Original subtitles

* Good Times *

* Anytime You meet a payment *

* Good Times *

* Anytime You feel free *

* 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 **

[SOAP OPERA MUSIC PLAYS]

FEMALE [ON TV]: So, Dr. Farkas,

it was after I had the hysterectomy

and the nosebleed.

That's when I found out about Stephanie,

and that Fred had paid for her abortion

and tonsillectomy.

And now, doctor, with Father dead,

my marriage on the rocks, and me with these ugly warts,

you have the unmitigated gall to come to my hospital room

and tell me that my symptoms are psychosomatic,

and I really can walk?

Well, girl, at least your feet don't hurt.

Ma!

You talking to the TV set?

Would you like to say a few words to the chair?

No, but I got a few choice words for that sink.

You mean to tell me

Bookman ain't fixed that sink yet?

No.

Let me go over there and see

what Old Faithful is doing today.

[GURGLING]

In about four months,

we'll have a glass of water.

Mm.

That's the way it is, Michael.

Well, it's not fair, Thelma!

You can't have it both ways.

You always hollering about equal rights for women,

but as soon as

Earth, Wind & Fire come to town,

you look around for some poor sucker

who works his butt off all week to pay for your ticket.

[CHUCKLES]

* Well, that's the way * * Uh-huh, uh-huh *

* I like it, yeah **

You know, I wish I had it that easy.

I took Judy out last week, and I spent $3.85 on her.

Do you know what she did?

She went off with some jive cat

on some high-speed plastic skateboard.

Aw.

[KNOCKING AT DOOR]

I'll get it, Ma.

These women, I say...

Hey. Hi, folks.

Well, well, well.

Bookman, it must be nearer Christmas than I thought.

Oh, come on, Mrs. Evans. You make fun of me,

but I'm really a man of substance.

Yeah, about 300 pounds of it.

You know, I'd like to chitchat with you,

but Mrs. Bookman is holding dinner for me.

Now, where's that window that needs fixing?

Oh, the window?

Michael fixed that six weeks ago

with a penknife and a bar of soap.

Well, if you're gonna bring in technical equipment...

Well, anyhow, the window's taken care of.

Bye.

Hey, wait a minute, man. what about our sink?

Something wrong with your sink? I'll put it on the list.

But we already on the list.

You're on my window list.

Now I gotta put you on my sink list.

Bookman...

Don't worry. We got you on our list, too.

Well, kids, what would you like for dinner?

Oh, Ma, don't worry about cooking anything for me.

Jerry's taking me to a restaurant

before the concert.

Okay, dinner for three.

Uh, not exactly, Ma.

I got a date with a certain young lady

who's fixing me some Ribs à la J.J.

Which means they're hot, spicy,

and stay with you for days.

Okay, dinner for two.

Uh, Ma, Coach said we can't

have anything before practice.

I'll pick up a sandwich afterwards.

Oh, I left my sneakers in your room.

Okay, Florida.

What would you like for dinner?

Oh, I don't know, what would you like?

Oh, I don't know.

What have you got?

Now, listen, if you gonna argue about it,

you can just fix your own dinner.

You are talking to yourself.

TVoo!

Well, it beats talking to the TV. set.

Mm-hmm.

Girl, what a day I had!

Yeah?

There is nothing worse

than our annual going-out-of-business sale.

Mm.

Honey, every bargain hunter on the south side of Chicago

came out today.

You know Mammoth Minnie Farrell?

The one that owns the reducing salon?

Oh, yes.

Would you believe

I spent my whole lunch hour plus two coffee breaks

trying to push that 300 pounds of flab

into a pair of size 12 hip-huggers?

Oh, no. Oh, yes.

Can you imagine hip-huggers on that hippo?

Well, you know, I had one of those days, too.

Oh, you know what I'm going to do now?

Mm-hmm.

You're going to draw a tub of water,

load it with bubble bath,

relax,

jump into bed,

and zonk out for the rest of the night.

Wrong. Huh?

I'm going to get myself together,

throw on some clothes,

and then there's rapping,

clapping, and finger-snapping.

Whoo!

Honey, Willona is going to party this evening!

Flo, why don't you come and go with me?

Oh...

Hey, Willona.

WILLONA: Hi, Fatso.

