Poetic Justice

CHICAGO

Cause I said so!

IESHA

That's what you wanna hear, huh?

CHICAGO

Yeah.

IESHA

Really? Good.

(gets up, stretches her arms)

You're so dumb. The more I teach you the dumber you get.

(does a double take and smells the air)

Mmmmm. S'mthing smell good.

THE FRONT FROM THE OUTSIDE – DRIVER'S SIDE

Where Lucky and Justice sit.

LUCKY

What's that smell?

Justice samples the air with her beautiful nose.

JUSTICE

Barbecue.

Chicago comes up front.

CHICAGO

Y'all smell that?

LUCKY

(his eyes catching something)

Yeah.

FROM THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOW

We see a sign which reads "JOHNSON FAMILY REUNION".

IESHA

What this?

JUSTICE

(with open eyes)

Oh shit! Look!

ANOTHER ANGLE

As we see a virtual ocean of Black faces in the distance. There is a gathering of some kind going on in a large park by the side of the freeway. We start on this image, then PAN over to reveal the truck moving forward.

EXT. THE TRUCK – DAY

As we travel alongside the truck as we see it in relation to the reunion. Note Three Levels: Truck in foreground / Trees in middleground / People in background /Characters speak in Long Shot.

CHICAGO

C'mon, we gonna get some barbecue.

LUCKY

We can't stay long, man. I gotta get to Oakland. Why niggas always gotta be thinking about eating?! You eat too much anyway. That's why you head so big. Hair look like taco meat.

EXT. THE TRUCK – DAY

As the truck stops and everybody gets out and walks toward the gathering of people. Iesha lags behind and takes the last couple of sips from her drink. She takes one long last hit.

EXT. THE JOHNSON FAMILY REUNION – DAY

WIDE as we START on Lucky, Justice, and Chicago, and Iesha running to catch up. They are walking forward just as we SWING behind them and CRANE UP to reveal a banner that reads "JOHNSON FAMILY REUNION".

MONTAGE OF IMAGES

We see people talking, playing games, some hugging, reunions between relatives, old mixing with the young, some dancing and a lot of food being cooked. This is the Johnson Family Reunion. We emphasize this last image of food being cooked.

LUCKY AND CHICAGO

Look at each other. Their intentions are obvious.

IESHA

Catches up as we PULL BACK with her, to reveal all four of them.

IESHA
What y'all gonna do?

CHICAGO

We gonna eat.

JUSTICE

This ain't your family!

LUCKY

We Black. They don't know that.

ANGLE

Where we see a brother who is walking through the crowd obviously drunk. He is about thirty years old and has a beard. He is also talking very loud greeting everyone around him. Everyone around seems to be amused by his antics. He is known as Cousin Pete.

COUSIN PETE

My cousins! My cousins! I'm with my family! My family!

(sees a couple of line women standing together)

Mmmm, how you doing? We related, huh?

The woman nods yes.

COUSIN PETE

Oh, really? Well, you know, third removed don't count.

(laughs and moves on)

The crowd parts to reveal him as he walks toward the foursome.

COUSIN PETE

My cousins! My cousins! What's up, cousin? You got a pretty girlfriend here. Y'all make a good couple.

JUSTICE'S FACE

As she reacts to being called Lucky's girlfriend.

COUSIN PETE

What's your name, cousin?

LUCKY

People call me Lucky.

COUSIN PETE

With a lady like this, I'd say that too. What's your name, sweet li'l West Coast thang?

JUSTICE

Justice.

COUSIN PETE

Justice? You mean like the law, huh?

JUSTICE

Yeah.

COUSIN PETE

How you get a name like that?!

JUSTICE

It's a long story. This is –

IESHA

(putting on airs)

Iesha. And this is my husband, Chicago.

We see subtle eye contact between Iesha and Justice.

CHICAGO

How you doing?

LUCKY

Yo, ah – cousin, what's your name?

COUSIN PETE

Just call me Cousin Pete. I want y'all to meet some family.

They begin to walk, Cousin Pete leading the way.

ANOTHER ANGLE: MOVING BACK

As Cousin Pete begins introducing Lucky, Justice, Iesha, and Chicago to the Johnson family. He introduces a few relatives, then we switch to a POV shot and we GO PAST their faces and see them as he says their names. We end on three old ladies sitting at a picnic table.

COUSIN PETE (V.O.)

This is Aunt Jessica, Uncle Herb, Aunt Aida Pearl, Uncle Fred and his wife Wilma, Cousin Isaac, Cousin James, Cousin Kwame, the Kids, I don't know all of they names, and sitting here is Aunt June, Aunt May, and Aunt April.

