01x12 - I'm with the Band

[bunniefuu]

ADULT DEAN: Growing up,
our neighborhood was filled

with all types of families

that were well-known for certain things.

But everyone knew that
the Williams family

was a musical family.

We all played instruments.

With a dad who was a music professor,

we didn't really have a choice.

I could play the scales
before I could ride a bike.

That was partly because
I had the coordination

of a bumblebee, but
mainly because of my dad.

[Saxophone plays smoothly]

When Daddy closed his eyes,

I knew that meant
he was really feeling it.

I wanted to feel like
that when I played, too.

♪♪

♪♪

Bill, you know I've
always been a big fan

and, as usual, you did not disappoint.

I really hope you'll think about it.

Definitely.

Oh.

And this is my wife, Lillian;

and my kids, Kim and Dean.

Oh, what a pleasure.

Dean's the other saxophone
player in the family.

Really? Well, you gonna be
onstage one day like your dad?

Well, actually, I'm about
to play at the State Fair.

Well, my school band is.

But I'm first chair.

- First chair.
- [Chuckling]

He's a regular chip
off the ol' block, huh?

[Chuckles] You could say that.

Yeah. Hey, Dad,

they're paying us to
play at the Fair, right?

[Chuckles] Now you can really say it.

[Both laugh]

LILLIAN: A tour all across Alabama?

Bill, that is wonderful.

I couldn't believe it at first myself.

But he wants me and
the guys to headline.

- That's awesome, Dad.
- That's great, honey.

So, what'd you tell him?
Are you gonna do it?

Of course he's gonna do it.

Y-You're gonna do it, right?

Please say you're doing it.

Be cool. There's a lot to consider.

You know I'm up for tenure,
and taking time off

to go on the road could
possibly jeopardize that.

I told him I'd let him know soon.

Well, no matter what you decide,

you have my full support.

Thank you, baby. That means a lot.

[Chuckles]

Ooh, we can go shopping in Tuskegee.

You all think you're
going, too, don't you?

I don't trust those groupies.

Musicians are hot.

No school! [Chuckle]

Wow. Daddy was getting a chance
to play on a bigger stage

and so was I.

The State Fair.

It brought with it a half day
of school for Fair Day

and the best shows and rides
you could imagine!

One night, I saw a cow give birth

and saw Cory throw up through his nose

after riding The Enterprise five times.

Hmm.

Who were the real animals that night?

[Playing scales]

♪♪

♪♪

LILLIAN: Dean, dinner!

Mom, since the Fair's coming up

and I have a solo in the concert...

When school lets out early,

I'm going with Cassandra and Corynella.

Well, don't you have a paper...

[Clears throat]

Forgive us, Dean.

Please continue bragging
about your solo.

I was hoping that maybe

I could get a new shirt for the concert.

Maybe a silk one. I want to look cool.

First of all, you know
you only get clothes

at the beginning of the school year.

Second... a silk shirt?

Which one of the Pips are you replacing?

[Laughter] Hold on, hold on.

Maybe the boy has a point, Lil.

This is their first time playing
in front of real people

who don't have to clap.

Plus, he's got a solo.

Boy's got to look sharp!

I think I'll take you
shirt shopping myself.

How about that?

I might even pick up one or two shirts,

just in case I end up taking this tour.

Thanks, Dad. I want to
look as cool as you.

Still gonna wear the glasses, though?

You're just jealous
because the saxophone

is way cooler than the stupid cello.

The cello is not stupid.

And, Kim, there's nothing wrong
with your brother's glasses.

That's right. Cut it out, you two.

[Both] Yes, sir.

And I only play the cello
because Dad wouldn't let me

play the saxophone when I was your age.

He said that's how girls get pregnant.

[Clears throat]

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ And I know ♪

♪ Ohh ♪

♪ Through the highs
and the lows ♪

♪ I'mma find my way home ♪

[Laughs]

Music was my only chance
to be cool

because, let's be honest,

I wasn't cool in any other way.

[Clears throat]

[Deep voice] Hello.

- May I speak to John?
- [Chuckling]

There's no John here.

Then do you pee outside?

[Laughing]

Dean?

Uh, who's Dean?

I know it's you.

You use the same voice when we imitate

Mr. Roberts in art class.

Remember? I taught it to you?

