The System

# Help, help, help, help #

I know I'm not your pops.

And when yours died, I get it.

But I know your mama's doing everything she can

to keep you out of trouble,

so when she come to me,

saying you talking back,

coming in late, smelling like weed,

'sup, man?

Nah, everything cool, unc, I'm good.

I can handle myself.

-You're good, huh? -Yeah.

Let me tell you like this.

You ain't gonna be disrespecting your mama

and them boys you hanging with...

You should come around the house more, all right?

Kick with Junior,

he look at you like a big brother anyways.

Just want you to shine, nephew.

She been riding me about shit for no reason.

Watch your mouth.

I know your mama.

And I know she wants the best for you.

I gotta take this.

Hello?

Are we done?

No, we ain't done, get off the phone.

I gotta call you back.

Hang up the phone now.

Hey, man, don't get it twisted,

I been through this shit.

You hear me?

You see Uncle Nate with the business,

with the lil garage,

the family man,

but I been through the fire, Trey.

That's why your mama wanted me to talk to you.

Tell you a story.

I ain't never told nobody this story.

I need you to keep a secret.

I mean, you can't tell nobody, Trey.

All right.

Me and your mama came up rough.

Growing up in the '90s was bitter-sweet.

When our pops went to prison,

things changed.

We moved right in the hood,

right next to the dope spot.

There was always loud music, parties going on.

It was crazy.

I seen somebody die for a dice game, Trey.

Mama always seemed to make things right.

She always had a smile on her face.

Playing the brand new cassettes

in a boom box.

Music blasting,

cleaning up the house.

That's probably why I like music so much.

Til Claw came by.

-Can't test me for real. -I don't fucking like that.

My mama boyfriend.

Would abuse us for years,

catch us staring at her,

being like, what you looking at, little nigger?

Get in the house.

Honestly, I would dream of the day

I was old enough to beat his ass for what he did to us.

That'd be a day that'd change my life forever.

Streets is crazy.

One day Mom and Amina left.

I went through his stuff and...

Found a little weed.

I just wanted to try it.

Caught me.

The fuck is you doing going through my shit,

smoking my damn weed?

Your mama beat your ass if she knew you was in here.

Got me drunk.

Yeah, little man,

yeah,

something to smoke, huh?

Smoke this.

Made me smoke PCP with him.

Mind spinning,

luckily I didn't hit it that hard

but between that and the handy,

I was done.

How long you been smoking now, homie, huh?

Huh, nigger?

Then he tried to kill me.

Smoke my shit, huh,

you wanna put your hands on me, nigger,

get your ass back here, nigger.

I'll cut you to pieces right now, mother fucker.

Scared, little nigger, scared, huh?

You wanna run home to your mama, little pussy, huh?

Oh shit, fuck!

Fuck!

I ran off.

Everything was spinning.

The whole night was kind of blurry.

Who are you?

-I woke up in this backyard. -What are you doing here?

And there was a little girl there,

tried to help me.

How'd I get here?

I don't feel...

Come inside.

I'll have my parents help.

And then her dad came out with a shotgun.

Oh my God.

That'll be far enough.

He's lost.

Abby,

get in the house, right now.

I mean, I'd been called a nigger before, but...

Get off my property now,

before you wish you had never been born,

you fucking nigger.

That shit cut.

I ran til I couldn't run no more.

Hey, man, ain't that lil...

I passed out again.

Damn, that is lil Nate.

Nate, you all right?

Then I remembered my mom

and Amina was coming back.

He don't smoke weed....

And it hit me.

Mama.

I gotta get home.

When I got there, they was still fighting.

I walked in, he had the devil in his eye.

I knew I was gonna die that night.

-Going through my... -Check him?

-Check his ass up. -He's a child!

-There we go. -No!

No! Get the fuck off me.

Right there.

I seen him laying on the floor.

Blood everywhere.

Amina, give me the gun.

Just know that day,

your mom saved all our lives.

I shot him, you hear me?

From that day on,

I never touched drugs or a gun again.

I swore, Trey.

If I ever had a family,

I'd be the best father I could,

so I started my business.

And the rest is history.

I never told nobody that story before,

and I'm telling you 'cause you're fucking up.

Are you serious, Nate?

Go upstairs, Trey, now.

Hey, but it was self defence, all right?

Come by the shop, man, I wanna see your face.

I will, Uncle Nate.

Nate, I'm an attorney

and the last thing I need is for that story to get out.

I know.

Trey won't tell nobody.

Dear Pops,

I hope by the time you get this letter,

everything's good.

I wanted to write you so many times.

First, I was just upset.

You left when I was a kid.

After Mama passed,

just felt like it's been too long.

I would ask myself,

what would you think about me now writing?

I received your letters,

and yes,

of course you can stay with us.

I'm married now.

I got a beautiful wife.

Her name's Tatiana.

And a son, Nate Junior.

He's 13.

He was born deaf, but it never held him back.

He's now learning to read lips.

He loves baseball and video games.

All right, look, man, keep your eye on it, all right?

Here,

use your heart, man, come on.

Yeah, like that, like that, throw with your heart,

stay with it.

He's good.

You taught him good.

That boy, he's too big.

We gotta do something with his hair, though,

cut all this off.

No, no, you look at this hair, he's the same.

I know Mama,

rest in peace,

always said you was a good man,

just a victim of circumstance.

I've always tried to keep my nose clean.