Ray Page #13

I'll be there as soon as I can.

What happened?

Margie's dead.

Oh, God! H-How?

She overdosed.

I didn't start her, Bea.

I didn't let her

do dope around me.

I... I just wouldn't

let that happen.

Yes, I'm sure, Ray. I'm

sure you set a fine example.

What about her baby?

You knew?

His name is Charles Wayne.

He was born October 1, in New

York City. He's 3 years old.

The baby's fine.

He's at her sister's.

All right. I'll start

sending them some money.

You don't have to. I send

them money every month.

In five minutes,

Mr. Charles will be here,

and he'll be ready to go.

Now the charts

Jeff is handing out

should be turned in

at the conclusion of...

You're late,

that's a $50 fine.

I ain't late.

I give them

a 10-minute grace period, Joe.

2:
05. He's late.

He'll be charged $50.

What? You know what?

Where's Ray?

You don't have to talk to Ray,

you're talking to me.

I'll talk to whoever I damn well

please, and it sure as hell ain't you.

Jive jerk.

Hey, Ray,

this fool Joe Adams is trying

to fine me for being late.

What time did you get here?

What? Just now.

The band's still setting up.

Jeff don't...

Look, I'm not Jeff.

That's a fact, Jack!

Ray, you said

the band was my thing.

It is.

Then, Fathead,

you go on back to rehearsal.

Ray.

Ray, you know how it is,

you've been there.

Fathead, go on now.

Let me handle this.

Fathead, go on now.

You want to tell me what

the hell is going on, Ray?

I'm not doing anything

I haven't been asked to.

Ray's running a business.

He shouldn't have to waste time

hearing why people were late.

I'm not talking

to you, Joe.

I'm talking to Ray.

Ray, now I know you think

I'm soft on the band,

but those cats would do

whatever I ask.

But If you come in here with this,

uh, "running a business" crap,

you're gonna lose some good

people. I'm telling you, Ray.

There are musicians waiting in

line to play with Ray Charles.

Not for long,

once they get a taste of you.

Ray, you're the leader, man.

Be one! Come on, now.

You now what Jeff, I mean

things have changed.

It ain't like the days when it was

seven of us on the Chitlin' Circuit.

I mean, if you weren't busy building

a bowling alley, you'd seen that.

So you know about that, huh?

I know about everything.

I'm just trying to figure out

how you did it.

You think

I'm stealing from you, Ray?

If the Shaw Agency is gonna give you

a cut of the 10 percent I'm given them.

I might as well keep the

goddamn money in my pocket.

Leave us alone.

We need to talk.

Ray.

You can step outside, Joe.

I'll be in my office.

Ray, now I know that jealous bastard

planted that lie in your head.

But I have never stolen from

you, Ray, and I never will.

I got a small business loan, and, yeah,

Milt Shaw was giving me a little extra,

but I'm not a thief, Ray.

Then what about that,

Jeff, huh?

A promoter swearing you did side deals

with him so you could split my overages!

How could you do that to me?

We've been through so much,

we be so like brothers.

You know what, Ray?

If we were like brothers,

why are you paying Joe

more than you're paying me?

Damn all that!

You broke my heart, man.

Well, you know what, Ray? You

broke mine a long goddamn time ago!

Well, then there it is.

You know something, Ray?

You're going to get yours

one day.

And I pray to God that he has mercy

on your soul, you son of a b*tch!

Everything all right, Ray?

How the hell

do you think it is?

Go tell him. Go tell him!

Go, go tell him.

Hey, Dad. Hi, there.

I made the all-star team!

The game's on Thursday.

Oh, that's great.

Oh, damn! I'm not gonna be

in town. I'm gotta go on tour.

How about I buy you guys

new uniforms, huh?

Tell the coach I don't

care how much they cost.

Okay.

All right, son, you want to

take your dad's briefcase inside.

The plane to Montreal leaves at

11:
00. I'll pick you up at 8:30.

All right.

Did you hear what

Ray Junior said to you?

Yeah.

Do you know how much making

the all-star team means to him?

I know. I got things on my

mind. We had to fire Jeff.

What?

He was stealing.

Jeff?

Hmm.

I don't believe it.

Yeah, well,

we're better without him.

My mother told me

'Fore she passed away

Said son when I'm gone

Don't forget to pray

'Cause there'll be

hard times

Hard times

Oh, yeah, yeah

Who knows better than I

Excuse me!

Get 'em out!

U.S. Customs!

We're goanna need to see

some identification, please.

You just arrived

from Montreal?

Yes. Is there a problem?

We were alerted there might

be drugs on this plane.

What? That's outrageous!

I'm going to call our lawyer.

No lawyers

at international checkpoints.

Now, we're going to have to

search everyone on this plane.

Mr. Charles, if you don't mind

we'd like to start with you.

I'd like to see your overcoat.

I don't mind.

Don't say anything, Ray.

What's this?

Ray, this isn't some judge

in Indiana.

It's federal. They can

charge you of smuggling

which can mean

real prison time.

Our lawyers will do

what they can, but...

Hello.

You can't hide out

in here forever, Ray.

Look, it's my house.

I'm not in prison yet.

No, it's my house.

You ain't been here more than

six days since we moved in.

No, Ray, no! A needle

ain't gonna solve this!

Get out of the way.

Move!

Only thing

that can help you is God, Ray.

Don't think of God? Do you have

any idea how it feels to go blind

and still be afraid

of the dark?

And every day, you stand pray for just

a little light, and you get nothing.

'Cause God don't listen

to people like me.

Stop talking like that.

As far as I'm concerned, me and

God is even and I do what I please.

If goddamn it, if I want

to shoot up, I shoot up.

Then go ahead!

But you walk out that door

and I'm doing something I

should have done a long time ago.

I'm taking my boys

and I'll leave.

You're not going away.

You... you have no place to go.

No place?

No.

You think I'm

scared of losing this?

Ray, the only thing I was

ever scared of losing was you.

Because where was I ever gonna

find another Ray Robinson?

So I put up with

some terrible stuff.

Maybe that makes me

part to blame.

But I ain't scared

no more.

You know I love you and

those boys more than anything.

That is a damn lie

and you know it!

You ever look at this?

Really look at it, Ray!

Ray Charles Junior's

"Most Valuable Player."

He was so proud this day,

until you came home too loaded

to go to his banquet.

No! No! There is something you

love more than me and them boys,

more than all the women you

ever slept with on the road,

more than all

the dope you ever took.

What are you talking about?

Your music.

And if you don't stop

using that needle,

they're gonna take away your

music and put you in jail.

Is that poison

worth losing everything?

Mr. Charles?

Mr. Charles.

You don't have to

go through this.

We have a substitute that

can help wean you off heroin.

I have to do it on my own.

I can do it. I can do it.

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