Original subtitles

Good times! Any time you need a payment. Good times! Any time you feel free.

Good times! Any time you have a wonder.

Not getting hassled, not getting hustled. Keeping your head up for water.

Making a way when you can.

Temporary layoffs.

Good times!

to burn trash on Tuesday?

If you want to eat, then stay away from there.

Well, I'm with bad news.

You put up a good fight, but your chicken done died.

What happened?

It was like you're shaking bake, then shook and burned.

seconds on mouth.

Now what you doing?

tell the swans to get out because the lake's polluted.

good taste. He's going out with you, ain't he?

I don't even want to talk to you, J .J.

You're childish, immature, and ignorant.

Who you calling childish and immature?

I happen to be up to shaving twice a week now.

Well, you have more fuzz on your brain than you do on your chin.

Now, hold on. That's twice you call me stupid.

Just in time for the dinner show.

Hi, Daddy.

Hey, Dad.

Hey, Junior. You know how to get both of y 'all on the job with me down at the

car wash?

Y 'all let off enough hot air to dry off 50 cars a day.

Your mother home yet? No, she's still out looking for work.

Hold it.

It's probably a dynamic little street fox who heard about my fantastic body.

Hello, lucky person.

Because you are talking to a kid, a dynamite.

that phone. I want to talk to you here.

Okay, Daddy.

Yeah, Donald?

What?

Well, I was planning to have dinner with my family, but well, if it's that

important, okay.

I'll be downstairs waiting for you, okay?

Okay, bye, Donald.

You gonna do what?

Nothing, Daddy, nothing.

Don't give me that nothing stuff, Thelma.

You've been seeing this Donald for over two months. Ain't none of us even seen

him. Now, what's going on here?

Yeah, why are you hiding him? What does he do for a living? Push swans?

All right, I'm going to start talking.

Daddy, I don't have time right now.

Selma, you ain't going nowhere until you tell me what's happening. Oh, Daddy,

I'll be back soon.

that none of us seems to know nothing about.

Beats me, honey.

She won't tell me a thing about him. All I hear from Thelma lately is Donald

this and Donald that. Donald says and Donald does.

How come I ain't seen no Donald nowhere and no how? Yeah, how come?

And how come he don't pick up at the door like the rest of her dates?

Yeah, how come?

You know, one more how come out of you and you gonna wonder how come you ain't

in the same room with your teeth.

to get yourself all worked up. Florida, I ain't getting worked up. I am worked

up. Now, this house got rules, baby, important rules.

And if some cat is taking my daughter out, I expect him to pick her up at the

door and play inside of me and deliver her home.

James, you talk about your daughter like she's a bag of laundry.

Well, Florida, she got to be hiding something.

How come this Donald ain't never been up to the house?

Maybe he's a wino and can't climb the stairs.

You mean you saw your sister?

Yeah, she drove away in the car with some dude.

Did you see what he looked like? No, Mama.

More important than that, what did the car look like? Kind of nice.

Oh, yeah? Did all the wheels have the hubcaps on them?

Yeah, I think so.

Then one thing we know for sure, this dude ain't from this neighborhood.

Florida,

Thelma said she'd be back soon. Now, she's been gone

over two hours. That don't seem like soon to me, baby. I'm telling you, I

like it. I don't like it at all. James, be calm and don't yell. I ain't yelling.

If you're not yelling, then Michael must be a ventriloquist.

Look what I found in Thelma's room.

J .J., what business have you got in Thelma's room?

Just doing a little detective work. This fancy book that Donald must have given

her.

Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky.

Hands up, Junior. This afternoon, she was playing this record by this other

named Choskyovsky.

Now she's reading this book by Dostoevsky.

So that's what it is.

Donald is recruiting her into the Communist Party.

Number one song, not too bright.

Baby, when Thelma gets in here tonight, I'm going to give it to her and give it

to her good.

for this one, Ma.

Because as we say in the ghetto, you are about to see the grits hit the fan.

Put that chair back.

There ain't gonna be no trouble around here.

No, that's what you think, baby. That girl been getting too fast. We just

have to slow her down. Now, that's all there is to it, period.

Now, look here, young lady.

Young lady, thanks. I needed that.

We were expecting Thelma.

She's out with that Donald again.

Every time she brings a boy to this house, you're not a father, you're a

district attorney.

What you talking about, Maloney?

Lordy, you know, I ain't never interfered in my whole life.

I just want to know what she's doing.

Every minute.

Hi, Michael, JJ.

