Original subtitles

Good times, any time you need a payment. Good times, any time you need a free.

Good times, any time you're up and under.

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

Making a way when you can.

Temporary.

brother speaking here. I'm giving you three to get out of there.

One, two... You still want to try for three?

Oh, Ma, I didn't know that was you in there taking a bath.

Yeah, it's my chauffeur's day off, and I had no way of getting to my private

spa.

I'm sorry to yell, Ma, but, uh... Turn your back for

one minute, and old Jay Simpson runs by you.

This is ridiculous.

Ma, you won't let him get away with that? That's your problem. I've got to

breakfast. I've got to get to work early today.

Ma, you still didn't throw that button on my cup like I asked you to. I didn't

have a chance yet, honey. I was taking a bath.

What do you mean you was taking a bath?

A bath.

You know, you put a little hot water and a little cold water.

That's what they call taking a bath.

But what I mean is why didn't you take your bath last night?

I told you I was too tired from taking inventory at the store.

Well, that's the perfect time to take a bath when you're tired.

It was not the perfect time to take a bath last night. Why wasn't it the

time? Because you were taking a bath.

And, uh, Ma, while we're on the subject, when are you going to tell my little

brother to get out of there? I got to get to work early today.

Delivering spare ribs?

What is ribs this time of day?

You'll be surprised, Ma.

Ferris is a perfect breakfast food.

It fills you up, and you can use the extra grease to give your car a lube

Stop being ridiculous.

Okay, James, let me fix your button. It's about time.

Hey, Ma, did you press out my dress for me? I didn't have time last night,

honey. Oh, Ma, what am I going to wear to school?

Why don't you wear a mask and give the student body a break?

with your natural face.

Hey,

Florida, you're supposed to be sewing the button on the shirt, not the shirt

my hand. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but this place isn't exactly peace and quiet

around you today.

Ma?

Wear your skirt and blouse. But the fellas will laugh at me.

JJ, will you go into the bathroom?

I can't. There's still an Occupy sign in the door.

I'm going to have to start using the gas station again.

If I don't get a car soon, they're going to start asking questions.

Mama, did you write my note?

What note?

The one giving me permission to go on a trip with my class.

I forgot, honey. I'll do it tonight.

Ma, I need it now. We're going today.

Michael! Ma!

Michael! What?

Don't bother Ma with these small, trivial problems.

Do what I used to do when I was a kid.

Forge Ma's name.

did you forge my name? Uh, really, Ma.

It was just some small, insignificant little things.

Like report cards.

If I'd known you was forging names, I'd knock them naps off your head.

Dad, I never really forged your name. I mean, I always show you my report card

so you know I got to be jiving.

Every time I saw your report card, I said, he's got to be Johnny.

Oh, now look what you did, Florida. You broke the thread.

If you'd set the deal, it wouldn't happen.

Well, hurry up, will you? I'm late for work as it is.

I'm going as fast as I can, Jane.

Ma, what about my note?

Write it yourself, and I'll sign it. Okay.

commission having it? I can help you with that one, Michael.

There's either one or two.

It's one, honey. Thanks, Ma.

Hey, the oatmeal's burning.

Oh, good Lord.

Oh, now that's just great. Now we ain't got no breakfast.

Ma, will you come on, please? I'm running late for work now.

Yeah, me too.

Let me tell you something, Florida. If you'd have took your bath last night

you were supposed to, you could have got up, made this oatmeal without no mess,

fixed my button so I could get to work on time.

Now, where are you going?

I've got a job, too, and I've got to get to work on time.

Now, if you want that button sewed, you sew it yourself.

And if you want breakfast, make it yourself.

Then make the lunch for the children.

Wash the dishes, do the laundry, make the beds, and sweep the floor.

And see how you'd like being mother, housewife, diplomat, referee, counselor,

cook, seamstress, and sparring partner with no pay and no fringe benefits.

Good morning, Fluff. It's a beautiful day.

Don't get smart, Wilona.

I wonder.

Sometimes I really wonder. About what?

If the whole thing is worth it.

You beat your brains out, but does anybody appreciate it? No.

Sew the button on my shirt, make the breakfast, press my skirt.

Oh, Abe, you freed our people, but you forgot me.

Let me take a wild guess.

You are sick and tired of the rat race. So why don't you change your life and

become one of the Supremes?

Serious, huh?

Look, meet me for lunch and you can cry on my shoulder. I always like to have a

little water in my scotchie poop.

Thanks, Wilona, but I can't get away.

Oh?

That's funny.

You know, this is the second luncheon invitation I turned down for today.

