03x01 - Three Slaps

[bunniefuu]

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

(PORTER WAGONER'S "MIDNIGHT"
PLAYS FAINTLY ON A RADIO)

♪ I'm so lonely ♪

♪ So lonely at midnight for you ♪

♪ Midnight, oh, what
a lonely time to weep... ♪

Hey, man, I think it's about
time we haul it up out of here.

Yeah, might be.

Let me finish this first.

♪ I should have been fast asleep... ♪

It's a nice night, though.

It's quiet.

A little too quiet.

This place always gave me
the heebie-jeebies, man.

This water's so murky.

It's sh*t water.

I almost drowned in it
once when I was like eight.

Actually, right over there by the beach.

My cousin had to drag me out.

I don't know what it was, man.

I just felt like I was being pulled.

You probably was.

By what?

There's a whole town underneath us.

The hell out of here, man.

That's what I'm saying.

sh*t water.

This whole lake used to be a town.

Houses, barns, roads.

There's a whole raceway down there.

State government built a
dam and flooded the place.

Anyone who didn't leave drowned.

Town was Black, too.

What?

Self-governed Black town.

♪ Tomorrow is on its way... ♪

So, there are Black
people under us right now?

Yeah. Why you think so many people die

around here every year?

(SCOFFS)

'Cause of drunk rednecks
trying to fish at night.

Like you.

(BOTH LAUGH)

♪ Midnight... ♪

No.

(WHISPERS): It's 'cause it's haunted.

♪ I ought to know... ♪

You-you really think it's haunted?

Oh, yeah.

Lot of souls down there.

That's what pulled you under.

Town full of Black folk.

They were almost white.

Get the hell out of here, man.
What are you talking about?

They were almost white?

White's not a real thing, right?

There's no scientific basis for it.

People just... become white.

It's social.

White is where you are.

It's when you are.

Armenians are white as
hell till they ain't.

Armenians?

When they dammed the Chattahoochee,

some refused to leave.

They thought they were safe.

They'd paid to be white.

With enough blood and
money, anyone can be white.

It's always been that way.

But the thing about being white is

it blinds you.

It's easy to see the Black man as cursed

because you've separated
yourself from him.

But you don't know...

you're enslaved just like him.

Cold whiteness.

You're hypothermic.

You lose logic.

You see the blood...

and you think someone else is bleeding.

Everyone is screaming at
you to turn the machine off,

but you can't hear them. (CHUCKLES)

You can't even hear yourself saying,

- "We're cursed, too."
- (MUSIC FADES)

(HISSING): We're cursed, too!

Oh, sh*t!

(GASPS)

(QUIET CHATTER)

MRS. CONNOR: I don't want to
keep reminding you about this.

- Oh, and one more thing before we go.
- (BOY LAUGHS)

- (PHONE DINGS)
- Listen up, everyone.

I have a special announcement to make.

In an effort to promote
more Black history

in the curriculum, our
school has partnered up

with the Atlanta Falcons
and Domino's Pizza

for the Change Atlanta Initiative.

So, next Thursday, we're
all going on a field trip.

We're all going to go watch a movie.

The new Black Panther .

- Let's go!
- (EXCITED CHATTER)

MRS. CONNOR: I know. Okay.

I know. It's exciting...

- Oh.
- MRS. CONNOR: Loquareeous.

STUDENTS (CHANTING): Hey! Hey! Hey!

- Loquareeous, sit down!
- Hey! Hey!

- Loquareeous!
- (CHANTING CONTINUES)

Loquareeous, sit down right now!

(STUDENTS CHANTING AND
POUNDING RHYTHMICALLY)

Hey! Hey!

Loquareeous, sit down
right now, young man!

PRINCIPAL MILLER: Hi, Mom.

Please. Come in and have a seat.

MOM: Mm-hmm.

How's everyone doing today?

First of all,

I done already told y'all
to stop calling me down here.

Well, I really appreciate
you coming down, Ms. Reid.

And you're Loquareeous's
grandfather, right?

Thank you both for coming.

As you know, there was a disruption

- with Loquareeous...
- Uh, let me jump in here.

Sorry. Uh, I'm the guidance
counselor, Mrs. Grier.

Let me start by saying I
am a big fan of your son.

He's been to my office a few times

already this semester for
disciplinary problems...

Talking in class, being disruptive...

