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 rip-offs *

* Good Times *

* Scratchin' and survivin' *

* Good Times *

* Hangin' in A chow line *

* Good Times *

* Ain't we lucky We got 'em *

* Good Times *

[PHONE RINGS]

I got it! It's for me! I'll get it!

Hello.

Aren't you glad you let your fingers do the walking?

Because you got Kid Dy-no-mite doing the talking.

Oh, Henrietta. Yeah--

Do y'all mind? This is private.

Hey, now.

Hey, Henrietta. You know, I'm glad you called,

because I was trying to get in contact

with you last night, but--

What? You went out with Leroy Dopson?

Well, what's he got that I ain't got?

And what else?

And what else?

And what else?!

J.J., she only got a dime, she can't talk forever.

Well, we got our date together

for the Ike Hayes concert, right?

No, I don't have the tickets yet,

but I'm about to get the bread.

And here come the baker now.

Thelma, where's your mother?

She's not home yet.

She said she'll be a little late from work.

Oh, that's too bad. I got some news for her, some good news.

Hey, Dad. It's so good to have you home.

Yeah, this news is the best this family's heard ever, boy!

Oh, yeah. What?

Well, you are looking at the new assistant foreman

of shipping and receiving for the Brady Manufacturing Company.

Yeah! Yeah, all right!

Dad, I'm so happy for you!

What about the car wash?

What about the car wash, Michael?

I already gave them my notice.

I dried my last Dodge, buffed my last Buick

and shined my last Chevy.

Yeah!

From now on, this is the only kind of suds I wanna see.

Boy, I can't wait to see the expression

on your mother's face when I give her the news.

And speaking of news, Dad,

and the high cost of dating Henrietta.

You know, I think it's time

we had one of our man-to-man talks.

Don't you think we're a man short?

But, seriously, Dad.

You know, there comes a time in every boy's life

when he has to ask his father 5 dollars.

Yeah? Well, Junior, there comes a time in every Dad's life

when he's gotta say no. I ain't got paid yet.

Oh, what am I gonna do now?

Hi, kids.

Hi, Ma.

Hey, my favorite mama.

You know, Ma--

Not now, J.J., I got some exciting news for everybody.

You know, Thelma, it's occurred to me

that our relationship hasn't progressed

to the point that it should.

Forget it.

Even though it is chump change, you're not getting none.

Chump.

And the primary reason why,

Thelma, is that you're a deadbeat.

Oh.

Michael. My main man.

No.

Florida, wait till you hear what I--

Wait till I tell you what I just did.

You're not going to believe it.

Well, baby, it can't be half as good

as the surprise I got for you.

I just came back from an appointment

at the high school principal's.

Florida, I got a job. A good job!

Oh, James, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you.

And I'm gonna get my high school diploma.

I just enrolled in night school.

Hey, that's great. When do you start?

That's a great idea! Say what?

I'm gonna study for my graduate equivalency test.

You know, the G.E.D.?

And anyone who passes it gets their diploma

no matter how long they've been out of school.

Oh, Ma, that's great.

You'll pass that test. No problem at all.

Yeah, this is great. I love this.

Florida, didn't you hear what I said about the--?

Oh, James, you don't know how long

I've dreamed about doing this.

Yeah, but, Florida--

I get excited just picking up my books.

Florida!

You know that this is the best thing

that ever happened to me?

Florida! You ain't even coming up for air.

Damn, I tell you I got the best job I ever had,

and you won't even let me get a word in edgewise.

Oh, James, I'm sorry. I got carried away with myself.

Tell me all about your job.

Well, baby, it's an assistant foreman job.

I really got lucky.

Well, honey, that is so wonderful.

And I got lucky too! Florida, it's a good job.

I mean, I gotta chance to work my way up.

It's got a future.

Me too.

With a high-school diploma, I'm bound to do better.

Florida, your listening ain't caught up with your talking yet.

I'm trying to tell you I got the best job I ever had,

and you ain't even getting excited.

But, James, I am excited.

You're getting the break you've always deserved.

But so am I.

Yeah, but where you come off making a big decision like that

without talking to me about it first?

James, I never thought you'd be against me going to school.

Well, it's not that, Florida.

It's just that in this family, we always talk things over

before we make a big decision like that.

You're right, James,

I should've asked you first, and I'm sorry.

So I'm gonna ask you now.

I'd like to go back to school. Is it okay with you?

No.

No?

No. Now, we done talked about it and made a decision.

James, what's wrong with me going to school?

You won't be seeing me for three nights a week.

But when you see me, I'll be a better me.

I don't need no better you, baby.

I like you just the way you are now.

