14x02 - Uncle Jed's Barbershop

[bunniefuu]

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Butterfly in the sky ♪

♪ I can go twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know ♪

♪ And ways to grow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

This is where
you'll find me

Every other friday,
rain or shine,

Getting my hair cut.

This is mr. Johnson's
barbershop.

I've been coming here
since I was this high.

Good morning,
mr. Johnson.

Good morning,
levar.

Help yourself
to a peppermint.

Thank you, sir.

He's going to tell me
to just take one.

Just take one,
levar.

Yes, sir.

That's my barber.

He gives this place
a personality all its own.

A barbershop is a place
where you can relax

And spend time
with someone you like--

Your barber.

My barber makes me laugh
with jokes.

What's neat about my barber
is she's a woman.

My barber cuts hair
like movie stars.

My barber's name
is raoul,

And he speaks spanish.

I was afraid of him
at first.

My barber's a friend.

She cut my mom's hair.

My barber
doesn't cut my ears.

My barber asks me
what I want,

And I'm, like,
"just the usual."

I wonder if mr. Johnson's
got anything new to read.

Hey...

This is one
of my favorites.

This is
the story of a man

Who lived for the day

When he could open
his own barbershop.

It's called
uncle jed's barbershop.

Jedediah johnson
was my granddaddy's brother.

He used to come by our house
every wednesday night

With his clippers.

He was the only
black barber in the county.

Daddy said that before
uncle jed started cutting hair,

He and granddaddy
went 30 miles

To get a haircut.

After uncle jed
cut my daddy's hair,

He lathered
a brush with soap,

Spread it
over daddy's face,

And shaved him.

Mamma wouldn't let him
cut my hair,

So he would just pretend.

He even spread lotion
on my neck.

I would smell wonderful
all day.

When he was done,

He would tell me
about the barbershop

He would open one day

And about
all the fancy equipment.

The sinks would be so shiny,
they sparkled,

The floors so clean,
you could see yourself.

He would have
four barber chairs,

And outside
was going to be

A big red-and-white
barber pole.

He said
he was saving for it.

He had been@saying
the same thing for years.

Nobody believed him.

People didn't have dreams
like that in those days.

We lived in the south,
and most people were poor.

Then, when I was 5,
I got sick.

Mamma and daddy
couldn't wake me up.

They took me
to the hospital.

We had to go
to the colored waiting room.

In those days,

They kept black people
and white people separate.

It was called segregation.

When the doctors
did examine me,

They told my daddy
that I needed an operation

And that
it would cost $300.

$300!

My daddy didn't have
that kind of money.

Daddy went to find
uncle jed

And told him about me.

Uncle jed leaned
on his bent cane

And stared straight ahead.

He told daddy
that the money didn't matter.

He couldn't let anything happen
to his sarah jean.

Well,
I had the operation.

For a long time
after that,

Uncle jed came by the house
every day

To see how I was doing.

I know that $300 delayed him
from opening his barbershop.

Then, a few years
after my operation,

Uncle jed came close
to opening his shop again.

One night,
there was a knock on the door.

It was
uncle jed's friend

With news that the bank
where his money was had failed.

Uncle jed had over $3,000
in the bank,

And now it was gone.

Uncle jed just sat there
a long time

Before he said anything.

Then he said that even though
he was disappointed,

He would just
have to start all over again.

Talk about
some hard times.

That was the beginning
of the great depression.

Nobody had much money,

But uncle jed kept
going around to his customers,

Cutting their hair,

Even though
they couldn't pay him.

His customers shared
whatever they had--

A hot meal,

Fresh eggs,
vegetables from the garden,

And when they were able
to pay again, they did,

And uncle jed started saving
all over again.

Ol' uncle jed
finally got his barbershop.

He opened it up
on his 79th birthday.

It had everything,

Just like
he said it would--

Big, comfortable chairs,
four cutting stations--

You name it.

The floors
were so clean,

They sparkled.

On opening day,

People came
from all over the county.

They were all
uncle jed's customers.

