Junior: Miss queenie,
I had no idea any of this
Was touching your territory.
Means the only business that remains
Is how you plan to make this right.
Junior: Let me use the trains to run numbers for ya.
Pay and part ways.
Rose: Boys like ours,
They need more help than we know how to give.
Marlene: Eli is pulling us off our regular route.
He seems to think that we can do just as well
On de bullion street.
None of these folks are gonna donate to anything
Besides their own vices.
Who let these preachers in?
You all right?
I think you're a diabetic.
Who's this johnson?
Corrine: Rumour is he's looking for a dancer to go along.
Lucy: He chose corrine.
You need to leave mr. Senior executive.
Franklin: But I have some friends from prep school.
They hold a salon every few weeks.
Zeke: If I wanted to get the porters into a union
That purposely excludes them,
What's the first thing I should do?
Randolph: Always go for the head.
You have to go to the labour board in ottawa.
They're the ones with the sway
To change things for everybody.
Junior: Think if I have to spend the rest of my life
Bowing and smiling at people rather spit in my face
Than see me as human,
Then killing me would be a kindness.
(dramatic music swells)
(dreamy music)
(muffled banging)
Tuffy: (muffled) zeke?
(door knocks)
Tuffy: Zeke!
Didn't no one teach you to knock?
I-I did.
Twice.
I was wondering if you had a spare polish brush?
Fellas in my room say it get more tips than a rag.
Best shine takes both.
You know tuffy,
One of these days
You have to spend your own money
On your own supplies.
One of these days I'll have to do better than break even
So I can.
Well that's the nail on the head ain't it?
(upbeat music)
I talked to the head of the union,
Now they plan to get us into the cbre.
You're dreamin' zeke. -Hey zeke.
No way those white boys let us in their union.
Well it ain't about what they want,
It's about what they need,
And what they need is numbers.
See, now if I could get enough names
And dudes from the porters,
Then I can show the labour board
That we ready to be union men.
Okay, okay, but what good's a union to me?
Well the same thing it is to them.
Higher wages,
Breaks on back-to-back runs,
And paid time and a half on holidays.
Now if every man on that train is union,
Well the company can't move down
One inch of track un-
Tuffy: Track of what?
Unless what?
Zeke, you all right?
Yeah.
What's wrong?
Oh, you go on ahead without me.
Come on, man, we're going-
Go on, tuffy.
(suspenseful dramatic music)
♪
(rhythmic drum music)
(soft piano music)
Marlene: Shouldn't you be getting a move on?
(junior sighs)
You know I'm cooking up something special
For you tonight, mrs. Massey.
Promises promises.
Mhm.
Rose asked if you would put that in the post for her boy.
The address is on the pamphlet.
She made one for us too,
So don't go pinching your way through his.
Black cake?
You ever feel like a place like this
Could be good for teddy?
I'm not sending my son to an asylum.
If it helps our boy
Who cares what they call it?
Marlene: He's just a baby, junior.
And then one day,
Sooner than we want,
He's gonna be all grown up.
When that boy steps foot out on st. Antoine
They ain't gonna see a baby, marlene.
They gon' see a nigger not playing by the rules.
And then what?
You'll put that in the post?
Sure.
(gentle music)
♪
(door creaks)
(gentle music)
♪
You all right?
Eli: I know you have your routes to attend to,
So I won't keep you long.
I wanna say what an honour it is
To be representing the good people of st. Antoine
At our upcoming convention.
(audience claps)
We may be the smallest chapter
In attendance,
But with a more concerted effort,
I don't see a reason in the world
We couldn't get
Brother garvey's notice.
Ah, what kind of effort?
Eli: Well, it's less effort and more efficiency, sister.
For example,
Minimal socializing
Would increase the amount of visitations,
Thereby creating an overall increase
In donations and membership.
Given that you've had so much success
At your earlier posting,
Perhaps brother eli,
You would be good enough to accompany
Sister gwen and I on our route today.
Help us to identify any areas of inefficiency.
Well, I'm, ah- (chuckles)
Sure you good ladies wouldn't want me under foot.
Marlene: Oh, you would be no such thing.
And what a testament it would be to brother garvey,
To know that he has men who lead by example.
Well, it would be my pleasure.
(audience claps)
(train horn whistling)
(upbeat rhythmic music)
♪
You got a little something on your face.