Daddy, why don't you let Ma go back?

You always telling us that a good education is the most

important thing you can have. Well, that's true, Thelma, but--

You haven't changed your mind, have you?

No, Michael, but-- Look, at y'alls' age, I mean,

going to school make's sense, but your mother's school days

are long behind her now.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Who's an old dog?

Florida, now, you know I didn't mean that.

I didn't mean it that way, now-- You're never too old to learn.

Yeah, we can help Ma with her homework.

Yeah.

How come you never made me that offer?

Because you can't teach a dumb dog nothing.

J.J., y'all stop fighting.

James, I'm only trying to improve myself.

Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go.

Because I say no.

That's the one that always stops me.

You know, Dad, maybe you should let Ma go to school.

She'd have it knocked. She wouldn't even have to study.

What do you mean by that, J.J.?

Well, why do you study?

To get good grades so your parents

will sign your report card.

And, Ma, it is obvious that you are old enough

to sign your own report card.

So you have meliminated the middle man.

Junior, you don't get out of here,

I'm gonna meliminate you.

James, I don't understand you.

You dropped out of school in the sixth grade.

I dropped out in the 10th.

Now, we both know how hard it is to get a decent job.

Well, I got it worst of all.

I'm black, I'm a woman,

and I don't have a high-school diploma.

Now, in the job market, that makes me the low-priced spread.

Well, Florida, you ain't got time to go to school.

You got a family to raise.

James, have you looked at your family recently?

They're practically grown.

Well, if you go to school at night,

who's gonna do the cooking and the cleaning?

Maybe we can get a white woman to come in twice a week.

Well, all y'all doing a lot of fat-mouthing for nothing

because I still say the answer is no.

That's it, the case is closed.

Now, what's for dinner?

One hell of a fight.

You kids go study. I'll call you when we get ready to eat.

Oh, Ma!

I don't wanna go and study.

Children, go in the room and study like I said.

Come on, Michael.

Now, Florida, I ain't gonna argue with you about this,

but I do want to know one thing. Who put this idea in your head?

Nobody.

Willona told me about that course

that they're offering in the school and--

Willona. Willona.

I should've known. The galloping gossip of the ghetto.

Now, James, you shouldn't say things like that about Willona.

She's practically family.

Yeah, baby, tell me something.

You been knowing Willona longer than me.

What does she look like with her mouth shut?

Hi, y'all.

Well, I guess I'll never know.

Hey, Flo, you here the news?

The cops just caught a mugger in the laundry room.

What was he doing down there?

His underwear, I think.

Willona? Where you get off filling Florida's head

full of this school garbage?

Now, what's wrong with Florida going back to school?

I done already gave her a whole lot of good reasons why.

Oh, James, don't stop her now.

Going back to school is her chance to get underway.

You know, as usual, Willona, your mouth is working overtime,

but your brain done took the day off.

I give up.

Hey, wait a minute, Willona. Tell me something.

If you so hot on Florida going to school,

how come you ain't signed up for these courses?

Because I already have my diploma.

How do you think I got the job at the boutique?

I figured you was just working off your clothing bill.

James.

Okay, Master James, sir.

If'n you don't want me on the plantation no more,

I's going. I's going out there where the snow is falling

and the ice on the river.

But it's a hundred degrees warmer than it is in here.

Begging your pardon, sir.

I think I be saying goodbye now, sir.

You won't have to see this cotton-picking

cotton picker picking cotton no more.

* Oh, the sun shine bright And the master's always right *

* On his own Ohh! **

We'll talk about this later after you cool off.

Florida, if you go to school at night, baby,

we ain't never gonna get a chance to do

none of the things we used to do.

What things, James?

You know, like playing cards or checkers.

Checkers?

Yeah.

We played checkers once, twelve years ago.

Well, I'm ready to play again.

James, you're just making up reasons.

What is there about me going back to school

that can possibly upset you this much?

Does it threaten you in some way?

What are you talking about?

How is something like that gonna threaten me?

Well, you had to drop out of school in the sixth grade

to support your family.

I just thought maybe if I went back

and got my high school diploma--

Florida, that ain't got nothing to do with me.

I just don't like this foolishness.

Okay, James, tell me no, and I'll drop the whole thing.

But I wanna hear it from your mouth.

You tell me, no, I can't improve myself.

No, you don't want me to get ahead.

No, I can't be anything more than I am right now.

All right, Florida, go on, go to school.

I don't care. Go to college, damn it.

Get a PhD if you wanna. Just leave me alone!

Ma, you still studying?

You haven't looked up from those books

since I came home from school.

I haven't looked up for two weeks.