Because my voice is deeper than yours.

[Normal voice] No, it's not!

[Deep voice] Uh, I mean, who's Dean?

[Laughing]

Man, I told you that joke was no good.

Yeah, it was kind of a thinker.

- Yeah.
- Who's next?

Uh...

Renita.

- She's cute.
- Yeah.

[Clears throat]

[Telephone ringing]

[Forced accent] Hello.

Can you tell me what kind
of tree fits in your hand?

RENITA: [Laughing]

Is this Cory?

You're so funny.

[Normal voice] Yeah, you
know, I'm just making

these prank calls with Dean.

Who?

You know, Dean Williams.

He got that big ol' afro
and he wear the glasses.

In seventh grade?

Yes, he's in our grade.

ADULT DEAN: Dang!

But thankfully there was someplace

where I was the man.

People talk about the dog-eat-dog world

of school sports, but let me tell you,

the band room is
survival of the fittest,

just like on the African savanna.

Everyone is gunning for the alpha male,

the top dog...

the first chair.

[Roars]

[Birds chirping]

But no one would dare challenge me.

That was, until today.

What is it, Craig?

Um, I'd like to challenge
Dean for first chair.

Oh, this white boy can't be serious.

Sure, Craig, that is your
right as second chair.

But, of course, we need to offer Dean

one week to prepare for the challenge.

Dean?

Oh, no, I don't need it. I'm ready now.

Unless, of course, Craig needs the time.

[Saxophone plays smoothly]

♪♪

Craig did not need more time.

[Applause] Wow!

Fantastic, Craig!

[Applause]

Looks like we have a new first chair.

I mean, come on, man.

All right. Let's take it from the top.

As bad as it was to be
dethroned in such a public way,

it was going to be much worse

going shirt shopping with my dad
and breaking the news to him...

The ultimate musical alpha male.

Something like this is for when
you're performing on the big stage.

And this is more subtle,
for like a smaller venue.

Ahh, but this...

See how it shimmers?

It's great for catching the light.

Enough stalling, Dean.

It's time to face the music.

Pun intended.

Uh, Dad, today in band...

Now these are show shirts.

[Chuckles]

You could see me touring
in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa,

and Mobile in this, right?

- Uh, definitely.
- [Chuckles]

Um, so, you know
how I was first chair?

Mm-hmm.

Ruffles and sequins?

No good musician would ever wear
either of these.

And that's how years of music passed

right over my dad.

- [Sighs]
- Um, so, something crazy

happened in band today and...

This is it.

It screams "Dean."

Yep. Perfect.

I'm getting this for my son
to perform a sax solo...

At the State Fair.

Oh, well, that sounds exciting.

Good luck.

Imagine the lights shining down on you,

- playing your solo...
- I'm second chair.

I lost first chair.

I don't understand.

What are you saying?

Well...

Craig challenged me for first
chair, and he just played so well.

It was... surprising.

"Craig"?

Sounds... Is he...?

White? Yeah.

Go figure.

You know what?

It's okay.

I got you covered.

I'll put together a practice schedule

and we'll make sure
you're able to challenge

to get your chair back
in time for the concert.

[Chuckles]

We won't be taking this.

What? This is a solo shirt.

Not a "cat sitting next to the
cat with the solo" shirt.

[Chuckles]

In the meantime, I'll be taking these.

You can put this back.

[Saxophone plays]

♪♪

Whenever I saw my dad's shadow
outside my bedroom door,

I knew I needed to play perfectly.

If I made a mistake, he'd come inside,

and that meant another hour
of practice without a break.

It was like BlackGroundhog's Day.

Now, I know you can
play better than that.

What do you mean?

I hit every note.

You sounded like you were sitting wrong.

Sitting wrong?

Here, let me see.

[Sighs]

[Saxophone plays smoothly]

♪♪

It's as if Jesus came
back as a saxophone.

♪♪

♪♪

I thought I recognized that sound.

How long are you gonna be
away on this tour, again?

[Clears throat]

Keep practicing till
it sounds like that.

[Sighs]

♪♪

♪♪

[Sighs]

♪♪

[Laughing]

Get out.

Why do you get to relax
and do whatever you want

while I have to sit
and practice all night?

It's not fair.

Hold on a second.

Why do you think I
really play the cello?

