131
01:27:10,934 --> 01:27:14,269
No, I'd like to know.
What color do you think I am?

1132
01:27:15,104 --> 01:27:16,813
My throat is dry.

1133
01:27:17,649 --> 01:27:19,399
Your throat is dry?

1134
01:27:19,817 --> 01:27:21,526
It’s really hot in here.

1135
01:27:21,611 --> 01:27:23,695
It is kind of hot in here.

1136
01:27:24,239 --> 01:27:27,115
I’m gonna go get a soda.
What do you want?

1137
01:27:27,492 --> 01:27:29,326
Soda sounds fine.

1138
01:27:29,410 --> 01:27:30,827
All right.

1139
01:28:01,359 --> 01:28:02,859
Thank you.

1140
01:28:03,444 --> 01:28:04,903
No problem.

1141
01:28:08,616 --> 01:28:11,827
So, I have to talk to you about your mother,

1142
01:28:12,370 --> 01:28:14,705
and I don't know
how you're gonna feel about this,

1143
01:28:14,789 --> 01:28:17,541
but she says she wants to see you

1144
01:28:17,625 --> 01:28:22,254
and she wants to be reunited
with you and her grandchildren.

1145
01:28:22,839 --> 01:28:25,799
She wants to come
and have a session here with you.

1146
01:28:25,883 --> 01:28:27,467
What did you tell her?

1147
01:28:27,552 --> 01:28:30,387
I said I had to speak to you about it.

1148
01:28:33,016 --> 01:28:34,433
It’s up to you.

1149
01:28:34,517 --> 01:28:37,477
I don't know.
I never thought about it before.

1150
01:28:39,022 --> 01:28:41,523
Ms. Weiss said in that file I got HIV.

1151
01:28:41,607 --> 01:28:44,026
She said I was supposed to die from it.

1152
01:28:44,110 --> 01:28:46,153
I ain't worried about dying.

1153
01:28:46,237 --> 01:28:50,198
Shit, I gotta worry about
how I'm supposed to raise these kids.

1154
01:28:51,200 --> 01:28:53,702
I was just writing, like, about...

1155
01:28:54,412 --> 01:28:56,496
I wanna open up this clinic

1156
01:28:56,581 --> 01:28:59,791
about, like, mothers and their children.

1157
01:29:00,626 --> 01:29:03,670
You know, just,
if they're sick or something like that.

1158
01:29:03,755 --> 01:29:07,424
I always wanted to do that,
give back to the community.

1159
01:29:07,508 --> 01:29:10,385
Because I know my mom would be
proud of me if I did that,

1160
01:29:10,470 --> 01:29:12,137
and my children, too.

1161
01:29:12,221 --> 01:29:15,932
I want my children to be proud
of their mother, you know?

1162
01:29:17,060 --> 01:29:21,605
- That's always what I wanted to do, so...
- That's good. That's really nice.

1163
01:29:25,193 --> 01:29:29,654
I don't really want to read the whole thing,
I kind of just wanna say what it's about.

1164
01:29:30,907 --> 01:29:34,534
Okay, the counselors
at Advancement House,

1165
01:29:36,371 --> 01:29:38,872
they were quizzing me
about my mother and my father, right?

1166
01:29:38,956 --> 01:29:40,707
But it's not really about them.

1167
01:29:40,792 --> 01:29:42,876
They're trying to get me to do workfare.

1168
01:29:42,960 --> 01:29:45,337
- They want me to be a home attendant.
- How do you know?

1169
01:29:45,421 --> 01:29:47,714
Because I stole my file and I read it.

1170
01:29:47,799 --> 01:29:49,716
All they want me to do is work.

1171
01:29:49,801 --> 01:29:53,053
Now, I do wanna work,
but not for no welfare check.

1172
01:29:53,137 --> 01:29:54,554
What kind of sense that make,

1173
01:29:54,639 --> 01:29:57,557
for somebody like Precious to quit school
before she got her GED

1174
01:29:57,642 --> 01:30:00,268
and go work
for some old white people somewhere?

1175
01:30:00,353 --> 01:30:03,438
She ain't never gonna be nothing
if she gets stuck in some shit like that.

1176
01:30:03,523 --> 01:30:05,023
Rhonda used to home attend.

