Oz (1997–2003): Season 1, Episode 6 - To Your Health - full transcript

[static drones]

[bright tone]

[tense jazzy music]

♪ ♪

[tense percussive music]

- 6% of the total
prison population

is 55 and older.

That's double
ten years ago.

We say 55's old

'cause criminal life
adds about

ten years
worth of wrinkles.

Still, in Oz,
you get decent food,

exercise,
regular checkups.

And if you
don't get whacked

you live longer than you would
in your own hood.

0 [grunting]

[dramatic trumpet tones]

Yeah,
the prison system.

It can keep you alive,

but it can't
take care of you.

- I'm telling you,
we're ignoring the problem.

We have to deal differently
with aging inmates.

- That's right; Oz was designed
to punish the young.

To keep 'em in line,
to keep 'em down.

But with a guy
like Rebadow,

we don't need
to keep him down.

- So what are you
proposing?

- We turn Unit 2 into
a cellblock

exclusively for seniors.

They sleep together there,

they can eat
all their meals together there,

they can play cards,

they want to watch
the TV shows they wanna watch.

- On Saturday night,
bingo?

- Why not?

We need to
keep 'em active.

- And less stress will help
slow down the aging process

which will help save
on medical costs.

- Plus, the older guys
are not a security problem.

So you can save money
on the officers.

- McManus, you've been
awfully quiet today.

Never thought
I'd ask,

but do you have
an opinion on this?

- Sure.

Sounds like a good idea.

- That's it?

- Yep.
- Hmm...

Fine.

I'll run it
by the commissioner.

Meeting adjourned.

- Finally.

- [laughs]

- Hey, Tim, you okay?

You don't
look so good.

You feeling all right?

- I said yeah, okay?

- Okay.

Are you free
for dinner tonight?

- "Dinner"?

You think
I'm an asshole.

- I do not think--

- Well, I appreciate
the offer.

But the last thing
I need from you

is a mercy dinner.

- Bob Rebadow's
in the hospital, Kenny.

- So?

- So I'm pissed off
about that!

- So?

- So, I hear
you're responsible!

- Where'd you hear
that from?

- Oh, I got ears everywhere,
Kenny.

I know it's true.

You don't hit
old men, Kenny.

You don't
hit old men--

- What--what do you want,
McManus?

- You see those guys
out there?

If I tell 'em to, they will
gladly kick your ass!

- So what?
I'm not afraid of them!

- You're not?
- No!

- Well, what are you
afraid of?!

- I ain't afraid
of nothin'!

- Nothing?
- Nothing!

- You afraid of this?
Huh?

You afraid of dying?

You little fuckin'
punk ass!

- [coughing]

- Get him the
fuck outta here!

- [gasping and panting]

[dark music]

- [exhaling]

- Leo, what are you
doing here?

- Same thing you are,
I guess.

I like to work out when
no one else is around.

- I'll ignore you
if you ignore me.

- McManus...

You okay?

- Why does everybody
keep asking me that?

- I don't know.

Past few weeks
you seem different.

- I'm fine.

- Commissioner rejected
our proposal

for a senior citizens unit.

- Big surprise.

Commissioner
didn't reject it,

Governor Fuck-Wad did.

- Well, Devlin's
almost out of office.

He's on trial
for taking those kickbacks,

for lying, fraud,

extortion.

- I'll miss him!

- I've been
hearing rumors

that you're living
in Emerald City.

That you never
leave the grounds,

you never
go home anymore.

- Since when do you
listen to gossip?

- I've been dancing down
these hallways a long time.

I've seen this place
change people completely

and not just
the prisoners.

If you're
not careful, Tim,

Oz will nick away
at your soul.

- Huh.

That's the first time
you ever called me "Tim."

- You know, you don't even
have to be 55t o be old.

[tense percussive tones]

- Take a break.
- Okay, Mr. McManus.

- How you feeling?

- I can't stay here anymore.

- In the hospital?
- In Oz.

- Why?

- I'm afraid.

- Of what?

- Them, the young.

When I first
came to Oz

we treated our elders
with dignity.

But these kids,
it's all different now.

I've decided to leave.

- Leave?

Escape.

- How you gonna
do that?

- God will show me the way.

[tense percussive tones]

♪ ♪

[guards laughing]

♪ ♪

[gasps]

[pounding on door]

[panting]

♪ ♪

- The human body,

it's amazing.

