Burning an Illusion (1981) Movie Script
1
'I was 22,
not doing too bad.
'I had my own flat, a steady job.
But that wasn't enough.
'I wanted to settle down.
'Somehow, though, I never seemed
to meet anybody I could really feel for.
'You know what I mean?'
You too lie!
Hey, don't bother get' too fresh.
Wha' happen?
Me just free up meself, man.
Well, free yourself
upon your girlfriend, not on me.
See, I don't have a girlfriend.
That's why me a free up meself.
See it?
See it? See what?
I don't see anything.
- This one here happy.
- Yeah, man!
Little girls like you two
should be in bed now, you know.
Do you mind? I is a big woman,
with experience behind me.
Me know all about the birds and bees.
Now see it.
The proof of the pudding is the eating.
So, how about me and you
next Saturday?
Next Saturday?
Sorry, love, I'm otherwise engaged.
Stop lying, Pat!
She's only pulling your leg.
Why you not stop jester?
You don't see I wanna take you out?
- I like you, man.
- Mm, that's nice.
Don't give a star no pressure now.
After him just pay
so much attention to you.
You wan' free up yourself.
Wha' happen to dis woman, man?
Drink turn dem fools.
- You have any chocolate at you yard?
- Yes, amongst other things.
Mm! Me have a sample it.
Sorry, I don't drink chocolate.
Besides, I don't even know you!
I mean, you can't trust
any Tom, Dick or Harry.
Especially that tom dick!
- Which way now?
- Straight on and turn left.
Alright.
- 'All right.'
- 'We've got the reputation.'
'Let's look at another area
in which you seem to be different.'
You, what me tell you
about them dishes?
You gon' make them
stand there all night? Out.
Mum, I was coming in a minute.
I was waiting
for the programme to finish.
Out!
Angela!
'Now, how different are you...'
'...from, say, other groups
of English boys and girls of your age?"
Hello?
Who is this?
Who?
Del? Del who?
Yes, but what are you to my daughter?
A friend?
Listen, where you know her from?
I see.
Well, why you want her for?
Yes, she's here. Wait a minute.
Pat, it's one of your concubines them.
Sorry, Mum.
Hello?
'That your mother dat?
'Bwoy, talk about interrogation.
- ' Sure she does that all the time.'
- She does if she doesn't know you.
So how did you get my number, then?
'I saw your friend Sonia
earlier in the week.'
And she give me your number.
I thought you said you live by yourself?
'I do, I'm just visiting here, that's all.
Wait until I get hold of that Sonia.'
Wha' happen?
You don't want me to phone you?
'No, it's not that.'
But I hardly know you and I don't give
this number to anybody I meet.
'So, wha', I'm anybody?
- No, but you know what I mean.
- 'All right.
Here, how was your day at work?
Same as usual. Can't complain.
'So, are you coming out with me
tomorrow as we planned?
I didn't make any promises.
You goin' start that again?
You goin' come or you nah come?
Where?
Do you always eat with your spoon?
So, how long you been living
by yourself?
Three years now.
So, wha' happen?
The old man kick you out?
No.
Just wanted to be on me own.
Nice. Nice.
Did you want anything else?
- Wine, please.
- Yes.
Hm. All right.
It's not a bad place, this, is it?
Ask me that after I see the bill.
It's a nice wine you chose.
- It's nice.
- Yes.
- Sorry!
- It's all right.
Thank you.
So, tell me about your work.
Is typing what you wanted to do?
Oh, no. You must be joking.
I always wanted to be a beautician.
I've always liked
playing around with make-up.
You know, putting it on people.
- So wha' happen?
- Well, things didn't work out.
- What about you?
- Draughtsman was what I wanted to do.
But I couldn't get through
qualifications-wise, you know.
At the same time, the careers officer
show me an apprenticeship as a toolmaker,
and that was it.
So, how's your friend?
- Oh, you mean Sonia?
- Uh-huh.
She's all right.
She really likes your friend Chamberlain.
She can't stop talking about him.
Him like her too, you know.
Looks like the two of them
really hit it off.
Yeah.
Have some more wine, man.
Cos I don't really like it, you know.
My father, he was a chivalrous man.
Me a chivalrous man, just like me father.
That's how him capture my mother.
Cos you opened the taxi door for me
So you're chivalrous?
- So, which floor you live 'pon?
- 27th.
What? They put you up far, eh? 27th!
Wicked. Wicked, man.
The things him do to me.
My dad's an engineer, you know.
Yeah?
Nice.
When I was young, I used to play
Knock Down Ginger in these flats.
What's that?
Oh, I know what that is!
When you knock at the door
and you run away.
- Well, of course.
- You was a naughty little boy, Del.
- I was not.
- Yes, you were.
- Bwoy! So, you enjoy the evening?
- Mm, great.
I had a really nice time.
We gonna do it more often.
- I don't know.
- Yeah, man, we do it more often.
This is where I live.
So, are you going to invite me in?
Well...
Thanks for the nice evening, right?
It's a bit late, innit?
You mean, after I take you out
to the best Black restaurant in town,
all expenses paid,
bring you home in a black cab,
this is all I get?
Thanks for the nice evening.
It's just a bit late.
Well, you're different.
Alright.
Sleep tight.
Don't let the bed bugs bite, you hear?
Give us a ring.
Alright.
So, what do you do
for a living?
- I make tools.
- Tools?
What kind of tools?
Um, any kind of tools. Machine tools.
- For cars and things?
- Yeah.
Does your father do the same?
No, he's an inspector
for London Transport.
A man of ambitions. What about you?
Well, I hope to get promotion in my job.
I suppose
your pay will be doubled.
- Hopefully.
- Well, you'll need it.
- Your food's very nice, Mrs...
- Williams.
Thank you.
- I'll go and shop.
- I'm not coming.
Look, I'll wash up all the dishes.
- No, man.
- Come on.
All right, just one picture, right?
Just one.
No, don't.
Pat? What do you think?
Hm. Chamberlain would kill you.
- What do you think of this?
- That looks nice.
- Anyway, it's nice.
- Yeah, just cos you want to be different.
Harrods, man. Harrods.
You see me walk into Harrods?
Hey! Come here, now.
- Do you know him?
- No, I don't.
Hey, give me a chance, you know.
- Hey, we can make music, you know.
- Not wit' me, darling.
And is which instrument you play?
Hey, leave her there.
Mek we go away together now.
- Don't let him.
- Can give you anything you want.
Come on, Pat.
Me put on a bet this morning.
It just come in, you know.
- It's luxury me a deal with.
- Just see what's on the cheap stall.
Down Mayfair me a go, you know.
- How much is the Ultra Sheen?
- Me don't dress too right now, right?
But it's cos me a lax, you know.
Just get lost, right?
We're gonna meet our boyfriends.
Alright.
Sonia, you've bought enough,
haven't you?
Oh, this won't matter.
It's only a little shirt anyway.
It'll look lovely
with his green trousers.
Will you come in there with me, Pat?
Oh, please, Pat. Come on,
please come in there with me.
Come on.
Oh, no.
What's all this, then?
You moving in?
I've nowhere to stay.
Oh, no.
You and your father
have another argument?
Bwoy, de man so ignorant!
It's only through respect
for my mother,
else me and him woulda trade blows.
Want a drink?
Yeah, you have any orange?
So, wha' happen?
I was sitting in my room,
cool, you know,
relaxing and smoking my herb,
and the man come into the room.
Why you gonna do that for?
So wha' happen?
Me live in a prison.
Anyway, we start this big argument.
Him start say dis and dat.
So me say, "If we reach a stage
where I goin' fight him,
"I better step, man."
- Cos it don't make no sense.
- Was your mum there?
No, man, she was working.
Bwoy, I feel a way about it.
Cos I don't do the man nothin'
and him a bug me all the while.
Anyway, you know
how him stay already.
Do you want something to eat?
No, I eat already, man.
Good. Cos I haven't cooked
and I don't feel like cooking.
So, how you feel?
If you don't wanna keep me
till I find a place,
- just say so.
- You know I didn't mean that.
Where else you going?
We're supposed to love
each other, aren't we?
As long as you know when bills come in,
it's two of us live here, not one.
Pat, don't bother with them skank,
you hear me?
- You know better than that.
- Relax, relax.
Del, you're so moody sometimes.
Del?
Wanna try this on?
- You want it?
- What do you think?
'A year later, we were still
making a life together.
"We had a lot of good times.
'But still, there were some ways
about him [ just couldn't change.'
Del!
Del, wake up!
It's seven o'clock. Get up!
I'm not waking you up again, you know.
'The Mike Smith Breakfast Show
with you on Capital..."
Why you never wake me up, man?
I did.
You've got to wake me up
earlier than that.
I woke you up at seven o'clock.
What the time now?
Clock next to you.
How are you? All right?
Yeah? No problems?
Hello.
On, hi.
So, you eating something?
Enjoying a mango I bought this morning.
You want some?
What's wrong with you?
Just this foreman at work upset me,
you know.
Every minute the man watch me
like me is pappyshow.
The new one
you were telling me about?
I can see the man don't check
a Black man.
Every minute the man inspect
how I work to find fault.
He don't look 'pon de white bwoy dem.
Look, just ignore him, Del.
Don't let him get to you.
Ignore him?
Next time de man do that,
I goin' cuss out him blow ho'.
Look, Del, forget it.
Don't let him get to you.
Look, I goin', man.
- What, already?
- I don't feel like talking.
Alright.
You meeting me this evening?
Yeah, I goin' see you later.
Right, bye.
He knows I'm here
and he still does it.
If me was she,
I wouldn't sit and watch him.
I'd go over there and clout him
because that is slackness.
I mean, if he has to do it,
he can at least do it behind my back.
Sonia, why put up with it at all?
- Yeah, but what can I do?
- What do you mean?
Him is the only man 'bout the place?
Yeah, but...
Honestly, Sonia, there's no point.
The amount of times I see you go out
of your way to give him money,
buy him this, buy him that,
and in the end what do you get?
It's true, cos I'm really fed up
of everything.
You always say that.
You never do anything about it.
Dat's why me no bother to talk to her
because she no listen.
From the first time you tell me
say him mess wit' one of your friends,
and when you ask him about it,
him wanna lick you?
You should have left him.
You have to take some of the blame.
Him couldn't gwan with dem slackness
if you never did mek him.
Look, Sonia, you can't afford
to have any man mess you about
when you're trying to get
what you want out of life.
All that kind of rubbish
just holds you back.
Yeah, I should leave him.
The only time I see him
is when he wants something.
I'm the one that gets all the worries
and depression, not him.
Right. What are you going to do?
All right, then, Pat?
Cynthia, I see you looking
as happy as ever.
Sonia, come now.
I wan' talk to you.
You want nothing to do with him.
Come here, I wan' talk to you!
Don't walk away from me now, man.
All right, go on. Go on.
I don't wanna see you.
Bwoy, them have some nice gal
in America, you know.
Turn off the lights now.
Cos you know say
it's time for milk and honey.
Oh, Del, I don't feel like it.
Stop being silly. No.
Stop messing about, Pat, man.
I'm not messing about.
I just don't feel like it, and that's it.
So, wha' happen?
I told you.
On, cha.
- Del...
- Don't talk to me, man.
- There's something I want to discuss.
- I don't want to discuss with you.
I do my discussing already
and you don't want to know.
Come on, let's talk.
Yeah. Come mek we talk dem now.
When are we going to settle down, Del?
Wha' you mean, settle down?
We not settled down?
Yeah, but I mean properly.
Wha' you mean, properly?
You know what I mean.
The answer is no.
I'm not ready for it yet, man.
Why not?
Everything is cool as it is.
Wha' you wanna change things for?
You didn't hear what the man them say?
You shouldn't change a winning game.
It's not a game, Del.
All my friends think we should.
And if you think a lot of me,
you should want to.
It's not that,
but everything is cool, man.
We can't go on like this forever.
All right, Pat, but in good time.
When?
Let me sleep, man.
You carry on this thinking without me.
Well, let's break, then.
Gwan, take your clothes and leave.
There's no point being with you
if you don't take our future seriously.
I said I'll think about it.
No! We've been together for long enough.
You shouldn't have to think about it.
- All right...
- Either you do or you don't.
We talk about it
in five or six months' time.
You really mean that, Del?
I said so, didn't I?
Del?
Del!
- You all right?
- Yeah, man, me all right.
