Good Times (1974–1979): Season 2, Episode 15 - Florida Goes to School - full transcript

♪ 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
rip-offs Good times ♪

♪ Scratchin' and
survivin' Good times ♪

♪ Hangin' in a chow
line Good times ♪

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪



♪ Good times ♪♪

I got it! It's for
me! I'll get it!

Hello.

Aren't you glad you let
your fingers do the walking?

Because you got Kid
Dy-no-mite doing the talking.

Oh, Henrietta. Yeah...

Do y'all mind? This is private.

Hey, now.

Hey, Henrietta. You
know, I'm glad you called,

because I was
trying to get in contact

with you last night, but...

What? You went out
with Leroy Dopson?

Well, what's he
got that I ain't got?

And what else?



And what else?

And what else?!

J.J., she only got a dime,
she can't talk forever.

Well, we got our date together

for the Ike Hayes
concert, right?

No, I don't have
the tickets yet,

but I'm about to get the bread.

And here come the baker now.

Thelma, where's your mother?

She's not home yet.

She said she'll be a
little late from work.

Oh, that's too bad. I got some
news for her, some good news.

Hey, Dad. It's so good
to have you home.

Yeah, this news is the best
this family's heard ever, boy!

Oh, yeah. What?

Well, you are looking at
the new assistant foreman

of shipping and receiving for the
Brady Manufacturing Company.

Yeah! Yeah, all right!

Dad, I'm so happy for you!

What about the car wash?

What about the
car wash, Michael?

I already gave them my notice.

I dried my last Dodge,
buffed my last Buick

and shined my last Chevy.

Yeah!

From now on, this is the
only kind of suds I wanna see.

Boy, I can't wait to
see the expression

on your mother's face
when I give her the news.

And speaking of news, Dad,

and the high cost
of dating Henrietta.

You know, I think it's time

we had one of our
man-to-man talks.

Don't you think
we're a man short?

But, seriously, Dad.

You know, there comes
a time in every boy's life

when he has to ask
his father 5 dollars.

Yeah? Well, Junior, there
comes a time in every Dad's life

when he's gotta say
no. I ain't got paid yet.

Oh, what am I gonna do now?

Hi, kids.

Hi, Ma.

Hey, my favorite mama.

You know, Ma...

Not now, J.J., I got some
exciting news for everybody.

You know, Thelma,
it's occurred to me

that our relationship
hasn't progressed

to the point that it should.

Forget it.

Even though it is chump
change, you're not getting none.

Chump.

And the primary reason why,

Thelma, is that
you're a deadbeat.

Oh.

Michael. My main man.

No.

Florida, wait till
you hear what I...

Wait till I tell you
what I just did.

You're not going to believe it.

Well, baby, it can't
be half as good

as the surprise I got for you.

I just came back
from an appointment

at the high school principal's.

Florida, I got a
job. A good job!

Oh, James, that's wonderful!
I'm so happy for you.

And I'm gonna get my
high school diploma.

I just enrolled in night school.

Hey, that's great.
When do you start?

That's a great idea! Say what?

I'm gonna study for my
graduate equivalency test.

You know, the G.E.D.?

And anyone who passes
it gets their diploma

no matter how long
they've been out of school.

Oh, Ma, that's great.

You'll pass that test.
No problem at all.

Yeah, this is
great. I love this.

Florida, didn't you hear
what I said about the...?

Oh, James, you
don't know how long

I've dreamed about doing this.

Yeah, but, Florida...

I get excited just
picking up my books.

Florida!

You know that
this is the best thing

that ever happened to me?

Florida! You ain't
even coming up for air.

Damn, I tell you I got
the best job I ever had,

and you won't even let
me get a word in edgewise.

Oh, James, I'm sorry. I got
carried away with myself.

Tell me all about your job.

Well, baby, it's an
assistant foreman job.

I really got lucky.

Well, honey, that
is so wonderful.

And I got lucky too!
Florida, it's a good job.