THE BENCH

Where three old women sit Aunt April, Aunt May, and Aunt June. From their faces we can tell they are full of opinions.

COUSIN PETE

So y'all just enjoy yourself, and have fun.

Iesha and Chicago go to sit down on the bench across the table from the three old women. Iesha sits in Chicago's lap.

LUCKY

That food looks good.

COUSIN PETE

Don't it? Go on, help yourself

Lucky and Justice walk toward the tables with food.

ANGLE: MOVING BACKWARD

On Iesha and Chicago
 

IESHA

(wit to sarcasm)

Goodbye. Don't they make such a nice couple?

JUSTICE

Turns and throws Iesha a nasty look and continues walking with Lucky.

BACK TO TABLE

Where Iesha and Chicago settle. They are both thoroughly amused by the game they are playing. The both a them then turn to notice

THE STERN FACES OF THE THREE OLD WOMEN

We PAN past the stern faces of Aunt April, Aunt May, and Aunt June. We rest on June's face as she speaks...

AUNT JUNE
Are y'all in love?

IESHA AND CHICAGO

Look at each other.

IESHA

Yeah.

AUNT JUNE

Do you know what love is child?

IESHA

No.

AUNT MAY

How can you be in love if'n you don't know what it is?

IESHA

That's just how things go.

The three women are quiet for a moment.

AUNT MAY

Are y'all married?

IESHA

Yeah.

AUNT APRIL

You young. How long you been married?

IESHA

(looks at Chicago)

Six months.

Aunt June's hawklike eyes probe Iesha.

AUNT JUNE'S POV

We see Iesha's hand on Chicago's shoulder. Then we TILT UP to reveal her face. She looks at her hand searching for a ring.

IESHA
Oh, I don't wear it alla time.

WIDE

Of the table. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

AUNT JUNE

(to Chicago)

You don't mind if she don't wear your ring?

IESHA

(answers for him)

No, he don't mind.

AUNT MAY

I think he can answer for himself. If he's a real man. A real man always answers for himself.

CHICAGO

(a beat)

No. No-I don't mind.

The three women shake their heads. One says, "Shoot, my husband kill me if I didn't wear no ring."

CUT TO:

EXT. THE JOHNSON FAMILY REUNION – DAY – THE FOOD TABLE

Where Lucky is filling his plate with food. Justice is nearby. Next to her is a woman with a baby. The woman is trying to fix a plate of food and hold the baby at the same time.

JUSTICE

Damn you greedy.

LUCKY

Gotta eat to live.

Justice notices the woman having trouble juggling baby and plate.

JUSTICE

You need help?

WOMAN

Thank you.

Justice takes the baby in her arms. Lucky looks at her out of the corner of his eye and continues surveying the food.

JUSTICE

Aww, she's so cute.

We see the baby's face. She is a black angel.

LUCKY

(with sarcasm)

You be seeing them professional men, huh? Doctors, lawyers, pharmacists.

(tastes something, then adds)

Street pharmacists?

Justice looks at Lucky, then down at the baby.

LUCKY

Ah huh, I knew you was like that.

Justice says nothing.

The Woman finishes fixing her plate.

WOMAN

Here, I'll take her.

JUSTICE

She's beautiful. What's her name?

WOMAN

Her name is Imani.

The Woman walks off to a table and sits with another group of relatives.

JUSTICE

You got a kid?

LUCKY

Why?

JUSTICE

'Cause you look the type.

Lucky begins to walk.

ANOTHER ANGLE – WIDE TRAVELING

As they walk together and talk. In the background we see kids playing, and some old men throwing horseshoes, etc.

LUCKY

What's the type?

JUSTICE

Dunno, you just look like – like –

Lucky looks at her for a second, stops walking, and walks on.

LUCKY

(changing the subject)

Anyway! You got any kids?

JUSTICE

(vehemently)

Hell, naw. I don't like kids.

They arrive at some chairs and sit down.

LUCKY

Don't look like that to me!

(looks around)

This is good. You ever been to one a' these?

JUSTICE

No. I don't have a lot of family. The family I have ain't that close.

LUCKY

(looking around)

Well, I never seen this many Black folks in one place where there wasn't no fight. Hmmm... Now what about these street pharmacists you use ta go out with?

JUSTICE

Yeah, I only went out with one... He was my first boyfriend – my first love.

LUCKY

So you was out for tha money, huh?

JUSTICE

No. Just 'cause somebody does a certain something for a livin don't make 'em a bad person. Some people don't choose their path in life. They let other folks write their story. Most of them in jail now.

(adds)

There's some fine niggas in jail.

LUCKY

You used to count his money?