Original subtitles

* Good times Any time you meet a payment *

* Good times Any time you need a friend *

* Good times Any time you're out from under *

* Not gettin' hassled Not gettin' hustled *

* Keepin' your head Above water *

* Makin' a wave when you can *

* Temporary layoffs Good times *

* Easy credit ripoffs Good times *

* Scratchin' and survivin' Good times *

* Hangin' in a chow line Good times *

* Ain't we lucky we got 'em *

* Good times **

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting,

direct from a successful engagement

at the local supermarket,

the project is proud to present

the famous animal act,

J.J. Evans, and his trained sister, Thelma.

Ma, he made me carry all the packages.

J.J., I'm going to fix you for this.

I carried the chewing gum.

You're so lazy,

I guess you want us to chew it for you too.

Take that stuff into the kitchen.

Yeah, I lug all the stuff,

and you carry nothing.

Well, I guess we carried

just about what we're worth.

Anyway, when they made you,

they forgot to give you muscles.

I happen to have plenty of muscles,

little girl.

It just happens

that they're all on the inside.

And it's too bad your face is on the outside.

You better stop talking like that,

because I know who you look like

underneath all that makeup.

Who?

Me.

Hi, everybody.

Where have you been all day, Michael?

I was getting worried about you.

Down at City Hall,

picketing the Board of Education meeting.

The militant midget strikes again.

They let you out of school for that?

He didn't have any classes.

The grade school boiler is still broken.

For the second day.

You know this neighborhood

has the worst schools in the whole city?

Missing school two days in a row?

Boy, are you lucky.

Aw, J.J., don't be jealous.

If I'm not mistaken,

you missed school today, and you were there.

MICHAEL: What do you think of my sign, Momma?

Let me see it.

"If you can read this sign,

"you didn't go to Harding Elementary School."

Michael,

what would your teachers say if they saw that?

Huh. Nothing.

Most of them couldn't read it.

It's the truth, Momma. You don't learn nothing.

Know what our hardest problem was

in math class this year?

What?

How to divide 40 kids into 20 books.

Hmm. Michael, I know your school isn't much good,

but nothing in this neighborhood is.

Ma, you know when we went to that school,

what our hardest problem was?

Getting clean books, so I always tried to get the ones

J.J. had the year before,

because they were barely used.

I happen to have a great mind, little girl.

And that's barely used too.

Look who's talking about smarts.

When they pierced your ears,

your brains leaked out.

Oh, come on!

No, this is a finale!

All right, kids!

[CLAMORING]

Tweet!

Chicago wants a timeout.

All right, Dad.

Hey, baby.

Gimme some sugar.

What's the matter?

James, we got a problem.

If I came home without getting hit by a problem,

I'd think everybody had moved out the house.

Is it a Thelma problem? No.

I ain't surprised. She's a good girl.

Is it a Junior problem?

No.

Now, that surprises me.

It's a Michael problem.

He missed another day from school, and I don't like it.

Momma, maybe we should call the School Board and complain.

It wouldn't do a bit of good, baby girl.

James, it just isn't fair.

Fair?

Baby, you can drive a truck

between what we got and what's fair.

Ma, I know how much of a problem you're going to have tomorrow

with Michael hanging around all day,

so I'm ready to make the supreme sacrifice.

Yeah?

I'm willing to stay home from school tomorrow

and take Michael to the movies.

Some sacrifice.

But it's a very educational film, Mom.

Son of Blacula.

It's about this black dude

who turns into a vampire at midnight

and flies around Harlem

giving all the foxy ladies hickies.

I rate it "D" for Dy-no-mite!

And I rate it "F" for For-get It!

[KNOCKING]

I'll get it, sweetheart.

Okay, mom.

Educational program...

Hmph.

Hi, Mrs. Evans.

Mr. Pearson.

Now, what a pleasant surprise.

Won't you come in?

Thank you.

James, we've got company.

Michael's principal is here.

Michael, your friend is here.

How are you doing there, Michael?

Hi, Mr. Pearson.

Goodbye, Mr. Pearson.

Michael, don't be rude.

You stay right here.

Hello, Mr. Pearson.

Hey, Thelma.

It's nice to see you again.

