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 **

Thank you for a wonderful night, Larry.

Not so fast. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

The evening is not over yet.

We gotta tell them.

I told you we will.

Now, stop mixing business with pleasure.

[GIGGLING]

You know something? I love you, baby cakes.

[GIGGLES]

I love you too, pudding pie.

What's this, the end of a date, or the opening of a bakery?

How long were you standing there watching us?

Long enough to know he could improve his technique.

Get out of here, J.J.

Hey, hold on, man.

What you doing, messing with my sister?

What's it to you?

Just questioning your lack of taste.

It's okay, honey.

Every family has its skeleton,

only ours isn't in the closet.

Baby, I really think it is time

we told your parents.

Larry, I've been thinking.

Maybe I should tell them alone first.

Tell them what, baby cakes?

Thelma, listen, this involves the two of us.

We both...

We both should tell them.

Both tell them what, pudding pie?

Okay. I just hope they understand.

[SIGHS]

Oh!

Hey, Thelma,

that looked like a ring to me!

All right, it's a ring,

and not so loud!

You mean, you're engaged to old pudding pie--

Shh!

Yeah.

But we didn't tell Mom and Dad yet.

Hey, that's great.

My little sister engaged.

Till death do you part.

Which won't be long, once Dad finds out.

Oh, come on, J.J., I don't think he's gonna be mad

if I sit down and talk to him man-to-man.

J.J., this is really important to me,

so, please,

please let me explain it to Ma and Dad.

Thelma, if it's one thing I like,

it's fireworks.

Ss... boom!

Uh, hi, everybody!

You remember Larry.

Sure! How are you, son?

Very good, Mrs. Evans.

Uh...

Thelma and I have something that we--

Oh, Larry, not now.

Take off your coat and have a seat.

Hey, I bet you kids are hungry,

and I got just the thing for you.

Oh, by the way,

how were your dates tonight?

Oh, wonderful!

Terrible.

Everything that came out of my date's mouth

was a four-letter word:

"stop", "don't", "no-no".

I'm sorry to hear that, Junior,

but as the father of my own daughter,

I'm glad to hear it.

I trust you had the same problem

tonight, Pete?

Oh, Daddy, this is Larry.

Uh, I haven't been out with Pete in six months.

Oh.

Nice to see you again, Mr. Evans.

Oh, you too, uh...

Larry. Larry.

Alias Pudding Pie!

You know, I hardly recognize you

without your mustache.

I never had a mustache, Mr. Evans.

Uh, Dad...

the one with the mustache was my date.

Daddy, I've been out with Larry a dozen times.

And James, you always manage to forget who he is.

But that's going to change.

Ma, Dad, Larry and I have--

Wait, Thelma, let me handle this, okay?

Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,

there's something very important

we'd like to talk to you about.

Oh?

Like what?

Uh, maybe we should sit down. Uh-oh.

It's a sit-downer.

It might even be a lay-downer!

All right, what y'all want to talk about?

Well, I've known Thelma for a long time

and we love each other and, uh--

And, uh, what?

Well, tonight, we became engaged.

Oh, my Lord. Thelma, baby...

What you mean, you became engaged?

Well, Michael, get ready for the 4th of July!

Won't do me any good, J.J.

Whenever they get into the heavy stuff,

I always have to go to another room.

Michael, why don't you go into our room and study?

I knew it!

Boy, I may get A's in school, but I'm gonna flunk real life.

Now, what's all this foolishness about getting engaged?

Mr. Evans, if you'll just let me explain,

I think you'll understand.

[GRUMBLES]

But you're too young to be engaged.

I knew you'd say that.

Then you also should've known I was gonna say no way,

forget it, it ain't gonna happen.

And there's the door, whatever your name is.

But why? Just tell me why.

Well, for one thing,

you haven't finished your education.

Thelma, you had plans to go to college.

I can still go.

Hey, Romeo...

Tell me something. How old are you?

Twenty.

Oh, you just a kid.

But, Dad,

that's how old you were when you married Ma.

Well, that was different.

Why?

Because you said so, that's why.

I knew there was a good reason. I knew it.

Children, you just can't rush into something like this.

But we're not, Mrs. Evans. We've thought it all out.

That's right, Ma.

Without talking it over

with your mother and your father?

Ma, I'm almost 18.

Soon, I'll be of legal age to get married

without your permission.

