Original subtitles

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

Good time, anytime you're out and under.

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

Making a way when you can.

Temporary layoffs. Good time.

Hey, Ma, what's for dinner? I'm starving.

Well, the chicken dynasty is still on.

Wait a minute, a few days ago we had chicken breast.

Yeah, and the day before yesterday we had chicken wings.

Yeah, and yesterday we had chicken legs.

In other words, today's menu is going to be last exit to chicken city.

And using it all, we're having chicken stew.

Oh, that figures.

singing telegrams. We're the real live cable.

Oh, man.

I've always heard it's dangerous to touch a live cable, but in this case,

give it a shot.

JJ.

Girls, I think you're in the wrong place.

Well, this is apartment 17C, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

Well, we have a message for Pookie Poo.

Wookie who?

Sounds like you're looking for someone Hawaiian. I'm sorry, but Don Ho moved

of the project years ago.

widow with answers to the name of Pookie Pooh. Really?

Pookie Pooh.

Pookie Pooh.

Pookie Pooh.

Pookie Pooh.

That used to be my nickname 20 years ago.

Oh, my goodness. I bet I know who... Because Raymond's coming

at you.

Pookie Pooh.

Because Raymond's coming at you.

Nice little tip included.

And get yourself an arranger here.

the way you did 20 years ago.

And 30 pounds ago.

Just more you to admire, fool.

And what a lovely family you got.

Oh, I've been keeping tabs on you.

Now, this lean being here, this must be J .J.

J .J., I've heard you're quite a man with the ladies.

Well, you know, what can I say?

Obviously, you've been reading the... Society pages.

No, uh, efficient strength.

And this must be Michael, the legal eagle. Right again.

Cousin Raymond, Mama has told us a lot about you. It's good to meet you, man.

Good to meet you, too, Michael. All right.

And this?

Not Thelma.

But I can't believe my eyes.

Last time I saw you, you were wearing diapers.

I remember holding you. I remember changing you, too.

The way I remember it, it was you who had to change your suit.

Mr.

Maimon, I'd like you to meet my husband, Keith Anderson.

Nice to meet you, Raymond. You, too, man.

Tell him, honey, you've done all right for yourself, I see.

Yeah, he used to have a Cadillac.

Take your coat. Thank you, darling. And you sit down and make yourself

comfortable.

It isn't much, but we call it home.

Sit down. What she means is it's home and we call it not much. Sit on down.

You know, Raymond, I got a bone to pick with you. I bet.

Hey, you disappeared.

She took me in to live with her and her family.

Yeah, your mama raised me almost single -handed.

And this was the hand that did it, remember?

Let's just say that I've got it etched in my memory.

Yeah, but it was love in every sweat.

Mind you, there were some days when I felt it was a little bit too much of

love.

What made you stay away so long?

Fook, you remember the time we used to always talk about making it big?

I remember you talking about trying to make it big.

You did the talking. I just listened.

Oh, Raven, I had such high hopes for you then.

I dreamed of you being the first black president.

Well, if you ever make it, brother, don't forget to appoint me as ambassador

Lola Falana.

The way it looks, it seems most of your dreams have come true.

Well, Pokino, I made up my mind that I wouldn't come back until I had made my

own.

And now I'm not ashamed to say I have made it. All right.

So I'm here now to share some of that with my people.

Boy, and I can feel my love blooming.

Especially with all that green to fertilize it.

You appear to have a lot of cash stashed away somewhere.

How do you make your money?

Michael, shush.

Forgive him, Raymond. He didn't mean to pry.

Oh, that's all right.

But where did you make your money?

Well, I made some good investments.

Oh, you play the market. Something like that, yeah.

Yeah, well, I'm in the market myself.

A &P, shopping bag, find a food.

I invested that lettuce when it was at 29.

Should have held on to it. But old Thumb over there ate up a tomato and lettuce

and mayonnaise sandwich and messed up the whole investment every time.

J .J., you are funny.

Oh, before I forget, I brought some presents here for everybody.

Here you go.

Presents. Hey, Cousin Raymond, hey, man, you shouldn't have.

Raymond, this is necessary. Oh, come on, Flo, I got a lot.

And it gives me great joy to share it with the ones I call my family.

All right. Come on, let's not deny the man his joy.

Look at this.

