seems to me most strange
that men should fear
seeing that death,
a necessary end,
will come when it will come.
Clarence Silk knew well
these words from Julius Caesar.
He was a man of great intellect,
unflinching courage,
and an uncompromising honor.
But above all else,
he was devoted to his family.
His wife, Dorothy,
his sons, Walter and Coleman,
and his pride and joy,
young Ernestine.
Clarence Silk was
the finest man I've ever met.
Coleman?
You're on duty?
Tonight?
It's better this way.
For me, anyway.
I never knew him, Mom.
Not really.
I didn't have any idea
what he went through
day after day after day.
I don't believe
he wanted you to know, dear.
He couldn't see the point.
The point is
if you're colored
it doesn't matter how much you know.
You work in the dining car.
He did that
so you wouldn't have to.
Coleman, you don't have to worry.
Your father's insurance
and your academic record
will see to it that
you get into Howard.
I heard all about
Howard from Walt.
He said they're always talking
about the Negro people
about "we, the Negro people."
I'm not a political person, Mom.
I don't understand who this "we" is.
Who do you think you are?
- I know who I am.
- You need to be proud of your race.
What about me?
What about just being
proud of being me?
It's my life. Or don't I get
any say in the matter?
Coleman, I'm not clever
enough to argue with you.
Then don't.
Don't let's argue.
I love you, Mom.
But don't ask me to go there.
Coleman, you're barely
eighteen years old.
What are you going to do?
Have a seat.
You have a registration card?
Yes.
Welcome to the Navy, young man.
So what did the lawyer say?
He was more worried
about Lester Farley?
Yeah. I don't want to
talk about Lester Farley.
Anyway, I can handle him.
Coleman, you yourself told me
that Lester Farley is a psychotic
who's been locked up in the mental
ward at the VA hospital. Twice!
Let me ask you something.
What do you think would
have happened last night
if the police hadn't
shown up when they had?
Lester Farley is not going to just
disappear off the face of the earth.
This kind of thing
is going to happen again,
and when it does, next time
uh, you might not be so lucky.
So... I just throw her to the wolves.
It's just like that, huh?
I'm not thinking about her.
I'm thinking about you.
Nathan. She's waiting for that.
To her, sex and betrayal are synonymous.
Coleman, every mistake a man can
make usually has a sexual accelerator.
The things that restore you
can also destroy you.
Yeah, I know that.
And I'll tell you something.
I don't give a damn.
These things don't come without a cost.
Look-Look what's happening here.
People are saying that
you got her pregnant
and she had an abortion
and tried to kill herself.
Uh-huh. And what else
are they saying, Nathan?
Hm? What else
are they saying, Nathan?
Don't you look at me like that.
I know this is bullshit.
I'm your friend, remember?
Then act like a friend!
Stop judging me,
and stop judging her!
Jesus Christ!
So what do you want me to say?
I just want you to acknowledge that
something important is taking place
between me and this woman.
Something that's worthy of respect.
I guess you were right.
This really is about great sex.
Oh, fuck you, too.
Coleman! Coleman.
Okay.
Granted, she's not my first love.
Granted, she's not my great love.
But she sure as hell
is my last love.
Doesn't that count for something?
Enough to risk
getting killed for?
I'm not afraid of dying, Nathan.
I'm not the one who ran off to
a cabin in the woods to hide.
Dance for me.
One dance, for me.
Sure. Why not?
Why not?
Don't fall in love
with me, Coleman.
We're just a man and a woman, in a room,
alone, right here, right now.
Nothing else matters.
Don't fuck it up.
This is more than sex.
No, it's not.
You just forgot what sex is.
Did I?
Dance for me. Come on.
You're way too young for me.
I need a man much