Good Times (1974–1979): Season 2, Episode 3 - J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 2 - 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 lay
offs 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 ♪♪

Can you imagine
anybody arresting J.J.

for breaking into
a liquor store?

All right, all right,
all right now cool it.

Cool it!

We'll get him out. Just try
and hold yourself together.

James how can I
hold myself together

when they got my
son behind bars.

He's our first-born, James.

He's my brother, Daddy!

Mine too!

Well, he ain't no orphan to me.

Now we gonna get him out
here. Just let me do the talking.

Baby, just let
me do the talking.



Okay, love.

Yeah?

I'm Mr. Evans and I wanna...

Our son has been arrested,

and we think it's a mistake.

He'd never do nothing like that.

Florida, let me do
the talking here baby.

Yeah I'm Mr. Evans,

and you got our son locked up
in here and we want to see him.

Our boy would never
do anything bad.

He isn't that kind of boy.

Florida, please baby.

Okay, James.

Name of the suspect.

Evans, James Evans Jr.

He's never done
anything real bad

n his whole life, and
today's his 18th birthday.

Quiet, Thelma, let your
daddy do the talking.

Thank you, baby.

Now officer, all we want to do

is get him out of here.

James Evans Jr. arrested
on suspicion of 18-2

of the penal code:
armed robbery of felony.

I bet you wouldn't be sticking
it to him if he was white.

Michael!

Officer, we know
he didn't do it.

No, he didn't do that. He
didn't do a thing like that!

Officer, there's
got to be a mistake.

Our boy is not
that kind of a child.

Y'all are popping off too much.

You're getting hysterical
Now, just calm down.

Look all we wanna do
is get him out of here.

The court will probably
set bail at $5000.

$5000? That's ridiculous!

Where are we gonna
find some money like that?

It's a discrimination
against the blacks...

All right, that's
enough out of you now.

Now, y'all popping
off for no reason.

Now you getting hysterical.
You got to calm down.

Just take it nice
and easy, hear?

Now, where in the hell we
gonna get $5000 from, man!

I've never seen that
kind of money in my life.

You only have to
pay 10 percent, $500.

Well, where in the hell we
gonna get five hundred dollars!

I can't tell you
in a million years

how to raise the
money, but I can tell you

a lot about lowering your voice.

James, honey, please
don't make it worse.

It's all right, baby,
can't you see

I'm trying to be nice? I'm
handling it calm and easy.

Now, look here, officer.

Sir, all we're trying to say is

that we don't have
that kind of money.

Now what's gonna
happen to our boy?

He'll be bound
over the grand jury.

Well, when's that, tomorrow?

Well, the courts
are pretty backed up.

I'd say two, three
weeks if you're lucky.

Two or three weeks, ah man.

And our son's
gonna remain in jail

for as long as that
before you even know

whether he did it or not?

That's not fair!
That's not fair at all!

We gotta take this
to the Supreme Court.

They got a black judge there,

and he don't fool
around like y'all do.

I just keep the log, sorry.

Now, look here, man, I'm
through being calm and easy.

Now, I wanna see the
head dude in charge.

That ain't no piece of
meat you got back there.

Now, I know he don't mean

a damn thing to you,
but he does to us.

That's our child
you got back there.

And he ain't no criminal,

but Lord knows if you keep
him back there for that long,

you just might
turn him into one.

I know, I know.

I don't understand how
he could do a thing like that.

Sit down.

You have the right
to remain silent,

if you give up the
right to remain silent

anything you say can and will be
used against you in a court of law.

You have the right to
speak with an attorney

and have the attorney
with you during questioning

if you so desire or
cannot afford one

an attorney will be appointed
for you without charge

before questioning, okay?

Now start talking.

Would you mine repeating that?

Come on, come on start talking.

You're the one that
robbed the liquor store.

No, I didn't rob
no liquor store.

Look, I'm a solid citizen,

as a matter of fact,
tomorrow I start a job.

So, if y'all excuse
me, I gotta go home

and get a good night's rest.

Sit down.

Were you at Robinson's Liquor
store at approximately 8:15?

Yeah, I was there, but...

And what were you doing there?

Well, I had this heavy date,
so I went to buy some Certs.

Certs?

Yeah, I wanted to make
out with my chick Henrietta,

like that dude does on TV.

You know: "Click, click"?

Is that all you
did at that store?

Yes, sir. No, wait a minute,

I haven't told y'all
everything Yeah?

While I was there I also
bought her a Snicker bar.

See, I got it right here.