I mean, I gotta chance
to work my way up.

It's got a future.

Me too.

With a high-school diploma,
I'm bound to do better.

Florida, your listening ain't
caught up with your talking yet.

I'm trying to tell you I
got the best job I ever had,

and you ain't even
getting excited.

But, James, I am excited.

You're getting the break
you've always deserved.

But so am I.

Yeah, but where you come off
making a big decision like that

without talking to
me about it first?

James, I never thought you'd
be against me going to school.

Well, it's not that, Florida.

It's just that in this family,
we always talk things over

before we make a
big decision like that.

You're right, James,

I should've asked
you first, and I'm sorry.

So I'm gonna ask you now.

I'd like to go back to
school. Is it okay with you?

No.

No?

No. Now, we done talked
about it and made a decision.

James, what's wrong
with me going to school?

You won't be seeing me
for three nights a week.

But when you see
me, I'll be a better me.

I don't need no
better you, baby.

I like you just the
way you are now.

Daddy, why don't
you let Ma go back?

You always telling us
that a good education

is the most important
thing you can have.

Well, that's true,
Thelma, but...

You haven't changed
your mind, have you?

No, Michael, but... Look,
at y'alls' age, I mean,

going to school make's sense,
but your mother's school days

are long behind her now.

You can't teach an
old dog new tricks.

Who's an old dog?

Florida, now, you
know I didn't mean that.

I didn't mean it
that way, now...

Daddy, you're
never too old to learn.

Yeah, we can help
Ma with her homework.

Yeah.

How come you never
made me that offer?

Because you can't
teach a dumb dog nothing.

J.J., y'all stop fighting.

James, I'm only trying
to improve myself.

Give me one good
reason why I shouldn't go.

Because I say no.

That's the one that
always stops me.

You know, Dad, maybe you
should let Ma go to school.

She'd have it knocked. She
wouldn't even have to study.

What do you mean by that, J.J.?

Well, why do you study?

To get good grades
so your parents

will sign your report card.

And, Ma, it is obvious
that you are old enough

to sign your own report card.

So you have "meliminated"
the middle man.

Junior, you don't
get out of here,

I'm gonna "meliminate" you.

James, I don't understand you.

You dropped out of
school in the sixth grade.

I dropped out in the 10th.

Now, we both know how
hard it is to get a decent job.

Well, I got it worst of all.

I'm black, I'm a woman,

and I don't have a
high-school diploma.

Now, in the job market, that
makes me the low-priced spread.

Well, Florida, you ain't
got time to go to school.

You got a family to raise.

James, have you looked
at your family recently?

They're practically grown.

Well, if you go
to school at night,

who's gonna do the
cooking and the cleaning?

Maybe we can get a white
woman to come in twice a week.

Well, all y'all doing a lot
of fat-mouthing for nothing

because I still say
the answer is no.

That's it, the case is closed.

Now, what's for dinner?

One hell of a fight.

You kids go study. I'll call
you when we get ready to eat.

Oh, Ma!

I don't wanna go and study.

Children, go in the
room and study like I said.

Come on, Michael.

Now, Florida, I ain't gonna
argue with you about this,

but I do want to know one thing.
Who put this idea in your head?

Nobody.

Willona told me
about that course

that they're offering
in the school and...

Willona. Willona.

I should've known. The
galloping gossip of the ghetto.

Now, James, you shouldn't
say things like that about Willona.

She's practically family.

Yeah, baby, tell me something.

You been knowing
Willona longer than me.

What does she look
like with her mouth shut?

Hi, y'all.

Well, I guess I'll never know.

Hey, Flo, you here the news?

The cops just caught a
mugger in the laundry room.

What was he doing down there?

His underwear, I think.

Willona? Where you get
off filling Florida's head

full of this school garbage?

Now, what's wrong with
Florida going back to school?

I done already gave her a
whole lot of good reasons why.

Oh, James, don't stop her now.

