Original subtitles

Good time, anytime you need a payment. Good time, anytime you feel free.

Good time, 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 time.

I sure enjoyed myself at that funeral. Honey, I know you did.

Okay, come on, kids. Lend a hand.

Folks will be coming here any minute now.

Yes, I'm fine, honey, just fine.

Oh, wasn't that a lovely funeral?

Yes, it was.

I hope I made enough food. Folks are going to be hungry.

Wasn't that some crowd at the church and at the cemetery, too?

Your daddy had lots of friends.

And the Reverend Gordon said some beautiful things about Daddy.

Yes, he did.

Yeah, the one time Dad would enjoy listening to the Reverend, he couldn't.

That's true.

It was always hard getting your daddy to church.

Come on, Thelma, put the coffee on.

Ma, how'd you do it? I mean, you didn't cry once at the funeral.

You know, Ma, it's healthy to let go.

Ma, you can cry if you want to.

With a house full of people coming any second, I'm all right, honey.

I'm all right.

All right? You were fantastic, Ma. I watched you all through the ceremony,

you didn't cry once.

And it was me who blew his cool.

Uh, J .J., get me the dishes from here, please.

Come on, J .J., come on.

Hold it, hold it right there, booger.

Bookman, Bookman. I know your name, booger.

What I want to know is why you're not going inside.

The least you can do is pay your respects to the family. You're not sure

the funeral. I hate funerals. I never go to funerals. When I die, they're going

to have to bury somebody else.

Well, from the looks of you, they're going to have to bury two somebody

That's a cold shot. I'm hip as a cold shot.

Hello, how are you?

Oh, Mrs. Gordon.

Reverend Gordon, that was a wonderful eulogy.

Thank you, sister.

I kind of liked it myself.

I particularly like the part where I said, family love as no other love is a

many splendid thing.

I thought that was a nice turn of a phrase, don't you?

I liked it better when Reverend Ike turned it. Friday night.

I liked it better when it wasn't moving.

Well,

come on now and pay your respects to the family. Uh -uh.

Okay, cool. Later for you.

Uh, this is your ham, right? Yeah. Good. I'll just tell the folks it's from me.

Hey, hold on. That's my ham, and I think I should get the credit for it.

Uh, Ms. Evans, I just dropped by to say, um, she's carrying my ham.

Very considerate of you, Mr. Bookman. Well, I know you know what I mean.

I gotta be getting along. I got a lot of things to do. Oh, please stay. It was

very thoughtful of you to come by, Mr. Bookman. Yeah, I brought the ham.

Thank you. Now, look, I know you and James had your differences, but... Yeah,

but he had a kind word for me from time to time. Yeah, the kindest word he had

for you was buffalo butt.

Mr. Bookman, please have something to eat.

I bought you a ham, too. But one looking at a refrigerated chow is like old

Roundup time at the old hog ranch.

Oh, Lord, you're knocking me out. The way you're taking it.

I was just thinking, James did some pretty nasty things to me at times.

Most times.

But he was a sincere dude. He really meant them.

Oh, he liked hassling with you.

It gave him something to do until JJ came home. I'm here.

Wanda.

Wanda. Don't start. Otherwise, you'll get me started again.

Oh. All right, J .J., I'll be good, I promise.

All right, come on.

Hello, Wanda. It was so nice of you to come.

I brought you a ham, Florida.

I thought you might want... Wanda, Wanda, Wanda.

Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot.

J .J., will you get Wanda a glass of water?

A sandwich would do me more good. I brought the ham.

Oh, well, then I'll make you a ham sandwich. Come on. Cut off the fat,

because it'll kill me.

Oh, what a lovely buffet.

Oh, Florida, you're so brave. I don't know how you do it. Such courage, such

understanding, such nice -looking pickle pig feet.

Well, people are always saying Florida Evans got the best -looking pickle pig's

feet in town.

Mrs. Gordon, the reverend's wife brought them.

Try one.

I remember James just loved pickled pig's feet. They were his favorites, you

know. Wanda, James never liked pickled pig's feet. He said they gave him

heartburn. Oh, well, it couldn't have been him. It was my cousin Samuel who

loved pickled pig's feet, but he passed away last year. Wanda, that was two

years ago. Well, he's gone anyway.

So full of life. And pickled pig's feet.

I

trust

you found a service that satisfies three young men.

Oh, yeah,

you did a great job. Yes, well, we are Ferguson's eternal light.

We pride ourselves on being more than just a mortuary. We like to think of

ourselves as being a friend in time of sorrow, one you can look to for comfort

and economy.

You know, I won't be looking for you too soon.

