Original subtitles

* Good Times *

* Any time You meet a payment *

* Good Times *

* Any time You meet a friend *

* Good Times *

* Any time You're out from under *

* Not getting hassled, Not getting hustled *

* Keeping your head Above water *

* Making a wave When you can *

* Temporary layoffs *

* Good Times *

* Easy credit Rip-offs *

* Good Times *

* Scratching and surviving *

* Good Times *

* Hanging in A chow line *

* Good Times *

* Ain't we lucky We got 'em *

* Good Times *

[FUNK MUSIC PLAYING]

Come on now, Thelma,

I asked you to teach me how to dance,

not commit suicide!

What's the name of this dance anyway?

It's called "The Freak-out."

No wonder you can do it so good.

You been freaked out for years.

Later for you then!

[MUSIC STOPS]

You don't have enough soul to dance anyway.

Who don't have enough soul? I got so much soul,

I make James Brown look like Lawrence Welk!

Whoo!

Keep trying, JJ.

Aw, now come on, Thelma,

I got this heavy date with this chick on Saturday night,

and I told her I was a great dancer.

Do you always lie to your chicks like that?

Yeah!

Except for when I tell 'em how handsome I am.

Handsome?

You look like a string of spaghetti

with a little meatball on top.

Come on, Thelma, stop jiving me!

Are you going to teach me how to dance, or what?!

Don't yell at me like that, JJ.

I'm sorry, Thelma.

I guess I'm picking up bad habits from Dad.

When Daddy yells, he has an excuse.

He's frustrated because he's being overworked

and underpaid.

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

I'll get it.

It's probably one of my foxes calling.

Foxes, my foot!

If it's for you, she's probably a bear!

Hello...

This is the Casanova of the ghetto speaking,

otherwise known as Dial-a-Thrill.

Wait 10 seconds for the beep,

then start panting.

Who?

McDonald who?

Oh, hamburger. Oh, yeah, okay.

Hey, Thelma,

it's McDonald's calling about that job you applied for!

Use your sexy voice.

Maybe we can get a discount on a Big Mac.

JJ, give me the phone.

Hello? Yes, this is Thelma Evans.

Yes. Yes.

I did? When?

Oh, thank you.

Okay, bye-bye.

Hey, JJ, guess what? What?

I got that part-time job I wanted.

Great!

Come on, JJ, I feel so good,

I could even teach you how to dance now.

Dy-no-mite!

* It's about mind *

* It's about life *

Thelma, why are you wasting your time dancing

when your brother is busy trying to stomp out roaches?

[MUSIC STOPS]

Hi, Mama.

Hi, love.

Hey, Ma, I'm getting ready

for this heavy date I got on Saturday night.

Well, I feel sorry for that poor girl.

If your big feet don't waste her,

your little bony elbows will.

Where's Michael?

I sent him to the library to check up on something, Ma.

Mama, I think I might know what's wrong with Daddy.

Thelma, I told you

there is nothing wrong with your father,

except he's tired

and under a little emotional stress.

Now that's that.

Well, changing the subject rapidly,

what'd you get from the grocery store, Ma?

Well, I got some fresh collard greens,

chitlins, sweet potatoes,

and we're going to have hot corn bread and butter

to go with it.

And pork chops.

Pork chops! Pork chops!

Ma, the last time we had meat in here,

Chicken Delight made a wrong delivery.

Calm down now. It's not a picnic.

I just bought your father's favorite meal

to try to cheer him up a little.

Ma, I got some news that'll cheer everybody up.

I got that part-time job I was waiting for.

Oh, great, Thelma!

When do you start?

Tomorrow night, from 7 to 11.

Something tells me

when your father hears your working hours,

that job is still going to be open.

Ma, Daddy just got to let me take that job.

Hi, Daddy!

How wonderful to see you home!

Hello, Thelma.

Junior.

JJ: Hey, Dad.

Hey, baby.

FLORIDA: Hi, sweetheart.

Hey, Daddy, guess what?

I got that part-time job I wanted.

I knew there was something hiding behind that,

"Hi, Daddy, how wonderful to see you home!"

What are your hours?

I could buy my own clothes, have my own spending money.

What are your hours?

It'd help the whole family too.

What are your hours?

Seven to 11.

You just got fired.

Oh, Daddy! Now, Thelma, forget it!

I ain't going to have no daughter

on the street that hour of the night!

But JJ could walk me home when I get off work!

That's right, Dad. With me protecting her,

she wouldn't have a thing to worry about.

Nothing but her life.

Now look, Thelma, I said forget it!

Now the subject is closed! You hear me?

I don't want to talk about it no more!