Fuck you, massey.
(junior laughs)
Don't be like that!
(soft dramatic music)
Zeke: Looks good on you.
(upbeat rhythmic music)
Old bread and cold soup.
I'm tellin' you,
Every dog has it's day,
And one day that dog will get bite.
(in patois) serious bite is what de man get.
Think the fellas would be behind that?
I mean, them white workers' food comes fresh and free.
We-we pay out of pocket for-for this right here.
If we got into the union, junior-
We have to talk about this shit right now?
I ain't asking you to stand on a soapbox, junior.
I-I just need a few porters who ain't so set against it.
And I need to go to that labour board with an army by my side.
Well, feel free to take the milk but I'm gonna take the cream.
Oh, so you think you got claim to a top crew?
You goddamn right.
And I gotta settle this situation with queenie
To get this lottery up and running.
I need 'em just as bad as you
But I ain't gonna wait for you to get 'em-
Nigger, you gonna have to wait.
Really?
(junior chuckles)
You know what?
What?
May the best man win, zeke.
I will.
(upbeat rhythmic music)
Now I'm telling you,
It ain't that far fetched.
It's about the details.
Specifically, not fucking 'em up.
The company exploits every worker,
Black and white.
If you really want change, well you got to-
Keep your mouth shut.
You get questioned, you know nothing.
You get stopped,
You know no one.
Especially not me.
I mean,
Don't y'all deserve to lay your head down
After they have you on your feet eighteen hours?
Junior: Here's how it works.
Pick three numbers, place your bet.
The draw's every three days.
Cash on bet, no exceptions.
The runner picks up once a week,
Bet slips included.
And, uh, last three numbers on the stock total take the win.
Any man working on my team gets a piece of the action.
Look, stanley.
I know you joined the welfare committee
To make things better for us,
But we both know that ain't happening.
Ain't it time that we-we-we tried a different tactic?
Dinger: Ladies!
Are you serving tea or having it?
My apologies, mr. Miller.
Sorry zeke,
But I tried that fight and almost lost my job.
I try it again, I might get deported.
Stanley.
Stanley, I hope...
Lady in car 3 gave me the local rundown.
Belleville's got three hot spots to keep the locals coming.
A barbershop,
A supply store,
And a diner.
Now the boys gonna keep us covered while we're gone
But we gotta lock the location fast.
What happens if we miss the train?
I catch a bullet.
(train rumbles)
(soft rhythmic jazz music)
Eli: Whoo!
(eli pants)
Eli: Ladies, can we slow down?
(dog barks)
Easy! Easy there.
(dog barks)
I know what you're doing
And it's not one bit funny.
If that man wants to come here
Setting rules for what we do,
He should know what that entails.
So this has nothing to do with vengeance
For him punishing us?
Well, I didn't say that.
(woman shrieks)
I hope it's not all like this.
Untrained nurses playing doctor.
We teach nutrition like we're supposed to.
But sometimes people need help they can't get anywhere else.
(woman shrieks)
Just relax.
Gwen: At least marlene comes from healing people,
Three generations.
Healing hands or not, if this-
Gwen!
You're about to be a mama.
(woman shrieks)
(men laugh) (train horn whistles)
(indistinct chattering)
These the people you're looking to keep company with?
Zeke: It's bigger than them, junior.
Junior: No it's not.
I mean, how you gonna sell these charleys as a solution
When they're the whole goddamn problem.
Not very well, apparently.
Guessing you got your cream crew together?
It's not complicated, zeke.
What I offer these boys is not "one day maybe",
It is in their hands right now.
Only you gotta risk your neck with a gangster for it.
Junior: Calculated risk you can measure.
But this union shit you're talkin',
Now that's danger.
Look, you want my help getting the boys in the room,
I'll get 'em in the room.
The rest is on you.
(steven choking)
What the hell happened to him?
(in patois) look like the dog get bite.
(playful drum music)
Marlene: Gwen will stay and finish up.
So much to do and so little time, brother eli,
Keep up.
Can we kindly cut the shit, sister massey?
I had no more say in my appointment
Than you did the appointed man,
But don't you think it's time we,
We stopped testing each other?
The u.N.I.A is quite clear on the role of its nurses.
Educate our people on good health.
