Treme (2010–2013): Season 2, Episode 4 - Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues? - full transcript

I just could not get
a cab out in the parish.

No running.
Slow down.

Your wife explained all that when
she rescheduled your appointment.

My wife?
Yeah, I bet she did.

I appreciate you taking the time
again out of your busy day,

but the thing is I gig a lot.

And sometimes
I'm out on the road.

I'm putting together my
own band and, you know--

So I don't know if I'm exactly
what you're looking for.

I mean, my own band, brah.
You know that'll have to take precedence.

I understand.



When y'all start working
with the marching?

No time soon.
No uniforms,

no instruments.

Man, see, I had it in mind

to be working with
a marching band.

That'll come eventually.
To start,

there's three band classes
a day, with me.

Three?
That's a lot.

With my schedule, maybe you can
make this a part-time gig.

You know-- You know, you really
need somebody full-time.

I can give you
some names, yeah.

We can make it work.
Just let me know in advance.

The paperwork says
you can start immediately.

Immediately?
You mean, like today?



The principal's already
signed off on it.

Oh, thanks.

You know about my
criminal history, right?

Misdemeanors or felony?

Misdemeanors,
but, you know, it--

Class, everybody, settle down!

Markeas, Markell.
That's our new sousaphone

right there, son, ain't no toy.

Chevonne, this is not
a beauty parlor.

Okay, band, take your seats.

Listen up.
Everybody please welcome

our new assistant band director

Mr. Antoine batiste.

What's with the--

Cassroom management technique,
helps wi the talking.

How come most of them
don't have no horns?

The instruments a-comin'
program.

Tipitina foundation, eh?

Supposed to be sending us
instruments any day,

but until then we work
on reading rhythms.

Here we go, band.
Ready?

One, two, three, four.

♪ hanging in the Treme ♪

♪ watching people sashay ♪

♪ past my steps ♪

♪ by my porch ♪

♪ in front of my door ♪

♪ church bells are ringing ♪

♪ choirs are singing ♪

♪ while the preachers groan ♪

♪ and the sisters moan ♪

♪ in a blessed tone ♪

- ♪ mm-hmm ♪
- ♪ Yeah ♪

♪ down in the Treme ♪

♪ just me and my baby ♪

♪ we're all going crazy ♪

♪ while jamming
and having fun ♪

♪ trumpet bells ringing ♪

♪ bass drum is swinging ♪

♪ as the trombone groans ♪

♪ and the big horn moans ♪

♪ and there's a saxophone ♪

♪ down in the Treme ♪

♪ it's me and my baby ♪

♪ we're all going crazy ♪

♪ while jamming
and having fun ♪

♪ down in the Treme ♪

♪ it's me and my baby ♪

♪ we're all going crazy ♪

- ♪ while jamming and having fun. ♪
- Whoo!

That's the hook.
Repeat twice, then the bridge.

Then my flow.

♪ Four years at Radcliff,
that's all you know ♪

♪ a desire to do good
and a 4.0 ♪

♪ you're here to save us
from our plight ♪

♪ you got the answer
'cause you're rich and white ♪

♪ on a two-year sojourn
here to stay ♪

♪ teach for America
all the way ♪

♪ got no idea
what you're facing ♪

♪ no clue just who
you're displacing ♪

♪ old lady taught fathers,
old lady taught sons ♪

♪ old lady bought books
for the little ones ♪

♪ old lady put in 30 years ♪

♪ sweat and toil,
time and tears ♪

♪ was that really
your sad intention ♪

♪ help the state of Louisiana
deny her pension? ♪

Hell to the no.
Turn it off.

What?

For one thing, it was
the state of Louisiana

who fired all those teachers,
not teach for America.

A scab is a scab
is a scab, okay?

Track three of my
hip-hop opus addresses

the hidden social costs
of educational reform.

Davis, we're white guys.
Deal with it.

Dude, work in progress.

Yeah, fucking cops went
buck wild for nothing.

I mean, we was in there
trying to get food and water

to keep from fucking
dying out that bitch.

Cops come in hollering about,

"get out!
All y'all get your ass out!"

People are looking like, "man,
we're trying to survive."

You know what I mean?

Then they just went to going
upside motherfuckers' heads

like it was no thing.

Cops went inside the store?

And they were beating people?

Man, inside, outside,

chasing them down the street.

Did you see this
young man that day?

I mean, it was
pandemonium up in there.

You know what I mean?
No lights,

motherfuckers
fighting over shit,

cops kicking people.
It was crazy.

You recognize any of
the officers involved?

No, man.
Shit.

They look familiar?

Looked like cops.

