Good Times (1974–1979): Season 1, Episode 7 - Junior Gets a Patron - full transcript

♪ Good Times ♪

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♪ 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 ♪

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♪ Easy credit rip-offs ♪

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♪ Scratching and surviving ♪

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♪ Hanging in a chow line ♪

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♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

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Father, give me strength.

Rembrandt?

Hey, Rembrandt?

Huh?

Oh, Mama.

I'm glad you woke me up.



I was having this
terrible dream.

I dreamt I was commissioned
to paint Miss Black America...

nude.

Oh, what's so
terrible about that?

It turned out the winner
was Moms Mabley.

JJ, I thought I told you

not to use my dish towels
to wipe your paintbrushes.

Now, what do you call this?

How about Sunset on the Congo?

How about my hand
upside your head?

You're making a mess
of this whole house.

My kitchen is spilling
over with your stuff.

You know what I
almost made for dinner

the other night?

Turpentine soup.

Ma, you've got to do
something about JJ.

Now what?

I was going to wash my hair,

and I almost used
this tube of paint.

I might have wound
up with green hair.

If you were a little shorter,

you'd have been the
first black leprechaun.

If I spill this on you, then
you know what you'd be?

The ugly Green Giant.

Ho-ho-ho.

All right, stop it,
the two of you.

JJ, what were your paints
doing in the bathroom?

I never know

where the inspiration
may hit me.

In the bathroom?

Some people read. I paint.

Can't a man get some
rest in his own house?

You should hear what's going on.

I did. Your voices carried

all the way to the west
wing of the mansion.

James, I want you to talk to JJ.

All right, baby.

Hi, JJ. How you doing?

Not bad. Good.

Well, I talked to him.

Now I'm going back to sleep.

Very funny.

Man!

You can't get nothing
done in this town!

Now, what's eating you?

I was on this protest march.

We were demanding
more black policemen

in the projects area,

but they came and broke it up.

Who broke it up?

Some black policemen.

I'm going back to sleep.

James, before you go,

there's something else
we got to discuss about JJ.

What's to discuss, baby?

If the boy made a
mess, let him clean it.

It ain't the mess he made.

It's the mess he might be in.

How come all of a sudden
he's got so much art supplies?

Where'd he get all that money?

I hope he hasn't been
finding things again.

Junior, have you been
finding things again?

I am no longer forced
by economic necessity

to find things.

I have what we call in
artistic circles "a patron."

A patron? What's
he talking about?

A patron is a sponsor.

How'd you get a sponsor?

I took a couple of my
masterpieces downtown,

and this dude who
recognizes true talent

and divine inspiration
when he sees it

took one look at my work,

and it blew his mind,

to the tune of $10
for some art supplies.

A man gave you $10?

Yeah, so I could keep on

exercising my ebony
genius on canvas.

Hey, how about that?

Take a look at this, baby.

Why, this is art.

I don't know.

JJ, why don't you paint

things like trees, mountains,

green meadows?

As soon as we get
some of 'em around here,

I'll paint 'em.

Why don't you
paint jolly things...

something gay?

I did, Mama.

This is Sweet Willie Koontz.

Baby, let the boy do his thing.

I mean, he's got a
sponsor now, ain't he?

Hey, Junior, who is this cat

that knows the real Evans
talent when he sees it?

He owns a little... get
this word. "Boutique."

That's a fancy name

for a store where they
charge you too much.

When you got a
name like "boutique,"

you gots to charge more.

Anyway, you're going
to him pretty soon,

'cause he's coming over here.

He wants to pick out
two of my paintings.

He thinks he can sell them.

JJ, this could be the big break

you've been waiting for.

Yeah, I'm on my way.

I'm going to be the Hank
Aaron of the art world.

Mr. Jackson's even
got a little storage room

over his store...
pardon me, "boutique."

That word is dy-no-mite!

Anyway, he says
I can paint there

anytime I want to.

Now, how about that, baby?

Now Junior's going to have

his own separate place
to paint. Won't be no...

Did you say Jackson?

What's his first name?

Leroy. Leroy Jackson.

Hold on, now, James.

It can't be the same one.

How we know it ain't?
How we know it is?

What's going on?

I don't want to talk about it.

A long time ago,
somebody named Leroy...

I'll talk about it.

Before I married
your mother, Junior,

me and Leroy Jackson

was working in a
gas station together.

Boy, we was tight.

I mean, we did
everything together.

We drank together,
we partied together,

then we decided to go
into business together,

so I gave Leroy Jackson
$250 of my money

to put on the business,

and you know what?
He blew it on a horse.