I don't want to talk about nothing no more!

Honey, don't get yourself upset like that.

Let me talk to you.

Didn't I just say I don't want to talk about nothing?

Well, that means nothing!

You know that window washing job

I went to see about earlier this morning?

They had already hired somebody. An aircraft engineer!

James, at least--

I just said I didn't want to talk about nothing,

and nothing means nothing!

But, James, let me tell you--

Well, I guess he don't want to talk about nothing.

Well, there goes my discount on a Big Mac.

Hey, Thelma, you were right about Daddy.

I found about six articles on the subject,

and Daddy has all the symptoms of hypertension.

Wait a minute, Michael.

Thelma, what's going on here?

Mama, Daddy has to get a physical checkup right away.

That's right, Mama.

Look, Dr. Welby,

what makes you think your father has hypertension,

or as we plain folks say, high blood pressure?

He's showing all the signs, Mama.

And it's the number one killer of black people.

Whatever you kids are thinking about your father's health,

you're absolutely wrong!

What does it say in that magazine?

"Hypertension

and the importance of taking a physical examination."

"High blood pressure causes heart attacks,

strokes and kidney malfunction."

In this house, a person can get kidney malfunction waiting

for Thelma to get out of the bathroom.

Now, JJ.

It also says,

"the only way you can tell whether you have it,

is by taking a physical examination."

Well, I still say that don't necessarily mean

that your father has it.

But, Ma, the black male is the number one victim.

That's right, Mama.

It's caused by the stress

and frustration of ghetto life.

In that case, a lot of chicks around here must have it too.

'Cause with only one of me to go around,

that causes a lot of stress and frustration.

JJ, this is important!

Mama.

Thelma.

Look at the way Daddy's been acting around here lately.

Uptight and hollering at everybody,

and always complaining about a headache.

Hi, everybody.

Hi, Willona.

MICHAEL: What you got in the bag?

Nothing for you, Gramps.

This is for adults only.

Come on, Florida. I got a bag of goodies.

Wait a minute. She said for adults only.

Y'all heard Mama. Adults only.

That goes for you too, JJ.

I got a fake ID.

Out, out, out.

Willona, what you got in that bag?

Well, Florida, you know I know

how James has been acting around here lately.

So I brought you something to lift his spirits.

Imported directly from California.

Cabernet sauvignon, 1969.

That's the year the smog didn't kill the grapes.

How come it's in a muscatel bottle?

I switched.

I said I wanted to lift his spirits,

not shock his system.

And...

Perfume? Mm-hm.

I call it "the husband pepper-upper."

Two drops behind each ear,

and he'll try to hit more home runs than Hank Aaron.

Willona, you don't understand.

And there's more.

Scented candles for a romantic evening.

Look, girl, I told you

James was upset and a little tense here lately.

I didn't tell you he had no problem.

Florida.

Don't be embarrassed to talk to me about it, Florida.

Take it from somebody who loves you and James both.

Try it.

Willona, I know you mean well,

but believe me when I tell you,

James' problem ain't what you think it is.

Well, if it ain't what I think it is, cool.

But if it is what I think it is,

light a candle and have a happy.

I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Okay, Willona.

Bye, y'all. Bye, Willona.

Mama, we may have to cancel that dinner we were going to have.

How come?

Because it says right here:

"Soul food is one of the big causes of hypertension."

Thelma, a little while ago

you told me it was caused by emotional stress.

Now you say it's soul food.

Both. You see, Ma, it's not really the soul food,

but it's all that grease and salt we use when we cook it.

Thelma, one good meal ain't going to hurt your daddy.

What's the matter, James? Couldn't you get any rest?

Daddy, have you ever heard of hyper--

Michael, Michael.

Thelma, come here, baby.

I want to apologize to you

for yelling at you the way I did, hear?

Oh, that's all right, Dad.

Does that mean I can take the job?

No.

I ain't apologizing for what I said.

I'm just apologizing for the way I said it.

I want to apologize to you too, baby.

It's okay, James. I understand.

You know, Florida, it's getting rough out there.

I tell you, I lost that window washing job

to an aircraft engineer.

I wouldn't be surprised if I got to my janitor's job,

and found out they gave it to a brain surgeon.

James, have we got a pleasant surprise for you.

Tonight, we are having fresh collard greens,

chitlins, sweet potatoes, corn bread with butter

and pork chops.

Hey, that's a Sunday meal!

What'd you do, hijack a supermarket, girl?

Oh, James, this little bit of food

ain't going to put us no closer

to the soup line than we already are.

You ain't wrong.

If we get any closer to it, we'd be in the pot.

Hey, Junior,

get me some aspirin for my headache, will you?

