A Different World (1987–1993): Season 3, Episode 9 - Answered Prayers - full transcript

The gang rushes Kim to see her policeman father (Richard Roundtree), who has been shot while on duty.

£ I know my parents loved me £

£ stand behind me
come what may £

£ I know now that I'm ready £

£ for I finally heard them say £

£ it's a different world £

£ than where you come from £

£ yes, it is now, yeah £

£ here's our chance to make it £

£ and if we focus on our goal £

£ you can dish it,
we can take it £

£ hey, just remember
that you've been told £



£ it's a different world £

£ it's a different world £

£ it's a different world £

£ than where you come from £

£ ooh £

£ than where you come from! £

Freddie, what are you doing?

I'm trying to pump the blood
to my brain.

I got a midterm in 15 minutes.

Wouldn't it be easier if you
just stood on your head?

'Cause it would definitely be
less funky.

The interest rate would be...

It would be...

93% per annum.



Not even close.

Whitley, this is going to be
on your math midterm tomorrow.

Do I sound like
I'm getting a cold?

It sounds like
you're getting an "f."

No, listen.

I'm definitely nasal.

I suggest you work more on this
math and less on that cold.

Because colonel Taylor won't buy
any more bogus excuses

for an extension.

I will never get this.

Yes, you will.

Think positive.

Now, earned interest

is current value
plus interest rate

times..?

Principle over value.

You know, you don't look good
at all, whitley.

I'm going to take to my bed.

Yeah.

Excuse me, miss Gilbert,
may I speak to you?

Of course, molefe.

I know that n this country

formal introductions
between men and women

are not necessary.

You take class together

you talk in the hall,
and before long...

Molefe, you little
international lover, you.

I'm flattered.

So you will introduce me
to miss jaleesa vinson?

When they snap
the lid on my coffin.

By tomorrow

this cold will have moved
down to my chest.

Right now, it's all in my head.

I'll say.

I'll just keep drinking
honey-lemon tea

and I don't care if I get
bronchial pneumonia tomorrow...

I will drag myself
down to that midterm...

If I can.

Whitley, I have a Spanish
midterm's in two hours.

Stick the thermometer
in your mouth.

Fine, I'll suffer in silence.

Kim, please call colonel Taylor

and tell him of my suffering.

Why would he believe me?

Because you're
a policeman's daughter.

He don't know
you lie like a rug.

Okay.

I'll call him
if you have a temperature.

Stick this under your tongue.

Okay.

Habla, hablamos

hablamas...

Hablamoo

hablamee.

Oh, why is it
pre-med needs Spanish, anyway?

I don't know.

Hmm...

A hundred and six.

Told you I was sick.

You're not sick, you're dead.

Hello.

Mom, hi.

How come you're calling
on whitley's phone?

What kind of emergency?

What happened?

He was shot?!

Your daddy?

Okay, I'm on my way.

Mom, I don't care
about midterms!

So when will he
be out of surgery?

Alright. Promise me you'll call
as soon as you hear.

Mom, I really think I should...

Okay.

Love you, too.

Kim, I'm so sorry. If there's
anything I can do...

I got to go home.

Oh, right.

On your little scooter?

A truck will suck you
right off the road.

Whitley, I can't stay here.

Okay, fine.

Take my car.

Thanks a lot.

My bag.

Oh, god, where's my bag?

You're holding it.

Oh.

Okay, let me... I'll drive.

Okay.

Okay, I'll go down,
tell Walter we're going.

You keep packing.

Tell him I'll call
as soon as I get to the
hospital.

Hospital?

Right.

Ooh, catch whitley.

Even in sweats, she gets me hot.

Oh, I know why she's here. She's
here to get me

to put on a southern accent
and a dress

and take her midterm for her.

You do have the legs for it.

Shut up.

She's headed this way.

Yeah?

Dwayne?

Oh, whitley, 'm not getting you
out of your math midterm.

This is personal.

I need you.

She's just using him
to get to me.

Kim has to go to Ohio
and I've promised...

I get it.

"Colonel Taylor,
I couldn't possibly take my math
midterm"

"because I'll be
500 miles away."

Dwayne...

Whitley...

Kim's daddy's been shot.

What?

She's being brave right now

but she's in no condition
to read a map.

I'm afraid if we go alone

we'll end up in saskatchewan.

I'm with you.

Thank you.

I get a little phobic

when it comes to these things.

You're afraid of the interstate?

No, hospitals.

Those long, dark,
hollow hallways

slime-green walls

all those sick people
with diseases and viruses...

Okay, okay.