Black, white?

Some of both, okay?

This is the first district.
You can practically see the station house from here.

Were they first district?

If I have some more questions,
can I contact you?

You got a number
I can reach you at?

Look, I'm not testifying
about no police.

Nobody's asking you to
testify about anything.

You remember that cop that kicked
that man to death in Treme

in broad daylight about a
month before the storm

in front of witnesses?

Yeah, he's still around.

Yeah, well, we're just
trying to find out

what happened
to this young man.

Somebody shot him.

I didn't hear no shots.

- This is the last year's suit?
- Mm-hmm.

The beadwork is gorgeous.

A lot of them younger Indians--
They can't even much make a suit

without a hot-glue gun.
I use one myself

when I need to
for the trim and such,

but everything else I sew.

Sylvester at
the backstreet told me

you were
an old-time Indian.

Feel this.

Feel how hard they are.

That's how you can tell
who sews and who don't.

See, that's the kind
of insight I need,

exactly what I'm looking for.

My film is
all about rebuilding--

The city and the culture.
And you're doing both.

Now, see, you cannot film me

while I'm working on my
housewarming new suit.

May I ask why not?

You're gonna have to wait till
I come out on carnival day.

I don't reveal myself no
sooner, no later, no nothing.

You come around Mardi Gras,
take pictures in the street,

get in line.

I'm interested in the process,

not the result.

The process don't matter if
you don't have no result.

Process shit.

The process is just
a lot of damn hard work.

Don't say no now.
Think it over.

I don't need to.

Now I got some of that
hard work to do.

You can find me
at the backstreet

if you change your mind.

Man, "tom cat blues."

Don't this shit sound
like two motherfuckers

profiling with their brims
and shit on the corner?

Two old motherfuckers.

I just can't see anybody
listening to this,

not this century.

See now, that's fucked up.

You take a classical orchestra,

anything from bach
to stravinsky,

300 years of music--

It's standard
repertoire, right?

But in jazz Jelly Roll Morton

is considered prehistoric.

Well, he sounds
prehistoric to me.

I'm sorry, del.
I'm just not hearing it.

Listening to this,
I just see brothers

toting barges
and lifting bales.

Listening to this,
what? No. I just see brothers

listen, this here

was popular music--

Jelly Roll and king Oliver
and pops.

I'm just trying to figure out

what elements made this music

so popular back in the day,
you know?

This is what I want to capture.

Davis, I don't know
the slightest thing

about the music business.

I do. I'm thinking we
start with a sampler,

seven or eight artists,
two tracks an artist,

a couple of local rappers,
a couple of bounce artists,

a funk band or two,
then my thing.

Your thing?

"When worlds collide."

I'm gonna put a straight
funk rhythm section together

but then drop
some brass on top,

then throw a little hip-hop
flow into it, kinda--

Galactic has its way
with the hot 8's front line

before sleeping around
with Lil Wayne.

Trust me, I'm gonna take New Orleans
music where it's never gone before.

So we start a record label

and we put out a sampler.

Funk, bounce,

New Orleans hardcore
and nasty, yes yes.

And you yourself are gonna be

one of these
hardcore nasties--

I mean, you, my little

uptown, Newman-educated
nephew?

Do not mock the sad
circumstances of my birth.

In my soul I'm a 22-year-old
thug from the magnolia,

twirling g-packs and cutting
motherfuckers with my flow.

I'm pure pale nastiness.

So back up off me, bitch.

How mu would I be in for?

Your stake-- $5000.

$5000?

With your money and my vision

we cannot help but become

the big, sleazy reincarnation

of def jam records.

I must be out
of my fucking mind.

I gotta go by there tomorrow
after work before rehearsal.

I got presents for the
boys I need to drop off.

After work--
I like the sound of that.

How's she doing?

Uh, said she's better.

I don't know.

Didn't sound all that good.

Oh, breaded pork chops
and butter beans.

You always know what I need.

Keep that job, Antoine.
That's what I need.

I know this ain't
no easy thing,

but it's the only way
we're getting out of here.

Gigging just ain't doing it.

And you know something else?

You can do this.

Miss Ladee?

Shit.

I never did lied about it.

Sorry, John.

I forgot where I was
for a minute.

I thought I was someplace else.

I gotta get out of here, me.

Let me walk you to your car.

♪ It's gonna be
a really long one ♪

♪ it's gonna be another
long one ♪

♪ it's gonna be
another long one ♪

♪ tonight. ♪

Thank you.
Thank you.

It's so good to be here.
Thank you very much.

You know, last night
I was on frenchmen street

and I heard a fiddle player

that just totally
knocked me out.