I'm just resting up the body, you know.
So, when did you get home, then?
I see you, or somebody, cook.
It's not a woman cook it, it's me cook it.
I thought I'd surprise you, that's all.
So, why you leave work early, then,
if you're not sick?
Cos the man them sack me,
that's why.
- I told you, didn't I?
- Told me what?
You don't even know wha' happen
and you a run up your mouth.
All right, I'm sorry. What happened?
Just rest me, Pat. Cha.
I've said I'm sorry.
Just tell me what happened.
Was it something to do
with you going in late?
Something like that.
What did the foreman say to you?
It was the way him say it
like him own the place
and him a do me a favour.
I knew from the time the man come there,
something was goin' happen.
The way him a watch me,
watch me like him a dog.
So me just tell the man to dig up.
Cos me no deal with man like that.
And me just walk out, man.
Bwoy, when I think of how long
I've been working there. From school!
This man only been
working there a month
and come talk to me like me a bwoy!
All them years don't count for nothing.
Them use you, abuse you,
and then forget about you.
- I should thump him down.
- What good would that do?
Only bring more trouble.
Anyway, it's your own fault.
- So you goin' start 'pon me too?
- No, but it's your own fault.
I wonder about you, you know.
Wha' you mean, it's my fault?
It's my fault the man come talk to me
and insult me,
and come talk to me like me a bwoy?
- I'm supposed to just take it?
- That's it, twist everything I say.
- I know a few times I come in late...
- A few times?
- See what I mean?
- I told you this was gonna happen.
Rest the matter.
You can't understand nothing.
"I've been working there too long.
They can't sack me."
- Shut up, right?
- That's it.
- Take it out on me.
- Just leave me alone, then.
Trust you to do
something stupid like that.
So, tell me,
where you goin' get another job
when so much people can't find work?
Pat, just rest me.
That's all we need, innit?
We're supposed to be going
on holiday next year.
- I'll go and get another job.
- Yeah, as easy as that?
We're supposed to be getting
a new carpet and colour TV.
How are we going to do that?
We just can't, that's all.
It's not the end of the world.
- Anyway, it's only material things.
- Yeah, but I just like material things.
Anyway, you can't talk.
You spend your money on stupid records,
and look how you treat them!
So, Pat, you a gwan so stupid
because me lose my job?
All this because I lose my job?
You want me to lose my dignity
as a Black man too? Fe wha'?
Look, don't bother talk to me
for the rest of the night.
So you can't go
and buy expensive carpet,
your brand-new this
and your brand-new that, eh?
Well, my dignity come first.
Here!
Here, Pat.
Pat!
- Here, wha' happen to you?
- Nothing.
Wha' you mean, nothing?
I'm just tired from work,
which is more than I can say for you.
Look, I did go to the job agency
this morning and they had nothing.
That's what you tell me.
Anyway, it's your life.
If you want to be a layabout...
I tell you already,
I went there, they had nothing.
Look, wha' more you want me to do?
I don't know what you're panicking for.
Relax yourself, everything goin' work out.
That's what you say, but it's me
who have to carry the responsibilities.
Look, I tell ya, wha' more
you want me fe do? I'm trying.
- Yeah, I can see how hard you're trying.
- Cha, you so stupid.
You see things one way and then
you close your mind to everything else.
That's right.
Cha.
- Bwoy! You all go run to Chambers.
- Run?
I look like an athlete to you?
See you a pound, nuh.
You gwan like you a bad man.
- What have we got?
- Chamberlain.
I'm goin' have to see you now.
I'll see you two pound, yeah?
And you a gwan
like you have big hand.
I goin' make you cry.
You wanna see something pretty?
- You want to see it?
- Gwan now.
- See it deh!
- Cha!
Here, you want something to drink?
Orange?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hey, Pat, go and fix some orange
for the bwoy dem nuh.
Deal out the card now.
If it was her friends,
it would be a different story.
Bwoy, the orange done,
you know.
We only buy orange yesterday.
We? We buy anything?
Wha' up wit' you?
We only have water.
That's all right, man. Bring it, come.
All right, now.
I'm gonna show you a pretty shot.
You wanna see it?
All right, watch this shot.
- You see it deh?
- You call that pretty?
Go on, then, take a shot. Come on.
Cha! Wha' kind of shot is that?
Don't mess with me life, bwoy.
Don't mess with me.
There's Chamberlain over there.
Get over there.
Chambers!
Watch this shot, Del.
Watch this shot.
Me goin' jump the ball into there,
into there off the cushion.
- You wan' see it?
- Yeah, man. Let the youth do it.
Yeah, do it, youth,
but do it good, all right?
Watch de youth do the shot now.
Cha, let's give this man a game.
- Who, him?
- Yeah, mek we go outside, man.
- Come now.
- All right, come on.
Cha!
All right, see you later.
So you finally come?
I don't mind you going out,
but you could at least tell me
when you're coming in late.
- Wha' you do that for?
- Where you been?
I been out with my brethren them.
Why didn't you tell me? I was worried.
I thought something had happened.
So wha' happen, man?
So you is me mother?
All that questioning me,
where have I been, what have I done.
Look, just rest me, man,
cos I wan' sleep.
Cha.
I see.
I just feel I'm being used.
I know how you feel.
I went through the same thing with Tony,
but then me just have to tell him
how me feel.
Look, I've tried to talk to him, right?
But he just dismiss everything I say.
- Cynthia, he thinks I'm too possessive.
- They always say that, Pat.
But if you don't show them say you care,
them no like it.
No, me sure as if it was you going out
and coming in late,
Del would not like that.
Look, I've told him that,
but he just doesn't take any notice.
Well, it's up to you.
You'll have to give him a taste
of his own medicine.
Maybe talk to him again,
see how it go.
But if things don't change, Pat,
you have to put your foot down.
Otherwise, done with him.
That's what me think, anyway.
Going out?
Wha' it look like?
- You no want no food?
- I'll deal with it when I come in later.
You see Sonia and Chamberlain lately?
Yeah, man. Them cool.
- You goin'...
- Weatherman say it gonna rain today.
I wonder where my hat deh?
- What?
- Del, we got to sit down and talk.
Talk about what?
- You don't care about me anymore.
- Wha' you mean?
You don't live here anymore.
- I'm here all the time.
- You only eat and sleep here.
Wha' happen, Pat?
Is next argument you want to start?
Wha' happen to you, woman?
Man wants to be free.
Every time I go out with me spar dem,
you complain me no have no time for you.
You're selfish.
Not a man you want, it's a slave
to run round your batty like a fool.
Right now I is a man and I wanna be free.
I don't want no rope tied round my neck.
I'm not trying to tie you down.
I'm just trying to make you
stay here sometime, that's all.
See the problem wit' you?
You too possessive, man.
Wha' de woman a do
"pon my side of the bed?
Cha. She can't find
somewhere else to sleep?
Bwoy, me hungry.
Hey, wake up, Pat. Wake up, man.
Why you dash 'way me dinner?
- Leave me alone.
- Wha' do you mean?
- Why you dash 'way me food?
- Del, stop all this noise.
- Other people trying to sleep.
- I don't give a fart.
I talk as loud as I want in my house.
Your house? You live here?
- Look, man, me starving!
- Leave me alone.
I have to go to work tomorrow,
unlike some people.
All I want to know is
why you dash 'way me food?
Look, it is my food.
I buy it with my money.
- I cook it and I do what I like with it!
- You do what?
- Del, if you want food, go and work.
- Just shut your mouth.
You come into my flat, you leave your job
and you talk to me about dignity.
- How much dignity you have now?
- Just shut up!
Trust me to have a woman like you.
Why you can't be like Sonia,
like Sonia and Chamberlain?
You don't see all them cool?
But you have to get cheeky
and give me problems.
So, tell me now.
You dash 'way the beefburgers,
them too?
Next time you do a thing like that,
just see what's goin' happen to you.
One thing is for sure.
If he thinks he's gonna push me around,
he's not going to get away with it.
You right.
Once a man start put him hand "pon you,
him no have no stop for stop.
Just look at Sonia and Chamberlain.
Any excuse,
him getting ready for lick her.
You know what he said to me
last night?
Why couldn't I be like Sonia?
She don't give Chamberlain no problems.
Del said that?
- You're joking?
- I couldn't believe it.
Just goes to show
these nowadays man.
Sometimes you wonder
if it's worth bothering with them at all.
Gwan, Natty.
Cards Nat West reject
mek Nat West de best.
And right now, I feel
a little emptiness in me chest.
See it deh.
Me a follow you all the way, man.
You still there with me?
You're goin' run me out of this game.
I'll see you a fifty!
Hey, cha, Chamberlain,
I'm goin' to see a fifty!
Wha' happen, Pat?
And another 50p!
Wha' happen, Pat?
Out. Get out.
Me have to raise you
up to a pound.
See you a pound, yeah?
- Aeee...
- Del?
I think you best find somewhere else
to live cos I can't take no more of dis.
And these people,
where them come from?
Don't they live anywhere?
I want all of them out.
- Just relax yourself, Pat.
- Don't tell me to relax.
You hear what I said?
Find somewhere to live.
Take your layabout friends.
I want everybody out.
- Wha' happen to her?
- What's wrong with you?
- You gone crazy or what?
- I don't want to hear. Just get out!
Cha, look,
I done with this game here.
Scotty, collect your money.
- Come nuh.
- Look, I sorry about this here, guys.
Come, Scotty. Let's go.
- Sorry about this.
- Sorry?
Talk to the chick.
Put her under control, man.
Is manners she want.
- Don't let her talk to you like that.
- All right.
- Take it easy, yeah?
- Ah, Del, we gwan, yeah?
Cool that chick of yours, bwoy.
Pat, don't ever do that again
in front of my friends, you hear?
If you didn't bring them here,
I wouldn't have to.
Del, go and make your precious friends
look after you. I've had enough.
Just shut your mouth, man.
Just let me rest in peace now.
Just done the subject.
Look, this is my flat.
I want you to take your things
and get out.
Del...
- This is it. We're finished.
- Look, just rest your noise, man.
Me live here now.
Wha' happen to you?
Just shut your mouth
before I thump you down.
I mean what I say.
Wha' you think you're doing, eh?
- You little bitch, you!
- Oh, no!
Get out.
So you pull a knife 'pon me now?
I don't want to stay
in a this place anyway.
It's only through problems with my father
you find me in this dump.
Me a tell you. Hm.
You see woman like you?
All you good for is trouble!
All you was to me
was just a convenience, that's all.
Where's me grey trousers?
And me shoes?
See, woman like you,
me know all about you now.
If I had money,
it would be a different story.
But you, me down and out,
you wan' get cheeky with me.
Look.
Here's your stinking key, then.
I'm coming back tomorrow
for the rest of my things,
my records, my stereo, and my clothes,
So you better have everything ready for me
and open the door.
I'll have them packed
and waiting for you.
'It seemed really strange being alone
after being with somebody for so long.
'But after the things Del put me through,
I was determined to break out of it
'and start life afresh.'
- Pat, can I borrow a bit of perfume?
- Yeah, go on, cha.
It's goin' be like the old times tonight.
Remember we used to be
the last one to dress all the time. God!
- Where's Cynthia?
- She's downstairs waiting in the car.
- Come on. Aren't you ready yet?
- All right, all right.
That looks nice.
- You think so?
- Yeah, it's all right.
- What about my hair?
- Wha' you all dressed up for?
Come on, man.
Hang on.
Powder... Oh, better take the lot
in case I sweat.
- Come on, Pat!
- Hang on, Sonia. Don't rush me.
Right.
- How's Tony?
- He's all right, you know.
Still the same, bit dull.
Oh, come on, Cynthia.
Always moaning at him.
I'm all right, man, but, cha,
sometime I want some excitement.
Careful.
You'll have enough excitement.
You have a baby coming.
You have a nice house.
- Need some furniture, though.
- Oh, yes. Tell me!
What more do you want?
So, what you been doing
otherwise, Pat?
Oh, nothing, really.
'Cynthia was lucky.
'She had everything I wanted.
'My life seemed empty.
'All I was doing was changing at my flat,
buying clothes and seeing friends.'
I have troubles as well...
'As usual, Cynthia had something
to say about my life.
'She said I should get involved
with something.
'You know,
come to her political meetings.'
See you, all right?
I'm going now.
'But I wanted other things out of life.'
Hello. Who is it?
