Lady in the Lake
Season 1 – Episode 7
Episode title: My story
Original release date : August 23, 2024
Plot: Maddie is met with resistance when she tries spinning Cleo’s story.
* * *
[Cleo, Dora] ♪ Tell me you love me For a million ♪
♪ Million years ♪
♪ If it don’t work out ♪
♪ If it don’t work out ♪
♪ Then you can tell me goodbye ♪
It’s in B.
I know what key it’s in.
Then stay in your harmony.
I got to sing it the way I feel it in my body.
You know, improvise.
Dora, this is our big chance.
Don’t mess this up like you love to do.
You a Jaybird?
I’m a Jaybird.
[Cleo] Hey, Roy.
What’s up, Cleo?
Thanks for having us back here. The line round the front is crazy.
Don’t thank me, baby. Just lay that kiss on me and we fine.
[groans] You know you gonna stay a frog, right?
Look, you kiss in the back or you pay in the front.
You ain’t with it, no sweat.
I’ll do it.
[Roy] She’ll do it.
Go ahead, Cleo. Lay it on me.
I ain’t your uncle.
Roy…
No, go ahead get back to the back of the line.
I’m not-No, we not doing that–
[Dora] Okay, move.
[Roy] Holy shit.
Okay. Okay.
Yes, ma’am.
[upbeat music playing]
[all chattering, laughing]
[patrons laughing, cheering]
All right. All right, all my Penn Ave elbow benders, we got one more song until the talent show starts.
Y’all love Billie Holiday?
[all cheering]
But she ain’t here.
[all clamoring]
I can tell you who’s here.
Give it up again for Ethel Ennis and her new song, “Love for Sale.”
Thanks, Slappy.
[all cheering]
[“Love For Sale” playing]
[Dora sighs]
If we don’t get on that main kick tonight, we cutting out this town.
Hey, all right, how y’all doing?
I bet you’re here for the talent competition, ain’t you?
[bouncer] What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
What the hell? What’s going on?
[Cleo] What was that for?
[squealing] Get your hands off me.
[Slappy] What you got with them?
Roy slipped them out back.
Look. L-Look, I’ll cover both of these ladies.
Too late.
What do you mean too late?
Slap!
[Slappy] It’s never too late for money.
Hey! Tell Shell they with Slap.
[Dora] What-Oh, get your hands off me.
[bouncer] Shut up, Slap.
[Vernon] Well, I mean, your business, sir.
[Shell] Right. My business.
[Vernon] Yes, sorry.
Yeah, that’s it. That’s who I was talking about.
Roy.
Y-Yes, sir.
Are you gonna tell me how many brees you snuck in here tonight?
J-Just them two, Mr. Gordon.
I swear it. Yes, sir.
[Shell] Is that right? Hmm.
Well, tickets cost five a pop, and all I see is barely $900 when the place is packed with 200 people.
Explain that.
It must have been Vernon,
Mr. Gordon.
Thirty, sir.
What’d you say?
With those numbers, he had to sneak in about 20, 30 girls.
[shushes]
Feel like I’m seeing a ghost.
[sighs]
You Al Sherwood’s little girl, ain’t you?
Yes, sir.
[Shell] Too bad he took off.
I’ll tell you what.
If you can count half as good as your pa, you can take on his old job.
You might even have his job before you know.
[stammers]
[stammers] I’m still in school, Mr. Gordon.
I just-I snuck in with my friend Dora, so we could sing in your talent show.
But I’ll tell you what.
Come back here, help me with my books, and I’ll put you on that stage, you and your friend, right now.
You ready?
[Dora] Cleo.
You go.
What you talking about? This ain’t a solo show.
We’re the Jaybirds.
I feel sick.
[Slappy] I can get you something to drink.
I don’t drink.
You drink water, don’t you?
Ain’t nothing wrong with you, Cleo.
You just scared, baby.
Please, you go.
I’ll be out there.
