All language subtitles for Good Times s02e17 The Family Business

Good times, anytime you need a payment.
Good times, anytime you need a friend.

Good times, anytime you're up and under.

Not getting hassled, not getting
hustled. Keeping your head above water.

Making a way when you can.

Temporary layoffs.

Good times.

What should I paint today?

I think I'll paint a family portrait.

Yeah!

Michael studying, Dad fixing the radio,
and Mom baking biscuits.

The whole family.

Hey, what about me?

Said I want to paint a family portrait,
not a horror picture.

I was just checking the light bulbs out
there, and I heard somebody yelling in

here. It was nothing, Mr. Bookman,
nothing.

Hey, man, you know me. I don't mean to
make any trouble.

Yeah, we know.

Hey, but you know excessive noise is
prohibited.

Boy, it sure broke my heart to have to
evict the admins because of that.

But that's clause 11 of your lease. But
you folks know about that clause.

That's the, oh, yeah.

suppose you would want some?

Nah, I couldn't, really.

Oh, maybe a few. Make it a dozen.

Did you say a dozen? That'll be enough.

Hi, y 'all.

Hi, Miss Woods.

Hi, Mr. Booger. That's Booker.

Hey,

that sure is sweet of you, Thelma.

See you guys later.

Oh, and, um, you know about the noise.

You know me. I don't like to make no
trouble. Forget it.

What did the Gestapo of the ghetto want?

He must have ripped off a chicken in
apartment 12 because he wanted some hot

biscuits to go along with it.

Honey, I'm hip to that routine.

You know, the other day I had a couple
of flies in my apartment, and he warned

me about no pets.

And that little visit cost me a six
-pack of beer and two beef jerkies.

You know, before that fat rascal got
this job, he didn't weigh but 120

Oh, really?

almost finished, Wilona. If you can fix
that old radio on mine, you are the

electronic genius of all time.

Wilona, we had an old toaster and the
toast never popped up, but James fixed

Yeah, once Dad fixed it, the toast
popped up so good, we had to go up on

ceiling and butter it.

night disc jockey get down brown that
dude keeps you jumping

I got the same thing. Oh, you're
driving. Turn it on.

I don't hear nothing, James.

That's it for the local news.

Now on the national front.

In Washington tonight, President Ford,
speaking on the increase in

said... Absolutely nothing.

Well, there you go, Walona. You're a
stone genius.

Here. How much do I owe you? Oh, no way.
No way, Walona. Well, James, if I took

it to a store... they would charge me?
Look, pretend that you are a department

store and I am a customer, okay? Treat
me like you treat a customer. You sure

about that?

My seconds thought I deserve a better
fate than that, huh?

Hey, Dad, since you're so good with
electronics, how come our TV don't work

better than it does?

Your daddy is good at fixing things, J
.J.

Nobody said nothing about raising the
dead.

talent you got in your hands, you should
be in business for yourself.

Yeah, you should open a massage parlor.

Well, I was thinking of a fix -it shop.

Hey, that's a fantastic idea. James, you
could do that.

A fix -it shop. Yeah, that's a great
idea.

Everybody I know has a TV set that
breaks down, radios, toasters,

It's planned that way. I know. You have
got that right. You know I had a car

once, and the warranty and the motor
both ran.

I could lead you to a small fortune and
busted hot combs.

Oh, James.

Now, you know, we've always dreamed that
someday you would own your own

business. Maybe this is the way to get
it started. You know, I read an article

where Jesse Jackson said more blacks
should have businesses of their own.

That's right, Michael. That's exactly
what he said.

How would you know? You don't read
nothing but the wall.

to give it a try. You fix that?

What y 'all talking about? I ain't got
no place to run no business.

Main thing is I ain't got what it takes
to make money in the end. And that's

money in the beginning.

Borrow it from the bank. Oh, yeah,
right. Just like that, huh, baby?

You see me going down to the bank
saying, hey, I need a few thousand.

Just give it to me.

Fat chance.

Oh, Dad, you got the wrong attitude.

You got...

