Original subtitles

Well, we're moving on now.

Didn't you see me working? Yeah, that's why I didn't know it was you.

I don't know. I don't get paid to watch Miss Jefferson.

You ain't gonna get paid at all if you don't button your lip.

At least I can button my lip. You need a heavy -duty zipper.

If you don't shut up, you're gonna be in big trouble.

I already am. I'm working for you.

What's going on? And Lawrence is mouthing off again. He started it. No, I

didn't. Yes, you did. No, I didn't. Yes, you did. I did not. You did so.

I was in there working, bending over, and he comes sneaking up behind me and

pushes me. She's right. I started it. I started the whole thing.

Well, that's a first.

You admitting you were wrong. I didn't say I was wrong. I said I started it.

I should have known better.

Come sit down, George.

I want to talk to you.

I thought I... What's the matter now?

She stuck her tongue out at me.

I've got something important to tell you. Is it something bad?

No, something marvelous.

Good, I can sit down for that.

Well, we are starting a new experimental program down at the health center. Hey,

that's great, Weasley. And what we are doing is placing a few high school

students... George!

Want a drink?

Why is it every time I mention my work at the health center, you lose interest?

Look, Weasley, I'm proud of what you're doing down there.

But you can't expect me to get excited about women's work.

Well, you got pretty excited about women's work last night.

Hey, Bill.

Hey, we fought.

Look, George, we are helping tenants who have problems with their landlords.

We are helping the sick. And we are helping the old people who can't help

themselves. And you call that women's work? Well, you don't carry nothing

Do you like your nose where it is, or would you like to have it in Cleveland?

Okay, I'm dying to hear about your experimental program.

What we are doing is placing a few high school students in part -time jobs. It's

a work -school program.

Oh, that ain't nothing new. I was in a work -school program when I was a kid.

You were? Yeah, I quit school and went to work.

George, these kids still have to go to school in the morning, but they can work

in the afternoon.

And if all goes well, the school board may even give the kids credit for

working. Hey, that's a great idea.

Then you'll do it?

Do what? Give Marcus a job.

Who's Marcus?

He's the kid I picked to work in your store.

Well, you better unpick him because he ain't working for me.

But, George, you said last week you needed another man to work in the store.

Yeah, I said a man, not a kid.

George. Look, weasel, the answer's no.

George, Marcus is from our old neighborhood.

So is Wilbur the wino. I ain't hiring him.

Marcus really needs the job. And you'll like him once you meet him. No, I won't,

because I ain't going to never meet him.

Well, he's going to be here soon. What do I tell him? Tell him goodbye.

George, Louise, the answer is no. I don't want to talk no more about it.

What you two arguing about? Something you don't know nothing about, work.

George, about Marcus. No, and that's fine, Louise.

Okay. But it's a shame you're going to miss out on such a good deal.

Yeah, well, that's what... What good deal?

You'd be getting Marcus for half pay.

Say what?

And the help center would pay the other half. But since you don't want him...

Hey, wait a minute. Where'd you get that idea?

From you. You said no.

I was just playing hard to get.

You were very definite, George. You said that's final. Yeah, but it wasn't a

final final.

It was more like a semi -final.

The money changed your mind, huh, George? Money? Look.

I want to help a poor kid from my own neighborhood make something of himself,

and you think I'm doing it for the money?

Yes. Look, I don't care what you think. I'm going to do a good deed, even if it

does save me money.

That's what I love about you, George.

You always do things for the right reasons.

That's the way I am, we.

Oh, that must be Marcus now.

Well, don't just stand there and ain't polite to keep my new employee waiting.

Hey, Miss Jefferson.

Oh, Marcus, come here.

Marcus, this is my husband, Mr. Jefferson.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Jefferson, sir.

Oh, I really appreciate you letting me work in your store.

Yeah, well, I know kids your age like to keep a little change in their pockets.

Right on.

Oh, it looks like your pockets are stuffed.

This is some fancy building.

You even got a white... Yeah, I'm stuffing his pockets, too.

You know, the last time a white dude opened the door for me, he was putting

in the paddy wagon.

Paddy wagon?

Oh, but don't worry, Mr. Jefferson.

It was the old days.

Now, thanks to you and Miss Jefferson, I can spend my time away from all that

jive in the streets.

