The Meteor Man

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1

I'm up. Ellington, I'm up.

I'm up. I'm up.

She don't want to believe

that the boy is using drugs...

but he comes home every day

with bloodshot eyes...

and then he eats everything

in the kitchen.

She knows he didn't

get those red eyes...

from being in the library.

I hear the boy can't even read.

Good morning, Mr. Moses.

What do you think?

You think this is something,

check this out.

What do you think?

Look, girls, y'all just

gonna have to wait in line.

Mr. Moses, let's make a trade.

I'll trade you

The Best of Wynton Marsalis...

for Duke Ellington

and Billie Holiday.

Never!

I would never give up

any of my records for anything.

It would be like

cutting off one of my hands.

Jeff, you're right.

Got to go younger, huh?

Yeah. I'm getting me

girls on Soul Train.

Have a good day, Mr. Moses.

- Good morning, Mrs. Walker.

- Morning, Jeff.

Thanks again for the tickets

tonight for that show.

No... thank you.

When the Georgetown Three

make it big...

I'm going to say, "Special

thanks to Mrs. Walker...

"who let me slide on my rent

when I didn't have it.

"This Grammy's for you."

Have a good day.

Hey, Jeff, ready for tonight?

You know I am.

First show's sold out.

Second one's almost there.

- Cool.

- And this device I invented...

will monitor the vibrations

of the audience.

- That's great.

- Just keep the music coming...

from the baddest jazz trio

in D.C.!

And I got some women

lined up for you.

Michael, I told you.

I don't want to meet anybody.

Come on, Jeff.

You got to get over Stacy.

It's been four months

since you broke up.

You got to move on,

experience life.

- You're right.

- Anyway, first show...

Debra's bringing

her cousin Denise.

She's kind of fat,

but she's got a cute face.

Cool, cool.

Second, Anita's bringing

her girl. Says she's a ten.

- A ten?

- Uh-huh.

Without a weave, she's a six.

That's cool.

I got to go. Warden.

Just appease her.

With this baby here,

you won't be here much longer.

Move over, Wynton Marsalis.

Cool.

Aren't you going to say

excuse me, Dre?

Excuse me.

Thanks again for calling,

Mr. Reed.

If he gets out of line again,

I will be back.

Keep it!

Ahem. Excuse me, Mr. Reed.

Mrs. Laws is waiting for you.

You wanted to see me?

Well, you've done it this time,

Mr. Reed.

What did I do?

Look.

Louis, what happened to you?

You. You're the one filling

his head up with all this junk.

We have taught this boy

to stand up for himself...

to fight the bullies,

but he doesn't listen to us.

He said, "Mr. Reed

teaches us differently.

"Mr. Reed said that we should

run from the bullies..."

and that Mr. Reed

encourages the smaller kids...

to practice running, hiding,

and eating their lunch quickly!

I didn't say "quickly."

I said "rapidly."

- I was trying to help.

- Well, thanks to your help...

every bully at this school

is beating him up.

A younger girl did this to him!

Mr. Reed, have you ever

stood up to anybody?

Or better yet,

have you ever had your butt...

Mrs. Williams,

I'll handle it from here.

Mr. Reed, may I remind you...

that you are

just a substitute teacher?

No more of this.

I was simply talking about

how life is.

I don't care.

Teach only from the books

and not your philosophy on life.

That's all for now.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

If you have the meetings

in the evening...

nobody wants to come out.

Everybody's just so afraid.

It's a question of what

you people really want to do.

Do you want this community

or what?

Ted, I realize

that we are the community.

That's right.

Nothing's going to happen

until we do what I said.

Are you down with o.p.p.?

You know me.

I really do understand that.

We just can't go around...

Let's cross the street.

Put your hand down.

- Hey, man.

- You want this?

What for?

I ain't crossin' the street for

nobody. Leave me alone, Maxine.

- Dad, come on.

- Ted, don't be crazy.

- Are you scared?

- Yeah, I'm scared.

I don't have to prove nothing

to nobody.

I want to see a hero,

I'll rent Rambo.

You go ahead on, then.

We got to get these young

people involved in this.

What did I just say?

I said give me the green.

You lucky that didn't break,

old man.

See you later, old man.

Don't see me later.

See me now, punk...

'cause I ain't crossin'

no street.

Damn.

Gangs only take over

because you let them.

If you would've challenged them,

they'd think twice.

You know they got us

living like animals...

with bars on every window,

alarms on every car.

All I'm saying is, if we

would just patrol our streets...

like right here

at Drake's Place...

where all the drugs are...

and with everybody wearing

one of these hats.

Show them those hats, Maxine.

If everybody wore

one of these caps...

they'd know

that we meant business.

- Ma.

- Don't you have a show to do?

He needs money again.

Your brother Kenny

never asks for anything.

Dad! How much?

I just need ten dollars for gas.

You know, you should be coming

to some of these meetings.

This is your community, too.

You listen to what

Mrs. Walker's talking about.

That's right.

This whistle will be a signal

to everybody who hears it...

to call the police.

You crazy if you think...

I'm going to walk up

some dark alley...

with a loud orange hat

on my head and a whistle.

I can see the headlines now...

"Golden Lords kill old man

in loud orange hat...

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