All language subtitles for The Jeffersons s06e23 The First Store

Well, we're moving on up. We're moving
on up.

How much longer are we looking through
this old stuff?

Why? Is there something else you'd
rather do?

Well, Florence is near tonight, and I
figured we could turn in early, and,

you know.

Really, George?

Oh, we could do that later.

Oh, come on, Wizzy, let's go now.

But, George, I'm flattered.

After all these years, you still can't
wait.

No, it's not that. If I wait too long,
I'll miss Johnny Carson.

then I'll have two men in the bedroom to
make me laugh.

You know, we've sure come a long way
since this was taken.

You got that right.

Who would have thought when we were
living in Harlem that we'd have

we have now?

I'll tell you who. Me.

Yeah, you were pretty sure of yourself
all right.

Remember the day you came home and told
me you wanted to open your own cleaning

store? Yep. That was in, um, 1968.

Good afternoon.

This is Ed Cummings with the 5 o 'clock
news for Thursday, April 4th. And now

the day's top story.

In Washington...

not to seek re -election, was
entitled...

...fresh

from a resounding victory over President
Johnson in the Wisconsin Democratic

primary...

is expected to offer.

Hey, Weaves, I'm home.

Oh, you're home early.

Boy, I'm so excited I can hardly wait.

Oh, you might have to. I've got a
headache.

I'm not that kind of excited.

I'm getting ready to meet with a banker.

A banker? And if everything works out
right, you can take off that maid

for good.

Why? So we'll both be standing around in
our underwear?

Look, Weasley, put something nice on
here. Be here in a minute.

George, why in the world is a banker
coming here?

Okay, Weasley, what would you say if I
was to tell you that I was going to go

into my own business?

Oh, well, I'd say take two aspirin. They
call me in the morning.

Say you left.

But one day we're going to be so rich,
you're going to have your own maid. You

can sit back and watch her do all the
work.

Well, that sounds great, George.

But do you really think you could run
your own business?

Of course I can't look Weasley. I've
been working for Stevens for five years

now. Right? I run the pressure machine.

I tag all the clothes.

I wait on the customers. I make
deliveries.

Who does Stevens have that I ain't got?

Chew their knees.

Yeah, Weasley. I'm tired of busting my
butt making everybody else rich.

It's time I got a piece of the pie for
me.

But George, how can you be so sure a
bank is going to lend you money?

You ever hear of a bank lending salami?

Sure. Look, Wheezy, they got this new
thing that's called the Minority Lending

Program.

And I hear all you need to qualify is to
be colored, ambitious, and have a great

personality.

Well, two out of three ain't bad.

Look, Wheezy, I know how to talk to
these people. I deal with people all the

time. All I gotta do is humor them,
right?

And then, you know, make them think I'm
on his side.

How are you gonna do that?

It's easy. I'll just wait for him to say
something stupid and agree with him.

But what makes you think he's gonna say
something stupid?

Come on, Wheezy.

Given enough time, everybody says
something stupid.

Oh, I don't know. I think you should
just be honest with the man.

See, that only took you four seconds.

Oh, shoot, I need a tie.

I got a tie right here somewhere?

Look in the wardrobe on the top shelf.

Man, I ain't wore this tie since the day
we got married.

I wonder if it still fits.

Oh, shoot, I'll have trouble tying these
things.

How did you tie your tie for our
wedding?

I didn't. Mama did it.

Hey, maybe I ought to call her and ask
her how to tie a tie.

Good idea. And while you're at it, ask
her how to untie the apron string.

Oh, apron string.

George Jefferson?

That's me.

I'm William Drew from the Mercantile
National Bank. Oh, yes, sir. Mr. Drew,

on in. Oh, thank you.

Are you all right?

Oh, yeah.

I was just taking a tie off.

Guess I'm comfortable from wearing it
all day, you know.

Hope you don't mind.

Oh, no, no.

Oh, have a seat.

Thank you.

Oh, can I get you some coffee or
something? Oh, no, no, no, no.

Well, I really can't stay long. My car's
parked out front. I don't want to leave

it out there too long in a neighborhood
like this.

You know what I mean.

Oh, yeah, I know what you mean.

Your home is very, very comfortable.

Thank you. But it ain't nearly as
comfortable as the place I'm going to

once my new cleaning business makes me
rich.