You know that it's kind of hard getting back in this stuff,

but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

Well, that's good, Ma.

You know, Ma, if you want to cut your study time in half,

I think I'll start you off

with the J.J. Evans speed-reading technique.

This I gotta see.

Now, I have never read this book before, right?

Knowing you, I'd say that's a safe bet.

Watch closely.

There you go. Finished studying.

You mean, you know everything in that book?

No, I don't know anything.

But if the teacher ask me,

I could say I laid a eye on every page.

You fool, you!

Hey, now, come on!

Ma!

Hey, come on, now, with that noise, now.

Junior. I thought I asked you to take the garbage out.

Oh, I will, Dad.

That's what you said a half-hour ago, Junior.

Oh, don't worry, Dad, I got it covered.

Now, Junior!

James, you don't have to yell at the boy.

You know, in that child psychology course I'm taking,

they say that most parents

either reason with their children or yell at them.

You are a yeller.

Florida, I don't need none of them fancy schoolbooks

to tell me how to raise these kids.

We've been doing it this way for a long time now.

Yeah, but if you reason with them,

it makes them feel more responsible.

All right, baby. All right.

Junior.

Yes, Dad.

Step here a minute, please, son.

Now, that's nice.

Junior, you know why old Dad asked you

to take the garbage out right now?

Why, Dad?

Because if you didn't, I was gonna yell my head off!

You right, baby. It does work.

Hey, what's going on in here?

What's going on around here? Is everything all right?

Nothing. Go on back in your rooms and study. Go on.

Come on, Michael.

You know, it wouldn't hurt you to try a little patience.

Well, ain't you become the expert on child raising

after just two weeks of school.

Oh, now, I never said that.

Good. Because I ain't about to let no textbook run my life.

Ain't no way.

That sounds terrible.

I don't care, Florida, that's the way I feel.

No, no, no. I'm talking about the way you're talking.

Do you realize you just used three ain'ts in a row?

So what?

Well, I do it all the time too.

But it's wrong.

We're setting a bad example for the children.

There is no such word as ain't.

No? It's in the dictionary.

No ain't ain't. But isn't is.

You wrong, Florida.

Look it up.

Can't. Why not?

Ain't got no dictionary.

I'm telling you, James, that's bad grammar.

I knew it. It's happening, it's happening.

What's happening?

This school stuff, Florida. It's just changing you.

First you tell me I ain't talking right.

Then you tell me I ain't raising the kids right.

Oh, James, I didn't mean nothing by it.

How long is it gonna be till you come home from school

and tell me I isn't doing nothing right?

Oh, I knew this school foolishness

wasn't gonna work out. I just knew it.

James, honey, you don't understand.

No, Florida, you don't understand.

See, we're going in different directions now.

Right now you're going that way, and I'm going this way.

And my way is this way!

James!

Hey, James Evans.

Hey, Willy! What you know good, man?

What's happening, man? Hey, sit down, man.

Yeah, thank you.

Say, how that new job of yours coming on?

Oh, I can't complain, Willy.

Man, we sure do miss you down at the car wash.

You know they replaced you with a sister.

You jiving. You mean to say they got a woman working down there?

Yeah, man, and she ain't nothing but trouble.

She used to be a maid.

Well, what's wrong with that?

She don't do no windows.

You crazy, man. That's crazy, crazy.

Hey, I'll have one of those too, please.

Yeah, Lord.

Yes.

Say, James, you wanna play me for the beer?

Yeah, why not? Okay.

Been a long time since I beat you at pinball.

Say, what--? Where you been keeping yourself, man?

I don't see you around here much anymore.

What's the occasion?

Ain't no occasion, man.

I mean, can't a man have a beer in peace?

Wouldn't have nothing with Florida going back to school?

Now, where'd you hear that?

Oh, word gets around. I could've warned you.

Take it from Willy J. Washington.

You give your woman a little education,

and you get yourself in a whole lot of trouble.

Yeah, Willy, well, take it from James Evans.

Just cool it on that, hear?

Yes, sir, if the good Lord

had of wanted a woman to go to school,

he would've given them brains.

Hey, man. You can't use your hands.

You about do beat the machine to death.

This machine is just like a woman.

Now, every once in a while, you gotta set them straight.

Come on, now, no hands, man.

Thank you, baby.

Yeah, okay, okay, man.

Hey!

Well, you ain't said nothing about hips.

I ain't say nothing about forklifts either,

but you ain't allowed to use them.

I'm done anyway. See if you can beat that score, man.

Go ahead, beat it.

Well, it's going to be hard

to beat a man on a pinball machine that uses his hips,

his mouth and his hands all at the same time.