Made up of all these...

cells and neutrons

and veins
and shit like that.

So many little pieces,

so many things
that can break down.

Add to that the wear and tear
we give our bodies

what with the drugs
and drinking

and chicken fried steak.

Man, that any of us
is still standing,

still breathing.

It's a miracle.

- Breakfast time, boys!

- Let's go, Alvarez.

- [speaking gibberish]

- I think maybe
we got a problem.

- What?
- Look at Alvarez.

- [mumbling]

- Hey, Alvarez.

- You think he's sleeping?

- Alvarez?

- [mumbling]
- Alvarez!

Alvarez!

- [mumbling]

- Call for the doctor.

- Prisoner number 43A515,
Ricardo Alvarez.

Convicted March 3rd, '43,
armed robbery,

sentence: 20 years.

Convicted June 6th, '61,
murder in the first degree.

Sentence: life imprisonment,
solitary confinement.

- Ricardo, We're gonna start
with a series of tests.

- [speaking Spanish]

- You have to go home?

- [speaking Spanish]

- Your mother.

Ricardo, where are you?
- [speaking Spanish]

- Do you know what
city you're in?

[speaks Spanish]

- [speaks Spanish]

- So, we're agreed?

The medication's controlling
Cragen's paranoia?

- Yeah, we should
keep him on it.

- Definitely.

- Thank you.
Next is Miguel Alvarez.

- Oh, yeah, I'm scheduled

to do a psychiatric
re-evaluation on Thursday.

- Good luck, Pete, his baby died
right after birth.

He's pretty depressed.

- He's about to become
even more depressed.

His grandfather Ricardo Alvarez,
has Alzheimer's.

- Oh, boy,
does his family know?

- No, not yet.

Ricardo's son, Eduardo,
is an orderly in my ward.

I'll tell him when
he comes in for his shift.

- Eduardo, that's the one
with no tongue, right?

- Uh-huh.
- I'll talk to Miguel.

- Listen, Tim, could I do that?

If you don't mind.

- Hey, I'm always willing
to give up an opportunity

to deliver bad news.

Next.

- Miguel, I need you
to come with me.

- I didn't do shit.
- Miguel, please?

Come on.

- Maricón.

- How come no one knew 'til now
that Ricardo's mind was going?

- He's in solitary, Miguel.

He hardly says
three words a day to anyone.

- There's nothing we could've
done to stop the disease anyway.

- So what happens now?

- Well,
that's the tricky part.

- Unfortunately Oz
is just not equipped

for long-term
custodial care.

And there isn't
anywhere else to send him.

- You're telling me
the state doesn't have a place

to take care of
its old prisoners?

- The state?

The state's attitude
toward the elderly,

any elderly,
in or out of prison,

is hurry up and die.

- I wanna see
my grandfather.

[monitors beeping]

- Hey.

- Hey.

- It's me, Miguel,
and Eduardo.

- Hey!

- Eduardo, your son.

Miguel, grandson.

- Hey!

[whimpering]

Hey, hey, hey...

Hey, hey, hey.

- You know what we should do
with Ricardo Alvarez?

- What's that?

- Let him go free.

- Hey, hey, hey, hey...

hey, hey, hey, hey.

- "Let him go free"?

The man is
a convicted killer.

- He stabbed the inmate
who cut his son's tongue out.

- And he's old.

- He's old, Leo.

- Old doesn't
necessarily mean nice.

If you have any
doubts about that,

spend ten minutes
with my mother-in-law.

- Leo, a 31-year-old inmate

costs $21,000 a year
to maintain.

A senior costs
three times that amount.

- Since when did you get
so interested in the budget?

- Since I figured out that
the money we're gonna waste

taking care of
Ricardo Alvarez

could be put
to much better use.

- Besides, Ricardo doesn't know
where he is

or even why he's here!

There is such a thing
as criminal menopause, right?

Look, he cannot commit
the crime again.

The man is no longer
a threat to anybody.

- Yeah, but it didn't
change what he did.

And it doesn't
change his sentence.

Life imprisonment
means just that.

Besides, if he really
doesn't know he's in prison,

then he's already free,
isn't he?

- While I was growing up,

both my father and
my grandfather came to Oz.

You know, when I was little,
I always wondered

what was so great
about prison

that they'd wanna
leave us and come here.