But we're not getting married yet.

We're just engaged,

and we want your permission.

That's why we're talking to you.

You wanna talk about it? We'll talk about it.

I'm against it. Now I'm through talking.

James.

Please, James.

Baby, you don't mind giving up your future?

Now, you say you'll go to school,

but you'll probably have to quit to support Larry

while he goes to school.

I don't go to school.

Oh, you graduated already?

No, I quit.

Oh, you're a dropout, huh?

LARRY: Wait...

I've got a good job.

He works in a garage, Daddy.

Yeah, what do you do in the garage, a mechanic?

No, Larry's not exactly a mechanic.

Well, what do you do in the garage, lube jobs?

Well, not exactly.

Well, what does he do, exactly?!

He exactly pumps gas.

Well, forget it, Jack,

because my daughter's marrying somebody

that's got a future.

James, honey, let's don't be too hasty.

I don't think we are.

I think they're being too hasty.

Mr. Evans, I do have a future,

if you'll just let me tell you about it.

I mean, Thelma and I do have plans.

We're not just gonna rush into marriage.

We're gonna be engaged for at least a year.

And I am gonna be a mechanic,

because I'm going back to trade school for it.

I figure I should be a mechanic in about six years.

Man, they turn out brain surgeons faster than that.

I'm not finished yet, sir.

Some day, I plan to own my own gas station.

When is some day, Larry?

About 10 years, ma'am.

There won't be no gas left by then.

Well, I am sorry, but that's how long it takes.

I mean, that plus a lot of hard work,

and I'm gonna do it.

And I'll only be 30 years old by then.

Yeah, well, I'm through talking.

Larry, maybe I should talk to them alone.

You go downstairs

and walk around for about 15 minutes, okay?

We're not gonna put this off.

Larry, Larry...

I think Thelma is right.

Okay, Mrs. Evans.

But I'm coming back, sir, in 15 minutes.

I'll be right here waiting for you, son.

You go ahead, Larry.

Ma and Dad, you're not being fair.

You haven't given me one good reason

why we shouldn't be engaged.

Thelma, neither one of you are ready for this.

After an engagement, the next step is marriage.

Yeah, and the next step after that is kids,

and I don't want my grandchildren's first words

to be "Check your oil, Mac?"

Ma, I promise

nothing's gonna happen for at least a year.

Ain't nothing gonna happen, period.

Thelma, tell me something.

Now, what do you see in this dude, anyhow?

For real, now.

Well, I feel right with Larry.

I feel safe with him.

Thelma, you ain't got to get engaged

to that chump to feel safe.

I'll get you police protection.

Daddy, I love him.

Hmm. Baby girl, what do you know about love?

You're just a child.

Ready to get engaged

to the first chump that comes along and says,

"I loves you sweet-um face."

Dad, it's "baby cakes".

"Baby cakes"? Oh, brother.

What are you doing out here?

I came out--

I came out to stretch my legs, Ma.

Go back in that room and study.

Mama, this is taking so long

I've already studied halfway through college.

Then go study...

Then go study the other half.

Daddy, why do I have to study?

I mean, I'm getting tired--

Well, moving on, y'all.

And as for you, young lady,

I think we all know

how this conversation is going to end,

so why don't we do just that right now?

Oh, when are you gonna stop treating me like a baby?

Why can't I run my own life?

Thelma, what you talking about?

You're free to do anything you want to do

as long as you check with me and your mother first.

Ma, you understand, don't you?

Larry loves me.

Look...

he gave me this diamond engagement ring.

It's a beautiful ring, Thelma.

I see the ring, but where is the diamond?

James, no.

The jeweler said it's a perfect diamond.

It's got to be perfect.

There ain't no room in there for a flaw.

J.J.!

Please!

Oh, I thought you'd all be happy!

Baby, baby, it's a beautiful ring,

and I know what it means to you.

And it isn't that we don't like Larry.

Hah!

But we gotta think of what's best for you, honey...

And you should too.

Add up all you got going for you.

You got brains. You got personality.

And look at that face.

Thelma, you'd better grab him quick.

FLORIDA: J.J.!

J.J., that's enough!

Ma, I know you and Daddy wanted me

to marry a doctor or a lawyer,

or somebody like that.

But I'm sorry, Daddy,

I didn't fall in love with one.