Enlighten them to-
I didn't start out delivering babies
And tending to broken bones.
But when you're faced with that kind of need,
How are you supposed to turn your back on that?
What does this have to do with the u.N.I.A?
Brother garvey says that we are supposed to create
Our own opportunities.
Why should our people walk miles to a city hospital
That shuts the door in their face whenever the mood strikes?
We need our own clinics.
If you would just look at my plans-
You know there's a reason why you're in the uniform
And I'm in the suit!
There are roles to be obeyed marlene,
And I strongly suggest you start playing yours.
You know brother garvey's promoted a woman
To the top spot.
Head of international organization.
Henrietta?
(chuckling)
That-that-that is pure public relations.
Maybe.
Or maybe the line between suits and uniforms
Is thinning out.
Brother garvey will promote whoever he wishes,
Wherever he wishes.
But I am his emissary in st. Antoine.
And my answer is "no".
(tense dramatic music)
Junior: Well, o'dell's diner's out.
I think you might've caught a bad steer on this one junior.
Nah glenford.
I got a good feeling about this next place.
(soft dramatic music)
♪
Even so, come on.
(junior chuckles)
Junior: C'mon, man.
We gotta find some gamblers.
(soft blues music)
♪
Guess gon' see if you're gonna make some money.
Money business.
What you want?
I think the question is, what do you need?
And how much money you need to get it?
(soft dramatic music)
All right. (chuckles)
Which one of you brothers wants a free shoe shine, huh?
And from what I can tell,
The numbers game you runnin' down here is small and spotty.
Well if by 'small and spotty'
You mean crooked as all hell.
And that's exactly it.
What I'm offering is something more solid,
Backed by a well established chicago enterprise.
Pssh, that so?
That's so, big man.
Come on now, you know it sounds good.
There's no betting on credit,
But a three-number-play gives you all kind of chances.
Clarence: You wasting my time, brother.
How long you think
Before this whole place is an echo, huh?
Oh, you concerned about my welfare now porter?
Yessir, I am.
Well from what I can tell,
You boys is the only ones out here with steady work.
Now I'm guessing none of your brothers
Get to cut the line when the job at the mill opens up.
It's not right.
Is it right?
No.
Brother man, is it right?
You're goddamn right it isn't right.
But you cut a win on our numbers play,
That's a week's easy pay without coughing up black dust.
Man, if you can afford to turn down this kind of opportunity
That's your prerogative. But if I were you-
Clarence: If I was you
I would know how deep the water was before I jumped in it.
Folks around here ain't got a pot to piss in,
And here you come with your full belly
Asking people to spend what little they got.
You got off at the wrong station for that porter.
Hey clarence, we too late to place our bets?
Come on, man.
I got my numbers and everything.
♪
Popsy: Alright baby,
Let's put us both out our misery.
This ain't for you.
And shame on the liar who told you that it was.
Next!
(in patois) your horse-face up there hoofin'.
What is this?
(upbeat jazz piano music)
Look, corrine is gone and the show must go on.
(feet tapping)
But not with you girl, come, no!
Next! Please!
Show me somethin'.
(upbeat jazz piano music)
Send these dumb doras home already.
I mean, with me on the job
You get the whole song and dance.
And you don't have to set foot outside the saint to get it.
You askin' or you tellin'?
If anyone's got a right to that stage it's me.
I've been here longer than anyone.
And lord knows I'm better than everyone.
So you telling...Again.
(fingers snap) (music cuts)
So let me tell you something lucy-mae.
See all them girls lined up here
Waiting for their opportunity?
They've been here since before the sun come up this morning.
So if you want yours,
The line ends at the door.
Next girl, please!
(upbeat jazz piano music)
Popsy: Show me somethin'!
(upbeat jazz piano music) (train bell ringing)
(train rumbles)
So what's the plan for kingston?
You cover the train,
Glen and me gon' hit the next spot.
Dinger: Massey!
Ma'am.
Car nine has a real proper pain in the ass
That needs attending to.
It's not my car.
Dinger: That's not my problem.
I got five porters missing.
All of them facing down a shitload of demerits
When I get my hands on them.
You wouldn't happen to know where they are, mr. Massey?
I'll see to the car right now mr. Miller.
Dinger: Yeah, get on it.
Yes sir.
Jackass.
You think he's on to us?