Well, don't just stand there like a fool.

Get me some aspirin.

Uh, yeah, Dad.

You sure can act ignorant sometimes.

Daddy, when was the last time you had a physical checkup?

When I got out of the Army, about 20 years ago.

Twenty years?

Dad, I think you better get one soon.

What you mean, soon?

Thelma, now I told you your daddy had a hard day,

and he don't want to hear nothing about that mess.

What mess?

Mama's talking about hypertension.

Dad, we want you to get a checkup.

What, y'all trying to make me out to be sick or something?

Florida, what's going on around here?

It's nothing. What she mean is--

Well, now, James, you have been upset and hollering,

and you do suffer from these headaches,

and they are symptoms of hypertension.

Now who's upset and hollering?

What y'all trying to make me out to be, some kind of maniac?

James, honey, please don't upset yourself.

Now there you go telling me I'm upset!

What the hell is going on here?

Here's your aspirin, Dad.

You take 'em! I don't need 'em!

Huh?

I said you take 'em! I don't need 'em!

What the hell is going on in here anyhow?

I come home from work,

and Thelma's bugging me about some jive-time job!

Now you're all trying to tell me I'm sick!

The next thing I know,

y'all tell me I'm ready for the funny farm!

James, calm down. Stop upsetting yourself.

Now, Florida, I ain't got no hypertension,

and I don't want to hear another damn word about it!

I ain't sick! I ain't nervous,

and I ain't upset!

I'm sure glad he didn't get upset.

Come on, kids, eat your breakfast,

so you can go to school.

[SNORING]

JJ, wake up

before you fall into that oatmeal and suffocate.

Every time I fell asleep last night,

I had a nightmare about a flying chair.

Mama, I don't think we should go to school today.

And why not, pray tell?

I think we should stay here and protect the furniture.

Forget it.

Now you're all going to school just as usual.

Mama, we're worried about Daddy.

We should try to get him to see a doctor.

Don't you think I know that?

What I don't know is how to tell Superman that he can't fly

like he used to.

Well, that's my problem,

and I guess I'll have to deal with it when he wakes up.

Wakes up?

You mean Daddy didn't go to work this morning, Mama?

No.

His boss called and said he was laid off for a few days.

That's why I let him sleep.

Oh, no.

Laid off?

Oh, Mama, when you tell him that,

he might get upset all over again.

Might get upset?

Last night he had a job, and he destroyed a chair.

Don't worry about it.

I'll take care of your father.

Morning, everybody.

Hi, Willona.

Don't bother offering me a chair.

I know you got one less now.

You heard, huh?

Mm-hm.

It's all right. I'll take that. Go ahead, kids.

Well, Florida?

Willona, it's getting worse.

James was laid off for a couple of days,

and I've got to tell him when he wakes up.

That's like having to tell Nixon

they're adding another $100,000 to his tax bill.

I know.

Well, honey, is there anything I can do to help?

Thanks, Willona,

but it's my problem, and I'm going to handle it.

The first thing I did

was call the employment agency

to see about getting a job to help out.

Now, Florida, you know James is a proud dude.

He ain't going to hardly like

you working in somebody's kitchen.

Can you think of anything else I could do?

Well, you can make your will out

before you tell James you're going to work.

Well, I got to go myself, but good luck,

and if you need me, just dial me direct:

H-E-L-P.

Bye-bye.

Bye, and thank you.

Bye, baby.

I'll make the lunches, Ma.

Well, Ma, I'm ready to make the supreme sacrifice

and give up a day of school for Daddy's sake.

JJ!

Well, I tried.

Florida, why you let me oversleep?

You know I got to go to work. I'm over an hour late now.

James, wait. I got to tell you something.

I ain't got no time. James, this is important.

What is it, Florida?

Uh, well...

Have a cup of coffee.

Baby, I ain't got time for no coffee.

James, I've got to tell you something.

Florida, I'll talk to you later. I'll call you on my lunch hour.

James, you're laid off!

Your boss called, said you're laid off,

but he'll call you back in a couple of days.

James, no!

Don't worry, baby. I ain't going to throw the chair.

Well, I guess they hired that out-of-work brain surgeon.

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

I wonder what this bad news is.

Hello. Yeah.

Baby, this could be a job. It's the employment agency.

Yeah, go ahead.

Who y'all want to speak to?

Florida Evans?

What job in what kitchen?

No, she ain't here,

and if she was, she wouldn't be taking no job in no kitchen.

What the hell you doing dealing with an employment agency?

I decided to take a job.

I just undecided for you. You got a full-time job here.

You ain't putting in time in nobody's kitchen.