And I've asked her to come
and give me a hand

on this next tune.
So will you please welcome

New Orleans's own Annie tee?

♪ There are things I will do ♪

♪ for a hatchet job too ♪

♪ ante up ♪

♪ there's a new kid in town ♪

♪ but it won't take long ♪

♪ for what's red-hot
and blonde ♪

♪ to be ashes ♪

♪ on the ground ♪

♪ and the Manhattan skyline ♪

♪ a bed and a byline ♪

♪ well, I've come ♪

♪ and I've cradled your face ♪

♪ and I won't be the last one ♪

♪ to commit crimes of passion ♪

♪ with a shoot-out ♪

♪ and a chase ♪

♪ mm, over and over ♪

♪ and over and over ♪

♪ beckong, begging ♪

♪ I keep hanging on ♪

♪ going once, going twice ♪

♪ mercy God, Jesus Christ ♪

♪ and I'm gone and I'm gone ♪

♪ I'm gone... ♪

All right, all right.

Not bad.
Nice job.

Thanks.

You're available which nights?

Well, all of them.
I need steady work.

All right.

I'll get your number.
Give me a minute.

Cool.

- Eh...
- He ain't no Freddie green, but he'll do.

- Might be better out there.
- True that.

Speaking of which, Cornell,
what happened to Raymond?

You know Ray got a steady
gig with Dumpstaphunk, man.

Oh man, we ain't even
popped our cherry

and cats already jumping ship.

Say, brah, are you gonna have enough
time to learn the arrangements?

Arrangements?
You doing a symphony?

How about I hit on two and
four and you shut the fuck up?

- Ooh.
- Oh, all right, Herman.

I heard you were
a contrarian motherfucker.

Hey, girl,
you killed that tune.

Thank you.

It was such an honor to play with you.
I had a blast.

That was great.
I was happy to have you.

Listen, there's somebody
who needs to meet you.

Come here.

- Marvin, Marvin.
- Hey.

Hey, I want you to meet Annie.

Annie, this is Marvin frey.

You were good up there.

Thank you.

You were great.

Oh, I see Shannon, so I'm
gonna go say hi to her.

- It's good to see you.
- You too, darling.

So how do you know Shawn?

She's a friend.

She's my neighbor in Austin.

And what do you do?

I'm a manager.

I rep a bunch of up-and-coming
artists in Austin.

Oh shit.
This is awkward.

I didn't ask her to do that.

Don't worry about it.
Shawn's just like that.

She gets excited
about new talent.

And you don't?

Actually I do.

That's why I'm here scouting.

So who represents you?

I guess that's the next step.

Well, I'm sure you'll find
somebody suitable

when the time's right,

when you're ready.

Right.

Listen, we're gonna go
to Rio's place--

One eyed Jack's.
Why don't you come?

You would dress the place up.

It's been a long day already.

Thank you though.

Good luck.

One more time,

how many beats
does a half note get?

Two beats.

Mr. batiste,
could you please write

two measures in 4/4 time
on the board, please?

Mr. Lecoeur,
are we safe?

Sounded like that was inside.

This isn't Katrina.

It's just a thunderstorm.
Just be calm.

Mr. batiste.

Aunt Mimi, what is this?

"For profit definition,

consult rider a
in appendix 3."

Rider a.
What?

Standard boilerplate.

Oh, Davis, just sign
the damn paper

so we can open
this bottle already.

Boilerplate? Huh?

Look, Charles just wants to
get everything down on paper

to protect us both.
Don't you, Charles?

Very much so.

And away we go.

See, I went to the mint museum

and they had
a little Indian suit

way back in the corner
with no name on it.

So I said to myself,
"if I ever open a museum,

I'ma take and put
the people's name on it

"and what tribe
the suit come from."

I'd love to film

all the Indian suits you have

with you explaining

each one

and what style it is--
Uptown, downtown.

You know, there's more to
Indians than just suits.

Enlighten me.

The work we do
in the community--

Chief Howard teaching
the kids to sew.

You know, Jerome Smith
over at tambourine and fan--

Now he's been running
a summer camp

going on, what,
about 40 years now?

- About 40 years.
- 40 years, passing on the tradition.

Maybe you could be my liaison,

be in the film too.

Sylvester can do that.
You don't need me.

I thought maybe
you reconsidered

and that's why
you came down here.

I felt bad about yesterday.

I don't want you
to go away thinking

that all New Orleans
people was rude.

I am, but I ain't typical.

I know you're not.

I'm from here, you know--
New Orleans east.

See, she's really just
learning about Indians.

My family-- They didn't
approve of the Indians.