But once you are precisely right, little
sister, you are looking at the only

person that took Henrietta out for a
night in the town with exactly one

Purchase and consume two Big Macs, two
order of fries, two strawberry shakes,

saw a double peach at the lock while
nibbling on a jumbo giant snicker bar

watching Blackula Bites Boston.

There's prices going up, people getting
laid off.

No, this be a hell of a time to open a
business.

James, this may be just the time to open
a business.

People ain't buying nothing new, so they
got to fix what they already have.

And you be your own boss, Daddy.

Yeah, Dad.

And if you goofed off, the only one who
could fire you would be you.

And you wouldn't do that because you
wouldn't stand for that.

Because you are you, and you would never
go for that.

No, sir.

Well, it sounded good when it was in my
head, but it lost something when it came

out of my mouth.

It doesn't everything?

You know something, baby?

You may be right. This might be the
right time to go into business.

Boy, wouldn't that be something?

Running my own business.

Our business, James.

We're all in it together.

It'll be Evans and Evans and son.

I don't know, baby. I don't know.

You know, maybe I do need a few thousand
dollars to get this shop open.

So ask him for it.

Florida ain't no way in the world that
people are going to give me that kind of

money. No, no, no, James. That ain't no
way to think. You've got to think

positive. You're right, baby. I think
positive.

Good. I'm positive there ain't no way in
the world that people are going to give

me that kind of money.

You know, all this business stuff
sounded good at the house, Florida, but

don't like this borrowing stuff. I just
don't like it. James, stop worrying.

Like J .J. said.

Well, yeah.

If you want to borrow money from the
bank, you got to act big.

Like you're doing them a favor, like you
don't even need their money.

That's the way the big businessmen do
it.

I guess you're right, baby. I mean, if
I'm going to be a big businessman, I

might as well start acting like one,
huh? There you go. Won't you come in,

please? Oh, thank you.

I'm Mr. Dawson.

Evans. James Evans.

This is my wife and business associate,
Florida.

How do you do? How do you do? We don't
need your money, but we'll take $2 ,000.

Thank you.

Now, you say you'd like $2 ,000.

Right.

Have you ever borrowed any money from us
or any other bank?

No. We've never borrowed any money from
anybody.

But we don't owe nobody nothing either.
That's right. Oh, that's bad. That's

bad. You see, if you had borrowed, then
you would have established a line of

credit. This way, we don't know if you
can pay it back.

Oh, well, look, that's very simple.

You lend me $2 ,000. I give it right
back to you. Then you know I'm good for

$2 ,000, so you lend it right back to
me.

Yes, Mr. Evans, but I think we need
something a little more concrete.

Now, let's go over your assets.

Yeah, let's go over my assets.

What do you own?

Real estate, stock, bonds, anything you
need.

You name it and we ain't got it.

Well, look, folks, I'd like to help you
out, but we can't loan you money unless

you have collateral.

I know that, man, but how am I going to
get the collateral unless you make me

the loan?

Do you have someone who would co -sign
for you?

Yeah, maybe Willie Washington. Now,
Willie would co -sign for me. Yeah,

No, Willie. Willie Washington.

Good. What's his financial condition?

Oh, hell, he owed me $12.

Oh, I sympathize with you very much, Mr.
and Mrs. Evans.

But you see, you have to understand the
banking system.

You see, we can't loan you money unless
we know we can get it back.

We ourselves borrow money from the
Federal Reserve.

The Federal Reserve gets their money
from the government. The government gets

their money from the people.

Hey, well, in that case, all I'm doing
is borrowing my own money. Well,

not so loud, Mr.

Evans. You may give the whole system
away.

Well, I'm sorry. There's nothing we can
do.

It's professional, doesn't it? Uh -huh.
And you ain't seen nothing yet.

That's beautiful.

Except you made a mistake.

Where? It should read Evans and Evans
and fool.

I didn't make a mistake, Thelma. I left
you out on purpose.

JJ, we won't be needing that.

The bank turned us down.

Oh. Oh, how could they?

They did it, Thelma.

One more good idea that didn't work.

Now, wait a minute, baby. Hold it, hold
it.

