Original subtitles

* Good Times *

* Anytime you meet a payment *

* Good Times *

* Anytime you meet a friend *

* Good Times *

* Anytime 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 **

Hi, Ma.

Hi, honey.

I tell you, Thelma,

with the price of food today,

the only folks

who can afford to go into the market

are the shoplifters.

Well, it's all an economic plan.

As the size of things get smaller,

the cost of things gets larger.

Hey, Ma, you wanna taste something delicious?

Hmm?

You know my teacher, Miss Bishop?

She's coming over.

She's gonna bring me a book on ballet,

and I wanted to fix something really special.

Mm-mm.

That's delicious.

Oh, Thelma, I don't know when I've tasted anything better.

What is it?

It's guacamole, Ma.

Miss Bishop...

isn't that the teacher who's taking you to the ballet?

Yeah. Oh, Ma, I can hardly wait!

Oh, Ma, wait till you meet her.

She's such a beautiful person.

Oh, and she really loves me.

Well, if she decides to stay for dinner,

we'll have plenty.

I bought some of that ghetto food stretcher,

"Ham Hock Helper."

After which you can take some "Heartburn Helper."

Hey, Ma, did you iron my shirt yet?

Oh, no, I didn't.

J.J., can't you wear another one?

No, Ma, I need that one. That's the one

with the palm trees and the animals on it,

'cause I got date with Barbara the Barbarian tonight,

and I need that shirt

to set the mood.

Well, I don't want to break "the mood,"

so I'll get your shirt for you.

Hey, girl,

what you trying to do, poison this family

with those green clams in that dip?

That's guacamole!

Well, your guac looks a little moldy, there.

Oh, J.J., you're gonna stick around

and meet my teacher tonight, aren't you?

Can't do it, Thelma.

I got a date with Barbara the Barbarian tonight,

and if I don't feed her on time,

she roars like a lion!

But when I finish,

she purrs like a kitten.

Hey, J.J. Hi, Thelma.

THELMA: Hey, Mike.

Any calls for me? No.

[SNIFFING]

Hey, mister...

Freeze!

What'd I tell you

about spraying yourself with cologne

from my personal arsenal?

Here's your shirt, J.J.

Listen, young man, you could afford to share

with your brother. That's right.

Hey, Ma, I don't mind sharing,

but he been using my cologne

like a junkie!

He's been mainlining his sneakers with it!

Hi.

ALL: Hey, Willona!

Here's Willona Woods with some out-of-sight goods.

Come here, Thelma, hold it,

and don't peek.

You see, Thelma,

your fairy godmother has not forgotten you.

Silver lamé for your first ballet!

Ooh!

Hey, hey.

Willona, this is beautiful.

Oh, thank you!

Willona, the dress isbeautiful,

but we can't afford it.

Do you have any idea what I had to go through

to get that dress out of the shop?

I had to sneak out the back, climb over the fence,

the dog chased me, lost my eyelashes,

and you gonna tell me you not gonna use that dress?

You got to be crazy.

Well, Willona, I hope you can

teach that dress to boogie down,

'cause I'll take it dancing next week.

Oh.

Well, I shall return!

Oh, I'm so excited!

I can't believe it. I'll get some silver shoes.

Oh, and I just can't wait until Miss Bishop sees it!

I know, Thelma, but remember,

when you sit down, don't wrinkle the dress,

don't crease it, don't spill nothing on it,

and don't perspire.

Can you smile in it?

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Oh, that must be Miss Bishop. Oh!

Thelma, Thelma.

Okay, Now, everybody be cool, okay?

Just take it easy, right?

Got that, Michael?

Willona, I know you know how to act.

You too, Ma.

This okay?

Hi, Thelma.

Oh, so it is you!

Oh, come in, come in.

Miss Mother, I'd like you to meet my bishop.

Oh, I mean,

Miss Bishop, I'd like you to meet my mother.

Hello, Miss Bishop.

How do you do, Mrs. Evans?

Cool enough for you, Thelma?

And this is my brother, Michael.

Hi, Miss Bishop. Hi, Michael.

And this is my neighbor, Willona Woods.

How are you? Hi. How are you?

Nice to meet you.

And my brother J.J. will be out in a minute.

Please sit down.

Ah, Thelma has told us

so many nice things about you, Miss Bishop.