But you a kid,
you know,

what do you know?

- Yeah.

So, the word
"grandfather,"

what does the word

mean to you,
emotionally?

- Nothin'.

Don't mean nothin'
at all to me.

[chuckles]
"Pizza" means more.

"Doorknob."

- Would you like
"grandfather"

to mean something
to you?

- Yeah.

- Dr. Nathan's
not sure how long

your grandfather
has to live.

Look.

Since your father's an orderly
in the prison hospital

and is gonna spend the remaining
time with your grandfather,

there's no reason you can't
do the same thing.

Maybe if you
take care of him

you'll learn
to care for him.

- You know,
in my family,

Ricardo was like a god.

You know, he was a legend.

My grandmother used to
show me these pictures.

You know, tell me stories
all about him.

And I wanted--I wanted
to be like him.

You know?
- Yeah.

- And now I see
he's just a man.

You know, he's just an old man

and he's rottin' away.

I don't wanna end up
like my grandfather.

- You don't have to, Miguel.

- Oh, really?

Well, I don't see it
going down any other way.

- Rebadow.

I'm sorry you didn't
make it out.

- It's okay.
It was worth it.

The adrenaline rush,

I felt 25 again
for a moment.

- Here's your dinner.
- I don't want it.

- Okay.
What do you want?

- I'd like a few years
at the end of my life

to be free.

- Do we care for people
when they're sick

'cause we actually
care about them?

- [mumbles] Guys...

- Or do we care for them
because when our time comes

we want someone
to care for us?

Or does it matter?

At least you got
your health!

Don't you hate it
when people say that?!

I mean, you lose your job,
you lose your wife,

you're in prison

and some punk-ass
do-gooder says,

"At least you got
your health!"

Like that's supposed
to make you feel better!

So what if I'm broke?

So what if some dealer
wants to cap my ass?

At least I ain't
got a tumor!

I swear the next person that
says "A.L.Y.G.Y.H." to me,

I'ma make sure they ain't got
their health much longer.

- You say you were
having nightmares.

Can you remember
any of them?

- No. Ow.

- What's the matter?

- My tooth hurts.

It's been hurting
for a week.

- Then go see a dentist.

- No.

- Why?

- I hate the dentist.

- All dentists, or just
Dr. Cochern in particular?

- The concept of dentists.

- Well, then what?

You prefer
the concept of pain?

Make an appointment, Groves.

Okay? Okay?

- Oh, God.
- What?

- Oh, sweet Jesus.

Donald Groves is
coming in to see me.

- So?

- Gloria, he ate
his parents.

I'm not sticking
my fingers in his mouth.

My fingers
are my livelihood.

- He's been working
in the ward as an orderly.

He seems harmless.

- So you'd stick your fingers
in his mouth?

- If I had to.

If he's in pain, you have to.
- No, I don't!

- What about
the Hippocratic oath?

- Dentists don't take
the Hippocratic oath.

We don't make
any promises to anybody.

How's that gas working?

You feel happy, calm?

- Uh-huh.
- Good.

Okay.
Let's have a look.

Open your mouth.

Wide.

Wider.
Wider.

- It can't
get any wider.

- All righty then.

They look fine.
- It hurts.

- It's probably nothing.
Don't be a baby.

- Who you calling
a baby?

- Nobody.

Forget it--
forget I said anything.

Ah-ha.

There is a tooth
that's rotted out.

So we're going to
have to pull it.

That means I have to
take a needle

and inject some novocaine
in your mouth.

- I hate needles.
- Everybody does.

Then I have to drill.

- I hate drills.

- Right now, so do I.

Right now I wish there were
holistic dentistry.

- I'm in pain.

- Well, you're going to be
in a lot more

before we're finished.

But after that,
you won't have any pain.

See, if I cause you pain,

it's not my fault,
so don't bite my head off.

I mean--

- I know what you mean.
- Okay.

Let's get started.

First,
the Novocain.

Open wide.

Carol?

Could you give me
a hand here, please?

- This is my tooth.

It was in my head.

This tooth and I have been
together since we were kids.

This tooth
chewed on my mom.

- You should sell it.
- Sell it?

- Sell it.

The tooth from the mouth
of Donald Groves.

You know how much that's worth
on the open market?

- How much?

- Plenty.

- Who would wanna
buy my tooth?

- Collectors.
- Collectors?

- Collectors.
People collect everything.

