1. I got a new bike when we moved.
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2. Now, before 13-year-olds
started driving Bentleys,
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3. a new bike
was pretty impressive.
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4. My last bike had gotten stolen,
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5. so my father had one rule.
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6. Don't let nobody ride it.
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7. My mother had one rule too.
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8. Chris, you can only ride
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9. from this end of the block
to that end of the block.
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10. Sometimes, I could only ride in
a circle in front of the house.
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11. There were hundreds of kids
on my block,
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12. but only four fathers.
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13. There was Mr. Jenkins.
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14. He had all girls,
so he was always screaming.
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15. Hey! Hey!
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16. You boys get away
from my daughter.
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17. Mr. Parrish's wife
cheated on him,
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18. so he was always checking
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19. to see if his kids
looked like him.
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20. He was the first man
in Bed-Stuy to get a DNA test.
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21. Mr. Hutchins had two grown sons
who wouldn't move out.
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22. They're holding out like, "Last
one dies gets the apartment."
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23. And there's my dad, Julius.
Morning, Julius!
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24. Because unemployment
was so high,
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25. the dads all knew each other,
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26. 'cause they were the only men
going to work in the morning.
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27. Between these four dads,
they had 16 jobs
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28. and worked 492 hours a week!
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29. Bed-Stuy wasn't the best
neighborhood in Brooklyn,
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30. but it wasn't quite as bad
as people thought.
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31. You say, "Bed-Stuy,"
and people think this:
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32. But it was
a pretty regular place.
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33. Mail got delivered.
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34. People ran businesses.
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35. Kids played in the street.
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36. My problem was,
since I didn't go to school
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37. in the neighborhood,
the thugs didn't know me,
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38. so they would rob me
almost every single day.
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39. Yo, yo, yo, little man.
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40. You live around here?
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41. I live right down there.
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42. I could tell him where I lived,
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43. but then he might
break in my house.
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44. Man, what school you go to?
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45. Corleone Junior High.
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46. Corleone?
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47. You ever heard of that?
No.
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48. Y'all ever heard
of Corleone Junior High?
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49. These fools
never heard of Yale!
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50. Hey, man, we ain't never
heard of that.
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51. So, uh... why don't you
let me hold a dollar?
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52. In case you didn't know,
when a criminal says,
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53. "Let me hold something,"
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54. that means you're never
getting it back.
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55. Let me hold
your cash register.
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56. Thank you.
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57. It could have been worse.
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58. I could have been going
to pay the light bill.
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59. Nothing could stop
my father from working
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60. unless work stopped working.
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61. Local truckers are on strike
today over dangerous conditions
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62. brought about by what they call
"lack of adequate signage."
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63. Apparently, a driver
was injured in an explosion
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64. caused when gasoline fumes were
ignited as he filled his tank.
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65. I can't believe this!
What's wrong?
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66. I'm on strike.
What happened?
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67. They say we're
in dangerous conditions,
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68. and they got to put
warning signs on the truck,
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69. 'cause some guy
got in an accident.
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70. It was a little more
than an accident.
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71. Well, how long do you think
this is gonna last?
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72. I don't know, but I can't
be out of work right now.
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73. I'm trying to put some extra
money down on the heat bill.
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74. Plus, the kids need
new winter coats.
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75. Well, Chris could wear
Drew's old coat.
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76. And Tanya will be okay.
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77. Her sleeves might be
a little short, but we'll just
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78. buy her longer gloves.
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79. Fool don't know better
than to light fire around gas,
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80. and now I'm all messed up.
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81. Baby, don't worry,
I can just go down
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82. to the temp agency on Monday
and get a job.
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83. They like me.
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84. My mother was pretty good with
people when she wanted to be,
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85. so she never had any problem
getting a job.
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86. Oh, you can stick it!
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87. I told you not
to call my old job.
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88. You trying to get
that secretary job?
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89. Girl,
I like your shoes.
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90. Rochelle.
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91. Hi. Nice to meet you.
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92. Whoa, whoa!
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
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93. Yo, little man,
let me hold a dollar.
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94. I don't have any money.
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95. So, what you got, then?
Nothing!
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96. I stopped carrying stuff, 'cause
every time I come by here,
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97. you ask me where I live.
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98. I say, "Right down there,"
and then you rob me anyway.
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99. You live around here?
Yeah, right down there.
