Good Times (1974–1979): Season 3, Episode 23 - The Break Up - 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 ♪♪

Thelma.

J.J., what do you
think you're doing?

Hey, now, don't
turn off the music.

I was just starting
to cook here...

because my arms are in
first, my body's in second,

and my legs are
double-clutching in time.

And your brain is in reverse.

Oh, you just jealous

because I'm more
graceful than you are.

I'm like a swan in flight.

No, you're more
like a turkey in pain.

Ah.

I bet you wouldn't be so
hostile if your boyfriend Larry



was tiptoeing through
the tulips with you.

Huh. Not a chance.

Larry hates any kind of ballet.

Oh, yeah?

He don't like
nothing you like to do.

Which means he has good taste.

That's not true.

Larry and I have a lot
of things in common.

Oh, yeah? Like what?

Well, they like to kiss a lot.

That's not all we do.
We do a lot of talking.

About what?

Kissing.

Oh, come on, now.

We talk about a lot of things.

Larry's always telling me
about his work at the garage,

and how he fixes the
carburetors, radiators,

generators... He loves cars.

Well, maybe instead of
putting makeup on your face,

you should simonize it.

Hey. Give me that.

Now, come on, Thelma.

You know you're
just kidding yourself.

You don't dig Larry half
as much as you say you do.

Are you crazy?

We can't get along
without each other.

That's the same thing
Sonny and Cher found out.

And you know what else?

Hey, what am I
talking to you two for?

You don't know
anything about love.

Oh, no? Well, for your
information, Thelma,

I been in love three
times this year,

and number four
is in the hopper.

Michael, that's just puppy love.

Well, J.J., I may get
them when they're puppies,

but you get them
when they're dogs.

Your mama here yet?

No, she didn't get back yet.

Well, I can't wait till dinner.

I'll eat some leftovers.

Where's the leftover chicken?

Oh, I had a morning snack, Dad.

Where's the leftover ham?

Oh, I had an afternoon snack.

Well, I guess I'll have
some peanut butter.

Uh, too late, Dad.

I got hungry between snacks.

Junior, don't you
do nothing but eat?

I can't, Dad.

These are my wonder years.

I wonder when you're going to
start buying your own groceries.

Well, I guess I'll
have a jam sandwich...

Two pieces of bread
jammed together.

Hey, hey, hey, hey,
Willona, what's wrong?

Some water.

Water?

What's the matter?

Come on, sit down, Willona.

You all right?

Uh-huh.

What happened, some
dude chase you home? Uh-uh.

You chase some dude home?

Here you go.

What happened, Willona?

Honey, the
elevator's broke again.

What's so funny?

Well, you knew it was broke
when you left here, didn't you?

Willona, you been
living in this building

long enough to know,

you don't leave your apartment
when the elevator's broke.

Only a fool would
walk down 17 flights,

knowing they got to
walk back up 17 flights.

Oh, yeah?

Well, uh, get on your
hiking shoes, fool,

because Florida's
on the eighth floor

with three big bags of
groceries waiting on you.

Damn.

Oh.

That's, uh, eight each way.

Up and down.

Come on... Hey,
Daddy, I'll help you.

All right. Come on, Junior.

Don't worry, Dad. I'll
be here to open the door

when you get back
with the bundles.

Uh, son, did you get filled up

on the peanut butter and
the ham and the chicken?

Sure did, Dad.

Good, because you ain't
getting diddly-squat tonight.

Yeah, it'll probably
take them forever

to fix that elevator, Willona.

Yeah, it's the only elevator I
know of with three buttons...

Up, down and forget it.

Oh, what you kids
doing for the weekend?

You going out with Larry, right?

Yeah, if he doesn't
have to work late tonight,

we're going to go to
a movie or something.

I'm gonna try to get him to
take me to The Magic Flute.

Music by Mozart.

"Mo-zart."

I'm taking my current fox to
go see a concert by "Mo-town."

I bet my "Mo"
out-"Mo"s your "Mo."

J.J., who's your new fox?

Sexy Samantha,
the human panther.

If she goes out with you, she'll
be an endangered species.

Where do you meet these
strange-named chicks from?

Well, I met Samantha while I
was working at the spare rib joint.

Mm-hmm.

I brought over an order
of ribs and French fries

and threw in a side
order of L-O-V-E, amour.

Whew.

Hey, uh, let me help
you with this thing here.

Thank you, J.J.

Boy, I tell you, you
all made it up the stairs

in pretty good time.

When I was in physical
education class,

I always learned that climbing
upstairs was good exercise.

You know, good for
your legs and your thighs.

Helps strengthen your lungs.

Build your muscles.

Then why didn't you
come down and help?

Ma, look at this body.

If I add one more muscle to it,

I won't know where to put it.

How about in that
vacuum in your head.

Ma, I'll put away
the groceries for you.

Thank you, honey.

Yeah, well, I guess
I'll go on home

and start my dinner.

You know, the one good thing

about having this
elevator out of order...

With this inflation,

it's the only thing
that's not going up.

Ow! I'll see y'all later.

See you, Willona.

I'm going downstairs to
make some extra cash.

There's some ladies
downstairs who's going to pay

some good money to have
their groceries brought up.

Hey, Michael. Hey, Larry.

Hey, everybody.

How you doing? Hi, Larry.

Hey, Larry, how come
you're not breathing hard?

The elevator's broke.

No, it's not. I just fixed it.

Boy, I tell you,

this dude is handier
than the Ty-D-Bol man.

Oh, Larry, I'm so glad

you didn't have to
work late tonight.

Dig it.

I begged my boss to
let me off early, right.

Get ready for this.