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

I tell you what:

You call me after Mardi Gras

and then we'll talk.

Can I film you Mardi Gras day?

Shit, you're gonna
have to film me, girl.

I'm gonna be the prettiest.

Sylvester.

All right.

Father said to thank you.
He didn't expect another check.

That's what
it's all about--

Reconstruction,
renewal, development.

Exactly right.
That's the task in front of us.

I've got half a million
debris and demolition dollars

sitting in my brand new southeast
Louisiana bank and trust account.

I'm ready to take it
to the next level, Clete,

get those cranes
on the horizon,

make some real money.

Nelson, I tell you what:

Let's sit down
after the holidays.

You understand what I'm saying?

Sure.

I'm sorry, I'm just
anxious to get started.

Merry Christmas.

My grandfather
had a pearl rosary.

I'd sit and watch him
say his hail Marys

and our fathers.

Thank you.
Thank you very much.

What are you doing
for Christmas Eve?

Come over to the house.

I have a dinner te,
but thank you.

Come after.

Joins us for midnight mass,
St. Mary's.

As long as we're in church,

I got a confession to make.

Well, this is a place to do it.

I haven't been to midnight mass

since I was 17--
My family.

I thought they were devout.

Oh, they are. My family's been
in San Antonio for generations,

never gone anywhere,
never got anywhere,

never done anything.

I'm the first in my
family to go to college,

the first to vote republican

and the last one up
on Sunday morning.

I don't know,
I just--

I'd look at my dad

and my abuelo--
My grandfather--

And their lives--

It just stopped working for me.

Well, doubt is
part of faith too.

You don't have to
take communion.

You don't have to make confession.
Just be my guest,

meet my family, hmm?

Worship with us.

I'd be honored.

And bring your date.

Oh, I know she's not devout.

No fun preaching to the choir.

Oh, damn, ladonna,

they really did
a number on you.

It's gone down a lot.

Should have seen me
a few days ago.

You hear from the detective?

Not since I talked to her
at the hospital.

I hope you're not planning to
be here alone at night no more.

No, I got John
working nights now.

That's good.

And I'm thinking about hiring a
security guard for new year's Eve.

So you're going ahead
with the live music?

I am not going to
let this stop me, Antoine.

No, baby, but--

You ever get your
shit together,

I'll give your band a tryout,

see if you can fill a room.

What are you calling it?

Antoine batiste
and his soul apostles.

Apostles?

Modest as usual.

Thank you for getting these
to the boys for me.

- Right away, chef.
- Ooh, apocalypse now, baby.

Never get off the boat.
Never get off the boat.

I just want
to fucking cook, man.

What do you think you're doing?

No, this ain't cooking.
This is survival.

This is turn and burn.
This is--

I don't know what this is,
but this ain't cooking.

You got my foie for me?
I'm dying for it.

Foie coming right up, chef.

Ladies and
gentlemen, listen up.

We have a critic in the house.

Do not fuck this up.

Amuse for table 23, please,

three people
ultra ultra v.I.P.

Break out the osetra.
And don't be fucking shy with it.

This is a big tuna.

Oh man.
It's your friend,

that guy who wrote the
article-- Alan Richman.

- No way.
- Yes, way.

He's sitting right out there
at table 23.

- God damn.
- Motherfucker.

June Yamagishi, motherfucker.

What, you're here just fucking
with me, to break my heart?

No, batiste.
I want the gig, brah.

Oh yeah?
For true?

Are you gonna be here
tomorrow night-- Our debut?

I'd be honored.

Oh no, man, I would be honored.

No, I would.

No, I would be honored, brah.

Man, come on.

What's it with these
Japanese guys?

You always gotta have
the last word. Shit.

What else you got, man?

Well, let's see here.
Remember this one?

♪ Love and happiness... ♪

Yeah, that's what
I'm talking about.

- ♪ Well... ♪
- Come on now. Come on now.

♪ Make you want to do wrong,
make you do right ♪

♪ hey ♪

♪ yeah ♪

♪ love... ♪

Watch out, batiste.
Come on now.

Yeah.

♪ Love and happiness... ♪

Oh, he keeps looking at me.

At you or through you?
There's a difference.

At me. He's been
doing it all night.

He's doing it again.
He's doing it now.

Fuck me. At me.
Definitely at me.

I don't need this.
I really don't need this, not tonight.

Pick up the foie
on the 12-top now, please.

Foie for the 12-top,
chef, yes.

Again.
He's doing it again.

Oh yeah, that's the look.
You're right. You're right.

That's the one.
Oh shit.

Here he comes.

This is what the inside
of your head looks like

right now.