Flo, why don't you come with me?

What do you say?

Oh, thanks for the invitation, honey,

but all of the kids are going out tonight.

And while you're out

rapping, clapping, and snapping,

I'll be home napping.

WILLONA: Girl, as hard as you work,

you owe it to yourself to go out.

If you don't go out of this house once in a while,

you gonna forget how to have a good time.

No, Willona, I'll just spoil your night out.

Flo, there's got to be something happening here.

Something always happening in Chicago, honey.

Let's see now.

Here's an under-35 dance.

Under35.

Sure, all it says here is $3 admission.

It don't say nothing about honesty.

And they even got a couple of church socials going.

Oh, now, that sounds more like my speed,

but I think I'll pass.

You sure you wanna stay home? Mm-hmm.

Well, Mother knows best, I guess.

But if you change your mind, you know where to find me.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, Flo, later.

Hey, J.J.,

what's going on?

I'll tell you what's going on.

As senior male member of this household,

I got something to announce.

I don't think you all realize how lonely Ma has been.

Thelma, Michael, you're going to have to

give up your plans for this evening.

What?

Uh, Michael, I think he's right.

You know, we should spend more time with Ma.

Well, I'm glad this is all settled.

Wish I could join you all.

Hey, hold on, J.J.!

Hold on there, buddy.

Do you really think I'm gonna give up the concert

while you go out

with one of your weirdo chicks?

Yeah, J.J., if we stay home, you stay home.

That's right.

Wait a minute.

I had Charlotte cooking ribs all day

so she could squeeze my ribs...

All night.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You can rattle all you want to.

All I know is we all staying home

with Mama tonight.

Yeah, J.J. What do you say?

Well...

I guess Ma should have

one bright, mature, intelligent adult

to stay with her tonight.

Well, I'm here.

Thelma, Jerry's here.

Well, how have you been, Mrs. Evans?

Oh, just fine.

Good.

Oh, hey, hey, good-looking.

Hi, Jerry.

How you doing? How you doing?

All right, you ready to go?

Uh, uh, well, look, Jerry.

Come here. I have something to talk to you about, okay?

Yeah, sure. What's happening?

Well, um, I'm sorry, but I can't go tonight.

What? You can't go tonight?

Did you say something, Jerry?

Yeah--

Oh, he said that there's no show tonight.

The concert's been canceled.

Canceled? Thelma, you do know--

Come on, Jerry, please.

THELMA: Now, if you just be quiet,

I can explain this whole thing.

JERRY: All right, explain.

Hello there, sweet mama.

Yeah, look here.

This is the man, when you think of love,

I'm the only one you can think of.

No, this ain't Harold.

This is J.J.

Remember those big plans we had for this evening?

Well, I'm sorry. I gotta cancel them.

No, I don't have Harold's telephone number.

Hello?

Hello?

The chick's in a state of shock.

Well, Michael.

Aren't you going to your basketball practice?

Uh, no, Ma.

It's a mistake to overtrain.

Thelma, do you have any idea

how much those tickets set me back, huh?

What did you say, Jerry?

I'm trying to tell her--

He said that he had a crick in his back.

Thelma, come on, now--

Come on, Jerry, now.

Come on, this is for my mother.

Oh.

Well, isn't this wonderful?

I mean, the whole family here together.

Michael, Thelma, myself. Isn't this cozy?

Now, just a minute.

Every one of you had something to do tonight.

Now, all of a sudden, everything has changed.

I don't know where you got the idea from,

but you kids seem to think I need a babysitter.

Well,

you old folks can sit at home and twiddle your thumbs

if you want to,

but I'm going out tonight.

[PEOPLE CHATTING INDISTINCTLY]

Here we are.

Willona...

You didn't tell me

the Meeting Place was a saloon.

I don't think our coats are safe back there.

Flo, will you stop worrying.

You know I wouldn't take you any place

that wasn't perfectly respectable.

It's a friendly, honest place to meet people.

Look on it as an adventure.

It's as new for me as it is for you.

Willona!

Hey, girl!

You want your usual table, honey?

As new for you as it is for me, huh?

Willona, how you doing?

Uh, I think they got me confused with another Willona.

Willona... Huh?

Here's a nice, quiet table back here.

No, no. Flo, sit up here.