Oh, you remembered.

Oh, I never forget a bright student.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Hey, wait a minute.

Don't tell me.

Um...

J.J.!

Oh, yeah.

Hey, Mr. Pearson, how you doing?

Mr. Evans, how are you?

Just fine. Good.

Can I offer you a seat? Thank you very much.

Excuse me, but I have some studying to do.

It was good to see you, Thelma.

Uh, can I offer you a cup of coffee?

No, no.

Thank you very much. I'm fine.

Michael...

Well, now, what can we do for you?

Well, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,

I came by

because I'm surprised at your attitude

toward the voluntary busing program.

What are you talking about?

Well, um, next week,

a few select students from Harding Elementary School

are going to be bused to a school in Rogers Park.

Rogers Park? That's a pretty fancy neighborhood, ain't it?

We call it the Detergent District.

Everything there is whiter than white.

And they have

an excellent school system,

and we found that students like Michael tend to learn a lot more

when they're surrounded by other students

who are also very highly motivated to learn.

You hear that, baby?

They're gonna send our son to a decent school.

Oh, Mr. Pearson,

how can we thank you for the good news?

You know, this is really confusing.

I mean, today you're in favor of busing,

but on that questionnaire you filled out,

you were dead set against it.

What questionnaire?

The one Michael brought home

for your comments.

I mean, your answers really threw me.

Somebody around here

has been throwing more than answers,

but it wasn't us.

Your answers

were not just anti-busing.

I mean, they were downright inflammatory.

Excuse me, I've got to go to the bathroom.

Freeze!

Here it is,

and with both your signatures.

"We will never allow our son,

"Michael Evans, to be bused

"for the very valid reason that,

in our estimation, busing stinks."

Let me see that.

"Black ain't beautiful on a yellow bus.

"You're wrong if you think

"you're fooling us.

"Busing ain't nothing

but a bunch of honkie four-wheel jive."

FLORIDA: Mr. Pearson, we never saw this.

But if you've never saw this,

then who signed it?

Michael-- Come on, James.

Well, Michael?

I figured I was speaking

for all the brothers and sisters everywhere.

I mean, it was the only thing

a self-respecting black would say...

and besides, I get bus-sick.

Michael, how could you do such a thing?

Momma, desperate situations call for desperate action.

I'm going to put some desperate action

on your behind.

James...

Mr. Pearson, don't worry.

Michael is going to be on that busing program.

That's really good to hear, Mr. Evans.

I'm glad we were able to get this thing

all straightened out,

and it was really nice talking to you.

Thank you, Mr. Pearson.

Now, I just have one more stop to make,

and then I can call it a day.

Another busing problem?

No, it's good old Joseph Cumberbatch.

Cumberbatch?

Wait a minute.

He's the janitor, ain't he?

Why you got to stop by his house?

His union won't allow him to come to the school

to fix the boiler...

Oh.

until the boiler's fixed.

Oh.

Come here, Michael.

Momma, Mr. Pearson said busing was voluntary.

Well, I don't volunteer.

Michael, it ain't that much busing

being done for school integration.

In fact, it's only about 15% of all busing.

Well, why did it have to be me?

You got a lot of smarts.

It'd be a shame to waste that God-given talent

at a bad school.

If God gave me talent,

it was meant to be used in my own neighborhood

with my own people.

Don't be so sure.

Maybe God wanted you to be bused.

Yeah, that's easy for him to say because his son was never bused.

Busing is just a way of buying us off.

It's a step, son. Busing is a beginning.

JAMES: Michael, hadn't you always told me that one day

you wanted to be on the Supreme Court?

That's right.

Well, here's your big chance, man.

You make it to the Supreme Court,

you can get them laws changed

and make it good for everybody...

but I got news for you, my man.

The Supreme Court don't hold no sessions in the ghetto.

How come you so much for busing? You were never bused.

Yes, I was. You were?

When I was a kid in Mississippi,

I was bused... by foot...

past three beautiful white schools

to one crummy black one.

You see, Michael?

There are lots of children out there

who are dying

for the chance that you've got.

Any kid wants to ride to Rogers Park,

they can have my seat.

You can yell all you want,

but if it means better schooling, you're going.