- Well, then give him detention.
- Well, yes.

He's-he's had detention before.

Several times.

But I-I had a thought.

Maybe the reason that he's
being disruptive in class

is because the material
is too challenging.

If we put him in remedial math

and language arts, he could have the...

Wait. Wait.

What? No.

- My son is not dumb.
- Oh, no, no.

He's an idiot. Y'all ridiculous.

He is not the first
kid to act up in class,

and you want to push
him back some grades?

- No, I just thought it could be...
- Don't you move my son.

Tell his teachers to give him detention.

- MILLER: Thank you for coming.
- Mm-hmm.

Okay, that went very well.

GRIER: I thought I... I-I
think he could really use the...

Ms. Reid?

- (WHISPERS): I'm sorry.
- (SCHOOL BELL RINGING)

MOM: Uh-uh! You better dance!

Since you love to
dance so much, go 'head.

sh**t it. Come on, sh**t!

You got these people up
here thinking you Ret*rded.

Your ass gonna end up
in them SPED classes.

Now whip.

Mm-hmm.

Nae Nae. Come on.

Ay. Ay. Ay.

Hit it. Hit it!

If you don't start using your
common sense and acting right,

these white people...
They gon' k*ll you.

- Ms. Reid, d...
- k*ll... you.

- Now do the worm.
- GRIER: Really, there's no need for that.

- Let's see it.
- There's no need for that.

You up here showing out
for your white classmates.

Yeah, you laughing with them now,

but they're gonna be
the only ones laughing

when you dead or in jail.

I wasn't even trying to show out...

I don't want to hear it!

- What's your problem?
- Now get to class.

And I better not get another
call from this school.

I'll walk him back.

(WHISPERS): Don't worry.

I'm gonna get you out of there.

("PRECIOUS MEMORIES" BY
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE PLAYING)

_

Mom, there ain't no more milk!

MOM: There's spaghetti in the
refrigerator if you hungry.

(TV PLAYING QUIETLY)

(YELLING ON TV)

♪ Precious... ♪

MOM: You better not be watching that TV.

I'm-a check, and I'll know.

♪ How, how ♪

- ♪ How they linger... ♪
- (KNOCKING)

Hello. Ms. Reid, right?

Who wants to know?

I'm with Family and Children's Services.

I'm here on behalf of the
city to conduct a welfare ch...

- Family and Children's Services?
- Yes, ma'am.

I'm here to conduct a
welfare check on your son...

- Loqua...
- Loquareeous!

- Oh, yes.
- LOQUAREEOUS: Uh-huh.

Get in here!

- See, y'all got me f*cked up.
- Oh, ma'am, I just need a few

- moments to speak with you.
- Did you call the police on me?

- No.
- Oh, Ms. Reid,

the police are just
here as a precaution.

Take him.

Go ahead.

- Ma.
- Since you want to go so bad, bye.

Ma, I didn't call nobody.

- You know what? (CHUCKLES)
- Wait.

Mom.

Mama, I didn't call nobody.

I ain't giving you all
these clothes that I bought.

GRANDPA: Y'all better take this boy

- fore I k*ll him...
- Mom.

And he got a real reason
to call the police.

(MUTTERS)

Mom.

Mama, wait!

♪ Oh, yes, oh, yes. ♪

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(SIGHS)

(KNOCKING)

Oh, my goodness. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Welcome home, son. Okay.

Quickly, get inside.

Thank you so much for
doing this last minute.

We always appreciate it, Amber.

AMBER: Oh, it's not a problem at all.

It's what we do.

All right, well, let's get you settled.

I am Amber, but you can call me "Mom."

Um, oh, those are your
new brothers and sisters.

That's Lanre, Yves and Fatima.

Ugh. It's stinky here.

AMBER (CHUCKLES): Oh, no,
no, no, it doesn't stink.

Come on, this way.

We've kind of turned our
kitchen into a workshop.

We're trying to make
an olive oil shampoo,

and we started mixing together
some African Dudu soap.

(CHUCKLES): It's not
what it sounds like.

We make our own kombucha. Yummy, huh?

And we pickle our own veggies
using our organic garden.

Um, we're selling it at
the farmers market tomorrow.

You're gonna love it.

Oh, um, and that is your other mom.

And that little guy is Cornpop.

Welcome to the family.

So do I call you both "Mom"?