Stamps,
salt and pepper shakers,

world's fair tchotchkes.

Some people collect
crime stuff.

Lindbergh ladder,

Ted Bundy's
toenail clippings,

and this.

- We'd have to get
to a fence, though, right?

- We're in prison.

How hard's that gonna be?

- But Ross, if we get
a good price...

I still got 30 more.

- The mind is just
like the body.

It's under
constant assault.

From fear and hate

and our old pal
loneliness.

These stings are as deadly
as any cancer cell.

The mind

is just
like the body.

The fact that the mind
can survive

is a miracle.

[pots clanging]

[clamoring, cheering]

[indistinct shouting, whistling]

[balloon squeaking]

[cheers and applause]

Damn!
All right, yo, all right.

Our next contestant

is the lovely
and talented,

Tobias Beecher!

[cheers and whistles]

[wolf whistles]

["I Got It Bad
(And That Ain't Good" plays]

♪ ♪

♪ Never treats me ♪

♪ Sweet and gentle ♪

♪ The way he should ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I've got it bad ♪

♪ And that ain't good ♪

♪ ♪

♪ When the weekend's over ♪

♪ And Monday rolls around ♪

♪ I end up ♪

♪ Like I start out ♪

♪ Crying ♪

♪ My heart out ♪

♪ He don't love me ♪

♪ Like I love him ♪

♪ Nobody could ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I've got it bad ♪

♪ And that ain't good ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I've got it bad ♪

♪ And that ain't ♪

♪ Good ♪

[cheers and applause]

[cheers, whistling]

- Yo, chill,
y'all rowdy-ass motherfuckers.

Shut up.

Yo, next up
on the stage...

You ready? Chill!

All right.

Next on stage,
our very own Bailey,

doin' a drum solo.

- Well, we knew Beecher
was doing drugs.

- Yeah, but now I'm beginning
to figure it out.

He thinks of himself
as a victim.

So, he's not
gonna get better

unless he feels he can
control his life.

- He's in prison,
Pete Marie.

His life is totally
out of his control.

- Yeah, well, now we have to
get him back to before

when he was in charge.

We have to remind him

that there's another victim
involved here.

A little girl he killed.

[dramatic tones]

- Hello.

My husband
wouldn't come.

He said he was afraid
he might kill you.

This is Kathy.

I'm sorry,
I didn't mean to...

I'm not sure why I came.

At the trial
I was sitting behind you,

I could barely
see your face.

I guess I just wanted
to finally...

see you.

See your eyes
and to tell you...

That I miss her.

Every single moment
of every single day.

Oh, you fucking bastard!

I hope you die in here
you motherfucking--

I hope you rot in hell!

You killed my baby!

- I don't know.

Maybe I let Schillinger
treat me like dirt

because I deserve
to be punished,

because I...

I killed
Cathy Rockwell.

Because I destroyed

her family...

And my own.

- And you hate yourself
for that.

- Yes.

I guess I hated myself
back before too.

I hated myself
so I drank too much.

And then I hated myself
for drinking too much

so to punish myself,
I drank more.

Sister...

I don't wanna
hate me anymore.

[labored breathing]

- Hey.

Don't think
you're fooling me.

I know the only way you
got through that variety show

was by using drugs.

- Look, I--

- Hey, I told you I don't want
you doing that shit.

- I'm sorry, sir.

- No.
I'm sorry.

Here, put it on.

[dramatic tones

Perfect fit.

No, no, no, no
leave it on.

- Come on.

If I go out there
with this thing on,

one of those black guys
is gonna kill me.

- Yeah, I know.

- What is this?

- There's a new kid in town.

- Okay, that's great.

I'm happy for you.
I'll move to another pod.

- No.
- Why not?

I don't want some nigger
to have your ass.

- Goodbye, prag.

[indistinct chatter]

- O'Reilly,
I need your help.

- I'm here.

- Schillinger
wants me dead.

He just gave me
this to wear.

- [exhales sharply]

- What am I
gonna do, man?

- Well, if you gotta go,
you gotta go high.

You ever try PCP?

- The trial of James Devlin

opened today
in the state courthouse,

not far from
the capital building

where the governor has
ruled with an iron fist

for the past year.

Devlin, who says
he will not resign

even if convicted,
faces 25 years in prison

for fraud, extortion,
racketeering,

and obstruction
of justice.