Now, you the one that got me fired up
about this business stuff in the first

place. Now, just because the bank turned
us down, that don't mean it's the end.

Well, James, we ain't got no money.

have to run a store. I mean, it's
supposed to be a family business, right?

why can't we conduct a family business
right here?

Oh, you know we can't run no business
here. It's against the lease.

And you know that old Snoopy Bookman.

He's always on top of us like white on
rice.

Yeah, but we just make sure old Snoopy
Bookman don't come up here for a while.

By that time, maybe I have enough money
to rent my own store.

If that one hits, hell, and I rent
another one, and another one, and

one. Florida, this could be the start of
a whole chain of fix -it shots.

is just my first thing to fix, that's
all.

Yeah, and look at Colonel Sanders.

He only started off with one chicken.

Hey,

look

at all this business we got, Florida.

Everything's going along just right.
Won't be long before we have our own

Well, it can't be too soon. I'm getting
a little bit nervous, James, and all

this... Secrecy.

It's like selling booze during
prohibition.

Only instead of a speakeasy, we got a
fix -easy.

Yeah, that's the right signal. Get that
one.

Hi! Hey, Daddy, we got some more things
for you to fix. All right. Good.

Yeah, we're doing so much door -to -door
business, we're leaving the Avon lady

in the dust.

All right. And from the 10th floor, Mr.

Garrett's alarm clock. He says he wants
it back by Wednesday so he can get up on

time to collect his unemployment
insurance.

You didn't run into Mr. Bookman, did
you? We did, but he didn't suspect

Won't be long before we'll be able to
afford our own pickup service.

And wait a minute, Dad. That ain't all I
got for you to fix.

Well, where in the world did you get
that?

From old Mrs. Benson.

She says our heating pad doesn't heat up
like it used to.

Neither does old Mrs. Benson.

I'll get it. Wait, wait, wait. That's
the wrong signal.

Cover this stuff up.

Yeah,

just a minute, just a minute.

Michael!

What's the wrong signal?

Mama, it's hard to remember the right
signal when you gotta go to bed.

to ask you. Looks like Mr. Fixer's got a
role going here.

James, you look tired.

Between this and that job down at
Brady's, you must be worn out. Honey,

don't you take a little rest?

After a while, baby.

I got a pile of stuff here to finish,
and it don't pay to miss the promised

delivery date. I wish the stalker missed
the delivery date on Thelma.

ostrich head? All right, now. All right,
now. Didn't I say all right?

I'm sorry, Dad.

What can the son of Evans' son do to
help Evans?

Well, you can deliver that toaster to
Mr. Jackson.

Okay. We're going to have a slight
problem, Dad.

How come?

I can't put this under my hat.

Well, put it in a shopping bag, J .J.

And don't forget, Ms. Jackson is on our
easy payment plan.

One half on delivery and 50 cents a
week, okay?

You know, Daddy, We should get running
those receipt pads so that when you

deliver things to people, they can sign
for them. We'll get around to that,

Michael. We ain't got quite that
organized yet.

That's all right. You can get it, JJ.

Oh, that knock is getting so popular,
pretty soon it's going to be in the top

40.

If you want this stuff repaired right,
bring it to the follow -up, kid.

anybody to get upset.

I just wanted to find out if the Evans
family was doing fine.

Hey, what have we got here?

Oh, I just picked the right curtain on
Let's Make a Deal.

Hey, man, you know me. I don't like to
make trouble.

You know, I'm on your side all the way.

However, it clearly states in Clause 11
that it's unlawfully used these premises

for commercial purposes.

Well, what you want now, man? We fresh
out of biscuits, balloon belly.

come here to give you something. To give
us something?

Yeah, I have a few things that need some
minor repairs, a tea kettle, an iron.

And if I don't?

Do you know how cold it gets in the park
this time of year?

Yeah, bring them in. Hey, it's nice of
you to make the offer.

Hey, boy, I always said you guys are
nice tenants.

but don't worry about it. I can handle
him. We've come too far to be stopped by

that ham, huh?

James?

