A Jazzman's Blues

- -

We want you to look right into this camera

and talk to the people of Georgia.

So can you tell our fellow Georgians why they should vote for you?

My family has been in politics

and the power structure in this town of Hopewell for generations,

and we're not about to concede

to... some man who was born in Atlanta.

Knows nothing about our ways. How could he? He's not from around here.

He only wants to take from us good, hardworking taxpayers

and give to the lazy, good-for-nothing folks

that he thinks are entitled.

What do you say to all the people

that say your views are racist and hearken back to a Jim Crow South?

Why does everybody think that white men are racist?

I'm not a racist. I just don't believe that this is fair.

He got here because of affirmative action.

And if I'm elected to Congress, it'll be at the top of my agenda

to do away with it.

Another form of welfare is all it is, if you ask me.

I had just about enough of you, Mr. White Man.

I'm sorry, sir, but she won't go away.

What does she want?

She won't say. She's just been sitting there for hours.

Well, I'm busy.

Yessir.

I'm sorry, ma'am, but you can't just walk...

No, it's all right, Joan.

Thank you.

Something I can do for you, ma'am? I'm fairly busy.

I want you to look into a murder that happened here in Hopewell.

- Have you spoken to the Sheriff's Office? - Ain't for them.

They killed him right here in this town in 1947.

You want me to look into a murder that happened over 40 years ago?

I'm sorry. Mrs...

Hattie Mae's my name.

I'm very sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to help you.

Why don't you speak to the Sheriff's Office?

I never wrote nothing down on the paper.

Life's too long.

He wrote down everything.

Everything you need to know.

- It's right here. -

"Leanne Harper"?

"Dear Lil Ann."

"My mama's cousin Winnie got sick,

so she asked me to take her to Summerville yesterday,

about four hours away from where we live now."

"Hope you got my letter about moving to Hopewell County

with a forwarding address."

"You know, as we drove past my mama's old house,

it's falling apart now,

but it still bring back one good memory."

"When we first met."

"I can still smell the lavender and the moonshine."

["If You See My Rooster" by Amirah Vann, Joshua Boone, and Austin Scott plays]

Who that there?

Well, that's Ethel Lee's daughter. They call her Bucket.

Why do they call her that?

'Cause her mama dumped her here like an empty bucket

when she ran off North.

She live with her grandpa.

He an evil old thing.

Why am I doing all this work? That's what I made these boys for.

Well, one of 'em's like me anyway.

Come here, Bayou.

Come play this trumpet.

- Come on. - Look at him.

Just play it like he showed you, baby.

Come on now.

Yeah!

That's right!

You get to see which one right now.

- Stop it! - What?

Y'all like that?

No!

I try to teach him, but I believe the boy a little slow.

You hush that up, Buster.

She always takes his side.

Come on, Willie.

Yeah, Willie Earl!

Come on, Willie Earl!

Now you watch this.

Yeah. Let's see what you got.

- -

Play that horn, Willie Earl.

Maybe you should have sang it.

What? You can't talk?

You can really sing.

Thank you.

Get it from my mama.

And as I said, you should have sang that song.

My... my pa don't like my singing.

He want me to play.

Well, maybe playing is not for you.

Horace John Boyd's my name, but everybody call me Bayou.

Why they call you that?

My pa says my eye's deep as the bayou from the time I was born.

Let me see your eyes.

Your eyes are normal.

Your daddy don't seem like he know much.

You mind your manners. That's my pa.

I'm sorry, Horace John.

Bayou is what I like to be called, Bucket.

My name is Leanne Jean Harper, and I prefer to be called by my name.

Don't you ever call me Bucket, or I'll never speak to you again.

I best be going.

Hey. I... I'm... I'm sorry. I ain't mean no harm.

Whoa. Whoa.

Damn.

- -

- -

I hope my book knocked some sense into your head.

- Will I see you again, Lil Ann? - When you learn how to say my name.

When you feel that baby coming, you come see me. Don't you wait.

Yes, ma'am. I won't.

I'll be right here. Take care, y'all.

- -

Oh! Well, don't you look nice!

I take it you really like her.

You took... I mean, you didn't leave nobody nothing...

- - He run. He run fast, you know.

Willie Earl caught supper.

My boy.

He can do it all.

- -

Here.

Go on and skin 'em up.

I'll do it. Go on, Bayou.

Where you going, boy?

Leave him be now. Go on, Bayou.

Where he going?

He gonna ask that gal if he can take her to the social.

What gal?

Bucket?

She ain't gonna go nowhere with him.

- Hey, Bayou! - Leave him be now!

Hold on.

Hold on now!

You gonna ask Bucket to the social?

- Her name ain't Bucket. Leave me alone. - What?

Oh, look at you. Oh, you a big boy now, huh?

She ain't gonna go with you. Look at your clothes.

I said, leave me be now.

All right.

Want me to leave you alone? What the hell are you talking about?

- Get off! - Why'd anybody like you?

- Willie Earl! - Ain't nobody gonna like you.

- Okay? Why would anybody like you? - Willie Earl!

- I told you to leave him alone! - What?

The boy gotta learn how to get tough at some point, Hattie.

Buster, go on in the house and leave him be, I said.

You too, Willie Earl.

Come on, Willie. I'm gonna teach you a new song.

We'll leave her here with this sorry boy.

Go on.

Come on.

Why him and Daddy treat me like that?

You don't worry about them.

Or nobody else.

You hear me?

You go on over there,

and you ask her.

- Mm-hmm. -

Go on now. Hold on. Let me get this dirt off your back.

She ain't gonna like you!

What you want, boy?

Hello, sir.

Speak up.

Um...

I want... I wanted to...

My mama's a wash woman, sir,

and I wanted to know if you had any washing need to be done.

You think I'm stupid, boy?

No.

You after Bucket, ain't ya?

No, sir.

Now, you get on away from around here.

You gets off my land before I kills you!

Get on around from here!

You've been quiet.

She said yeah?