[eerie music]

♪ ♪

[dramatic music intensifies]

♪ ♪

- Yeah, motherfucker,
how's that?

I'm sorry, sir!

I'm flyin' outta here!

[inmates shouting]

- Beecher, get down!

- Here I go!

Get me outta here!

Cock-sucking
motherfuckin'--

- Get a damn fucking doctor!

- Fucking bitch!

How's that feel?

all: Beecher, Beecher, Beecher!

- Get a fuckin' doctor!

[all shouting]

- [groaning]

Help me!

Help...

- I need you to keep your hands
out of your face.

Calm down.
- Oh, shit.

- Give me a couple of 4x4's
and some tape.

Oh, man, glass got
into his eye.

I'm not sure
I can save it.

We need him to get him
to Benchley Memorial

for surgery
as soon as possible.

- Fuck, I'm gonna kill
that motherfucker.

God, Beecher,
you're a dead man!

- You have to go back
to drug counseling.

- Fuck off.

- If you don't I'll transfer you
out of Emerald City.

- Fuck off!

- Tobias,
we're trying to help you.

- Fuck off!

- Look, if you're afraid
Schillinger's gonna kill you

I'll place you under
protective custody.

- Fuck off,
fuck off!

Fuck off,
fuck off!

Fuck off!

Fuck off, you fucks!

- People say,
"she broke my heart."

That's bullshit, man.

The heart can't break;
it's a muscle.

Muscles tear,

muscle cramp.

Yeah, the heart's
a muscle.

So's the brain,

so's the dick.

- O'Reilly.

Give this guy the mop.

You're through
with the bucket brigade.

- Good.

- Dino Ortolani ran the kitchen

like a Swiss watch,
the best.

Joey was good,
Markstrom too.

But this Adebisi character...

He's not really...

He's not really focused
on the job, you know?

And he abuses
the privilege.

Everybody steals,
but he steals too much.

You're a smart guy.

And you've been
very efficient

doing the jobs
I've asked you to do.

So, I'm putting you in charge
of the whole cafeteria.

- What are you talking?

I run this kitchen.

- And you're doing
a half-assed job.

- I got rotten fruit,

I got cold entrees.

I got Glynn complaining
about cost overages.

- I'm not working with him.
- Fine.

Hows about I
have you transferred

back to the sweatshop?

- I don't like the sweatshop.

- Then shut the fuck up!
Okay?

It's all yours.

- All right, ladies,
back to work.

[indistinct chatter]

What?

- We had a deal.

We were partners.
- We still are.

When it comes
to running tits.

That part of the operation
I got no complaints with.

But the kitchen,

I can't afford
you fucking up.

O'Reilly will do
a good job.

- Fuck that pretty
little mick.

- Hey, Adebisi.

You make your peace
with us anyway you can.

I say O'Reilly's gonna
run the kitchen

as good as Dino
ever did.

- You wanna
bet on that?

[inmates yelling angrily]

- What the fuck is going on
here, Wangler?

- Nothin'.
- Exactly.

Pick up
the goddamn pace!

- We've been going
as fast as we can, man.

- Everybody quiet down.

- You're not foolin' me.

- I don't know what
you're talking about.

- Adebisi,
listen to me.

I know why Schibetta
put me in charge over you.

He's doing the old
divide and conquer.

As long as he keeps the two
of us at each other's throats,

he's got
all the power.

- Cocksucker.

[glass shattering]

What are you doing?
- Let's face it.

The both of us only got
one goal in mind.

And that's to take over
Schibetta's drug trade.

[glass crunching]

Together we can do it.

- Together?

- We gotta make him
think that we're enemies.

Keep him off guard
'till we kill him.

- We kill them,
the mob kills us.

- They won't know.

If I ever put this
in his food...

- Glass.

- As long as we make it fine,
he won't be able to taste it.

Over time the glass
will cut his insides up.

- He'll die slowly.

- Painfully.

- You're one sick
motherfucker, O'Reilly.

Coming from you,

that's a compliment.

- Wangler!

- What's up?

- Give me
Schibetta's food.

- Got you.

- And tell everyone
to start working full speed.

- Okay.

Everyone,
move your asses now!

- So, Ryan, if you were
released from Oz today,

what would you do?

- Travel.
- Where?

- Around.

Since I got here,

I've been reading brochures
and vacation guides.