[Slappy] All right. All right, all my Penn Ave elbow benders.
Let’s kick this talent show off right.
It’s my pleasure to welcome to the Pharaoh my first young performer of the night.
Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Miss Dora Carter.
♪ Kiss me each morning ♪
♪ For a million years ♪
♪ Hold me each evening by your side ♪
♪ Tell me you love me ♪
♪ For a million ♪
[mouthing] A million–
♪ A million years ♪
♪ Then if it don’t work out ♪
[backup singer] ♪ If it don’t work out ♪
♪ Then if it don’t work out ♪
♪ If it don’t work out ♪
♪ Then you can tell me goodbye ♪
♪ Then you can tell me goodbye ♪
[Cleo sniffling, sobbing]
[Reggie] She gone, Cleo. She gone.
[inhales shakily]
And if you still breathing tomorrow morning, I’ll be gone too.
I suggest you save yourself and help me join her.
[Reggie cries]
I ain’t shooting you, Reggie.
[Reggie sniffling]
If you ain’t shooting… take that money… and leave.
[sniffling]
[sighs]
[Cleo] I ain’t running away from Shell like my daddy did.
If Dora’s gone… it don’t have to be for nothing, right?
Maybe you can help us.
[crying]
[Reggie] If you do this… if we do this, ain’t no coming back from it.
[Cleo inhales shakily] I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.
[Maddie] Cleo? Cleo Johnson?
[breathing shakily, mumbles]
No, no, p-please.
Don’t scream. If you do, I’ll leave. You’ll never hear from me again.
[breathing shakily] I was-I was at your funeral.
You were. You were.
But you wouldn’t let me stay dead.
I don’t understand.
I need you to stop.
Stop what? I–
I’ve been risking my life to find out who killed you.
Stop tryin’ to write about me.
If you tell my story, you’ll be the one who really kills me.
[mumbles]
[footsteps approaching]
Then who was the lady in the lake?
She is my friend…
my very best friend.
She was leaving town that night to–
Dora Carter.
Yes.
She died Christmas Eve of a drug overdose.
A drug overdose?
It wasn’t eggnog, Ms. Morgenstern.
Poor woman.
Mr. Gordon wanted me dead.
So, he sent Reggie,
but Reggie found Dora’s body before he got to me.
His mercy and her body kept me alive.
But she had to stay in the lake long enough for there to be no questions.
Then when the time was right, I sent that letter to the helpline.
My plan was working fine
until you started asking Mr. Gordon about those Christmas numbers.
Why? Wh-Why not just stay missing?
Because when you’re missing, people are still looking for you.
But when you’re dead…
You’re free.
Is that what you think I am? Free?
The last thing my husband told me was,
“Tell Dora you can’t cry if you’re laughing.”
[door opens]
[nurse] Are we awake, Ms. Morgenstern?
What are you doing in here?
Uh, cleaning, ma’am.
Who asked for you to do that in the middle of the night?
I’m so sorry, Ms. Morgenstern.
In fact, you haven’t exactly been in shape for conversation,
so I didn’t have a chance to tell you what a hero you are to all of us girls here.
How brave. 110/70.
I’ve got three daughters, two of them are saying they wanna be reporters now.
Finish quickly.
Ms. Morgenstern needs her rest.
[Cleo] Of course. Of course, ma’am.
Why didn’t you leave?
Why?
You have children, Ms. Morgenstern?
Yes, I have one.
Then you understand. You saw my boys at the funeral?
I did.
If you let me stay dead, I can find a way to get back to ’em.
But I can tell from that look in your eye
that me being alive is too good a story for you to let go of
unless there’s a better story waiting.
Is that right, Maddie?
Maybe.
You judging me for my ambition?
No, Maddie…
I’m counting on it.
What do you want?
I wanna take down Shell Gordon.
And if you give up your story about me
then you get to be the reporter
that exposes the man who ordered the assassination of Myrtle Summer.