Junior: Not us exactly.
I need you to drop on zeke's little clubhouse meeting.
Let him know dinger's on the prowl.
You gotta make the run for me.
By myself?
Be fast, be clear.
Be sure you don't fuck with my money.
Ain't gonna fuck up your money, junior.
(door rattling)
(men chattering)
(soft dramatic music)
Y'all know what these are?
Cleats for tying rope.
My daddy used to make something like this back in oklahoma.
Costs about thirty cents a piece.
(soft dramatic piano music)
We beg this railway to keep us safe
And their answer don't raise any higher than a decent tip.
Alright, let's just say the railway feels generous
And they put five of these on top of the ice car.
Five at thirty cents a piece,
That's $1.50.
Now our brother henry
Died a death he wasn't meant to,
Doing work that he was not supposed to.
And the company that made him do it
Says all that he's worth is a dollar and fifty cent solution?
A solution that didn't even have a damn thing to do
With how he died.
(soft dramatic piano music)
Look, I know y'all might be scared of what might happen
If we try to unionize.
But maybe it's time we start thinking about what happens
If we don't.
(sombre music)
Thirty cents a piece, y'all.
♪ saint martin de porres
♪ his shepherd staff a dusty broom ♪
(soft vocalizing)
♪ saint martin ♪
Franklin?
♪ des porres
♪ the poor made a shrine of his tomb ♪
(soft vocalizing)
♪ saint martin de porres ♪
There was no one out front
So I showed myself in.
You're mr. Edwards' two o'clock?
We have a no appointment required arrangement.
In future,
Mr. Edwards prefers that his "arrangements"
Wait in the car with the driver until summoned.
Good day to you.
I was thinking,
Maybe it's time to inquire about your friend's salon.
Well, that's an unexpected introduction.
Lucy: I-I-I'm so sorry.
I thought this was franklin edwards' office.
My-my mistake.
Yes it is.
So why don't we have a bite and discuss him?
(tense dramatic music)
♪
Junior: They're getting closer.
Andrew thomas: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!
Junior: They come for you,
They come for me.
(eerie music) (distorted rumbling)
Zeke: Sorry you missed the meetin'.
You know, uh, I'm thinking,
Maybe I'm getting through a little.
At least to some.
Thanks for getting them in the room.
Well, shucks, you ain't talking
I'm gonna start eating.
Marlene do something different with this black cake?
A friend. Rose made it.
Asked me to put it in one of the mail cars
For her boy that stays at the asylum.
You know what's funny?
Marlene thinks I wanna send teddy away
'cause I'm ashamed of him.
Truth is, I'm scared for him.
If I ain't spent all that time
Fighting the white man's goddamn war.
(train horn whistles)
(dramatic suspenseful music)
Where the fuck is glenford?
Well my first granddaughter was born on the third.
Glenford: Mhm.
And my third granddaughter was born on the second.
Glenford: Yeah, okay.
So I suppose the second number should be a three.
That's a hell of a lot of children.
Post office grannie: Now my grandsons though...
(people chattering)
(train whistle blowing)
Conductor: Last chance to board!
I warned him stay away from those lipstick wearing women.
I said, "godfrey- -ma'am!
All things holy,
Can you just take a breath?
Now where is the man that runs this place?
Who, silas? -Yes silas.
He asked me to mind the stand
While he's waiting on the porter to pick up the slips
And some m-o-n-e-y.
Mhm.
(soft chattering)
(door knocks)
(softly) excuse me, please.
(dramatic suspenseful music)
(train bell clanging) (dramatic suspenseful music)
Come on, glen, come on!
Just come on, man!
Let's go!
(train engine rumbling) (dramatic suspenseful music)
Junior: Let's go, let's go,
Let's go, man!
Get up!
Get your ass, come on!
Move your ass, come on, man!
Run, man! Run!
(dramatic music)
Junior: Come on, man!
Move your ass, come on! -Come on, man!
Junior: Run! Zeke: Come on!
Get your ass up here! Come on, get on!
I got you!
Come on. There you are.
(frenetic jazz music)
Yo, glen.
You got my money?
Yeah, you got my money.
(train horn whistling)
♪ lord when I'm dead today
♪ I need you gimme whisky when I die ♪
(muffled typewriter keys clacking)
(gentle instrumental music)
♪
(sombre music)
Can I get a bag with that?