Whitley, whitley,
you can stay in the car.

Thank you.

Ronald, we'll be back
in a couple of days.

Maybe longer.

Maybe I'm playing
too hard to get.

Oppha roll out the moussaka.

Break some plates!

My Greek mythology midterm
is history!

Freddie, we have to go.

Where you guys going?

Ohio.

Ohio, I'm in.
Two minutes to pack.

Freddie..

This visit's gonna give me

another chance with your dad.

I mean, when he busted us

for going to Washington,
if looks can kill...

Freddie...

It amazing to me

how you can still walk
with one foot in your mouth.

What did I say?

We're going to Ohio

because Kim's daddy has been
shot.

I'm going to go with you.

Oh, no, you're not.

We need someone there
who is sensible, calm

and most of all, silent.

I'm going with you anyway.

Fine, as long as
you run behind the car.

This waiting is so debilitating.

Growing old
as the hands of the clock

drag across the face of time.

Each moment becomes a lifetime

each lifetime
becomes an eternity.

Whitley,
we've been here five minutes.

Oh, I can't stand this stench.

Whitley, it's just disinfectant.

It's the smell of germs dying.

It's the hot air from your mouth
that's killing them.

Kim, is everything all right?

He's out of surgery.

The bullet pierced the abdomen
and he lost a lot of blood.

And there's some danger of
infection.

How's your mom holding up?

Not too good, they still won't
let her see him.

I'm sure that your dad is in
good hands.

Yeah, you said yourself
this is a good hospital.

Certainly don't skimp
on the disinfectant.

I haven't called home once

since that argument we had

about that trip to Washington.

And when he's called,
I've been to busy for anything
but a quick "hello."

Kim, I never call home.

My mom calls to nag me
for never calling home.

But dawyne, it's different

when your dad's a cop

knowing that
you may never see him again.

Kim, your dad's
going to be all right.

I want him to know
that I love him.

He knows you love him.

I just wish
I could do something.

Pray for him.

Pray?

I can do that.

You can only stay
for a few minutes.

Okay.

Daddy?

Hi.

I came as soon as I could.

How am I doing, doc?

I know you wanted me
to stay at school

but I had to come.

There's so many things
I want to say.

You've always been there for me.

I've been kind of rough on you

haven't I?

Because you care about me.

I can do better.

You're doing just fine.

You're just like me.

You're smart...

And you're strong.

And stubborn as a mule.

Daddy...

I love you so much.

I love you, too, baby.

I can still call you baby,
can't I?

Hi.

God?

I sure hope you're out there.

It's not that I don't think
you're out there.

It's just that I don't
really know what I think.

See, my family's
not real religious.

My mom believes in you.

She says that you're everywhere.

You're in rocks and snowflakes
and grasshoppers...

Especially grasshoppers,
don't ask me why.

My dad doesn't believe
you're anywhere at all...

But he's a very nice man.

I'm not here about my family.

I'm here for my friend, Kim.

Her dad's in pretty bad shape
and Kim asked me

to pray for him.

Problem is,
I only know one prayer.

Rub-a-dub-dub,
thanks for the grub.

Yay god!

I'm blowing this.

I can't do anything right.

Please take care of Kim's dad
and please don't let him die.

Please.

Life doesn't make sense.

Mr. Reese is lying
in a hospital bed

and the dude who shot him,
slips on his $5 shads and rides
off in his European sports car?

You have got to stop
watching Miami vice.

I wish I were a hindu.

At least then I'd know if he
got away with it this life

he'd get nailed in the next one.

What brand of nonsense
are you selling?

It's not nonsense.

Over 600 million hindus
believe in reincarnation.

You create your own Karma

so the evil you do in this life
follows you to the next.

Oh, please.

And the next and the next

and you keep coming back lower
till your lower than a nickel

looking for change.

Jim baker could come back as
one of Tammy Faye's eyelashes.

Leona Helmsley could come back
as a bedbug in her own hotel.

Good news?

Dwayne:
Is your dad okay?

They let me see him, we talked.

Oh, I'm so glad.

I'm going to call jaleesa
right now and let her know he's
out of the woods.

Hello.

Oh, Kim, how's your dad?

Oh, thank god.

He's all right, Walter,
he's all right.

Tell her we were all
pulling for him.

Oh Kim, every body
here was pulling...

And that we personally went to
the chapel.

And Walter and I we went to...

And that she can take her
midterms when she get's back.

Do you want to speak to her?

No, I have nothing to say.

Kim, everyone here is
going to be really pleased

that your dad is doing so well.

I'm sorry...

Who is this?