Well, I'd appreciate if you'd tell your friends about us. You see, all of our

businesses refer. We don't advertise.

We just pick up what we can around the neighborhood.

Thank you for everything, Mr. Ferguson.

You're quite welcome.

Excuse me, I want to get this to your mother.

DJ, why isn't Ma crying?

You know, everybody's noticing it.

I don't know, Thumb. I've been wondering about that myself.

Yeah, I know, but, I mean, I cried, you cried.

Everybody cried but Ma.

I know. I'm still crying.

Michael, you're a regular little soldier.

Yes, indeed.

And you're setting an example for everyone.

Yes, it is written, and a little child shall lead them.

Well, I'm not a little child, and I'm not a little soldier. And I wish my

was here so he could throw you out.

Mrs. Evans, James was a fine man.

I brought you a handbag.

Another ham.

I see.

That makes four little piggies in the icebox.

People said such nice things about James.

I only hope when it's my time to go that I'll be missed a tenth as much.

Oh, I'm sure you'll be missed one tenth as much.

Mr. Ferguson, have some food. Thank you, thank you.

Oh, Miss Woods, I'm your friend, Lonnie Jackson. I didn't see him at the

services. How is he?

Oh, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but he's in perfect health.

We brought you some beer from the guy inside the fridge. That's nice. James

always did like a cold beer after a hard day's work. He preferred the water.

You can sit down and plan all the time. I don't trust water.

You see what he did to the Titanic?

Look,

why don't I take it?

Laura,

I brought you ham.

Just what we needed.

Oh, child, I'm glad we ain't Jewish.

Well, look, since you brought a ham, why don't we try some of this? Let me fix

you all a plate.

Oh. No, thanks, Florida.

We're doing just fine, honey.

I mean, just fine.

We were just talking about the wild things James used to do down at the

Like the time with old Lord, uh -uh, Moran.

Moran was a sergeant in World War II.

Sucker thought he could run the Ravens like a boot camp. Yeah, he was all the

time going around talking about, hub, two, three, four, boobie, two, three,

four.

James listened to this one day just as long as he could, and he just got up and

picked up his hat and headed towards the door.

And old Moran said, hey, where you going?

And James turned slowly with a big smile on his face. He said, man, you keep

running this place like it's World War II. You might as well mouth me A -W -O

-N. I don't tell it like it is.

How can you laugh like that?

My father is dead.

And you're standing here laughing.

Don't you care?

Doesn't anybody care?

Michael.

folks there's plenty to eat and drink the night is young and there's plenty of

time left to party so come on enjoy yourselves hey come

on

everybody flo said we got a whole lot of food and nobody's eating that's right

so we're gonna have a special on guess what

Go on, everybody. Enjoy yourselves.

There's plenty of food.

Ma, can I talk to you inside? for a minute?

Not now, honey. I'm busy. Later.

All

right.

What's going on with you two?

funny about the hams.

Oh, Ma, I don't understand you.

It's bad enough you didn't cry at the funeral or at home, but you're out there

laughing in front of all our guests.

Oh, Ma, what's wrong?

Thelma, Michael, now there are some things you don't understand.

People have always acted this way. It's part of your heritage.

Back in Africa...

Folks mark the passing of a loved one by running up, tapping on the drums,

singing and dancing.

They don't mourn the death.

They celebrate the life.

Ma, we don't care about the old days.

Then we want to know what's happening now.

Just a minute.

Now, I want both of you to remember who's in this room.

You are the children. I am the parent.

Now, I don't have to act in a certain way to prove anything.

to anyone.

Now that includes you both.

Hey!

What's happening in here?

Ma ran by me so fast, I could have cut a cold from the draft.

JJ, what's wrong with Ma?

Why isn't she crying?

I don't know why she ain't crying, but one thing I know is she's suffering more

than any of us.

Well, I wish she would show a little of it.

You cried.

Hey, Thelma, don't go by me. I cry at stop signs.

The fact is that everybody cried at the funeral except Ma.

That don't mean Ma didn't love Dad.

Well, I'm going out there to stop them from laughing like that. Hey, Michael,

take it easy. You see those dudes from the plant? They're tough.

I mean, not even I can stop them.

They got muscles in their breath.

Oh, J .J., but how could you stand the laughing?

I mean, it all sounds like they're having a ball out there.

You gotta laugh to drown that one that's crying.

Now, y 'all coming out there with me?

No way. I'ma stand here till they leave.

That ain't gonna do y 'all no good. You should be out there with Mom.

Oh, she's doing all right. Out there laughing and beating.

Drums.

Beating the drum? What are you talking about?

