It’s the Great Depression and Bumpy doesn’t wanna shine shoes or carry bags for white men. According to Johnson the numbers provide jobs to 2000 black Harlemites and Gordon says the odds of a dime to $6 can provide groceries for a month. Francine encourages Bumby that there are colored accountants, doctors and lawyers, at first she makes fun of his street name ‘Bumpy’ and instead calls him Ellsworth. He’s not going to change but we see his charisma when he recites a poem about her eyes. When Bumpy and Gordon rob Schultz's men they go to the UNIA soup line and give all the money they stole directly to the people.