What are you doing?

Sorry, man.

Sazerac, please, now.

Is this for you or the chef?

Me.

And do it the right way--
Absinthe, just coat the class.

A friendly tribe to them,

they would pitch in
and start dancing.

Now this was
one of the biggest feats

that ever happened during the
Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Even when the parades that
cost millions of dollars

would be coming along,

if a band of Indians
was to come in,

why, the parade wouldn't
have anybody there.

Everybody would flock
to see the Indians.

They would dance
and they would sing.

It's journalism.
It isn't cheerleading.

If we're gonna be true
to what we believe--

Excuse me, this is how the
creole fairy folk back home

cure their
three-day stubble.

Sazerac?
They gotta be kidding.

Nobody throws a sazerac.

- Looking good.
- Yeah, you're right.

Come on back in about six months for
the best fried chicken you ever ate.

Deal.
You called me?

Merry Christmas to you too.

Everything, right?
Everything?

That's what they said.

All this stuff flooded.
It's contaminated.

It's on the second damn floor.

Ain't nothing wrong
with any of it.

If they said the second floor
flooded, the second floor flooded.

Even the books?

Just want to make sure.

- And the books too.
- Esta bem.

Os livros tambem.

What kind of Spanish is that?

It's Portuguese.
They're Brazilian.

It's a long way
to come for a job.

Not if you ain't got one.

You going home for Christmas?

Every day's been Christmas since
I've been in New Orleans.

Why leave now?

I'm going up to Baton Rouge
for a quick minute,

come back, stuff a few
more stockings here,

and then I'm spending
a quiet holiday season

in my hotel suite with one
of my nearest and dearest.

I've seen your
nearest and dearest--

Just big enough to sit
on old Santa's knee.

Naughty and nice.
Here, buy 'em lunch.

I will.

♪ if loving you
should feel so good ♪

♪ then why we got
to fight? ♪

♪ I know that
you're still angry ♪

♪ but you rock
with me tonight... ♪

Of course there's
gonna be a horn line

- where that synth is.
- Mm-hmm.

And I'm gonna go out
and get somebody

- that can kill that guitar riff better than I can.
- Mm.

♪ You know, like Otis
Redding says, you know ♪

♪ we all make mistakes
in our lives ♪

♪ by leaving, you know,
what's good for us ♪

♪ and I made that mistake, but,
baby, it's so cold outside... ♪

I mean, this is working.

♪-Aright? I love you,
- Yeah.... ♪

- Don?
- ♪ I left my contact lens case in there ♪

♪ no no no no, baby, it's not
about the contact lens case ♪

- ♪ it's about being with you... ♪
- Funny stuff, man.

♪ No, I got some clothes
back at my home... ♪

It's a relationship track,

something from the heart.

This is my--
This is my slow jam.

♪ Please, baby, please ♪

♪ come on, baby... ♪

If it had been the cowboys,

you'd have to wrestle those
tickets from my cold, dead hands.

I thought you had to be
a season ticket holder

to get playoff tickets
this early.

Well, maybe you just need
to know one.

I don't see
any strings attached.

This is one friend to another.

The only payback
I'm looking for

is if you see a sweet
exacta at the track.

That'll work.

Look, I talked
to your man Liguori

and he says you're right.

Of course I'm right.

Now enjoy the game.
That dome will be rocking.

No, I didn't call beforehand,

but I'm sure we can just go on the list.
We'll be all right.

Well well well.

Sofia, say hello
to officer Cantone.

- Hi.
- How are you doing?

- Fine.
- Won't you go on in,

put our name on that list.
I'll be right in.

How's it going, Charlie?

Good. Same old,
same old. You?

About the same. Still dealing
with the fallout from the storm.

It's time to move on.

Like that danziger crap--
What's done is done.

That was the storm.
Get over it.

Well, I'd like to, if the first didn't
stir up the shit at Robideaux's.

Robideaux's?

Yeah, I got a bunch of witnesses
say the first came in

and cleared the place
with Billy clubs.

Looters.

And we were letting it go,
turning the blind eye.

Then they start taking
potshots at one of our guys.

They fired at your officers?

At robideaux's?

Even you would agree that's
a line you gotta draw.

So we went over, swept out
the undesirable element.

Come on, Charlie.
You heard shots.

You wanted an excuse to go
over there and kick some ass.

Serious shit, Toni.
O'Dell was taking rifle fire.

Shot up his car.
It was out of control.

Governor said,
"take back the city."

We took back the city.

You sure did.

Enjoy your dinner.

You stay out of the rain.

Ladies and gentlemen,

you have been listening
to the celestial sounds

of Antoine batiste
and the soul apostles!