They're great for when
you're taking a shit

or before
you go to sleep.

While I'm sleeping,

I actually dream about
going to these places.

- Like?

- Morogoro.
- Morogoro?

That's a jungle,
isn't it?

- Yeah, you knew that?

- Yeah.
- Yeah, it's in Africa.

- Yeah.

- You wanna go with me?

- Me?
- Yeah.

You and me.
You know?

- I'm twice your age
and I'm a nun.

- Yeah, well, growing up
and going to St. Pat's,

I never had
a nun like you.

- St. Pat's, huh?

Tough neighborhood.

- Yeah, I learned the alphabet
the hard way.

DEA, HIV, IOU...
- I see.

- You know, Sister,

I got 12 years
'till my parole.

I wanna be alive
to make that parole.

I'm gonna
walk out of here.

I'm gonna survive.

- You still got that Demerol?

- Nine of spades.

- Trump.

- You okay, Nino?

- Yeah, yeah,
just a little agita.

I told ya...

You're making
the red sauce too spicy.

I don't know what the fuck
you're putting in it

but it's
too fuckin' spicy.

- Trump.

- I was addicted
to crack.

Then I had my accident.

Lying in the hospital bed,
I went through detox.

But that was easy.

The doctors
had me on morphine,

demerol, percodan.

I didn't know
I was in pain.

I didn't know
I was in the hospital,

paralyzed.

Then I came here
and went into counseling.

I take it one day
at a time, you know.

Every day
I think about drugs,

about not doing drugs.

Every single day,
every single hour,

every single minute.

Staying straight
has become my obsession.

My new addiction.

[indistinct chatter]

- 12 years for his conviction
in the attempted rape...

- Oh, shit, Jackson Vahue
got 12 years.

- Yeah, and I hear
he's coming to Oz.

- Judge Anthony Pipitone
levied the maximum sentence

saying that
Vahue's conviction

should send a signal
that no one,

especially a famous
sports figure is above...

- Hey, McManus,
i been waiting to see you, man.

You really oughta get wheelchair
access to your office.

- Put it in
the suggestion box.

- Hey, I wanna be
Jackson Vahue's sponsor.

- How come?

- The man is one of
the greatest b-ball players

of all time, and I'm
one of his biggest fans.

- What makes you think I'm
bringing him to Emerald City?

- 'Cause, like everybody else,
you're a star fucker.

- Oh, well,
nobody can ever accuse you

of being an ass-kisser.

All right, you're
Jackson Vahue's sponsor.

- When does he arrive?

- Tomorrow.
- Great.

- You think you can get the
marching band ready by then?

[cell door slams]

[dramatic music]

- Where do you think
you're going?

- Ahh!

[whimpering]

No!

[distorted tones]

- Prisoner number 97V588,
Jackson Vahue,

convicted August 17th, '97.

Attempted rape, assault.

Sentence: 12 years.

Up for parole in five.

- Vahue,

you wait here for
a transport to Em City.

The rest of you
scum fucks,

now that
you had your shower

and you're all sweet
and squeaky clean,

are gonna follow Officer Smith
to your new accommodations.

Let's go, this way.

Right through there.
Come on. Come on. Come on.

Hey, Jackson,

can I get your autograph?

It's for my kid.

[tense percussive music]

- Yo, what's up,
Jackson?

- Jackson.
- Man, right there.

- Yo.

[indistinct chatter]

- Jackson!
- Jackson, What's up, baby?

[indistinct chatter]

[hoop rattling]

- Nice shot, yo!

Thought I'd find you here.

- You just go ahead
and leave me the fuck alone.

- Hey, man, I'm just here
to help you get adjusted.

- What,
adjusted to this shit?

Where you from,
you from the projects?

- Yeah.
- Oh, well, me too.

You spend all your time
adjusting, right?

Yeah.

Figuring out how to
fuckin' stay alive, right?

Figuring out
why you don't have nothing.

But you got about three ways
you can get out.

You can sell some drugs
or sing,

or this shit right here.

They all take
some talent, man.

I just happened
to be lucky.

Fuckin' jump,
I could hang,

I could put this
ball in the hoop.

Oh, I got adjusted,

I got famous,
I got rich.

I got used to the touring,
the endorsements, the women.

[sighs]

Maybe not the women.

I fucking blew that, boy.
God, I blew that!

The one thing I'm good at
don't mean dick in here!

