Original subtitles

There's no place like home.

With your family around you, you're never alone.

With your love that you love, you don't need to roam. Cause there's no place

like home.

Times are changing every day.

We won't get by with old flame away.

Pulled together, we'll make it right.

With help from our friends, I... No, we can fly.

No place like home.

With your family around you, you're never alone.

With so much love, you don't need to roam. Cause there ain't no...

Come over here, girl.

Turn around.

Aren't you a pretty thing?

Turn around and let me look at you. Mom, you're making her blush.

Don't tell me you're still shy.

He's just like your father. Come on, sit down.

Well, now, he couldn't have been too shy. Our daughter wouldn't be here.

You know, before your family moved to Ohio, I saved your father's life.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

It was a choppy day on the Potomac. And you and Fred were in a little rowboat

and a big boat.

causing a big wave, and Brent fell in.

He jumped in, and despite his kicking and screaming, pulled him to shore,

his life.

So you have heard the story?

Many times, except in Daddy's version, he saved your life.

So, Dinah, what is it like being away from home?

Oh, Brent, I'm so nervous. I mean, it's such a big city. I don't know anybody

here. Oh, don't you worry about a thing. You'll make lots of friends in no time.

Not me. When I was a little kid, it took me three years just to wave back to Mr.

Rogers.

Well, now, I want you to consider this home, and you're with your family now.

just get in that kitchen and wash those dishes.

Donna, I'm just kidding.

I'm really glad to hear that.

Oh, should I get the door? Donna!

My goodness.

Oh, hi, Mary. Hi, Brooke. Come on in.

Thank you.

Oh, Pearl Shea, I want you to meet Donna Dalton.

She's going to be staying with us for a few days. Oh. Just until I move into the

dorms at Howard University. Well, let's show Donna to her room. Oh, great.

Excuse us, Pearl. All right.

I hope you're going to be comfortable here, Donna.

And I'm getting out of here before they lay a cup of eggs.

What? Mary, this woman has got me at the end of my rope.

It should be around your neck, you. What? Did you hear that?

Yes. Everybody in Washington heard it.

George Washington heard it.

Mary, Sandra is three months late with her rent. Now, you know I am a very

understanding person. Huh.

But I told her she didn't have that rent money by the end of the week. She was

out of here.

All the favors I've done for her.

Favors? What favors?

What about last week? You were feeling kind of low.

You spent all that money on a new dress and you didn't know if it was

attractive. You came to me for help. I looked you straight in the eye and said

it was gorgeous.

I lied, Rose.

Well, I can lie, too.

Remember when I said you had till the end of the week to make your rent? Well,

make that tomorrow.

Uh, Mary, I've got to go. I'm meeting my roommate for lunch.

Bye, Brent. Bye.

Hey.

the solution to Sandra's problem.

She should have lunch?

No, a roommate to share the rent.

Oh, I love it.

It's just so charming.

Hello, hello.

I'm Rose Holloway, the landlady here, and this is Miss Sandra Clark.

Pleased to meet you, Muffin T.

Matthews. Muffin? Oh, that's not my real name.

I just use it for the beauty pageant.

Beauty pageant? Oh, and may I say that living with you would be so fulfilling

and rewarding.

What are you, Miss Congeniality?

No, I'm Miss Tuscaloosa.

And next year, we're going after Miss America.

My manager says I'm a perfect ten.

Oh, what a shame!

Why? She has it in the least. Two perfect tens can't share the same

Here's the first and last month's rent and, of course, the security deposit.

Janet, you know, you look very familiar. Have we ever met before?

Oh, no, child, I don't think so.

I don't socialize very much.

Perfect. I'm sure you guys will get along just great.

Okay.

I guess you're the one.

Welcome aboard.

We're glad to have you here.

Hey, baby, do I get my own room, or do we share one, huh?

What you doing, baby?

Wait, let me talk to you a minute.

Baby, talk to her.

Please, one more time.

Come on.

Please let me... Ow!

Woo, every day these sales are getting tougher and tougher.

You should have seen that tug -of -war I had on that blouse I bought. Mm -hmm,

and if I had a better grip on it, it would have been mine.

You do get a job?

No, I got a roommate.

A roommate? You didn't like any of the six girls we talked to. But you didn't

see the latest one.

Oh, here she comes, right now.

Hello, I'm Mary. Hi, Miss Holloway.

I thought you were rooming at the Don.

Well, they overbooked. And when I told Miss Clark... Well, I decided to take

little Donna here under my wing.

Let's go tidy up the nest.

I got a lot of work to do.

Donna? Sandra, think about that.

I don't want to think about it, Rose.

So you get rashes?

Oh, and blisters, too.

I break out something awful.

Well, if this doesn't bother you that much, I'll do all the laundry, too.