Well, look, working for me ain't gonna be no piece of cake, you know. Hey, I

ain't scared of sweating.

Hey, and I'll be learning from the champ of the cleaning business, right? That's

right. I'm the champ, and there ain't no challenges.

Where can I start? Right now.

Great. Come on, I'll take you downstairs and show you around. Well, all right.

Marcus, before work, why don't you come up here and have some lunch? Oh, that

sounds great, Miss Jefferson.

You're a real special lady.

Oh.

Looks like you found me a real winner this time, Weezy. You know, I think I

would hire him even if I had to pay all of his salary.

You would?

Yeah. He reminds me of somebody I've always admired.

Clara, this is Marcus. Marcus, Clara Jackson.

How you doing? How you doing? He's going to work for us part -time. Oh, good for

you.

Come on, let me show you the back room.

Nice to meet you, Miss Jackson.

This is where we hand the clothes when they come back from the plant.

You know what this is?

Huh? This machine here.

Oh, no. Oh, what is it?

Pressing machine, latest model.

I got to hand it to you, Mr. Jefferson.

This is the finest...

It ain't an operation I've ever seen. Yeah?

Well, of course.

It's the only one I've ever seen, too.

You know, I sure could dig on having a store like this someday.

Yeah, well, it just might happen. But just make sure you don't open it across

the street from mine.

Could you get that Mr. Jefferson, please?

Sure, Clara.

Come on, Marcus.

Let me show you how to handle a customer Jefferson style.

Hello, Mr. J.

Hi, Mr. Bender. What can I do for you? I was wondering if you could let these

trousers out. Sure, I can let them out. Open the door, Marcus.

Customers love it when you got a little sense of humor.

How much bigger you want it, Bentley? Oh, about an inch. I'm afraid I'm

a victim of middle -aged spread.

Oh, it seems only yesterday I was out in the old rugby field darting down the

wings. Bentley. Weaving in and out, getting tackled, pummeled, knocked

unconscious.

My God, it was fun.

But now I'm in such awful shape, I don't think I could do a deep knee bend.

Oh.

I've done it.

What did you do?

Tear your pants?

No, my back's gone out again. I'm afraid I need your help, Mr. Jefferson. Oh,

Bentley.

Why don't you have a back transplant?

You do that for all your customers, Mr. Jefferson?

No, just for the weird ones.

Is it better, Bentley?

No, I'm afraid it's not working. How about if I jump up and down? No!

Help me up to my apartment. Perhaps a hot bath will do it.

Gladly. Oh, bless you, Mr. J.

Look, Marcus, it's almost quitting time. Why don't you call it a day? Oh, no.

I'll stick around and sweep up the bathroom.

Oh, great. I'll see you tomorrow.

Good night, clown.

Good night, Mr. Jefferson.

What's so funny? I was just thinking, if you had a tin cup in your hand, we

could make ourselves a fortune.

to invite me to lunch.

Oh, it was no trouble.

The heck it wasn't.

I played two hours over a hot stove cooking that pot roast.

Well, it sure was worth it, Miss Johnston.

You really know how to burn a taste.

Oh, it was no trouble.

How do you like your job so far?

It's great.

You know, some dudes gotta pay to go to school.

Not the gold.

George hasn't been working you too hard, has he? You jive.

And Mr. Jefferson, he's a great boss.

You talking about the same Mr. Jefferson I met?

Skinny little dude with the body of Sammy Davis?

And the mouth of Muhammad Ali?

Florence.

Oh, hi, George.

Hey, Mr. Jefferson.

Hi, Weasley Marcus.

Would you want some lunch, George?

No, thanks. I'm not hungry. You don't know what you're missing, Mr. Jefferson.

Yes, I do. I'm missing a suede jacket.

A brown, expensive suede jacket.

You mean a customer's jacket?

Not just a customer's jacket. Mr. Linder's jacket.

Mr. Linder?

Yeah, he's Boppo.

He's what?

Ain't you heard of Boppo's Burger Barns? You mean the home of Boppo's special

sauce? Yeah, ain't that sauce great?

Yeah.

We ate there last week, and you said you hated the thorns.

Yeah, I hate eating it, but I love cleaning it.

Bobbo's one of my biggest accounts.