I don't want to go to that school.

I'm never going to sit on that bus.

Michael!

No, both of y'all are right.

Michael's going to be on that bus,

but he ain't going to be sitting.

Come on, man.

Move that ball!

Got to do better than that, brother.

When you going to get a black quarterback?

Come on, man.

Move that. Get...

J.J., get up from there.

What's going on?

You're going to bed.

Going to bed?

It's only 9:00.

Not even the Waltons go to bed this early.

Maybe not, but beginning today,

the Evans do.

Tomorrow is the beginning of busing.

Michael's got to get his rest.

He's got to get up an hour early

to make that bus.

I can't go to bed this early.

Why not?

Because I'm a night person.

You're looking at a finely tuned machine.

I don't turn my motor on until 11:00,

then about lunch time, I eases into first.

then when school's out, I shoves into second,

then about dinner time, I double-clutches into third,

and right about now, I'm popping into overdrive.

Well, you'd better stick it into reverse.

You're going to bed.

Aw, Momma--

Go.

Why couldn't you be bused to night school?

Did you brush your teeth, honey? Yeah.

Momma, do I have to go to that school?

Aw, now, Michael,

I thought your daddy sat you down

and talked some sense into your head.

If he was trying to get to my head,

he was working at the wrong end.

Come on.

Get in.

You're still upset, aren't you?

Come on.

Give me a smile.

Aw, you can do better than that.

Give Momma a big smile.

That's a boy.

What time you setting that clock for?

6:00 A.M.

Oh!

6:00 A.M.?

The only ones up that early are the garbage men,

and the way the streets look,

they're dropping it off instead of picking it up.

Get in the bed, J.J.

Good night, honey...

Good night, Ma.

and don't worry.

Everything's going to be all right.

Good night, J.J.

Hey, man.

Be cool over there.

I'm getting seasick.

I can't sleep.

I'm worried about tomorrow.

What's the big deal?

A school's a school.

Yeah, but this one's white.

I don't know how to act, what to say, or anything.

Aw, it ain't nothing, handling white people.

What do you mean?

Like when they ask you where you come from. Just say,

[OVER-ENUNCIATING] "Hello.

"I'm originally

"from the Southern portion of the nation,

where my grandfather was in textiles,"

but you don't tell them he was up to here in cotton,

and, like, whenever they're drinking something,

they always stick their little pinky out

like this.

Why?

That's Caucasian for saying,

"Don't bother me.

I's drinking something".

How am I going to learn all this, J.J.?

You'll pick it up in no time at all.

Matter of fact, after a while,

you'll be eating ribs with mayonnaise.

Oh...

Don't worry about it, Michael.

Now, go to sleep,

and everything will be okay.

All right?

Good night, J.J.

[TICKING]

[LAUGHS]

Aw, now come on, Henrietta.

There's enough of me to go around.

[ALARM RINGS]

You don't need a bell, Henrietta.

It's all right.

Huh? What?

Oh.

Hey, Michael.

It's time to get up.

Michael, it's time to get up.

Michael!

Michael, this ain't no time to be playing hide and go seek.

Oh, wow.

Michael.

Oh, wow.

He split.

Mom. Hmm.

Mom.

What? What?

I don't want to get you excited,

so remain cool,

and by all means, don't wake up Dad.

Michael ran away.

What?!

What happened?

Michael ran away! What?!

Michael?

Michael?

James, he's gone.

You've got to do something.

Don't worry, baby. I'll do something.

What's happening?

Be cool.

Michael ran away.

Ran away?! And you say be cool?!

Oh, Momma. It's all right, baby.

If we hadn't forced him on that busing thing,

he'd still be here now.

Oh, James.

We made a big mistake.

Don't worry about it, baby. I'll find Michael.

We'll talk about it later, hear?

Michael!

Boy, Dad, I've got to hand it to you.

You sure know where to look.

Michael, where you been?

I went for a walk.

I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to wake J.J.

You were up all night?

Come on.

Let me make you some hot chocolate.

I kept thinking

about going to school in Rogers Park.

I don't want to go any place where I'm not welcome.

I understand that you're scared, Michael,

but I never heard of any racial trouble

going on in Rogers Park.

That's because they ain't got no racials there.