(sombre music) (rose shrieks)
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
(rose shrieks) (sombre music)
Hey, it's me, it's me.
What's wrong, miss rose?
They swore they'd take care of my boy, junior.
They swore!
(rose sobs) (sombre music)
♪
We're gonna get you home, okay?
(rose sobs) (sombre music)
It's okay.
(rose weeps) (sombre music)
Glenford: Had a long day today.
Zeke: Man, oh, man, I am so tired.
Glenford: Well, you know I-I-I,
I want some provisions tonight.
(suspenseful music)
Man: I was gonna make some rice for everyone.
Do you want some rice?
Man 2: Yes.
(men chattering)
(suspenseful music)
♪
What took you so long?
Sorry.
It's been a god awful day!
Went to your office to tell you about it.
Funny thing though,
You don't have an office!
I need the light.
I wanna see how your face looks when you lie
So I know for next time.
Franklin: I tried lucy.
What other stories have you been selling me franklin?
You make me the star of an imaginary salon?
I told you I didn't make that up!
And I wouldn't have had to lie about this job either if my,
My father would just give me my due!
Oh, so it's his fault you're a liar?
My father jumped from number two at the pullman
To the top of the food chain faster than you can spit!
But me, me it's like he expects me
To just grovel my way up the ladder like I'm some-
Like some what?
(franklin sighs)
Franklin: The man pushed me off on boarding schools
And nannies my entire fucking life.
Opportunity that's-that's the least of what he owes me.
Lucy: You know, I ain't big on religion,
But a preacher friend taught me something that stuck.
A man shouldn't think of himself more highly than he ought.
What's that supposed to mean?
Lucy: It means, if you wanna walk in your daddy's shoes,
You best be willing to shine 'em first.
Is that more preacher wisdom?
Lucy: No.
Porter.
Marlene: You know my husband's a porter right?
I mean if he wanted to meet me by the train,
I know the way.
You know the way that don't get you caught
By the rail police?
(train engine rumbling)
You'll find your porter just on the right, ma'am.
This is where I get off.
Junior ain't the only one with plans tonight.
(door creaks)
Well if you went through all the trouble to make oxtail,
This really is special.
I was thinking about the place rose sent her boy.
Can we not talk about this tonight?
I was thinking that you were right.
Let him be our baby a little while longer.
Well, mrs. Massey, I...
I heard that church girls know how to cut a rug.
Well mr. Massey,
You're about to find out.
(sultry blues music)
♪
I love you.
(sultry blues music)
♪
(both panting)
(sultry blues music)
(people chattering)
(gentle blues music)
Lijuan: Order whatever you like.
My father said it's on the house.
Says you boys built the tracks the world runs on.
(people chattering)
Shame because my people died clearing the way.
(people chattering)
(suspenseful music)
I'll be back, y'all.
(suspenseful music)
♪
Pardon the intrusion.
I just thought that given all the time
We've been spending together
An introduction might be in order.
Oh no?
All right then.
I just wanna let you know that I'm not the kind of man
That you come at sideways.
Ain't a negro in this whole world
Wasn't born lookin' over their shoulder.
So you tell whoever the hell you working for,
It's impossible to step on my damn shadow.
(ominous music)
♪
(gentle jazz music)
♪
What's it gonna be?
Zeke: I'll have my usual, please.
Right.
Funny how it's always the men
Expect me to remember everything they ever ate,
But can't even remember my name.
Zeke: I really like when you tuck your hair behind your ears
When you wear those earrings, lijuan.
I know men aren't meant to have an opinion in the matter,
But I like your green dress better than the black.
Maybe it's because of the perfume you put on
When you wear it.
It smells like magnolias.
Reminds me of home.
Yeah, we better get going.
Police soon start patrolling the yard.
Can you imagine having so much money
That you can stick it on the walls?
Yeah, I think about that all the time.
You know, if we strip this car end to end
We can make enough money to have anything we want.
Move to a new place,
Maybe buy a bigger place of our own.
What's the matter with you?
(pensive piano music)
Baby, you okay?
(pensive piano music)
All my life is praying and believing.
Prayed for my family
And I buried them.
Prayed for my son,
I can't talk to him.
Prayed for my husband...
Now they're closing the doors in my clinic
Before they even get a chance to open.