- Yes. (LAUGHS)
- Call me Gayle.

(CORNPOP GROWLS SOFTLY)

Oh, dinner's at : , so wash up first.

Um, we're having fried chicken.

And, um, since it's your first
night, I'll let you decide.

Do you want capers or sprouts?

I don't know what that is.

- (LAUGHS)
- Aw. (LAUGHS)

Capers it is. (LAUGHS)

Oh, will you get me
that chicken over there?

Mm. Mm.

AMBER: Perfect.

Uh, how much did we do it last time?

- minutes is too long, right?
- Yeah.

- It was a little dry.
- Okay, let's do eight and a half, then.

GAYLE: Mm-hmm.

(DOOR CLOSES)

AMBER: Hey.

I just wanted to see
that you were settled in.

I made you something
special for your first day.

This says "Larry."

Oh, well, I didn't know how
to spell "Loo-Kway-reeous,"

so I figured we'd call you "Larry."

Larry's a great nickname. Hmm.

Um, where's the washcloth?

It's okay. He's new here.

You just use your hands.

Even on my butt?

Oh, we need to take a picture.

(WHISPERS): Get around.

Get the towel. Get the towel.

- Okay.
- (PHONE CAMERA CLICKS)

Perfect!

(DISHES CLINKING)

What are you wearing?

Pajamas.

AMBER: You can wear that tonight,

but from now, I'll lay your clothes out.

You can sprinkle some
rosemary on it if you want.

Mm-mm. Mmm. It's great.

Mmm.

Larry, you're not eating.

This food is nasty.

If I eat it, I'll throw up.

Larry, we do not say
"throw up" at the table.

But it's nasty.

No, honey. It's just better for you.

There's too much salt and
oil in most of the foods

that you're used to.

Oh, did you see on Instagram today

that Rihanna used the
phrase "spirit animal"?

GAYLE: No. Please.

Please tell me that Rihanna
is an indigenous person

- and I just don't know it.
- Uh-uh.

(GAYLE AND AMBER LAUGH)

Oh, my God. We got to
comment on that, right?

(PHONE RINGING)

GAYLE: Mm.

(GAYLE CLEARS THROAT)

GAYLE: Hello.

This is she.

We're having dinner.

(SLAMS PHONE DOWN, PART DROPS)

(PART SPINNING ON FLOOR)

(PHONE RINGING)

(RINGING STOPS)

GAYLE: I don't understand
why the bill collectors

are always just calling during dinner.

- I put us on that "do not call" list.
- Well, they're calling.

This food is nasty!

Larry, we don't... (CHUCKLES)

You want to know something?

There are starving children in Africa.

You don't believe me, ask your brother.

I want a hamburger.

- (LAUGHS)
- We don't have hamburgers.

That's what the dog is eating.

- Well, yeah, that's Cornpop's food.
- (CORNPOP BARKS)

You don't...? Okay, you don't
want to eat, you can go to bed.

- It's : !
- Okay.

- Man, I hate this house!
- (CORNPOP BARKING)

GAYLE: We don't use the
word "hate" in this house.

LOQUAREEOUS: Hate, hate, hate,
hate, hate, hate, hate, hate!

(GAYLE SIGHS)

- (MUSIC PLAYING QUIETLY)
- (DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)

GAYLE: So, this is the last

that Marcos can give us on credit.

Hey. We're gonna have to
make some more adjustments.

(AMBER SIGHS HEAVILY)

(FATIMA COUGHING)

(COUGHING CONTINUES)

We didn't eat lunch.

You had celery and carrots, remember?

I'm still hungry.

You're supposed to be hungry.

If you're full, that
means you ate too much.

How much longer do we have to do this?

Why don't you try singing
a song while you work?

It might make you feel better.

♪ I feel like I'm Gucci Mane in ♪

- ♪ All these diamonds dancing on... ♪
- N-No, not like that.

Sing something silly, like, um...

♪ I don't want to work no more. ♪

(SOFT LAUGHTER, SNORTING)

(AMBER AND GAYLE LAUGHING)

(LAUGHING)

Okay, back to work, Larry.

We got to leave for the
farmers market in minutes.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

WOMAN: (CHUCKLES) Oh,
your family's so cute.

AMBER: Oh, thank you so much. (LAUGHS)

Larry, can you put some effort in?

Shake your booty. Come on.

MAN: Aw. Is Hugs your father?