Oh, Del, hello. How are you?
I'm fine, thank you.
Yes.
No, that was last week.
Yeah, that's right.
Del!
No, I'm sorry. She left this firm
about three weeks ago.
Yeah, that's right.
OK. I will.
Yeah. Bye.
- Thanks, Chris.
- What was all that about?
- Nothing.
- You can tell me, you know.
OK.
Hey. Wha' happen?
It's a long time, innit?
Here, come on.
I just wan' talk to you for a minute.
Here, Pat,
I just wan' talk to you for a minute, OK?
- Why are you following me?
- Me wan' reason with you, that's all.
I've thought about it a lot
and I realise that most of it was my fault.
It's true, I did take you for granted.
But I'm wiser now,
and I feel say it can work out this time.
I know I shouldn't have involved myself
with my friends them all the time.
And you're more important than friends.
I didn't check out what was happening.
I just figured you was just
jealous and possessive.
First, when I lose my job,
at first it hurt me.
And after a while I was glad,
cos I could do anything,
do what I want when I want.
I was free.
Yeah, but you weren't working.
That started most of our problems.
Are you working now?
Well, to tell you the truth,
on and off.
Look, I don't wan' make
no excuses, right,
but it's kind of hard to find work
as a toolmaker nowadays.
I'm doing some temporary agency work.
It's kinda hard
to stick them slavery job down.
I'll hold it till I get a decent job.
- Where are you staying?
- I'm staying at my parents' house.
I've been looking for a flat,
but it's hard to find a flat.
- If you think finding work is hard...
- Yeah.
It's torture with the old man.
I only eat and sleep there.
Would you like anything to drink?
Could I have some wine, please?
Wine?
- Just pineapple juice.
- OK.
So, Pat, wha' you say
about me and you?
Del, I don't know.
I'll have to think about it.
What would you have done
if I said I wasn't interested?
- Probably try again, innit.
- If I still said no?
Yeah, give up, man.
Yeah, you laugh, and then what?
Wha' you think?
Find myself another woman.
I saw you with one after we broke up.
What woman?
Don't play innocent with me, Del.
Look, I never touched any woman
from the time I started
going out with you until now.
- That's not what I hear.
- Wha' you hear?
Like you don't know
what I'm talking about. Look, Del.
If you goin' start lying to me now,
let me finish.
Who you talking about?
I'm talking about a certain heavy-duty girl
I remember you telling me you didn't like.
- Who?
- Marcia.
Hold on, hold on. Hold this.
Me and her never had nothing, man.
She too lie.
I know everything
you're up to, you know.
Including this one, Margaret.
God, Margaret, yeah,
but that was only a little thing.
A snack between meals kind of thing.
You are me main course.
Bitch, you take that.
What you do that for, man?
Next time, it'll be hot water,
if you don't behave yourself, Delroy.
Gwan! Me show you already
there's nothing to worry about.
I'm just trying to let you know
things are going to be different now.
- Oh, you know it?
- Yeah.
Bwoy! I give myself ten out of ten.
For star appeal.
- And ten out of ten fe style.
- Style!
And ten out of ten fe murderous.
Wha' you think?
Take your shirt collar out.
It don't look nice.
No, man. You too old-fashioned.
I'm stylin' done that already.
Hurry up. Chamberlain soon come.
I've got to make myself look nice, Del.
You've been at it for an hour now.
You nah goin' look no better.
- Thank you very much.
- No charge.
A dem dat, you know.
Here, Pat. One minute, you know.
One minute. Hurry up, man.
You know how Chamberlain stay already.
Come on.
I'm not all dressing for Chamberlain.
- Hey! Hello.
- What's happening?
How you doing?
- It's been ages.
- I know. I'll see you in a minute.
- Both changed.
- Of course. We're grown up now.
- I'm a big woman now.
- Got kids?
You're joking! What about you?
You have any pickney?
- Not yet.
- What do you mean, not yet?
I'm sure you have a couple round town.
I'll see you later, all right?
Take care.
- Me myself?
- Yeah, what about yourself?
Are you married?
- Hello. Look at all this, then.
- Hello, baby.
- Getting rich.
- Oh, Jesus!
- Give me a break, please.
- Come here.
Come here.
Come here!
Sonia!
Thank you very much.
Five minutes I leave you.
Five minutes.
What you mean, five minutes?
You were talking to that girl for an hour
and you tell me five minutes?
- Who was that guy you was talking to?
- He's a friend.
- Where you know him from?
- I know him from school.
Me don't like you talking to nobody.
Look, I talk to who I like when I like.
If you don't like it,
you know what you can do about it.
I'm going back upstairs
cos I was having a good time.
- Me not finished with you.
- Let me go!
Come nuh!
- Don't talk to me like that.
- You call yourself Mr Super cool?
- All right, you're going home!
- Going home where?
- You're going home!
- Chambers, what's wrong with you?
Chambers, stop I!
Chambers, stop it, man!
Hey, Chambers, stop it now!
What's wrong with you?
What's wrong with you?
- Hey, man.
- Rest yourself!
- Come, now, Chamberlain.
- OK. I'm done.
- Hey, stop it. Chamberlain, stop it, man!
- Easy. Easy, man.
- Easy, easy.
- Alright. I'm done I tell you.
Deal with that woman.
- You can't do them things outside a club.
- Simmer down, Chamberlain, man.
- Del, hold him, man.
- Easy, man. Easy.
Stop it now!
Just leave me. All right?
Just stay out of it, right.
- You turn bad man?
- Just stay out of my way.
- This is my business.
- So you pull out knife on a friend?
Come now.
- Stop it now. This is stupidness.
- Me ready.
Rest yourself, right?
Move out of my way.
If you feel see a bad man,
come through me.
Move out the way. It's my fight.
Look, man, the bull are coming.
Stop it, man.
Where do you think you're going?
You come here.
Let go of me, man.
Just leave him.
- Don't be silly. Take it easy.
- Don't come near me, man.
Del!
Yes?
I was told that
Delroy Bennett was here.
Oh, yes, he's here, all right.
And his mate Scott.
What's it got to do with you?
- I-I'm just a friend.
- What sort of friend?
- I'm his girlfriend.
- Girlfriend, eh?
Well, your boyfriend's in bad trouble.
Scott's already been charged,
but Bennett's got to wait.
- Can I see him?
- Not until we get a medical report
on that police officer
your boyfriend tried to carve up.
- Shall I stay?
- Suit yourself.
Can't you tell me
what's happening?
Look, Miss, we don't even know
what's happening ourselves.
It might even be Monday
before we know
how bad that lad of yours
is in trouble.
So why don't you just go home?
Or you can wait here. Suit yourself.
Hey, sweetheart.
Want to come to a party, sweetheart?
Talking to you, love. Here!
Here, love!
So, what happened after that?
I went to the police station.
When I got there,
they said he was in there with Scotty.
How long they goin' keep him there?
Did Babylon say if they charge him yet?
They said they haven't charged him yet.
But it would be serious,
cos one of the police is in hospital.
More than serious.
Wha' happen to the other Breda?
They said he was charged with assault.
All right. I'll go and get a lawyer to go
down to the police station with me.
Del name Bennett, innit? And Scotty?
Newham Scott.
- Alright. I will see you later, yeah?
- All right.
I just don't understand what's happening.
You will in time.
Long time I don't see you.
You nah talk to me?
Hey, I just cut a tune, you know.
I just come back from studio.
Wha' happen?
Wha' happen? You nah talk?
Hey, me nah bite you.
Let me hum this tune for you.
It go: La-la la, la-la la, la la.
Leave me alone.
All right. All right.
By the time you hear this tune,
you goin' wan' know me.
Been waiting a long time?
'Del got four years.
'I couldn't believe it.
'My whole life was falling down
round me.
'I was really grateful to Cynthia,
'cos without her I don't know
what I would have done.
'Going to prison was
another bad experience.
'Imagine me going to a prison.
'If my father had found out,
he would have disowned me.
' Just wanted to hide away.'
Hi.
The barrister think
you'll only get two years.
For what?
So they can take away my freedom
cos I defended myself?
What was I supposed to do?
Just let them beat me?
Am I a dog?
Nah, man. Them day is done.
And hear the judge
'bout de policeman get scarred for life.
Look "pon this.
That's wha' them do to me.
And it's me who get four years.
- All right, Del.
- All right, wha'?
And them Babylon beasts
is worse still for them!
Stop it. Don't go over this again,
cos I'm leaving.
Why don't you just go?
Cynthia say hello.
She wants to see you next time
so write your name with the visitors...
- Del, are you listening?
- I hear you, man.
So why you never answer
the letter I write you?
I only got it two days ago.
And I was coming to see you.
I'll probably write to you
tonight or tomorrow.
Del... can't you write
about nothing else?
It's the truth, man!
Wha' you want me to write about?
How lovely this place is?
Don't be silly.
Right now is only one thing
"pon my mind.
And it's vengeance!
It's vengeance I want,
it's vengeance I goin' get.
And if you don't like it, just step,
just gwan about your business.
It's not worth going all over this again.
Is it all right to smoke?
Since when you start smoking?
Cynthia and Tony are waiting outside.
Cynthia's a good friend, you know.
I know.
So, you finally turn up.
Where you been all this time?
Pat, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Sorry about what?
About the incident, about the court,
not turning up.
Pat, I can't tell you how bad I feel,
cos I know it's all my fault.
It's not your fault.
It is, it is! And I know it is.
And I'm sorry.
Oh, come on, Sonia.
It's not your fault.
Besides, everything happened already.
There's nothing you can do about it.
How can you blame yourself
for what happened that night?
It's not you, it's Chamberlain.
Pat, I know
you must really hate me now.
I'm sorry.
Come on, Sonia.
Pull yourself together.
You'll only start me thinking
about things I'm trying to forget.
When was the last time
you saw Chamberlain, then?
I haven't seen him for a while.
I don't know where he is,
and I don't care.
Got myself a new boyfriend now.
How long you been
with this bwoy?
Three weeks.
He's nothing like Chamberlain.
He's really nice.
He buys me this
and he buys me that.
- Treats me like a real lady.
- Yes, they always do in the beginning.
Gwan like dem can't mash ants.
You do remember Mr Chamberlain, innit,
how him did so sweet?
I remember,
but people learn from their mistakes.
Let's hope you do.
But I'm sure Tyrone's genuine.
Pat, I was just telling Cynthia
about Tyrone, how nice he is.
He's a bit like Del.
Have you decided what you're gonna do,
if you're gonna stick with him?
Cos four years is a long time.
I don't know if I could wait that long.
Something the matter?
Being in there
with all that bad company...
Will you shut your mouth?
You be careful before
you have the baby 'pon the stairs.
So, wha' you been doing with yourself?
Nothing much.
You?
Getting into rules and regulations
and slave existence.
Imagine that. We're supposed
to have come a long way.
Cynthia and Sonia say hello.
Give them mine.
There's a whole heap of Black man
in here, you know.
All man me hear gone America
is here me find them, you know.
That bwoy that used to pester you,
I sight him in here
and he look well gone.
What's wrong with you?
You have something to tell me?
Yeah.
I'm listening.
Well, I've been thinking...
Four years is a long time.
It was two years, now it's four?
Del, listen.
I know I've got to think about you.
So why you a say now?
You want done everything?
- I dunno.
- Well, gwan now, done it.
Go and live your life,
cos all I hear from you is
your friends say this
and your friends say that.
Yeah, you been
through some tribulations,
but you a gwan like is my fault.
Is my fault me locked up
in a this dump?
You know what it's like
to be locked up?
Every morning when I wake up is walls.
And next man a share with you,
day in day out.
You can't even sit down and think.
Call man and scream,
"Nigga, nigga, for a fight!"
Yeah, them's the tribulations
me have to face,
and is now you a turn you back on me?
'What was I to do?
'I knew only I could decide.
'Being at the Carnival, I hoped
I could forget everything for the day.'
'But I couldn't get Del
out of my mind.
'I kept thinking of him locked away.
I realised how much [ felt for him.'
I just want to know
if there's going to be any kind of...
...you know, future for me, us.
So wha' you think?
You think after you wait and wait,
I just goin' come out
and dig up and leave you?
You should know me
better than that, man.
It's not like
we just met each other, is it?
You should know within yourself.
Alright.
I'll wait.
Besides, I's good news.
My appeal should come up soon,
and the judge might reduce my sentence.