Your garvey tell you that?
Eli's god of garvey around here.
Look, I don't know what is to believe like you do.
But if heaven can't hear ya,
I hear you marlene.
If our son needs, I got him.
And if my wife needs,
I got her.
And if marlene massey wants a clinic in st. Antoine,
Then I got you.
'cause we make our own life.
(rhythmic piano music)
(door creaks open)
(rhythmic piano music)
Zeke: Pastor haynes?
Hey pastor,
I'm sorry to come so late.
I had to make sure I wasn't followed.
I think the railroad knows I'm trying to unionize.
What is it you need, zeke?
Your basement.
I wanna hold a special meetin'.
You see,
I've been thinking about what you do,
And-and how you get people to believe in things
That they can't even see.
Pastor haynes: It's scripture.
Faith is evidence of things unseen.
Yeah, but sometimes you need to see faith change things
To believe it.
And the church basement?
Well let's just call that a faith healing service.
Zeke: Thank you, pastor.
See you Sunday.
(soft instrumental)
♪
Mr. Edwards: Did you manage to find anything before you got caught?
I applied the standard protocols,
Known associates, affiliations,
Family, relationships.
This isn't much more than I could have heard
Pressing my ear to the train window.
I think the last page in my report might beg to differ.
(tense dramatic music)
He was in wales for the riots.
Service report is scant,
But the information's valid.
Stay on that.
I think I've got someone else to put on garrett.
(dramatic suspenseful music)
Usic)
♪
Fay: No!
(crashing) hey, you!
(donald chuckles) give it!
I told you yesterday. Donald: Shut your mouth.
Fay: I ain't tell you that! I don't like you!
Donald: (laughs) I'm gonna get ya!
(fay yells)
Whoa!
(woman smacked)
Oh wait.
Oh, this is... Oh my god.
This is my friend, this is donald.
(donald laughs)
Donald, marlene.
Mmm, I like her.
Fay: You know what? Stop. -What?
Stop it. -No, come on.
Fay: Baby, go with jasmine.
I'll be over there in a minute.
(donald laughs)
(fay giggles)
You hit that white man.
(laughs) I'm gonna call the cops on you.
It is not funny, fay.
Fay: Oh, oh it was funny.
You should have seen your legs up in there
Going round and round.
Stop laughing!
Oh! No and thank you!
Thank you for rescuing me, ha, from his orgasms!
(fay laughs)
Fay: And what you doin' in here anyway, church woman?
You come to bring me some of that nasty ass tea?
Marlene: I told you, I came back to check on you.
Does he really pay you to spank him?
Pssht, ain't that nothing.
Used to be you get locked up for slapping a white man.
Now they pay me top dollar for it.
(marlene laughs)
Fay: If I could just find one that would pay to cook and clean,
I might be set for life.
(chuckling)
(muffled woman moaning)
All of these people living secret lives,
I mean...
Do you ever just wonder if the people in their real lives
Don't have a right to know?
Everybody's always gettin' worked up about rights
They have no right to.
This is their real life.
And this is nobody's business.
(muffled woman moaning)
(muffled congregation singing and clapping)
"I was glad when they said unto me,
"let us go into the house of the lord."
Congregation: Amen.
If you are glad this morning,
Say "amen"!
(in unison) amen!
Somebody say "amen".
Congregation: Amen!
(congregation claps)
I wanna talk to you this morning
About mustard seed faith.
(congregation affirmations)
Pastor haynes: Faith that begins
Long before the harvest appears.
(congregation affirmations)
Pastor haynes: Faith that looks
At a field of weed-
What you doing here?
Had some time to kill. -Mhm.
I hear you got someone taking on a fair share of that lately.
The edwards boy?
Pastor haynes: And when you're facing-
It's just a little bit of fun zeke.
The boy walks around like the world owes him a favour.
When the pot calls out to the kettle,
It sure can sing.
What's that supposed to mean?
Maybe popsy can explain it to you.
Pastor haynes: Faith can grow, amen!
Congregation: Amen!
Praise god.
(congregation clapping)
And for those registered for the faith healing meeting,
It begins directly after service in the church basement.
Now let me get to these announcements
Before our beloved secretary gives me an earful.
(all chuckling)
Our ladies committee needs a reliable wagon
To, uh, bring these baskets...