It's kind of melted because
I been sweating a lot.

Now, according
to this arrest record

you were seen running
approximately 2 blocks

from the liquor store. Why?

I was going on my date.

Why were you running?

If you saw the way
Henrietta's built,

you'd know why.

Now, look, you fit the
description of the suspect:

A tall, skinny young black man.

You just described
most of Chicago.

And half of the NBA.

Now why don't y'all
just bring down the man

who owns the liquor store,
he'll take one look at me

and he'll tell you
that I ain't the one.

He couldn't identify you!

The one that robbed the store

had a nylon stocking
over his face.

That proves it, where would
I get a nylon stocking from?

My sister Thelma
wears panty hose,

and my mother wears sub hose.

How'd you get rid
of the gun so fast?

Gun? Yeah.

I never owned a gun.

Had a bean shooter once,

but it didn't work. It was bent.

Honest, I wouldn't kid y'all.

What'd you do with the $85
you took from the cash register?

$85?

Man, if I had $85 I wouldn't
be running to meet Henrietta.

I'd charter a helicopter.

Now, look, kid,
this is your first rap,

if you admit you
did it and cooperate,

the judge will go a
little easier on you.

You see, we're here to help you.

Want a cigarette?

Yeah, thanks man.

What's the matter?

I just remembered,
I don't smoke.

James, we can't let J.J. stay
in jail for God knows how long.

Don't worry, baby.
We gonna get him out,

I'm just trying to figure.

Now, we need $500. Uh-huh.

All right, now I can borrow
from Willie Kuntz, Jimmy Gamble,

Lunchmeat Muckford, my
cousin Fred on the south side

and then there's
your Aunt Hattie.

Well, that'll get us $50.

Now where we gonna
get the other $450?

Now wait just a minute are
you forgetting who's sitting here.

This is Willona, the
closest friend of the family.

Now you know you
can count on me.

Well, thank you, Willona.

Look here Willona, how
much money you got?

Let's see now, in the
saving account I got...

In the checking's
account I got...

The emergency cash I
keep in the coffee can I got...

Better you don't count on me.

Well, Daddy, maybe you
can get a loan from the bank.

Thelma, how you sound.

After that department store
computer bad mouthed my credit,

the bank loan ain't
even up for discussion.

They're probably
getting ready to foreclose

on that free
calendar they give us.

Well, James, we
got to do something.

J.J., are you all right?
Did they hurt you, son?

No, Ma, I'm okay.

Mom, Dad, I didn't
hold up the liquor store.

That's good enough
for us, Junior.

Ah, do you have to have
those handcuffs on him

like he's a criminal?

He ain't gonna hurt nobody.

That's right, I swear.

I think I need a smaller size.

Let's go.

Well, where you taking him?

I don't know, Ma,

but I got a feeling it ain't
the honeymoon suite.

Junior, don't worry, son.
We gonna get you out of here.

You got the whole
family behind you.

Plus one. Don't worry
about a thing, J.J.

And J.J., if you
ain't out by morning

I'll be outside with
my picket sign.

Thanks, Michael.

And can somebody get
word to the messenger service

and tell them I
won't be in tomorrow.

I'll go, J.J.

I got a feeling I'm gonna
be tied up for a few days.

Lord, if we ever needed
your help, we need it now.

Baby, come on, let's go on home.

Ain't nothing else
we can do here now.

Maybe we can get
some help in the morning.

I ain't leaving James.

While they got my son
locked up back there,

I ain't moving from this spot.

Ah, come on now, Florida.

James, I said I ain't leaving.

I don't care how
long I have to sit here.

Right on!

Y'all may as well go on home
because I'm gonna stay here

with your mother.
We'll stay too.

I can start on my
picket sign right now.

Willona will you take Thelma
and Michael on home please?

Sure, come on, kids, let's go.

Go ahead, Thelma.

And, Thelma?

Yeah, Ma?

You make some breakfast
for your brother, hear?

Okay.

Florida, I can make
breakfast for Michael.

Either way I'm in big trouble.

Michael.

Daddy, I'm with you.

Thelma and Willona
should go home, and us men

should just stay here.

What did you say?

I'm going home with
Thelma and Willona.

That's what I thought you said.

Thelma, first thing
in the morning,

I want you to go down
to that messenger place

and tell them your brother
won't be coming in tomorrow.

Okay, Daddy. And
maybe the next day.

Come on, baby, let's go.

Oh, James, James,
baby, I'm scared.

It'll be all right.

James...

Where's my breakfast?!