No.

- Larry.
- Whoa. Oh.

- Whoa! Kid, I almost sh*t you!
- I learned my lesson.

I hate my new parents. They can't cook,

and they make me
sleep in a storage closet.

All right. Slow down.
Y... Your parents did this?

My moms. They make me do all the chores,

and I didn't eat nothing.
Please take me home.

- I'm tired of these white ladies.
- All right, calm down.

- I don't know what you're talking...
- Excuse me, Officer.

Is there a problem?

Um, that's our son.

- This is your son?
- Yes.

Yeah. My wife, Amber and I...
We adopt impoverished children.

We have a kombucha
stand right over there.

Did you want some?

Oh. I see what's going on.

Okay. I think he's just tired is all.

He said he wanted to go home.

Maybe he thought I'd arrest you

for not letting him play
PlayStation. (LAUGHS)

- (GAYLE LAUGHS)
- Uh, well,

all four of our children
are Black, so we always

make sure to tell them that
the police are their friends.

Yeah.

(CHUCKLES)

- Come on.
- Hey.

You know who he reminds
me of in that hat?

Aloe Blacc.

- Yes. Exactly.
- Yeah.

- (AMBER LAUGHS)
- Thank you so much.

- Come on.
- Come on.

("MOTEL " BY RIVER
WHYLESS PLAYING QUIETLY)

Larry, you are helping so
much. I'm so proud of you.

I didn't say that sh*t!

I know being here isn't easy for you...

but I am gonna love
that right out of you.

(WHISPERS): I promise.

You know, where you come from,

they have a name for what you are.

What?

A snitch.

We all have to work hard to
keep this family together.

And I'm sure this is
a much better situation

than where you came from.

(KNOCKING)

g*dd*mn it.

May I help you?

Hi. I'm with Family
and Children's Services.

We got a call from one of your neighbors

and would like to do a
wellness check on the kids.

Mm-hmm.

- May I come in?
- Mm.

Look, if it was Chris Meyers next door,

I mean, you can't really
believe anything that he says.

He's, like, one of those
Bernie Bro women-haters.

Excuse me. What is that smell?

Uh, kombucha.

Pickled Brussels sprouts.

Both.

So, I was going over
your file, and I noticed

- that you moved here five months ago.
- GAYLE: Mm-hmm.

SOCIAL WORKER: But when
I called Bledsoe County,

they said that they
could not locate a record.

GAYLE: Well, normally,
Kasey's our caseworker.

Did something happen?

She's sick.

There is dog hair

- everywhere in here.
- (FATIMA COUGHING)

(COUGHING CONTINUES)

Hello, darling.

Are you feeling okay?

Oh.

What is this?

Blueberries, like medicine.

Okay. Do you have a washcloth I can use?

Uh, no.

So how do you like living here?

I'm really, really hungry.

I just want to go home.

Don't worry. I'm gonna
get you out of here.

Um, you know, could I
speak with you privately?

I just think that there's
some things about our case

you don't... you don't know.

- Um, sure. That's fine.
- We'll go here.

Amber, why don't you start dinner.

Larry's hungry.

(DOOR OPENS)

Everything's fine.

- We're good.
- AMBER: Well, that's fantastic.

I made fried chicken again.

Eat up, guys.

(SIGHS)

MOM: If you don't start using

your common sense and acting right,

these white people...
They gon' k*ll you.

(ECHOING): k*ll you!

(FLOORBOARD CREAKS)

(DISTORTED): What's your problem?

(GASPS, SIGHS)

(STOMACH GRUMBLING)

(TOILET FLUSHING)

Amber?

Oh. Hey, Larry.

Oh, we're going to the Grand Canyon.

You should get dressed.

Grand Canyon?

Yeah. It's gonna be fun.

(WHISPERS): Where are we going? Really.

Larry, get dressed.

We got to get going
before the sun goes down.

AMBER: Okay. Let's go, guys.

Larry?

Come on. Let's go.

♪ Baby, the dream is still alive ♪

♪ Look here in my eyes ♪

♪ Can you see what I'm feeling? ♪

♪ The dream is still alive ♪

- _
- ♪ The one of you and I ♪

♪ And my heartache is healing ♪

- _
- ♪ I couldn't let it die ♪

- _
- ♪ No, I knew it would survive ♪

♪ The dream is still ♪

♪ Alive ♪

♪ The dream is still alive ♪

♪ Look here in my eyes ♪

♪ Can't you see what I'm feeling? ♪

(SONG FADES)

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

(VEHICLE DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

(FOOTSTEPS)

(CORNPOP GROWLING, BARKING)

AMBER: Okay, Cornpop.