James, there is dignity in all work!

It's not the kind of work you do that gives you dignity.

It's how well you do it,

and when I was a maid, forgive me,

but I was the best damn maid there was!

James, I'm only trying to help you

so you won't kill yourself.

I don't need no help. I'm the man of this house,

and I'll bring home the bacon!

At a $1.59 a pound,

sometimes it takes more than one person

to bring home the bacon.

What's all this job foolishness about anyhow?

First, it was Thelma. Now it's you!

I'm going to tell you both, I've had about enough of it!

Thelma, you and Michael say I got hypertension?

Well, if I am hypertensed,

you all gave it to me with this nagging all the time.

Junior's the only one who ain't bugging me to death.

Yeah, that's for two reasons, Dad--

one, because I respect you,

and two, because I fear for my life.

James, you know what your trouble is?

You got too darn much pride.

What else I got to hold onto?

And what's wrong with a man having a little pride?

What's wrong with a wife and children

being concerned about your health...

and loving you?

James, everything is going to be just fine.

Daddy, please go and get a checkup.

Daddy, I heard if you don't cry, they give you a lollipop.

Daddy, the article said that most black people

don't take enough physical examinations.

I hope that article also said most black people can't afford

to pay for physical examinations.

But, James,

you can get a free one at the clinic.

Daddy, even if there isn't anything wrong with you,

you're still supposed to get a physical once a year.

There could be something wrong, and you don't even know it.

Don't even know it?

Does this look like a man that's sick?

Does this look like I've got hypertension, huh?

Well, that doctor sure is taking

his sweet time bringing them results back, ain't he?

Well, they got a lot of things to check out.

You said they gave you a thorough examination.

Yes, he did.

Baby, he peered and poked and thumped.

Wasn't nothing like that exam

I had when I got called up for the Army.

When they saw I was strong enough to open the door,

they said, "Man, you're in!"

Hi, Ma. Hi, Dad. Hey, folks.

What y'all kids doing down here?

We came to see you, Daddy.

How did you all get all the way down here?

What did the doctor say, Dad?

What they always say after you get finished with a physical:

"Put on your clothes and wait."

Okay, Mr. Evans, I've got your lab reports.

You can come into the office now.

This is my family. They're kind of interested.

I'm afraid my office isn't large enough for everybody.

Well, I suppose we can talk right out here.

Well, let's see what we've got here.

Uh-huh, uh-huh. Uh-huh, uh-huh.

Does my dad have hypertension, doctor?

Well, son, what do you know about hypertension?

I know it's the number one killer of black people.

You know, doctor, that's right,

and it's hell on the white folks too.

No, son, your dad does not have hypertension.

What did I tell you, huh?

I told you all I was as healthy as a horse!

Maybe you got hoof and mouth disease, Dad.

Actually, Mr. Evans, you're in pretty good shape,

but there's one thing that I'm concerned about.

What's that, doctor?

It's nothing to get too alarmed over,

but you do have an elevated cholesterol level.

An elevated which?

High cholesterol.

It's caused by eating too many foods cooked in grease

or foods with a high-content of animal fat.

Oh, there go my chitlins.

Well, cottage cheese is low in fat and high in protein,

and it's not too expensive.

Just cut down on the grease and the fat

and fried foods wherever possible, hmm?

Now as for those headaches you've been having,

I'd say if you just relax a little,

you'd find they'd disappear in no time at all.

Good. We'll go down to Acapulco for two weeks.

Well, I think that's just about it.

I'll see you again next year

for your annual physical checkup, right?

James.

Yeah, doc.

Good.

Thank you.

You're welcome. Goodbye.

Bye, doc. Thank you, doctor.

Florida, I just want to ask you one question.

What?

You know any way to barbecue cottage cheese?

Oh, baby, that was one fine meal.

Yeah, if you like cottage cheese

and black-eyed peas.

Never mind that.

The doctor said we should all watch what we eat.

I want the whole family

to go down for a physical examination.

Come on, Dad.

What does a great physical specimen like me

need a physical examination for?

JJ, if you were in any worse condition,

they'd hang a "condemned" sign on your nose.

Yeah? Well, they should hang

an "out of order" sign on your mouth!

Stop, kids. Stop the arguing.

Hey!

I ain't going to throw it, baby. This is my new child silencer.

* Mmmm... *

* Just looking out Of the window *

* Watching the asphalt grow *

* Thinking how it all looks Hand-me-down *

* Good Times Good Times *

* Keeping your head Above water *

* Making a wave When you can *

* Temporary layoffs *

* Good Times *

NARRATOR: Good Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

* Ain't we lucky we got 'em *

* Good Times *