Everyday Black Man Page #5

Mary was a friend of mine.

And Claire --

she's like a daughter to me.

lt's the least l could do.

Thanks.

She doesn't have much family.

No.

All Mary's people are back East,

or dead.

Well, then,

it's good that she has you.

You think?

Claire's going through a tough time.

Mary was all she knew.

She's going to be looking

for some direction.

Well, l better get inside.

l got all these people coming

to my house, and here l am.

Thank you.

l told you, it's nothing.

For caring.

For caring.

Sorry.

l should go back in.

No, no. No, you shouldn't.

Care to take a walk, Sister Claire?

l don't know

what l want to do anymore.

Okay.

[ Chuckles ]

l always liked this neighborhood.

This is beautiful.

What's not to like, right?

l mean, the landscaping is perfect.

We were walking back there,

and l--

The houses are perfectly spaced.

Not a poor person in sight.

lt's nice.

Do you think l'm foolish?

No.

l think you're beautiful.

You know, Claire,

l wish that our brothers and sisters

can live like this.

Not have to slave

for the white man's world.

[ Chuckles ]

l don't think Gloria

would see it that way.

She's good at what she does.

She loves it.

l'm sure she's good at it.

l'm just saying,

imagine what she could do

if she wasn't confined

by such a corrupt institution.

Corrupt?

Corrupt.

Well, what would you call it?

ln an environment, an institution,

where no matter what you do,

all they do is take and take?

That's corrupt.

lt's not what Allah wants for us.

lt's definitely not what Allah

wants for somebody like you.

What does He want for me?

That's between you and Allah.

Do you talk to Him?

[ Laughs ]

Yeah, l do. l talk to Him.

And He tells me what l want

from somebody like you.

What l want is simple.

Yeah, simple.

What?

Love.

Love.

Can you hook me up

with some love? Hmm?

Stop crying.

Okay?

WeII, I guess, that's tt.

You and Sonny do good work!

lt hardly looks

like anyone was here!

Well, Sonny's quick, that's all.

Well, you can at least

take some food home.

No, that's okay.

We have so much stuff at the store.

Moses, you are not leaving me here

with all this fried chicken!

Oh, gosh.

Take it home.

Moses, are you okay?

Oh.

Yeah, sure.

l-- l--

l just had this thought of-- Claire.

l should have taken her home.

You can take her some food, too.

l'm sure she--

We-- we-- we need to get--

back to the store.

Okay, there's not like this is

going anywhere, Sonny.

We-- we been--

been gone too long.

Okay, okay.

You can always come back

for Claire's stuff.

Yeah.

l'd like that.

We-- we need to go.

Okay, Sonny.

Sonny!

Hey, what's the hurry?

We just-- just-- just been gone--

gone too long.

Sh*t.

Thought you like

getting out of the store.

l-- l j-- l just don't think

that we should be away, that's all.

Too-- too many-- damn--

damn boxes.

Too many-- damn people.

Look, Sonny.

l know it's always been me and you.

But Malik is okay.

All right?

What-- what-- what's with his boxes?

What-- what-- you-- you need to--

check those boxes.

You need-- you need to look-- look--

look-- look at those boxes.

l'll check the boxes, Sonny.

l'll check them.

l'll check them, man.

Okay? All right?

Y-- you--

l'll check the boxes, Sonny.

Boxes.

[ Opening box ]

So, got some good stuff today.

One apple.

Only one doctor to keep away, huh?

All right. Thank you.

-Oh, Brother Malik.

-What's up, Brother Moses?

Thought you'd be in here early today.

Well, l got people working for me.

We're not missing any money,

are we?

Oh, no, no.

Just thought you'd be

in here early today.

Decided to sleep in

for a change, brother.

Ah!

Malik, Malik, Malik!

Hey, little man,

slow down, slow down.

Right on time.

Just like l asked, 8:00 sharp.

You see?

He remembered.

-He remembered.

-Always get your money.

Yeah.

-l like that.

-Yes!

What, you don't have to give

no directions to him, or anything?

lt's on the box.

Sharp.

Kids today.

lt's amazing, they're so sharp.

They got all that stuff.

Wee-Fee -- Wi-Fi, yeah.

-Yeah, he's a good kid. l like him.

-Mm-hmm.

Seem like he --

he not even old enough yet to read.

Seem like he ought to be

in the mosque, or something,

getting sharper.

So he can emulate his new hero.

You are his new man,

new hero, huh?

l'm working on it, brother,

sure am working on it.

Oh, you work hard for the money,

don't you?

Work ethic.

Yeah.

Where your shadow?

l'm sorry. Yusef.

l ain't seen him around.

Where he at?

He's taking the kid around.

Oh!

-You got it?

-Yeah, l got it now.

So the kid don't have to read.

'Cause Yusef will get it done for him,

like he get done stuff for you.

You're asking a lot of questions

this morning, brother.

l'm still trying to figure out

how you are running things.

And you are

running things, aren't you?

How you do it?

l thought l knew, but then

last night l'm cleaning up.

You know, love you, Sonny,

but you leave stuff.

Quality control.

l'm doing all of that.

So l'm cleaning up

what needs to be cleaned up.

ln my area.

Your area got to be cleaned, too.

lt gets nasty under there.

So, l was moving some boxes,

and, um--

l noticed your safe.

That's a safe, right?

ls that a safe?

We ain't never discussed

no safe for you.

l don't even have a safe.

This is my store.

lt is my store, right?

-And l ain't got no safe.

-You should get you a safe.

Yeah, l'm sure.

And then l won't tell you how

to handle your money in your safe.

So why would you tell me

how to handle mine in mine?

-Right?

-Point well taken.

Well taken.

l guess l was just curious.

Actually, more so than that,

l-- l-- l--

l'm surprised.

l'm surprised that you would have all

these nice baked goods, and fresh,

and you store it in--

boxes in this little dank,

filthy area,

where you got a refrigerator

back here you can use, huh?

Make that make sense to me,

Brother Malik.

How about you don't tell me how

to run my business, old-timer?

Sure.

Good advice.

Well, look, let an old-timer

get some more advice from you.

What-- What is good for me,

in-- in--

all your array, and what--

what's good for me is-- is--

ain't nothing good for me here, yeah?

-Yeah?

-WOMAN:
Hey, Moses?

Hold that thought.

Got a customer. Back at you.

Yes, Ma'am?

What can l do you for?

[ Woman singing ]

Hey, hey, hey, little Shorty.

There'll be no more

deliveries here tonight.

Where's Malik?

What up, Shorty?

l done told him,

no more deliveries tonight.

What's up?

What's up, brother?

-Darcy's people are asking questions.

-l got it.

-But Darcy--

-Did you hear what l said, Malik?

l got it, Shorty.

-But Darcy's people--

-Shorty?

l got it covered. Later.

-Later.

-Okay.

Good kid.

l don't allow no drugs in my store.

[ Laughs ]

You think that's funny?

Sonny.

Why don't you go on upstairs?

l'll finish sweeping tonight.

Go ahead.

-l think l-- Sh--

-Sonny. No, Sonny.

l got this.

MALlK:

You got this?

You got something

to say to me, old man?

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