'Del asked me to send him
a few books to read.
'At first, it was just a few,
but then he wanted more and more.
'It surprised me,
cos he didn't read much before.
'What was funny was his interest
in books was rubbing off on me.'
- Scotty!
- You all right?
- Yeah.
- A long time I don't see you.
Long time I don't see you.
- So, how's Del and things?
- He's all right.
Why you no come and see him?
You never even write.
The first chance I get,
I'll come and see him, I promise.
- You promise? Yeah.
- You must tell him that.
I just work down the corner.
- What, down there?
- Yeah.
- You're just by me.
- From last week.
- You got a new job?
- You work down there too?
We should meet.
Where's Chamberlain? See him?
- Chamberlain got stabbed up by a gal.
- What?
- A gal stab him up.
- Serve him right. Serve him right.
'Hearing that made my day cos Chamberlain
had that coming to him a long time.
'More good news.
Cynthia's had a little girl.
'She's calling her Ife.
It's Yoruba for love...
'You know the book
I've been reading?
'It's opened my eyes to some of the things
about Black people's conditions.
'I didn't think about before.
"We're not alone, Del.
'I'm going now.
'Take care and love.
Enclose a 5 postal order.'
- Hello.
- Hello.
How are you?
- Welcome.
- Cynthia, congratulations.
Oh, isn't she sweet?
- How much she weigh?
- Six pounds.
Hm-hm. Big woman already.
- I can see she have your mouth.
- Oh, no.
Everyone says that,
but me no think that. Shut up.
Oh, yes, I think so.
I feel sorry for the poor little girl.
- What a handicap.
- Thanks a lot!
- Just find the door. Cha!
- No, no, she's really cute.
Oh, I've got something for you.
Some flowers.
Thanks a lot. They're lovely.
And some fruits.
By the way, this is Lorna.
Lorna, that's Pat.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Don't I know your face
from somewhere before?
I don't think so.
- I can't remember you.
- Probably not.
It's just me. Every time I see someone,
I think I know them.
I do the same thing.
Lorna's the same as you.
Her boyfriend in prison.
Two years now.
- How long's he in for?
- He's got two more years to serve.
They gave him five years.
And yours?
Wait, now. Wait, wait.
Me introduced the two of you
and now nobody don't want to talk to me.
Yes, Pat.
- Where were we?
- Sorry.
Prison can be a lonely place,
especially when you don't have anyone
to communicate with outside.
So, how did you take it
when Chucky went to prison?
I kind of half expected it in a way,
cos Chucky wanted to do things in life.
When he couldn't find what he wanted,
and when I had the baby,
it put more pressure on him.
- How did your family take it?
- My family?
Cos my mum...
well, she didn't mind too much,
but my dad, he was something else.
With me, it was the other way around.
My father still sticks by me.
But my mother...
Bwoy, from the time I get pregnant,
she threw me out of the house.
You know, with her,
"Lord God, after all me do for you,
- "you come bring shame...
- ..."upon me house."
'I felt close to Lorna.
'She was involved
in a prisoners' organisation
'which struggled for the rights
of Black prisoners.
'She invited me along.'
You'd be there for somebody
to come and collect them.
So they can come
as early as they want really.
Could I suggest, Richard,
that you come up with some transport
and pick up the placards?
I've actually got some transport.
I've got some. I can collect it tomorrow.
- How much is that going to cost us?
- They'll be charging 15.
Plus we supply petrol.
I'll go and pick that up tomorrow
at three o'clock.
- Yes, and Steve will go with you.
- Yeah, I'll go down with you as well.
All right. I have contacted other groups
who are willing to give out
and hand out our publicity material
and also attend the picket.
I would like to hear some suggestions
which can go onto these placards
from the rest of the people.
- "Don't drug the prisoners."
- Yeah, things about drugs...
- Isn't Cynthia's baby girl sweet?
- Yeah.
She's got a really beautiful name: Ife.
- Do you like it?
- Yeah. It's really nice.
I don't think so. It's awful.
Why? What's wrong with it?
- Well, Ife is a funny name, innit?
- No. Tell me what's wrong with it?
It's African, innit.
So what's wrong with that?
It's Africa we come from, isn't it?
- Yeah, but...
- Yeah, but what?
Sonia, you go on so stupid sometimes.
I see you've changed up your room.
This is nice.
Where'd you get it from?
Community bookshop.
What are you reading?
What, Malcolm X? Don't tell me
you're getting into this Black thing.
What are you going on with now, Sonia?
Pat, I can't keep it any longer.
I've got to tell you the good news.
- Guess what.
- What?
Go on, guess.
I'm getting married, Pat.
Innit great? Innit fantastic?
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
I can't tell you how happy I feel.
You know how long I've waited for this,
and it was so romantic.
When Tyrone proposed to me,
it was in this Indian restaurant.
Candlelight, wine and everything.
When he put it to me,
I was so overcome that I was speechless.
And when I did get my voice back,
I couldn't say yes fast enough.
This is going to be
the most soulful of all weddings.
- When is it?
- Three months' time.
I'm getting cards specially printed
to invite all my friends.
I just can't wait to see their faces
when I walk down the aisle
in my beautiful snow-white dress.
Just think, I'm going to be
the first one out of all of us.
Then, after the ceremony, the reception's
at Tyrone's parents' place, my new in-laws.
They're really nice people.
You can tell they like me.
- Pat, are you listening?
- Yeah.
Have you got Marcia's phone number?
I had it, but I can't find it.
- I wanna tell her the good news.
- I should have it somewhere.
- What about Mona and Antoinette?
- I'll give that to you before you go.
Pat...
I want you to be my chief bridesmaid
and help me organise everything, all right?
Yeah, all right.
Don't sound too enthusiastic, will you?
What's wrong? You still got
the hump against me for Del?
- No, don't be so stupid.
- What's wrong, then?
Nothing, Sonia.
You look really nice, you know.
Natural. That's how me like you.
Wha' you been doing with yourself?
Helping out on the scheme
I was telling you about.
I'm really glad, you know.
That is something constructive.
Me tell a whole heap of men in here
about it, and them really happy.
Cos them feel so cut off,
Them don't have nobody to write to.
So, for them, it's a cool thing.
And me happy to show them and say,
"My woman involved in a dis thing."
- Them all want to meet you.
- Yeah?
So, it's true,
Sonia really has settled down?
She come round the other night
and she couldn't stop.
All she's interested in
is getting a ring 'pon her finger
to show off to her friends.
Everything is for show.
She want me for be chief bridesmaid.
- So, are you going to do it?
- Yeah.
If I didn't, she'd get upset.
Plus she'll think it's to do
with what happened with you.
It's up to you, but if it was me,
she wouldn't dare come near me, you know.
You know, mek she gwan.
- How's Cynthia and she youth?
- Fine.
Them all gone home now.
I'm glad she give it a irie cultural name.
- She and Tony was always... you know.
- It's true, you know.
Now is different, you know.
Cos...
I never really used to check her.
I used to check her
as kind of a weird gal, you know.
But now me know her, she all right.
Tony cool too.
- So you tell them about the appeal?
- Me tell everybody.
I know only half of them
goin' turn up on the day.
You're probably right.
You know...
I know them man nah gon' free me,
but I hope them reduce my sentence.
Cos this place really a get to me now,
you know.
Especially now me eyes are open wider.
See what's happening around me,
both in here and out there.
This place is pure madness, man.
It'll be all right. It'll be all right.
The longer I stay in this dump,
the more chance
I goin' end up in a serious conflict.
The defendant can stand, please.
We have listened
to your counsel's argument in this case,
and although some might argue
that the trial judge acted rather harshly
considering this is your first offence,
we do not share this view.
We think it quite right
that heavy sentences be meted out
to those who have little regard
for law and order
as a deterrent against
vicious hooligan behaviour.
The sentence stands.
What kind of justice you call this?
Wha' you want?
Me no know you.
You'd better go 'way
before me dash water 'pon you.
Gwan, then, if you're bad.
- Wha' happen?
- Hello, Miss Scarce.
Me no see you for a long time.
- How's little Ife?
- She's all right. She gone to bed.
She probably gone
for the rest of the night now.
This is for her.
Ta.
Go sit down. Me soon come.
- Just give me a second, yeah?
- All right.
- So, how's Tony?
- He's all right.
He's on late shift tonight.
Is a long time since I taste this.
But now you done, tell me this, right?
Me see Lorna Tuesday and she say
she can't see why you stays away deh.
I saw her this evening.
I was coming out of the laundrette,
I heard this voice behind me.
"So wha' happen?
You no come see me no more."
You know the way she go on?
And what?
- Nothing.
- What you mean, "nothing"?
Cynthia, don't you start.
I get enough interrogation from her.
But is wha' now? You lose interest?
Yeah.
Kind of, you know.
I just don't seem to have the enthusiasm.
I do understand, you know, Pat.
I mean, I went through that
just before I had Ife.
It's just a phase, though.
You soon come outta it, man. Cha!
Listen to this.
You remember this, gal?
Me remember.
You remember this?
You is a liar.
Me want shame you, cos me know say
you couldn't remember such a tune.
You was just a gal when dis a lick.
Me know exactly why you put it on.
Me know exactly why you put it on.
Come dance, cha.
No, man, get up and dance.
No, I'm all right. Just leave me.
Old woman, come dance. Come on.
No, don't call me "old woman"!
I might as well sit down, then,
since you is old woman.
- Me is old woman too.
- Is why you moaning for?
I put on me music for you dance
and you nuh want to get up and dance.
- Me nuh dance.
- You can't dance 'pon you batty.
Me tired, Cynthia. Me tired.
- You see.
- Me has a reformed person's buttocks.
Reformed buttocks.
I have to go now. It's getting late.
No, wait till Tony come.
Him a drop you when him come.
It's all right. Me live around the corner.
Besides, it's nice and warm.
No, man, wait till Tony come.
It's no problem.
- It's all right.
- You sure? Because it late.
It's not safe to walk on the street
this time of night.
Look, I can look after myself.
This is my protection.
Excuse me. All right, then.
I'll come with you to the end of the road.
No, stay. Ife may wake up.
Ife's all right.
Wha', you no want me for come?
I'm going to get my coat.
Go and sleep now.
- All right, Cynthia. See you.
- All right,
Take care. Mind how you go, eh?
- Give my love to Tony.
- And Del.
- See you.
- Goodbye.
Yeah?
- Go home, you filthy Black!
- Kill the bastard!
No!
Don't think about it
anymore, Pat.
Cos me just glad see you still alive.
It could have been much worse.
At least it's just your leg.
I say I can't get over dis, you know.
Them coulda kill me.
- Take my life.
- Pat!
I know how you feel.
Cos right now I could just...
Tony, don't you start.
What do you mean, don't start?
You don't see what them do to her?
You wan' listen,
make everybody hear her.
Look, we a go show dem
dat we too nah jester.
We can't just let them
come into our community
attacking innocent people.
Since is war dem a deal with,
mek we gi' dem some war,
till we get some justice
in this rasclat place.
Pat, dem nah get 'way wit' it,
you hear?
Is what me do to dem?
Answer dat.
All right, Pat.
Just try and relax your mind.
I bring you something to read.
OK?
Thank you, Lorna.
But right now is experience too.
No, you'll still need this.
I'll leave it.
Here come my parents.
We'll go now, all right?
OK?
Tony.
I have this letter
I want you to get to Del.
OK. Look, stay strong, yeah?
Remember, we come too far already.
'Pat, if I was out there,
somebody's blood woulda run,
'COS me a wage war upon them
with no terms.
'And nobody nah stop them.
'Well, it have to stop because
we've been victims too long.
'It's time Black people gather themselves,
resist them and fight back.
'Pat, as you know,
'my commitment to you is as always
one of love and struggle.
'So, strength, my African woman,
because it dread in a dis time.'
Wha' happen?
Music, you know.
You don't remember me, then?
I remember you
from a long, long time ago.
Look... here's a little organisation,
yeah?
It can help you.
'Del, though we are apart,
your letters bring me closer to you.
'Through them I can share and feel
your thoughts, your moods,
'when you're high, low,
militant and loving.
'Thinking back, we've come
a long way together in three years.
'So many things have happened.
'Who would have thought
we would survive all those hard times
'and come through stronger than ever?
'I never believed that my life and dreams
could have changed so much.
'Now, like others, I am part of the
struggle for equal rights and justice.'