Don't you worry about it.

Oh, all right.

But remember, now, we share the cooking. You only have to make dinner Monday,

Wednesday, and Friday night.

That's fair.

Yeah, the other nights I'll be out.

Sounds like you go out a lot.

Yeah, I'm on a little hot streak.

Started when I was 14.

Maybe I'm just a late bloomer.

I get all nervous around guys. I never know what to say or do.

Fix the clock. My date is right on time.

Date? I thought you said an insurance salesman was coming.

I said a cute insurance salesman.

I said, he's your date? Mm -hmm, but he doesn't know it yet. Take notes.

Oh, good evening, Miss Clark. Good evening, Mr. Langford. Come in, come in.

This is my roommate, Donna.

Ah, nice to meet you.

Uh, nice to meet you, too, Donna. Have a seat.

Thank you.

Well, we might as well get started, huh?

Now, you said that you were interested in life insurance.

Yeah, I figured I'd buy some while I'm young and full of pent -up energy.

Right. Now, you don't have any major medical problems, do you?

No. I think everything is in place.

Yeah, I see what you mean.

Now, I have to ask you a series of questions.

You know, Tony, I feel terrible about asking you to come out at this time,

dinner time.

I know you must be starving. I know I am.

No, it's all right. I'll just grab something afterward.

Well, that's a good idea.

You know, but a nice man like you needs a nice candlelight dinner.

Glass of imported wine, some nice music.

Donna, could you get my coat?

You know what I mean?

Yeah, um... I know this French restaurant, and it's nearby.

Well, that sounds good.

What about the insurance?

Well, we can talk about it while we're dancing.

say Donna upstairs in Sandra's apartment is a bad move.

Well, Donna just have to learn. Time comes when these kids have to leave the

coop. Same thing's gonna happen with Brenda.

I know that. I already told her. When she's 35, she's out.

I don't understand the big rush to introduce her to Deacon Barnes' son.

Because I want her to meet somebody who's nice.

Lord knows who she'll meet up in Sandra's apartment.

Well, you sure picked the right kid.

But Donna, Date, and Robert, they won't get around to kissing until the year

2000.

I know.

I was going to save him for Brenda, but this is an emergency.

Hi, Robert.

Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins.

How you doing, Robert?

How's your parents?

Everyone's fine. Is Miss Dalton here?

Not yet. She'll be down shortly.

Why don't you have a seat?

So, where are you and Donna going tonight?

Well, sir, I thought we might start off by going to the sing -along at the

church social.

And then stop by that new yogurt place.

Tonight they change the flavor of the muck.

That sounds real exciting.

Well, I think that's a wonderful first date, Robert. Right, honey?

Oh, yeah. I hope Donna will think so. She sounded really nice on the phone.

Oh, she is. She is.

Nice, quiet, shy girl.

Ah, that must be her now.

know what you're gonna say. I know that purse don't go with them shoes. You know

what? Maybe I got some stuff in the sequins. I'll see you out front, okay?

Here, give me.

Uh, maybe you ought to introduce Robert to Donna.

As soon as he puts his eyeballs back in their pocket.

Um, Donna, this is Robert Barnes.

Robert, uh, meet Donna.

Yeah, we better go.

These are for you.

Bless you.

Well, I'll tell you one thing. Donna sure ain't the same sweet, quiet girl. I

mean, two weeks ago, she couldn't pass the mirror without saying, excuse me.

Speak of the devil. Here comes Donna now.

Madonna. I mean, Donna.

I think we need to talk. Sure, Mary. What about?

About your, your, um, difference.

Oh, I know. Isn't it wonderful? I feel like a whole new person. I've never had

this much fun in my entire life.

I feel so good and confident about myself.

Coming to see you and Uncle Lester has been the best thing that's ever happened

to me. Oh, I love it here.

straighten her out.

Oh, hi.

Donna.

Yeah, Donna.

Is Sandra home?

No, Sandra called.

She said she'd be a little late.

What did she say? How late?

You know Sandra.

You look... You look different.

Yeah.

I feel different, too.

Lately, I've got a lot of pent -up energy.

I hope Sandra hasn't forgotten it's a 7 .30 curtain.

Oh, I hope not, too.

I'd hate to think of you sitting in that theater all alone with your arm wrapped

around an empty...

You know, you remind me of somebody.

Just think of all the hungry theater -goers in this town, and one seat has

to be wasted.

Which show are you going to see?

Cats. Oh, cats.

I read the book by T .S. Eliot. It's based on his poem.

Oh, have you seen the show?

No, I'd love to.

And I'm sure Sandra would, too.

Wherever she is.

The show starts in about 20 minutes. I don't think she's going to make it.

What about you?

Would you care to join me in seeing Cat?

She went out with my date and used my ticket to see cats.