Second? Mm -hmm. Mr. Harris, the head of my department, he invited me to lunch,

too. Sort of celebrating finishing up the inventory.

But naturally, I didn't accept.

Natural. I didn't. want to take the time. Of course. I got too much to do.

course you do.

Wait a minute.

Why can't I take the time? Why can't you?

Why does it always have to be work, work, work all the time? Yeah, why does

have to be work, work, work all the time? Ladies and gentlemen, he offered

invitation to lunch. Why can't I accept it? Why can't you?

I'm gonna go.

Why don't you?

Glad I bumped into you this morning.

You always have such good advice.

You've been

so much help to me with the inventory, I wanted to bring you someplace special.

It's beautiful, but I think they forgot the chairs.

You sit on the floor.

You've got to be kidding.

It's a Japanese custom.

Well, so is Harry Caray, but we don't have to do that.

It's really very comfortable. See?

Try it.

I tried this was when we were behind in our bills and they repossessed our

furniture.

Back to us for the lady, please.

Hi. Hi.

Hi means yes in Japanese.

Oh.

How do you say chiropractor?

If you please.

Yes, indeed.

Thank you.

Don't touch your wife!

Two sushi to start with and sati, please.

Thank you.

Well, I'm so glad we finally got together for lunch.

I've asked you so many times.

Well, I usually brown bag it, but I felt the need for something different today.

I felt the need to forget about everything.

Yes, well, I'm glad you accepted.

That's a new outfit, isn't it?

Yes, it was nice of you to notice.

Well, it's because it's a habit of mine. I've been selling women's clothes for

two years.

It fits you well.

Can't say that about many of my outfits.

You have a perfect figure. I'd say a perfect 14.

And I'd say you are one heck of a salesman.

Sushi and sake.

Which is this sushi and which is the sake?

Well, this is the sake. It's a wine made out of rice.

No kidding.

The only thing I ever had with my rice was red beans.

think I ought to drink that. I didn't have any breakfast this morning. Oh,

very relaxing.

To our first lunch.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

He's Japanese or something else.

First they take your shoes off and then they blow your head.

What is it?

Taco. Oh, I like tacos.

That don't taste like tacos.

Well, that's because it isn't. It's octopus.

I never ate nothing with eight legs before.

Well, I guess you have to acquire a taste for it.

fields at a carnival. You ever been to a carnival? Oh, many times.

Oh, my father used to take us every time one came to town. I remember one time

he bought a box of Cracker Jacks, and there was a prize in it. A wind thistle.

What? A thin twizzle.

Wait a minute.

A tin whistle.

Every time you blow it, it made the pretty

But then I lost it.

After that, I'd buy a Cracker Jack and keep hoping that I'd find another tin

whistle. But I never did.

Well, a tote, the Cracker Jack, and tin whistles?

Mmm.

You know, when I left home this morning, I was upset about something.

But for the life... for me. I can't remember what it was.

Mmm.

Love this rice.

Now, Dad promised that you'll be real nice to Ma when she gets home tonight.

I won't be nice to her.

Didn't I tell Junior to bring home a bunch of them ribs from that take -home

place? Now your mother won't have to cook tonight.

She can be a lady.

All she'll have to do is serve up the food and then clear the table, wash and

dry them dishes, put them away, and then maybe she can get around to fixing that

button on my shirt.

Daddy, I'll do all that.

You know, Daddy, maybe Mama's tired of the same old routine.

She might need an outside interest.

Hey, maybe that's it.

Daddy, why don't you and Mama have another baby?

Tasty, tender, and brown. That's because our cook has soul and knows how to get

down.

TV, stop acting ridiculous and give me that bag.

Man, now, this is an official delivery. I got to go through the official routine

here.

Now, this is the Evans residence, isn't it?

You are the woman in the house, aren't you?

Yes. Could have fooled me.

I think he kicked your brains out.

Hey.

No tip, huh? No.

I knew you were cheaper when I walked in here.

Hey, Dad, good news.

I got you a special employee discount.

Yeah? Ten cents off.

I'm all choked up, Johnny.

This stuff smells good.

Yeah. I had the chef give us a special choice cut there. I'll have you know

it's 75 %... Grade A government fat.

What are you talking about, Junior? You know I told the guy to give us the best

he had.

Hey, you know what? I think ordering food is going to make Mama real happy.

Yeah, it ought to, Michael, but I don't know. I mean, your mother's been awful

unreasonable lately.

Yeah, unreasonable.

I mean, she act like she don't appreciate what we got here.

Don't appreciate it. We don't live all that bad.

We sure don't. We got a great family.