Don't they serve no
food around here?

I get mean when I
don't get my food.

Would you like half
of my Snicker bar?

Hey, thanks.

That was good.

What I could really
go for is a side of ribs.

Don't look at mine. They
ain't got no meat on 'em.

You're okay, kid.

I like you.

Thanks, it's nice to be liked.

Yeah, you know it.

Yeah, it's nice to be
liked, but not that much.

What're you in for, kid?

Armed robbery,
but I didn't do it.

What are you in for?

Beating up five
dudes, and I did it.

You hit me.

I don't like nobody hitting me.

Nobody!

Just trying to be friendly.

Just don't do it
again, you hear?

Yes, sir.

You're a good kid.

I like ya.

Hundred prisoners in the jail

and I got to be in a cell
with George Foreman.

That's funny.

Please don't like me no more.

About time!

Yeah!

Boy, this looks good.

Mm-hmm. But it ain't enough.

I was just gonna offer you mine.

Thanks, kid.

Hey!

What kind of joint is this?

They forgot to
serve the napkins.

I get very unpleasant when
they don't serve napkins.

James...

James!

You better answer,
because I ain't no James.

I'm sorry, baby, I
must of been dreaming.

Yeah, your dream must've been

in a dance hall, because
you changed partners.

People ain't safe no place.

You even get molested
in a police station.

I'm sorry, baby.

Oh, that's all right,
honey. I was dreaming too.

I dreamed we was home
and everything was all right.

But we still here and
everything ain't all right.

You know, James,
I was just thinking.

This experience might teach J.J.

not to make a joke
out of finding things.

Hey, good morning y'all.

Hi Mom, hi Dad.

Hey Willona, hi sweetheart.

Hey, Michael,
what you got there?

I made a picket sign.

The fuzz is unfair to
brothers especially mine.

Michael.

You think that one is bad,

you should have seen the
one he was gonna bring.

Hey, what we gonna
do with this boy.

I don't know what
you gonna do baby,

I gonna get him
some more cardboard

so he can keep
making these signs.

Right on, Dad.

Here, I brought you
some nice hot coffee.

Thanks, Willona.

You guys get any sleep at all?

Not much.

We both slept kind of miserable,
but James woke up happy.

I don't want none.

Florida, what are
you talking about?

Nothing. She ain't
talking about nothing.

Hey, Daddy, there's
a brother over there.

Wouldn't he let J.J. out?

Long as he got that uniform on,

you ain't got to give his
pigmentation no consideration.

I'll talk to him anyway.

Hey, brother, if
you got any sense...

Wait, wait!

Now we got troubles
enough. You sit down.

Damn!

James, what's the matter?
The coffee too strong?

Ah, no, Willona.
It's fine. It's fine.

You know, this could be
a way of getting Junior out.

A couple of drops of this
stuff, there'd be a hole in the jail.

James, I never said
that I was Mrs. Olson.

Florida, what's happening
with J.J.? Anything new?

Nothing. He's
still sitting in there,

and we still sitting out here.

Say, Willona, did, uh, Thelma
go by the messenger place

to tell them that Junior
wouldn't be coming in today?

Yeah, I told her make up
any kind of good excuse.

James, the more I think
about this, the sicker I get.

$500, ain't no way in the world

we can get that kind of money.

Hey, there, I hear you all got
caught in a long green squeeze.

Man, your troubles are over
because plenty money is here.

Man, you better get
the hell out of here.

That sure is foul,
brother. That sure is cold.

Let me run it down for you.

Here in Chicago, ain't
no bails bondsman.

So I'm here to fill in the gap.

I'm what is known
as a public utility, dig?

Yeah, I dig,
you're a loan shark.

James, wait a minute.

How much interest you charging?

Since we're all
brothers, just 20 percent.

20 percent?

A week.

Nigga, is you sick?

Hey, man, you ought to
be ashamed of yourself,

ripping off brothers.

Hey, can't look so fine

less you lay the
bread on the line.

Mm, mm, mm.

Mm-mm.

You look awfully familiar.

Haven't we met
some place before?

Could be, foxy
mama. I get around.

Oh yeah, I remember you,

I tripped over you,

while you were trying
to climb out the sewer.

What's wrong with you,
mama? Get off my case!

Your case is already
closed, tacky turkey.

Say, if you all got this hang up

about my charitable
intentions, hey, I'll move along.

Later.

No, wait!

James, we got to get
J.J. out anyway we can.

Baby, once these
cats get you on a hook,

you don't never
get them paid off.

