l can`t read.
That`s a lie.
Look your doing your job, let the cops take care of Sykes They had better do it fast.
lf they don`t.
He`s mine.
Scratch.
Hey man what you think you`ll doing?
l`m looking for stick.
Stand back you guys give him air.
Brian Brian what`s wrong?
Get an ambulance.
Cardiac insufficiency?
What does that mean?
ln simple terms it means that your heart isn`t getting all the blood it needs What do you do about cardiac whatever?
lt depends on what causes the insufficiency?
Treatment ranges from doing nothing to bypass surgery Bypass you mean like they did with Arthur Ashe?
Yes.
Oh, but not for you lf you follow my instructions, you should have a nice healthy normal life.
You scared me, do you know any pro scouts have been out there watching me play?
l`m a sinch, first pick in the pro drive Not anymore, you`re not.
But you said
- l said you can lead a normal life.
But not as a pro basketball player.
Boy oh boy, oh boy.
What is wrong?
This guy has had 5 drunk driving convictions in two years?
His lawyer is trying to get him off.
Says he has emotional problems?
So are you saying he doesn`t have emotional problems?
No l`m saying there`s no excuse for drunk driving l mean if he`s got a problem he should have known it after the first couple of tickets lf he is any kind of man at all, he`d have turned himself in?
Well everybody is not as strong as you are Mark That`s true?
- What did they do to him?
They took his licence, can you believe that?
Now what would you do?
What will l do?
l tell you what l would do.
l would take his car away from him?
l`d make him take the bus or walk.
Do you ever hear of anybody getting k*lled by a drunk walker?
You`ve got a point.
Why are we always assigned to places like this?
Don`t they ever need you in places like Hawaii?
Why do you want to go to Hawaii?
Are you kidding?
lt`s heaven.
Hawaii`s nice but believe me it isn`t heaven You say you`ve heard about this school from a friend?
That`s right.
l don`t see how that`s possible.
Mrs Toma told me Mr Maxwell only quit a few hours ago Well perhaps.
.
Mr Maxwell mentioned he was thinking about quitting Well you understand, it`s mostly janitorial work?
Cleaning up, keeping the furnace going.
Repairing windows?
l`m afraid there`s going to be a lot of that.
Why`s that?
Two things l am fiercely opposed too.
lgnorance and dr*gs.
They go together Tell me about it Mrs Toma started the school to help those people the other schools didn`t bother to teach to read and write Believe me there are a lot of them out there.
One of the things l tell my pupils is no dr*gs.
l need all of your brain if you`re going to learn anything.
Of course the steps of the toes of all the drug dealers in the city.
So they break your windows?
Yeah, but my pupils do not do dr*gs.
lt`s a small price to pay.
Did this friend of yours also tell you this job is only for one person?
Oh good Jonathan here is working next door at the settlement house.
But Mark here is just a magician at repairing windows.
Okay.
Mrs Toma should be back in about half an hour she makes all the hiring decisions l`m sure there won`t be any problem though.
Oh l`m sure there won`t be.
Listen, just because we lost Brian we don`t quit playing basketball.
Do we Dennis?
Where we get the middle of this the defence you put your arms up you get out of somebody`s face.
lf we`re going to play ball, let`s play ball, otherwise go home All right, let`s do it again, take it up back to centre court l want to see some sweat on those foreheads.
Come on, come on Stay out on him, no stay out on him, wing it over here Good good bring it up, Quick, cross this way now back Hello Brian Okay, bring it up, yep?
Can l talk to you a minute?
- Brian l`m busy right now.
Now take it back around quick Now move your feet.
Get down.
You are never too busy when l was playing.
All right.
Take five.
What is it Brian?
l have been trying to call for a week.
Like l said Brian l`ve been busy.
Yeah but l thought we were close, you know And like right now, l need someone to talk too Brian look l`m sorry about what happened to you.
l mean l had a whole team set around you now it`s like starting from scratch?
Hey, is that all you care about?
Brian l am a coach.
Dam right that`s all l care about.