1177
01:30:05,108 --> 01:30:08,110
She used to have to go all the way out
to Brighton Beach.

1178
01:30:08,194 --> 01:30:11,530
Yeah, okay, Rhonda would be
working there all day and night.

1179
01:30:11,614 --> 01:30:13,657
She'd be on call, right?

1180
01:30:14,075 --> 01:30:18,286
She made $6.37 an hour,
but for only eight hours.

1181
01:30:18,871 --> 01:30:20,997
That equal out to $50.96.

1182
01:30:21,999 --> 01:30:23,417
But that's not a whole lot of money,

1183
01:30:23,501 --> 01:30:26,628
especially 'cause,
for real, she there for 24 hours.

1184
01:30:26,712 --> 01:30:31,425
So, $50.96 divided by 24

1185
01:30:31,509 --> 01:30:35,429
is $2.12 an hour. 
That's not a lot of money.

1186
01:30:35,513 --> 01:30:39,891
She said that old bitch would ring a bell,
like, a real-life, actual bell

1187
01:30:39,976 --> 01:30:41,810
when she wanted something from her
in the middle of the night.

1188
01:30:41,894 --> 01:30:44,604
- You don't want to do that shit.
- Rhonda, is that true? Rhonda!

1189
01:30:44,689 --> 01:30:47,732
Them home attendants be working for, like,
six days a week.

1190
01:30:47,817 --> 01:30:51,695
I’d only see Abdul on Sunday.
Plus, I’d have to leave class.

1191
01:30:52,029 --> 01:30:55,323
Well, that's not an option.
You're not leaving class.

1192
01:30:55,408 --> 01:30:58,535
Plus, I’m gonna start going to
insect survivor meetings.

1193
01:30:58,619 --> 01:31:00,120
It’s "incest. "

1194
01:31:01,873 --> 01:31:05,041
- That ain't what I said?
- No, you said "insect. "

1195
01:31:05,626 --> 01:31:06,918
What's the difference?

1196
01:31:07,003 --> 01:31:08,795
Well, one's where your family molests you,

1197
01:31:08,880 --> 01:31:11,548
the other's like a roach or bugs.

1198
01:31:14,218 --> 01:31:16,845
- So, you a scientist now?
- I’m just saying.

1199
01:31:16,929 --> 01:31:19,723
No, that's cool. Thank you. Thank you.

1200
01:31:25,897 --> 01:31:29,483
It was hard telling them strangers there
what my father did.

1201
01:31:29,567 --> 01:31:31,568
Sometimes it felt good.

1202
01:31:36,824 --> 01:31:41,036
Last week, Ms. Rain asked us
to write down what we wanna be like.

1203
01:31:41,454 --> 01:31:44,998
I wrote that I be real skinny,

1204
01:31:45,750 --> 01:31:47,959
with light skin and long hair.

1205
01:31:49,420 --> 01:31:51,087
Loretha Holloway?

1206
01:31:52,298 --> 01:31:53,423
Go on back there.

1207
01:31:53,508 --> 01:31:55,342
She read it and said 
I’m beautiful like I am.

1208
01:31:55,426 --> 01:31:58,929
But, there's no kids back there
for me to play with.

1209
01:32:01,098 --> 01:32:03,058
Just shut up and sit there, then.

1210
01:32:03,142 --> 01:32:06,520
Gonna talk to this lady
before my shit gets cut off.

1211
01:32:06,604 --> 01:32:08,063
But somehow,

1212
01:32:09,190 --> 01:32:12,442
right now... And I don't know why, but...

1213
01:32:14,570 --> 01:32:16,321
I think she right.

1214
01:32:22,703 --> 01:32:23,787
Here.

1215
01:32:32,463 --> 01:32:34,089
Clareece Jones?

1216
01:32:40,054 --> 01:32:42,055
I think she right.

1217
01:32:47,311 --> 01:32:49,396
Okay, Mrs. Johnston,
let's talk about the abuse.

1218
01:32:49,480 --> 01:32:51,690
There were no drugs in my house.

1219
01:32:51,774 --> 01:32:53,733
I didn't play that.
There weren't no drugs in my house.

1220
01:32:53,818 --> 01:32:55,485
Precious knew I would whup her ass

1221
01:32:55,570 --> 01:32:57,070
if she gonna bring some drugs
up in my house.