Great painters of the world. Thanks, Cousin Ray Ray.

Yeah, and when the next edition comes, I expect you to be in it.

Wow,

look at this.

Isn't this dress beautiful?

It is lovely.

You said it beautifully, darling.

Hey, a gold watch.

Now, that just ain't a watch, boy.

This watch has its own mini -computer. Yeah? Look here.

Hey, you sure done. Look at it. It says exactly half past the square root of 35.

Here you are, an alligator wallet.

And there's $100 in there for good luck, which is more than the alligator could

say, huh?

Well, I can't accept it.

No, I didn't say that.

Your present is so special that it's going to have to wait till after dinner.

I'm inviting everybody to dinner this evening at Yamadori's, the finest

restaurant in town.

Ah, so.

Number one son -in -law of Pookie, happy to join you in bowl of suki.

Well, it was in the old days, eh, Pook?

Remember?

We used to be so down sometimes, we had to reach up.

To tie our shoes?

But shoes.

Hi. Hi, hi.

How are you?

What was the right time for me to make this cup of sugar I borrowed from you?

I bet.

I'm the loner.

This is cornmeal.

You might want to fry some fish. Oh, boy.

Hi. Now, let me introduce myself.

I'm Raymond Brown, the coolest man in town.

I'm Alona Woods, I think.

And you're coming to dinner with us this evening?

Well, I'd love to, of course.

Oh, don't be so shy, you two.

Hey, speaking of dinner, what am I going to do with all that chicken stew?

There's the buffalo butt.

Buffalo.

Mr.

Bookman, this is my cousin, Raymond Brown.

Raymond, this is Nathan Bookman, our super.

How you doing, Bookman? Hey, man.

Show me something.

Is that your big limo down there that's blocking 34th Street, 35th Street, and

36th Street?

Now, wait a minute. Lay it off a little bit there.

Man, I've always wanted to sit in something that looked like a hearse. and

be lying down.

Be my guest.

Well, of course, you know, I hate to just sit around on an empty stomach,

Evans, so, you know, since the... Okay, Bookman.

This ought to keep you for a half an hour. Oh, Miss Evans, come on. I cannot

a whole pot of chicken stew without some bread and butter, french fries, a

little sweet cocktail.

Get on out of here with yourself.

Hey, man, at least give me something to rinse this stuff down with. Try Lake

Michigan.

You got a straw?

Cousin Raymond, I just can't wait to see what you have for pookie pook. All

right, Thelma.

You see what you started.

No, no, no.

No, that one's going to have to wait until after dinner.

Yeah, I'm going to savor this one to the very last drop.

But I promise you one thing.

You won't be disappointed.

You know, there's an old Japanese saying.

how to get down.

Lord, give me strength.

This place is beautiful, Amy.

Yeah, but do they have to steal your shoes?

Hey, JJ, it's just a tradition.

Aren't you familiar with Japanese culture?

Oh, yeah. I've seen all the Godzilla's movies.

The last time I sat like this was when we got behind in the payment and they

repossessed our furniture.

Well, those days are gone forever.

Ryoko, the very best for my family. Yes.

Panasonic to you too, Mama.

No,

but in American, what do you call this?

Finger bowl.

You know,

JJ, I tell you, man, you got too much class.

Too much class.

Would you care for some before dinner? Sure.

100 % Mount Fuji.

Wilona, Mount Fuji is a volcano.

Tell me about it.

Can I have a refill of lava? I mean, drink?

You do not wish to use chopsticks.

I will bring forth.

No, the kid wants to eat with some chopsticks.

I don't believe in a chopstick eating with chopsticks.

Mr. Brown, you have a telephone call.

Thank you. You're welcome.

Excuse me a moment.

Imagine that.

Getting a telephone call in a restaurant.

You know, Raymond must be important.

JJ, what's the matter? I'm sure the fish is fresh.

It's fresh, all right.

It's still trying to get away.

Don't you all know that raw fish is a Japanese delicacy?

I just remembered I've got to tell Raymond something.

That's the kind of news I love to hear.

The galleon came in in the ninth and paid ten to one?

Why, that's another 20 grand.

Man, I want a real hot streak, you hear me?

Yeah, I'll be down in the morning to pick up that money personally.

It's closing day at Arlington Park.

Man, the way my luck is running, I got the feeling I might take home the track.