Please welcome to the stage

the man with the plan,

the 'bone with the tone
that makes it home,

Mr. Antoine batiste!

Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah, so what're you
gonna play next, bat?

Wanda, I don't know.

- But whatsoever I play...
- Mm-hmm.

- ...Has got to be funky.
- Yeah.

One, two, three.

♪ Make it funky ♪

♪ make it funky ♪

♪ make it funky ♪

♪ make it funky ♪

♪ funky ♪

♪ I'm gonna make it funky now ♪

♪ make it funky ♪

♪ now make it funky... ♪

You gotta work it, girl.

Up and down.

- Side to side.
- Oh, my back.

Rock it side to side.

I can do that.
Whoa! No, I can't.

- Yes, you can.
- Ladies, can we please

please please
put down one track

- before midnight?
- Let me see you now.

Aunt Mimi, it's your nickel.

I'm not complaining.

Mimi, a little help.

Ladies, excuse me.

You wanted this, Nobby?

Hey, Katey,

you want to hear
that beat again?

Damn, Davis, I'ma tell you when I'm ready.
When I'm ready I'ma tell you.

If you'd stop texting
and start writing...

What about this beat, Katey?

♪ I'ma tell you when I'm ready,
when I'm ready I'ma tell you ♪

♪ I'ma tell you when I'm ready,
when I'm ready I'ma tell you ♪

♪ you buggin' me
and you ugaly ♪

♪ you ugaly, you ugaly
and you buggin' me ♪

♪ I'ma tell you
when I'm ready... ♪

"You buggin'
me and you ugaly."

I love it.
That's brilliant.

Davis?
Don?

Hey.

♪ I'ma tell you when I'm ready,
when I'm ready I'ma tell you ♪

♪ I'ma tell you
when I'm ready... ♪

Man, that shit sounded good.

Yeah,

especially when you was
in the pocket on that break.

Man, you sounded like
Zigaboo modeliste himself.

Just playing
the arrangement, boss.

- Boy, that was fun.
- Yeah.

This is it.
I mean, this is my main shit now.

We got us a band.

Already there's about,
like, five gigs.

Serious?

Yeah, I got us
two nights running

down at the bottom line
on claiborne,

Christmas night
and Christmas Eve.

- What? - That's it. Cha-ching!

I'm talking about
a holiday extravaganza.

Hold it, I got a gig with
papa grows on Christmas Eve.

- Oh.
- Oh shit.

Come on, man, what happened to that
"I would be honored" and all that?

I'm sorry, but I told you.

- You did?
- Yeah.

Fuck.

The other guitar player.

- Sonny?
- Yeah.

Mm, I don't know.
He's all right.

Come on, man, short notice--
What choice we got?

- All right, call him tomorrow.
- All right.

I'm not gonna let one these guitar
players mess up my night tonight.

I'm sorry, man.

Yeah, you know, I know one of them
lovely young ladies over there.

Huh? Whoa.
I bet you do.

Uh-huh.
I got an idea.

Oh my God. Good lord.

Hey, Christmas Eve
or no Christmas Eve,

post office
is closed on Sundays.

Thanks.

You're moving better.

Still hurts to bend.

I got here,
and right as I drove up

and-- Poom poom!
Two in the rear passenger-side door.

Charlie said you were scared.

Yeah, I was freaked.

I mean, holy shit,

rifle fire?
I did not hesitate.

I pulled a u-ee and got
the fuck out of there.

Could you tell where
the shots came from?

Sounded like
somebody up high--

Roof or balcony,

projects maybe.

- The Iberville?
- Could have been.

I don't know.

So you get back
to the station and...

I get back to the house.
The guys see the bullet holes, flip out.

About a half dozen of us
posse up,

go back to robideaux's
and lay down the law.

And you go in the store?

No, I stayed outside

and chased them off
as they were coming out.

But some of y'all
went in the store.

Oh yeah. And they
came out saying

they recognized some
assholes from the Iberville.

Next thing I know, fuck if
they're not headed over there.

You too?

Nah, we'd been through
three days of hell by then.

I didn't need me no more.

So who led the charge
over to Iberville?

You mean, like names?

Yeah.

I don't remember.

It was pretty chaotic.

That whole week is a blur.

Well, thank you,
officer o'Dell,

for meeting me on your day off.

Charlie did say I should
talk to you, right?

He gave me your name.

Shit.

Oh, thank you,
thank you, thank you.

Oh, I don't know what I'd
do without my babies,

not that I'm likely
to need them anytime soon.

Jack on the rocks.

Uh, your name
shall live in history.