[Scoffs]

'Cause Dad can't play
anything with a bow.

You're the dummy that
wanted to be like him,

and now you're paying the price.

♪♪

Girl, it was nothing.

I thought I heard a dog outside.

Mm-hmm.

After practicing for what
felt like the entire night,

I was finally ready to
return to my rightful place

as first chair.

Craig won't know what hit him.

What is it, Teddy?

I'd like to challenge Dean
for second chair, please.

What the...?

Uh-oh.

There was blood in the water,

and everybody in the savanna knew it.

[Grunts]

[Saxophone plays, strikes off-key note]

♪♪

♪♪

[Off-key note plays]

[Off-key notes play]

♪♪

Et tu, Cory?

I couldn't believe it at the time,

but in hindsight, he'd have
been a fool not to do it.

♪♪

[Bell rings]

Being bumped to fourth
chair was the worst thing

that ever happened to me in here.

Band Room Dean was so humiliated

that Gym Class Dean felt sorry for him.

Wow. You really choked.

Luckily, I'm the only
trombone player in the band.

No challenges.

[Sighs]

Hey, Dean.

Are you... okay?

I-I guess.

Um, won't Charlene be mad if
she knows you're talking to me?

No. She has a new boyfriend now,

so she doesn't care anymore.

Oh. Glad she doesn't still hate me.

Oh, no, she still hates you.

It's actually what she and
her boyfriend bonded over.

He hates me, too?

Don't overthink it.

A bunch of us are gonna ride
to the Fair on Fair Day.

So you want to come...

Yes! Yes.

Uh, since you really want
to be my friend again.

You mean because you
just looked so pitiful

after choking in band

that I thought you could
really use a friend?

The fact that she was right
made me feel even more pitiful.

I would've played the
"wah-wah" right now

if I thought I could
do it without choking.

And if I played the trombone.

♪♪

BILL: Dean!

Sir?

Boy, get out here and say
hello! We got company!

Back then, grown folks always

made kids come out and say hi

- to anybody that came over.
- What's up, man?

Why ain't we rehearsing at the studio?

Put it against the tour money.

Just 'cause we're making more money

doesn't mean we need
to spend more money.

Dean, don't you think your daddy
would look good in one of these?

Washboard, I told you,

- the car I have drives fine.
- [Scoffs]

Fine for Montgomery.

Not "go on tour" fine.

That's the same thing he tried
to convince me about my wife.

[Laughter]

All right, fellas, time to practice.

[Light laughter]

You coming, little man?

Wouldn't be the same down there
without you watching us jam.

I-I can't.

My dad's making me practice more.

I, um, lost first chair in band.

Well, he's kinda right.

You won't get good without practice,

practice, and more practice.

Is that how you got
so good at the piano?

Nah.

Music always came real easy to me.

Just took to it.

Sorry.

But, hey, don't feel bad.
Nothing wrong with second chair.

Fourth.

What?!

Yeah, uh, today, I...

got bumped to fourth chair,

and I haven't told my dad yet.

[Sighs]

Damn!

I'm going to miss you, Dean.

Sorry, again.

But you know something?

Your old man might just surprise you.

I bet he'll actually respect you

for being honest about what happened.

And trust me on this...

Your dad ain't all that scary.

- BILL: Washboard, get down here!
- Mm.

[Thud] Err! Coming!

Washboard was right.

It was time for me to talk
to my father, man to man.

After all, musicians
understand these things.

I do not understand.

That has never happened
to anyone I've ever known.

Fourth chair?

You might as well play
from the parking lot!

I wasn't expecting so many challenges.

I choked.

I'm disappointed in you, Dean.

Those were the words I dreaded the most.

I'd rather he just spank me.

If you're choking at school,
how ever are you gonna play

in front of all those
people at the Fair?

I do not want to hear any more excuses.

Tomorrow, after school,
you come straight to my office

so we can go through
this piece, note by note.

But tomorrow's Fair Day.
I'm supposed to meet my friends.

Well, you can forget about that.

The concert's the next day.

Is riding a bunch of dumb rides

gonna help you play a packed house?

LILLIAN: Bill!

All right, just have your narrow
behind in my office by : .

♪♪

[Screaming]

♪♪

Wow.

DEAN: That's a long line.

How long do you guys think it'll take?

At least an hour. Maybe more.