That lost jacket, Mr. Jefferson.

Uh, ain't you got insurance for stuff like that?

Oh, yeah, I got insurance for the jacket, but I ain't got no insurance for

Linda's account.

Oh, that's a shame, George.

Maybe it'll turn up.

Yeah, well, if it don't turn up, Linda will be looking for a new cleaner, and

I'll be looking for a bridge to jump off.

I went over on 59.

Ain't no toll charging nothing.

Oh, come on, George.

It can't be that bad.

Are you sure you don't want some lunch?

Did Florence cook it?

Yes. Then I'm sure I don't want no lunch.

You know, if you ever said anything nice about my cooking, I'd drop dead.

Yeah?

See, she can't do nothing right.

Well, I got to get back to work.

Oh, yeah, me too.

Tomorrow I'm going down to that plant and check on that jacket myself.

Oh, thanks again for lunch, Mr. Jefferson.

It was right on the chase.

Oh, any time, Marcus.

Ah, Mr. J, how are you today?

Awful, Bentley, awful.

Come on, Marcus.

Oh, is there something troubling your husband, Mrs. Jefferson?

Uh, yes. He's missing a suede jacket one of his best customers brought in to be

cleaned. Oh, that's a shame. I remember how terrible I felt as a lad when I lost

my new football.

Did you ever find it?

Yes. I was so upset the night I lost it that I went to sleep and dreamt that it

was behind the sycamore tree in our garden.

That's incredible.

It certainly is. We didn't have a sycamore tree.

I thought you said you found your football.

Oh, yes, I lent it to my little friend.

But what did that have to do with the dream?

I haven't the foggiest.

But every time I pass a sycamore tree, I wonder.

Well, thanks for the use of your heating pad, Mrs. J.

Oh, you're welcome. Is your back feeling better, Mr. Bentley? Oh, yes, it's fine

now. I took a jog last night, and it felt... Oh, by the way, I passed Mr.

Jefferson's new employee in the park.

Marcus? Yes, I didn't have enough breath to say hello to him.

Come to think of it, he... Well, I'll be going now.

Were you going to say something, Mr. Bentley?

Oh, it's not important.

What was it?

Well, as I recall, Marcus had a suede jacket folded over his arm.

Oh, wait a minute, Mr. Bentley.

You saw Marcus with a suede jacket?

Well, I can't be positive. They all look alike to me.

Mr. Bentley, I'm surprised at you.

Why? I can't tell one jacket from another.

Oh, I don't feel so good, Miss Jefferson.

I think I'm coming down with something.

That's nice.

It is.

Uh -huh.

Well, maybe I'd feel better if I got dressed up, found me a nice, comfortable

bar stool, and waited for somebody to come along and make me an offer, huh?

Sounds good, Florence.

No, it don't. I ain't that kind of woman.

Huh? Miss Jefferson, you ain't heard a word I said. Now, what's eating you?

It's Marcus.

Well, what about him?

Mr. Bentley said he saw him with a suede jacket last night.

So? That ain't no crime.

It is if it didn't belong to him.

What you talking about?

Well, George is missing a customer suede jacket.

Then you think Marcus took it?

Well, no, but... Then you think Marcus didn't take it?

Well, no, but... Then what do you think?

I think I don't know what to think.

Hi, Marcus.

How's the job going?

Fine, except for the work.

Mr.

Jefferson? Yeah, Clara?

I'm having some people in this evening, and I was hoping to get home a little

early. Would you mind dropping the register money off at the bank?

Sure, Clara, you go on. Thank you, Mr. Jefferson. Night, Marcus.

Hey, Marcus, you passed the bank on your way home, right? Why don't you drop

this off in the night deposit box for me? Sure, boss.

Oh, hello, Mr. Jefferson. Oh, hi, Clara.

Is George here? Yeah, he's in the back. Thanks.

Good night. Good night, honey.

George!

I've got to talk to you.

Sure, Weasley. Go on, Marcus.

Don't forget this.

What's that?

The register money. Marcus is going to drop it off at the bank for me.

Night, Miss Jefferson.

Night, boss.

George. Marcus, wait.

Yes, Miss Jefferson?

Weasley, I thought you wanted to talk to me about something.

I do, but... There's...