[gasping, coughing]
[shushing]
All right. All right. All right.
[coughing] Thank you.
How do you know that he assa–
[shushes] You want your story?
Mmm.
Meet me Friday before sunset,
south side of the lake.
And you’ll have a front-page story in any paper you want.
You take your rest now.
I really hope to see you, Ms. Morgenstern.
[sighs]
[inhales deeply]
[sighs] You all right?
Thank you so much for taking me.
What’s happening?
[sighs]
Somebody had to stand up to the white nationalists.
The NSRP had a rally by Patterson Park,
and the police didn’t do a damn thing to stop them.
So the Negroes did.
Oy vey, look at this.
If only these people were as strategic as they were brave.
They just haven’t figured it out. [sighs]
[Cleo] What did you see when you looked at me, Maddie?
A woman? A mother? A Negro?
O-Or maybe it was none of those things.
Maybe the only thing you could see when you looked at me…
was you.
[sighs]
[exhales deeply]
[Cedrick] Neighbor, you’re alive!
Just barely.
[both chuckle]
[grunts, breathes deeply]
Hi.
You look good.
Thank you for the flowers.
Mm-hmm.
[server] What can I get you?
Oh, just coffee for me, please.
[server] Okay.
[Maddie] And for me as well, thank you.
And-And some water.
[server] Ah.
[sighs]
I was happy to hear from you so soon.
How are you feeling?
[exhales deeply]
[chuckles] What’s going on?
Gotta get some clippings and some notes to the office.
I thought we were just gonna spend a quiet morning together.
I’m sorry,
I have to find Slappy Johnson and interview him.
He-He’s in jail.
He wouldn’t talk to me at Cleo’s funeral. But I think he will now.
[sighs] I know all about where Slappy Johnson is.
I know you hate when I try to get information from you,
but this is different, right?
I’m not on the force anymore, Maddie.
What?
They forced me to resign. Yeah.
Why?
Well, it turns out Officer Bosko enjoys spending his nights outside your home.
Here’s your coffee.
He caught me coming down the fire escape and he reported to the captain.
I’m so sorry. I-I-I’ll tell them that–
that nothing was going on, and that-They have to believe me.
You’ll go to jail, Maddie,
for cohabitating with a Negro if we say anything.
Nah, it was just an excuse to get me to resign.
They wanted me out because I went after Shell Gordon.
No. What?
I like to think that I did it for Cleo,
but maybe it was to prove you wrong when you said that I wouldn’t.
Whatever the reason is, I’m done as an officer of the law, so–
They must be able to reinstate you.
[stammers] You could move somewhere else.
[sighs]
I was thinking Virginia.
Virginia?
There’s a mixed couple in Virginia who just took their case to the Supreme Court.
Word is that they’re gonna win, which would make it legal.
It’d make us legal.
What I’m trying to say is, I don’t know what happens next,
but there’s one thing in my life right now that I do know,
and that’s how I feel about you.
Ferdie. Uh…
I feel like I just woke up from a dream.
I’m still wrapped up in this story. I–
I can’t make any big decisions right now.
[stammers] I have to see this through.
[sighs]
You got a pen?
I do.
My address.
If you want me, that’s where I’ll be.
[chattering]
[typewriter keys clacking]
[applauding]
[coworker 1] Welcome back, Maddie.
[coworker 2] Welcome back.
[coworker 3] Welcome back, Maddie.
No bagels, Maddie?
No bagels.
[Bob] Congratulations.
Bob.
Hi, Betty.
[editor] More to come. I’ll let you know.
[Maddie] Mr. Marshall.
I almost lost the chance of meeting you, didn’t I?
I guess I’m a lot tougher than everyone thought I was, huh?
[chuckles]
Oh, we can always use an iron ass at The Star.
Call me Sam. Would you have a seat?
Can I offer you a drink?
I have a very nice Samaroli and an even nicer Bowmore.