Infamy, you mean.

I have never ever done
anything like that in my life.

You're fucking famous.

Thanks.

That kind of famous
I don't need.

I fucked up big time,

biggest ever

in, like the history
of the world--

A total disgrace.
I mean, I'll never work again.

I don't know about you opening a
restaurant here in New York anytime soon,

but holy shit,
you're a fucking outlaw.

Have you seen the shit they're
saying about you on the Internet?

They make you sound like Bonnie
and Clyde, but, like, you know,

without the Clyde.
You're a fucking hero.

Oh my God, I want to die.

Don't die.
Just change your name,

Bonnie.

Bonnie!

Can we wrap this bitch up and get
out of here, man? The game's on.

Oh, go the hell on.

Hey, man, can you get that
bell sound out of that synth?

I got you.

And dot forget
the one at the end,

you know--
Ding ding ding.

The sleigh bells.
Yeah, I got it.

Oh, I see your boy's shuttle from
Amsterdam must have been late.

I thought rehearsal
was for noon.

Everybody else knew what
time rehearsal was for.

I'm sorry. But I learned the
tunes you told me to learn.

Yeah, we'll see
how it goes tonight.

Y'all make sure he knows
what time the gig is for.

And wear something red.

God, this actually looks good.

"O Tannenbaum"
like a motherfucker.

Let me see.
Give me a mirror or something.

No no no.

Hey, assholes,
could you keep it down?

Some of us are actually trying
to do some police work here.

Tell it to Santa.

You-- You're right.
It's too noisy in here.

You, turn that radio down.
And you two,

a little more tinsel
around the ears.

Who dat? Who dat say
dey gonna beat dem saints?

Who dat? Who dat?
Who dat say dey gonna beat dem saints?

Who dat?
Who dat?

Who dat say dey gonna
beat dem saints?

You people colonized this bar?

This is like the Louisiana
purchase in reverse.

Black and gold, baby.

Is this always
a New Orleans bar

or just Sundays
in football season?

24/7, 365.

It's like New Orleans in exile.

They're playing
the giants in New York.

Yeah?

It should be illegal.

So Jelly Roll Morton?

All right, there's just
something elemental and soulful

about New Orleans music
and New Orleans culture.

And we've lost that in contemporary jazz.
You know what I'm saying?

Okay.

I want to do
a modern jazz record

that'll ring true
to New Orleans.

But I want to make
a statement--

If Picasso was modern,

then Louis Armstrong and Papa
Celestin-- They modern too.

Papa who?

Didn't you fire me?

What? Don't even
worry about that, man.

Don't trip over that.

And I told you a year ago
to make a New Orleans album.

Well, that's why I'm
rehiring you, woodrow--

'cause you're so
damn smart, you know?

Even when we whip
your ass today?

So she's going out
with this guy

who, like, totally dissed Jane.

So Jane comes to me and
asks me to talk to her.

And I'm like, I don't want
to get in the middle of it.

What do you mean, going out?

You know, like going out.

It's not a big deal
or anything.

Sof, you think we can have five
minutes of mother-daughter time

alone at Christmas
without that cell phone?

Oh my God.

Mr. Weyman
committed suicide.

Mr. Weyman at lusher?

Honors chemistry.

Jesus, Sof.

That's terrible.

Did he have family?

He wasn't one
of my teachers, mom.

They found him yesterday
in his house.

He, like, shot himself.

Baby, you want to talk
about this?

If you want.
I didn't really know him.

Reggie! Reggie! Reggie!

Yeah!

Hey, jet blue, MSY to JFK

That's where I know you from.

6:25 A.M.,
one eye open.

Yeah, so you're living
here now or back down home?

I moved up here last spring.

Okay, how do you like it?

I do like it actually.

There's a lot to like
about New York.

I like not having to think about
the federal flood all the time.

True that.
True that.

Delmond--
Delmond Lambreaux.

Janette Desautel. What about you?
Are you New York or nola?

He's been here for years.

Although I'm taking an early
flight tomorrow back down there.

I'ma take my daddy out
for Christmas dinner.

- Oh nice.
- Yeah.

- What is that?
- Oh, that's my knife roll.

- Oh, are you a chef?
- Or something.

I walked out of my
restaurant last night.

Oh, so you're kind of like
one of them ronin

from medieval Japan.
You wander the earth with your sword

but got no master.

Yeah, if that's a nice way of
saying that I'm out of work, yeah.

Oh, it's a rough town for it.

Yeah, tell me about it.

What about you?
What do you do?

He's a great musician.

Invite her to your gig,
you dope.

Yeah, invite me
to your gig, you dope.