But I believe I can do it.

Say, man, you never should've let her start

that school business in the first place.

Yeah. You should've stopped her.

Now, you know you gotta keep a woman in her place.

Yeah.

Hey, man, I thought you--

I thought you said, no body English.

That ain't body English, bro, that's hip talk.

You got a whole lot of soul.

I do believe you owe me a beer, my brother.

James, you ain't nothing but an old pinball hustler.

Yeah, well, it takes one to know one.

Yeah, you dusted me out pretty good.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Well, it's good you won anyway.

Maybe it'll make you feel better.

Now, I know what you been going through.

No, Willy, let's cool it on that, huh?

No, listen. About six months ago, my wife

started complaining she wasn't satisfied with herself.

She thought she was wasting her life,

so she started going to the free clinic

and seeing this head-shrinker.

And I let her go. Worst mistake I ever made in my life.

Yeah, what happened?

Well, she started coming home with all these new ideas.

I couldn't figure it out.

Now, she was going there to find out what was wrong with her,

but all she could find out was what was wrong with me.

What was wrong with you?

Yeah. Before she got with that shrinker,

she thought I was the whole enchilada.

After he finished with her,

I was just down to the bean.

She left me, James.

She left you?

Yeah. All of a sudden.

She was going her way, and I was going my way.

Mama, I still say you're making a big mistake

by not going to school tonight.

I know what I'm doing, child.

Michael's right.

If you don't go to school, you're cheating yourself.

A woman has the right to go as far as her mind will take her.

And, Ma, once you make your mind up, I know you can do it.

That's right, Ma,

and I ain't ashamed to admit that we equal

in brains as well as in beauty.

Mama, Daddy will find out that you're right,

and he'll get used to you going to school.

That's right, Ma.

It's a good time to--

Now listen, all of you.

What's right is my husband and my family.

What's wrong is anything that comes between us.

And that's exactly what this school's been doing.

So to heck with the diploma.

CHILDREN: Oh, Ma--

For now.

From now on, I'll read these books at home,

and learn the same as if I'd gone to school.

This way, I'll get an education and keep my family happy too.

Florida, I got something to tell you, baby.

And I got something to tell you too, honey.

Now, look, I've been thinking about this school business,

and I figured that--

You don't have to worry about that no more.

That's what I wanna talk about. Well, me too. Look, I--

Honey, it ain't worth what we've been going through.

Right, so-- So I made a decision.

Florida, will you just let me get one word in so I can--?

You don't have to worry about it.

I'm not going to school anymore.

I'm going to study at home.

Damn it, Florida, you're doing it again.

Well, look, if you ain't gonna let me talk,

at least let me show you something, huh?

Hey, Mama, that's a book bag.

All the kids at school have them.

Yeah, I got it for you.

But, James, I thought you didn't want me to go to school?

Yeah, well, baby, I was wrong.

Look, I took a good, long, hard look at myself,

and what I saw was a selfish guy

who was just afraid of something he didn't understand.

Florida, you're supposed to be in school.

You're a smart woman. That's where you belong.

Right on, Dad.

Making progress around here. All right. That's good.

Oh, James. Just when I think I know you,

I find out something more wonderful all the time.

It's like Michael said, baby,

you ain't never too old to learn.

And that ain't all. Look here.

Oh, two book bags? Oh, honey, I don't have that many books.

Well, that one ain't-- That one isn't for you.

It's for me. I'm gonna sign up for the classes too.

James!

Right on, Daddy! All right!

Well, we better get going, baby, we're gonna be late for school.

Oh, James.

Honey, this is so wonderful.

Well, look, if things are changing.

I'm gonna have to change with them.

From now on, we're both going the same way.

Let's go.

Now, isn't that--?

I mean, ain't that nice?

Can I carry your books to school?

Come on, James. See you all, yeah.

Hey, Ma, Dad, how'd it go in school?

Yeah, tell us all about it.

Well, things sure have changed since we went to school.

For one thing, the desks got smaller.

Yeah, and the girls got older.

And the teachers got younger.

Oh, by the way, J.J., your principal was there.

We had a nice, long talk with him.

Oh, whatever he said, I deny it!

Well, he said he's seeing more of you than your teachers are.

Matter of fact, he's thinking of making

the principal's office your homeroom.

Yeah, but how about you? Did you dig it?

Oh, we both loved it. It's gonna be tough, though.

But we'll see it through.

Won't we, James?

That's for sure, baby. All right.

And another thing, Dad.

Now with you and Ma going to school together,

you don't have to worry about a date for the senior prom.

Oh, J.J.

[***]

* Mmm *

* 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 **