[Maddie] Whichever you have.
I hear Bauer went to see you in the hospital.
Thank you.
Yes, it was very kind of him to visit.
Kind doesn’t get you as far these days, does it?
[chuckles]
You didn’t offer him a peep about how it all went down.
No, I wanted to keep it all for myself, didn’t I? [chuckles]
[chuckles]
Well, it’s a hell of a story.
Certainly is.
I’ve got no secrets, no favorites, no blood-on-the-walls rivalries.
You can have your pick
of who you’d rather share it with.
[chuckles]
Come on, everybody has an idol.
Who would you like to write the story?
I’m going to write it myself.
Yourself?
Yes.
I-I’ll write it better than any man you have in mind.
[chuckles]
I don’t want a career defined entirely
by my connections to the Zawadzkies, to the Dursts.
[stammers] I’m working on a new story. [sighs]
Who isn’t?
[chuckles] It’s a really good one, Sam.
[chuckles]
It’ll expand your Black readership. You know, The Afro is the–
Maddie.
Yes?
Our readers can choose any old newspaper, and they pick ours.
You know why?
Why?
Because we don’t waste their time.
Now,
why don’t you go be a good girl and chase one rabbit at a time?
It’s both stories.
Front page.
My very own byline, guaranteed.
You don’t get one without the other.
What’s going on? Where are you going?
I’m off the helpline.
What did you do?
I got myself a new desk.
What?
Sam said that I could–
Sam?
Sam said…
Sam.
…I could have whoever I wanted with me in the trenches on this next story.
And I asked for you.
Really?
Really.
What story is this?
Cleo Johnson.
[chuckles] Yeah.
How’d I know?
Did you get the husband to go on the record?
Or did you forget about that, Miss Helpline? Huh? Huh.
I will.
[horn honks]
What’s the word, T-man?
You got plans for Easter or what?
You don’t need to come around here no more, Mr. Gordon’s boy,
we don’t need your charity.
I know. I know it hurts.
Listen, Teddy, it ain’t no charity, all right?
I got a job for you.
I told Charlie I ain’t doing number runs no more.
No numbers. All right.
It’s a job your mama would have wanted you to do.
Come on. Get in.
Tell me what the job is, and I’ll get there myself.
You think I’m stupid?
I know you’re hiding something from me.
[Reggie] You’re right. But it was for your own good.
You trust me?
No.
[chuckles]
I ain’t going nowhere with you.
[guard] Johnson.
How my breath smell? [exhales sharply]
What’s up, Charlie? I heard you was dead. Good to see you.
[chuckles] Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
[stammers]
[door buzzes]
[guard] Keep it moving.
[door buzzes]
Oh, shit. Miss Reporter.
You can call me Maddie.
Maddie.
You know, you’re the only person they let me see outside my lawyer
since I’ve been in here.
I got myself a reputation that can open doors. [sighs]
Not the doors I need open.
Unless you got some information for me?
I’m sorry.
You should not be in here.
[scoffs]
And you were absolutely right.
I did not know the floor I was dancing on.
Turns out I wasn’t wearing the right shoes either.
[chuckles, grunts]
[sighs]
What happened?
[sighs] I was stabbed by Stephan Zawadzkie’s mother.
And I found out nothing is what I thought it was.
If you can take me through… [sighs]
…the details of your last days with Cleo before she disappeared,
I’ll put together a timeline that will help me
write a story that will set you free.
What type of story?
How would you feel if I told you…
that Cleo is alive?
I feel like you lying.
The lady in the lake was Dora Carter, she overdosed.
Reggie’s been hiding Cleo ever since I saw her in the–
You’ve seen Cleo?
I did.
And Reggie, huh? [sighs]
And she know I’m in here?
[sighs]
Did she send you here?
Mr. Johnson–
[slams on table]
Did she send you here?
No.
Then why the fuck you telling me this for?