Go be free.

Go.

Hey, Cornpop's a survivor, okay?

He's-he's gonna make it.

Someone's gonna take care of him.

What the hell are we doing?

Well, we're doing what needs to be done.

You know the world we live in, Amber.

It's horrible for these kids.

Without us to protect them,
what's gonna happen to them?

They're gonna go back into foster care.

Just release them in
the wild like Cornpop?

We'd be prolonging the inevitable.

(AMBER PANTS, SNIFFLES)

(SIGHS HEAVILY, SNIFFLES)

Uh, when we adopted Fatima,

I knew we were doing the right thing.

The agency even said so.

I mean, we got that
big loan from the bank.

I thought that... I thought
that meant we were solid.

(AMBER SNIFFLES)

Everyone was so supportive.

Every single person.

And I just kept thinking, "Why...

Why isn't anyone stopping us?"

(CRYING): Why didn't
anyone stop us, Gayle?

(SCOFFS SOFTLY)

(VEHICLE DOOR CLOSES)

AMBER: I... I don't think I can do this.

♪ But where would you advise? ♪

Don't look back.

♪ That I generate a new design ♪

♪ For the missing piece
I had to disguise ♪

♪ Saw a paper with the... ♪

(ENGINE STARTS)

♪ Take back again ♪

♪ If there was a time ♪

♪ That you loved me... ♪

(ENGINE REVVING)

♪ Can't go back, baby ♪

♪ And sometimes ♪

♪ I pray for the rain ♪

♪ La-la-la-la, la-la-la ♪

♪ La-la-la-la,
la-la-la ♪

(ENGINE CONTINUES REVVING)

♪ You and your glass
world that does ring ♪

♪ Though at times a frozen thing ♪

(QUIET WHINING)

♪ It encloses you in its crystalline ♪

(WHINES SOFTLY)

♪ Look so lovely but
you'll have to decide ♪

♪ If you could play it in
reverse, then you'd find... ♪

No. Larry!

♪ All the love you took
and then cast aside... ♪

(GRUNTING)

(PANTING)

(WATER SPLASHES)

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

(WATER GENTLY GURGLING AND LAPPING)

("WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO" BY
BUDDY FO AND HIS GROUP PLAYING)

♪ When it's time to go ♪

♪ Will I be a boy ♪

♪ And react, my friend ♪

♪ Like a fool once more ♪

♪ And do silly things like crying ♪

♪ Crazy things like dying ♪

♪ A little bit ♪

♪ Just a little bit will start ♪

♪ Too much to start ♪

♪ Our love affair... ♪

So you finally decided
to come home, huh?

(SCOFFS SOFTLY)

Wait, Mom.

Yeah, baby?

♪ Our love affair that... ♪

Some spaghetti in there?

♪ Love affair that breathes... ♪

Yeah, spaghetti in there.

♪ And it lingers yet with me... ♪

TV NEWSWOMAN:
Shocking news tonight.

Authorities found
children at a rest stop,

apparently abandoned after
their adoptive parents

committed su1c1de by
driving off of a bridge...

♪ The dark of night ♪

TV NEWSMAN: Terrible story.
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)

(CHANNEL CHANGES)

♪ Doing silly things like crying ♪

♪ Crazy things like dying ♪

♪ A little bit ♪

♪ 'Cause it's time to go ♪

♪ Yes, it's time to go ♪

♪ 'Cause it's time to go ♪

♪ Yes, it's time to go ♪

♪ 'Cause it's time to go. ♪

(SONG FADES)

(FLOORBOARD CREAKS)

(GASPS)

(SIGHS HEAVILY)

("BROWN RICE" BY DON CHERRY PLAYING)

(VOCALIZING)

(SIGHS)

- (RHYTHMIC WHISPERING)
- (VOCALIZING CONTINUES)


♪ Old Uncle Ed, he fell out the bed ♪

♪ And he busted his head
on some old cornbread. ♪

- (RHYTHMIC WHISPERING)
- (VOCALIZING CONTINUES)

(SONG FADES)