A Thin Line Between Love and Hate

How'd I end up in this?

I'm on the way out.

Ass looking like a black sea lion.

A brother's life was fine until the day my troubles started.

You's a fine motherfucker.

You see, when I got up that day,

I had Ms in my pocket.

Silk on my back.

But most importantly, I had the ladies.

Here I come, world.

Here I come.!

You know, it's funny,

I thought if God wanted all women to be happy,

he would've made all men like me.

You see, I had the gift of gab.

And the smile that can book any woman's ass.

What's up, Miss Lady?

Which one of my honeys did I see that day?

Yeah. First a brother rolled up on Adrienne.

You see, baby was a little shy.

Yeah, it's good. It means you're strong.

It means you're beautiful.

That's right. Really?

That's right. You're gorgeous.

That's right. Put it out. Put your head up.

- Hell, yeah. - I slobbered her down.

But look, I was just trying to help her come out.

Adrienne, what are you doing?

Then there was Nikki.

What you need to be doing, Darnell, is taking care of me.

When did we establish you were my woman?

When I opened my legs to you, baby.

The contract was signed then.

Sweet honey, but she was always on me.

I ain't on no motherfucking contract.

But you're still on the VIP list.

Better be. Get it right here.

Ladies.

Then I stopped by to see Gwen.

That's your spot.

Right there.

Like that? That feels so good, baby.

You know, I've got to keep you happy.

Looking so beautiful.

Really? Yes.

Well, you know, I've been working extra shifts,

so I've been missing out on my beauty sleep.

Whatever you're doing, it's working like a motherfucker.

- Give me that foot. - Knucklehead.

See, she had kids.

They weren't mine.

I was just trying help her out.

Is this...?

Look at this baby. She stinks.

God.

Is that her smelling like that?

No, don't cry.

Tee just paged me.

I think something's going on down at the club.

And those were just a few of my honeys.

You see, I had a lot of them, but nobody special.

I loved the ladies.

That was my problem.

Now, my boy Tee was just like me.

Well, almost.

Time.

But the time is expired and so is my...

What... What is all this?

You're dealing with the time, baby.

Step back. 'Cause you're all in my space.

I want you to do me a favor. I'm gonna give you this.

Chocolate City VIP. Yeah, whatever.

Look, I got to go. Write your number down there.

Only number you're getting is the number to the ticket office.

Because I gots to go. Step off.

Okay, sweetheart, you ain't gotta be so mean.

Whatever. You still look good.

I'll call you later.

What's up?

What'd you do, man, you get another ticket?

No, man, got the number.

You see, I understood him and he understood me.

And together we was running this little nightclub thing:

Chocolate City.

Man, I ain't giving you a dime of my money

for no damn parking ticket.

Damn, Smitty, but I was working.

I don't care if you was selling oranges by the freeway.

I don't pay for parking tickets.

I pay your salary.

I pay a damn good salary at that.

Now, sit down.

Smitty was the owner.

He didn't take no shit.

All right, man, I'm gonna give it to you young fellas.

Y'all have put some of the chocolate

back in Chocolate City,

but I need more chocolate in Chocolate City.

Tell you the truth, ol' Smitty is just tired of trying to

juggle this business by himself so...

I was thinking about taking on some partners.

- Somebody... - That's us.

Somebody... Right here. Us.

That he can trust with the money.

Every penny of his money.

So my life was good.

And damn sure getting better.

That's why when I saw her, Damn.

I stepped to her.

Like a moth to a flame.

A bull to a matador.

A dog to a cat.

Watch this, watch this.

How you doin', baby?

"How am I doing, baby?"

I'm not your baby.

Excuse me. Most men would've called you stuck-up.

Looking all like a Barbie doll.

That was it.

The moment that changed my motherfucking life.

Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me.

That's no way to talk to a lady.

Madame. Let me get your door for you.

He didn't mean nothing by that. Yes, I did.

He just, you know, fell on his head as a baby.

So he's just been a little rattled ever since.

I see. Well, maybe I should arrange for him

to fall on his head again so he can get unrattled.

Baby, baby, don't let nobody steal your joy.

I would like to mend that broken heart

by inviting you to Chocolate City.

I wanna put you on the VIP.

Chocolate City?

Thank you, but no thank you.

Well, I just figured, since you in the neighborhood,

if you come to the neighborhood to shop,

come on and party in the neighborhood.

I don't get to the neighborhood very often.

Drive on, Luis.

Don't be like that.

Miss Lady, don't be like that.

Hold it right there.

Mama.!

What's happening?

I told you to stop slipping money in my pocket.

Ma. We don't need it.

Your daddy's social security, God rest his soul,

does us just fine.

Ma.

So, what's up? What you cooking?

Well, it ain't steak.

All right, Mama, you go and eat a nasty greens.

You want your son to have some vegetables.

Let's see what's in this pot.

Bam. Mama.

The home fries. The homemade fries.

That's what I'm talkin' about.

Mama, please, not too much salt.

You know what they say, make your feet fat.

So, Mama, what's up?

You been, watching the talk shows?

I don't watch that junk.

I got enough trouble in my life already.

Ma. Nah, nah, nah.

- Ma! - Hey, baby.

What you doing here? What's up, Big Head?

Hey, Mama.

Ma, guess what happened to me today.

What? What happened? Tell me.

I got asked to the senior prom!

You did? That's so wonderful.

- By who? - None of your business.

Nobody you know.

What do you mean nobody I know?

Look, when somebody ask my 15-year-old sister

to the prom,

your brother has the right to know with who.

His name is Rodney Smalls, okay?

So anyway, Mama, I was think... Wait a minute. Who?

I say "who?" Rodney Smalls?

Yeah.

Cleofus' little brother? Yes.

No. Y-You cancel that. No, Mama, you...

Take her out of that.

Mama, do you know Cleofus' brother, he...

He mack more honeys, Mama, than... Than...

The one who I'm looking at right now?

Thank you.

Okay. I-I picked a bad day to come over.

It's a mama-daughter jump.

Okay, okay.

Mama, you want her coming home with a little... Little:

Now, don't you get me started on you.

Miss Jacqueline and Miss Suzanne,

and Miss Rita, and Miss LaQuisha

keep calling on my phone looking for you.

I'm sorry about that, Mama.

Darnell, you got your own phone,

why you keep giving these women my phone number?

Because, Ma, if they call you, bugging you,