01x07 - One Train May Hide Another

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Greenleaf.

One of the cops who worked around here.

Told me about a fifteen years old girl from the church.

Just like Faith He never did anything.

So I just say he r*ped you.

The Senate is launching an inquiry, James, into whether your church and others like it are taking advantage of your tax-exempt status.

Pastor Skanks has offered me complete artistic control.

Then take it.

Pardon me?

Take it, Nigel!

There's something that you should know before you pull that trigger.

Okay.

I'm gay.

That's fine.

You're hired.

Praise God.

Do you and Isabel have a venue yet?

For the wedding? No.

Perfect.

I want you to have it at the house.

You're not planning on reinstating Jacob ever?

When Jacob shows me that he understands the meaning of the position...

Are you?

Alexa: We haven't sent his office any of the documentation they asked for.

We're not legally required.

As of this moment, we are.

What's going on?

We're being audited.

(train approaching)

(train horn blows)

Mr. McCready, morning.

Morning. Today's the big day, isn't it?

Absolutely, sir. And yours, too, right?

Eh.

Hey.

Tell me what you think about this.

I think she's going to say yes.

Think so? (laughing)

Yeah. Always a pleasure, Mr. McCready.

You betcha.

All right.

Rough morning with your mama, huh?

Yeah, I can't really deal with her today.

Anything I can do?

No. She's off her meds.

You ever want me to talk to her again...

No, she's... it wouldn't matter.

(horn honking)

I got to go. See you.

Yeah.

Hey.

Let's go.

♪ Amen ♪
♪ Amen ♪

(vocalizing)

♪ Well ♪

(vocalizing)

♪ Amen, amen, ooh. ♪

Memphis' Man of the Year.

What are you doing here, Junior?

Hey, I'm just sat down.

I think I'm still allowed in the building.

Well, I think so, at least.

What do you need?

You got any free time today?

What's up?

I want you to take a look at a business plan I put together.

Come find me at noon.

Yeah?

Yeah, all right.

Aces.

Congratulations, Mr. McCready.

Thank you, Darlene.

The auditor is in the conference room and said to come see her the minute you got in.

Just five more days.

Mm.

Before we leave, you need to make sure we get hard copies of everything.

Mr. McCready, good morning.

I heard my presence was requested?

Yes, I'm wondering if we can get the minutes of the meetings of the deacon board for the past three years.

PDFs or hard copies?

Both, if it's not too much trouble.

No trouble at all.

Uncle Mac! Got your text.

Excuse me one second.

What's the problem with Carlton?

Darnell from the personnel committee told me this man's filed lawsuits for wrongful termination against his last two employers.

Yeah, but only because he's gay.

He told me all about it, and it's all good.

Don't tell me you have a problem with it, too.

Even my husband...

I don't have a problem with his lifestyle.

He can do whatever he wants when he goes home.

I'm just not sure we should hire someone who's so damn comfortable in a courtroom.

Carlton's not like that.

He's very... if you'd just sit down with him, you'll see.

(phone buzzing)

What?

Is everything all right?

There's my man of the year.

What are you doing here, Daddy?

You know you can't be here. Remember last time?

Oh, I know, I know.

Your sister.

Well, I saw the paper. I had to come by.

You know, I always knew you were the one, boy.

Not everyone's on the front page.

That is something.

You got anything to drink?

Come on, Daddy, you got to go, seriously.

You got to go.

Hey, hey, hey.

All right, all right.

Listen, you ain't got to tell me that I got to go.

I know. I know I got to go.

I got to get that bus to Montgomery Park by 2:00.

There's a filly in the third that's going to get your daddy back to the top.

Uh-huh.

If I hit that trifecta, I'm going to take you out and celebrate.

Don't do that, Daddy. Don't come back.

Man of the Year.

Can you imagine how proud your mama'd be?

A shame she's not alive to see it.

This is where Jesus was crucified and this is where He was buried.

You ladies playing hooky?

We're making grocery bags for the food shelf if Pastor Ramona ever shows up.

Uncle Mac?

Yeah?

Do you think Jesus really came back from the dead?

Like, really?

Matter of fact, I do.

But it makes no sense.

When has that ever happened, ever?

This whole world we're living in, do you think you ever could have made it?

Or even made it up just in your mind, just as a thought?

Skies and streams and trees and people?