He had walked to see them
for so many years.

That day,
they all came to him.

[Applause]

Of course,
I was there, too.

I wouldn't have
missed it for the world.

When I sat in one
of the big barber chairs,

Uncle jed patted the back
of my neck with lotion.

Then he twirled me round
in the barber chair.

Uncle jed d*ed
not long after that,

And I think he d*ed
a happy man.

You see,
he made his dream come true,

Even when nobody else
believed in it.

He taught me
to dream, too.

Ready for you,
levar.

I'll be right there.

It took jed a long time
to get his shop,

But he believed
in his dream.

Here are four guys
who used their voices

To make their dream
come true.

♪ We are the persuasions ♪

♪ I'm jimmy ♪

♪ I'm jerry ♪

♪ I'm joe ♪

♪ I'm jay ♪

These four guys
make up the singing group

Called the persuasions.

They started
singing together

On the street corners
of brooklyn.

♪ Bomp bomp
bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp ♪

♪ Ooh ♪
♪ oh, there's a light
that's from the window ♪

♪ Ooh ♪
♪ and it shines
down on the street ♪

♪ There's some guys
standin' on the corner... ♪

They sing a cappella,

Which means they make music
by just using their voices.

♪ ...make
that good old harmony ♪

We've been
together--

We're going on


Been together


And it's been
really wonderful.

♪ ...soul to soul ♪

♪ Brother to brother ♪
♪ brother to brother ♪

♪ A cappella ♪
♪ a cappella ♪

♪ And it sounds good
to me ♪

♪ There's a sound
in my neighborhood ♪

♪ And it's soundin'
mighty good ♪

♪ There's some guys
standin' under the lights ♪

♪ And they're singin'
again tonight... ♪

[Jerry]
I'm from apopka, florida.

Joe is from north carolina.

Jay is
from detroit, michigan.

Jimmy...

[Jimmy]
hopewell, virginia.

[Jerry]
and, uh...we got together
in brooklyn.

So the persuasions
was born in brooklyn,

So brooklyn has
that special feeling for us.

Oh, no, no, no!

Hey! Ha ha ha!

♪ It's our ho-o-ome ♪

♪ Whoa-oa-oa... ♪♪

[Jerry]
when we first realized
we were the persuasions,

We were in a car,

And we was talking
about leaving our jobs,

And that was a big move

Because
we all had families.

I don't know.

Something magic happened.

The car started
doing this.

Jerry looked
to see if I had my foot

On the accelerator.

Tears started coming
out of joe's eyes.

When we
got out of the car,

We were the persuasions.

[Jerry]
jimmy said our name
was the persuasions

Because christ
had to persuade people

To follow the religion,

And we'd have to persuade people
to listen to us sing

Without a band.

I'll even take
my hat off.

Persuasion was just like
calling me jerry.

Call me jerry lawson
or persuasion.

I'll answer
to either one.

When we started out,

There was just
one a cappella group.

Now there's 367 groups
in the united states.

And think about this--

We still
ain't got no band.

♪ We still ain't got
no band ♪

♪ We still ain't got
no band ♪

♪ We've been makin' music
all these years ♪

♪ And we still ain't
got no band ♪

♪ Still ain't got
no band ♪

♪ Still ain't got
no band ♪

♪ Makin' music
all these years ♪

♪ And we still ain't
got no band ♪

♪ Still ain't got
no band ♪

♪ Still ain't got
no band ♪

♪ We've been makin' music
all these years ♪

♪ We still ain't got
no band ♪

[Jay]
people said, "you know
what you-all singing?"

They called it
a cappella.

A cappella
is an italian word

That means singing
without the accompaniment

Of musical instruments.

That's the robin
that's outside of your window

In the morning,
chirping.

That's a cappella.

♪ ...we still ain't got
no band ♪

♪ We got
a rhythm section ♪

♪ And it is deep down
in our soul... ♪

[Jay]
we used to go
to a lot of different places

Looking for that echo,
for that sound

So that we can hear
how we sound.

