The Substitute Page #2

shift or something?

That's all that's out there.

- At least it's a job.

- A job, Joey?

You ever look up

the word "mercenary"?

It's someone who works

merely for money.

Everybody works for money.

It's not the money that bothers me.

It's the "merely. "

- Hi, Miss Andrewson.

- Hi. Um, Janie?

- She went jogging at the beach.

- Thanks.

Watch out!

I know it hurts, baby.

Try not to move. Don't move.

How are you feeling?

I feel good.

That's the painkillers.

I talked to the cops.

They got an "all-points" out

on a six-foot-six Seminole.

Yeah? You'll find a zillion

of them in the Everglades.

- Where are my clothes?

- They hid them so you can't find them.

- Yeah, right.

- Lie down.

- I hate hospitals.

- It's just for a couple of days.

Come on. Your leg's busted.

You can't walk.

It is busted.

Lacas set me up.

- Is he the one who hassled you?

- It had to be him.

- I'll take care of him.

- You'll drop a grenade on him.

If he did it, he deserves it.

No, I don't want you

to get into it.

Janie, would you relax?

I'm not going to do anything

you don't want me to do.

- Okay.

- Just get in and stay here...

until it's better.

Then help me

if you want to help me.

Call Michael Jones.

He's in the book.

Tell him he's got to

substitute for me.

Then I want you to call Arlene.

I don't know where she is.

Tell her I won't be in for a while.

Okay?

Admissions!

She's in Admissions, I think.

I'm booked this week.

Can you get somebody

to fill in until next week?

Yeah, okay. Thanks anyway.

- I'll give you a call next week.

- Okay. Bye.

So I need a teaching certificate...

and put me on the computer...

at the school registry

by tomorrow morning.

Oh, Rem?

Give me some good academic

credentials. I mean good ones.

Yeah, whatever.

Name?

Something unusual.

Smith. James Smith.

- Morning, Jerome.

- Hey, man.

How are you doing, Rolanda?

Great.

Manuelo, you need a hain'cut, son.

Good morning.

Can I help you?

Maybe. I'm looking

for Miss Hetzko's room.

My name's Smith.

I'm her substitute.

- Claude Rolle. I'm the principal.

- Good to meet you.

You're not one of our

regular subs.

She wanted Michael Jones,

but he was booked so he called me.

Well, good. I'll point you

in the right din'ection.

- Thank you.

- Janie's ill?

- She got mugged.

- No.

That's terrible.

Hey, put that skateboard

in your locker.

- Is she okay?

- Apparently, but I don't know her.

Can't be too careful these days.

She's a fighter. She'll pull through.

Jimenez, you're late.

- Upstain's, fin'st class you see.

- Thank you.

Bring your paperwork to the office,

or you won't get paid.

Hey. Good luck.

Okay, let's move it.

Get to class. You're late.

Miss Hetzko's class?

Let's go.

- Who the f*** are you?

- I'm the substitute. Come on.

Okay, Romeo, that's enough.

Break it up.

Good morning, class.

My name is Mr. Smith.

I will be Miss Hetzko's substitute

for the next few days.

Is Miss Hetzko taking a break?

Is that what happened?

Mother, we ain't in church.

Okay.

Henry Alvin.

Henry Alvin.

Over here.

If you can't talk, Henry,

just raise your hand.

If so many of you can't talk,

it's going to be more quiet in here.

Henry Alvin.

Lisa Rodriguez.

B*tch.

- Michael Davis.

- You all seen Michael?

That's right. He's in the hall

rubbing your mom's booty, man.

- Frank Davis.

- Yo.

I'm Frank.

He's just messing with you.

- You two brothers?

- No. He wishes he was.

Get off that damn

government cheese.

Juan Lacas.

That was sharp, dude.

Sure was sharp.

What era of history

are you studying now?

The f***-you era.

And what have you covered so far?

The button of that

ferret ass you got.

- Who won World War II?

- Your mama, man.

And... here comes a tough one...

who discovered America?

Fat mama.

- What's your name?

- I'm Jerome, dog.

- What's your name?

- I'm Jerome, dog.

A 16-inch woofer from Opa-Locka.

Straight from the bottom.

- Go up there, kid.

- Yeah.

Opa-Locka, never drop-a

Tie them on my peoples

Keep it real 'cause it's lethal

Ain't nothing sweet, dude

Miami has us down

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That bouncer's dead, yeah.

That's real special, Jerome.

Are you responsible

for this coffee, Hannah?

Don't start with me, Darryl.

I know it's yours... it stays black

after you pour cream in it.

- You're subbing for Jane Hetzko?

- Right.

Darryl Sherman, English and Drama.

- Jim Smith. Good to meet you.

- You too.

Is it true they broke

her kneecap?

- That's what I heard.

- Sons of b*tches.

I get my hands on them,

I'll show them a thing or two.

Life is too short

to mess with the K.O.D.

I'm Hannah Dillon,

School Librarian.

- Jim Smith. Good to meet you.

- Stay away from the coffee.

You drink it.

I'm immune.

Excuse me.

What is the K.O.D.?

The "Kings of Destruction,"

the top gang in the school.

"Posse," please. You're so unip.

Could they have been responsible

for what happened to Miss Hetzko?

- It's possible.

- Possible?

Nothing happens around here

that isn't inspin'ed by the K.O.D.

Or "KOD," as I think of them.

Why would they have been after her?

Lacas threatened her.

She wanted him transferred.

- Juan Lacas?

- Yeah, he's the leader of the K.O.D.

He's a pain in the ass,

is what he is.

Why wasrt he just transferred?

Ask Rolle.

It was his decision.

Criticize Rolle all you want.

He was a cop and knows the law.

No evidence, no case. Period.

That's right, Darryl.

You keep the faith.

If Hannah had her way,

we'd go back to the days...

when you could bludgeon a kid

for looking at you cross-eyed.

I know. I went to school here.

Rolle was a cop?

Yeah, the gang unit.

He's an amazing man.

Excuse me, Mr. Rolle?

I'm looking for Juan Lacas's file.

The secretary said you had it.

The file is under review

at the moment, Mr...

- Smith.

- Smith. Right.

If it was Petarusky, I'd remember.

Come on.

Have a seat.

Speaking of unusual commitment...

how is it that a cop

becomes a high school principal?

You want the short version?

I was at the Liberty City riots

in 1980...

not the best time to be

a black cop in Miami.

You watch your own neighborhood

burn down...

people you grew up with

getting shot and busted.

You suddenly face a clear choice.

Devastation or education.

I chose the latter.

I went to night school,

got my certificate...

got my masters,

and now here I am.

And running for city council,

I hear.

If the voters are wise.

What's your background, Mr. Smith?

Standard liberal arts education.

I was a government bureaucratic worker.

Mostly in Health, Education

and Welfare department.

Then, uh, I guess, like you,

I wanted to teach.

You won those scars

in the halls of academe?

No. Nuns, eighth grade.

Well, you better get back to work.

I really can't issue those files

to a temporary employee.

- Sorry.

- No problem at all.

Thanks for your time.

Oh, I've got to ask.

Doesrt it make you nervous

wearing a watch like that around here?

This watch was a gift

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