Something's been bothering me all day today, and I... Marcus,

do you own a suede jacket?

No. Why?

Well, Mr. Bentley said he saw you carrying one last night.

Oh, you mean that English dude?

Oh, he must be jiving you, Miss Jefferson.

One thing Bentley don't do is lie.

What about you, Marcus? Would you lie? Or steal?

Wait a minute.

Are you two calling me a... Thief?

Yeah, the thief who came to lunch.

All right, that's it.

I don't need this.

I quit.

Marcus!

Tell me the truth. Did you take the jacket?

Look, what if I did? It ain't no big thing.

Taking it's the only way you're gonna get anything in this world. Ain't nobody

gonna give you nothing.

No? We were trying to give you a chance to work at a job to make something of

yourself. Yeah, Marcus, that's why I don't understand why you... Of course

don't understand.

You're the man.

I'm the man?

You heard what I said, Jack.

Oh, you pass around looking black and acting black, but you ain't nothing but

the man.

I'm the man.

Well, look, boy.

my tail for everything i got yeah well now you got it and you're one of them

ain't one of us i mean when was the last time you was uptown when was the last

time you sat on the stoop to two in the morning because it was too hot to sit

inside when was the last time you opened your refrigerator and wondered where

your next meal was coming from you ain't one of us don't you tell us about being

poor

When George and I were first married, we lived on mayonnaise sandwiches. Yeah,

without bread.

Can't you read with clothes?

It's Mr.

Stockwood. I wonder what he wants.

Who's Mr. Stockwood? He's with the school board.

No he ain't, he's by himself.

Mr. Stockwood, hello. Hello, Mr. Jefferson. Marcus.

Mr. Stockwood, this is my husband, George.

Oh, nice to meet you, Mr. Jefferson. Hi.

I just stopped by to see how your work -study program was going.

How it's going?

Well, you know, when there's something new, there's always somebody waiting for

something to go wrong so they can scrap the whole thing.

How was your first day on the job, Marcus?

Why don't you ask them?

Uh, Mr.

Stockwood, the program... Well, maybe the program wasn't a good idea.

It wasn't?

That's right, Doc, where the program wasn't a good idea.

It was a great idea.

Marcus here has been doing a fantastic job.

And next week he's going to learn how to operate the presser. Then I'm going to

take him down to the main plant and show him how the whole operation works.

You are?

Yeah. I'm going to teach him everything I know.

About cleaning, that is.

Well, it sounds to me like your program could be a big success, Mrs. Jefferson.

Yeah.

It certainly sounds that way, doesn't it?

Well, I better be going. See you all later. Keep up the good work, Marcus.

Goodbye, Mr.

Stockwood.

What's your game, man?

I mean, why you tell that dude I ripped off your jacket?

Because I ain't going to let you blow a program for Wheezy and for those other

kids who want to take advantage of a good program.

And I did it for another reason, too.

What's that?

Because when I was your age, I was a lot like you.

Only smaller.

Yeah, I was hip. At least I thought I was hip. In fact, I was so hip that I

busted for shoplifting at Central Reform School.

You mean you got sent up? That's right.

And while I was up there, I met a whole lot of other hip dudes who thought they

were cool.

You know where they are now? Either one or two places.

Either the graveyard or jail.

And the way you're going, that's the way you're going to end up.

Where you going?

You want that jacket, don't you?

Well, I'm going to get it. Just bring it with you tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

You mean you're going to still let me work here? Let you work here? I'm going

make you work here.

Right

on,

Mr. Jefferson.

Thanks.

Wait a minute.

Drop this off for me.

Go on, go on. I trust you.

And don't forget to bring that jacket back.

Oh, don't worry.

I won't.

It didn't fit anyway.

Are

you

sure you know what you are doing? Trusting that money with Marcus? Don't

about it, Weezy.

But what if he doesn't? Look, Weezy, don't you think it ever crossed my mind

that Marcus might have taken that jacket?

You knew?

Well, not for sure.

But I wasn't about to take no chance.

See?

What's that?

Register money.

But Marcus... His bag is full of newspaper.

Me and Clara set it up. See?

Your husband ain't no dummy.

Don't be so sure.

Don't get so upset.

He'll be back.

takes in front of a studio audience.