All you're going to meet back there is a busboy,

and he's 87 years old, got arthritis,

and does a lousy hustle.

Oh, Flo. It ain't no crime to be alone,

but it is dumb to be lonely.

Okay, so I tricked you into coming,

but now that you're here,

why don't you relax and have a drink?

I'll be right by your side all evening.

Have a ball, girl. You owe it to yourself.

Okay, Willona.

I guess you're right.

Oh, good, good, good.

Woo-hoo.

Hey, ladies.

Two cats at the bar just want to buy you a drink.

Oh, no, thank you--

Momentito,honey.

Which cats?

Them the cats.

Lord have mercy.

I wouldn't let those two turkeys

buy me cranberry sauce.

I'm sure glad you turned them down.

Mm-hmm!

In a place like this, you gotta pick and choose,

because a drink is more than just a drink,

it's a calling card.

You know, it's a nice, friendly way to say hello.

Like, for instance, if you were in a restaurant,

a gentleman might send you over a fancy dessert,

and if you were in a florist's, he might send you a dozen roses.

I'm glad we're not in a stable.

Oh, Flo.

That's funny.

That's funny.

Your usual, Willona?

[CLEARS THROAT]

Seven and seven, Miss.

Flo, what are you gonna have?

What's seven and seven?

Fourteen.

What you drinking?

What in the world is a Rodney Allen Rippey?

That's a Shirley Temple with a black olive.

Oh.

I'll take it.

MAN: You know, this domestic ripple,

it don't taste as good as the imported stuff.

You know, that voice sounds so familiar.

I know I've heard it somewhere before.

You ought to. You know everybody here.

I do not, Flo.

Oh, Willona, look, look, look.

Now, either he works in a hardware store,

or he just rolled Isaac Hayes.

Hello, foxy mamas.

The name is Lenny.

You may have had many,

but till you tried sweet Lenny,

you ain't had any.

Well, any of Lenny

ain't worth a penny.

Whoo!

Oh, Willona,

weren't you a little bit rough on him?

Rough on him?

Honey, he was a complete nut.

Here we go, ladies.

Here we go.

Here's your usual, Willona.

Oh, well, thank you, darling.

And, honey,

this should truly set you free.

Well, Flo,

let's make a toast.

To your first night out.

Have a natural gas!

Thank you, Willona.

Mm, not bad.

Hey, listen. What?

If you feel like taking off with somebody,

don't let me hold you back.

Are you kidding?

We're in this together.

You are my best friend.

There's no way I'm gonna leave you by yourself.

MAN: And then, after I got my engineering degree from M.I.T.,

that's the Michigan Institute of Toolology--

You know what? I was only 16.

I went right into private industry.

You know, Willona, you're right.

That voice does sound familiar.

I told you. I know.

It's you!

I spotted you clear across the room

the minute I walked in.

You the only woman in the world for me.

Negro, please.

It's you!

I spotted you clear across the room

the minute I walked in.

You the only woman in the world for me.

This room must have an echo.

It's you!

I spotted you clear across the room...

Willona, you know,

I'm beginning to have a lot of fun.

I'm kinda glad you tricked me into coming.

Oh, I'm glad, too, Flo,

and the fun has just begun.

That's right. Stick with me.

If you stick with me.

It would take a wild horse

to drag me from this table.

The rest of the men in this place

must be crazy

to let a beautiful woman like you

go to waste.

Dance with me.

Arrivederci, Flo!

Hey.

Where's Willona?

She ran off with a wild horse.

MAN: Believe me.

Boy, I been all over this world,

and through all my travels,

I ain't never seen nobody gorgeouser than you.

Oh, do you mean it?

Of course I do,

and that's the gospel truth, honey,

or my name ain't Barry Belafonte.

Are you any relation to Harry Belafonte?

Listen to this.

* Day-o *

* Day-o *

* Daylight come And me wanna go home **

If you're through climbing the walls...

Oh.

Would you care to dance?

Oh, no, thank you.

Well, maybe I could buy you a drink?

No--

Sure, why not?

A drink is like a calling card.

That's a nice thought.

My name is Ben Foster.

I'm Florida Evans.

Got lucky, huh?

What you drinking?

Another round, please.

Uh-huh.

Uh, make mine a small one.