Jaleesa, dear...

When did colonel Taylor
reschedule my exam?

3:00 tomorrow is when
everybody else is taking it.

Well, excuse me... hello?

I bet you didn't even try
to explain to the man that...

I hope she comes back as a tick
on spud McKenzie.

Kim, dear, I'm happy

that your father has recovered
at such a rapid rate.

Is there anything else
we can do for you?

No, you've been great,
thank you.

Least we can do. We're out
of here.

Now?

Before we see Mr. Reese?

Look, f we don't leave now

the next thing you're going
to see are my taillights.

I'll see you guys
in a couple of days.

Okay now, come on.

I'll be right back.
I got to go.

That girl's got to go
every 15 minutes.

We had to stop.

We haven't eaten
in three states.

Don't blame me for
Tennessee, you're the one who
can't read a map.

Well, in the dark, that staple
looked like an exit ramp.

Besides, no life is complete

until you've had your
midnight tour of dollywood.

Excuse me.

Yeah?

Coffee, black, to go.

I'll have
the belly buster special.

Two eggs over easy.

Potatoes or grits.

Grits.

Sir, how long will
all this take, please?

Not too long.

The cook will be here
in two hours.

Sir, your sign outside
says "open 24 hours."

You got in, didn't you?

Don't you have any hot food?

I sure do.

Coffee and soda.

Great, we'll have three
black coffees to go.

I'll have
a tuna sandwich on toast.

Toast?!

I just said I don't cook.

Hi, bacon double cheeseburger,
please.

Make that two tunas on white.

Make that three.

Could you hurry, please?

I have to go to school.

You want that in a lunch box?

No, we'll eat here.

And could you please trim
the crusts off my bread?

I hate the night shift.

You guys...
I think I found god.

In the ladies room?

Now we have proof,
god is a woman.

When I was at the hospital
and Kim asked me to pray

I didn't really know what to do
so I spoke from my heart.

I can't explain it, but it felt
like somebody was listening.

If you start singing
"you'll never walk alone"

you will walk alone.

I never felt so full
and so warm.

And when Kim's father
did get better...

Dwayne, you know
what I'm saying?

Uh, well, I don't go
to church much

except for when I'm back home
and my mom makes me.

It's a good thing to do
on Sunday before the game.

I sit there and pray
for the giants to win.

Does it work for you too?

Two years ago,
they won the super bowl.

Eternal life will come
before these sandwiches.

Oh, it's a miracle.

Excuse me, sir.

You forgot to trim
the crust off my bread.

You know, you're right.

Hey, guys.

Hey!
Hey!

My mom really appreciated
everything you did

so she made you cookies.

Way to go mom.

I'm glad
your dad's doing better.

Well, he's coming along.

I've got it on very good
authority that he'll be walking
outa that hospital

in no time.

Well, I got to go unpack.

Congratulations, big foot.

You did it again.

What did I say now?

Kim's daddy won't be walking
anywhere for a while.

There was some sort of
trauma to his spine.

And it doesn't look good.

I don't believe this.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

I'm just not going
to believe in a god

you can't pray to

without reading the fine print.

What do you mean?

I asked god to let
Kim's father live...

And he did.

But god tricked me.

The man's alive,
but he can't walk.

What kind of a god
would do that?

Freddie, god didn't do that.

A bullet did.

What's the point of praying

if you don't get
what you pray for?

I hear you.

When I was ten years old

I knew exactly what
I wanted for Christmas.

I wanted this autographed
Kareem Abdul-jabbar basketball.

I prayed for this ball.

I took pictures
of this ball to church

so god wouldn't mess up
and get the wrong one.

You know what was under the tree

come Christmas day?

A new winter jacket

and a red hat
with a goofy little pompon.

See?

I was mad at god that day.

I went to church
but I refused to sing.

You know something?

That winter, basketball courts
were under two feet of snow.

Everyone either had the flu
or frostbite...

Everybody but me

because I had
my new winter jacket

and my knit hat
with the goofy red pompon.

That's a lovely story.

What's the point?

What's the point? I tell you a
story about my lucky knit hat

and you ask "what's the point"?

Yes.

What is my point?

I guess it's that, when you pray

you can ask for things,
you can yell

you can try to cut a deal.

Sometimes you get what you want.

Sometimes you get what you need.

Sometimes you just get
what you get.

You know what god does?

I think god helps you hang in
with what you get.

I thought you weren't religious.

Yeah, so did I.

My mom's going to be happy.

All those... all those
sundays, I was listening.

And I hope you're listening, too

because this Sunday,
the giants have a big one.

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