(soulful male vocalization)
(people chattering)
Gentlemen, thank y'all for staying behind.
I'd like to introduce y'all
To our guest speaker for today's faith fellowship.
This is brother james kendall,
An elevator operator outta new york.
Now I asked him to share the story
Of the goliath battle against his employer,
As a reminder that the force of our oppression
Is the truest measure of our power.
Brother james.
Thank you, brother zeke.
Gentlemen, I want to start off by telling you a story.
♪ I've been blessed with a sturdy spine
♪ to withstand the weight of the thoughts in my mind
♪ so when my feet get weary
♪ I won't falter or fall
♪ I refuse to feel small
♪ 'cause the song that I sing is part of an echo
♪ from southland to north
♪ they're chanting in time
♪ the song that I sing is part of an echo
♪ saying I should reclaim what has always been mine ♪
Lucy conrad.
Lucy: Yes sir.
You wanna explain to me
Why after I've been auditioning dancers
You choose to go up there and sing me a song?
Lucy: Well sir,
You already know I can dance.
But I believe you asked me to show you something.
I guess I did.
(soft blues music)
Queenie: My lawyer will take care of whatever you need.
Make sure you send the bill directly to me.
(gentle instrumental music)
It's all accounted for.
Every cent, every slip.
Quite a few cents from the look of things.
It's better to be over than under, right?
Queenie: Hmm.
What was that about?
Queenie: It's a part of my work with the french legal society.
We help immigrants become american citizens.
The american dream shouldn't have a price tag.
Gangster with a heart.
Something like that.
It's what you're owed.
Every cent accounted for,
I'm nothing if not fair.
If we talkin' fair,
How 'bout a little somethin' for the man
That introduced you two?
Shut up!
This is you free and clear.
(soft dramatic music)
This is me renegotiating my terms.
(soft dramatic music)
Sticks!
Fix mr. Massey and I a drink.
(soft dramatic music)
♪
Hey junior!
Hey, you makin' a big mistake.
Look, you shoulda got out from under queenie
While you had the chance.
My debt is clear.
This is a new arrangement.
Look, I get the appeal.
Queenie's smart,
Powerful,
Sexy as all hell-
Nigga that ain't your cousin?
That mean I don't got eyes?
Look, don't let that do-good shit fool you, man.
That woman don't care about nobody but herself.
The second you become a problem-
Bobby, I ain't you
So there ain't gonna be no motherfuckin' problem.
Thank you very much.
All I'm saying is,
It's not too late to start thinking about a exit plan.
You sure you know what you're doing?
That shit use to drive the soldiers crazy in the war.
Well folks are still going crazy for it over here.
And it's a whole lot easier to smuggle than booze.
You know my granny always used to say,
(in patois) who cyah hear mus' feel.
What that mean?
Miss queenie's already beat your ass
For going behind her back.
And there you is.
Look, I'm just trying to be somebody, junior.
Ain't that what we all want?
(tense dramatic music)
I got a train to catch.
Stay outta trouble, hm.
Get you some pooch or something.
(dramatic blues music)
♪
You wanna know who your real friends are?
See who turns up when life knocks you down.
Think this is 'cause of my meeting?
All I know,
This garden was the beginning of a new chapter here.
A way to stop depending on the railroad
To keep our doors open.
Well, we'll find a way.
Our folks in saint are pull together people.
I've seen it time and time again.
You might be right about that.
What's this about?
This?
A token of support on behalf of the welfare committee.
You mean on behalf of the railroad.
Stanley: The welfare committee serves porters and their families.
The company wants you all to know,
We're here for the community.
So quickly?
I mean, the smoke hasn't even cleared yet
And here you are, stanley.
We should get these to the cold room.
Would hate to see fine folks cooking up spoilt chicken.
This way.
Stanley, are you responsible for this?
Hand to the most high,
I don't know who did this.
But maybe you should be more careful
Who you invite to your meetings.
(gentle piano music)
(dramatic upbeat music)
(train rumbling)
(dramatic upbeat music)
(indistinct announcement)
Junior: Save the lecture,
I already spoke to queenie and everything's gonna be alright.
Junior, we have a rat reporting to edwards.
It's one of our own.
You know which one of us they after?
What makes you think it's only one?
(dramatic suspenseful music)
♪