Oh, now, that's a healthy attitude, Mr.
Jefferson. But I should caution you that

the majority of businesses in the first
five years don't even show a profit.

But I'm not a majority.

I'm a minority, remember?

Now, let me see. You gave me most of the
financial information over the phone.

What I need now is some personal data.

Data means information.

Right.

I didn't mean to imply that you... Oh,
no, no, no. Everybody makes errors.

Exactly.

Errors means mistakes.

Right. Let me see. Are you married?

Oh, yep. Greatest woman in the world.

And how many children do you have? Just
one. A thunt.

Really? Well, now, that's surprising.

It is?

Yeah. Don't most colored people have
large families?

Well, I guess not, or we wouldn't be
called a minority.

Hey!

Here she is now.

Louise, I'd like you to meet Mr. Drew, a
white guy, I mean, a nice guy.

from the Mercantile Bank.

Hello, Mrs. Jefferson.

Nice to meet you. Your husband was just
giving me some personal information.

Personal information means data.

Oh, no.

Lionel! What happened?

After the demonstration, the pigs showed
up, started busting heads.

A demonstration? What are people
demonstrating about?

Police brutality.

Are you okay?

Yeah, but they really messed up a couple
of brothers.

Uh, brothers, but you told me you had
only one boy.

Boy? Who is he?

Oh, Lionel, this is Mr. Drew from the
bank.

Oh, is that your new Buick parked out
front?

Yes. Is it all right?

Oh, it's fine, except for that bumper
sticker that says America lover to leave

it. Well, if people don't like it in
this country, they're perfectly free to

someplace else.

Oh, yes?

Lionel, look, I'm talking to Mr. Drew
about giving me a loan to open my new

cleaning store.

Oh, so that's why you're wearing a suit.
Oh, what he means is that's why I'm

wearing a suit now.

See, usually I take it off as soon as I
get home from work.

You do?

Of course I do.

Please, do I have to take Lionel in the
kitchen to make sure he's okay?

Oh, excuse me, Mr. Drew.

Come on, Lionel, I'll put some ice on
your head.

Yeah, and why do you have to put some
tape on his mouth?

Kids.

Mr. Jefferson, I hope your son isn't
anti -police.

I mean, where would the people of this
country be without law and order? In

jail.

Right. You know, it seems like every
time I turn on the television these

people are protesting against this or
marching against that. Yeah, I know what

you mean.

Yeah, and this country would be better
off if people spent less time marching

and more time working. Right. We're
going to open cleaning stores. We've got

clean this country up.

And him, he's the one who's causing most
of it. That's right.

Martin Luther King? Yeah.

You know, I've heard that he's a
communist.

A communist?

Mm -hmm. What do you think?

What do I think?

Oh, well, I think we should talk about
me and my chances of getting a loan.

A loan? Oh, yes, yes.

You know, Mr. Jefferson, I'm very

impressed with you.

Oh, you are? Mm -hmm. And I'm going to
recommend that your loan be approved.

Oh, that's great.

Well, we at the Mercantile Bank like to
help people who want to help themselves.

That's me.

So I'll just bring the loan papers
around tomorrow morning for your

if that's all right with you. Oh, sure,
it's all right. That's fantastic.

Thanks a lot, Mr. Drew.

You're welcome.

You know, Jefferson, I wish all Negroes
were like you.

Hey,

Wheezy Lotto, come on out here quick.

What happened, George?

I did it. I got the loan.

Oh, that's wonderful.

You deserve a big kiss.

I sure do.

But first, I got to show you something.

Come on over here.

This is the best surprise I could ever
give you.

Hey, what a surprise. A key.

No, no, no. I'm going to show you the
store. I ran it for the brand new

cleaners. But you still don't have the
loan yet. Where did you get the money to

rent a store?

I sold our car for the down payment.

Stole our car?

George, how could you?

It wasn't easy, Weaves.

Getting 300 bucks for a 55 Chrysler with
bald tires took a lot of talking.

Dandy cleaners. Ha -ha.

Handy dandy cleaners.

Right. Can you think of a better name?

Well, how about Jefferson cleaners? Oh,
come on, please. Be serious. That would

never work.

Tom, I'm not sure this whole thing's
going to work. Why not?

Lionel, you should be proud of what your
father's doing.