Going back to school is
her chance to get underway.

You know, as usual, Willona,
your mouth is working overtime,

but your brain done
took the day off.

I give up.

Hey, wait a minute,
Willona. Tell me something.

If you so hot on
Florida going to school,

how come you ain't signed
up for these courses?

Because I already
have my diploma.

How do you think I got
the job at the boutique?

I figured you was just
working off your clothing bill.

James.

Okay, Master James, sir.

If'n you don't want me
on the plantation no more,

I's going. I's going out there
where the snow is falling

and the ice on the river.

But it's a hundred degrees
warmer than it is in here.

Begging your pardon, sir.

I think I be saying
goodbye now, sir.

You won't have to
see this cotton-picking

cotton picker picking
cotton no more.

♪ Oh, the sun shine bright
And the master's always right ♪

♪ On his own Ohh! ♪♪

We'll talk about this
later after you cool off.

Florida, if you go to
school at night, baby,

we ain't never gonna
get a chance to do

none of the things
we used to do.

What things, James?

You know, like playing
cards or checkers.

Checkers?

Yeah.

We played checkers
once, twelve years ago.

Well, I'm ready to play again.

James, you're just
making up reasons.

What is there about
me going back to school

that can possibly
upset you this much?

Does it threaten
you in some way?

What are you talking about?

How is something like
that gonna threaten me?

Well, you had to drop out
of school in the sixth grade

to support your family.

I just thought
maybe if I went back

and got my high
school diploma...

Florida, that ain't got
nothing to do with me.

I just don't like
this foolishness.

Okay, James, tell me no,
and I'll drop the whole thing.

But I wanna hear
it from your mouth.

You tell me, no, I
can't improve myself.

No, you don't want
me to get ahead.

No, I can't be anything
more than I am right now.

All right, Florida,
go on, go to school.

I don't care. Go
to college, damn it.

Get a PhD if you wanna.
Just leave me alone!

Ma, you still studying?

You haven't looked
up from those books

since I came home from school.

I haven't looked
up for two weeks.

You know that it's kind of
hard getting back in this stuff,

but I think I'm finally
getting the hang of it.

Well, that's good, Ma.

You know, Ma, if you want
to cut your study time in half,

I think I'll start you off

with the J.J. Evans
speed-reading technique.

This I gotta see.

Now, I have never read
this book before, right?

Knowing you, I'd
say that's a safe bet.

Watch closely.

There you go. Finished studying.

You mean, you know
everything in that book?

No, I don't know anything.

But if the teacher ask me,

I could say I laid a
eye on every page.

You fool, you!

Hey, now, come on!

Ma!

Hey, come on, now,
with that noise, now.

Junior. I thought I asked
you to take the garbage out.

Oh, I will, Dad.

That's what you said
a half-hour ago, Junior.

Oh, don't worry,
Dad, I got it covered.

Now, Junior!

James, you don't
have to yell at the boy.

You know, in that child
psychology course I'm taking,

they say that most parents

either reason with their
children or yell at them.

You are a yeller.

Florida, I don't need none
of them fancy schoolbooks

to tell me how to
raise these kids.

We've been doing it this
way for a long time now.

Yeah, but if you
reason with them,

it makes them feel
more responsible.

All right, baby. All right.

Junior.

Yes, Dad.

Step here a minute, please, son.

Now, that's nice.

Junior, you know
why old Dad asked you

to take the garbage
out right now?

Why, Dad?

Because if you didn't, I
was gonna yell my head off!

You right, baby. It does work.

Hey, what's going on in here?

What's going on around
here? Is everything all right?

Nothing. Go on back in
your rooms and study. Go on.

Come on, Michael.

You know, it wouldn't hurt
you to try a little patience.

Well, ain't you become
the expert on child raising

after just two weeks of school.

Oh, now, I never said that.

Good. Because I ain't about
to let no textbook run my life.

Ain't no way.

That sounds terrible.

I don't care, Florida,
that's the way I feel.