[Jimmy]
one of our favorite places
to rehearse

Was the subway station
at lafayette avenue.

The echo chamber
in the lafayette station

Was the best.

Listen to that echo,
man.

♪ ...street in brooklyn ♪

♪ We used to
have a night ♪

♪ Me, jay, jimmy,
and tubo ♪

♪ Joe,
and some other guys ♪

♪ We was singin' oldies ♪

♪ Ahh-ahh-ahh ♪
♪ ahh-ahh-ahh ♪

♪ And today when I played
my old 45s... ♪♪

People didn't think
we could succeed

By singing a cappella

Because they had never heard
anyone else doing it.

[Jimmy]
the public said,

"You guys are great, but--"

The "but" was
"you need a band."

We defied
all the negative stuff

That people, you know,
threw toward us,

And we just
kept on truckin'.

We knew that we were good.

We knew
that we could sing,

And we went out there,
and...

That harmony just
turned the place upside down.

♪ I'm gonna
need me somebody ♪

♪ To lean on... ♪♪

Like jim was saying before,

They always said "but."

We didn't say "but."

We just
kept on going.

We supported
each other.

That's why
we're here today.

If you have
a dream or a goal,

You got to stick
with it.

[Singing]

There's going to be people

That will say things
to discourage you.

People will do things
to discourage you.

[Jay]
you're going to fall down,

But the dream
is more important.

You're not going to
let anyone keep you down.

Hey, hey!

[Joe]
the persuasions
are living proof

That dreams
do come true.

Stick with your convictions,

Whatever
your talents are.

You stick with them,
and they will come true.

♪ We were lookin'
for an echo ♪

♪ An answer
to our sound ♪

♪ A place
to be in harmony ♪

♪ A place
we almost found ♪♪

Ooh!

I think
we were great.

That's right.

[Mr. Johnson]
they called me the preacher

Because I had this way
of playing the saxophone.

I was really
from the soul.

My big thing
was the afro.

[Levar]
yeah. Not too much
off the top, o.k.?

How long I been
cutting your hair?

You gave me
my first haircut.

Have you ever wanted
to do anything else?

No. This was my dream.

My daddy
backed me up.

He told me to go
to school and learn
how to cut hair.

He was brave enough
to be my first customer.

Your father
helped you.

In my case,
it was my mother.

When I first decided
to become an actor,

Lots of folks said
I'd never make it,

But my mom was
always supportive.

She said
if it's something
you really want,

You go for it.

She took on
a second job

To pay for books.

Sometimes we need help
getting where we're going.

If somebody lends you
a helping hand,

Reach out and take it.

This is erin alvarez.

She gets her helping hand
from ryka d'ottavio.

Through their friendship
and ryka's guidance,

Erin has been able
to pursue her dream

Of becoming a veterinarian.

[Erin]
I really love horses.

If it weren't for ryka,

I wouldn't have learned

As much as I learned
about horses.

The most important thing
I give to erin is my time

And my teaching.

Hi, honey.

And that's the thing
that's really rewarding.

Want to check
her eyes?

I have. They seem
to be staying clear.

[Erin]
I take her advice

Because I know
it will be right.

Her eyes will show
distress first.

Her eyes,
her temperature.

If she doesn't know
the answer to something,

We'll look it up.

Why would a horse
get that?

Some foals are born
with the condition.

Ryka's taught me
a lot of things

That I wouldn't have known
about horses.

She's taught me
about the anatomy of horses.

She took a lot of time
to teach me.

They're actually
age spots.

Right
at the very top
of her teeth,

You can see
the circles.

They all indicate
different ages.

Easy.

There you go.

Oh, good, good.

I would love to become a vet
to work with horses

And other large animals.

I think the feeling
of knowing

That I helped
to save a horse's life

Would feel really good.

Stick your fingers
back in here.

[Ryka]
you learn by doing.

You learn
by watching and noticing

Everything
that the horses do.

When you can pick up immediately
when a horse is distressed,

It's a talent.

