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"I Am John Wayne"
Season 2 Episode 10 | 17m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
In New York City, an urban cowboy avoids going to his friend’s funeral.
In New York City, an urban cowboy avoids going to his friend’s funeral. A short film by Christina Choe.
Film School Shorts is made possible by a grant from Maurice Kanbar, celebrating the vitality and power of the moving image, and by the members of KQED.
![Film School Shorts](https://image.pbs.org/contentchannels/7Sv0UuA-white-logo-41-GVG74tT.png?format=webp&resize=200x)
"I Am John Wayne"
Season 2 Episode 10 | 17m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
In New York City, an urban cowboy avoids going to his friend’s funeral. A short film by Christina Choe.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[Sirens wailing] [Subway passes] [Door handle turns] [Doorknob jiggling] [Knock on door] What you locking your door for?
You're lucky, hon.
Miss Brown was giving away some clothes.
I'm not wearing no suit.
Well, you ain't wearing what you got on.
It's too big.
Why you want to fight me on this?
I ain't gonna have people talking [bleep] about how I raised you.
You're paying your respects to your friend in a suit.
[TV playing softly] BOY: What's up?!
What's up?
What's poppin', man?
Yo, brah, what's poppin', man?
-Yo, what's good, pony boy?
-Shut the [bleep] up.
Pony boy, what up?
Yo, man, I don't want to bring up some [bleep], but, yo, that's a shame what happened with your boy.
Yeah, I heard about that.
That's crazy.
Can't look at nobody girl no more.
-She'll get you killed, huh?
-Could've been anybody, man.
That was some Emmett Till [bleep] for real.
Some boy from Brownsville popped a boy, yo.
-Brownsville?
-Yeah, son.
Yo, I got a baby mama that's out in Brownsville.
She live with her uncle.
He got a gun, dawg.
I can hook you up, bro.
Yeah, you need to find 'em, for real.
-I'll go with you.
-For real.
Nah, I'm good.
I got it.
Whatever, look, that's your boy.
You need to find the mothers.
Don't let that [bleep] slide.
Where you going?
What's up, little man?
[Horse whinnies] MAN: How you holding up?
I'm all right.
He acts all cold now when June grooms him.
For real?
Yeah, I think he misses Jerry.
Can I ride him?
Bunch of people left already.
You're going to be late.
I ain't going.
Look, when my pops died, I didn't want to go either.
I'll tell you what, it made me feel a lot better when I seen all those folks who loved my pops.
Can I take him out or not?
You been drinking?
Can I take out the damn horse, please?
You're not fit to ride today, son.
-You ain't my father.
-That don't mean [bleep].
And you still got responsibilities, understand?
Now, he's your horse now that Jerry's gone.
Now, finish grooming him.
[Bell tolling] Come on.
[Horse neighs] Come on, come on.
GIRL: Okay, I guess.
Not yet, okay.
-What is this?
-Check this [bleep] out.
Cat's riding a [bleep] horse.
Oh, [bleep] is he coming over here?
Yo, what the [bleep], dude?
GIRL: What?
[Laughter] You got something to say to me?
[Laughs] Nah, just chillin'.
Sounds like you got something to say to me.
What the [bleep] you going to do about it?
That all depends on what you want.
Come on, let's go.
This guy's a freak.
Yeah, man, come on.
Come on.
It's pretty weird that you rode your horse out here.
Yeah, so?
I think it's cool.
Can I feed it?
What do I do?
Just hold your hand out like this.
[Laughs] Oh, my God.
I'm going to try.
There you go.
What's his name?
Is that your horse's name -- "Jerry"?
His name's "Chance."
GIRL: Cool.
Hey, you want to walk to the water?
Nah, I can't leave him.
Oh, come on.
It'll be just for a minute.
No one's around.
Come on!
You want a smoke?
What's your name, anyway?
Svetlana.
I'm thinking of changing it, though.
What's yours?
Eric.
But everybody calls me Taco.
[Laughs] Like Taco Bell?
No, it's like... No, I can't say.
It's pretty dirty.
Oh.
Why you want to change your name, anyway?
I don't know.
It's too Russian.
Nobody can pronounce it right.
You could change your name right now.
Yeah?
Yeah, they do it all the time in the hood.
Just make sure it's something catchy.
Like what?
I don't know.
How about... Vanessa?
Just shorten it to Nessa.
My friend Jerry had a cousin named Nessa.
Is that your friend's horse?
Yeah, but I -- I take care of it now.
How come?
He -- He's dead.
I'm sorry.
What happened?
Stop.
I'm sorry.
I can't do this.
[Horse nickers] [Sighs]
Film School Shorts is made possible by a grant from Maurice Kanbar, celebrating the vitality and power of the moving image, and by the members of KQED.