No, no, no. I'm talking
about the way you're talking.

Do you realize you just
used three "ain't" s in a row?

So what?

Well, I do it all the time too.

But it's wrong.

We're setting a bad
example for the children.

There is no such
word as "ain't."

No? It's in the dictionary.

No "ain't" ain't.
But "isn't" is.

You wrong, Florida.

Look it up.

Can't. Why not?

Ain't got no dictionary.

I'm telling you, James,
that's bad grammar.

I knew it. It's happening,
it's happening.

What's happening?

This school stuff, Florida.
It's just changing you.

First you tell me I
ain't talking right.

Then you tell me I ain't
raising the kids right.

Oh, James, I didn't
mean nothing by it.

How long is it gonna be till
you come home from school

and tell me I isn't
doing nothing right?

Oh, I knew this
school foolishness

wasn't gonna work
out. I just knew it.

James, honey, you
don't understand.

No, Florida, you
don't understand.

See, we're going in
different directions now.

Right now you're going that
way, and I'm going this way.

And my way is this way!

James!

Hey, James Evans.

Hey, Willy! What
you know good, man?

What's happening,
man? Hey, sit down, man.

Yeah, thank you.

Say, how that new
job of yours coming on?

Oh, I can't complain, Willy.

Man, we sure do miss
you down at the car wash.

You know they
replaced you with a sister.

You jiving. You mean to say they
got a woman working down there?

Yeah, man, and she
ain't nothing but trouble.

She used to be a maid.

Well, what's wrong with that?

She don't do no windows.

You crazy, man.
That's crazy, crazy.

Hey, I'll have one
of those too, please.

Yeah, Lord.

Yes.

Say, James, you wanna
play me for the beer?

Yeah, why not? Okay.

Been a long time since
I beat you at pinball.

Say, what...? Where you
been keeping yourself, man?

I don't see you around
here much anymore.

What's the occasion?

Ain't no occasion, man.

I mean, can't a man
have a beer in peace?

Wouldn't have
nothing with Florida

going back to
school, now, would it?

Now, where'd you hear that?

Oh, word gets around.
I could've warned you.

Take it from Willy
J. Washington.

You give your woman
a little education,

and you get yourself
in a whole lot of trouble.

Yeah, Willy, well, take
it from James Evans.

Just cool it on that, hear?

Yes, sir, if the good Lord

had of wanted a
woman to go to school,

he would've given them brains.

Hey, man. You
can't use your hands.

You about do beat
the machine to death.

This machine is
just like a woman.

Now, every once in a while,
you gotta set them straight.

Come on, now, no hands, man.

Thank you, baby.

Yeah, okay, okay, man.

Hey!

Well, you ain't said
nothing about hips.

I ain't say nothing
about forklifts either,

but you ain't
allowed to use them.

I'm done anyway. See if
you can beat that score, man.

Go ahead, beat it.

Well, it's going to be hard

to beat a man on a pinball
machine that uses his hips,

his mouth and his hands
all at the same time.

But I believe I can do it.

Say, man, you never
should've let her start

that school business
in the first place.

Yeah. You should've stopped her.

Now, you know you gotta
keep a woman in her place.

Yeah.

Hey, man, I thought you...

I thought you said,
no body English.

That ain't body English,
bro, that's hip talk.

You got a whole lot of soul.

I do believe you owe
me a beer, my brother.

James, you ain't nothing
but an old pinball hustler.

Yeah, well, it takes
one to know one.

Yeah, you dusted
me out pretty good.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Well, it's good you won anyway.

Maybe it'll make
you feel better.

Now, I know what you
been going through.

No, Willy, let's
cool it on that, huh?

No, listen.

About six months ago,
my wife started complaining

she wasn't
satisfied with herself.

She thought she
was wasting her life,

so she started
going to the free clinic

and seeing this head-shrinker.

And I let her go. Worst
mistake I ever made in my life.

Yeah, what happened?