'I was 22,
not doing too bad.
'I had my own flat, a steady job.
But that wasn't enough.
'I wanted to settle down.
'Somehow, though, I never seemed
to meet anybody I could really feel for.
'You know what I mean?'
You too lie!
Hey, don't bother get' too fresh.
Wha' happen?
Me just free up meself, man.
Well, free yourself
upon your girlfriend, not on me.
See, I don't have a girlfriend.
That's why me a free up meself.
See it?
See it? See what?
I don't see anything.
- This one here happy.
- Yeah, man!
Little girls like you two
should be in bed now, you know.
Do you mind? I is a big woman,
with experience behind me.
Me know all about the birds and bees.
Now see it.
The proof of the pudding is the eating.
So, how about me and you
next Saturday?
Next Saturday?
Sorry, love, I'm otherwise engaged.
Stop lying, Pat!
She's only pulling your leg.
Why you not stop jester?
You don't see I wanna take you out?
- I like you, man.
- Mm, that's nice.
Don't give a star no pressure now.
After him just pay
so much attention to you.
You wan' free up yourself.
Wha' happen to dis woman, man?
Drink turn dem fools.
- You have any chocolate at you yard?
- Yes, amongst other things.
Mm! Me have a sample it.
Sorry, I don't drink chocolate.
Besides, I don't even know you!
I mean, you can't trust
any Tom, Dick or Harry.
Especially that tom dick!
- Which way now?
- Straight on and turn left.
Alright.
- 'All right.'
- 'We've got the reputation.'
'Let's look at another area
in which you seem to be different.'
You, what me tell you
about them dishes?
You gon' make them
stand there all night? Out.
Mum, I was coming in a minute.
I was waiting
for the programme to finish.
Out!
Angela!
'Now, how different are you...'
'...from, say, other groups
of English boys and girls of your age?"
Hello?
Who is this?
Who?
Del? Del who?
Yes, but what are you to my daughter?
A friend?
Listen, where you know her from?
I see.
Well, why you want her for?
Yes, she's here. Wait a minute.
Pat, it's one of your concubines them.
Sorry, Mum.
Hello?
'That your mother dat?
'Bwoy, talk about interrogation.
- ' Sure she does that all the time.'
- She does if she doesn't know you.
So how did you get my number, then?
'I saw your friend Sonia
earlier in the week.'
And she give me your number.
I thought you said you live by yourself?
'I do, I'm just visiting here, that's all.
Wait until I get hold of that Sonia.'
Wha' happen?
You don't want me to phone you?
'No, it's not that.'
But I hardly know you and I don't give
this number to anybody I meet.
'So, wha', I'm anybody?
- No, but you know what I mean.
- 'All right.
Here, how was your day at work?
Same as usual. Can't complain.
'So, are you coming out with me
tomorrow as we planned?
I didn't make any promises.
You goin' start that again?
You goin' come or you nah come?
Where?
Do you always eat with your spoon?
So, how long you been living
by yourself?
Three years now.
So, wha' happen?
The old man kick you out?
No.
Just wanted to be on me own.
Nice. Nice.
Did you want anything else?
- Wine, please.
- Yes.
Hm. All right.
It's not a bad place, this, is it?
Ask me that after I see the bill.
It's a nice wine you chose.
- It's nice.
- Yes.
- Sorry!
- It's all right.
Thank you.
So, tell me about your work.
Is typing what you wanted to do?
Oh, no. You must be joking.
I always wanted to be a beautician.
I've always liked
playing around with make-up.
You know, putting it on people.
- So wha' happen?
- Well, things didn't work out.
- What about you?
- Draughtsman was what I wanted to do.
But I couldn't get through
qualifications-wise, you know.
At the same time, the careers officer
show me an apprenticeship as a toolmaker,
and that was it.
So, how's your friend?
- Oh, you mean Sonia?
- Uh-huh.
She's all right.
She really likes your friend Chamberlain.
She can't stop talking about him.
Him like her too, you know.
Looks like the two of them
really hit it off.
Yeah.
Have some more wine, man.
Cos I don't really like it, you know.
My father, he was a chivalrous man.
Me a chivalrous man, just like me father.
That's how him capture my mother.
Cos you opened the taxi door for me
So you're chivalrous?
- So, which floor you live 'pon?
- 27th.
What? They put you up far, eh? 27th!
Wicked. Wicked, man.
The things him do to me.
My dad's an engineer, you know.
Yeah?
Nice.
When I was young, I used to play
Knock Down Ginger in these flats.
What's that?
Oh, I know what that is!
When you knock at the door
and you run away.
- Well, of course.
- You was a naughty little boy, Del.
- I was not.
- Yes, you were.
- Bwoy! So, you enjoy the evening?
- Mm, great.
I had a really nice time.
We gonna do it more often.
- I don't know.
- Yeah, man, we do it more often.
This is where I live.
So, are you going to invite me in?
Well...
Thanks for the nice evening, right?
It's a bit late, innit?
You mean, after I take you out
to the best Black restaurant in town,
all expenses paid,
bring you home in a black cab,
this is all I get?
Thanks for the nice evening.
It's just a bit late.
Well, you're different.
Alright.
Sleep tight.
Don't let the bed bugs bite, you hear?
Give us a ring.
Alright.
So, what do you do
for a living?
- I make tools.
- Tools?
What kind of tools?
Um, any kind of tools. Machine tools.
- For cars and things?
- Yeah.
Does your father do the same?
No, he's an inspector
for London Transport.
A man of ambitions. What about you?
Well, I hope to get promotion in my job.
I suppose
your pay will be doubled.
- Hopefully.
- Well, you'll need it.
- Your food's very nice, Mrs...
- Williams.
Thank you.
- I'll go and shop.
- I'm not coming.
Look, I'll wash up all the dishes.
- No, man.
- Come on.
All right, just one picture, right?
Just one.
No, don't.
Pat? What do you think?
Hm. Chamberlain would kill you.
- What do you think of this?
- That looks nice.
- Anyway, it's nice.
- Yeah, just cos you want to be different.
Harrods, man. Harrods.
You see me walk into Harrods?
Hey! Come here, now.
- Do you know him?
- No, I don't.
Hey, give me a chance, you know.
- Hey, we can make music, you know.
- Not wit' me, darling.
And is which instrument you play?
Hey, leave her there.
Mek we go away together now.
- Don't let him.
- Can give you anything you want.
Come on, Pat.
Me put on a bet this morning.
It just come in, you know.
- It's luxury me a deal with.
- Just see what's on the cheap stall.
Down Mayfair me a go, you know.
- How much is the Ultra Sheen?
- Me don't dress too right now, right?
But it's cos me a lax, you know.
Just get lost, right?
We're gonna meet our boyfriends.
Alright.
Sonia, you've bought enough,
haven't you?
Oh, this won't matter.
It's only a little shirt anyway.
It'll look lovely
with his green trousers.
Will you come in there with me, Pat?
Oh, please, Pat. Come on,
please come in there with me.
Come on.
Oh, no.
What's all this, then?
You moving in?
I've nowhere to stay.
Oh, no.
You and your father
have another argument?
Bwoy, de man so ignorant!
It's only through respect
for my mother,
else me and him woulda trade blows.
Want a drink?
Yeah, you have any orange?
So, wha' happen?
I was sitting in my room,
cool, you know,
relaxing and smoking my herb,
and the man come into the room.
Why you gonna do that for?
So wha' happen?
Me live in a prison.
Anyway, we start this big argument.
Him start say dis and dat.
So me say, "If we reach a stage
where I goin' fight him,
"I better step, man."
- Cos it don't make no sense.
- Was your mum there?
No, man, she was working.
Bwoy, I feel a way about it.
Cos I don't do the man nothin'
and him a bug me all the while.
Anyway, you know
how him stay already.
Do you want something to eat?
No, I eat already, man.
Good. Cos I haven't cooked
and I don't feel like cooking.
So, how you feel?
If you don't wanna keep me
till I find a place,
- just say so.
- You know I didn't mean that.
Where else you going?
We're supposed to love
each other, aren't we?
As long as you know when bills come in,
it's two of us live here, not one.
Pat, don't bother with them skank,
you hear me?
- You know better than that.
- Relax, relax.
Del, you're so moody sometimes.
Del?
Wanna try this on?
- You want it?
- What do you think?
'A year later, we were still
making a life together.
"We had a lot of good times.
'But still, there were some ways
about him [ just couldn't change.'
Del!
Del, wake up!
It's seven o'clock. Get up!
I'm not waking you up again, you know.
'The Mike Smith Breakfast Show
with you on Capital..."
Why you never wake me up, man?
I did.
You've got to wake me up
earlier than that.
I woke you up at seven o'clock.
What the time now?
Clock next to you.
How are you? All right?
Yeah? No problems?
Hello.
On, hi.
So, you eating something?
Enjoying a mango I bought this morning.
You want some?
What's wrong with you?
Just this foreman at work upset me,
you know.
Every minute the man watch me
like me is pappyshow.
The new one
you were telling me about?
I can see the man don't check
a Black man.
Every minute the man inspect
how I work to find fault.
He don't look 'pon de white bwoy dem.
Look, just ignore him, Del.
Don't let him get to you.
Ignore him?
Next time de man do that,
I goin' cuss out him blow ho'.
Look, Del, forget it.
Don't let him get to you.
Look, I goin', man.
- What, already?
- I don't feel like talking.
Alright.
You meeting me this evening?
Yeah, I goin' see you later.
Right, bye.
He knows I'm here
and he still does it.
If me was she,
I wouldn't sit and watch him.
I'd go over there and clout him
because that is slackness.
I mean, if he has to do it,
he can at least do it behind my back.
Sonia, why put up with it at all?
- Yeah, but what can I do?
- What do you mean?
Him is the only man 'bout the place?
Yeah, but...
Honestly, Sonia, there's no point.
The amount of times I see you go out
of your way to give him money,
buy him this, buy him that,
and in the end what do you get?
It's true, cos I'm really fed up
of everything.
You always say that.
You never do anything about it.
Dat's why me no bother to talk to her
because she no listen.
From the first time you tell me
say him mess wit' one of your friends,
and when you ask him about it,
him wanna lick you?
You should have left him.
You have to take some of the blame.
Him couldn't gwan with dem slackness
if you never did mek him.
Look, Sonia, you can't afford
to have any man mess you about
when you're trying to get
what you want out of life.
All that kind of rubbish
just holds you back.
Yeah, I should leave him.
The only time I see him
is when he wants something.
I'm the one that gets all the worries
and depression, not him.
Right. What are you going to do?
All right, then, Pat?
Cynthia, I see you looking
as happy as ever.
Sonia, come now.
I wan' talk to you.
You want nothing to do with him.
Come here, I wan' talk to you!
Don't walk away from me now, man.
All right, go on. Go on.
I don't wanna see you.
Bwoy, them have some nice gal
in America, you know.
Turn off the lights now.
Cos you know say
it's time for milk and honey.
Oh, Del, I don't feel like it.
Stop being silly. No.
Stop messing about, Pat, man.
I'm not messing about.
I just don't feel like it, and that's it.
So, wha' happen?
I told you.
On, cha.
- Del...
- Don't talk to me, man.
- There's something I want to discuss.
- I don't want to discuss with you.
I do my discussing already
and you don't want to know.
Come on, let's talk.
Yeah. Come mek we talk dem now.
When are we going to settle down, Del?
Wha' you mean, settle down?
We not settled down?
Yeah, but I mean properly.
Wha' you mean, properly?
You know what I mean.
The answer is no.
I'm not ready for it yet, man.
Why not?
Everything is cool as it is.
Wha' you wanna change things for?
You didn't hear what the man them say?
You shouldn't change a winning game.
It's not a game, Del.
All my friends think we should.
And if you think a lot of me,
you should want to.
It's not that,
but everything is cool, man.
We can't go on like this forever.
All right, Pat, but in good time.
When?
Let me sleep, man.
You carry on this thinking without me.
Well, let's break, then.
Gwan, take your clothes and leave.
There's no point being with you
if you don't take our future seriously.
I said I'll think about it.
No! We've been together for long enough.
You shouldn't have to think about it.
- All right...
- Either you do or you don't.
We talk about it
in five or six months' time.
You really mean that, Del?
I said so, didn't I?
Del?
Del!
- You all right?
- Yeah, man, me all right.
I'm just resting up the body, you know.