James?

Morning, baby.

Honey, didn't you get any sleep?

No, baby.

I got a pile of stuff here to finish for
Fatback Bookman.

Seems like as soon as I finish one pile
of stuff, he brings in another one.

An iron and a tea kettle, huh?

James, he is wearing you down.

He brought you everything he got. Now
he's got you fixing things for his

relatives. Yeah, you're right, baby.

I'm so busy working on this stuff, I
ain't even got time to take care of my

paying customers.

Damn. Hey, what's going on here?

Sorry, kids. I didn't mean to wake you
all up.

Oh, that's all right. The chick I was
dreaming about was getting away anyway.

Hey, what's going on? What's happening?

Your daddy is overworked. That's what's
going on.

Mr. Bookman brought another load of
stuff in here last night.

Oh, James, you can't keep going on like
this. You're falling off your feet.

Yeah, I know, baby. But how much more
stuff can he bring in here? He got to

out of relatives sometime.

What? I guess he has discovered a couple
of long -lost uncles.

and some more stuff.

You must have one hell of a big family,
huh, partner?

This ain't family. I've told all of my
friends about the good work you've been

doing. I'm going to bring some more
later.

Now, hold it, Buckman. That rips it. You
find yourself another donkey, because I

ain't dealing with you no more, man. And
I mean that no more. Hey, wait a

minute, Emmett. No, you wait a minute,
hog head.

See, I can see what kind of dude you
are. You ain't going to be satisfied if

don't fix everything that's broken in
Chicago, including Mayor Daley's

toothbrush.

You know, plus I got the feeling you're
lying in your pockets with my work.

Hey, that's a terrible thing to accuse
me of. Well, it's the truth, ain't it?

Yeah. I'm going to run you through that
door, and I ain't going to charge to fix

the hole you're going to make.

Hey, cool it. Come on.

You and your whole family will be
cooling it outside.

You know, I'm afraid I'm going to have
to report you for violation of... Go

right ahead, and we'll tell the manager
how you've been bleeding us. Who'd

believe you? You don't have any proof?
Yeah, well, I don't care, man. Now, if

you're going to report us, report us. If
you're going to evict us, evict us.

Daddy. Michael, stay out of this. And I
got something else to tell you, buffalo

butt.

This family don't get on their knees to
nobody.

Daddy. Mike, I done told you. Now, stay
out of this. Now, if you're going to go

down to the manager's office, please
just slide on down there and report us.

ahead. Daddy, I have proof. Now,
Michael, stay out. You got proof?

Yeah. Proof of what?

Proof that he's been getting things
fixed here.

How, baby?

How?

Well, the other day when I was here by
myself, Mr. Bookman came by to pick up a

few things.

I didn't know what to do, so I asked him
to sign a receipt, and he did.

What do you mean? It's a silly baseball
card.

I was only going along with the kid.

You didn't keep it, did you, little
fella? I sure did, Mr.

Buffalo.

Bookman, Bookman.

Here, Daddy.

I'll take that, Hawks.

Receive two kettles and an electric
blanket. Signed, Mr. Bookman. Well, how

that grab you, Mr. Bookman?

Well, clause 11 ain't the only clause
ever.

Hey, look, Evan, why don't you close
your business, I'll close mine. We'll

like a Mexican fandoff.

Olé!

All right, I want you to get all the
stuff in here that you brought. Take it

and out of here. And you will need a
truck to do it. Sure. Hey, you know me.

don't like to make any trouble, man.
Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute. You

don't want to leave without your TV, do
you? What?

I got it all fixed up and waiting for
you. Hey, I'm not going to pay for it.

that's all right. This one's on the
house, brother.

Hey, you know you're all right. I'll be
back to get the rest of my stuff.

Yeah, you do that.

Get out of here.

Thanks,

darling.

James, how could you be smiling about
fixing his TV?

And for nothing.

Very simple, baby.

That TV ain't going to work too good
without these tubes.

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

thinking how it all looks, can we die?

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

wave when you can, temporary layoffs,
good times.

Good Times is recorded on tape before a
live audience.