See you, baby.

Raymond, is this your investment business?

The horses?

That's where it's at.

I really enjoyed that. I was freezing down on my face eating that food and

getting to it.

Cousin Raymond, I want you to know I'll always have a warm spot for you right

here. Yeah, that raw fish will do it to you every time.

Well, I'm going to be saying goodnight.

Well, don't forget, we got a date for tomorrow night.

I know.

Raymond, I never believed in Cinderella, but after an evening with you, I'm

going to go home and hot wax my feet because I want the glass lip of the

Well, don't worry about it too much, Malona.

I got one for every size.

Lord, Lord.

You know, you have a way of making a woman feel like, uh...

She's a teenager, even though she's only 22.

I'll see you later.

Boogie Pooh!

Yes?

Well, it's time for that present I promised you.

Gather round, everybody.

I hope to Fort Knox.

Not quite.

This is the key out of the ghetto.

To a three -bedroom apartment on Lakeview Drive.

Hey, man.

And this is our cashier's check for $10 ,000 to pay for the first year's lease.

We have one. We have one.

Hey, man, I don't know about that.

You don't have...

This is what we've been waiting for. It's perfect. A three -bedroom

That means Michael has his own bedroom. I have my own bedroom. You have your own

bedroom. We can leave both Thelma and Keith right here.

Very funny, JJ.

Ma, just think of what a new apartment would mean to us.

When we walk into the lobby, we'll be stepping on real carpet instead of Ned

Rhino. Thelma, I'm still not sure.

And when you rode up on the elevator, you'd have Lake Michigan to look at,

not... For a good time, call Roxanne.

Mama, aren't you the one who's saying that you always wanted to get out of the

ghetto? This doesn't make any sense. Maybe not.

But before you all decide, maybe you should know how your cousin Raymond

living.

He's a gambler.

I play the horses.

Woo, that was close.

For a minute there, I thought he did something crooked like being a

Raymond is still a gambler.

Now, listen, everybody, you're just going to have to give me some time to

about this. What's there to think about, Pookie?

When you had a dime, you gave me a nickel.

All I want to do is give back some love to the only people I call family.

Raymond, you gambled for a little...

millionaires. Big diamond ring today and then the pawn shop tomorrow. No, Raven,

no! Not me, Pookie.

When I play the horses, I win.

Every time?

Look, we did move into that fancy place. I can't expect you to keep coming

around like some Santa Claus bringing expensive toys.

Maybe Ma is right.

Thank you. Maybe apartment is a little too much.

Make it a Cadillac.

I think it's time for Keith and I to say goodnight. Goodnight, cousin.

Goodnight, y 'all. Bye -bye.

Goodnight, children.

Now look here, Pokey.

I want you to take this $10 ,000.

And don't worry about keeping up the apartment.

I'll be here to help out.

That's my pookie.

Bye, boy.

I put $2 down that day to double. I have so much bread. Next

time I go to McDonald's, I just order two all -beef patties.

Yeah, JJ, and I'll get a chauffeur to drive me to college. That'll give me

time to study.

What's happening to you kids?

Ma, just preparing for wealth.

Whoo,

we're going to dance our way through life.

From now, it's going to be goodbye ghetto, hello dance.

Say goodbye. I'm leaving town.

I had a bad day at the track.

Oh, what's the big deal, Ray? You had one bad day.

You know, you got to take the good with the bad, the better with the sweet, the

up with the downs.

I lost everything.

$80 ,000.

Hey, howdy, howdy.

Pardon me while I go jump out the window.

Pastor Raymond, you lost $80 ,000?

All the steak I had.

Hey, but you had a system. You couldn't lose.

Well, I knew that, and you knew that, but the horses didn't know it.

Wipe me out.

You're not wiped out.

You know that $10 ,000 you gave me?

Well... I didn't take that apartment.

I never intended to, Raymond.

This is your money. No, no, no.

I can't take it.

I gave that money to you.

Well, it's here if you need it.

Bye, boys.

Bye, Pookie.

Uh... They... They are...

The ponies are running at Hollywood Park.

I just know I'm going to be a big winner.

I can feel it.

I'll run it up for you.

You live in that apartment.

You might even get a condominium.

Bye, Pookie.

We'll be here when you need us.

dreamer but I love you Raymond

Good times is videotape before studio audience.