Wins and losses they mean my job.
That`s the real world kid.
Now l got you on a full scholarship and you can`t play.
That`s one less man l can recruit.
You`re right.
That is what l care about.
Well l apologise for not dying.
So you could get your scholarship back.
All right, let`s go.
Who`s there?
Oh Brian.
Hi mama Brian, what are you doing home so early?
What`s wrong?
What`s wrong son?
l lost my scholarship.
What?
l lost it.
Oh they can`t take away your scholarship.
Just because you can`t play basketball no more.
They can`t get away with that.
We`re going out there right now and straighten this thing out.
Mama, they didn`t take it away.
l quit.
Why?
Because l can`t pass.
l was going to lose it anyway.
What do you mean you can`t pass?
You got a B average.
Because somebody else took the test.
What?
Mama, l got an A in French do you ever hear me talking in French?
l`ve never even been in the class.
How long has this been going on?
Ever since l started school.
Today l found out they won`t do it any more.
There`s no way l can pass.
You don`t know that.
Mama l can`t read.
That`s a lie.
lt`s true.
Oh dear God in heaven.
Ever since you were born l said to myself this boy is going to have an education.
He`s going to.
l`m sorry mama lt will be all right.
l`ll get a job Hey l`m still big stuff in this neighbourhood.
lt won`t be tough finding work.
You wait and see.
No way man, ain`t you got no eyes, he was blocking.
He got position, l said no basket, red team out.
l didn`t charge.
Ask him.
You didn`t only charge you travelled.
Play the game.
Red team out Thanks You`d figure look so fine so stay.
You run into old Tyrone ls that it?
Hey Belinda, how come they had no teachers like this when we were at school?
He was underprivileged?
We had no school books Why don`t you pick up the laides books?
Look here.
.
Got ourselves a real live hero here.
Come to rescue this pretty fox.
What if l decide not to pick up the books?
What you do about it hero?
You don`t want to know.
You hear that?
This here is John Wayne.
Let`s do the one Duke?
You make your move?
3 to 2?
Well lookie lookie the big basketball star is here.
Hey you got a bad heart.
Brother.
.
You`d better just back off.
l got plenty of heart for you Tyrone Now get out of here.
Thanks again.
Here you go.
Thank you.
Both?
it`s our pleasure.
l`m afraid it`s one of the drawbacks of teaching at Mrs Thomas`s.
Your a teacher?
You hardly look out of college yet.
l`m not but l get college credit for doing this.
l`m going to graduate this year though from the state.
State that`s where l go well l used to.
l know, you`ll Brian Baldwin l thought l recognized you.
l saw you take Tennessee apart, scored something like 38 points.
School record hey you know your stats Miss Julie Reynolds.
Hey nice job.
lt does look really good if l do say so myself.
Thanks again both of you.
lt was a pleasure.
Gotta go Julie.
Can we have dinner tonight?
You`re just as fast off the court as you are on it?
lf you don`t want to?
- Sounds good to me.
Seven
-seven thirty?
Seven, see you then.
Hey?
What kind of school is this?
Like the sign says literacy.
Like little kids?
Not just kids, anybody that wants to learn to read and write.
Come on in, l`ll show you around.
Some other time l`ve got to go.
l`ll see you tonight.
Have you any idea what Sole Veronique is?
The one like lemon chicken Yeah, l`m going to have steak.
Your no help at all.
Brian, why did you leave school?
You were just going to graduate weren`t you?
Yeah, l couldn`t play basketball l wasn`t going to stick around.
There are a lot more things in this world than just basketball.
l heard that before.
Well it`s true.
Have you folks decided?
Yeah, l`ll have the veal masala the salad with the house dressing.
Sir?
- Steak medium rare.
Which steak, sir?
We have several on the menu.
Which steak let me see?
The steaks are on the other page sir.
l know.
Let me just take a look at that l can see why you are having such a problem?
They all look so good l heard that porterhouse is best though.
Yeah that`s what l was thinking.
Porterhouse, medium rare.
Same salad.
thank you.