Hi, Daddy. Hi, Daddy, my foot.

Now, where you been, young lady? What kept you so long?

Donald took me to a little Chinese place for dinner.

Two to one, you're going to wonder what a fortune cookie said.

Did you say something, Maloney?

and paint my kitchen red.

Well, what after dinner? Did he just take off like a thief like always?

He's downstairs, Daddy. Well, what's he doing downstairs?

How come he's afraid to set foot in this house, huh?

He's not afraid.

I asked him not to yet.

Thelma, you've been going out with him for a long time. What's the matter,

honey? Are you ashamed of your family?

Oh, Ma, you know that's not it.

It's just that... Well, I'm not sure how you react to Donald. Oh, Thelma. Now,

you know, any boy you're going out with is bound to be okay with us.

Yeah, we trust your judgment, baby girl.

It's just that your mother and I want to meet the cat. You know, I want to size

him up, talk to him before I throw him out.

Well, what do you expect me to do, Florida? Some cat's been messing around

my daughter for two months. We ain't even seen him. He deserve anything I put

on... Daddy, does this look like he's messing around?

Didn't even tell me.

Hey, how you come by that ring, huh? A real diamond, baby. Where'd you get the

money to bring you that ring, Thelma? How you come by it, huh? See, see, I

it would be like this.

Ma, that's why I couldn't tell you. Come on, Florina, you know Thelma. She's got

to have a good reason, honey. Let me see that ring.

Mm -hmm.

This ring must be hotted in Chicago.

I think of a few kind, baby, and I don't like none of them.

His name is Donald Knight, and he's very respectable.

And he bought this ring.

Oh, Daddy has a very good job. He works with his father in the restaurant

business. Knight?

Now, his father wouldn't happen to be Elmo Knight of the barbecue chicken

places, would he?

Yeah, that's him.

Whee!

He owns chicken places all over town.

He's the Black Colonel Sanders.

Really struck it rich.

All right, baby, that's enough of that. All this talk about money.

Tell me, is that why you want to marry him?

Of course not, Ma.

We're engaged because we love each other.

Laura and James, now look, take it easy. Everything's going to be all right,

okay? Michael, why don't you come over to my house and look at television for a

while, huh? Oh, why?

Because this discussion ain't for no little boys. I ain't no little boy,

I'm 12 years old. You want to make 13?

Something about this whole thing just don't sit right with me. All of a

some captain got himself all set up to marry our daughter, and he ain't even

showed his face in this house?

What's the big hurry, Thelma?

The hurry is we want to get married. I said, what's the big hurry, Thelma?

James, what are you driving at? I ain't driving at nothing. I done arrived at

the question.

What's the big hurry, Thelma?

James, you know Thelma better than to think anything like that about her. I

ain't thinking nothing. I'm asking, what's the big hurry, Thelma?

Now look, Thelma, I want it straight and I want it right now. Now what kind of a

cat is this Donald?

Oh, Daddy, Donald's different.

He's the kind of guy my girl dreams of.

He's cultured. He's intelligent.

your child in the family.

And I am proud to welcome you with the good news that you have passed Supreme

Test.

Loaded with good looks, loaded with charm, and just plain loaded.

Your description was perfect, honey.

Mrs. Evans, from everything to Thelma. told me about you, I could pick you

out of a crowd.

The same with you too, Mr. Evans.

Oh, that's easy.

We the two with the surprise looks on our faces.

I think I can imagine how you feel.

Mister, you ain't got the foggiest idea how I feel.

What my husband is trying to say is we don't know what to say.

We were expecting someone like... Well, what we really want to know is... What

the hell is all...

It's okay, Thelma. I told you we shouldn't have waited this long. Your

has a right to know.

How old are you? He's young, Dad.

Just work around those chickens and make them look old.

I'm not ashamed of my age. I'm 42.

42?

Lord have mercy.

I guess when you look at me and Thelma, you think of me as a dirty old man.

Bingo, Jack.

Well, look, ain't no sense in a lot of fat mouthing. I make the rules in this

house. Here's your ring back, ma 'am. Oh, Daddy, that's unfair.

Ma 'am, that's not right to give my ring back. You're right, honey.

That's a mother's job.

Well, I'm sorry, but I won't accept it. Now, I gave this ring to Thelma because

I love her and I want to marry her. Now, it's not yours to give back.

It's mine, and I want to keep it.

permission. Well, next year I'll be 18 and I won't need anybody's permission.

