Original subtitles

Good time.

What's for dinner?

Filet mignon.

Huh? Soon as I flatten out the filet and beat the daylights out of the mignon.

Actually, we're having round steak.

Yeah. That meat looks like it's been around a long time.

Oh, James.

Hello.

Please don't ask me what happened at school today.

What happened at school today, Junior?

Like I said, please don't ask me what happened at school today. I'm not the

of guy to freak on his sister no matter how obnoxious she is.

Did something happen to Thelma?

Ma, please don't ask me. Like I said before, my lips are sealed.

Wild horses couldn't tear it from me.

Thelma got called into the vice principal's office.

Now, What for?

Like I told you, Dad, I don't know.

All I know is that Little Miss Perfect got called in to see the principal in

charge of vice.

The vice principal is not in charge of vice.

Mom, you haven't been to school lately.

I do know that Selma wouldn't do anything wrong.

Now, what happened, Junior?

I don't know. Like I told you before, all I know is that it made my day.

She probably cut a class.

Oh, J .J.

Thelma would never cut a class.

But it must have been something serious like that. The vice principal kept me in

there for a whole hour.

Oh, yeah?

Well, how do you know she was in there for a whole hour?

I cut class so I could time her.

Well, just because she had a long discussion with the vice principal does

mean that Thelma is in any trouble.

Well, Ma, it must mean.

I mean, I've been in the vice principal's office a hundred times, and

always been trouble.

You know something, Joanie? You might as well be in the CIA, because the more

you talk, the more you hang yourself.

Uh, moving back to Thelma.

Uh, Ma, you know, they probably caught her smoking in the girls' bathroom.

Thelma smoking?

Quiet, Michael.

Now, J .J., you know your sister does not smoke.

Well, how... What about those clorets? You found in the room.

Is there something going on here I don't know about? Honey, there is nothing

going on. Well, what about them clorets? Yeah, what about them clorets?

Now, James, you and I both know that Thelma wouldn't do anything wrong.

Well, I know she ain't doing nothing wrong until you tell me what she's doing

wrong.

Maybe she is smoking.

James, I suspect that those clorets are for kissing, not smoking.

Yeah, it's that new dude she's going out with, ain't it? I don't like him. I

mean, he dresses too fly for me. And whenever I ask him where they're going,

just says, out.

And I can't get a straight answer out of him. And then he don't look you

straight in the eye.

Maybe he's putting on in some of his bad ways.

Oh, James.

Well, she got to be doing something wrong, Florida.

Young lady, I want you to stop seeing that shifty -eyed dude. And whatever it

you've done in school, you can come out with it right now.

Thelma, honey, we know you were called into the vice principal's office.

It, uh, just kind of slipped out, Thelma.

Slipped out?

With your mouth, it's an avalanche.

Well, for your information, toothpick, I was called in so they can tell me I

have a good chance for a scholarship!

A scholarship!

Now, see, Florida, got me all upset for nothing.

You think there was something wrong? Ain't a thing wrong.

Oh, James, can you ever forgive me?

Tell me, what kind of scholarship? To where? To the Alliston School for Girls.

To what?

Where? Sound like a home for unwed mothers.

Now, if you keep popping them chops, you're going to be going to the home for

unglued brothers.

boarding school in Michigan and happens to be the highest rated high school in

the state.

Sounds like a snob school to me.

Well, all I know is they're offering scholarships to needy blacks.

You mean token blacks.

Aw, cool it, Millerton midget.

Aw, they probably got it there in a football scholarship.

With her bill, they probably signed up for a linebacker.

With your bill, you'd be one of the yard strikes.

That's right.

Thelma,

why go to Alliston?

We have a high school right here.

Well, for one thing, Michael, she can go to the girls' room without a police

escort.

Thelma, we're so proud of you.

Sure, baby girl.

It's a big opportunity.

Allison has a great record for college placement.

If I get good grades there, I have a better chance to get into one of the top

universities in the country.

