Let Me Be Frank

New city, who this?

Hello, this is Frank,

the Manager of 505 South Avenue.

Are you still interested in the studio apartment?

Sorry about that, but yes, yes, we are.

We?

Yeah, it's gonna be my boyfriend Reggie

and I sharing the place.

Right, unfortunately our studio apartments,

they really aren't big enough for two people so sorry.

- Well, I was looking at the floor plan online

and it's actually a lot bigger than our last space.

And I know a lot of couples can't co-exist together

in such a small space,

but I really feel like studio apartments bring us together.

Literally?

Yeah, exactly.

Well, would you be able to come by

and take a look at the place today?

Yeah, we can be there in an hour or so

if that works for you?

Yeah, let's do three o'clock.

And just so we don't waste each other's time,

I like to tell people that it quiet place-

It's all good bro, I read books.

Okay yeah, see you at three.

Gimme a call when you're outside.

- You didn't exactly get off to the best part either.

We're never getting place.

The location is so perfect.

I'll win him over.

Remember you didn't like me at first either.

I'm kind of an acquired taste,

but on a long enough timeline,

you know my charm is irresistible.

What are you doing?

Getting used to my new bed.

Are you sure we can afford this?

Hey Frank, yeah we just pulled up.

We're right up front.

How are you doing?

- I'm Frank, come on in. - Nice to meet you.

- Well, obviously this is the lobby area, some mailboxes.

So we get packages,

but you already know that because you read books.

It's right down the hall here.

Ooh, are these my new neighbors?

- Amy, how many times I told you not to stand

in the hallway?

You're gonna disturb the neighbors.

- Frank, you know my cats need their exercise.

You don't want them just roaming

around the building unsupervised do you?

I didn't think so.

Reggie, Maya, this is Amy.

She's the reason why we have a no pet policy.

Hey now, play nice.

I only give him a hard time because he needs it.

You don't have to worry about me.

I'm quiet as a mouse.

Oh, and that's why Zoe wants to eat me.

Ain't that right Zoe?

You like to eat some mousies.

Yes, oh good girl.

Okay, that's enough.

- Time to go. - See you.

Meow, meow.

So the previous tenants just moved out,

still have to paint, clean thoroughly.

The owners like to call it a New York style building

with the brick and everything.

I got to tell you, it costs you twice as much as New York,

especially with a kitchen like this.

You guys even have a dishwasher.

If I had a dishwasher back in the Bronx,

I probably never would've left.

- The boogie down. - The what?

- Boogie down Bronx, birthplace of hip-hop.

I've never been in New York, but it's only one Bronx, right?

Oh no, I mean, I'm sure we're talking

about the same thing.

It's just I never knew

that's what the Bronx was known for now.

Not the Yankees, not the zoo.

I remember when the graffiti started showing up

on the buses and the trains.

I mean, if that's what you're talking about,

I don't think destroying the city is anything to celebrate.

I remember when the gangs started coming in

and started fights with us.

I'm not talking about the Sugarhill gang,

I'm talking about the Savage Skulls, the Black Spades.

You don't want to mess with those niggas.

They were...

That was back then, I mean..

Do you have any other questions about the place?

You like it baby?

I mean, yeah, but...

When can we move in?

- So what brought you all the way from Texas?

Work.

What kind of work?

Maya's an actress, I'm a musician.

Oh, I'm a drummer.

Haven't planned much, but what do you play?

Rap, I play rap.

And do you get paid for your rap?

I'm working on it.

And what about you Maya?

You have a manager, an agent?

No, not yet.

- Well, you're not gonna like what I have to say,

but it's for your own good.

I've been doing this a long time

and you wouldn't believe how many people sat right there

on that same couch with dreams of being the next big thing.

I don't wanna discourage you or anything,

but it's gonna be hard and you're gonna struggle.

And the last thing I need

is you calling me in three months all pissed off

because you're back home living

with your parents and you still owe me to nine months rent.

Don't worry, that's not gonna happen.

It happens more often than you think.

Now, I don't feel too comfortable renting the apartment out

to you if you don't have a backup plan.

And if by some miracle you're not an overnight success,

do you have anything to fall back on?

You have any other source of income?

- We're gonna look around LA for some odd jobs,

some side hustles.

But if it doesn't pan out,

we got a gig at the grocery store.

Unbelievable, here I am asking you

what kind of work you do.

Did you see the movie "Serpico" with Al Pacino?

No, never seen it.

Some of the man's best work.

And if you're serious about acting, you should see it.

Anyway, there's this part in the movie where Serpico,

Pacino is at this party

and everybody's introducing themselves.

This guy comes up to him and says, "I'm a poet",

"but I work for the advertising agency."

And a lady comes up to him and says, "I'm an actor",

"but I work for a photographer."

And that's where Serpico, he says,

"I'm a police officer,"

"but I work for the police department."

My point is you're a rapper

and you work for the grocery store.

And no offense, but as a property manager,

that's the answer I'm looking for?

Well, you don't have much credit,

but what you do have is good.

If you agree to sign a one year lease, the place is yours

if you want it.

Just give us a minute.

I don't see a problem.

You don't see the problem?

Oh, I don't know maybe the apartment we're about to live in

is managed by a racist?

If he was a quality racist,

he wouldn't be giving us a place to live for a year.

I think it's fine.

- He's not so bad. - Not so bad?

Since when is it okay to be just a little bit racist?

Racism is like murder.

That's like saying the little girl

was just murdered a little bit.

She wasn't chopped into a million pieces.

It doesn't matter Reggie, she's still dead.

I appreciate your concern, I do.

Last time I checked, I'm the Black one here.

If I can get past it, you should be able to get past it too.

All right, fine.

If you're okay with it, then I guess I'm okay with it.

- Thank you, he seemed like the type of guy

to keep to himself anyway.

I think this might be the last to him that we see.

I hope you're right.

What do you say we go sign a lease

on our first LA apartment?

And that's it, welcome to the building.

There's something else I wanna show you.

Welcome to Hollywood.

Wow, this is beautiful.

This is why you left home.

There's gonna be days when you don't wanna look up

at that sign or those hills.

I'll tell you something right now,

never stop looking up because when you do.

That's when it's over.

Okay, time to go.

Nobody's allowed on the roof

so don't let me catch you up here.

And I can hear your footsteps 'cause I'm right down there.

I think it's ready.

Yeah, but are you?

The only thing I'm ready for is bed.