Well, sure, I'm proud of what he's
trying to do, but do you know what the

are for black men making it in this
system? You know something, Lionel? You

start this out just like them black
militants always yelling about

Down with the country! Down with the
system! Down with everything!

Yeah, yeah, well, those brothers are
doing a lot more than yelling. They are

taking action. Okay, you call it action.
I call it violence.

Well, call it whatever you want, but
what they're saying is the only way to

fight white power is with black power.

They're wrong, Lionel. That's not the
only way. That's right. Martin Luther

is fighting back, but he's doing it the
right way.

Nonviolent. Oh, yeah, well, what King is
doing is fine, but just maybe the days

of sit -ins are over, right? I mean,
just maybe it's time to stand up and

Oh, what's the sense in talking to you?
Come on, Weed, snap.

Here is where I'll stack all the clean
laundry, and this is where I'll have all

my cleaning equipment, and right here is
where you will wait on the customers.

Okay, great, George.

Me?

Oh, yeah, congratulations.

You are the first employee of Handy
Dandy Cleaners.

Really? What's my weekly salary?

Well, I'll give you a hint. It ends with
a zero. Yeah?

And it starts with a zero.

But you got one big French benefit. You
get to fool around with the boss.

Luther King. That's right. They shot
him.

to the assassination of Martin Luther
King.

In the nation's capital, armed troops
stood guard at the White House.

What?

Morning, George.

Morning.

I'm afraid that television is on its
last legs. Yeah, just like everything

in this country.

How long have you been up?

All night.

I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Me neither.

Boy, I even took sleeping pills. That
didn't even help.

Sleeping pills?

Where did you get sleeping pills?

In the orange bottle in the medicine
cabinet.

George, those are my hormone tablets.

What? I mean, what?

Don't worry. They won't have any effect
on you. No, I guess you're right.

Morning, Mom.

Hi. Morning, son.

Hi, Lionel. You want some breakfast?

I'm not hungry. Thanks.

Well, I better call Mrs. Warren and tell
her I won't be working today.

I thought you called her last night.

I tried, but the phone lines were
clogged.

Did you find out who shot him yet? No.

Probably some nut, like the guys who
shot President Lincoln and President

Kennedy.

Yeah. Well, this is some country, ain't
it?

I mean, every time we get somebody who
wants to help people, he gets gunned

down. Right.

Whoever invented guns ought to be shot.

But, Mrs. Warren, I... But, I know.

If you could just let me off this one
day... What's the matter with you?

Mrs. Warren is having guests tonight,
and she wants me to work. Give me that.

Hello, Mrs. Warren.

Yeah, that's right.

Oh, look, well, today is the day of
mourning at our house.

Yeah, I know.

Well, I'll just get yourself a new maid.

Right on, Pop.

I don't believe these people want you to
work today.

But, George, we need that job. No, you
don't. We don't need nothing.

From now on, you're working for me, the
president and general manager of Handy

Dandy Cleaning.

But aren't you being a little premature?

You still don't have the loan from the
bank yet. Don't worry, I'll have it

Stupid television.

Hey, hey, don't worry. As soon as I get
dressed, I'll just go out and get us a

new TV.

How are you going to do that?

The same way everybody else out there is
doing it. I'll just take it.

Lionel, you know it's not right to
steal.

Oh, yeah?

Oh, yeah.

Well, it's not right to kill people
either. But that didn't stop her from

killing Martin Luther King.

We didn't raise you to be a thief.

Lionel, I want to talk to you.

Mr. Jefferson?

Yeah, who are you? It's me, William
Drew.

Oh, Mr. Drew, come on in. Oh, thank you.

It's really crazy out there.

Well, I brought the loan papers over for
you to sign.

Oh, but you didn't have to do that. You
could have waited until Monday.

Oh, well, I would have, but today's the
final day of the contest.

Oh, contest?

Yes, the bank is giving a prize for the
most dollars in minority loans.

Oh, what do I win?

Oh, nothing.

But I win a new set of golf clubs.

Thanks to you.

Well, I'm glad I could help you out.

Now, all I need is your signature.

Uh -huh. When can I move into the new
store?

Oh, oh, oh, about the store.

Well, you're going to have to get
another place.

Another place, but I only want to open
one store.