Jessica.

I'll bet you don't have to hit your desk with a ruler

to get attention.

Michael!

Thank you, Michael.

Oh, Miss Bishop, would you like to try this?

Oh.

Mmm.

I can't remember

when I've tasted better guacamole.

Thelma made it.

Oh, have some more.

That's exciting.

Oh, it's just a recipe I found in a magazine.

No, I'm referring to this picture on the wall.

You know, it really jumps out at you.

J.J. painted it.

Yeah, and he painted this one, too.

Wow!

He did this too?

Yeah, would you like to see

some of his latest?

Oh, I'd love to.

More guacamole, Miss Bishop?

You see, I'm sort of a Sunday painter myself,

but nothing like this.

Miss Bishop, more guacamole? Oh.

No thank you, Thelma.

Ooh.

How do you like it?

Oh, yes, I love it.

It's got so much soul.

Yeah, well, J.J. calls this one

"Hassle on a Hot Saturday Night."

Mm, mm, mm.

Oh, this is so moving!

Yeah, well, J.J. calls this one "Funky Butt."

Oh.

Mrs. Evans, you sure have a poetic son.

[TARZAN YELL]

Barbara the Barbarian, you don't stand a chance,

because J.J. Evans

is set for romance.

You can't get more poetic than that.

Well, my little heavenly body

is about to leave this abode,

so, arrivederci, Willona.

Bon voyage, little sister.

Auf Wiedersehen, mother dear.

Queseera, seera, little bra.

And, uh--

Hello there, mama!

Hello, J.J. I'm Jessica.

I've been looking at your paintings, J.J.

Michael, get your brother

a glass of water.

Or some Kool-Aid.

He don't need no Kool-Aid, honey.

He needs some first aid.

Why don't we all sit down

and have a nice visit?

Uh, but J.J. was just leaving.

I love your paintings, J.J.

[HIGH VOICE] Oh, really?

[CLEARS THROAT]

[NORMAL VOICE] Oh, really?

J.J., if you have to rush off

to your appointment,

I'm sure Miss Bishop will understand.

Appointment?

What appointment?

Barbara the Barbarian!

Oh, uh, uh...

she called and said she couldn't make it.

The computer dating service

fixed her up with uh,

King Kong.

Miss Bishop,

can't I get you a cup of coffee?

No, Mrs. Evans, I really must be leaving.

Oh, Thelma, I almost forgot

the ballet book I promised you. Oh, yeah.

Thank you so much, Miss Bishop.

You're welcome.

Do you have to leave so soon?

I'm afraid I have to.

J.J., why don't you walk Miss Bishop to her car?

Ma!

Well, you just Xeroxed my thoughts.

Well, if you parked in this neighborhood,

you gonna need me

to negotiate the return of your vehicle.

That's very nice of you, J.J.

Bye.

ALL: Bye-bye, Miss Bishop.

Pirouetting.

You really love to paint, don't you?

Uh, yeah.

I guess it's my thing.

You know, I can lose myself

and find myself at the same time.

And it shows in your paintings.

They're so...

so...

alive,

so masculine,

so sensuous.

Well, uh, what can I say?

A man paints what he is.

Well, when did you first start painting

all those beautiful ghetto scenes?

Well, it happened in high school.

My art teacher used to always say,

"Paint something with grass and trees, with cows in it,"

but I'm from the ghetto.

I ain't ever seen no cows,

and the only green grass I ever seen

was on the top of the pool table.

J.J., what would you do

if you had to suddenly stop painting tomorrow?

Play fullback for the Chicago Bears.

No.

I can't imagine not painting.

J.J., you don't ever have to worry.

You're great.

Say that again.

Say what?

Say anything.

I just like to watch your mouth make those words.

You're precious.

I know.

[ALARM CLOCK RINGING]

J.J., turn that off.

J.J.

J.J.!

Uh-oh.

J.J.

Oh, no. He didn't come home last night.

Michael, aren't you going to be late for school?

No, Ma.

What time did your brother come home?

Uh, I don't know. I was asleep.

Was it after midnight?

I was asleep then too.

J.J. hasn't been home before midnight

since he met Miss Bishop four days ago.

J.J., Michael has to get in there!

Aw, Ma, that's all right. I can wait.

Morning, Ma.

FLORIDA: Morning--

Thelma!