Yeah, a great family. Three wonderful kids.

I tell you all one thing. I ain't going to put up with no foolishness from her

tonight. No, sir. Now, that doesn't lay it out almost $8 for that foolishness.

She come in here with a whole lot of yang -yang tonight. I ain't going to go

it. I don't want to hear no lip at all.

Hello, everybody.

And how is my wonderful, handsome, favorite husband?

Well, Mama, the trip is real nice. I got a C on my English test.

Oh, you'll get an A next time. What?

Man, what a temper.

Laura,

how come you so happy?

Well, why shouldn't I be, honey?

I had a wonderful day, and I'm sure you had a wonderful day. And here we all are

together at the end of the day. What more could you ask?

I could ask why you're so happy, that's what.

Uh, Mama, we have a surprise for you. You don't have to cook.

Daddy had J .J. bring home some ribs for us.

Thanks, lover.

I tell you, boy, vicious.

Vicious.

What did you say, J .J.? I said the spare ribs are delicious.

Okay, everything's ready, Mom. We can sit down and eat now. Come on. All

We were a butterfly.

La, la, la, la, la. Now, what's going on? and now you're singing.

Was I? Yeah, and I ain't heard you sing in weeks.

Oh, well, that's because I feel so good.

I'll get it.

I'll get the door.

Singing about butterflies, you come in here grinning and skinning, I don't

there's something wrong here.

Good evening.

Is Mrs.

Evans in?

Yeah.

Mr. Harris!

These are for you. Oh, thank you.

Well, I just happened to be passing by this florist, and I saw those Japanese

tea roses. It reminded me of this afternoon, and I just couldn't resist.

Now, who is this?

What's going on, and what happened this afternoon?

Nothing. We just had lunch together. Lunch?

James, this is Oscar Harris, the head of my department.

Oscar? This is my husband, James.

Hello. And these are my children.

That's Michael, Thelma, and JJ. Hello. Hey.

Yeah, very handsome -looking group.

Well, you know, what can I say?

I just love these flowers.

Thelma, will you put them in some water for me, please?

There is something in the envelope for you, too.

Oh.

Excuse me.

I had to buy 25 boxes of Cracker Jacks before I found one. Go ahead, try it.

what it sounds like.

All right.

It's just as I remembered.

Somebody want to tell me what the hell's going on around here?

Most of the day, Oscar and I were talking about the carnival, and I was

how when I was a kid, I had one of these tin whistles, but I lost it, and I

never could find another one like it.

Now, why didn't you tell me?

I'd have bought you a whistle.

But now, James, you can't buy them.

You have to get them out of the Cracker Jacks. Well, somebody tell me something.

What were you two doing having lunch in the first place?

Celebrating finishing the inventory.

We had a wonderful time once your wife got comfortable on the floor.

Japanese restaurant.

Oh.

Now I understand.

Oh, butterfly.

La, la, la, la, la, la.

Oscar, we were just about to sit down to dinner. Would you care to join us? We

ain't got enough food.

No, thanks. I have another engagement. Good.

It was nice meeting you all.

Yes. Good night.

I'll see you to the door. I'll see you outside the door.

Florida, I hope you enjoy the whistle. Oh, I will, and thank

you. You're welcome.

Good night.

Good night.

Now,

you ready to tell me about this right now?

James, you don't have to shout.

Uh, I think we better get lost for a little while.

Uh, Tom, I want to stay. This is getting interesting.

Now, what is it? Because if it's what I think it is, I'm going to pluck that

turkey feather by feather.

Are you jealous?

Who, me?

No, of course not.

I wish you were.

What do you mean by that?

Well, maybe then I'll feel that you think of me as something more than

to sew a button on your shirt.

Somebody that you think of as a woman.

Florida, how do you think I think of you?

When was the last time you made me feel like a woman?

How about the night before last?

James, I'm not talking about that.

I'm talking about treating me the way a woman likes to be treated.

The way Oscar treated me.

How did Oscar treat you?

He was kind.

He was thoughtful.

He even noticed that I had on a new outfit.

I didn't notice it was a new outfit.

Sooner or later.

James, it's more than that.

He was very polite to me. He was courteous. He showed me all the

a woman likes.

Yeah, but I thought you didn't go for that stuff no more. I mean, not with all

that women's lib jive and all that.

James, women's lib don't mean we want to stop being women.

It just means we want our chance in this world too.

Am I just a habit with you, or do you love me?

Do I love you?

Hey, what kind of silly question is that, huh?

How about a silly answer?

I got one for you.

What's that for?

To call the children in to dinner.

And then let's get rid of them as fast as we can.

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.