1222
01:32:57,154 --> 01:32:59,531
You know what I’m talking about.

1223
01:33:00,658 --> 01:33:05,829
I’m referring to specific
sexual and physical acts

1224
01:33:06,372 --> 01:33:08,164
involving Precious.

1225
01:33:08,833 --> 01:33:10,834
Why you ain't say that?

1226
01:33:11,544 --> 01:33:13,169
Yes, that.

1227
01:33:15,214 --> 01:33:17,132
What do you wanna know?

1228
01:33:17,216 --> 01:33:19,217
According to Precious' files,

1229
01:33:19,302 --> 01:33:23,346
she has now had two children
by your boyfriend,

1230
01:33:23,431 --> 01:33:27,684
the late Carl Kenwood Jones,
who was also her father.

1231
01:33:33,983 --> 01:33:35,984
- Yeah.
- This is accurate?

1232
01:33:38,404 --> 01:33:40,196
Yes, Ms. Weiss.

1233
01:33:40,698 --> 01:33:43,783
I need to know why you're here.
You've been calling this office

1234
01:33:43,868 --> 01:33:47,787
saying you want to be reunited
with Precious and your grandchild.

1235
01:33:47,872 --> 01:33:51,374
Now, I really need to know
what's gone on in that home.

1236
01:33:51,459 --> 01:33:53,585
Ms. Weiss,
I understand we need to discuss it,

1237
01:33:53,669 --> 01:33:55,003
but I’m just telling you.

1238
01:33:55,087 --> 01:33:57,839
You said I’ve been calling here
and I’ve been wanting to see

1239
01:33:57,923 --> 01:33:59,382
Precious and my grandson.

1240
01:33:59,467 --> 01:34:03,970
You're goddamn right I wanna see them.
Because they belong to me. Okay?

1241
01:34:04,055 --> 01:34:07,098
Now, there was a time
Precious had everything,

1242
01:34:07,183 --> 01:34:08,975
and I done told her that.

1243
01:34:09,060 --> 01:34:12,687
And me and Carl, we loved Precious.
And you need to know that.

1244
01:34:12,772 --> 01:34:15,482
We loved Precious and we had dreams.

1245
01:34:15,566 --> 01:34:20,278
Precious was born around the same time
Ms. West's son got killed.

1246
01:34:21,781 --> 01:34:25,742
The summertime.
She was born in the summertime.

1247
01:34:25,826 --> 01:34:27,827
Remember? Remember that?

1248
01:34:28,120 --> 01:34:30,080
I was born in November.

1249
01:34:30,581 --> 01:34:32,123
November.

1250
01:34:33,000 --> 01:34:35,460
Yeah, that's right.

1251
01:34:36,754 --> 01:34:38,630
My Scorpio child.

1252
01:34:40,800 --> 01:34:42,258
You know...

1253
01:34:42,968 --> 01:34:47,013
Scorpios, they can be tricky.

1254
01:34:48,224 --> 01:34:52,769
And, I’m not saying that they lie.
I’m not saying that.

1255
01:34:53,312 --> 01:34:55,647
But you just gotta watch them.

1256
01:34:59,610 --> 01:35:03,405
Can we talk about the actual acts

1257
01:35:03,489 --> 01:35:06,199
of physical and sexual abuse

1258
01:35:06,283 --> 01:35:08,743
that occurred in your household?

1259
01:35:09,328 --> 01:35:10,870
When it first began,

1260
01:35:10,955 --> 01:35:13,957
where it happened
and how did you respond?

1261
01:35:20,339 --> 01:35:22,507
Precious was a little girl.

1262
01:35:23,968 --> 01:35:26,970
Try and remember
how old you think she was.

1263
01:35:31,267 --> 01:35:32,809
She was three.

1264
01:35:34,770 --> 01:35:38,231
And I had been giving her the bottle

1265
01:35:40,151 --> 01:35:42,610
and I was giving Carl the tittie

1266
01:35:42,987 --> 01:35:47,031
because my milk hadn't dried up
in my breasts

1267
01:35:48,159 --> 01:35:51,494
but not from her, but because Carl was...

1268
01:35:52,663 --> 01:35:54,581
Because Carl was sucking on them

1269
01:35:54,665 --> 01:35:58,501
and that's what kept my milk in my breasts.

