The Streets Got Nothing To Teach Us
“The streets got nothing to teach us, we are born streetsmart.
That was our part in the evolution. Not everybody living in
the hood is a hoodlum. People have families, which they love.
People have jobs. And for all others, the streets provide a
feast. Young blacks and Hispanics are in and out of jailcells,
some of them incarcerated for life. I wonder, did we do all
this to ourselves, or were we chosen to start from the bottom.
I did my time in jail, infact, I spent too much time behind
bars. But now, I can’t even find a normal job to provide for
my son. The struggle continues!”
The story of a young African-American male who is struggling
between being a father and a provider for his family. After
the birth of his son, he straightend his life out. No more
dealing drugs, no more gang banging. He was lucky to find a
job at a garage where he still works. But hard work and
minimum wage does not provide for any luxuries in life. So he
has got to find another way to make some money before he loses
his mind and his soul to the streets (again). The main
character is named James Jackson, aka J.J. His son is named
Junior, aka J.J. jr. His son is 6 years old. James is 27 years
of age.
Scene 1: Grease Monkey
J.J. is working on a car at the garage where he works. He is
busy on the engine, while he is kneeling on the ground.
His boss, also an African-American man, walks towards him and
says: “That’s enough for now, lets have some lunch.”
J.J. agrees and he washes his hands.
J.J. and his boss, together with other staff are seated at a
table eating sandwhiches.
The group jokes around. Somebody says to J.J.:
“Yo James, why are you busting your ass for minimum wage,
while you can make a fortune selling drugs to crackheads?”
The boss intervenes:
“Now thats enough, out of you!”
J.J. does not respond, he gives the guy the crooked eye and
finishes his sandwhich.
They continue working. As J.J. gets back to work.
The radio is playing music, when the radiohost interrupts the
program:
“Don’t forget, tonight between 8 and 10, at the Power Up Gym,
everybody is welcome to join the famous BOXING school, but
tonight, is a special night, because Mike Tyson will be
attending.”
J.J. says:
“Did you hear that, Mike Tyson will be attending!”
Another employee responds:
“Haha, Mike Tyson, you should go J.”
J.J. says:
“Maybe I will”
A couple hours later, J.J. is done working. He grabs his
Eastpak bag and throws it over his shoulder as he walks out.
Scene 2: We all got to eat
J.J. is at his mothers house, where he is seated at the table
with his son, his mother, his sister and his sisters baby.
They are having dinner.
J.J. looks at the clock and notices the time “19.30”.
He finishes his plate, he grabs the dishes and puts them in
the sink. He gives his son a kiss and says he got to go
somewhere. He also gives his mother a kiss, to which she
responds: “Ooh baby, be good!”
J.J. walks outside the house. As he walks towards the Power Up
Gym, to see if Mike Tyson really is there.
Scene 3: Mike Tyson
As he approaches the gym he sees a bunch of youngsters
standing infront of the gym, with Mike Tyson in the middle.
J.J. makes his way to the crowd and forces himself through the
crowd. He stands next to Tyson, who is signing autographs.
J.J. says:
“Mister Tyson, its an honor to meet you.”
Mike Tyson says:
“Thanks, but aren’t you to old for an autograph”
J.J. laughs.
Mike Tyson is still signing autographs and taking pictures
with the youth gathered infront of the gym.
J.J. notices the open door and he can see inside the gym.
J.J. walks inside the gym.
An older man, who is white, approaches him and says:
“Mike Tyson, ain’t that something?”
J.J. says:
“I always was a big fan”
The older man says:
“Me too, he is a warrior, I give you that”
“Did you come, just to see Tyson or do you have a question?”
J.J. says:
“A question, nah, I...”
The older man says:
“Come on, I want to show you something”
The older man walks towards a wall with pictures and points to
a picture of himself with Mike Tyson when he was a youngster.
J.J. says:
“Ah cool, you worked with Mike Tyson?”
The older man says:
“Worked, hahah, I thought him everything I know”
J.J. looks around. He is inside the gym where Mike Tyson used
to train. There is a ring and a bunch of boxing bags hanging
from the ceiling.
The older man introduces himself:
“Cus, thats my name”
J.J. introduces himself:
“James Jackson, but everybody calls me J.J.”
Cus says:
“You know, you look like a fighter yourself. I can see that in
a second. Have you ever boxed?”
J.J. says:
“Not professionally, but I did kick ass. But in prison I did a
bit of boxing, honestly”
Cus says:
“Prison? Figures. If you want, you are welcome to join the
gym.”
J.J. says:
“Maybe I will”
They shake hands and J.J. exits the building, he walks by the
crowd, who is surrounding Tyson.
J.J. looks back at the crowd and he continues walking.
Scene 4: Another day
J.J. is working on a car again. He is under the car. When his
boss approaches him.
His boss looks through the open floor to see J.J. laying on
the ground.
He says:
“Did you go to that Mike Tyson event last night”
J.J. says:
“Yeah, I did”
Boss:
“And?”
J.J.:
“And nothing, he is Mike Tyson AND I’m working on this car”
Boss:
“Thats not what I mean.”
“You break your back right now, why not get in the ring?”
J.J.:
“You mean box??? Maybe I will”
J.J. already had decided to join that gym.
Scene 5: Mommas House
Its Saturday, so J.J. is off of work. He wakes up, gets
dressed and goes to the living room.
His son is watching cartoons and eating cereal.
J.J. says:
”Goodmorning. What you eating there?”
Junior says:
“Frosted flakes”
J.J. walks to the kitchen and makes him a bowl of flakes.
He sits at the kitchen table and watches cartoons with his
son.
After breakfast, he has a small conversation with his mom and
he explains to her that he wants to start boxing.
He gets dressed and goes for a run.
He runs to the gym.
Scene 6: Power Up Gym
At the Power Up Gym, J.J. meets Cus. Who is there up and early
on this Saturday.
The gym is quiet, only some people present.
Cus says:
“So, you decided to MAN UP?”
J.J. says:
“Yeah, I think so.”
The character chosen for J.J. is 50 cent.
50 cent learns to box like a pro.
Scene 7: Back to the boss
J.J. walks in to the garage with a black-eye, everybody laughs
at him.
He works the whole day.
Scene 8: Back to the gym
J.J. is under guidance of CUS, the veteran who even schooled
MIKE TYSON. But J.J. got potentitial, he is a strong guy.
It takes about 6 months till J.J. is fit. So he decides to
participate in a championship.
The rules are simple. Win a fight to continue.
There will be 4 fights. The 4
th is for the championship.
He needs to win all 3 rounds and the championship, cause that
is what he wants. Each fight is 3 rounds, like K1.
The fights are 1 week apart and 2 weeks for the championship.
Scene 9: Round 1
J.J. needs to fight a Russian opponent.
J.J wins
Scene 10: Round 2
J.J needs to fight an African-American fighter.
J.J wins
Scene 11: Back at the gym
Cus prepares J.J. for his strongest opponent yet.
J.J. is ready to do the job.
Scene 12: Round 3
J.J. wins
Scene 13: Back at the gym
Mike Tyson, himself, shows up to help train J.J. Cus had set
it up.
J.J. is ready to fight.
Scene 14: The Final Round
J.J gets knocked down, but he gets back up and wins the
championship.
Scene 15: The champ is here
J.J. lives between his son, his job and CUS. Because he
continued working and started his own garage.
J.J. continues boxing and has many more fights and
championshipbelts in his future.
THE END