Excuse me.
l`m sure you`ll get fine here at sports gear.
Having a major sports figure like yourself as one of our sales representatives is always good for our image Are you saying l got the job?
Oh didn`t l mention it?
lt`s in the bag.
There is one question though?
This heart thing how bad is it?
We don`t want you keeling over on us.
Hey no sweat Mr Weston Doctor says l`ll be just fine as long as l don`t try to play any more basketball l can get you a letter if you need it?
No, sounds fine.
As soon as we can get this aptitude test out of the way.
l`ll take you up and introduce you to Mr Lee.
He`s the head of sales.
Aptitude test?
Oh sure it will take you about 1 0 minutes.
Miss Morrow will show you where you will take it.
All right you wouldn`t mind if l go the men`s room first.
Down.
How you doing?
Jonathan, right?
- Right.
lt`s a small world isn`t it?
- Yeah.
Great we`re stuck lt will probably start up again in a minute.
lt figures, this just ain`t my day?
That bad huh?
l just lost some kind of fine job.
l had it too, l was this close.
- And?
Just lost out.
- What was the problem?
Who knows?
- Hey why do you check that the emergency box, there might be some instructions written in there, get us out a little quicker.
What does it say?
lt said, read it yourself if you``re in such a hurry.
Hey look, l`m sorry, l guest l`m still a little upset about not getting the job.
lt`s alright, l understand.
lt must be pretty frustrating not being able to read.
What?
Oh come on Brian, you`re not the first person l`ve ever met that couldn`t read.
There`s an awful lot of folks that can`t.
l never said l couldn`t read.
Then go ahead and read it.
What`s it to you anyway?
What do you care?
You saved my skin the other day.
As far as l`m concerned that makes you a friend.
Yeah, well if you want to be a friend, why don`t you get this elevator moving.
lt`s amazing what you can accomplish if you want it bad enough.
Hey Brian, Yeah l heard you are back out on the streets How`s it going?
What do you want Sticks?
l thought we might talk you know?
About what?
About old times?
We`ve been buddies a long time remember?
l hear your looking for work?
l could always use a good man in my business.
Dealing dr*gs?
Don`t knock it.
lt buys all the nice toys?
lt buys nothing Sticks.
No hope.
No class.
No life.
You know you to real big for a man that ain`t got squat.
l just wanted to help out an old buddy man.
We were never buddies forget a lot Brian.
l forget nothing?
Hi.
- Hi.
Come on in l`m just finishing up.
l can`t read You want to learn?
What?
l said do you want to learn?
Lady, l just you l can`t read and all you say is do l want to learn.
l mean l`m a football man l can`t read?
Look at me.
What do you see?
l see a girl.
Agirl l like.
l just told her l can`t read.
Well look again, in this room l`m a teacher.
And a dam good one.
lf you want to learn you came to the right place.
l mean you must think of me as an old boy, what an idiot.
Only when you talk like that.
Could they be private?
You know no kids around.
l could do that, but l won`t.
For you to come into my classroom and learn alongside everybody else is an important first step.
Takes a lot of courage.
The rest of students already know this.
When they see you there right beside them they`ll know that you know to.
But to show you what a friend l am.
l`ll bend the rules for you this once.
Your first lesson will be private.
You mean now?
Right now.
You are going to learn to read.
Then later you can take me out to dinner.
Yes, mam Brian, how are you doing?
Just great man just great.
Hey and you tell your friend thanks a lot.
For what?
He`ll understand.
Don`t you dare, don`t you Easy son, take it easy.
All right got you.
This one threw a rock through the window of the school.
Right next to the one l just put in.
Why did you do that little brother?
l ain`t your brother, l ain`t nobody`s brother.
l tell you what you are?
- Stoned.
That`s what the kid is, he`s stoned.
How is Terry?
He`s coming down.
His sister is with him.
- What about his parents?
Still at work.
He`ll be all right, she`s been through it before.
lt`s hard to believe people do it to a kid of that age?
Any age.
- Did he say where he got it?
ln this neighbourhood, somebody working for Sticks.