But here it is.

If God can make a whole world like this, then bringing one man back from the dead doesn't seem like such a big deal.

That's the problem when you start talking about God.

People always get hung up on the wrong things.

And what about hell?

What about it?

Well, do you really think God sends bad people to hell forever?

Oh, I hope not, for their sake.

He doesn't seem so bad.

Why would he?

Could you please print the minutes from the deacon board meetings for the past three years for me?

Mm-hmm.

And email me the files as well.

On it.

Thank you.

What's the fireball out there?

Karine Jackson.

That's Clara and Horace's granddaughter.

I thought that was going to be your office after Alexa cleared out.

She needs more space.

If space were allotted in direct proportion to what people do to maintain this community, I'd have a floor all my own and then some. Oh!

So, you're fixing to get more of that Jackson Powerball money.

No, no, no.

I was just looking for somebody that that son of mine might leave alone.

Mission accomplished.

What?

(chuckles)

I heard we have a trespasser.

I threw him out soon as I knew.

I told you that I didn't want that man in this building ever again.

I know, I know.

So, what do I have to do?

Mae, there was a new fella at the front desk.

He didn't know the rules.

I stay out of McCready family business.

Mac, if he comes back here, I...

I put in a call to Noah.

I did.

Good, because I won't have it.

And I don't appreciate you making jokes like that at Jacob's expense.

Oh, Mae...

No, you remember David and Absalom.

You're going to regret that hardness.

I'll be in my office.

Look, how is that audit going?

Flying colors.

There you go.

What's this?

The documents you requested.

Morning. Brother McCready?

Brother Sneed.

You need help with that burden?

I'm fine, thank you kindly.

You know I always ask.

Uh-huh.

Tonight's awards ceremony, huh?

Oh, yeah.

Congratulations, by the way.

Thank you much.

Are there any tickets available?

I bet you want to go, don't you?

I do. Morgan Freeman's hosting, isn't he?

You know, I suppose he is. I hadn't noticed.

Well, it would be a pretty big mistake to miss a chance to meet Red up close and personal.

Uh-huh. Talk to my secretary.

I'll do that.

Mm-hmm.

Thank you.

All right.

Hmm.

Here you go, three years of... minutes.

No one wants to go to court.

Some folks do, actually, Mr. Cruise.

It's their blood sport.

Carlton's not like that.

Carlton can speak for himself.

I have only engaged legal counsel when I felt to not do so would be doing a disservice to other people like me.

Uh-huh.

Here's the good news.

I am completely positive that with this lady here as my fearless leader, court will never be an issue.

And what if it is?

I mean, would you be willing to sign a contract agreeing never to take Calvary downtown?

Well, I don't know. I, um...

I would prefer it if everyone were to just, you know, behave.

(Mac laughs)

Could you give us a moment?

Happy to.

I've actually had to pee ever since we first sat down.

We still having lunch?

Yeah. I'll be right out.

Okay, and see you Sunday morning.

Be the good Lord willing.

You're not going to let me hire him.

No, I'm going to let you hire him, but you're going to hire him as a 1099 so we can fire him at will.

But he needs insurance.

His partner Fred just lost his job.

And if he lasts a year, we'll circle back.

Fred is not my concern.

They were just talking about opening a bed and breakfast.

If we don't give him that insurance, I bet you that's what he'll do. He'll open the...

I don't care if he opens a Popeyes Fried Chicken with a church organ in it and leads the singing from behind the register.

I'm not leaving your daddy's church open to legal att*ck from some...

What?

From some what?

Huh?

Say it.

Litigious individual.

Your daddy would have my ass.

Daddy does whatever you say.

I'm just telling you how it is.

Well, I'll find somebody else.

And he was so excited to meet Memphis Man of the Year.

What's so special about this cake?

Isabel on speaker: It's the one I want for my wedding.

It's $800.

(knock on door)

Well, they're paying for everything else.

Look, can we talk about this at lunch?

I'm just walking out.

Okay, but we have to decide.

It's less than two weeks away.

We'll decide today, I promise.

Okay. Love you.

Bye.

I saw you called. If this can wait...

It can't.

He came by?

Yeah. Have all your new guys made aware he's not to be let in.

I'll let them know. I'm sorry.

Thank you. You know what they say about situations like that, don't you?

Happy wife, happy life.

Thanks for the advice.