So, when did you get home, then?
I see you, or somebody, cook.
It's not a woman cook it, it's me cook it.
I thought I'd surprise you, that's all.
So, why you leave work early, then,
if you're not sick?
Cos the man them sack me,
that's why.
- I told you, didn't I?
- Told me what?
You don't even know wha' happen
and you a run up your mouth.
All right, I'm sorry. What happened?
Just rest me, Pat. Cha.
I've said I'm sorry.
Just tell me what happened.
Was it something to do
with you going in late?
Something like that.
What did the foreman say to you?
It was the way him say it
like him own the place
and him a do me a favour.
I knew from the time the man come there,
something was goin' happen.
The way him a watch me,
watch me like him a dog.
So me just tell the man to dig up.
Cos me no deal with man like that.
And me just walk out, man.
Bwoy, when I think of how long
I've been working there. From school!
This man only been
working there a month
and come talk to me like me a bwoy!
All them years don't count for nothing.
Them use you, abuse you,
and then forget about you.
- I should thump him down.
- What good would that do?
Only bring more trouble.
Anyway, it's your own fault.
- So you goin' start 'pon me too?
- No, but it's your own fault.
I wonder about you, you know.
Wha' you mean, it's my fault?
It's my fault the man come talk to me
and insult me,
and come talk to me like me a bwoy?
- I'm supposed to just take it?
- That's it, twist everything I say.
- I know a few times I come in late...
- A few times?
- See what I mean?
- I told you this was gonna happen.
Rest the matter.
You can't understand nothing.
"I've been working there too long.
They can't sack me."
- Shut up, right?
- That's it.
- Take it out on me.
- Just leave me alone, then.
Trust you to do
something stupid like that.
So, tell me,
where you goin' get another job
when so much people can't find work?
Pat, just rest me.
That's all we need, innit?
We're supposed to be going
on holiday next year.
- I'll go and get another job.
- Yeah, as easy as that?
We're supposed to be getting
a new carpet and colour TV.
How are we going to do that?
We just can't, that's all.
It's not the end of the world.
- Anyway, it's only material things.
- Yeah, but I just like material things.
Anyway, you can't talk.
You spend your money on stupid records,
and look how you treat them!
So, Pat, you a gwan so stupid
because me lose my job?
All this because I lose my job?
You want me to lose my dignity
as a Black man too? Fe wha'?
Look, don't bother talk to me
for the rest of the night.
So you can't go
and buy expensive carpet,
your brand-new this
and your brand-new that, eh?
Well, my dignity come first.
Here!
Here, Pat.
Pat!
- Here, wha' happen to you?
- Nothing.
Wha' you mean, nothing?
I'm just tired from work,
which is more than I can say for you.
Look, I did go to the job agency
this morning and they had nothing.
That's what you tell me.
Anyway, it's your life.
If you want to be a layabout...
I tell you already,
I went there, they had nothing.
Look, wha' more you want me to do?
I don't know what you're panicking for.
Relax yourself, everything goin' work out.
That's what you say, but it's me
who have to carry the responsibilities.
Look, I tell ya, wha' more
you want me fe do? I'm trying.
- Yeah, I can see how hard you're trying.
- Cha, you so stupid.
You see things one way and then
you close your mind to everything else.
That's right.
Cha.
- Bwoy! You all go run to Chambers.
- Run?
I look like an athlete to you?
See you a pound, nuh.
You gwan like you a bad man.
- What have we got?
- Chamberlain.
I'm goin' have to see you now.
I'll see you two pound, yeah?
And you a gwan
like you have big hand.
I goin' make you cry.
You wanna see something pretty?
- You want to see it?
- Gwan now.
- See it deh!
- Cha!
Here, you want something to drink?
Orange?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hey, Pat, go and fix some orange
for the bwoy dem nuh.
Deal out the card now.
If it was her friends,
it would be a different story.
Bwoy, the orange done,
you know.
We only buy orange yesterday.
We? We buy anything?
Wha' up wit' you?
We only have water.
That's all right, man. Bring it, come.
All right, now.
I'm gonna show you a pretty shot.
You wanna see it?
All right, watch this shot.
- You see it deh?
- You call that pretty?
Go on, then, take a shot. Come on.
Cha! Wha' kind of shot is that?
Don't mess with me life, bwoy.
Don't mess with me.
There's Chamberlain over there.
Get over there.
Chambers!
Watch this shot, Del.
Watch this shot.
Me goin' jump the ball into there,
into there off the cushion.
- You wan' see it?
- Yeah, man. Let the youth do it.
Yeah, do it, youth,
but do it good, all right?
Watch de youth do the shot now.
Cha, let's give this man a game.
- Who, him?
- Yeah, mek we go outside, man.
- Come now.
- All right, come on.
Cha!
All right, see you later.
So you finally come?
I don't mind you going out,
but you could at least tell me
when you're coming in late.
- Wha' you do that for?
- Where you been?
I been out with my brethren them.
Why didn't you tell me? I was worried.
I thought something had happened.
So wha' happen, man?
So you is me mother?
All that questioning me,
where have I been, what have I done.
Look, just rest me, man,
cos I wan' sleep.
Cha.
I see.
I just feel I'm being used.
I know how you feel.
I went through the same thing with Tony,
but then me just have to tell him
how me feel.
Look, I've tried to talk to him, right?
But he just dismiss everything I say.
- Cynthia, he thinks I'm too possessive.
- They always say that, Pat.
But if you don't show them say you care,
them no like it.
No, me sure as if it was you going out
and coming in late,
Del would not like that.
Look, I've told him that,
but he just doesn't take any notice.
Well, it's up to you.
You'll have to give him a taste
of his own medicine.
Maybe talk to him again,
see how it go.
But if things don't change, Pat,
you have to put your foot down.
Otherwise, done with him.
That's what me think, anyway.
Going out?
Wha' it look like?
- You no want no food?
- I'll deal with it when I come in later.
You see Sonia and Chamberlain lately?
Yeah, man. Them cool.
- You goin'...
- Weatherman say it gonna rain today.
I wonder where my hat deh?
- What?
- Del, we got to sit down and talk.
Talk about what?
- You don't care about me anymore.
- Wha' you mean?
You don't live here anymore.
- I'm here all the time.
- You only eat and sleep here.
Wha' happen, Pat?
Is next argument you want to start?
Wha' happen to you, woman?
Man wants to be free.
Every time I go out with me spar dem,
you complain me no have no time for you.
You're selfish.
Not a man you want, it's a slave
to run round your batty like a fool.
Right now I is a man and I wanna be free.
I don't want no rope tied round my neck.
I'm not trying to tie you down.
I'm just trying to make you
stay here sometime, that's all.
See the problem wit' you?
You too possessive, man.
Wha' de woman a do
"pon my side of the bed?
Cha. She can't find
somewhere else to sleep?
Bwoy, me hungry.
Hey, wake up, Pat. Wake up, man.
Why you dash 'way me dinner?
- Leave me alone.
- Wha' do you mean?
- Why you dash 'way me food?
- Del, stop all this noise.
- Other people trying to sleep.
- I don't give a fart.
I talk as loud as I want in my house.
Your house? You live here?
- Look, man, me starving!
- Leave me alone.
I have to go to work tomorrow,
unlike some people.
All I want to know is
why you dash 'way me food?
Look, it is my food.
I buy it with my money.
- I cook it and I do what I like with it!
- You do what?
- Del, if you want food, go and work.
- Just shut your mouth.
You come into my flat, you leave your job
and you talk to me about dignity.
- How much dignity you have now?
- Just shut up!
Trust me to have a woman like you.
Why you can't be like Sonia,
like Sonia and Chamberlain?
You don't see all them cool?
But you have to get cheeky
and give me problems.
So, tell me now.
You dash 'way the beefburgers,
them too?
Next time you do a thing like that,
just see what's goin' happen to you.
One thing is for sure.
If he thinks he's gonna push me around,
he's not going to get away with it.
You right.
Once a man start put him hand "pon you,
him no have no stop for stop.
Just look at Sonia and Chamberlain.
Any excuse,
him getting ready for lick her.
You know what he said to me
last night?
Why couldn't I be like Sonia?
She don't give Chamberlain no problems.
Del said that?
- You're joking?
- I couldn't believe it.
Just goes to show
these nowadays man.
Sometimes you wonder
if it's worth bothering with them at all.
Gwan, Natty.
Cards Nat West reject
mek Nat West de best.
And right now, I feel
a little emptiness in me chest.
See it deh.
Me a follow you all the way, man.
You still there with me?
You're goin' run me out of this game.
I'll see you a fifty!
Hey, cha, Chamberlain,
I'm goin' to see a fifty!
Wha' happen, Pat?
And another 50p!
Wha' happen, Pat?
Out. Get out.
Me have to raise you
up to a pound.
See you a pound, yeah?
- Aeee...
- Del?
I think you best find somewhere else
to live cos I can't take no more of dis.
And these people,
where them come from?
Don't they live anywhere?
I want all of them out.
- Just relax yourself, Pat.
- Don't tell me to relax.
You hear what I said?
Find somewhere to live.
Take your layabout friends.
I want everybody out.
- Wha' happen to her?
- What's wrong with you?
- You gone crazy or what?
- I don't want to hear. Just get out!
Cha, look,
I done with this game here.
Scotty, collect your money.
- Come nuh.
- Look, I sorry about this here, guys.
Come, Scotty. Let's go.
- Sorry about this.
- Sorry?
Talk to the chick.
Put her under control, man.
Is manners she want.
- Don't let her talk to you like that.
- All right.
- Take it easy, yeah?
- Ah, Del, we gwan, yeah?
Cool that chick of yours, bwoy.
Pat, don't ever do that again
in front of my friends, you hear?
If you didn't bring them here,
I wouldn't have to.
Del, go and make your precious friends
look after you. I've had enough.
Just shut your mouth, man.
Just let me rest in peace now.
Just done the subject.
Look, this is my flat.
I want you to take your things
and get out.
Del...
- This is it. We're finished.
- Look, just rest your noise, man.
Me live here now.
Wha' happen to you?
Just shut your mouth
before I thump you down.
I mean what I say.
Wha' you think you're doing, eh?
- You little bitch, you!
- Oh, no!
Get out.
So you pull a knife 'pon me now?
I don't want to stay
in a this place anyway.
It's only through problems with my father
you find me in this dump.
Me a tell you. Hm.
You see woman like you?
All you good for is trouble!
All you was to me
was just a convenience, that's all.
Where's me grey trousers?
And me shoes?
See, woman like you,
me know all about you now.
If I had money,
it would be a different story.
But you, me down and out,
you wan' get cheeky with me.
Look.
Here's your stinking key, then.
I'm coming back tomorrow
for the rest of my things,
my records, my stereo, and my clothes,
So you better have everything ready for me
and open the door.
I'll have them packed
and waiting for you.
'It seemed really strange being alone
after being with somebody for so long.
'But after the things Del put me through,
I was determined to break out of it
'and start life afresh.'
- Pat, can I borrow a bit of perfume?
- Yeah, go on, cha.
It's goin' be like the old times tonight.
Remember we used to be
the last one to dress all the time. God!
- Where's Cynthia?
- She's downstairs waiting in the car.
- Come on. Aren't you ready yet?
- All right, all right.
That looks nice.
- You think so?
- Yeah, it's all right.
- What about my hair?
- Wha' you all dressed up for?
Come on, man.
Hang on.
Powder... Oh, better take the lot
in case I sweat.
- Come on, Pat!
- Hang on, Sonia. Don't rush me.
Right.
- How's Tony?
- He's all right, you know.
Still the same, bit dull.
Oh, come on, Cynthia.
Always moaning at him.
I'm all right, man, but, cha,
sometime I want some excitement.
Careful.
You'll have enough excitement.
You have a baby coming.
You have a nice house.
- Need some furniture, though.
- Oh, yes. Tell me!
What more do you want?
So, what you been doing
otherwise, Pat?
Oh, nothing, really.
'Cynthia was lucky.
'She had everything I wanted.
'My life seemed empty.
'All I was doing was changing at my flat,
buying clothes and seeing friends.'
I have troubles as well...
'As usual, Cynthia had something
to say about my life.
'She said I should get involved
with something.
'You know,
come to her political meetings.'
See you, all right?
I'm going now.
'But I wanted other things out of life.'
Hello. Who is it?