[guard] Johnson! Settle down!
[sighs]
She is out there walking around and you are in here for murdering her.
You deserve justice.
[scoffs]
Justice, huh?
I got it.
You wanna hear my story before everyone else.
That’s what they call a scoop.
It ain’t gonna happen.
Not from me.
I don’t believe shit you say.
I don’t believe a word that’s coming out your fucking honky mouth.
“Tell Dora that you can’t cry if you’re laughing.”
Cleo told me those were the last words you spoke to her.
But she didn’t make it in time to tell Dora.
[sighs]
So you can get me out of here, back to my boys?
Yes.
You’ll save me?
From my wife?
I’m trying to set you free.
I-I don’t know why you are questioning my intentions.
What do you know about my wife and my boys?
What I know is that Cleo is trying to do something foolish
and–
[Slappy] Hey!
My wife is a lot of things,
but one thing she ain’t is foolish.
Now, what you saying is true and she really hiding out somewhere,
she did it for our boys.
But you too blind to see that.
So, I ain’t gonna say one word that’s gonna get in the way of that.
Let me get this straight.
You are willing to rot in prison
for a crime that never even happened?
Guard!
[door buzzes]
My story.
[Reggie] I got a bad feeling about this, Cleo.
[sighs] If Teddy didn’t believe me that you’re alive,
he’ll tell Mr. Gordon what we up to.
Ooh.
Look like my daddy. [chuckles]
You sure it’s Teddy you’re worried about and not yourself?
You know, Reggie, even a dog will bite the hand that feeds it sometimes.
What you saying?
I’m just making sure you got it in you.
[sighs] Just stop.
You just worry about that reporter showing up. All right?
Hand me the pants.
Shell goes down if you can get me in.
I-I’ll get her every dirty book that can incriminate his ass.
Not even his buddies in the police force will cover him after this.
When this is over, I’m gonna turn myself in.
Think about Teddy and Summer.
You ain’t gotta do that, Cleo.
It’s the only way Slappy don’t go down for my murder.
[cries]
[sighs]
Hey, T-man! You back?
No.
Sorry about your mama, young brother.
Thanks, Lips. I’m here to see Shell.
Tell him Teddy Johnson need to talk to him.
[chuckles] Sorry, Teddy.
Mr. Gordon real busy today.
I know.
He with Vernon trying to insure those Easter bets,
that’s why he’ll want to hear what I gotta say.
If you don’t tell him right now, you’ll hear about it later.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, I’ll wait for him.
You heard him.
[phone ringing]
[Shell] Let me see the numbers.
[Vernon] Those are the numbers.
Cleo’s son is here.
Says you’ll wanna hear what he has to say.
This end of the hotel is off-limits, sir.
It’s all right, my man.
Ain’t you supposed to be at the track?
And what exactly do you know about my supposed to be’s?
This is the new, uh, bookkeeper Shell was talking about.
He wants us to meet him at the vault.
All right.
[sighs]
[Shell sighs]
Reggie?
He’s scared that you’re onto his game. And I don’t want no part of it no more.
What game is that? Tell me.
What game, Teddy?
[sighs]
[bell rings]
[sighs]
[clears throat, sniffs]
You good?
You know.
Hear that.
You?
Ask me tomorrow.
Sorry for coming in too hot, man.
No sweat, man.
[grunts] What you do that for, man?
[Cleo exclaims]
[both grunting]
Elevator! Elevator, Cleo.
[Cleo breathing shakily]
[whispering] Vernon.
Vernon. It’s me.
Shit. Cleo?
[shushes]
Open the door up.
Open the door.
Please, Vernon.
[Teddy] He be giving out numbers to folks when you fix ’em on big holidays.
Reggie gets folks to bet on rigged numbers and they kick back 70% to him.
How you know all this?
He asked me to be working for him.
Really?
Why he ask you?
Maybe he feels bad for what happened to my mama.