I fell in love with Larry, and that's all that counts.

Because I love him.

I love him.

I love him!

So you love him, you love him,

you love him.

Honey, you're okay

on those first two "I love him"s,

but that third one worries me.

Well, it don't bother me at all

because the engagement is off.

Larry is out,

and I don't wanna hear no more about it.

Ma, please!

Uh, Dad, could I say something?

Dad, I love and respect you,

but in this case, you're wrong.

What?

This time, I got to hang in there with Thelma.

Well, that's just what's gonna happen

you keep poppin' them chops.

No, Dad, I mean Larry's a good man,

and if Thelma loves him,

and she thinks that he can make her happy,

they should have a shot at it.

J.J., is that you saying that?

I can't believe it either!

Well, if it is, he'd better un-say it.

Now, Junior,

I don't want your opinion on this.

As a matter of fact, I don't want to hear

another word out of your mouth, you hear?

No, Dad.

[CHUCKLES]

Uh, Junior,

maybe I didn't say that quite right.

Now, I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth.

Now, that's clear now, ain't it, son?

No, Dad.

All right, Junior,

I'm gonna say this one more time.

I don't wanna hear one more word

out your mouth on the subject.

Not one word.

Now that's clear now, ain't it, Junior?

No, Dad.

James, James, please!

This is not a family discussion. This is a family war!

Nothing ever goes right around here.

Thank you, J.J.!

Dad, I know you're the head of the family,

and I know I went against you, and I know what you might do.

I'm 6'1", and if you gave me a shot to the top of my head,

I'll be 4'8".

Or you can simply break me in half.

Oh, no,

have two of you running around here?

No. I'd never do that, Junior.

All I want you to do is zip them lips.

See, this is a matter that's gonna be decided

between me and your mother.

Mama, I'm hungry.

Can I get some cookies? Of course, honey.

Come on, let's sit down

and try to talk about it calmly, huh?

All right, baby, we'll sit down

and talk about it calmly.

Good.

Michael, get your daddy a beer.

Yeah, I could use one.

Yeah, get me one too, Michael.

Now, J.J...

You know you don't drink beer.

Well, if Dad's gonna do to me

what I think he's gonna do to me,

a man deserves to enjoy his last hour on earth.

Now, nobody is gonna do nothing to nobody.

Mama, we're out of beer.

Oh, now, that's just great.

A man comes home after a hard day's work

and can't even get a can of beer...

His oldest son giving him a lot of lip,

his only daughter getting engaged, and...

Well, that's

what we're supposed to be arguing about,

Thelma getting engaged.

See, you did it again. You got me off the subject.

Yeah, I'm so unreasonable.

Yeah, I don't wanna hear about your hang-ups now.

I don't like this engagement business, Florida.

I'm telling you, I don't like it at all.

[KNOCKING]

Yes?

Thelma, are you all right?

Sure.

And, J.J.? Yeah?

It's nice of you to worry about me.

Well, Thelma, if you ain't at full strength,

I don't have anybody to hassle with.

J.J., come in.

Are you inviting me into your off-limits area?

Next thing I know,

you'll be giving up your bathroom time to me.

Stop clowning around and come on in.

J.J., I wanna thank you

for taking my side against Dad.

Well, sue me. I like to live dangerously.

You really stood up for me.

I almost fell down for you.

J.J.,

I wanna apologize for all the times

I called you ugly.

That don't bother me, Thelma.

I mean, what's your word

against all the rest of them chicks out there?

But I just want you to know

I never meant it.

In your own way, you're beautiful.

I know.

And for being so nice to me and Larry,

I'm gonna give you a kiss.

Oh, wait a minute, girl, now.

Let's not go crazy here.

Well, I want to.

You're the best brother a girl ever had.

I agree, but...

I'm in demand, Thelma,

and I can't be wasting these lips on... family.

Okay, then you're gonna stand right there

while I hug you.

You took my side, and I love you for it.

You're the only one who understands

about me and Larry.

I wish Daddy could.

Take it easy, Thelma. I mean...

Everything is gonna be all right.

You'll see.

But, James, Larry seems to know what he wants.

He's a hard worker and... he's a nice boy.

Nice?

Nice don't buy no groceries. Nice don't buy no clothes.

Nice don't buy none of the things

we want for Thelma.

You heard all that jivin' he was giving us,

about having his own business...

some day.