Oh, Del, hello. How are you?
I'm fine, thank you.
Yes.
No, that was last week.
Yeah, that's right.
Del!
No, I'm sorry. She left this firm
about three weeks ago.
Yeah, that's right.
OK. I will.
Yeah. Bye.
- Thanks, Chris.
- What was all that about?
- Nothing.
- You can tell me, you know.
OK.
Hey. Wha' happen?
It's a long time, innit?
Here, come on.
I just wan' talk to you for a minute.
Here, Pat,
I just wan' talk to you for a minute, OK?
- Why are you following me?
- Me wan' reason with you, that's all.
I've thought about it a lot
and I realise that most of it was my fault.
It's true, I did take you for granted.
But I'm wiser now,
and I feel say it can work out this time.
I know I shouldn't have involved myself
with my friends them all the time.
And you're more important than friends.
I didn't check out what was happening.
I just figured you was just
jealous and possessive.
First, when I lose my job,
at first it hurt me.
And after a while I was glad,
cos I could do anything,
do what I want when I want.
I was free.
Yeah, but you weren't working.
That started most of our problems.
Are you working now?
Well, to tell you the truth,
on and off.
Look, I don't wan' make
no excuses, right,
but it's kind of hard to find work
as a toolmaker nowadays.
I'm doing some temporary agency work.
It's kinda hard
to stick them slavery job down.
I'll hold it till I get a decent job.
- Where are you staying?
- I'm staying at my parents' house.
I've been looking for a flat,
but it's hard to find a flat.
- If you think finding work is hard...
- Yeah.
It's torture with the old man.
I only eat and sleep there.
Would you like anything to drink?
Could I have some wine, please?
Wine?
- Just pineapple juice.
- OK.
So, Pat, wha' you say
about me and you?
Del, I don't know.
I'll have to think about it.
What would you have done
if I said I wasn't interested?
- Probably try again, innit.
- If I still said no?
Yeah, give up, man.
Yeah, you laugh, and then what?
Wha' you think?
Find myself another woman.
I saw you with one after we broke up.
What woman?
Don't play innocent with me, Del.
Look, I never touched any woman
from the time I started
going out with you until now.
- That's not what I hear.
- Wha' you hear?
Like you don't know
what I'm talking about. Look, Del.
If you goin' start lying to me now,
let me finish.
Who you talking about?
I'm talking about a certain heavy-duty girl
I remember you telling me you didn't like.
- Who?
- Marcia.
Hold on, hold on. Hold this.
Me and her never had nothing, man.
She too lie.
I know everything
you're up to, you know.
Including this one, Margaret.
God, Margaret, yeah,
but that was only a little thing.
A snack between meals kind of thing.
You are me main course.
Bitch, you take that.
What you do that for, man?
Next time, it'll be hot water,
if you don't behave yourself, Delroy.
Gwan! Me show you already
there's nothing to worry about.
I'm just trying to let you know
things are going to be different now.
- Oh, you know it?
- Yeah.
Bwoy! I give myself ten out of ten.
For star appeal.
- And ten out of ten fe style.
- Style!
And ten out of ten fe murderous.
Wha' you think?
Take your shirt collar out.
It don't look nice.
No, man. You too old-fashioned.
I'm stylin' done that already.
Hurry up. Chamberlain soon come.
I've got to make myself look nice, Del.
You've been at it for an hour now.
You nah goin' look no better.
- Thank you very much.
- No charge.
A dem dat, you know.
Here, Pat. One minute, you know.
One minute. Hurry up, man.
You know how Chamberlain stay already.
Come on.
I'm not all dressing for Chamberlain.
- Hey! Hello.
- What's happening?
How you doing?
- It's been ages.
- I know. I'll see you in a minute.
- Both changed.
- Of course. We're grown up now.
- I'm a big woman now.
- Got kids?
You're joking! What about you?
You have any pickney?
- Not yet.
- What do you mean, not yet?
I'm sure you have a couple round town.
I'll see you later, all right?
Take care.
- Me myself?
- Yeah, what about yourself?
Are you married?
- Hello. Look at all this, then.
- Hello, baby.
- Getting rich.
- Oh, Jesus!
- Give me a break, please.
- Come here.
Come here.
Come here!
Sonia!
Thank you very much.
Five minutes I leave you.
Five minutes.
What you mean, five minutes?
You were talking to that girl for an hour
and you tell me five minutes?
- Who was that guy you was talking to?
- He's a friend.
- Where you know him from?
- I know him from school.
Me don't like you talking to nobody.
Look, I talk to who I like when I like.
If you don't like it,
you know what you can do about it.
I'm going back upstairs
cos I was having a good time.
- Me not finished with you.
- Let me go!
Come nuh!
- Don't talk to me like that.
- You call yourself Mr Super cool?
- All right, you're going home!
- Going home where?
- You're going home!
- Chambers, what's wrong with you?
Chambers, stop I!
Chambers, stop it, man!
Hey, Chambers, stop it now!
What's wrong with you?
What's wrong with you?
- Hey, man.
- Rest yourself!
- Come, now, Chamberlain.
- OK. I'm done.
- Hey, stop it. Chamberlain, stop it, man!
- Easy. Easy, man.
- Easy, easy.
- Alright. I'm done I tell you.
Deal with that woman.
- You can't do them things outside a club.
- Simmer down, Chamberlain, man.
- Del, hold him, man.
- Easy, man. Easy.
Stop it now!
Just leave me. All right?
Just stay out of it, right.
- You turn bad man?
- Just stay out of my way.
- This is my business.
- So you pull out knife on a friend?
Come now.
- Stop it now. This is stupidness.
- Me ready.
Rest yourself, right?
Move out of my way.
If you feel see a bad man,
come through me.
Move out the way. It's my fight.
Look, man, the bull are coming.
Stop it, man.
Where do you think you're going?
You come here.
Let go of me, man.
Just leave him.
- Don't be silly. Take it easy.
- Don't come near me, man.
Del!
Yes?
I was told that
Delroy Bennett was here.
Oh, yes, he's here, all right.
And his mate Scott.
What's it got to do with you?
- I-I'm just a friend.
- What sort of friend?
- I'm his girlfriend.
- Girlfriend, eh?
Well, your boyfriend's in bad trouble.
Scott's already been charged,
but Bennett's got to wait.
- Can I see him?
- Not until we get a medical report
on that police officer
your boyfriend tried to carve up.
- Shall I stay?
- Suit yourself.
Can't you tell me
what's happening?
Look, Miss, we don't even know
what's happening ourselves.
It might even be Monday
before we know
how bad that lad of yours
is in trouble.
So why don't you just go home?
Or you can wait here. Suit yourself.
Hey, sweetheart.
Want to come to a party, sweetheart?
Talking to you, love. Here!
Here, love!
So, what happened after that?
I went to the police station.
When I got there,
they said he was in there with Scotty.
How long they goin' keep him there?
Did Babylon say if they charge him yet?
They said they haven't charged him yet.
But it would be serious,
cos one of the police is in hospital.
More than serious.
Wha' happen to the other Breda?
They said he was charged with assault.
All right. I'll go and get a lawyer to go
down to the police station with me.
Del name Bennett, innit? And Scotty?
Newham Scott.
- Alright. I will see you later, yeah?
- All right.
I just don't understand what's happening.
You will in time.
Long time I don't see you.
You nah talk to me?
Hey, I just cut a tune, you know.
I just come back from studio.
Wha' happen?
Wha' happen? You nah talk?
Hey, me nah bite you.
Let me hum this tune for you.
It go: La-la la, la-la la, la la.
Leave me alone.
All right. All right.
By the time you hear this tune,
you goin' wan' know me.
Been waiting a long time?
'Del got four years.
'I couldn't believe it.
'My whole life was falling down
round me.
'I was really grateful to Cynthia,
'cos without her I don't know
what I would have done.
'Going to prison was
another bad experience.
'Imagine me going to a prison.
'If my father had found out,
he would have disowned me.
' Just wanted to hide away.'
Hi.
The barrister think
you'll only get two years.
For what?
So they can take away my freedom
cos I defended myself?
What was I supposed to do?
Just let them beat me?
Am I a dog?
Nah, man. Them day is done.
And hear the judge
'bout de policeman get scarred for life.
Look "pon this.
That's wha' them do to me.
And it's me who get four years.
- All right, Del.
- All right, wha'?
And them Babylon beasts
is worse still for them!
Stop it. Don't go over this again,
cos I'm leaving.
Why don't you just go?
Cynthia say hello.
She wants to see you next time
so write your name with the visitors...
- Del, are you listening?
- I hear you, man.
So why you never answer
the letter I write you?
I only got it two days ago.
And I was coming to see you.
I'll probably write to you
tonight or tomorrow.
Del... can't you write
about nothing else?
It's the truth, man!
Wha' you want me to write about?
How lovely this place is?
Don't be silly.
Right now is only one thing
"pon my mind.
And it's vengeance!
It's vengeance I want,
it's vengeance I goin' get.
And if you don't like it, just step,
just gwan about your business.
It's not worth going all over this again.
Is it all right to smoke?
Since when you start smoking?
Cynthia and Tony are waiting outside.
Cynthia's a good friend, you know.
I know.
So, you finally turn up.
Where you been all this time?
Pat, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Sorry about what?
About the incident, about the court,
not turning up.
Pat, I can't tell you how bad I feel,
cos I know it's all my fault.
It's not your fault.
It is, it is! And I know it is.
And I'm sorry.
Oh, come on, Sonia.
It's not your fault.
Besides, everything happened already.
There's nothing you can do about it.
How can you blame yourself
for what happened that night?
It's not you, it's Chamberlain.
Pat, I know
you must really hate me now.
I'm sorry.
Come on, Sonia.
Pull yourself together.
You'll only start me thinking
about things I'm trying to forget.
When was the last time
you saw Chamberlain, then?
I haven't seen him for a while.
I don't know where he is,
and I don't care.
Got myself a new boyfriend now.
How long you been
with this bwoy?
Three weeks.
He's nothing like Chamberlain.
He's really nice.
He buys me this
and he buys me that.
- Treats me like a real lady.
- Yes, they always do in the beginning.
Gwan like dem can't mash ants.
You do remember Mr Chamberlain, innit,
how him did so sweet?
I remember,
but people learn from their mistakes.
Let's hope you do.
But I'm sure Tyrone's genuine.
Pat, I was just telling Cynthia
about Tyrone, how nice he is.
He's a bit like Del.
Have you decided what you're gonna do,
if you're gonna stick with him?
Cos four years is a long time.
I don't know if I could wait that long.
Something the matter?
Being in there
with all that bad company...
Will you shut your mouth?
You be careful before
you have the baby 'pon the stairs.
So, wha' you been doing with yourself?
Nothing much.
You?
Getting into rules and regulations
and slave existence.
Imagine that. We're supposed
to have come a long way.
Cynthia and Sonia say hello.
Give them mine.
There's a whole heap of Black man
in here, you know.
All man me hear gone America
is here me find them, you know.
That bwoy that used to pester you,
I sight him in here
and he look well gone.
What's wrong with you?
You have something to tell me?
Yeah.
I'm listening.
Well, I've been thinking...
Four years is a long time.
It was two years, now it's four?
Del, listen.
I know I've got to think about you.
So why you a say now?
You want done everything?
- I dunno.
- Well, gwan now, done it.
Go and live your life,
cos all I hear from you is
your friends say this
and your friends say that.
Yeah, you been
through some tribulations,
but you a gwan like is my fault.
Is my fault me locked up
in a this dump?
You know what it's like
to be locked up?
Every morning when I wake up is walls.
And next man a share with you,
day in day out.
You can't even sit down and think.
Call man and scream,
"Nigga, nigga, for a fight!"
Yeah, them's the tribulations
me have to face,
and is now you a turn you back on me?
'What was I to do?
'I knew only I could decide.
'Being at the Carnival, I hoped
I could forget everything for the day.'
'But I couldn't get Del
out of my mind.
'I kept thinking of him locked away.
I realised how much [ felt for him.'
I just want to know
if there's going to be any kind of...
...you know, future for me, us.
So wha' you think?
You think after you wait and wait,
I just goin' come out
and dig up and leave you?
You should know me
better than that, man.
It's not like
we just met each other, is it?
You should know within yourself.
Alright.
I'll wait.
Besides, I's good news.
My appeal should come up soon,
and the judge might reduce my sentence.