No, no, I mean you'll have to find a
different neighborhood for your store.

Why? Well, Mr. Jefferson, you've seen
what's going on out there. It isn't

Mr. Drew. I couldn't even drive my car
up here today. I had to take a cab.

Fortunately, I got a Negro cabbie.

Well, this ain't that bad a
neighborhood.

Not a bad neighborhood.

Well, the people out there are tearing
down everything in sight.

That's because they're just angry about
what happened last night.

Look, my bank can't let you open a store
in an area where the people behave like

animals. Animals? So, Mr. Jefferson, if
you want the loan, you'll just have to

locate your store in a more respectable
neighborhood.

Oh, you mean like a white neighborhood?

That's a thought.

Well, do you want the loan or not?

Do I want the loan?

Do I want the loan?

Hell no, I don't want the loan.

I don't want nothing from you honky.
Honky? That's right, honky.

What's going on, George? I'm throwing
this honky out of here. Mr.

Jefferson, this is no way to treat a
banker. It's the only way to treat a

like you. I'm withdrawing you from my
house and depositing you in the street.

Are you sure this is what you want to
do? No, what I really want to do is

against the law.

George, why did you throw Mr.

Drew out the door?

Because he wouldn't fit through the
window.

Did you lose the loan?

Yeah, I lost the loan, but I found my
dignity.

I can't believe that chump. He called
people in this neighborhood animals.

Oh, well, George, in that case, I'm glad
you threw him out. Yeah, I felt that

too.

The only way to fight white power is
with black power. The militants are

They are not right, and you know it.

Now, I want you to go in there and talk
to Lionel. Why?

Because he won't listen to me. He says
he's going out there and steal a

television. Okay, I'll go talk to him.
Good.

I'm going to tell him to make sure he
gets one with a remote controller.

Let's face it, Weasley. The only way
we're going to get anything from Whitey

by taking it. Well, if Lionel goes out
there, he'll just be proving what some

white people think. I don't care what
the honkies think. I'm tired of getting

what they think.

Okay, George, I guess you're right.

In fact, why don't you go out there with
Lionel? We could use a stereo, too.

What? And while you are out there, get
rid of this thing.

What are you doing? Oh, we don't need
this picture anymore. The man is dead.

What? Oh, Dr. King is probably looking
down on us right now, saying, get out

there and get what you can.

Burn, baby, burn.

No, he'd never say that.

Then why are you sending Lionel out
there?

I don't know, Tammy. I don't know
nothing anymore.

See you all later. Where do you think
you're going? Out.

I am going to let this country know that
this time they have pushed us too far.

Look, Lionel, Lionel, Lionel, I know how
you feel, but violence is not the

answer. Oh, yeah? Well, what is the
answer?

Nonviolence? I mean, that's what Martin
Luther King thought, and you see where

it got him.

Lionel. Lionel!

Martin Luther King helped accomplish a
lot for our people. Oh, sure, he tried,

but what did he really accomplish? I
mean, nothing's changed. You're wrong,

Lionel. Lots of things have changed.
Maybe not as fast as we'd like, but

having a lot of changes.

Look.

I remember the first day I realized that
I was colored black.

Okay, black.

I was sitting on the doorstep of my
father.

Then I hear this siren screaming loud
and loud and loud and coming closer and

closer and closer, right?

Then all of a sudden this great big red
fire truck comes racing around the

corner right past our house.

So I'm all excited, you know, and I look
at my father and say, wow, when I grow

up I want to be a fireman.

And he just looked at me and he smiled
and said, yeah.

Don't you know, George, that they don't
let Negroes on the fire department?

And for a long time after that, I felt
like less of a person just because I was

black.

Then Martin Luther King comes along and
reminds me that I am just as good as

everybody else. He gave me hope.

He gave me the confidence to go out
there and start my own business. And

what I'm going to do.

Pop, see, you're dreaming.

I mean, we got no car.

We got no TV.

Mom's got no job.

No loan.

No loan? That's right.

Well, then how are you going to start
your business?

Now, I don't know, Lionel. I won't do
it.

You can do whatever you want, if you
really want to.

Right, Will?

Your father is right, Lionel. We shall
overcome.

Right before his death, Reverend King
delivered the following speech to

sanitation workers in Memphis.

that now.

I just want to do God's will