So how the fuck I'm supposed
to adjust to that?

Fuck you.
I ain't doing this.

- Oh, yes, you are.

- What's the story here?

- Mr. NBA won't do
his work assignment.

- It was explained
to you, right?

Everybody in Em City
has a job to do.

- Give me another job, then,
'cause I'm not doing this one.

- You don't
get to choose.

- Look, pal.

I don't do windows, okay?

I don't do windows!

- Well, now you get
to clean that up.

- George Washington Carver.

He was born
to slave parents,

but he worked
his way up

and through
Iowa State college,

becoming a botanist
and an agricultural chemist.

Now he discovered hundreds
of uses for the peanut,

the sweet potato,
and the soybean.

Now...

Mr. Vahue,
are you listening to me?

- Sure.
Soybean.

[buzzer sounds]

- All right, we'll pick up
here next week.

Uh, Vahue...

Now, I know you're a big
hot-shot basketball star.

If you don't start paying
attention in the class,

you're going on report.

- Go ahead, nigga.

- Oh, no, my friend,
you're the nigger.

- You got any drugs?
- No.

- Then what the fuck
good are you?

[indistinct chatter]

- Hey, Jackson,

we made this
special for you.

- Thanks, man.
- No, thank you.

I won ten grand
on that Bulls game.

- What, you looking
for an autograph?

- No, my brother.

Your fame means
nothing tome.

Except of that you are
important to many children.

You are a role model.

- I didn't ask to be
nobody's fuckin' role model.

All right?
- Nonetheless you are.

And that carries
an enormous responsibility.

- Hey, look, man,
fuck you, all right?

Go preach that shit
to somebody else.

- [chuckles]

All right, my brother.

All right,
but we will talk again.

- Yeah, don't bet on that.

Assalamu 'Alaikum,
brother.

- Eat me, nigger.
- Whoa.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

- Who do you have to fuck
to get high?

♪ ♪

- Come on, son.

Come on, son, let me
squeeze them titties.

Man, what, come on.

Yo, I've been fiendin'
for this freedom.

I've been beggin'
for the B.

I've been jonesin' for the--
for the jump over the wall.

But all I keep coming back to
is them titties.

Round and firm,

for the vein burn.

I keep--I keep bugging
over the reasons

for the shit I yearn.

Years in this piece

got me wantin' the shit
that I unlearned.

Got me wanting
to block it out.

Forget about--

erase it from my think!

[slurping the air]

- Psst, come here, brother.

- No.

- What, you don't wanna
get titillated?

- No.

- Come here, boy.
Don't be a pussy.

- Man, I've been clean
almost two years.

- [chuckles]

Man, this one little hit
ain't gonna kill you.

Come on.

We talking about
the '95 Bulls game.

- Yeah, you scored 58 points.

- That's right.

That ain't all I scored.

A little three-way
with two cheerleaders.

- [murmuring appreciation]

- Yeah, you always
been my hero, man.

- That's me,
fucking role model.

- Fuckin' role model.
- Yeah, boy, come on.

- Maybe just--just one.

- [indistinct murmuring]

- Yeah, you get a hard-on
here, now.

- [sniffing]

[echoing thuds]

[tense music]

♪ ♪

[hoop swishes]

♪ ♪

- You know that's been
up Kenny's ass, right?

- Next is Kareem Said.

- Dr. Prestopnik diagnosed him
for hypertension,

prescribed Calan,

but his vital signs
have yet to stabilize.

- He's not taking
his medication.

- That doesn't make sense.

A guy like Said has
everything to live for.

- Well, my guess is that
he's concerned about the effect

the drug's gonna
have on his mind.

He doesn't want
his judgment clouded.

- Well, I can understand that.

Oz is the last place you
wanna let your guard down.

- Can't you switch
his prescription?

- Yeah, but they all
have side effects.

If we don't get him
to take something and soon,

it's only a matter of time

before his blood pressure
explodes.

- Don't think of me
as a psychologist.

Don't think of me
as a nun.

Think of me
as your mother!

Kareem,
take your medicine!

- Sister, I thought
I was in here

for psychiatric evaluation.

- You are,

because when you play
fast and loose

with high blood pressure
you are crazy.

- Oh, Sister,
I'm far from crazy.

You see, God endowed me
with a mind.

A free will.

He gave me the
ability to chose.