They keep you paying
till the day you die.

Then after that they
go into the ground

after you to get the gold
teeth out your mouth.

Honey, we can't
let J.J. stay in here

for God knows how many weeks
before they even have a trial.

I don't think I
could live through it.

Oh, please, James.
James, please.

All right, Mr. Clean.
Let's deal.

All ways happy to
lighten your burden.

Is that enough, mama?
I got plenty more.

Come on, man.

Get out of here.

Say, man, just trying to
conduct a little honest business.

Move!

Say, okay. If you need
me I'll be across the street.

I also make loans on TV
sets, stereo's, toasters.

Get out of here!

Okay, okay, cool
it, daddy, solid, man.

I'd like to put that
cat up under the jail.

He was our last chance
to get our son out of jail.

Well, that's what I
came out here to tell you.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans,
your son is in the clear.

What! Are we hearing you right?

Your son is in the clear!

All right!

We found the one that
robbed the liquor store.

My partner is
questioning him right now,

and he's the one because
we found the gun on him.

Now just a few
more technicalities,

and your son will
be out real soon.

Yeah!

Yes, may I help you, please?

Yes, my name is Thelma Evans,

and I'm here to tell you that
my brother James Evans Jr.

Can't make it to work today.

You see, he suddenly
caught the 24-hour flu.

And sometimes the
24-hour flu takes 48 hours

or even 72 hours if you
don't have a good lawyer...

I mean, doctor.

My brother told me to tell
you even though he's in bed

with a 104 fever, as
soon as he gets out of bed

he'll report to work because
he's very anxious to start

and he'll make it up
to you by delivering

twice as many messages.

He's got real long
legs that can move fast.

In fact, I call him
the roadrunner,

and you'll feel the same way
when he comes into work for you.

He's not only fast he's hard
working, dependable, honest.

How long will your
brother be in jail?

What's taking so damn
long to let him out?

Honey, they said there
were technicalities.

Technicalities, I got a
good mind to sue them

for false arrest.

Please, James, don't make waves.

Let's just get J.J. out of here

and get him home, and
then tomorrow morning

I'll come back, and I'll
sue them for false arrest.

Yeah, baby, you do that.

J.J.!

There he is. Hey, honey.

How y'all doing?

J.J., I'm so happy.

Don't cry, Mama.
Don't worry about it.

I never doubted it for a minute.

Hey, J.J., were you scared?

Scared?

Are you jiving?

At first the man
thought he was dealing

with some frightened little boy,

then he took one
look at me and realized

he dealing with
Kid a Dy-no-mite!

Yeah, baby, he's all right.

Mm-hmm.

But they kept
trying to confuse me

by firing questions at me,
but I kept confusing them

by pleading the Forth Amendment.

You mean the Fifth Amendment.

That's what confused them.

Junior, did you have
any trouble in there?

Naw, they threw me
in a cell with this guy

that was in for
beating up five dudes.

Oh, my lord.

No, don't worry about it, Mama.

I just gave one of my mean looks

and he turned whiter
than Lawrence Welk.

After a while he got so afraid

that he started
feeding me his oatmeal.

Sarge, you wanna call George
and have him come down

and book this guy for
that liquor store robbery.

Is this the one that
robbed the liquor store?

Yes, ma'am.

Well, I can see how
you made a mistake.

They're practically twins.

Sorry for the little
inconvenience.

Your son is free to go.

Well, let's get out of
here before they book J.J.

for being an 80-year-old midget.

Yeah, I wanna get home
and go to my job this afternoon.

Mom, Dad...

Oh, Thelma, did you
hear the good news?

J.J. is free.

Yeah, ain't that great?

You should of seen the
one they arrested, Thelma.

He was a fat little
butterball, half J.J.'s size.

You should've seen him.

Baby, didn't you hear
what we said? J.J. is free.

You don't look all that
happy. What's the matter?

That's right. Smile up, little
sister. My problems is over.

I lost the job, huh?

You mean they already
found out that J.J.

was arrested last night?

Yeah, Ma.

I bet you it's them
damn computers again.

Now they jam me down
at the department store

for a payment I didn't miss,
now they jamming Junior

for something he didn't do.

The way they work,

probably 10 minutes after J.J.

was arrested, his record
was all over the country.

I bet his record is
everywhere by now.

Ah, baby, you
can't win for losing.

Now wait minute now, y'all.

Let's look on the
bright side of this thing.

Over night my record's
at the top of the charts.

Let's get him home.

♪ 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 ♪♪