I'm playing at the blue note.
I'll put you on the guest list.

Wow, that'd be fantastic.

No problem.
You need a plus-one?

Sure. Why not?

Okay.

Hark, what's that
sound on my roof

fucking up my shingles?

Well, that must be
Santa claus and his reindeer.

♪ Mother in the kitchen
cooking ♪

♪ the children fast asleep ♪

♪ it's time
for old Santa claus ♪

♪ to take that midnight drink ♪

♪ Santa claus needs
some lovin' ♪

♪ well, oh ♪

♪ Santa claus wants
some lovin'... ♪

Come on.

♪ Santa claus wants
some lovin'... ♪

Right now.

Merry Christmas.

I know what you're
dealing with.

And I know something else.

You ain't in no danger of being

like no great musician, man.

No, I know.

So you might not want
to blow this here gig.

'Cause how many more
are you gonna get?

It's a small town.

D word gets around, man.

Hey, mama,
look what daddy got me.

Looks like he stepped up
his game this year.

Look what he got me--
A fly wheels XPV.

What's that do, baby?

- Flies around the room.
- Oh.

You make it go with
what's that your remote control.

It can come up
to 20 stories high.

Hey, when you were growing up,

did you all open presents
on Christmas Eve

or did you wait till
early Christmas morning?

Christmas Eve
mom would let us open

one present
before we went to bed.

That's sweet.

Yeah.

It was always flannel pajamas.

That sucks.

I have something for you.

I thought we said no presents.

I always tried to stay up

and wait for Santa
on Christmas Eve,

but that was
the one night of the year

when aunt Mimi would sneak me

some of her special eggnog.

You're listening to the annual
gentilly junior Christmas show.

And we have plenty of
Christmas tunes...

- Yeah.
- ...Coming your way.

- Ooh.
- Get your radios turned up good.

- Boo!
- ♪ The fire is slowly dying ♪

♪ And out here we're
still goodbye-ing ♪

- Yeah yeah. You know you like it.
- ♪ As long as you love me so ♪

- You like it, huh?
- ♪ Let it snow... ♪

Shit.

Come here.

Yeah, you like it.

Yeah, all right now,
christmastime.

This is when I miss your mama.

Baked ham and pineapples,

cushaw pumpkin,
stuffed mirlitons,

some of them carrots aunt
Odette taught her how to make.

How's your filet, pop?

It's a little pink.

It's supposed to be.

I know how you like it--
Knock the horns off,

wipe its ass
and send it on out.

Not me.
I like mine cooked.

You want to send it back?

So they can mess it up again?

What is it with you?

You know you ain't been
yourself lately, right?

Nothing pleases you.

I'm the same
as I always was--

Nothing pleases me
unless it's right.

Food ain't right.
Going to Atlanta by Cheri's ain't right,

over to Houston
by Davina's ain't right.

I didn't ask you to come all the way down
here to take me out to Christmas dinner.

Now this was your idea.

You know,
you might be depressed.

Depressed hell.

You've been through a lot.
Nothing to be ashamed of.

Ain't no thing.
They got medicine for that now.

That's what you think
I need-- Medicine?

You know how many applications
they got for that road home money?

- Hmm?
- No.

90,000.

And mine is one of them.

You know how many
they processed so far?

Now I read this in the
newspaper the other day.

How many?

82.

Now at that rate,
when do you think

I'ma get my money
to fix up my house?

Depressed shit.

I ain't depressed.

I'm just so mad
I can't even see straight.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Yeah, let's go.

I know, yeah.

For real?

Say, terrell,
time to do this thing.

I know.
You too.

That was bennie.

How's he doing?

Dinerral just got shot.

He's dead.

What the fuck?

Some kid busted his gut
at a stop sign.

Wasn't even aiming at Dinerral.

Damn.

Damn it. Shit.

How's bennie holding up, man?

At first he was like,

"Dinerral's gone.
He's dead."

Then he got real quiet.

And I'm like,
"bennie, bennie."

And then he said
we got a gig Thursday.

He wanted to know who we could
use for a snare drummer.

Then he started crying
and hung up the phone.

You bring my steak?

You said you didn't like it.

I said I didn't want them
to mess it up again.

Shit, by the time I put that
in my black skillet,

yore gonna have
a piece of meat.

It's a good thing I know
your crazy ass like I do.

It's in the car.

There's something
I want to tell you--

I was out of line at dinner.

I didn't mean to come
at you like that.

I'm glad you realize that.

'Cause I know I ain't crazy.

I got plenty of sense
I ain't even used yet.

You a sick man.

Yeah, well, just leave
that medicine when you go.