Your brother's in there.

Well, if he was, somebody must've flushed him.

Michael?

I'll call the plumber.

Hold it.

Now, don't you pull that on me.

Where's your brother?

Hey, Thelma, it's an emergency!

If it is an emergency,

it's gonna be you!

J.J. didn't come home last night, did he?

Oh, my God, something must've happened to him.

Ma, don't worry. He'll be all right.

Oh, my poor baby!

Ma, he'll all right, don't worry.

J.J.!

If I see him, I'll tell him you're looking for him.

Oh, J.J., I was so worried about you, honey!

Oh, are you all right, baby?

Oh, my God,

I had all kinds of thoughts about you.

I'm fine, Ma, I'm fine.

What do you mean

by staying out all night and not calling?

How dare you worry me that way?

Ma, I'm not gonna make up any stories.

I'm not gonna jive you.

I got a confession to make.

What is it?

I wasn't home last night.

J.J.

All right, Ma.

I was with Miss Bishop, painting.

You could have painted

the Empire State Building by now!

Ma, you know how it is when you're having fun,

time flies.

First we were painting, then we ran out of paint,

so we drove downtown

to this after-hours paint joint...

and, uh--

J.J.

Not going for the paint store, huh?

That's enough of that, J.J.,

and I want you to know

you're setting a bad example

for your sister and your brother.

I don't think so, Ma.

I kinda like having the bed all to myself.

Except for one thing.

I got lonely not having anybody

kicking or pulling the covers off me.

Well, next time I stay out all night,

I'll send somebody over to kick you.

Oh, well, guess who's coming to breakfast?

The scrawny sex symbol of the South Side.

Hey, Thelma, I can't help it

if I was born with all this charm and charisma.

It was thrust upon me.

Well, me and your charisma

are going to have a talk.

Thelma, isn't it time for you and Michael to go to school?

Yes.

Bye, Ma.

See ya later, Ma. Bye-bye. Okay.

Bye, big head.

Thelma!

Now, J.J., I'm not gonna--

Is school out so soon?

Uh, going to school, Ma.

J.J., I am worried about you.

Hey, Ma, there ain't nothing to worry about.

Honey, I've worried about you since you were a baby.

When you had chicken pox, you had measles-- Hey, Ma,

Jessica isn't contagious.

You ain't gonna catch her.

J.J., I know you think

you're the Hank Aaron of love,

but I just don't want to see you get hurt.

Ma, no way that's gonna happen.

I mean, life has changed for me.

Especially in the last four days.

I mean, before this, life was just a hamburger,

but ever since I've met Jessica,

it's the end-cut of a prime rib.

J.J.,

I know that Miss Bishop

is a fine person,

and you're a very special young man to me too.

Yeah, you know, what can I say?

Honey,

this is the first time

you've ever gone out with a real woman.

How do you know you're ready for it?

Look at the girls you've been dating.

Teenagers.

Ma, the soul train of love

has chugged on by that stop.

I mean, I've out-matured them.

J.J., I know you're not a little boy,

and I'm not trying to cut you down.

Honey, you're flying high now.

I hope you're not heading for a crash landing.

Hey--Ooh!

Hello, Tarzan.

I got the bracelet you wanted.

Hey.

Did you get it engraved, Willona?

Well, here's the message you wanted.

"To Jessica,

"the most beautiful, enchanting, exciting woman I ever met.

"From J.J. Evans,

the most beautiful, enchanting, exciting man I ever met."

And at ten cents a letter,

the words cost more than the bracelet.

Well, then, what'd you say?

"To J.B. from J.J. with L."

That says it all, Willona!

All right, All right!

Son, I hope you know what you're doing.

Ma, everything will be fine.

I'll talk to you all later.

Bye. Okay, talk to you later.

Bye, baby.

Ooh, Flo, J.J. is as happy

as a kid at Christmas time.

Yeah, but I don't like

the toys he's playing with.

Something tells me

Jessica's tap dancing on your last nerve.

Willona, tell me something.

What?

You've gone out with lots of guys.

Now, I ain't exactly Elizabeth Taylor,

but on the other hand,

I'm not ready for the convent, either.

You know,

some of them nice guys,

Mm-hmm.

some of them tall,

Right, right.

some of them skinny, some of them richer,

and some of them were a little older,

and some of them were--

A little younger?