[sighs] Well, it’s gonna take a lot more than that
for me to believe you telling me the truth.
Cleo.
It’s an emergency. I don’t have time.
Where’s November 1966?
I don’t understand. Wha–
Dirty book. November 1966.
It’s on the table right there.
What’s going on here? Does Shell know?
{\an8}[Cleo] Know what?
That you’re alive.
Who says I’m alive?
[Vernon] What’s this?
Your retirement.
Uh, that’s a lot of fucking money.
Hey. Elevator’s locked.
George ain’t there.
Tell Felix.
Ooh.
Today’s Good Friday.
The whole town betting.
Reggie gave me this to put down on 725.
[Shell] Mmm.
You go on home, do your schoolwork.
When the time is right, I’ll be calling. [sighs]
[Teddy sighs]
Hey, that’s yours.
Hey, take this money, boy.
You earned it.
[Reggie panting]
[Felix] Old Charlie says the elevator’s broke
and George is missing.
[alarm sounding]
[guests clamoring]
We’re at the Gordian Hotel.
Uh, I’m not sure exactly what’s going on. But there’s smoke.
Excuse me. [pants]
Hey. Listen to me.
[grunts]
[pants]
Wha-What’s this?
I need you to drive
like it’s any old Friday.
I’ma stay here and make sure everything all right.
Okay. No.
No, but you ain’t got to do that.
We don’t have to do that, Reggie.
Listen to me.
I need you to think about your boys, all right?
Those boys need you.
And as far as the world knows, Cleo Johnson is dead.
And I’ma stay here and make sure that it stay that way.
[breathes heavily]
Thank you, Reggie. Thank you.
[sniffs, sighs]
[alarm sounding]
Hey, check the back room. Make sure the safe is secure.
Move, move, move, move, let me through.
Call the Pharaoh, check to see if Reggie is back from the track. I want to–
No need for that, Mr. Gordon.
You started the fire.
And I didn’t just see a ghost, did I?
Was that Dora in the lake?
Ain’t like you to talk such nonsense, Mr. Gordon.
Dora.
My Dora’s gone to Paris to start her life over.
Cleo Johnson is the lady in the lake,
and everyone knows it.
Now, what you gonna do is pick up that phone,
call the police, and tell them that
the man that ordered the assassination attempt on Myrtle Summer
and the man that murdered Cleo Johnson
are both at the Gordian together having a drink.
[Cleo] Say, man, you getting in?
My mama said don’t go nowhere with strangers.
Your mama dead.
[chuckles]
[sighs] I can’t believe it’s you.
I’m sorry you had to hear about this from Reggie.
But from now on, we got no secrets.
None.
I didn’t run numbers while you were gone.
Come on, get in.
Come on.
[police sirens blaring]
[both chuckle]
[Teddy] Where’s Reggie?
[Bob] Did you hear? Somebody set fire to the Gordian Hotel.
[Maddie] Who?
Some goon named Reggie Robinson.
Worked for Shell Gordon.
He confessed?
Did-Did he confess to-to murdering Cleo Johnson?
Says Gordon ordered hits on Cleo Johnson and Myrtle Summer.
You been AWOL all day, so Marshall put me on as lead.
You?
Yeah.
That’s my story. You both know that.
It was your story.
Don’t play games with me, Bob.
Every two-bit rag in this town is all over this,
and we’re about to move to the back of the line, Maddie.
Did you manage to see Johnson’s husband?
I did.
What did he give you?
It’s between him and me.
You know what I think? I think you got nothing
or you’re hiding something.
But either way, you’re gonna be back on the fucking helpline
if we don’t get this headline in the evening run.
Seth?
Where are you, Miss Helpline?
I gotta go, Bob.
Maddie?
Seth, what are you doing?
Those are my diaries. This is my story.
You think every story is your story.
This-This is mine.
Well, it’s mine too.
I want Milton to think he’s my father until the day he dies.