And all because I was just a little late.

Don't you think you're overreacting?

Well, maybe I could have called her.

Actually, it probably was just an innocent little thing. It probably did

some good.

Poor Tony was probably bored to death.

Oh, hi, Mary.

Oh, Sandra, there you are. There was nobody at your apartment, so the

man left these with me.

Oh, you're welcome.

Where are you going?

Oh, the delivery man's a friend of mine.

He'll be back for some tea.

Oh, Mary, you know what? These are probably from Tony apologizing for last

night. Now, you see there, you were all upset for nothing.

Dear Snookums.

Snookums?

Snookums?

Please accept these flowers as well as an invitation to dinner Friday.

La Bamba?

Child, that place is so expensive, even the doorman takes credit cards.

a stake in judgment. Nobody, I mean, nobody messes with Saundra Claus.

What are you so upset about? You've got a hundred guys calling you.

Well, today it's 99.

You told me to take notes. Well, that's all I told you to take.

Now, I got three words for you. You pack your bags.

Oh, make it five.

Get out.

Donna, I think it's time we had a talk. Sit down. Well, after... Actually, I was

about to... Sit down.

Now look, Donna, you're going too fast.

You keep going like this, you're going to get hurt.

I'm having a ball for the first time in my life. You call taking somebody else's

boyfriend and having wild parties a ball?

And another thing, about your makeup.

What about my makeup?

Donna, it is too much.

I mean, you look like you're advertising for one of those street girls.

Well, if that's the way you feel, then that's fine.

Because come Monday morning, I won't be living here.

I'll get my own apartment where I can be myself.

Well, now, that's just great, but today is Friday.

And just who do you think is going to put up with that selfish little girl

you've become until then?

Don't you worry about me.

I think I know someplace where I'm wanted.

Look what the cat dragged in.

Anna!

Marie!

How are you doing?

Brad, look.

How are you?

What a surprise.

Yeah, they just flew in from Ohio to see how their little Donna was doing in the

big city.

We just couldn't stand being away from our little baby.

So how is she doing? We were hoping her being away from home would help her to

stretch.

Oh, she has.

Like a rubber band.

You know, Mary, soon you're going to be going through the same thing with

Brenda. Oh, no, no.

Lester and I have decided to send Brenda to school locally.

So where is our little princess?

Well, she's probably up there. Why don't you sit down?

Oh, yeah, yeah, sit, sit, sit.

So, how is the weather in Ohio?

Oh, fine.

Mary, why don't you go upstairs and bring Donna down here?

You know how long it's been since I've been in Ohio?

Yeah, we were just talking about that. Uh, Ida, Fred, excuse me a minute.

Mary, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute? We'll be right back.

Okay.

What's wrong?

What's wrong? Yeah.

Nothing.

Donna just stole Sandra's boyfriend, then Sandra kicked her out of the

apartment, then she came down here and had it out with me, then she marched out

of here to spend the weekend. Only the good Lord knows where.

Mary, how could you let this happen? How could I let...

I'm afraid we're depending on us to keep an eye on her. He's my best friend. How

am I going to face him? What am I going to do?

Just go out there and tell him the truth.

Maybe I should have let him drown.

Hey, Lester, is everything okay? Oh, sure, man. Set a house.

Excuse me. Excuse me.

There. That's all our clothes.

Those are Donna's clothes.

Yes, they are.

And this is Sandra Clark.

Who does our laundry?

Your what?

Pardon. The laundry.

She likes when you say it in French.

You know, Mary, there's a couple of things I'd like to say to you. Oui, oui,

oui.

Oui, oui, mademoiselle.

When will Don be back?

Lester?

Uh, friend, you remember that time when I saved your life?

No.

Uh, well, Mary has something to tell you.

Um, well, it's about Donna.

She's, um, come back.

Oh, it's Dad!

We rise!

You're looking great. Look at her. Hey, sit down and tell us all about how

you're doing.

Mary, could you help me get something to drink for my parents?

Why, certainly, Dada.

Well?

You were right.

I'm not ready for life in the fast lane.

No.

I went over to Tony's place, and he said that I could sleep on the couch.

Mm -hmm.

I didn't know he planned on sleeping there, too. What happened?

Nothing, nothing.

I got out of there, and I went to my girlfriend's dorm.

I'll be able to stay there, and I think that's what's best for me. I think so,

too.

I want to apologize for the way that I've acted.

It all seems so easy.

I thought that I could get anything I wanted and never mind who I hurt.

But now I realize that I can't do that anymore.

Well, as long as you really realize that now.

I'm going to go apologize to Sandra.

Donna, it's really nice having the old Donna back.

Well, not completely.

I plan on keeping just a little bit of the new me.

Oh?

Okay.

Until I get a date for homecoming.

Deal.