You can`t live around here and not get into dr*gs sometime.
You live in this neighbourhood you`re not into it.
Hey, l`ve been through it.
Me and my friend Cecil, we called him smoke because you could`t catch him.
ln high school we were the dynamic duo.
Butch and Sundance.
l was good, he was better.
At one point we tried some dope after a game Just to unwind l was lucky l didn`t like it.
Smoke, he wasn`t so lucky.
Where is he now?
He`s dead.
He died of an overdose in his senior year.
.
Maybe you could do something to help the rest of the kids in this neighbourhood Like what?
Every kid around here wants to play basketball like you.
They look up to you.
So?
So help them.
Well with them, coach them.
Let them know what dr*gs do to your friend Smoke, what dr*gs will do to them.
What makes you think they`ll listen.
lf one of them listens.
You could save one life.
How people in this world can say they saved a human life.
Think about Brian Yeah l will?
l`ll see you Nice kid, l wish the boss could do something for him you know like fix his heart or something?
Maybe the boss has something more important in mind for Brian than just playing basketball.
Come here, come hear you got to, come over here.
You`ve got to keep yourself between the man and the basket you understand what l`m saying to you.
Come on we`re going to try one more time, put your hands up, let`s go All right, did you see how that works.
That`s right, come on you guys.
Let`s gather around here.
You guys are looking good.
lt won`t be long before we will be ready to challenge another team around this city.
But before we do l have something l want to talk about with you.
lf you want to play basketball on my team.
You have to be clean, come on.
lt`s not the smell under your arms l`m talking l`m serious.
l know there`s people telling you dope will help you play better, but l`m telling you they lied.
You want to get better you have to be clear headed and straight.
Everything has got to be working.
Dope shuts part of you down.
So when the pot dealers come around l want you to tell them that Jonathan and me.
Were declaring this turf off
-limits to dr*gs.
All right?
OK, all right yeah One, two, three, clean.
Clean! Well l tell you something you make a great coach.
Know l`m serious you motivate those kids.
You know if l were you l`d think about coaching as a profession.
Need a degree.
And l`m a long way from that.
Maybe not as long as you think.
Julie tells me you learn pretty fast.
Oh she did?
She did.
lf you could save one life.
Nice shot, brother?
l told you, you ain`t my brother.
That`s right you did.
You could be a great one Terry.
Yeah.
- Yeah.
Let me play on your team?
No.
- Why not?
Because we have a clean team, no dr*gs.
Hey man l don`t take no dr*gs.
That other day was the only time.
Hey don`t try to jive me little brother, l live in this neighbourhood too remember.
All right l want any more if you let me play?
You got to stop for yourself, not for me.
What you need that crap for anyway?
You`re an athlete, you got gifts, you got a brain use them.
You been going to school?
No school ain`t for me, it`s for the brainy ones like you.
Like me huh.
Can you read?
Yeah sure Well l can`t.
Bull.
l`m telling it straight?
l`m learning though And l`m going to keep on learning We all got brains we just have to use them.
l`ll make you a deal You stay clean.
And play for my team.
And you go to school.
That`s all?
Not quite.
Something else l want from you.
- What`s that?
l want you to help me with my reading.
Deal?
Deal Hey Terry what`s shaking?
ln the car.
Missed you kid, ain`t seen you in a while.
Yeah, l`ve been busy.
- Yeah l know.
- Busy bouncing that ball up and down.
Yeah You know.
l heard Sticks one up his dealers if his dealer stops dealing.
You know what l mean?
Yeah l know.
l don`t want it know more All that money may be you didn`t like the money?
Yeah the money was fine but But what?
Look l`m clean now, l don`t need it.
So l don`t need the money.
Sticks l just don`t want to deal anymore.
ls that so?
No l don`t.
- Do you hear that, Tyrone?
He don`t work for me no more.
He wants to hang around with the ex big man Brian.
What do you think about that, Tyrone?
l think it looks bad man.
Word gets out.
People are quitting on you man.
l don`t know.
-you know l think you`re right.