I'm not leaving until I ride it.

Uh... I do got to meet my dad
at his office pretty soon.

Can't you skip practice...
Just this once?

No, he definitely needs to practice.

I mean, I played better than him,

and I'm terrible, right?

But I'm too scared

to ride by myself.

Won't you ride with me?

My dad was gonna k*ll me,

but at least I'd have a smile
on my face in my coffin.

♪♪

I missed Daddy's time window,

so I thought it best
to have Mama walk me in.

I needed as many crime scene
witnesses as possible.

You okay?

I guess.

How did Dad react when Bruce
quit playing music?

Is that what you want to do?

Well, what happened?

You were so excited about the solo

and the shirt and everything.

I just know that what
I'm doing isn't working,

and Dad doesn't want any more excuses.

[Saxophone plays]

♪♪

♪♪

Okay, that's not bad.

You're definitely improving.

I'm sorry.

I know you wanted me to be
better prepared for today, but,

I haven't had much time to practice.

Hey, don't be so hard on yourself.

Why don't we work on something easier.

I guess up until that point,
I'd always assumed my dad

couldn't help but be
hard on me all the time.

But now I was seeing
that it was a choice...

A choice that was making me
miserable,

and I just didn't get it.

Why?

♪♪

[Sighs]

♪♪

[Sighs]

Hey, honey.

I thought you were bringing Dean
by my office to practice.

Did something happen?

Well, not exactly.

Then where is he?

He's in his room, waiting
on you to come home.

But I just want to say,
before you go back there,

you might not want to be so hard on him.

Why does everyone think I'm hard on him?

I'm no harder on him
than my father was on me.

I push him because I care.

The boy needs to toughen up,
if he's ever gonna play

in front of big audiences.

Has Dean said that's
what he wants to do?

Has he ever had the choice not to play?

Well, I assume that's
what he wants to do.

Eventually. What else would he want?

If he's not playing professionally,
then it's just a waste of talent.

Well, let's just remember he's .

[Scoffs]
Oh, more excuses.

When I was , I was .

Have you ever thought
that maybe your frustration

about Dean wasting his talent is

because you feel like
you might be wasting yours?

What?

No. This isn't about me.

This is about Dean.

Of course.

But I think a part of you already knows

that you don't want to take that tour

because you want tenure.

And maybe,

maybe, that's what's
really frustrating you.

Of course I'm frustrated.

The band's gonna be devastated.

But I can't risk losing tenure.

The stability that comes
with it, the benefits...

It's too important to our family.

But that doesn't mean
I'm taking it out on Dean.

Or does it?

[Hiss] Maybe. I don't know.

Well, I hope you know that

we really appreciate your sacrifices.

I really appreciate your sacrifices.

♪♪

Maybe I should go have a talk with him.

♪♪

♪♪

I know.

You're mad at me.

[Sighs]

I was.

But that's not why I'm here now.

You ready for tomorrow?

I'll go get my sax and practice.

Who said anything about a saxophone?

♪♪

A nice-sized crowd showed up

for the school's band performance.

♪♪

But it didn't much matter to me.

Instead of sitting in that
band chair, terrified,

I was terrified for another reason.

[Screaming]

Turns out, my dad had decided
to stop being my teacher

and just be my dad.

Here we go! Whoa!

♪♪

Hey!

♪♪

[Bell rings] Whoa! All right!

It wasn't until I was a father myself

that I learned that sometimes
what's best for your kids

is for you to step out of the way.

Private lessons usually
last about an hour.

All right.

That was tough on my dad.

So was telling his band that
they weren't going on tour.

Look, guys, I-I'm sorry.
I just can't do it.

What you mean, you can't do it?

- I can't do it.
- Hey, Washboard...

Washboard, where are you going?

- Where are you going?
- Hey, man...

Thankfully, my dad could still focus

on teaching his actual students.

And he was damn good with them.

[Saxophone plays smoothly]

♪♪

And it turns out I wasn't
the only one in school band

who struggled under pressure.

[Saxophone plays,
strikes off-key notes]

That's just something you
have to learn to deal with

in your own way.

But what I appreciate most

is that Daddy left the choice
of sticking with music,

or not, up to me.

Which is why I still play today.

[Saxophone plays]

♪♪

Yep, still got it.

♪♪

♪♪