Oh, you know something, Thelma?

Your daddy and I never said much about our dreams for you and your schooling

because we didn't think we could afford it.

But now...

With this kind of a break, oh, I'm just sure you're going to make something

great of yourself.

Maybe even a cocktail waitress.

Oh, be cool, Johnny. Can't you see what we got here as a future lawyer?

A doctor.

Mom, I can just see it.

Thelma Evans, M .D.

Medical disaster.

You know, I'm seriously thinking about sending you to Detroit, see, can I get

one of them $500 rebates?

Hi, y 'all. Hey, Melona. Melona.

So we just won a scholarship to that Allison School for Girls. Oh, hi.

Congratulations.

Always knew you had it in you. Now, what are you going to wear?

Oh, she's got a lot of nice clothes.

And I'm going to make a few more dresses.

Oh, Flo, honey, I don't think homemade dress is going to get it. That school is

very foxy.

So, well, Malone is going to make sure she is the foxiest of the foxes.

They got some stuff down at the boutique, honey, that just screams, R -I

rich, hey!

And I got a wallet that just screams, P -O -P -O, hey!

What counts is what she learns, not what she wears.

Right, Ma.

Thelma wants to become a doctor.

But Ma may not make it. Honey, it don't even matter.

Because the way I'm going to address you, if you can't become a doctor, you

can catch one.

She's not going there to catch a man. She's going there to study.

Look, both of you. No, no, no. Wait, wait, wait. No, she's going to study.

she needs is my study ensemble.

Oh.

Apprentice chiffon blouse with clinging pants.

You know, that cling a little and swing a little and shows a little and

withholds a little.

What's all that got to do with studying?

Jane, it might not help her studying, but it sure will give the boys something

to study.

What Delva should wear is my Malcolm X t -shirt, Michael.

Florida, you know what I got in mind?

What? An aqua suit, you know?

with a matching jacket, with a long, flowing flip skirt, gold earrings,

bracelets, lots of chains around my neck. Oh, I can see her. She's going to

great arriving on that campus with her flip skirt and her lots and lots of

chains and carrying a cardboard suitcase.

Oh, don't worry about that, babe. We're going to get her matching luggage.

We already got that 2AMP shopping bag.

right now if you're going to this alliston school for girls we got to do

thing up right yeah don't you worry baby girl we'll come up with the money

somehow see don't you forget now you're part of a family and everybody in this

family is willing to make whatever sacrifice we've got it for you that's

like to take a vote on that

Go first class, baby girl. We'll make sure you get in on all them activities

you're going to have every advantage all the rest of them girls have.

Listen,

I'm not sure I got the scholarship yet.

Well, how you let us get so worked up about it then?

I said I had a good chance to get it. Well, when will you know about it,

This afternoon, I hope.

They're having a meeting on it and Mr. Adler, the vice principal, said he'd

call.

And as soon as you get the word from the man, you come down to the boutique, and

I will dress you so fine, you will make Cher look like Sunny, honey.

You know, there's two other girls who might have a chance.

Juanita Gonzalez and Sally Eaglefeather.

Being underprivileged is getting crowded.

Hello?

What?

No, man, you got the wrong list.

Some fool wants me to trade my Cadillac in on a Mercedes.

Well, I can get dinner started.

James. Huh? A watched phone never rings.

Anything I can help you with?

Mm -hmm.

You can take out the garbage.

Okay. Ma, you know, I'm getting worried.

It's not going to be easy to become a doctor.

Oh, you can do it.

Lots of kids talk about those things, but sometimes they don't happen.

Now, you stop thinking like that. You can do it.

You're going to get that scholarship, and you can do it.

I'm not sure.

Maybe I don't have the talent.

Oh, you do, too.

Now, you're just as smart and just as competent as anybody else.

Whatever you want to do, you can do.

Oh, someday you're going to be a doctor, a specialist, the top

brain surgeon of the world.

Now take out the garbage.

What do you

think you're doing?