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100. That's a nice bike.
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101. Look at that. Yeah.
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102. That's new?
Yeah.
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103. Why don't you, uh,
let me take a ride on your bike.
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104. Can I steal your bike, please?
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105. My dad said not
to let anybody ride it.
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106. Why don't you guys
leave him alone?
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107. Yo, Fat Mike.
You know this dude?
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108. Yeah. He lives
right up the street.
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109. Man, why you ain't say
you know Fat Mike?
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110. Uh, because I don't.
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111. Fat Mike...
you know him?
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112. No. Come on, man.
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113. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
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114. Let me hold a dollar.
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115. Why do you hang out
with those guys?
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116. I just know them
from the block.
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117. I wasn't sure why Fat Mike
was hanging with me,
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118. but as long as it kept me from
getting robbed, I was cool.
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119. You go to school around here?
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120. Yeah. Where do you go?
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121. Corleone. It's all the way
over in Brooklyn Beach.
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122. Why do you go
over there?
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123. My mom.
She thinks it's better.
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124. That's a nice bike.
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125. How long you had it?
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126. About three months now.
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127. I got it for my birthday.
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128. I wish I had that one.
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129. Why do they call you Fat Mike?
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130. They just always did.
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131. There were about ten Mikes
in my neighborhood.
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132. Big Head Mike spent more time
in jail than out of jail.
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133. White Mike was just a white guy
who lived on the block.
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134. Family didn't have
enough money to leave.
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135. Tall Mike played ball.
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136. Monster Mike just scared kids.
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137. And Mike Mike was actually
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138. the first Mike
that lived on the block.
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139. But his real name was Paul.
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140. Oh, don't be
scared of them.
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141. They'll leave you alone
after a while.
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142. When they go to jail.
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143. You want to hang out
after school tomorrow?
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144. I can't. I got to go to Jersey
to see my father.
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145. I think I was the first kid
that Fat Mike knew
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146. that actually had a father
that lived at home.
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147. All right,
then I'll catch you later.
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148. My father felt uncomfortable
when he didn't have a job.
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149. So when he was home, he would
do any work he could find.
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150. Five cent worth of bread.
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151. Ten cent worth of Kool-Aid.
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152. Hey, man.
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153. You want to take a ride
down to the park?
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154. I can't go
off the block.
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155. Well, can I take a ride
on your bike?
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156. Can't let anybody ride it.
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157. I'm only going to the corner.
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158. Cool guys always have a way
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159. of making you feel like a punk
if you don't do what they say.
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160. All right, I guess so.
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161. But it's only
down to the corner.
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162. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
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163. Fat Mike!
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164. Fat Mike!
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165. Boy, stop all the hollering
and put your bike up.
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166. It's time to come in.
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167. Hi, Mom.
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168. Hey, Mom.
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169. Daddy showed me
how to fold napkins.
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170. Julius,
what's all this?
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171. Hey, babe,
how are you doing?
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172. You were working, so I wanted
to have dinner ready for you.
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173. I cleaned the house too.
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174. Daddy washed and ironed
all my school clothes.
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175. Mine too.
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176. He even sewed up
the holes in my socks.
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177. Did he, now?
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178. Looks like you were
really busy today.
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179. You would think my mother
would be happy
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180. that my father
was helping out.
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181. But if losing his job was bad,
doing her job was worse.
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182. You want to eat?
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183. No, I'm not that hungry.
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184. Hey, Mom.
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185. What's wrong with Mom?
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186. She probably got a headache
from work or something.
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187. Uh, did you bring
your bike in?
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188. Yeah.
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189. You didn't let anybody
ride it...
No!
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190. Good. These guys around here
will steal it.
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191. Got that sausage.
I'm full, Dad.
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192. Me too.
Those biscuits were good.
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193. Made 'em from scratch.
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194. Hey, Dad, can we have
bacon tomorrow?
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195. Anything for you, baby.
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196. All right, you guys, uh,
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197. finish getting ready
for school.
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198. All right.
Chris,
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199. I was in
the basement.
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200. I didn't see your bike.
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201. I put it under a sheet
so it wouldn't get dirty.
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202. Not my good sheets?
No, ma'am.
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203. If my parents found out
about my bike,
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204. this was gonna be my last meal.
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205. What you put in these eggs?
