Furlough

---

[film reels ticking]

[alarm buzzing]

[door clanking]

[indistinct chatter]

Come on, step up.

Ladies,

right up to the door.

Let's see those

pretty mugs.

[instrumental music]

Nineteen hundred

and sixty-three

They came inside

for armed robbery

Now one night late

I made my break

One.

I say it's

too late to quit

I can't stand oh no

In the old barn

Let me tell you

what I want now

I want love

and affection

Not the house

of correction

I want love

Two.

Not the house

Of correction

I can't stand oh no

In the old barn

I gotta say it

one more time

I want love

and affection

Three.

House of correction

I want love

and affection

Not the house

of correction

I can't stand oh no

in the old barn

Four.

I want to go home

[music continues]

[alarm buzzing]

Let me say

what I want

I want love

and affection

Not the house

of correction

I want love

and affection..

Five.

I can't stand oh no

In the old barn

I want to go home

I want to go home..

[alarm buzzing]

[indistinct chatter on TV]

- Nicole.

- What?

How long are you gonna

frost that thing for?

I just want to make sure

that the icing is perfect

so the canvas

on which to paint...

It's a sheet cake.

Sheet cakes

are not supposed to..

Have you been

to a church bake off?

Listen, at least you can

eat this cake, okay?

I like the cake I made.

- You are a diabetic.

- And?

And it was full of sugar.

You remember

to take your pills?

- I don't think I did.

- I don't think you did either.

- No.

- Go on.

[cell phone ringing]

Hello.

Oh, no. Okay.

Mm-hmm.

Alright, thank you.

What's the matter?

That's work.

I gotta go in

early today.

- Today?

- Yeah.

But it's my birthday.

[indistinct chatter]

Alrighty.

Come on. Fork it over.

Come on.

Anderson!

You going

to your meeting?

- Oh, yeah. On my way.

- Alright. Okay.

[Carmen laughing]

- One step at a time.

- Have a good night!

[instrumental music]

[laughing]

There's two cakes

back there.

Excelente.

And you like the food?

Yeah. This is good, mom.

Well, there you go.

There you go.

- Hey, y'all.

- Hey!

I have to go.

I don't know

how you do it.

Being a part

of the brutal mass

incarceration system.

Imagine how much more

brutal it would be

if I wasn't working in it?

I know I couldn't do it.

Don't eat off his plate.

Momma,

I don't have a plate.

I'll make you a plate,

do you want a plate?

Ma, she's getting ready

to go.

Love you, sis.

Love you too.

- Love you, Junior. Bye.

- Bye.

We'll save you some cake.

Okay.

Save me a piece of both.

You gonna win

that karaoke contest.

Aahh hoo-ah hoo-aah!

Hoo-ha oh!

Bh-bube bh-bube

bh-bube-e

[knock on door]

[humming]

Do re mi fa

so la ti do

Do re mi fa so la ti..

Stevens!

Oh, uh, you wanted

to see me, warden?

Come here, sit down.

Stevens, how would you

like the opportunity

to prove yourself?

Sir?

Listen, Stevens,

first thing tomorrow

I need you to escort

a prisoner on a death bed

visit downstate.

I appreciate it, sir,

but I don't think

that I can get away

on such short notice

I'm sorry.

I recall you saying

you were trying to get

a full time position here.

Yeah, I did.

Well, let's use this as an

opportunity to prove it.

Uh, yeah. Okay.

Yes! Excellent!

Stevens, I knew

you'd come through for me.

First thing tomorrow.

Get out of here.

See you tomorrow.

[instrumental music]

Come here

and lie beside me.

[music continues]

[door buzzing]

Anderson,

warden wants to see you.

Why? What's going on?

How the heck do I know?

You can ask him yourself.

Get up.

Uh, Anderson, there's no,

oh, easy way to say this

but your mother is dying.

Oh, man. That's too bad.

Well, she only

has a short time left

and she requested

to see you.

I don't know,

I... kinda stuck here.

Well, we sometimes

grant emergency furlough

in situations like this.

Oh, you mean like

a deathbed visit?

More like a supervised

36 hour release.

Thirty-six hours?

[instrumental music]

Nicole,

what are you doing up?

Why are you here?

Shouldn't you be at work?

I got a special detail.

I have to escort

a prisoner downstate.

I will be gone

for 36 hours.

I'm gonna be here

by myself for 36 hours?

I already laid out

all your medication.

You know, I have things

I have to do

at the library.

Okay, well, maybe you can

ask Brandy to take you.

Brandy's not gonna..

She's a terrible driver..

- I don't understand...

- Mom.

The warden says

that if I do a good job

he might get me

a permanent position

which I have been trying

to get, without any luck.

You're going

with somebody dangerous.

You putting

yourself in danger.

I mean, t... technically,

she is a prisoner, momma.

But no, and besides

she's gonna be

all chained up.

Well, what are you

doing exactly?

I am taking her

on a deathbed visit.

- A deathbed visit?

- Mm-hmm.

To see her mother.

Oh.

- Her momma's dyin'?

- Mm-hmm.

And you're

taking her down?

- Mm-hmm.

- Thirty-six hours?

- Mm-hmm.

- What if I die?

I could.

I don't wanna

scare you but..

[wheezes]

Momma..

- Please be careful.

- I will.

Go back to sleep, momma.

[wheezes]

[laughs]

Okay. Stay up

and write your will.

I'm not feedin'

that damn fish.

You better feed that fish.

[indistinct chatter]

- Stevens.

- Oh.

Oh, God. It's heavy.

What is she in for again?

- Armed robbery.

- Right.

[coughs]

The judge sentenced her

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