Well, she started coming
home with all these new ideas.

I couldn't figure it out.

Now, she was going there to
find out what was wrong with her,

but all she could find out
was what was wrong with me.

What was wrong with you?

Yeah. Before she
got with that shrinker,

she thought I was
the whole enchilada.

After he finished with her,

I was just down to the bean.

She left me, James.

She left you?

Yeah. All of a sudden.

She was going her way,
and I was going my way.

Mama, I still say you're
making a big mistake

by not going to school tonight.

I know what I'm doing, child.

Michael's right.

If you don't go to school,
you're cheating yourself.

A woman has the right to go
as far as her mind will take her.

And, Ma, once you make your
mind up, I know you can do it.

That's right, Ma,

and I ain't ashamed
to admit that we equal

in brains as well as in beauty.

Mama, Daddy will
find out that you're right,

and he'll get used to
you going to school.

That's right, Ma.

It's a good time to...

Now listen, all of you.

What's right is my
husband and my family.

What's wrong is anything
that comes between us.

And that's exactly what
this school's been doing.

So to heck with the diploma.

Oh, Ma... For now.

From now on, I'll read
these books at home,

and learn the same
as if I'd gone to school.

This way, I'll get an education
and keep my family happy too.

Florida, I got something
to tell you, baby.

And I got something
to tell you too, honey.

Now, look, I've been thinking
about this school business,

and I figured that...

You don't have to
worry about that no more.

That's what I wanna
talk to you about.

Well, me too. Look, I...

Honey, it ain't worth what
we've been going through.

Right, so... So I
made a decision.

Florida, will you just let me
get one word in so I can...?

You don't have
to worry about it.

I'm not going to school anymore.

I'm going to study at home.

Damn it, Florida,
you're doing it again.

Well, look, if you
ain't gonna let me talk,

at least let me show
you something, huh?

Hey, Mama, that's a book bag.

All the kids at
school have them.

Yeah, I got it for you.

But, James, I thought you
didn't want me to go to school?

Yeah, well, baby, I was wrong.

Look, I took a good,
long, hard look at myself,

and what I saw was a selfish guy

who was just afraid of
something he didn't understand.

Florida, you're
supposed to be in school.

You're a smart woman.
That's where you belong.

Right on, Dad.

Making progress around
here. All right. That's good.

Oh, James. Just
when I think I know you,

I find out something
more wonderful all the time.

It's like Michael said, baby,

you ain't never
too old to learn.

And that ain't all. Look here.

Oh, two book bags? Oh, honey,
I don't have that many books.

Well, that one ain't...
That one isn't for you.

It's for me. I'm gonna
sign up for the classes too.

James!

Right on, Daddy! All right!

Well, we better get going, baby,
we're gonna be late for school.

Oh, James.

Honey, this is so wonderful.

Well, look, if
things are changing.

I'm gonna have to
change with them.

From now on, we're
both going the same way.

Let's go.

Now, isn't that...?

I mean, ain't that nice?

Can I carry your
books to school?

Come on, James.
See you all, yeah.

Hey, Ma, Dad,
how'd it go in school?

Yeah, tell us all about it.

Well, things sure have
changed since we went to school.

For one thing, the
desks got smaller.

Yeah, and the girls got older.

And the teachers got younger.

Oh, by the way, J.J.,
your principal was there.

We had a nice,
long talk with him.

Oh, whatever he said, I deny it!

Well, he said he's seeing more
of you than your teachers are.

Matter of fact, he's
thinking of making

the principal's office
your homeroom.

Yeah, but how about
you? Did you dig it?

Oh, we both loved it. It's
gonna be tough, though.

But we'll see it through.

Won't we, James?

That's for sure,
baby. All right.

And another thing, Dad.

Now with you and Ma
going to school together,

you don't have to worry about
a date for the senior prom.

Oh, J.J.

♪ Mm-mm-mm ♪

♪ 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 ♪

Good Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good times ♪♪