Calling my friend Alvin. I want to know if he wants to play basketball with me

tomorrow. You better hang up that phone.

I'm supposed to want to call God a prayer.

If you don't hang up that phone, you're going to have to.

I'm sorry, miss. You must have had a wrong number. Ain't nobody here named

Samson. Holy, that's me!

Samson?

Hello, Delilah, baby.

Hang up that phone. You know we expect an important call.

Hold it, Dad. I've been cultivating this chick for a couple of months now. I got

a feeling the crops are just about to come in.

Give me a second.

All right, but make it snappy.

Hello. Delilah yeah I knew you was gonna call our cosmos must be in tune

oh now come on you're just saying that now there must be

some dude handsomer than me somewhere okay then I agree that you're right

cause there's none other like kid

And I said, make it snappy, nappy.

Dad, when Cupid shoots his arrow, you don't eliminate the target.

Who is the principal he's supposed to call? Goodbye, Delilah.

I'll see you to mess me up with Delilah. Yeah, sometimes when you are, when you

order a Big Mac, the girl has to lift it for you.

Tell us it's good news.

Maybe the Lord don't tap no phones.

school i'm still glad you got that scholarship i can't believe it i'm going

the alliston school for girls that's right baby girl you're going away

james our

baby girl is leaving us oh no ma don't worry about it i'll still be

here please don't make things worse

home a lot, all summer, Easter, Christmas, and I write a lot, too.

Yeah, whenever she needs money.

Doesn't anybody care? Summer is going away.

Oh, now, Floyd, it ain't the end of the world. It's the beginning of a dream.

Hey, Dad, that's a great line. I think I'll use that on Delilah next time she

says no.

I'm going to miss summer, too, Mama. Sure, baby. We're all going to miss her.

Okay, I'm thinking about it.

I'll miss you too, Thelma.

Honest, I will.

But I get your room.

I get a bed.

Oh, no, you don't.

I'm the oldest and the longest.

Oh,

no, you don't.

Stop it, both of you.

Well, let's look on the bright side of this thing. You're not losing a

is grabbing her room.

Ma?

Well, I thought I handled the situation very diplomatically.

I didn't even mention once about all the new bathroom time I'll be getting.

Well, the warden's got John, boy. We got you.

Now, come on, baby.

Don't take it so hard.

We both knew it was going to happen someday.

Yeah, but...

Someday meant someday, not now.

Honey, our baby girl is leaving us.

Well, Florida means she's just going to school. It ain't like she's going to the

slammer.

I mean, look at the bright side.

She's getting ready to get a good education that's going to be free.

She'll have a chance to make something out of herself.

I ask you, is that something to cry about?

Oh, look at this.

Her second birthday.

She's blowing out the candles on her cake.

Yeah. We never told her that it was from a day -old bakery.

Looks like she couldn't read, huh?

Happy birthday, Sophia.

I'm just jiving, baby, just jiving.

Come on, snap out of it.

Oh, she was four years old wearing my high heels.

Yeah, cute as a bug's ear, wasn't she?

Oh, now, baby, you see, that's the way it's got to be. I mean, it's time for

girl to move on now. We done done our part.

Now she got to do what she got to do. That's life.

I know.

And besides, think how proud we're going to be of her.

I suppose you're right. I guess I'm just being silly.

That's right.

Oh, you remember this one?

You and her making a snowman?

Yeah. Joy said her daddy was the best snowman maker in all of Chicago.

James, honey, thank you.

I feel much better now.

Yeah. You know, you always knew how to make me look at the bright side.

She also said her daddy was the best daddy in the whole wide world.

Oh, James, I'm so happy for her.

How you gonna be happy when we're losing our baby girl?

James, she's just going to school, not to slam her.

You're right, baby.

Come on, let's celebrate tonight. Maybe we'll take the kids out for some ice

cream or a movie or something. Oh, that would be nice. All right.

Oh, thank you, kid.