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206. Just a little ham,
cheddar cheese, season salt,
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207. a touch of basil, and just
a-a little dash of hot sauce.
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208. Taste a little funny.
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209. You want something else?
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210. I'll have some sausage.
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211. Okay.
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212. Mmm.
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213. A little dry.
Rochelle,
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214. I feel bad enough
about not working.
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215. I don't need you around here
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216. complaining about
how I do things.
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217. If you did things right,
I wouldn't have to complain.
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218. Half the stuff around here
I do better than you.
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219. It ain't that hard.
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220. My father was the oldest
of 10 brothers and sisters.
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221. He had been cooking
and cleaning all of his life.
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222. But even if the job wasn't
that hard,
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223. he's not supposed to say it.
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224. What?
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225. You got something to say?
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226. Well, ain't this about a b—
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227. Ooh!
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228. Are you crazy?
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229. You do my job for one day.
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230. Oh!
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231. And I make that damn hard!
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232. You baking, frying,
biscuit-baking,
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233. pancake-making,
bald-headed bastard!
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234. Ow!
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235. You must think I'm crazy!
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236. You can kiss
my ain't-that-hard...
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237. Have you lost your mind?
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238. And that was my mother's way
of letting him off easy.
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239. Got that?
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240. Oh, yeah.
Hey.
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241. What's up, little man?
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242. I was looking for Fat Mike.
You know Fat Mike?
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243. Yeah. I was here the other day
when y'all tried to rob me.
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244. Oh.
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245. You're the little dude
from across the street, huh?
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246. That's the little dude
from across the street.
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247. Oh, yeah. We didn't know
that was you.
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248. You said that
like I had on a disguise.
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249. Man, I ain't seen Fat Mike.
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250. I ain't seen him,
either.
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251. If you see him,
can you let him know
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252. Chris was looking for him?
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253. Yeah.
Little dude?
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254. You know him?
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255. Nope.
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256. All right.
All right.
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257. Yeah, fresh meat.
Yeah, what's up?
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258. Yeah.
Back.
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259. Let me hold a dollar.
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260. I didn't know
Fat Mike's real name.
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261. I didn't know where he lived.
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262. All I knew was,
I had to get my bike back,
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263. because if I didn't...
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264. Mama, where's Chris?
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265. Somebody stole his bike
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266. after I told him not to let
anybody ride it.
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267. So I smacked him
into next week.
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268. I told you.
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269. He'll be back on Tuesday.
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270. Chris.
Oh, thanks.
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271. Mom, Dad found $20
cleaning under my bed.
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272. That's nice.
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273. He let me keep five.
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274. Daddy, can you fix
my doll's dress? It ripped.
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275. I can do that for you, baby.
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276. Oh, I want Dad to do it.
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277. He sews good.
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278. "Well." I sew well.
I guess you do.
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279. Dad, this is good.
What's this called?
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280. It's nothing. Just...
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281. Mmm, it tastes like syrup.
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282. It's maple barbecue
baked chicken.
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283. Is that why
it's so sweet?
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284. Oh, Ma, Dad cleaned
the dishes good.
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285. I can see myself
in the spoon.
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286. Oh, Dad,
do we have dessert?
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287. Well, do we?
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288. Yeah. Peach cobbler.
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289. Peach cobbler!
Peach cobbler!
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290. Oh, I love peach cobbler! Whoo!
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291. Ma, how come you never
made peach cobbler?
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292. Ma, he made the ice cream
from scratch too.
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293. Mm-hmm.
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294. Can you pass
some butter, please?
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295. It's supposed
to be biscuits.
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296. Yeah. You want
that biscuit?
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297. Dad, did you make
the soda too?
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298. Hey, need any help
with the dishes?
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299. Oh, no, baby, I got it.
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300. Don't worry about it.
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301. Yeah, well, I guess
I'm gonna go to bed, then.
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302. All right.
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303. When do you think
this strike is gonna end?
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304. I don't know. They're still
trying to figure out
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305. who's gonna pay
for the truck signs.
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306. Well, I hope
they figure it out soon.
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307. Only a woman can make you
feel wrong for doing right.
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308. Listen, I need
a favor from you guys.
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309. Okay.
Okay.
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310. Now, this is a little unusual,
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311. but I need you to do
what I tell you.
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312. I want you to mess
the house up.
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313. Whoa.
What?
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314. Mess the house up?