The only color problem they have there

is matching the carpets to the drapes.

I bet you they'd never sell us a house in that neighborhood.

I bet you they've got plenty of black people

living in them houses.

Oh, sure they have,

but they're all in white uniforms

and get every other Sunday off.

Now, come on, Florida.

James, I've been thinking about this busing business,

and it had me tossing and turning

all night long.

The more I think about it, the less I want him to be bused.

Baby, I thought we both agreed

that we wanted him

to get the best education he can.

I do,

and you know that I want Michael to have the best education,

but when I think of him

getting on that bus in the morning,

going so far away from home, James, I just can't.

You know it isn't easy

to just pick up and go to a new school.

Michael would be leaving all his friends.

I wish y'all could hear yourself.

You talk about Michael

gonna miss all his friends.

Florida, you talking about you gonna to be worried.

I'd be worried about him too,

but I worry less about him making his mark in the world

if I know he got a chance to get a good education.

We all want that, James.

But y'all was talking just like white people do about busing.

They talk that way to cover up for the fact

they don't want to go to school with us.

Why should I go to school with people

who don't want to go to school with me?

What if they give me a hard time?

What would you do

if the people give you a hard time

at the school you going to now?

Protect myself.

Different folks, same strokes.

But James, he's only a baby.

How about those people that turned over that bus

with all those little kids in it?

Honey, I can't get that picture out of my mind.

The people that turned that bus over were sick.

How can I show you?

Look, suppose I was to get

a good job at double my salary.

Huh?

That would be nice, James.

Yeah,

but suppose the job was located way across town

and required two bus transfers and a mile walk

and I didn't get home till midnight.

Hm? Uh-uh.

Well, that's the point, baby.

Anything worth having

is worth going through the trouble of getting. Huh?

Okay, Thelma.

J.J., get ready for school.

Oh, Ma, but it's just starting to get good.

You want some of this?

On second thought, maybe you're right.

Well, Michael?

I don't want to go.

All right, Florida, you heard the boy.

He don't want to go to school.

It's okay.

Ain't nothing we can do if he's ashamed of being black.

What you mean, ashamed of being black?

Oh, that was just a mistake.

Your father didn't mean it.

I ain't ashamed of nothing.

'Course you're not.

Maybe you're just scared to sit down

in the middle of those white kids

and prove you're just as smart as they are.

That ain't it.

There's a lot of players in the minor leagues

that would rather stay there

than try and face major league pitching.

I can get just as good grades

in that school as they do,

if I wanted to.

I guess we'll never know.

You don't think I can?

There's only one way to prove it.

You still got time to catch that bus.

You think I'm afraid of them?

You must be.

I don't see you moving.

Michael,

you forgot your lunch...

Thanks, Mom.

and look, Michael, when you get outside,

don't forget to keep your jacket buttoned up,

and listen, if you don't feel well,

you can always go and see the nurse...

I will.

and if anything goes wrong,

always call home.

Florida, the boy ain't going to boot camp!

He's going to school.

Now, son, just remember

everything your momma told you, you hear?

Just take it one step at a time.

Okay. See ya, Mom. Bye, sweetheart.

See you later, Dad.

All right, old man.

Have a nice day.

Yeah, take it easy, you hear?

We got him.

It worked, though.

Michael!

Oh, don't worry. I didn't change my mind.

I just wanted you to know

that I was hip to what you were doing,

and you know, it ain't right for two grown-ups

to try to con a little 12-year-old.

Hi, everybody.

FLORIDA: Michael!

You're back. Come on, tell us.

How did it go, your first day, baby?

Yeah, you have any trouble today?

No, and it was kind of fun, and J.J., you were wrong.

They don't eat spare ribs with mayonnaise.

They don't?

No, but they do think fatback is the guy who plays

between quarterback and fullback.

[***]

[***]

* Mm-mm-mm *

* Just lookin' Out of the window *

* Watching the asphalt grow *

* Thinkin' how It all looks hand-me-down *

* Good times Good times *

* Keepin' your head Above water *

* Makin' a wave When you can *

* Temporary layoffs Good times *

ANNOUNCER: Good Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

* Ain't we lucky we got 'em *

* Good times **