I mean, he was my
friend and I trusted him,

and he blew everything:

The money, the business,
and our friendship,

on a horse.

Daddy, the horse lost, huh?

Is an elephant heavy?

James, you're being
foolish about this whole thing.

It can't be the same one.

There are at least
200 Leroy Jacksons

in Chicago.

Well, there was
80,000 at Soldier's Field

the night that pigeon
picked on your uncle Hector.

James, how long you
going to carry a grudge?

The Bible says

"Love your enemies
and pray for them."

Well, baby, when I catch
up to Leroy Jackson,

you pray for him,

'cause he's going to need it

to recover from the whipping
I'm going to put on him.

That ain't the kind of
prayer the Lord had in mind.

The Lord ain't never
lost $250 on a horserace.

Hey, Mr. Jackson.

Hello, Junior.

Come on in.

I went you to meet my family.

This is my mother, my brother

and my sister.

How do you do. Hello. Hi.

Folks, this is
Mr. Jackson, my jackpot.

I want you to meet the man

who fathered this
magnificent talent, my dad.

Daddy, this is... Leroy Jackson.

The only man I ever trusted
to go into business with,

and you beat me out of my money.

James Evans!

I can't believe it!

Well, you're going to believe it

after I separate your
teeth from your mouth.

James!

Now, there's going
to be no violence

in this house.

It ain't going to
be in the house.

The first punch is
going to knock him

clean out in the hallway!

James, I just want
to say one thing.

I don't want to hear it.

I've been trying to
say this for 20 years.

I don't want to hear it!

James, let the man
speak his piece.

No. Now, Leroy Jackson,
get the hell out of my house.

Not until I get
this off my chest.

Daddy! Don't throw him out.

He wants to help JJ's career.

There'll be nobody
in this family

taking no help from him.

Now split, man!

I said I don't want to hear it.

Now split!

Well, too bad, Junior.

Dad... what are you...?

Mr. Jackson, don't go.

Thanks a lot, Dad.

You just turned my jackpot
into two lemons and a plum.

You'd better check
yourself, Junior.

I don't need no lip out
of you or favors from him.

Just 'cause y'all had
a hassle 20 years ago,

I don't see why
I've got to suffer.

I wasn't even born yet,

and if I'd known this
was going to happen,

I wouldn't even have
bothered to show up.

James, you can't let a
silly argument like this

stand in the way
of your son's future.

Yeah!

Who you saying "yeah" to?

Uh... to whom it may concern?

Can I say something?

This was a big chance for JJ

The people could have
discovered his talent.

Do my ears deceive my face?

Thelma, you saying
something kind about me?

I could kiss you.

I didn't say nothing that kind.

Daddy, I'd like to express
the black point of view.

The world needs more
artists like JJ to represent us.

And I'd like to express myself

on the black
father's point of view.

This house can do with
a lot less fat-mouthing

from a militant midget like you.

That also goes for the
medium and the large.

You ain't heard from the
giant economy-size yet.

James, the children are
right. You did the wrong thing.

I'm running this house.

I'm not going to have our
kids talking to me that way.

Now, Junior, as long as
you're living under my roof,

you ain't going to
do but one thing,

and that's obey.

Who says I've got to
live under your roof?

What are you
trying to say, Junior?

I'm saying maybe
I ought to leave.

Aw, son, it's rough out there.

You'd be back home

before your suitcase
stopped rocking.

I can make it on my own.

Toulouse-Lautrec was
18 when he left home.

I'm a year younger,
but I'm a lot taller.

JJ, I think you're
letting this go too far.

No, Mama. Mr. Jackson says
I could use his storage room.

Maybe I'll take him up on that.

Junior, you mean to
say you'd stay with a man

who betrayed your father?

Aw, Dad, that was 20 years ago.

He's my patron now.

Well, son, and that's if you
care about being my son,

if you go anywhere near
Leroy Jackson's house,

you can forget about ever
coming back here again.

Who says I'm coming back? JJ!

You got your hat. Get your coat.

James, please.

That's exactly
what I'm going to do.

I'm going to pack.

I'll help you!

JJ, don't leave.

JJ, man, don't do
this. I'm being asked to.

James, tell your son
this is his house too.

If he sets foot
outside that door,

it ain't his house no more.

JJ?

You heard him, Mama.

Goodbye, Mama.

Goodbye, Michael.
Goodbye, Thelma.

Goodbye, almost everybody.

James, you remember
when Junior was born,

you came into my room,

picked him up in your arms,

and said, "Florida, this
boy is going places."

I never dreamed it would be

the storage room
over a boutique.

What you doing awake, Michael?

You like to sleep late
on Sunday mornings.

I ain't been sleeping
too good since JJ left.