Thelma, uh, Mr. Knight, I think you better let me do that.

It's about time that you and my husband have a man -to -man talk.

Yes, Lord.

JJ, you go on over there to Walona's.

I'm gonna talk to Thelma.

as you don't get to be dad.

You a drinking man? On occasion.

And this sure strikes me as one heck of an occasion.

What's it gonna be, Pops?

Muscatel or Geritol?

Hey, James.

Mr. Evans, if you want. Now, can't we stop sniping and talk to each other

straight, huh? Okay, man. Have a seat.

Thank you.

Look here.

You look like a man that's been around, huh?

I bet you done had a lot of foxes running through your chicken coop. Yeah,

but Thelma is different.

Sure she's different, man.

She's just a baby.

You're her father. She's always going to be a baby to you, but she's a great

deal more than that to me.

How much more?

Now, look, man, let's get down to the net grid. I'm going to ask you right out

front now. Now, you set your mind at ease. The answer is no for two reasons.

Now, one is Thelma and one is me. Now, I'm thinking marriage, man.

Well, I'm thinking futures, man.

Look at yourself 20 years from now.

Tell them I'll be in her late 30s, and you'll be her late husband.

It sure is a beautiful ring, honey. Thanks, Mom.

When your daddy proposed to me, he didn't give me no engagement ring.

He didn't? Uh -uh.

He proposed to me in an amusement park at the beach.

And when I said yes... He spent 50 cents on a claw machine trying to catch a

ring.

All he caught was six jelly beans and a whistle.

Oh, that whistle was better than a ring, though.

Every time another man so much as looked at me, your daddy blew that whistle and

yelled, This woman is taken!

I still remember running home and telling my mama the big news.

Tell me, that's what bothers me about this.

We've always been so close. You never kept anything from me, honey.

I wanted to tell you, Mom, lots of times.

But I knew you'd tell Daddy, and you know Daddy.

Well, I wouldn't have told him if you didn't want me to.

Oh, Ma, when you and Daddy put your heads together on that pillow every

you know there's nothing you wouldn't tell each other.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

I hope it's that way with me and Donald.

Maybe.

That is, if you're not rushing into anything.

Like your daddy say, honey, what's the hurry?

Huh? What are you asking me?

Just what's the hurry?

42 years old, but he's cultured. A man who can have anything and anyone and he

wants me.

But do you love him?

Did you tell him?

You know, when your father and I got engaged, I yelled it loud and clear, and

I've been yelling it ever since.

So if you love him, just go right out there and tell him so.

Shout it to the world, Thelma.

Mr. Evans, you may not know your daughter as well as you think.

Now, she's more than just a young girl. Now, she's got warmth, she's got a good

mind, she's fun to talk to.

Don't nobody know that better than their daddy.

You know something, man? What?

You ain't a halfway bad dude. Hey.

For somebody else's daughter.

You all know how to flatter a man.

What you two doing back here?

What's happening here is better than what's on TV.

Right on the round and going back to Walona's and keep watching.

Hi.

Your father and I was just talking about you. I figured you would be.

Uh, Thelma has something to say to you, Donald.

Ma?

Go ahead, child.

Say it.

Tell me what, Thelma?

That she loves you.

Oh, Ma, here?

In front of the whole family? Oh, Ma, this is not the place for it. This is

exactly the place for it.

I feel silly.

Well, you just said you loved her, didn't you, Mr. Knight? I did, and I'd

happy to say it again, no matter who's listening.

I love you, Thelma.

Well, there it is, right down front, Thelma.

I was waiting, child.

You do love me, don't you, Thelma?

Then say it.

Well... He's waiting.

I understand. You don't have to say anything, Thelma.

Mr. Evans, you've got a wonderful little girl here.

Bye, everybody.

Bye -bye.

Oh, Mama.

Sweetheart, it's all right. It's all right.

Well, Thelma?

You just blew a chance for us to have free chicken for the rest of our lives.

What you thinking, baby?

About Thelma.

That was a close call.

Sure was.

She's growing up fast, James. It ain't going to be too long before she meets

right one, and then it's going to really happen.

Yeah, but right now, I don't want to think about us losing our baby girl.

Oh, we can't stop it.

I just hope when she picks the right man, it'll be someone like you.

She almost did.

Just looking out of the window, watching the asphalt grow,

thinking how it all looks when we die.

Good times, good times, keeping your head above water, making a way

when you can.

Temporary layoffs, good times.

Good Times is recorded on tape before a live audience.