The Gospel Page #4

just like I did with you.

- You remember that, don't you?

- Yeah.

- Come on, now.

- Yes, sir.

Now, we gotta leave those things

in God's hands.

The God I serve got a way

of working it all out.

And I want you

to stop worrying so much.

- You hear me?

- Yes, sir.

- All right, now.

- All right.

I'm gonna sing with the choir on

Sunday. You should come through.

- What's the punch line?

- Well, I figured since I'm in town

I might as well help out.

They're trying to raise money

for a new church.

- They paying you for that?

- Come on, man.

I'm serious, D.

You get 40 thou a show, minimum.

I don't get 10 percent

of these freebies.

- It's for the church, man.

- All right.

You sing with the choir.

They hype it up

take up a little collection,

and for what?

So Deacon So-and-So

can get a new Benz?

Fishman has already put together

the new tour.

We get out there or risk losing that.

- Just work it out.

- Work out what, D?

My father is sick.

How can I say no?

Want me to do the dance?

So I'm shucking and jiving.

But we gotta get back out there, man.

Time is money.

You the "Undress Me" man, right?

- Yeah, that's my song.

- I told y'all that was him.

Hey, how can I get you to listen

to one of my demos?

I got a card right here.

- You can hit me up...

- Hold up.

I'm singing at

New Revelations Church on Sunday.

Find your way there,

I'll check you out.

Church?

This is the demo CD

I was telling you about.

So we're bribing people

to come to church now.

All right, man, I appreciate that.

I enjoyed the singing today.

- Thank you. Y'all take care, now.

- All right.

- You really blew us away back there.

- Oh, well, I just do what I do

when I do what I do.

Oh, hey.

- And who are you?

- Alexis.

Hi, Alexis. That's a beautiful name.

- Wow, how old are you?

- Five. How old are you?

I'm 105.

It's nice to meet you.

- Wow, she's adorable.

- Thanks.

- I see where she gets it.

- Laying it on thick, I see.

Is there any other way to do it?

Look, I'd rather continue

our lovely banter

under different circumstances.

Are there some digits I could use

to make that happen?

Are you asking

for my phone number?

Hi, I'm here for Rain.

Sure. Come in.

You know, he's cuter on TV.

- Hey, Maya.

- What?

I mean, he looks good, okay?

I'm just saying,

keep it in perspective.

You know how you get sometimes.

Oscar.

You ready?

Sure.

My uncle tells me you may sing again

with the choir next Sunday.

Oh, really? Well...

l'm thinking about it.

- Why?

- Why?

Yeah. What's your motivation?

- Do I need one?

- Yeah.

When you sing in the choir,

it's called praise.

Because you're praising the Lord.

That's why I do it.

So why are you doing it?

Does your sister give every man

the third degree?

- Weren't we just talking about you?

- Now we're talking about you.

Oh, goodness.

You were about to answer

items one through 12

on the first-date questionnaire.

I have a beautiful daughter

and her father and I

couldn't make it work.

- Is that why you left Chicago?

- One of the reasons.

I also didn't wanna raise Alexis

in the city.

Now your turn.

Motivation.

Motivation? Well, I could give you

about a half a dozen reasons

but none beats the idea

of doing a duet with you.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Charlene.

Charlene.

So

I guess that's it.

- I had a nice time.

- Me too. Me too. It was...

It was great.

- Good night.

- Yeah. Good night.

- Good night. All right.

- Good night.

See you later.

What? I gotta do something

while you playing David the saint.

- I didn't say nothing.

- I'm gonna do me, then.

- All right. Go ahead, baby.

- No fingerprints.

So let me get this straight.

You're dating this chick.

- Rain.

- Oh, she's a stripper?

- That's all you had to say.

- What? She's not a stripper.

- Her mama gave her that name.

- Oh, okay.

- Rain, that's French.

- It's French, huh?

So

you're not hitting it, because

she's saving it for marriage.

- Yeah.

- But she already has a kid.

So?

Ain't that like closing the barn door

after the horses already escaped?

Who hurt you, man?

I'm telling you, girl,

if you're gonna marry the man

tell him you wear a weave.

Otherwise he's gonna think his kids

are gonna be born with straight hair.

Hold on.

- Who is it?

- It's Oscar.

Hey. Let me call you back.

Okay.

- How's it going?

- What are you doing here?

You gonna let me come in,

or do I have to stay out in the rain?

- Daddy!

- Hey, Daddy's little princess.

- Look at you. How you doing?

- Good.

You have got to get over that

"bad boy being saved by the love of

a good woman and Jesus" syndrome.

It ain't healthy. Next thing you know,

you'll try to do an all-gospel album.

Could you just take your shot?

Look what I drew, Daddy.

It's a house.

- Wow, that's really good. Look at you.

- You couldn't call first?

Oscar.

I'm sorry, okay?

I figured if I called, you wouldn't let me

come by and see Alexis.

- I was in the neighborhood...

- In the neighborhood?

Your sister didn't tell you?

I got reassigned to Fort McPherson,

so I'll be in town for a while.

I'll come by and play with you

and see you

and love on you and kiss on you

whenever I get ready.

I hate to put a dent

in your hometown fantasy

but we're running out of time

in Fishman's favor bank.

He wants us back on tour

by the end of the week.

What?

Look, man, I'm sorry about what

happened to your pops, really.

We gotta get back in the saddle, D.

Look, I don't know.

You're a superstar.

A long way

from where we came from.

Struggling, working the late shift.

You know what I'm talking about?

Now it's four-star hotels, limos,

women on standby.

That's the American Idol dream, baby.

What's to know?

What about Cathy?

Cathy and I are no longer together.

- Sorry to hear that.

- Oh, no, don't be sorry. She...

Cathy wasn't my speed, you know.

It's all about the money, right?

I care about the money, yeah.

But I also care about you.

When you said you wanted more,

I got you more.

And don't tell me

you don't miss the road.

Ate good, slept late

fists full of dime brizzles.

You know

that gospel-album idea

doesn't sound bad.

Man, I was just playing about that.

All right. There you go.

- Keep playing, man.

- Man, stop crying.

Man, answer your phone.

Hello?

- Fred Taylor.

- 201.

Hey.

- I'm glad you came, son.

- Yeah, me too.

I told them not to

worry you and burden you.

I got so much

I wanted to say to you.

It's all right.

Back when I was a kid

my father never told me

he loved me.

I want you to know

that I never stopped

loving you, son.

I know, Dad. I know.

I love you too.

When your mother died

a lot of things changed

between me and you, David.

Son, when you're young

there are a lot of things

you don't understand.

- Yeah.

- And I was being pulled

in so many different directions.

Trying to build my church.

Trying to be a good husband.

And I tried to be a good father

to you, David.

I'm so proud of you, David.

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