I’ve never told anyone in my entire life. Not even my own mother.
Why would I do anything differently now?
Because you love stories,
especially the ones that hurt the most. [sighs]
You think that I would do that to you?
Yeah.
You know, it’s not-it’s not that I don’t like this place.
[sighs] I just don’t belong here.
And neither do you.
You can always trust me. You know that, right?
[door opens]
[closes]
No photographers hiding in the bushes?
No, just me.
[Cleo] E-Everything you need for your story is here.
Evidence of Shell’s tax evasions,
payoffs to politicians, police,
and my involvement in the attempted assassination of Myrtle Summer.
[smacks lips] If I publish all this,
it’ll back up Reggie’s confession to a crime he didn’t commit.
He chose.
He chose to atone for the things he did do.
So me and my husband could be free.
I went to see your husband at the jail,
and I told him that you were alive.
Why?
Because I thought that was the better story.
What did he say?
Not a word that would get in your way.
He chose prison over giving me a story.
I thought you should know that.
They’re gonna be wondering where you got all this from.
A journalist has the privilege of protecting the anonymity of her sources.
Write my story well, Maddie Morgenstern.
Is it just me,
or do you feel like,
under different circumstances…
we could have been friends?
And what possible circumstances would those be?
Take care.
[Cedrick] Well done, neighbor.
For your bookshelf.
The Diary of Anaïs Nin.
Signed by her, dedicated to Hilda. [chuckles]
[chuckles]
Sorry, I got it at the, uh–
[chuckles] At the second-hand store.
Hilda?
Wow, that’s far out.
[breathes shakily]
I’m not gonna see you again, am I?
[sighs]
[chuckles]
What? [chuckles]
Come in.
My car is in a loading zone.
It’s piled up with all my stuff.
I’ll put on some shoes, and I’ll come down to help you.
No… [stammers] …I’m not m–
I’m moving to my new place.
Oh.
I got a new place
not too far from Pikesville.
You came all the way here just to-just to tell me that?
[sighs] Ferdie, I don’t wanna lose you, but–
but I can’t be someone’s wife again.
Because I don’t want to lose myself either.
But maybe you can come spend the night sometime?
[chuckles] Yeah.
You’ll let me in through the door?
Oh, come on. It’s not like that.
Goodbye, Maddie. [sighs]
We don’t gotta say nothing else.
[sighs]
[lock clicks]
[ship horn blows]
[Cleo] I left Baltimore not knowing that soon after it would be stripped down.
[presenter] Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., the Negro apostle of nonviolence, has been shot and killed by an assassin.
Suddenly a great Negro leader was dead,
and there was sorrow and despair over the burning and looting in the streets.
[Cleo] Shell Gordon got locked up and the state took over the numbers game.
You wrote the story the way I asked you to.
I have to give you that.
But we both paid a different price for our freedom… didn’t we, Maddie?
Bonsoir, n*gga.
[speaking French]
…Dora Carter.
[audience cheering]
[audience member] Whoo-hoo! Dora!
♪ Birds flying high ♪
♪ You know how I feel ♪
♪ Sun in the sky ♪
♪ You know how I feel ♪
♪ Breeze ♪
♪ Driftin’ on by ♪
Award-winning writer, Madeline Morgenstern.
[audience applauding]
[Maddie] Thank you all for being here today.
[Cleo] ♪ It’s a new day ♪
♪ It’s a new life for me ♪
♪ And I’m feel ♪
♪ Feeling good ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ I’m feeling good ♪
♪ Stars when you shine ♪
♪ You know how I feel ♪
♪ Scent of the pine ♪
♪ You know how I feel ♪
♪ Oh, freedom is mine ♪
♪ And you know how I feel ♪
♪ It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day ♪
♪ It’s a new life ♪
♪ For me ♪
♪ I’m feeling good ♪
♪ Feeling good ♪
[sighs]
♪ I’m feeling good ♪