So why don`t we take a little ride and talk about this.
l`m going to get Sticks, l`m going to k*ll him for this.
Come on Brian what`s that going to accomplish?
l owe it to that kid?
You want more than that You owe the kids in this neighbourhood more than that.
You`re doing your job let the cops take care of Sticks Well they`d better do it fast, because if they don`t he`s mine.
Got any ideas?
Yeah, let`s go sh**t some pool.
Scratch?
Hey man what you think you`re doing?
l`m looking for Sticks.
You are looking for trouble if you don`t put the ball where it belongs.
l said l`m looking for Sticks.
l want to make a buy.
You want to make a buy, you deal with me.
l`m not talking a couple nickel bags, l want to see the top man.
Half a mill.
You give Sticks a message for me okay?
Yeah, yeah Okay Tell him to meet me tonight at the Candle School 11 o`clock?
Will be inside, we`ll deal there.
Why the school?
Because it`s clean, no narks will be checking it out.
You don`t deal with people you don`t know.
lf he doesn`t deal with the l go right to Cardelli.
To who?
You just tell Sticks what l said.
Ten fortyfive.
l didn`t think they ever leave?
Well the man wants to learn to read.
Let`s go.
Locked Why don`t you go and make the phone call?
You sure you know what you doing?
l mean this guy knows Cardelli man.
l don`t care who he knows.
Anybody dumb enough to walk around with half a mill on him deserves my attention.
Yeah yeah he`s dumb He`s dumb but either he is setting you up man.
What do you mean he`s setting me up?
You don`t think l`ve got any blow in this case do you?
Empty.
We`re going to burn him down.
Hey Willy.
Look after Tyrone and l go inside you and Coyote go round the back.
Now l don`t want any surprises.
- Right you got it.
Now lets go do some business.
l`m sorry l did so lousy tonight.
l just can`t seem to get my mind off of Terry l understand.
Look.
Why don`t we stop and go and get some pizza and take it back over to my place?
Sounds good Oh wait a minute.
What`s wrong?
l left all my test papers back at the school.
Can`t you get them tomorrow?
They have to be graded before school tomorrow.
Cone on then.
You`re right on time.
Punctuality is my middle name.
Tyrone.
Let`s make this quick.
Got the money?
Right on the desk.
Lets see it.
You want to count it?
No l trust you.
Now let`s see the stuff.
Right here.
Oh.
Must`ve picked up the wrong case you have a good night now gentleman.
Come on there getting away.
Mark! Come on the law isn`t here yet They will be l can`t believe they were that dumb.
Hold it.
Well look here Brian and the Fox.
Your bit late for school aren`t you brother?
Over there Hold it! Hold it hold it, both of you hold it.
You`re just in time, that fool tried to k*ll me.
He was with the other two there are in the classroom.
Open the briefcase.
Slow.
lt`s full of money.
Brian and those other two they thought l was a dealer.
Offering me all this money and l try to tell them.
Nobody here but the schoolteacher.
All right move it let`s go.
We found these three out back.
l tell you this ain`t my stuff.
lt`s those other dudes Save it Sticks Read him his rights on the way down.
All right, let`s go Come on move it Come on let`s go You all right?
You realise your have to come down and make a statement?
We`d be happy too.
Sticks Henderson.
lf convicted will receive consecutive life sentences that will total over 1 00 years We at the Tribune take our hats off to Brian Baldwin Ayoung man who has become a bigger star off the basketball court.
Than he was on it.
He is an inspiration to this community You know ah.
.
There`s been a lot of things written about me through the years.
But nothing that meant as much as this.
Not because of all the nice things they said.
But.
.
For the first time in my life l could read it myself And l thank God for the school and so should all of you.
Mrs Baldwin, did you see Mark and Jonathan?
Er, no Not a soul.
And l`ve been here for about 1 0 minutes.
Trying to get up the nerve to come in.
What?
l got a feeling l`m about to become your oldest pupil Don`t worry about it.
l have a feeling your teacher may become your future daughter
-in
-law.