[Erin]
when I first started
talking to ryka,

I found we shared
a lot of past experiences.

She's living
what I already went through.

We started out
about the same age,

And she had somebody
to help her.

I wouldn't be
where I am today

Without the person
that helped me.

In return,
she wants to help me.

My life
wouldn't be the same

If I hadn't been here,

Because I spend
so much time here.

[Ryka]
she's here
almost every single day.

She's here
when I need her,

And she does it all.

Her willingness
to learn more stuff

Shows me
how much dedication she has.

I see myself in her
all the time,

In everything
that she does.

I see myself in her
all the time.

It's like a bonding.

Thank you.

[Erin]
ryka and I have
a very good relationship.

If I need something,
she'll be there,

Or I'll be there
for her.

We can talk
to each other.

We never hold back.

[Ryka]
it's a big part
of my life,

Helping someone,

Because I was helped so much
in the past.

I would like to see her
do the same one day.

Boy, they got
some job,

Don't they?

Yes.

When you're reaching
for a goal,

There are many places
to find inspiration,

Like family, friends,
or a good book.

Here are three stories

That might boost
your determination to succeed.

You don't have to
take my word for it.

Hello. I'm nikandre.

I would like to share
a wonderful story

Called zora hurston
and the chinaberry tree.

Zora loves
the chinaberry tree.

Her mother teaches her
to climb it branch by branch.

Her dad says
climbing trees is for boys,

But zora only listens
to her mom.

One day, zora's mom
gets sick.

In the end,
zora's mom dies,

And although
it's very sad,

The story actually has
a happy ending.

This is a good book.

Remember zora hurston
and the chinaberry tree

The next time you need
a little inspiration.

My name
is david harris.

I just read about a man

Who fulfilled his dream
in a mighty way.

Alvin ailey is the name
of this book.

Alvin's mother
worked long hours,

And alvin had to spend
lots of time alone.

He met ted crumb one day,

A day that would
change his life.

Ted and alvin watched
through the stage door.

They saw katherine dunham
and her dancers.

Alvin started to move,
and when he danced,

Happiness glowed
inside of him.

He worked very hard.

Alvin's hard work
paid off.

He moved to new york

And started
his own dance company--

The alvin ailey
american dance theater.

I recommend this book

To anyone
who has a dream.

You'll be encouraged

To keep on going
no matter what.

Hi. I'm sophia.

A peddler's dream
is a very touching story.

It's about one man's big dream
that comes true.

Solomon comes to america.

He becomes a peddler,

Going from house to house
selling things,

But he dreams of having
his own store.

Solomon is
a hard worker.

It takes a long time,
but his dream comes true.

A peddler's dream shows
that you should never give up.

You'll like this story
as much as I did.

Having a dream
is important.

It gives you something
to reach for.

The road
isn't always easy,

But if you give it
the very best you know how,

I believe dreams can
and do come true.

Looks good,
mr. Johnson.

It always does.
Ha ha!

Oh, not today,
levar.

This one's on me.

Really?
Well, how come?

I don't know
how come.

Because I feel
like it.

Hey,
are you hungry?

I'm always hungry.

Well, today
lunch is on me,

Because I feel
like it.

All right, then.

Were you
thinking about
that pizza place?

They burn
the onions.

No. That hot dog stand.

What?

I'm just kidding.

I'll see you
next time.

♪ Butterfly
in the sky ♪

♪ I can go
twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow... ♪♪

Today's reading rainbow books
are--

Uncle jed's barbershop,
by margaree king mitchell,

Illustrated
by james ransome,

Published by simon & schuster
books for young readers.

Zora hurston
and the chinaberry tree,

Written by william miller,

Illustrated
by cornelius van wright

And ying-hwa hu,

Published
by lee & low books.

Alvin ailey,
by andrea davis pinkney,

Illustrated
by brian pinkney,

Published by hyperion books
for children.

A peddler's dream,
by janice shefelman,

Illustrated
by tom shefelman,

Published
by houghton mifflin company.