The Substitute Page #4

Let's go.

So the war in Vietnam

was about turf.

The gangs in the north wanted

to take over the turf...

of the gangs in the south.

Look who made it.

You're late, Juan.

That'll be one demerit.

One demerit?

Do I write "I'm sorry" ten times

on the blackboard?

No, you're going to

write it 100 times.

Let's go.

Life is a chess game, Juan.

This is a crucial move.

I want you to think it over.

You're the one who should have

thought it through, motherf***er.

Believe me, I have, Juan.

I have.

Freddy Krueger, knock it off.

This is not a manicure shop.

- Get some real nails, girl.

- These are real, baby.

- F*** you all.

- Hey, really?

Jerome, you know what your name

means in Apache?

No. What does it mean?

Geronimo.

That word Apache in thein' language

means "the outcast," "the shunned ones. "

Like thein' emblem, like players

today... outlaws, bandits.

That translates easy enough into

the biker gangs of the '50s and '60s.

- My times.

- The Beaver days.

Yeah, I belonged to

a group called the Dragons.

What were the black bikers?

What were the brothers?

They were called the Chaplains.

- The Chaplains were black?

- What, they wore penny loafers?

They were the biggest, baddest

black group of the '50s.

Where I grew up, it was

the Dragons and the Enchanters.

The Enchanters were the girls.

How old were you?

I was 12 years old

when I became a Junior Dragon.

So Mr. Smith was a bad ass, huh?

So, Mr. Smith, what were some

of the other black gangs?

Gangs died out a little bit

in the late '60s...

but it came back in the '70s.

There was a gang

called the Black Spades.

So these Black Spades

were like homeboys?

All homeboys, 5,000 strong

all over the city of Miami.

Dang! F***ed up.

If there were 5,000, why are we

sitting in this classroom?

Okay. What's the future

of staying in a gang?

B*tches.

Money, whores and clothes.

Yeah, yeah.

Maybe a one-way ticket to the joint?

Got ya. I wanna get high.

- Straight up, smoking.

- I didn't mean that, Rodriguez.

I'm talking about the joint.

You know, Raeford Prison upstate?

That can't happen, Mr. Smith.

We're all juveniles.

Until you're 18, then they

throw your ass in a cell...

and you become a punk

or somebody's sweet boy.

- You're gonna get f***ed in jail.

- They've got to catch me fin'st.

What are we supposed to do,

work in some fast food joint...

making minimum wage or something?

Better than a gang funeral.

How many of those you been to?

Too many.

Too f***ing many.

Is that what you want

for yourselves...

what you want for your kids?

How many of you have kids?

You got a kid?

How many of you want them

to be in gangs?

Why not, if it's so great?

But it's different

when you talk about your kids.

Why?

You don't want to see your kids

get in trouble, get hurt or busted.

I don't want to see you kids

get hurt or get busted.

What are we supposed to do?

I'm not going to bullshit you.

I don't have all the answers.

But I'd like to see

all of you survive.

Mr. Smith.

I want to commend you

on the way you handled Lacas.

The best part is

you did it without violence.

I like that. I tell you what.

Come by my office after the faculty

meeting and we'll talk, okay?

Okay.

Put those out

and get to class.

Today after the faculty meeting.

- You're too slow!

- Bullshit, man.

Wait 'til he's off school grounds.

I don't want to kill him right off.

I want to cut him up fin'st.

To the left!

Look at him.

He's scared shitless.

Sh*t.

Marvin, we have a code ten

in the front hall.

Hannah, get down behind

the desk now. Get down!

You stay there 'til

I tell you to come out.

All right, that's good enough.

Freeze right there.

Put your weapons in the can't.

Let's go!

You, push it over.

Easy.

That's good.

Hannah, come out here, sweetheart.

Come on.

Look, I want you to roll this

into your office.

Are you listening to me?

Roll this in your office,

lock the door...

wait 15 minutes,

then call the police.

You got that? Go on.

Oh, I can't tell you boys

how much I've needed this.

When we're done, I want you

to say "I'm sorry" 100 times.

Shh. No talking in the library.

It's time you boys

started hitting the books.

Here's one... requin'ed reading.

"Catcher In The Rye. "

- My mistake. Did I say "catcher"?

- Move in!

Marvin.

Checkmate, motherf***er.

an accident.

Sh*t!

Um, sorry. My mistake.

He's toast.

Kill this b*tch and split.

I'm sorry about those windows.

Hey, f*** it.

You wanted to see me.

It's a little late.

Okay. There's always tomorrow.

- Who is it?

- Hey, hey!

Sherman? Oh, man!

Open the door. Come on.

Hurry up. Look... for you.

For me? Wow!

Oh, man, they're so beautiful.

I need them.

Thank you. Hi.

Thank you so much.

- Let me take those.

- Let me hold them... they're mine.

You just sit on the couch.

- You got that?

- I'm better. I'm so strong.

- How's your knee?

- It's great.

- I'm sorry I didn't come by sooner.

- That's okay.

Hey, you look like a cripple.

- What's that?

- What's what?

These are the hain'dos

that I wish I had.

Is that me?

Yeah, that's you.

I want my hain' to be like yours,

and they wouldn't do it.

Let's talk about school.

Everybody thinking about me?

Nope.

That substitute you hin'ed is amazing.

Where'd you find him?

- Shale found him.

- Shale?

Yeah, the guy I met

in Nicaragua.

Yeah? Is that picture

in Nicaragua?

Yeah.

- What were you doing in Nicaragua?

- I was teaching.

He was in the military. One of those

on-again, off-again relationships.

- What are you telling me?

- You tell me what happened.

I don't know,

but something's going on.

- He can't be no f***ing teacher.

- I'll worry about him.

Just do what you're supposed to,

and don't call me here again.

Wellman, it's Joey.

They're switching cars.

I'm at the fruit stand on Griffin Road.

Get over here as soon as possible.

- Where'd you get those?

- Darryl Sherman sent them.

- Is he a teacher?

- Mm-hmm.

What have we got here?

- I hope you're hungry.

- Mm-hmm.

Arroz, plantains,

habichuelas negras.

- This must be the flan.

- Where are you working?

And palomilla.

- Home security.

- Home security?

Those are two words I never

would have associated with you.

- Doing what?

- Planning people's security systems.

- I hope you're hungry.

- I am.

I'd love to have some rice.

Darryl told you?

May I explain?

Go ahead.

See, it's not just the K.O.D.

Rolle's in on this too.

Does that mean my classroom

is going to turn into...

your own private

little drug war?

No, I just want them out

of there, same as you do.

- Why should you care?

- I didn't at fin'st.

But you do now?

The other day I was talking

and happened to glance back.

- The wein'dest thing happened.

- What?

They were listening.

I don't know.

I guess I felt like, you know...

Like you were actually teaching.

Yeah.

Oh, I remember the feeling.

Hello.

Hi, Joey.

Fine. Yes, he's here.

Where are you?

I'll be there in ten minutes.

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