I choose to be drug free.

- And you make
the choice how?

By considering
the facts.

The fact is
you will die.

- My physical condition

is a small part
of a greater reality.

Now, it's been hard,

but I am now at peace
with this, Sister.

Now why can't you be?

- [stammers]

- [chuckles]

Assalamu 'Alaikum,
Sister.

You're a good woman.

- Yeah.

- [chuckles]

Okay.

Huseni Mershah,

this is Kareem Said.

Kareem's gonna
help you

get used to the routine
in Emerald City.

- Assalamu 'Alaikum,
brother.

- Assalamu 'Alaikum.

- Here, cuffs.

- Assalamu 'Alaikum, Hunt.

- Yeah,
have a nice day.

[dramatic music]

- Prisoner number
97M688,

Huseni Mershah,

also known as
James Monroe Madison.

- Yo, yo, yo!

- Convicted
August 11th, '97.

Attempted murder,

assault
in the first degree.

- It's done!

- Sentence: 20 years,

up for parole in three.

[camera shutter clicking]

- A Jew shot Omar Salim

'cause he figured Salim
gon' rip off his little store.

Salim didn't even
have a weapon on him.

- And the Jew got off.
- Oh, you know it.

So We had to teach the Jew
a little lesson on respect.

- Thank you,
Brother Huseni.

But now we pray.

- Said, listen...

I think we gotta do
a little more than pray.

- [chuckles]
We will, brother.

Believe me, we will.

- "Believers are like
a single man.

"If his eye
is affected,

"then all of him
is affected.

If the head is affected..."

- Hey, you wanna
shut the fuck up?

Yo!

- You got a problem?

- Your bullshit's
making me sick.

- Don't insult
the Holy word.

- Suck my dick,
asshole.

[scattered laughter]

[tense percussive tones]

♪ ♪

- What's the problem
here, guys?

- There ain't
no problem, officer.

- Sit...down.

♪ ♪

I'm sorry
if we disturbed you.

- Fuck you.
- Nice, nice, Ross!

If you can't handle that,
take a walk!

- Fuck you, too.
- Okay.

- Everybody, sit down.

- He was making fun
of the Word of God.

- God does not need you
to defend Him from a moron.

What God needs you to do

is to reign in
your basic instincts.

What God needs you to do

is just to be
a little patient, brother.

The more little skirmishes
you get us involved in,

is the more you
weaken the Holy War

we about to fight.

- So where are you
from, minister?

- From?
- Yeah, where you from?

You're not from
the ghetto, right?

- I was born in the ghetto.

But unlike most,
I got out.

I've traveled the world, Huseni.

Studied the great religions.

And I've sat at the knee
of mystics, shaman, and madmen.

I know the world, Huseni.
- Yeah.

Maybe you been on
a mountaintop for so long

you forgot
where you came from.

- I have not forgotten
who I am.

- Well...

Maybe Allah
sent me to remind you.

Hmm?

[chuckles]

- [chuckles]

- Hey, Imam Said's
movin' slow, man.

It worries me.

- He knows best,
brother.

- Yeah, well, he's blessed
by Allah and all of that.

But that don't mean
he can't be wrong.

- So?

- So, I'm thinking,

you know, he might be more
valuable to us

as a symbol rather
than as a leader.

- A symbol?
What do you mean?

- Nothing, man, nothing.

I'm just talking smack, man.

I'm just...

I'm just wasting time.

- [panting]

- Huseni!

- What, what?

What, what?

- [coughing]
- Imam?

- [gasping]

- Are you having
a heart attack?

- Call the doctor.

- It is the hand of God.

It is the will of Allah!

- [rasping] Help me...

Help. Help me!

- You must go ahead and die.

- [groaning and gasping]

[cries out]

- All those little
aches and pains,

eventually,
they add up to something.

Body, mind,

body, mind,

they gotta work together,
or they don't work at all.

You gotta take care
of your body.

You gotta take care
of your mind.

You gotta love your body.

Most people don't.

Most people
hate their bodies.

You gotta get your mind
to love your body.

Even if you're fat
around the middle,

or even if things don't work
like they're supposed to,

you gotta
love your body.

'Cause it's all you got
to hold on to.

It's all you got.

I'll make a deal with you.

I'll love your body

if you love mine.

[dramatic tones]

[tense jazzy music]

♪ ♪

[bright tone]