1270
01:36:01,213 --> 01:36:04,007
And I thought that that was for hygiene.

1271
01:36:04,925 --> 01:36:07,677
I did what my mother told me

1272
01:36:08,262 --> 01:36:12,140
that I was supposed to do with my child,
so that's what I did.

1273
01:36:12,600 --> 01:36:15,268
And you're sitting up there
and you're trying to judge me...

1274
01:36:15,352 --> 01:36:18,188
I’m not judging you,
but you're asking me for money

1275
01:36:18,272 --> 01:36:20,690
and you're asking me
to be reunited with your grandson.

1276
01:36:20,775 --> 01:36:23,193
But, Ms. Weiss,
I don't like you looking at me like that.

1277
01:36:23,360 --> 01:36:26,821
You got this bitch looking at me
like I’m some kind of fucking monster.

1278
01:36:26,906 --> 01:36:28,823
We don't talk like this in my office, okay?

1279
01:36:28,908 --> 01:36:32,452
I didn't want her sucking behind him,
because that was nasty.

1280
01:36:32,536 --> 01:36:36,247
And things that he was...
It was just nasty, Ms. Weiss.

1281
01:36:41,879 --> 01:36:45,507
I had a man, and I have a child

1282
01:36:47,301 --> 01:36:51,137
and I had to take care of both of them.
Okay?

1283
01:36:52,807 --> 01:36:57,811
Did I want Carl to touch my baby?

1284
01:36:59,897 --> 01:37:02,232
Because I would lay my baby.

1285
01:37:02,316 --> 01:37:06,945
I would lay her on the side of me,
on this pillow

1286
01:37:08,697 --> 01:37:10,865
and it was pink

1287
01:37:11,575 --> 01:37:14,619
and it had this little white writing on it

1288
01:37:14,703 --> 01:37:18,832
and it had her name,
because she was precious.

1289
01:37:19,750 --> 01:37:22,085
And I would lay my baby on that pillow

1290
01:37:22,169 --> 01:37:25,547
and Carl would be laying on the other side

1291
01:37:26,966 --> 01:37:30,844
and then we would...
We would start doing it

1292
01:37:30,928 --> 01:37:33,054
and he reached over

1293
01:37:35,349 --> 01:37:37,350
and he touched my baby.

1294
01:37:37,434 --> 01:37:38,977
And I asked him,

1295
01:37:39,770 --> 01:37:42,355
I said, "Carl, what are you doing?"

1296
01:37:42,439 --> 01:37:44,858
And he told me to shut...

1297
01:37:44,942 --> 01:37:47,944
To shut my fat ass up,
and it was good for her.

1298
01:37:48,028 --> 01:37:51,281
- And what did you do then?
- I shut my fat ass up.

1299
01:37:51,782 --> 01:37:55,118
And I don't want you to sit there
and judge me, Ms. Weiss.

1300
01:37:55,202 --> 01:37:56,953
You shut up
and you let him abuse your daughter?

1301
01:37:57,037 --> 01:37:58,997
I did not want him to abuse my daughter.

1302
01:37:59,123 --> 01:38:00,582
- I did not want him to hurt her.
- But you allowed him

1303
01:38:00,666 --> 01:38:02,542
- to hurt her.
- I did not want him to do nothing to her.

1304
01:38:02,626 --> 01:38:04,544
I wanted him to make love to me.

1305
01:38:04,628 --> 01:38:07,630
That was my man.
That was my fucking man.

1306
01:38:07,798 --> 01:38:10,633
That was my man
and he wanted my daughter.

1307
01:38:11,927 --> 01:38:14,220
And that's why I hated her.

1308
01:38:14,305 --> 01:38:17,307
Because my man,
who was supposed to be loving me,

1309
01:38:17,391 --> 01:38:20,226
who was supposed
to be making love to me,

1310
01:38:21,312 --> 01:38:23,563
was fucking my baby.

1311
01:38:23,647 --> 01:38:27,275
She made him leave.
She made him go away.

1312
01:38:27,818 --> 01:38:28,943
So, whose fault was it, then?

1313
01:38:29,028 --> 01:38:32,196
It’s this bitch's fault
because she let my man have her

1314
01:38:32,281 --> 01:38:33,865
and she didn't say nothing.