Do we have a problem?

What do you mean?

I assume Gigi's said some things.

None of them are true.

She got a wrong idea about me a long time ago, and she just won't let it go.

I'm sorry. Grace hasn't said anything to me.

I got to get going.

Now, it's not Nashville Hot Chicken, Uncle Mac,atter. but trust me, it's spicy.

I'll be the judge of that.

So, what's this business plan for?

I want to put Daddy back on TV.

Now, I know he says he's never going to do it again, but come on.

TBN wanted him back in the nineties.

CBN called him just last year.

I know, but I got a great price from a friend of mine over at Voice of Life.

Triumph's over there, all right?

Growing every day.

If he doesn't do it, Basie Skanks will.

Cold fact.

All right.

Let's have a look.

Did you put this together?

With a little help from Kerissa.

So, you two are back on?

Giving it a sh*t.

He'll be happy about that, anyway.

So, what do you think?

Hang on, hang on.

Still looking here.

That is a hell of a price point.

Right?

And are the, uh, ratings for these other programs real or projections?

According to their people, that's who's watching.

I called Davis Wentworth over at Church for Change.

They've been broadcasting a half hour for six months now, a variety format.

Traffic to their website has doubled.

Offerings are up. Collateral sales are up.

It's working for them.

Then go for it, I guess.

Well, you're not going to present it to him?

Nah, he'll never do TV again.

But why, though?

I mean, what's his problem?

Why are you going to all this trouble anyway?

Uncle Mac, I got to do something.

Oh, Jacob.

Don't I?

There's no way you're ever getting reinstated.

Not with Gigi back in the pulpit.

The longer you stick around acting like you still belong after everything you pulled?

It just looks desperate.

You're still here.

Like I said, go for it.

Obviously, you know what you're doing.

Isabel: Hello?

Mac on phone: This Isabel? It's Mac.

Oh, hi. Is everything okay?

Yeah, everything is fine.

Uh, Noah should be back there soon.

I'm calling for you, actually.

What about?

I just wanted to say, I heard about that cake you been jonesing for.

Yeah, yeah. We decided it's too much.

Well, hang on, hang on.

I've been going crazy over here trying to figure out what to get you two.

And now the wedding's two weeks away, and I can, uh, give you that cake.

It's $800.

I know. I heard all about it.

Come on. Let me do it.

It'll make me happy.

You order what you want and have them send the bill to me.

It'll be our little secret.

Okay, I guess.

Thank you.

My pleasure.

(phone ringing)

Hello? Yes, ma'am.

Yeah, I'll be right there.

What's the problem now?

There's no problem.

We're just going through the minutes that you supplied us.

Thank you so much for getting them to us so quickly.

That's why I'm here.

It's just this phrase "love offerings" that comes up so frequently.

Mm-hmm.

What are they, exactly?

Every three months the people bless the bishop with cash gifts over and above their weekly tithe.

And how does that work?

Do they pass a plate through the pews?

A second time, mm-hmm. It's a gift.

Okay.

I guess there is a problem.

According to Section 102(C)...

Section 102 has been amended.

You're aware of that, right?

It now states that any amount transferred by or for any employer to or for the benefit of an employee can't be counted as a gift.

That's all income.

Does the bishop report love offerings as income?

I can check with our treasurer, but I'm pretty sure he does, yes.

All right, see, we're going to need to see his personal tax returns for the last three years.

Okay.

Just to, you know, make sure they reconcile with the statements made by the deacons in the minutes.

I'll get right on that.

No, it's all right, Mr. McCready.

We'll take it from here.

You need to stay out of my way.

What are you talking about?

I mean it. Stay out of my way.

You can get out of my office now.

You went behind my back to the auditor.

I don't know what you told them, but you better realize, you start pulling threads to get to me, girl, you going to unravel the whole thing... the whole damn thing!

The auditor came to me.

Mm-hmm. For what? Go ahead?

Something confidential.

Don't pull that with me. You're no more a pastor than I am!

What about? What did you talk to her about?!

She has a son who lost his legs in the Army.

She wanted to know if we had any programs for disabled vets.

Everything okay in here?

You don't know.

I do, though.

I know everything.

You don't know!

And you don't know what you don't know.

Stay the hell out of my business.

(gasps)

(groans)

(panting)

Woman on speaker: Mr. McCready? The camera crew is here for "Memphis Morning." They're ready for you.