'Del asked me to send him
a few books to read.
'At first, it was just a few,
but then he wanted more and more.
'It surprised me,
cos he didn't read much before.
'What was funny was his interest
in books was rubbing off on me.'
- Scotty!
- You all right?
- Yeah.
- A long time I don't see you.
Long time I don't see you.
- So, how's Del and things?
- He's all right.
Why you no come and see him?
You never even write.
The first chance I get,
I'll come and see him, I promise.
- You promise? Yeah.
- You must tell him that.
I just work down the corner.
- What, down there?
- Yeah.
- You're just by me.
- From last week.
- You got a new job?
- You work down there too?
We should meet.
Where's Chamberlain? See him?
- Chamberlain got stabbed up by a gal.
- What?
- A gal stab him up.
- Serve him right. Serve him right.
'Hearing that made my day cos Chamberlain
had that coming to him a long time.
'More good news.
Cynthia's had a little girl.
'She's calling her Ife.
It's Yoruba for love...
'You know the book
I've been reading?
'It's opened my eyes to some of the things
about Black people's conditions.
'I didn't think about before.
"We're not alone, Del.
'I'm going now.
'Take care and love.
Enclose a 5 postal order.'
- Hello.
- Hello.
How are you?
- Welcome.
- Cynthia, congratulations.
Oh, isn't she sweet?
- How much she weigh?
- Six pounds.
Hm-hm. Big woman already.
- I can see she have your mouth.
- Oh, no.
Everyone says that,
but me no think that. Shut up.
Oh, yes, I think so.
I feel sorry for the poor little girl.
- What a handicap.
- Thanks a lot!
- Just find the door. Cha!
- No, no, she's really cute.
Oh, I've got something for you.
Some flowers.
Thanks a lot. They're lovely.
And some fruits.
By the way, this is Lorna.
Lorna, that's Pat.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Don't I know your face
from somewhere before?
I don't think so.
- I can't remember you.
- Probably not.
It's just me. Every time I see someone,
I think I know them.
I do the same thing.
Lorna's the same as you.
Her boyfriend in prison.
Two years now.
- How long's he in for?
- He's got two more years to serve.
They gave him five years.
And yours?
Wait, now. Wait, wait.
Me introduced the two of you
and now nobody don't want to talk to me.
Yes, Pat.
- Where were we?
- Sorry.
Prison can be a lonely place,
especially when you don't have anyone
to communicate with outside.
So, how did you take it
when Chucky went to prison?
I kind of half expected it in a way,
cos Chucky wanted to do things in life.
When he couldn't find what he wanted,
and when I had the baby,
it put more pressure on him.
- How did your family take it?
- My family?
Cos my mum...
well, she didn't mind too much,
but my dad, he was something else.
With me, it was the other way around.
My father still sticks by me.
But my mother...
Bwoy, from the time I get pregnant,
she threw me out of the house.
You know, with her,
"Lord God, after all me do for you,
- "you come bring shame...
- ..."upon me house."
'I felt close to Lorna.
'She was involved
in a prisoners' organisation
'which struggled for the rights
of Black prisoners.
'She invited me along.'
You'd be there for somebody
to come and collect them.
So they can come
as early as they want really.
Could I suggest, Richard,
that you come up with some transport
and pick up the placards?
I've actually got some transport.
I've got some. I can collect it tomorrow.
- How much is that going to cost us?
- They'll be charging 15.
Plus we supply petrol.
I'll go and pick that up tomorrow
at three o'clock.
- Yes, and Steve will go with you.
- Yeah, I'll go down with you as well.
All right. I have contacted other groups
who are willing to give out
and hand out our publicity material
and also attend the picket.
I would like to hear some suggestions
which can go onto these placards
from the rest of the people.
- "Don't drug the prisoners."
- Yeah, things about drugs...
- Isn't Cynthia's baby girl sweet?
- Yeah.
She's got a really beautiful name: Ife.
- Do you like it?
- Yeah. It's really nice.
I don't think so. It's awful.
Why? What's wrong with it?
- Well, Ife is a funny name, innit?
- No. Tell me what's wrong with it?
It's African, innit.
So what's wrong with that?
It's Africa we come from, isn't it?
- Yeah, but...
- Yeah, but what?
Sonia, you go on so stupid sometimes.
I see you've changed up your room.
This is nice.
Where'd you get it from?
Community bookshop.
What are you reading?
What, Malcolm X? Don't tell me
you're getting into this Black thing.
What are you going on with now, Sonia?
Pat, I can't keep it any longer.
I've got to tell you the good news.
- Guess what.
- What?
Go on, guess.
I'm getting married, Pat.
Innit great? Innit fantastic?
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
I can't tell you how happy I feel.
You know how long I've waited for this,
and it was so romantic.
When Tyrone proposed to me,
it was in this Indian restaurant.
Candlelight, wine and everything.
When he put it to me,
I was so overcome that I was speechless.
And when I did get my voice back,
I couldn't say yes fast enough.
This is going to be
the most soulful of all weddings.
- When is it?
- Three months' time.
I'm getting cards specially printed
to invite all my friends.
I just can't wait to see their faces
when I walk down the aisle
in my beautiful snow-white dress.
Just think, I'm going to be
the first one out of all of us.
Then, after the ceremony, the reception's
at Tyrone's parents' place, my new in-laws.
They're really nice people.
You can tell they like me.
- Pat, are you listening?
- Yeah.
Have you got Marcia's phone number?
I had it, but I can't find it.
- I wanna tell her the good news.
- I should have it somewhere.
- What about Mona and Antoinette?
- I'll give that to you before you go.
Pat...
I want you to be my chief bridesmaid
and help me organise everything, all right?
Yeah, all right.
Don't sound too enthusiastic, will you?
What's wrong? You still got
the hump against me for Del?
- No, don't be so stupid.
- What's wrong, then?
Nothing, Sonia.
You look really nice, you know.
Natural. That's how me like you.
Wha' you been doing with yourself?
Helping out on the scheme
I was telling you about.
I'm really glad, you know.
That is something constructive.
Me tell a whole heap of men in here
about it, and them really happy.
Cos them feel so cut off,
Them don't have nobody to write to.
So, for them, it's a cool thing.
And me happy to show them and say,
"My woman involved in a dis thing."
- Them all want to meet you.
- Yeah?
So, it's true,
Sonia really has settled down?
She come round the other night
and she couldn't stop.
All she's interested in
is getting a ring 'pon her finger
to show off to her friends.
Everything is for show.
She want me for be chief bridesmaid.
- So, are you going to do it?
- Yeah.
If I didn't, she'd get upset.
Plus she'll think it's to do
with what happened with you.
It's up to you, but if it was me,
she wouldn't dare come near me, you know.
You know, mek she gwan.
- How's Cynthia and she youth?
- Fine.
Them all gone home now.
I'm glad she give it a irie cultural name.
- She and Tony was always... you know.
- It's true, you know.
Now is different, you know.
Cos...
I never really used to check her.
I used to check her
as kind of a weird gal, you know.
But now me know her, she all right.
Tony cool too.
- So you tell them about the appeal?
- Me tell everybody.
I know only half of them
goin' turn up on the day.
You're probably right.
You know...
I know them man nah gon' free me,
but I hope them reduce my sentence.
Cos this place really a get to me now,
you know.
Especially now me eyes are open wider.
See what's happening around me,
both in here and out there.
This place is pure madness, man.
It'll be all right. It'll be all right.
The longer I stay in this dump,
the more chance
I goin' end up in a serious conflict.
The defendant can stand, please.
We have listened
to your counsel's argument in this case,
and although some might argue
that the trial judge acted rather harshly
considering this is your first offence,
we do not share this view.
We think it quite right
that heavy sentences be meted out
to those who have little regard
for law and order
as a deterrent against
vicious hooligan behaviour.
The sentence stands.
What kind of justice you call this?
Wha' you want?
Me no know you.
You'd better go 'way
before me dash water 'pon you.
Gwan, then, if you're bad.
- Wha' happen?
- Hello, Miss Scarce.
Me no see you for a long time.
- How's little Ife?
- She's all right. She gone to bed.
She probably gone
for the rest of the night now.
This is for her.
Ta.
Go sit down. Me soon come.
- Just give me a second, yeah?
- All right.
- So, how's Tony?
- He's all right.
He's on late shift tonight.
Is a long time since I taste this.
But now you done, tell me this, right?
Me see Lorna Tuesday and she say
she can't see why you stays away deh.
I saw her this evening.
I was coming out of the laundrette,
I heard this voice behind me.
"So wha' happen?
You no come see me no more."
You know the way she go on?
And what?
- Nothing.
- What you mean, "nothing"?
Cynthia, don't you start.
I get enough interrogation from her.
But is wha' now? You lose interest?
Yeah.
Kind of, you know.
I just don't seem to have the enthusiasm.
I do understand, you know, Pat.
I mean, I went through that
just before I had Ife.
It's just a phase, though.
You soon come outta it, man. Cha!
Listen to this.
You remember this, gal?
Me remember.
You remember this?
You is a liar.
Me want shame you, cos me know say
you couldn't remember such a tune.
You was just a gal when dis a lick.
Me know exactly why you put it on.
Me know exactly why you put it on.
Come dance, cha.
No, man, get up and dance.
No, I'm all right. Just leave me.
Old woman, come dance. Come on.
No, don't call me "old woman"!
I might as well sit down, then,
since you is old woman.
- Me is old woman too.
- Is why you moaning for?
I put on me music for you dance
and you nuh want to get up and dance.
- Me nuh dance.
- You can't dance 'pon you batty.
Me tired, Cynthia. Me tired.
- You see.
- Me has a reformed person's buttocks.
Reformed buttocks.
I have to go now. It's getting late.
No, wait till Tony come.
Him a drop you when him come.
It's all right. Me live around the corner.
Besides, it's nice and warm.
No, man, wait till Tony come.
It's no problem.
- It's all right.
- You sure? Because it late.
It's not safe to walk on the street
this time of night.
Look, I can look after myself.
This is my protection.
Excuse me. All right, then.
I'll come with you to the end of the road.
No, stay. Ife may wake up.
Ife's all right.
Wha', you no want me for come?
I'm going to get my coat.
Go and sleep now.
- All right, Cynthia. See you.
- All right,
Take care. Mind how you go, eh?
- Give my love to Tony.
- And Del.
- See you.
- Goodbye.
Yeah?
- Go home, you filthy Black!
- Kill the bastard!
No!
Don't think about it
anymore, Pat.
Cos me just glad see you still alive.
It could have been much worse.
At least it's just your leg.
I say I can't get over dis, you know.
Them coulda kill me.
- Take my life.
- Pat!
I know how you feel.
Cos right now I could just...
Tony, don't you start.
What do you mean, don't start?
You don't see what them do to her?
You wan' listen,
make everybody hear her.
Look, we a go show dem
dat we too nah jester.
We can't just let them
come into our community
attacking innocent people.
Since is war dem a deal with,
mek we gi' dem some war,
till we get some justice
in this rasclat place.
Pat, dem nah get 'way wit' it,
you hear?
Is what me do to dem?
Answer dat.
All right, Pat.
Just try and relax your mind.
I bring you something to read.
OK?
Thank you, Lorna.
But right now is experience too.
No, you'll still need this.
I'll leave it.
Here come my parents.
We'll go now, all right?
OK?
Tony.
I have this letter
I want you to get to Del.
OK. Look, stay strong, yeah?
Remember, we come too far already.
'Pat, if I was out there,
somebody's blood woulda run,
'COS me a wage war upon them
with no terms.
'And nobody nah stop them.
'Well, it have to stop because
we've been victims too long.
'It's time Black people gather themselves,
resist them and fight back.
'Pat, as you know,
'my commitment to you is as always
one of love and struggle.
'So, strength, my African woman,
because it dread in a dis time.'
Wha' happen?
Music, you know.
You don't remember me, then?
I remember you
from a long, long time ago.
Look... here's a little organisation,
yeah?
It can help you.
'Del, though we are apart,
your letters bring me closer to you.
'Through them I can share and feel
your thoughts, your moods,
'when you're high, low,
militant and loving.
'Thinking back, we've come
a long way together in three years.
'So many things have happened.
'Who would have thought
we would survive all those hard times
'and come through stronger than ever?
'I never believed that my life and dreams
could have changed so much.
'Now, like others, I am part of the
struggle for equal rights and justice.'