I'm talking about our mother, JJ.

Daddy is...

Oh, Flo, come on. Look, I got to admit, it wouldn't have won any awards for

being good neighbors, but I loved him, and he liked me. Well, that's true.

You were the bright spot in his day. You know, James used to say, Flo, no matter

how bad things have been, Wilona was sure to do something that make it look

by comparison.

And that was a typical compliment from him to me.

Mr. Bookman, isn't it?

Yeah.

Nice gathering, isn't it?

Yeah, if you like funerals. Well, no one really likes funerals, Mr. Bookman, but

a wise man prepares.

Tell me, do you and Mrs. Bookman have some type of burial plan?

Yeah, we plan to put it off as long as possible.

The reason I ask, Mr. Bookman, is that I have two very choice plots available.

They're repossessions.

Repossessions? Yes.

You see, the man that bought them is having some financial difficulty, and he

wants to get out from under.

Hey, isn't that Arthur Davidson? The man with the terrible heart condition?

Oh, I better go check him out.

Mr. Evans, if there's... Anything that we can do. Oh, Reverend Gordon, you've

already done enough.

And, Mrs. Gordon, thank you so much for the pickled pig's feet. Wanda told me

how much James liked them. James never... Oh, they were his favorites.

Well, thank you for coming.

Press on, son.

Hang tough, Reb.

Mrs. Evans, I must be leaving now. Oh, thanks for that ceremony. Oh, you're

quite welcome.

Oh, Wanda, I'll see you Thursday. Who's funeral is it? Oh, no one you know, but

I'm sure you'll be there.

Well, oh, good.

Blow up, Ned. The wino's here, and he's got something in our brown paper bag.

Ned's always got something in a brown paper bag.

Oh, Ned, I'm so glad you came.

Thanks, Floyd.

I brought you something.

Oh?

It's a turkey.

A turkey? How nice. Thank the Lord.

I wanted to get you a ham, but the stew was all out.

This will get the piggies something to talk about. Here, my Lord.

In the bag.

Ned, why don't you stay and have something?

Well, thanks, Florida, but I got to get back on my hustle because... You know,

raising the money for that turkey put me way behind in my muscatel time, you

know what I mean?

But I wanted to say that I'm sure gonna miss Jane.

We all are.

Oh, thank you, Ned. Thank you.

Oh, Ned, wait a minute.

This is for you.

Oh, California wine.

My old stomach ain't used to this imported stuff, but I sure thank you.

I gotta run now, Flutter, but I'll come back to see you as soon as I can. Okay,

Ned. Thank you again for coming.

Yes, the Lord do move in mysterious ways.

That was a most magnificent spread. Thank you.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Oh, I remember, Florida. Here's a little something from the boys at Brady's.

Oh, how nice.

Be strong, sister.

I will, I will.

That was the best pay and respect I ever been to.

We laughed all night. You would have loved this.

J .J., I think you ought to go back there and see how Michael and Thelma

Oh, they're all right, Ma.

I don't think so.

They were pretty mad at me.

Oh, Ma.

They're not mad. It's just that everybody's under a little tension here.

I mean, look at me, Mr. Cool.

And I broke down at the funeral. I'm not sure what I was crying for.

What do you mean, J .J.? Well, was I crying because I missed Dad or because

suddenly afraid of becoming man of the house?

Well, sorry. Well, I got to be on my way. I got things to do.

Oh, thank you, Mr. Bookman, for coming.

If you hadn't stayed so long, we'd still have two hams left.

Oh, by the way, the laundry room will be closed tomorrow.

Oh. What'd you do, running out for another crap game?

That's what I say, Jay.

Thanks again for coming, Mr. Bookman.

Well,

Lord, I got to go. I got to catch the late bus to Detroit.

My cousin Walter went to the hospital for a checkup. Poor Walter. I just can't

believe he's gone.

Wonder, maybe he'll recover.

But I already got the bus ticket.

Well, Florida, you be brave. And you take care of her, you hear, JJ?

Well, listen, uh...

If you all want to come to my house for dinner, you're welcome.

Good. I think I know where I can get a couple of hams.

Well, um, call me if you need me. Okay, yeah, yeah, fine.

Well, that's that.

Ooh, this place is a mess. I better get started.

Hey, Ma, let us help you. Hey, Tomo, Michael!

No. That's all right, JJ. I don't need any help.

JJ, I said I don't need any help.

Oh, no, no, Ma. We're not going to. Thelma, I said no!

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

thinking how it almost can be died.

Good times, good times,

keeping your head above water, making a wave when you can.

Temporary layoffs, good times.

Good times is videotape in front of a studio audience.