All right.

Fact here is, lots of good lawyers are working hard to help people making sure the system works for everybody.

I'm grateful just to be counted in their company.

Well, that's predictably gracious.

Well, even more than that, though, Denise, I have to give credit to the Lord.

I hope that's okay.

Denise: We know you're a man of faith, Mr. McCready. Go ahead, preach.

Mac: No, no. I'm not going to preach.

I just want to say, you know, there but for the grace of God go I.

That's all.

One last question, Mr. McCready.

Okay. I got a lot to wrap up before they let me go.

Oh, we're sure you do.

Now, to the young people out there watching who one day hope to achieve your success, what advice do you have for them?

Honestly?

No one wants to hear this because it's boring, but it's true.

Read, study, stay in school.

Get an education.

My mama was a bear when it came to getting my homework done, and I thank her for it everyday in my heart.

All right, then. Eileen? Back to you.

Cut.

What a pro. That was phenomenal.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Let's get out of here.

Good job, Mr. McCready.

Thank you.

Bishop: Memphis Man of the Year!

Hey there.

Wonder if I might have a word?

What did she say?

Not yet.

I said, just wait.

Karine, hold my calls.

What happened?

Just tell me what the auditor said.

You said everything was going to be okay!

Flying colors! What happened?

What exactly did the auditor say?

Tell me and I'll take care of it.

You know I will. I always do.

She wants our personal income taxes, complete with receipts, for the last three years; an inventory of everything in our home, every God blessed object... explanations on where it all came from, and contact numbers from anyone who's even given us a ballpoint pen.

Do you know what your sister's going to do when she finds out about this?

Did it ever occur to you to look at those damn minutes before you handed them over to her?

I did look at them.

And?

And I... I...

I misunderstood one thing.

No, you misunderstood more than just one thing.

When were you going to tell me?

After they put me in prison?

The reporter showed up.

I was going to come down as soon as I finished.

I don't want to hear it!

Memphis Man of the Year.

If you spent half the time doing your job that you spend wandering all over town looking for people to save...

I'm going to give you one day.

I won't tell Mae.

I'm going to give you one day to make this right.

I'll take care of it.

Don't tell me you're going to take care of it.

You just take care of it.

I will not have people going through our lives with a fine-toothed comb.

We both know that won't be good.

Now, get out.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

We'll see what he says.

Well, Carlton says he'll take it.

Good.

But I don't like it.

Charity...

I want you to hire him as a full employee with full benefits.

This is not the time.

I'm not going to be party to discrimination.

He's a talented man, and whether you or Kevin think...

Then hire him! Do what you want!

I will.

(indistinct arguing)

What's that sound?

I don't know.

Come on.

Mr. McCready, you can't be here.

Let me talk to my son.

Just listen to me.

Now, you have to leave.

What's happening?

I'm sorry, Mr. McCready.

I told him he could not come in.

Did you put your hands on my father?

No. He looked that way when he showed up.

I didn't know what to do.

Mr. McCready, your daughter doesn't want you here.

Now, you know that.

My daughter is a high yellow whore!

Daddy, Daddy.

She ain't even mine!

Listen, Mae. Now, hold on.

Mae: I'm sick of this.

You better, or I'll have to call the cops.

Nobody's calling any cops.

Come on, Daddy. You got to get out of here.

I just got to get some more money.

I can't give you any more money. Come on.

This son of a bitch, if I don't give him something, I'm in trouble.

How much you need?

Don't you dare give him a cent!

What's the matter with you?

You leave this church right now.

This is a house of God, and you don't belong here.

(chuckles)

Daddy, please.

I cast you down in the almighty name of Jesus!

Leave! You have no place here, Daddy.

Noah... call the police.

Don't. Don't call them.

I'm going.

Come on, boy. You know the deal.

Let me have the money.

Don't you do it.

Come on.

Just give me whatever you can and I'll, uh... I'll figure out the rest.

Mac, I said don't do it!

Thank you, I just... thank you, boy.

Okay.

Evening, Mr. Mac.

How'd it go?

I was about to ask you the same thing.

Well...

Oh, very nice.

You couldn't get off?

Oh, no, we're going to New Orleans for the weekend.

It's all good.

All right.

It's not like I ain't going to see him when I get home anyway, you know?