I'm used to having
him in bed with me.

I know, son.

I keep dozing off,

but every time JJ
don't kick me, I wake up.

I haven't been
sleeping too good myself

these last few days.

Yeah, I heard you and
Daddy arguing all night.

We were not arguing. We
were discussing the problem.

Sure was a loud discussion.

Mama, when's the
problem, coming home?

I wish I knew, child.

I sure do hope it's soon,

'cause I need JJ
to kick me to sleep.

Why don't you get washed up?

Breakfast will be ready soon.

Hey, mister, what
you doing up so early?

I had a bad night.

You've got Mama to argue with.

I ain't got nobody.

You'd better pull that lip in.

Good morning, baby.

It's morning,

but there ain't
nothing good about it.

Will you stop looking at me

like I'm an imperial
wizard of the Klan?

If the sheet fits...

Oh, now, baby, I'm
still your husband,

and you're still my wife.

We're also the mother and father

of a son that's not here.

James, we could
get that boy back

if you'd just be reasonable.

I am reasonable.

Then why don't
you tell JJ it's all right

for Jackson to help him?

Now, Florida, my mind's
made up, and that's that.

Lord, make this man
more reasonable.

I don't want you doing
no praying for me, woman,

without my permission.

James Evans, you
watch your mouth.

How do you know the
Lord won't reach down

and punish you for that?

Well, the Lord is my friend too.

Hey, we're running
buddies, ain't we, Lord?

James, that is blasphemy,

and the Lord is going
to show you a sign

and make you know it.

All right.

I'll give him 10 seconds
to show me a sign.

You ready, Lord? Let's go.

James, you put
that watch back on

and apologize.

Now, you stay
out of this, woman.

This is between me and the Lord.

You hear that, Lord?

This is James Evans talking!

You've got 10 seconds
to do your thing!

James, you ain't
doing yourself no good

carrying on like that!

Well, time is running out.

He ain't laid a glove on me yet.

Ten. Nine. Eight.

James, give me that dumb watch.

Seven. Six. Five.

Five. Five. Five.

Uh-huh.

Maybe he didn't
lay a glove on you,

but he sure punched
a hole in your watch.

Baby, that's just a coincidence.

Coincidence? That
ain't no coincidence.

I warned you about flying
in the face of the master.

Having another one
of those discussions?

This was a three-way discussion.

Go finish setting the table.

Yes, ma'am.

Sure does seem funny

setting the table for
four instead of five.

Well, just do it

without any references
to number five, will you?

Okay, but it's going to be weird

sitting around eating

without once hearing
somebody say,

"Dy-no-mite!"

Now, you keep that up,
and we're going to be down

to a setting for
three, number four.

Morning.

Good morning, sweetheart.

Hey, morning, baby girl.

Why you so down?

You had all the time you needed
in the bathroom this morning.

That's the trouble, Daddy.

It's no fun without JJ
pounding on the door

and yelling, "Get
out of there, girl,

"you've been going steady
with the bathroom mirror

long enough."

Well, that's enough of that.

Let's just sit down
and eat our breakfast

and that's all.

Michael, say the blessing.

Thank you, God, for the
grits we are about to receive.

And... And when
you're finished with us,

say hey to JJ.

Now, what kind
of blessing is that?

The Lord ain't got
nothing against a good PS.

Let's face it, James.

The children miss
JJ, I miss him,

and in your heart, you
know you miss him, too.

Why don't we just ask
him to come home?

He ain't setting foot
in this house again

until he can show some
respect for his father.

Now, can we eat, please,

before I lose my appetite?

I already lost mine.

Thelma, baby, when
you're all finished,

clear the table for me.

Okay, Mama.

Hey, baby, where are you going?

Your Highness has
had his breakfast served,

and I'm going to church.

It's Sunday, remember?

Uh, look here, uh, I
ain't busy this morning.

You want me to go with you?

No, I don't think so.

The sermon this morning

is going to be about
the prodigal son.

Come in?

Hi, Junior.

Oh, hi, Mr. Jackson.

How's it going?

Not too good.

All this quiet is disturbing
my concentration.

I could bring the radio up.

No, I don't mean
that kind of noise.

I mean family
yapping kind of noise.

That's music to paint by.

I'll bring the radio up anyway.

It might help.

Thelma, will you stop
looking over my shoulder

and making dumb
remarks about my paintings?

My remarks ain't half as
dumb as your paintings.

You couldn't paint a white
line down the middle of a road.

I'd like to paint a stop sign
over your big, fat mouth.

Now, why don't you shut up

and let me
concentrate, ugly sister?

Ugly?

Who you calling ugly, ugly?