Ooh.

Uh...

You know, this is the first time

I've been to the Meeting Place.

Have you ever been here before?

I used to come here often...

With my wife.

But I haven't been here since she passed away.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I lost my husband recently.

Rough, isn't it?

That first step, getting back into the world.

It sure is.

You know, if my friend hadn't tricked me

into coming here tonight,

I'd still be home,

being mother hen to my children.

Okay, here we go.

Whoa.

Here's your Rodney Allen Rippey,

swinger.

How many children do you have?

Three.

I have two. Both are married.

Mm.

I'll bet that you have pictures of your children.

Well, I may have one or two.

And I may have one of my grandson.

Oh!

You have a nice laugh.

And then, after I got back from Puerto Rico,

I went to work for the federal government.

You know, I was working on a top secret project.

Project!

That's it!

Well, hello, Barry Belafonte.

I beg your pardon, madam.

Do I know you?

You know, they always get me mixed up with Harry.

Good lord, it's 11:00.

I gotta put a call in to the White House.

Can't keep the Vice President waiting, you know.

* Daylight come *

* And he wan' go home **

Yeah, well. Bye.

But, Mr. Belafonte...

I haven't told you about where we live.

It's so ritzy

that Belafonte there is our janitor.

Oh.

Mr. Foster?

Ben.

Ben...

I feel like dancing.

It'll be my pleasure, madam.

J.J, do you know what time it is?

It's 2:00,

and Ma's not here yet.

Well, aren't you worried about her?

Look here, Thelma.

I can't worry on no empty stomach.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

See, there she is now.

You over here knocking to me in my head.

Hi. Hey, Willona.

I saw the light under the door.

Hey, where's Flo?

Willona, we thought she was with you.

Well, she was, but I got up to dance.

When I came back, she was gone.

Ma? Is that you?

No, Michael, it's not Ma.

Now, go back to sleep, okay?

I'm not sleep--

I wonder where Flo could be.

You mean my mother's out on the street

this time of night? Something could happen.

Don't worry. She gonna be all right.

THELMA: No, no, something could happen.

WILLONA: Don't worry, Thelma.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Take it easy, now.

You all cackling like hens here.

Let the man of the house handle this.

Yeah, what are you gonna do?

You just watch my smoke, young lady.

You just watch my smoke.

I know how to handle situations like this.

Hello, police?

My mommy's missing.

* I could have Danced all night *

Ma!

* And still *

* Have danced Some more **

Ma, are you all right?

Well, of course.

What are you kids doing up?

Ma, we were worried about you!

Ma, is that you?

Yes, dear.

Stick with me, huh?

Flo, where did you go?

I looked all over the place for you.

Well, you didn't look in the right places.

Oh, Flo, tell me all about it.

Willona, it's getting late,

and we've both gotta go to work in the morning.

Tell me what happened. I wanna--

Good night, Willona.

That's cold. I always tell you-- Good night, Willona.

Now, wait a minute, young lady.

You better have a darn good excuse

for this one.

I mean, I know you were having a good time,

and I know the party, and the happenings,

and the action was going on,

but there was a phone in that place--

I just know it,

and you could've picked it up

and let your family,

who was sitting here concerned...

You could have let us know what was happening.

I hate to do this, but, Ma,

I'm gonna have to ground you.

J.J., I think you got that all backwards.

You don't ground me,

I ground you.

You kids seem to think

that you got the market cornered for having fun.

Well, I had a good time tonight,

and I'm going out again as soon as I get a chance,

and if you don't like it...

Tough chitlins.

But, Ma, you know-- Ma, we know all that--

Good night, kids.

Good night.

They don't call me Jesse Owens for nothing!

Hey! Hey!

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Good night--

Hi, there.

What are you doing here at this hour?

Well, you know,

I was just saying to Mrs. Bookman, uh,

I couldn't sleep knowing that

your plumbing is out of order.

But that's the way it is

with old friends like us, ain't it?

You know, one hand washes the other.

Not in our sink, it don't.

That's exactly why I got up out of a warm bed

to let you know that I'll take care of it

the first thing tomorrow morning.

Um, does that make everything all right?

Good night, Barry.

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

Good night, Willona.

[SIGHS]

* I could've danced All night... *

* 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 **