When are we going to get you married?

I tried it once. Didn't take.

Oh. Mmm.

No, ma'am.

Look who's down here again.

Hmm?

How long has she been down here?

Couple hours.

Can't you do anything to help her mom?

It seems like you can fix everyone else here in Memphis.

Yeah, we can't help folks unless they want to be helped.

I guess.

It's just so sad to see a girl like that so unhappy.

How was Morgan Freeman?

Very inspiring.

I'd better get going. Good night.

Good night.

Come on. Let's get you home.

Yours is so much nicer than ours.

Mac: No kids.

(chuckles)

Go on in. I'll be right there.

What happened tonight?

She won't let me drive.

I didn't know you had a license.

Got a permit.

What do you want to drink?

What do you have?

Well, I'm having whiskey, but I'm not giving you anything like that.

My mom lets me drink sometimes.

Ginger ale or Coke?

Coke. Fine.

You don't seem very happy for someone who just won a big award.

Guess I'm not, really.

It's a pretty rotten thing to do to be an adult and be able to do all the things that kids can't do and not even be happy about it.

It kind of just makes me want to commit su1c1de right now.

I tried that once.

Seriously?

Yeah.

Hang on a second.

I was thinking about you today.

Ever since I saw you the first time, I've been thinking that you remind me of someone I've met.

Me?

Mm-hmm.

But then it hit me today.

It's not anybody I've met.

It's this girl in this painting.

She's beautiful.

Yeah.

Anyway...

Are you trying to get me in trouble?

Just a little.

(chuckles)

(chuckles)

Why did you try to k*ll yourself?

I wasn't happy.

When did you do it?

When I was about 12.

That's so sad.

Yeah, but no sadder than you sitting down in that lobby every night.

I'm all right.

Why did you want to die?

If you don't want to talk about it, I get it.

We can just sit here.

Hmm.

My mama d*ed and I thought it was my fault.

After my daddy left, she started to drink too much.

And my sisters were both gone by that point.

It was just her and me.

She always used to tell me I was the man of the house.

Mama's man of the house.

That was just her way of saying "do everything."

I'd come home from school, have to make dinner and do the dishes and do the wash.

She'd just sit out on the porch with her friend Joann, complaining about Daddy.

Anyway, by the time I turned 12, I got a girlfriend... Missy.

Does she look like her?

Well, she did a little.

Anyhow, Mama didn't like that... me not being available to wait on her hand and foot.

I came in one night after taking a walk with Missy, and Mama, when I walked through the door, she dragged me in the kitchen and made me stand there while she pulled everything out of the cupboards and threw it all on the floor and said, "Clean it up."

What did you do?

I said no.

She just left.

A couple hours later, the cops showed up.

She had gone out and gotten drunk and was walking home across the railroad tracks at the north end of town.

There was a train stopped on the track, and I guess she must have thought it was safe to cross.

But there was another train on the track behind she didn't see coming.

(cell phone ringing)

Hello?

Kevin: Uncle Mac?

Yeah? It's late.

Yeah, I'm sorry.

Uncle Mac, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what I said at lunch today.

I didn't mean nothing by it.

Um, you know, we all know... we all know the whole thing with Faith was a mess.

Um...

I'm just not in a good place right now.

That's okay.

No, it's not.

And I just wanted to say that I'm sorry.

Well, thank you.

I'm still going to talk to Pop about the plan.

I know you don't think it's a good idea...

No, no, I think it's a good idea.

I just know he thinks it's bad.

Well, anyway,

I just hope you won't, you know...

I'll stay out of it.

But if it looks like he might go for it and you need me to take it across the finish line, you just let me know.

All right, thanks, Uncle Mac, really.

Yeah, no problem.

And, um... thanks for understanding.

You got it.

Tell Kerissa I said great job with the presentation.

Uncle Mac said nice job.

Thank you, Uncle Mac.

She said thank you.

All right, then, Junior. Night.

Good night.

Thank you.

It's not your fault.

Yeah.

I didn't know that then.

How did you try to k*ll yourself?

We don't need to talk about that.

I've been listening to stories about me all night.

Let's talk about you.

I'm boring.

I find that hard to believe.

It's true.

I'm sure the girl in the picture is ten times more interesting than me.

She's long gone.

You're here.

I think that gives you an advantage.

All right, just a taste.