You could be a witch doctor

and use your real face
as the voodoo mask.

Yeah?

Yeah!

Mama, you hear that?

She called me ugly.

Yeah, I heard.

Well, then talk to Thelma.

I'd better talk to you.

I think you've flipped.

Hey, I'm beginning
to sound like Mama.

Mama!

JJ, what's happening?
Are you all right, son?

Sure.

I was just trying to recreate

the peaceful sounds of home.

Yell at me!

I didn't come
here to yell at you.

I came to see how
you were, and I see.

You're just as lonesome
for us as we are for you.

Yeah, I'm getting flaky
having a bathroom all to myself.

And look out that window.

No kids playing stick ball,

Ned the Wino not
passed out in the gutter,

nobody mugging nobody...

all this quiet is just
too much for me.

This is the only thing
I've painted so far.

Well, you're sure
holding up a sign to me.

You want to come home.

I don't know.

If Dad wasn't so hung
up about Mr. Jackson,

I could stay at home and paint,

and Mr. Jackson could
still sell my paintings.

I'll keep working on your daddy.

I want you home too, son.

In the meantime, I'd better go.

I told James I was
going to church.

JJ, you need any money?

No, I'm all right, Mama.

All right, but if
you need anything,

you be sure and let
me know, you hear?

I will.

Bye, son.

Bye, Mama.

James!

What you doing here, woman?

I thought you were supposed
to be going to church.

Well, I was,

but the Lord
detoured my footsteps

in this direction.

What you doing here?

Well, I... That is to say, I...

You sound just like the heads
of one of them oil companies

trying to explain
gasoline prices.

What am I doing here?

I'll tell you what
I'm doing here.

I'm missing my
red checkered shirt,

and I thought Junior

might have packed it in
with his stuff by mistake.

That's what I'm doing here now.

Well, that makes sense,
except for one thing.

You're wearing it.

Oh, James, come
on now, admit it.

You want JJ home as
much the rest of us do,

and you came over
to ask him home.

No, that's the last
thing on my mind, baby,

but I'm still the boy's father,

and I came over here to warn him

about that no-good
crook Jackson,

'cause, Junior, once a
crook, always a crook.

And once a stubborn
ox, always a stubborn ox.

James!

Leroy Jackson, get
the hell out of my house!

What?!

Man, this is my house.

Then get the hell
out of your house.

I ain't going nowhere.

Now, look here,
Jackson... No, you look.

You been woofing so much,

you give nobody
else a chance to woof.

Amen.

Just be quiet, Florida.
Now, Jackson, I...

I'm going to talk this
time, James Evans,

and I don't care
what happens after,

but I'm going to say something

I've been wanting
to say all these years,

something you never
gave me a chance to say,

but it's on my mind,

and I'm going to say it now.

After I blew that $250
on the race that day,

I came by your
house to tell you this,

but you slammed
the door in my face.

I tried to explain
it the other day,

but you threw me
out of your house.

Well, you're in my house now,

and after 20 years,

I'm finally going to say it,
and you're going to listen.

You all ready for this, folks?

Here's a man, my blood buddy,

broke my heart, beat
me for my money,

now he's going to come up
with a 20-year-old excuse.

Well, this ought to be good.
Go ahead and say it, Jackson.

James, I'm sorry.

Is that what you was
trying to say 20 years ago?

Yeah, man.

Ain't that a whip?

Baby, how do you
answer "I'm sorry?"

You don't answer it, honey.

You accept it.

Oh, Jackson, you
always did fight dirty, man.

Well, I hope you'll let
me keep helping your son,

'cause I think he's
really got talent.

Well, if you think you
can help him, go ahead.

If somebody really
wants to help me,

ask me to come home.

Well, James?

Aw, Junior, you can come
home anytime you get ready.

Would immediately be too soon?

Immediately would be right on.

Dy-no-mite!

I'm going to call Thelma,
then I'm going to pack.

What do you got
to call Thelma for?

I want her to lock
herself in the bathroom,

then when I get
home, I'll holler,

"Girl, when you
getting out of there?"

And she yells back, "Never.
Hold it in till you bust!"

Then I'll know I'm home.

Hey, baby, where's JJ?

Jackson sold one
of his paintings,

so he's out buying
some new things.

Now, what in the world is that?

When you're an artiste, you
gots to keep up the image.

♪ Mmm... ♪

♪ Just looking out
of the window ♪

♪ Watching the asphalt grow ♪

♪ Thinking how it all
looks hand-me-down ♪

♪ Good Times Good Times ♪

♪ Keeping your
head above water ♪

♪ Making a wave when you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

Good Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good Times ♪♪