Well, now that you've said it...

Uh-huh?

W-wha-what--

how--

Flo, do you wanna know what happens? Yeah.

Well, it was...

romantic,

Oh.

exciting,

fantastic,

mystical,

and also heartbreaking.

Oh, Willona.

For him, honey.

I'll catch you after work, okay?

Oh, speaking of your last nerve.

Good morning, Mrs. Evans. Is J.J. in?

I'd like to give him a ride to work.

Uh, he just left.

Oh.

But why don't we three sit down and have some coffee?

Lord knows I wish I could stay, ooh,

but I gotta get to the boutique.

We having a white sale.

A what?

We selling the landlord.

I think maybe I'd better go too.

Oh, please stay.

Can I get you a cup of coffee?

Or have you started drinking Kool-Aid

these last few days?

No, thank you, Mrs. Evans.

I've had my breakfast.

Look, Mrs. Evans,

Uh, I didn't keep your son in my apartment

against his will.

He wanted to be with me.

You probably served him cookies and milk

at 2:00 a.m.

That'll get him every time.

Mrs. Evans,

why don't we talk to each other, and not at each other.

All right, Miss Bishop.

You probably are about...

thirty-two?

Thirty-five.

I was thinking 37.

Exactly what do you want with my son?

The same thing any woman wants

from someone she loves.

Just to be with him.

You really think you love J.J., don't you?

Mrs. Evans, you love J.J.

Why can't you accept

that other people love him too?

I can.

But I'm going to go on loving him.

What's gonna happen to my son when you stop?

Mrs. Evans,

what makes you think I'm gonna stop?

Miss Bishop,

you're 15 years older than J.J.

It's got to end.

Mrs. Evans, that's not gonna happen.

That's not gonna happen.

I don't want you to go home, ever.

Why don't you move in with me tonight?

Hey, I will.

Oh.

And the next night,

and the night after that,

and the night after that,

and the night after that.

And the night after that,

I'll go home and change my clothes.

Why, J.J.?

Aren't we talking about the same thing?

I'm talking commitment.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Uh, sure we are.

Uh, commitment?

Yes.

Darling, I want to share everything with you.

Our lives, our thoughts,

our feelings, everything.

Yeah, th-that sounds cool.

Why don't you go home, get your things,

bring 'em back here, and move in.

You mean really move in?

Yes!

Yes, I want to share everything.

My friends, your friends.

Oh, yeah.

You'll love my friends,

especially Bouncy and Cool Breeze,

and Munchie and Pop-O.

Oh, we can go to movies, the museum,

walking in the park, everything.

Yeah.

It's gonna be so wonderful.

Uh, yeah, beautiful.

Uh, let me go get a glass of water over here.

J.J.,

you're excited too, aren't you?

Oh, uh, yeah.

Only, uh...

Only, uh...

Only...

Only what, J.J.?

Only, uh...

I don't wanna hang my family up like this.

J.J., what do you mean?

Well, I can't walk out on them like this.

I mean, Ma's the best cook in town,

Michael does my income tax,

Thelma loans me money.

That family needs me.

J.J., it's not really your family, is it?

You're scared of what I've been saying to you.

Me, scared of moving in?

Ha ha.

Me, the dude who took on five Satan Knights

and four Warlords at one time

single-handedly?

Me, scared?

Me, the dude who walks through the ghetto alone

at night?

Me, scared?

Are you?

Yes.

See, Jessie,

you keep talking about "we,"

and I ain't had time to be find me yet.

I see, I--

I'm crowding you.

You've got to find your own space.

Yeah, I guess I do.

But we can still be friends!

I mean, I can go out

and get us a pizza right now.

With some pepperoni and sausage.

What else do you like on it?

Thank you, J.J., but...

Pizza isn't in my diet anymore.

J.J.

[SIGHS]

Do me a favor and tell your mother

that it wasn't me who stopped.

* Mmm *

* Just looking Out of the window *

* Watching the asphalt grow *

* Thinking how It all looks hand-me-down *

* Good Times, yeah, yeah *

* Good Times *

* Keeping your head Above water *

* Making a wave when you can *

* Temporary layoffs *

* Good Times *

* Easy credit rip-offs *

* Good times *

ANNOUNCER: Good Times is videotaped in front of a studio audience.

* Good Times **