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315. Won't Mama get mad?
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316. Yeah, but don't
worry about it.
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317. Can I set Chris on fire?
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318. No, baby, don't
set Chris on fire, okay?
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319. At least this time
she asked for permission.
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320. Okay.
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321. Good. Now mess up
your beds,
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322. eat a snack,
leave your plates out.
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323. Leave your drawers
in the hallway.
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324. Just don't set
your brother on fire, all right?
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325. Now, go!
Yes!
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326. All right, when I get done,
can I go outside?
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327. Yeah, but just out front.
Yeah!
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328. Black people didn't go
this crazy again
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329. until the L.A. riots.
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330. I looked everywhere
for Fat Mike.
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331. Well, considering I couldn't
go past the corner,
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332. everywhere was about a block.
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333. Hey, baby.
It's getting late,
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334. so why don't you get
your bike
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335. and come inside
for dinner.
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336. I'm sure your father made
some fantastic meal.
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337. I figured maybe if I told her
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338. about my bike outside,
she wouldn't kill me
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339. because of all the witnesses.
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340. Mom, Mom, Mom.
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341. I got to tell
you something.
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342. What is it?
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343. I love your cooking.
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344. Thank you, baby.
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345. Get your bike
and come on inside.
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346. Where were you?
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347. You said you'd bring
my bike back two days ago.
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348. Sorry.
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349. That's it? Sorry?
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350. Well, what do you want me
to say? I brought it back.
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351. You act like I was going
to steal it or something.
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352. I did think
you stole it.
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353. Well, I didn't.
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354. I didn't know
a lot about Fat Mike,
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355. but that's when I found out
he wasn't a thief.
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356. Hey...
What?
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357. I just didn't know
where you were.
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358. Well, your mom said not to let
anyone ride your bike.
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359. So I kept it so
you wouldn't get in trouble.
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360. Now to him, that just makes
perfect sense.
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361. You had my bike,
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362. so why would I want
your bike?
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363. Anyway...
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364. you coming out tomorrow?
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365. Yeah, I guess so.
I'll see you then.
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366. That's what they call
a friendship in Bed-Stuy:
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367. a guy who doesn't steal
your bike.
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368. Hey, Ma.
Hi, ba... by.
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369. What in the world?
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370. Julius!
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371. Huh?
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372. What in the world
happened in here?
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373. Huh?
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374. I cannot believe...
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375. What is this?
I don't know.
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376. What do you mean you don't know?
It looks like a whirlwind.
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377. Hey, what are you going
to make for dinner?
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378. Huh?
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379. Have you lost
your monkey-ass mind?
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380. Dinner?
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381. Do I look like Florence
fromThe Jeffersons?
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382. Get over here
and pick this crap up
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383. before I smack
the shine off your head.
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384. Today marks the end of
the strike by local truckers,
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385. which began
after one of the drivers
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386. was injured in an explosion
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387. caused by what
the drivers termed
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388. "lack of adequate signage."
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389. An agreement was signed
last night,
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390. and truckers will be back...
Yes!
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391. on the road tomorrow.
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392. Good morning.
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393. Good morning, Daddy.
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394. Ma, these pancakes
are good.
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395. Yeah, Dad, how come you can't
make pancakes like this?
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396. I don't know.
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397. I just don't have that
touch like your mother.
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398. Chris, who was that little boy
you were hanging with yesterday?
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399. Who, Fat Mike?
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400. Fool, now you know
you are not supposed
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401. to be calling
somebody fat.
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402. That's his name.
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403. What kind of name
is Fat Mike?
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404. That's just what
they call him.
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405. Well, you just be
careful out there.
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406. And don't let that boy
ride your bike.
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407. That's how your last one
got stolen.
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408. As much as my mother
complained
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409. about housework, she hated
to have somebody else do it.
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410. And after my father
got his job back,
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411. she got to do one of the things
she does best...
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412. File your own damn papers.
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413. I do not need this.
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414. My husband has two jobs.
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415. With my mother back at home
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416. and my father back at work,
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417. everything was back
to normal again.
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418. Yo, little man,
let me hold a dollar.
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419. I know Fat Mike.
Who?
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420. Fat Mike.
You know me.
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421. I'm the little dude
from across the street.
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422. What's that supposed
to mean?
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423. We don't live
around here.
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424. Help me!
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425. Hey, man...
get back here!
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