About getting ahead and having a better life...

some day. Hmm.

Wolf tickets.

James.

Doesn't that all sound a little familiar to you?

Huh?

You said the same things to my father.

Well, that was different.

Your father was a bull-headed ox.

Oh?

Well...

I'm sorry, baby.

It's just that I don't see

why she wants to get engaged to this kid.

I do.

Larry reminds her of you.

Ah, no, that don't make no sense.

Just because you and I had plans

for early marriage and a big future,

that don't make us the same.

Oh, it goes deeper than that, James.

He's nice to her.

He's polite and handsome,

and big and strong, just like you, James.

Well, you may have something there.

Honey, you know,

you have always been Thelma's idol.

She sees you in Larry.

Yeah, but, baby,

I want her to have somebody better than me.

And what's wrong with you?

I couldn't have done better than you with any man.

Oh, yeah, you could.

I mean, you could've married Charlie Harris.

He owns his own hardware store.

Oh, sure.

And I could've had all the nails and sandpaper I wanted

for the rest of my life.

Now, Florida,

you know what I'm talking about.

What I'm trying to say

is that we wanted Thelma to get out of the ghetto.

We wanted her to go on to college

and get a good education,

marry a professional man,

build a better life for herself...

Not have to struggle the way we did.

Was it such a terrible struggle, James?

Well it wasn't no piece of cake.

Well, James, I never said we had it easy,

but we had a lot of good times

mixed up with the bad. Yeah.

You remember the first apartment we ever rented,

a one-room flat with no heat.

Yeah, but that was the first year

we got married,

so we didn't notice too much difference.

And remember when J.J. was born? Yeah.

We couldn't afford a crib.

He had to sleep in the top drawer of the chest.

Yeah, but it wasn't too bad, baby,

because J.J. was so skinny,

I still had plenty of room left over for my shirts.

Except for that one time

when I was in a big hurry for a job interview,

I liked to slip Junior on as a necktie.

Ah, but things got better though. Yeah.

You had a pretty good job by the time Thelma came along.

Mm-hmm.

We were able to buy her a nice crib and a layette.

That's right.

Florida, you know Thelma was the cutest little baby I--

You did it again, didn't you?

You got me off the subject again.

I don't care, Florida,

I still don't like her being engaged to that kid.

James...

being engaged isn't the worst thing in the world.

Remember ours?

Those wonderful evenings we spent together

sitting on the couch.

Yeah.

With your mother and the bull-headed ox

sitting in between us.

Well, they were a little protective,

but they loved you.

Yeah, they must have.

They never let me out of their sight.

Oh, James.

[KNOCKING]

What you doing back here?

I said I'd be back in 15 minutes.

Yeah, well, you're two minutes early.

Wait in the hall.

James! Daddy!

Come in, Larry.

Thank you, Mrs. Evans.

You'll have to excuse my husband.

This isn't one of his better days.

Yeah, it ain't exactly one of mine either.

If this were Christmas,

Santa Claus wouldn't have the guts to come in here.

Ma and Dad, I've been thinking.

If you don't want me and Larry to be engaged,

okay, we won't be engaged.

Hallelujah!

Wait a minute.

Thelma, what are you talking about?

Now let me finish.

I'm gonna say just what I want to say.

Go ahead, honey.

Daddy...

if my being engaged to Larry

makes you that upset,

then we'll just forget it.

Here's your ring back, Larry.

Wait, Thelma, no, I don't want it back. Here.

See? I gave him back his ring. We're not engaged anymore.

Satisfied?

Yes, I am, baby girl. I'm satisfied.

But I want you to know one more thing. Hmm?

Larry and I are gonna

keep right on seeing each other.

It used to be three times a week.

Now it's gonna be five times a week.

And since you don't like Larry,

I'll go over to his folks' house

and spend time.

But Larry and I are gonna go

to the movies together.

We're gonna go to dances together.

We're gonna be together every minute we can.

[MUMBLING] Go on, go on.

Uh, Thelma, I've been thinking...

why don't you and, uh--

Larry. Larry...

Why don't you all get engaged?

Daddy!

Oh, James, that's a fine idea.

But we've got to give credit where credit is due.

J.J. saw it all along.

Junior...

I just want to say something.

Well, the way you stood up for your baby sister

made me real proud of you, son.

* 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 **