That's all right, sweetheart. I'll get it.

Hello, is Thelma Evans here?

Yes.

I'm Cindy Bradford with the Zeta Gammas.

The what?

The Zeta Gammas. It's a sorority at Alliston.

Oh, yes, yes, yes. Come in.

I'm Thelma's mother.

And this is my daughter, Thelma. Hi. How are you?

Oh, you're so pretty.

Thank you. I'm glad.

The Roe Kappas haven't been here yet, have they? The who?

The Roe Kappas. They're another club at the school.

But we're much better than they are.

Anyway, as soon as our president heard about your scholarship, she phoned me up

because I was in town.

This is my weekend with my father. And I hurried right over to invite you to our

first rush party.

Oh, that's nice.

Daddy, what's a rush party?

Don't ask stupid questions.

It is a rush party.

Didn't I just say don't ask stupid questions, stupid?

Excuse me.

This is my husband, James.

Cindy. How you doing? Hello, Mr. Evans.

And these are our sons, James Jr.

Hi. Hi. And Michael. Hi. Hi. You know, it's really nice of you to invite me.

Well, we just know you're the type of girl for Zeta Gamma.

Michael, just to be on the safe side, go in the bathroom and put some clean

towels.

club is this? It's a social organization.

Oh, well, we got those around here, too.

We call them the Warlords of Satan Knights.

The Silver Daggers, which is the ladies' auxiliary of the Satan Knights.

Would you like something to drink? Maybe some punch?

Oh, no, really.

You can use the bathroom. Michael!

Oh, how about some cookies? We've got plenty.

No, no, believe me.

I understand.

Hmm?

Doing things about it.

The Zeta Gammas collected $32 for the NAACP.

We never got our cut.

We support busing in public schools.

And we want you to know, Thelma, that you'll be very welcome in our sorority.

Thanks, but maybe I ought to look into the other clubs first. But we need you.

Need? Well, not...

No, no, no, but that's what you said, Cindy. You said you need her in your

Now, how come your club needs and the rest of the clubs don't need her?

I don't know what you mean.

Well, let me lay it to you straight, then. You want Thelma in your club

she's black, don't you?

Well, yes, but we say the gammas don't see what's so bad about it.

I mean, the row cap is already half a black.

Oh, now y 'all got to make your CQ, huh?

CQ? Coon quota.

What you're saying is you want our daughter to be your token bride.

I told you.

Look, you shouldn't put it that way.

The Alliston sorority, they're trying very hard to open their doors to you.

Yeah? Well, why don't you open them to a token Jap? We've got a Jap!

An Oriental. And we also have a Chicana.

So see, Thelma, they need you to complete the set.

Please don't be like that.

Don't you see we're... Offering a helping hand.

Thanks, but no thanks.

You mean you're turning us down?

No, let me put it another way, Sandy. You take your Zeta... James.

I'm trying to help.

I'm trying to open doors for you.

Then allow me to reciprocate.

Speaking on behalf of the minorities throughout the nation, goodbye.

Adios, serenara, and bon voyage.

You're lucky they didn't send Drusilla. She hates bees.

Bees? Yeah, black.

Well, so much for Zeta, girl.

face it's so much for alliston oh no wait a minute baby girl i mean you could

still go to that school without joining one of them jive clubs would you want me

to well the main thing is you won the scholarship it's up to you to use it if

you want to i do dad but no way any school that will put up with sororities

that and encourage them is the last place in the world i want to go to

I could win another one. You sure can, Thelma. Yeah. And if I could not still

get to college, I'd work my way through or go to City College.

I might even get to a better university.

And there's always the United Negro College Fund.

Come on, Dad.

Don't worry.

I'll make it. You know something?

I am sure you will.

Well,

that's the end of a dream.

That's the beginning of a dream. No, the end of my dream, not hers.

One more year in high school. Two more years in City College.

I'll never get that bedroom!

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

thinking how it all looks when 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.

Ain't we lucky we got them.