1315
01:38:33,949 --> 01:38:35,950
She didn't scream. She didn't do nothing.

1316
01:38:36,035 --> 01:38:39,579
So, those things she told you I did to her,

1317
01:38:39,663 --> 01:38:42,832
who else was gonna love me?

1318
01:38:45,836 --> 01:38:49,464
Since you got your degree
and you know every-fucking-thing,

1319
01:38:49,548 --> 01:38:53,593
who was gonna love me,
who was gonna make me feel good?

1320
01:38:53,677 --> 01:38:57,347
Who was gonna touch me
and make me feel good late at night?

1321
01:38:57,431 --> 01:38:59,974
And she made him go away, so...

1322
01:39:00,726 --> 01:39:04,228
When you sit there and you write
them fucking notes on your pad

1323
01:39:04,313 --> 01:39:08,358
about who you think I am,
and why I did it, all of that.

1324
01:39:09,693 --> 01:39:11,903
Because I didn't have nobody.

1325
01:39:20,704 --> 01:39:23,873
The people from

1326
01:39:25,501 --> 01:39:27,543
Each One Teach One,

1327
01:39:28,253 --> 01:39:31,214
they had... They called me

1328
01:39:34,176 --> 01:39:37,261
and they told me that my baby
was writing poems.

1329
01:39:37,346 --> 01:39:38,846
In fact, you know what, I got...

1330
01:39:38,931 --> 01:39:40,515
Wait a minute.

1331
01:40:06,500 --> 01:40:07,959
I’m sorry.

1332
01:40:08,961 --> 01:40:12,338
I’m sorry.
And, Ms. Weiss, I don't want no checks.

1333
01:40:12,423 --> 01:40:16,634
I don't need no more money. Please.
I’m so sorry.

1334
01:40:17,553 --> 01:40:19,721
I took that TABE test again.

1335
01:40:20,931 --> 01:40:22,056
And what happened?

1336
01:40:22,141 --> 01:40:23,808
I scored a 7.8.

1337
01:40:25,519 --> 01:40:27,437
Last time it was 2.8.

1338
01:40:29,815 --> 01:40:31,190
According to that test,

1339
01:40:31,275 --> 01:40:33,985
I’m reading at
a seventh- and eighth-grade level.

1340
01:40:35,279 --> 01:40:38,448
Next year, high school. After that, college.

1341
01:40:44,997 --> 01:40:46,789
Well, I like you, too.

1342
01:40:49,126 --> 01:40:51,169
But you can't handle me.

1343
01:40:52,963 --> 01:40:55,298
You can't handle none of this.

1344
01:41:03,223 --> 01:41:06,642
You know, I never knew what you was
until this day.

1345
01:41:06,727 --> 01:41:09,479
Not even after all the things you did.

1346
01:41:10,981 --> 01:41:14,484
Maybe I was too stupid, or
maybe I just didn't want to.

1347
01:41:16,945 --> 01:41:19,280
You ain't gonna see me no more.

1348
01:41:22,868 --> 01:41:24,160
Bye!

1349
01:41:27,873 --> 01:41:29,749
I didn't want him to hurt my baby.

1350
01:41:29,833 --> 01:41:32,251
Please, God,
I didn't want him to hurt my baby.

1351
01:41:32,336 --> 01:41:35,213
Ms. Weiss,
I didn't want him to hurt my baby.

1352
01:41:35,297 --> 01:41:37,090
I would say to him, I would say...

1353
01:41:37,174 --> 01:41:40,426
"Carl, what are you doing?
What are you doing? What are you doing?"

1354
01:41:49,520 --> 01:41:51,104
Can you go get her back?

1355
01:41:51,188 --> 01:41:53,773
You can do that,
because that's what you do.

1356
01:41:53,857 --> 01:41:55,691
That's what you do.

1357
01:41:56,110 --> 01:41:59,821
I need you to go
and I need you to get my baby back.

1358
01:41:59,905 --> 01:42:03,533
You told me that I could come in here
and you could get...

1359
01:42:03,992 --> 01:42:05,451
You could get Precious to say...

1360
01:42:05,536 --> 01:42:08,037
Ms. Weiss? Ms. Weiss? Ms. Weiss?