Concrete Cowboy

Hi. This is Amahle. Leave a message, and I'll get you back.

- - Good afternoon, Ms. Edwards.

This is Principal Denkins at North Detroit High School.

Unfortunately, Cole was involved in another fight today

and had to be physically restrained by school police officers.

Ms. Edwards, I'm not sure that we have the resources here to help your son.

At this point, we are recommending him for expulsion.

- -

I am so sorry about the incident today.

I'm very, very sorry...

I ain't do nothin', aight?

It ain't my fault.

Why you got my clothes in bags?

- - Where you taking me?

You're gonna stay with your father for the summer.

What?

With my father?

Nah, fuck that! I ain't spendin' nothin' with that nigga.

Stop! Stop actin' like you know!

- -

This life... isn't working, Cole.

You are drowning out here. You are going to drown!

I've literally done everything I could think of for you.

And still, here I am again, leaving work,

trying to convince another principal and another police officer

that my son knows better.

And you don't.

- - And neither do I anymore.

- -

- - Hey, where you at? We're here.

- What're you doing? - He'll be here in five minutes.

- Those are my clothes. - Just wait here.

- - I ain't stayin' here.

- - Ma, open the door.

Mama, open the door.

- Mama, I'm not playing. Open the door. - Cole.

Mama, open the door!

- I'm not playing, Mama! -

Mama, please, don't leave me here. Mommy, please. Mama, wait...

- -

Hey.

- -

I'm talkin' to you. Come over here.

- -

You all grown up.

Do I know you?

I know you .

You Harp's boy.

- Where he at? - Stables.

The what?

Oh, come on, now.

Stables.

I don't know no stables.

I don't know you.

Fletcher Street Stables.

Around the corner. You'll smell it when you get close.

And, Cole...

I'm Nessie.

Welcome back.

- -

- -

- Yeah, that what I'm saying. - Wait. Where you ever seen one?

- Saw one yesterday. - Where?

- The step. - Praying mantis?

You shouldn't kill anything with the word "praying" in its name. Like...

This is gonna be a dry summer.

All this shit's cardboard! You ain't got nothing of a saddle.

- - That's all you're thinking.

- -

"I just saw that you might've been asleep."

I said, "Nah, you..."

"You was watchin' me sleep. How you gon..."

Yo, where that boy going? To a laundromat somewhere?

- Where'd he come from? - Who that?

Hold up. Hold on.

Let me get your bag. Let's go.

No, I'm good.

I'll see y'all later.

- Come on. - All right.

- Hmm. - Hit the door.

- - Yo! Shit.

- This Chuck. -

He ain't makin' no friends, so watch your hands.

There's a horse... in your house.

Well, this you, right here.

I ain't stayin' here.

Aight.

- I'mma hit it, though. -

Once you step out, that door stays locked till morning.

I'll leave in the morning.

- Shit. -

- -

- What you doing? Come back. -

- - Oh!

Get over here.

That's it.

Aight, come on.

Come on, Esha. Listen... come on. Bring him over here.

Keep bringing him over here.

- -

You have... You have a phone? I just need to call my mom real quick.

- -

Excuse me, ma'am. Can I use your phone? I'm trying to call my mom.

- I don't have a phone. - I'm just trying... You don't have a phone?

- Hey, excuse me. Can I... - I got a kid. Nah.

Fuck.

- Cole! -

What's good with you, young boul?

I heard you was back.

Smush?

Yeah, Smush.

It's me, man.

Why you look like you're staring at a ghost?

The fuck you doing on the curb for?

- Yo. - Fucking get up, man.

Hey. Shit.

- What's up, man? - Damn. I'm chillin', man.

Man, let's get you outta here, man.

You don't even know how good it is to see you right now.

When's the last time I seen your ass?

Shit. What's it been? Like, ten years?

- - Know what I remember?

I used to be like, "Cole, let's go play with the water guns."

You'd be like, "Aight."

Then I'd go to the bathroom, and I'd piss in the water gun

and spray your ass.

- That's nasty. - You ain't even know it was piss.

You was like, "Ma! Ma, Smush pissed on me!"

Yo, that's fucked up, man. For real.

- Yeah, you kinda still smell like piss. - No. Shut the fuck up.

- Damn. It's been a minute, man. -

Missed your ass.

Can't believe your moms dragged you down from Detroit like that.

- That shit crazy. - Shit.

Yeah, I know, man. Tryna get home now.

It don't look like you got a home to go back to, nigga.

- What home I got here? - Fuck you talkin' about?

Home ain't a place, dummy. It's fam, aight? You got fam here.

What fam, man?

I don't even know that nigga, man.

Plus... he living with some nasty-ass horse.

Aight, let me rap at you, my nigga.

Your moms ain't coming back, aight?

I seen plenty niggas get dropped off at the stoop,

and that summertime shit becomes years, so...

...I suggest you cozy up

with them nasty-ass fuckin' horses.

It ain't funny. I'm serious, man.

- Aight. - Think you can give me money for a bus?

Yo, just give me, like, 20 bucks.

Easy. Simple.

Oh, oh, okay, nigga.