The Longshots

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[# Otis Redding:

Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)]

[bell ringing]

All right, darlin',

I'm so glad to see you.

You can read that book when we get home.

Come on, girl.

[indistinct chatter]

Sure, we're on tough

times here in Minden.

Tough times! That's right!

We are in such tough times I can say:

You know, I remember that song

Things Aren't the Way They Used to Be.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, things

aren't the way they used to be,

and I got something to tell you. They

might never get back to where they were!

[song continues]

Ladies and gentlemen,

we don't need anything else but this.

[congregation murmurs]

Jesus gave us a brain.

He gave us a heart.

- [woman] Thank you, Lord!

- That's all you need.

So, if you concentrate

on what you don't have,

you forget about what

you do have. Hallelujah!

[congregation] Yeah!

- [indistinct chatter]

- [whistle blows]

[man] Diggity, let me get 'em, throw 'em

down there, gotta look them twos, baby!

Whoo! Here they come! Bam!

- [players grunting]

- [whistle blows]

Team not lookin' that good this year.

Do they, Curtis?

Heck, they ain't looked

good in the last 25 years.

Damn! I ain't need no lemon!

Look at it, look it.

One more cherry,

I'd have won this thing.

Are we playing a game

here or what, man?

I'm playin'! You hold it up,

pick 'em up. Thank you.

That mean a double. Double trouble.

In the bubble. Here we go.

Pow! Look out there, double four!

Hey, Curtis!

Hey.

Man, you took your break

late today, huh?

Mm-mmm. Worked through it

so I can get to practice.

You know, if you want to help,

I can put in a word with coach.

I'm busy. Got too much on my plate.

I wouldn't want to cut into all

that beer drinking and backgammon.

[chatter]

- Go long, let me see what you got.

- I don't have time, man. My first day.

Hey, why don't you come by this week

and get a real meal?

- Who's cookin'?

- Val.

- Take a rain check.

- That's wrong.

[coach] Do not hesitate!

[song continues]

[chatter]

- Hey.

- Hey.

Why are you always reading at lunch?

I mean, is this like the nerd table

or something?

J.K.

- You double Dutch?

- Yeah, sure.

Me and a few girls are meeting behind

the gym after school. You should come.

- Yeah, OK.

- OK. See you there.

[girls laughing]

[bell rings]

[car door opens]

- [car door closes]

- [engine starts]

- So how was school today?

- Fine.

[sighs]

Can you put that book down, please?

Sweetie, listen, I had to pick up

longer hours at the diner.

- I'm not gonna get home till late.

- So?

- I don't want you here alone.

- But I can take care of myself.

Honey, there are plenty of after-school

activities you could be doing.

- Like what?

- I don't know! Like drama.

Dance. Something.

Listen, I need for you to try.

Fine, I'll try.

[chatter]

Fashion?

About yesterday... I am really sorry.

I just got confused. I thought it

was yesterday, but we're going today.

So a bunch of us are hanging out

over there. You should come.

You comin'?

You crazy? I ain't tryin'

to think about that stuff.

- Yo, what's up?

- So, Jasmine,

we seem to have a little problem

with the girls' bathroom.

Uh, the toilets are clogged,

and since your name is Plummer and all,

we figured you'd

be the one to unclog them.

[all laughing]

Plumber girl,

hope there's no dookey in it.

- [bell rings]

- Ouch.

What a loser.

[water running]

[turns water off]

Everyone hates me.

They think I'm an idiot.

Can I just stay home, please?

Please, Ma? I can take care of myself.

- Claire, I ain't seen him. OK?

- [scoffs]

So if you lookin' for that

child support or whatever,

- he don't contact me no more either.

- This is not about your brother.

- It's about your niece, Jasmine.

- What's wrong with her?

Curtis, I need somebody

to hang out with her in the afternoon

- until I get my hours changed.

- I ain't no babysitter!

Come on, you've been out of work

for months.

I know you don't expect me to

walk around here with some little girl.

I don't even like kids

and you know that.

Well, find somebody else.

So, what, you just gonna

walk away from me, Curtis?

Huh?

When your mama didn't have no place

to go, remember who took care of her?

You playin' dirty pool, Claire.

Bring my mama in this,

that ain't even fair.

[sighs]

Curtis, listen, man, all I'm asking you

to do is to pick her up from school,

keep an eye on her.

Just until I get home.

It's just a few hours a day.

- I give you five dollars an hour?

- Five dollars?

Just pick her up

from the school at 3:00.

Curtis, I don't have nowhere else to go.

Hey, girl.

Hey!

Hey!

So you gonna talk to me or what?

What you readin', anyway?

What does it say?

- "Ma-geeky"?

- It's a book,

and it's not "Ma-geeky",

it's Magique.

It's about a boy who

becomes a magical warrior,

so, if you don't mind,

I'm trying to read.

Hey, don't be getting smart now.

I'm only doing this for your mama.

All right?

I don't take no lip

from no little girls neither.

- 'Cause I got better things to do.

- Then go do 'em.

Where you? Jasmine!

Hey! Hey, girl! Jasmine!

Ain't worth no damn five dollars!

Hey, Jasmine! Come here!

[snoring]

[keys jingle, door opens]

- [Claire] Hey!

- Hey.

- So how did it go?

- All right.

So where's Jas?

- I don't know.

- [door opens]

- Jas?

- Hey, Mom.

Hey! So, did you have fun

with your Uncle Curtis?

Tons. What's for dinner?

- You didn't eat yet?

- No.

You didn't feed her?

You told me to watch her. You

didn't say nothing about feeding her.

That's because I thought

you had common sense.

Get somebody with

some common sense, all right?

'Cause I ain't got enough to deal

with that little girl. OK?

Get somebody else 'cause, to be honest,

she too weird and moody for me.

Curtis, she's not weird. She's shy.

She's still waiting

on her no-good daddy to show up.

She's wearing his watch 24 hours a day.

It wouldn't hurt you if you would

just be a little encouraging to her.

I ain't got no encouragement. None!

Go get Dr. Phil

or the Dog Whisperer or somebody.

- Not Curtis Plummer.

- Can you finish out the week?

Can I at least get paid?

You owe me 25 dollars.

Can you at least

feed her the next time?

So, what you gonna want to eat? Hmm?

For dinner? What you like?

Grilled cheese sandwiches? Huh?

What, you still not talking to me?

Why do you want to talk to me?

I'm too weird and moody.

You know I didn't mean that.

All right, I don't think you're weird.

I said I'm sorry.

All right, fine, we ain't gotta talk.

Why you carry that stupid football

around all the time?

- I don't carry this all the time.

- Yeah, you do.

So?

So... you're a grown man

carrying around a football.

Don't you think that's weird?

Not really.

And you stink, too. Always wearing

those same old dirty clothes.

Don't you know how to do laundry?

You should be embarrassed.

I'm embarrassed to even be with you.

You know what? Five dollars a hour ain't

worth dealing with a attitude like that!

Then don't. It's not

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