Some customer
came into the garage

and laid two tickets on me.

Yeah? Are they
for the Magic Flute?

No, for the Chicago Bulls.

Hey, Mr. Evans... Huh?

Want to go with me?

Bulls are playing
the Nicks tonight.

I got second row tickets.

Second row tickets?

You got to be jiving.

I'll be ready in
15 minutes, man.

Second row tickets. All right.

Uh, Larry, I thought
we were going to go

to a movie tonight.

Well, yeah, Thelma,
but how often do you get

good tickets to the Bulls game?

I mean, you
understand, don't you?

Yeah, sure.

Oh, babe, you know
I'd rather go with you,

but you don't like basketball.

Well, it's okay,
Larry, go ahead.

Enjoy yourself.

Okay, thank you, baby.

Now, I gotta go home
and change these clothes.

You tell your father
I'll be right back, okay?

Bye, Miss Evans.

Goodbye, Larry.

Hey, Larry.

Who's playing center for the...

He'll be back in
a minute, James.

Oh.

You know something, Thelma?

You lucky to get
you a dude like Larry.

You know, you sure did
change your tune, James.

When those kids got engaged,

you weren't exactly
crazy about Larry.

Well, that's before I found out

he could get tickets
to the Bulls game.

James.

Just jiving, baby.

Actually, Larry would make
Thelma a perfect husband.

He's hardworking, he's honest,

and he's handsome, like me.

Oh... Uh-oh, what
am I doing sitting here?

I got to go put on
my lucky sweater

if I'm going to that game.

What lucky sweater?

The one I wear to the
Bulls games all the time.

Every time I wear it,

they don't lose
but by 20 points.

Thelma, are you okay?

Yeah.

Is something
bothering you, honey?

No, I'm fine, Ma, why?

Well, we don't normally keep
ice cream in the cupboard.

Sorry, Ma, I wasn't thinking.

You're disappointed

that Larry isn't taking you

to the movie
tonight, aren't you?

No, I'm not.

Well, good, then
there's nothing wrong.

Right. There's nothing wrong.

But in case there is,
you can tell me about it.

Oh, Ma.

All right, all right.

I'm glad to know
that everything is fine,

but if there is something wrong,

you know you got plenty of time

to think about it, honey.

It's not like you and Larry

are just jumping into this,

and that is smart.

Right, Ma.

So, see, there's nothing wrong.

You don't have to
worry. Everything's fine.

Good. Good, good.

Well, I hope the Bulls
look as good tonight as I do.

I'll get it.

Hi. Hey, Larry.

Hey, Mr. Evans.

I'm sorry for busting
in on you guys like this,

but I can't go to
the game tonight.

I just got some fantastic news.

Take Michael or J.J.

Yeah, okay, but what
happened, Larry?

What's the big news, Larry?

My uncle from Los
Angeles just called me

and offered me a job running
the garage he owns out there,

and, baby, I took it.

I am going to be part
owner, and it is a gold mine.

You mean you're going
to move to California?

That's right, by the
end of the week.

Baby, put on your foxiest dress,

because I'm taking
you out to dinner

to the Oak Room tonight.

We got a lot of big
decisions to make.

I'll pick you up
in a little while.

I'll see y'all later.

California.

Well, doesn't take a
palm reader to know

that he's going to
ask you to go with him.

Yeah.

Larry have fun
and sun in his eye

and taco sauce on his shirt.

James, will you calm down?

There ain't no way, Florida.

If that grease monkey

thinks he's taking my
daughter to California,

his head needs a tune-up.

James, I don't want her
to go 2,000 miles away

any more than you do,
but Thelma is not a baby.

Well, she's still my baby.

But, Daddy... Hush.

Now, she ain't going
nowhere with nobody.

But, Daddy. What?

Well, when Larry was
giving you free tickets

to the basketball game,

you said he was the greatest guy

in the world.

That's before I knew he was
going to make a fast break

with my daughter.

Well, wait a minute.

They may go to
California and hit it big.

We can go out there and visit.

I'll get a chance to sit
across from Diana Ross.

Get near Pam Greer.

Let Freda Payne drive me insane.

Go ahead, make jokes.

Settle my life.

This is the most
important decision

I've ever had to make,

and everybody's deciding
what I should do except me.

Well, you ain't got to
decide nothing, Thelma,

because I already
decided for you.

James, please,
Thelma is grown up.

Let her make up her own mind.

Oh, now, wait a minute, Florida.

You said you didn't
want her to run off too.

I don't, honey, but if you
keep yelling at her like this,

it's going to cause
her to set her mind

and go just the opposite.

Well, now that would be
just plain stubbornness.

Now, where would she get a
bullheaded attitude like that?

I have no idea, James.

Well, let's look
at the bright side

of this thing.

We're not losing a daughter.

I'm gaining a bedroom.

Oh, no, you're not.
I'm going to get it.

Oh yeah? Who's the oldest?

Yeah, well, who's the strongest?

Well, all right.
We'll toss for it.

No, we won't, because...

All right, you two,
that's enough of that.

Now, how can you carry
on like that over a bedroom,

when there's every chance

that your sister
may be leaving us.

You're right, Ma. I'm sorry.

Yeah, Ma, I'm sorry too,

but if Thelma leaves,
can I have the bedroom?

Oh, Michael.

Florida, we got to do
something about this now.

I mean, we had plans

for our daughter
going off to college,

not to just run
off to California,

and she might be leaving
the end of this week.

Well, I'm going to
do something about it.

Go on in there and
talk to her, Florida.

James, the best thing
that you and I can do

would be to just
leave her alone.

Well, you sure know
how to surprise a girl.

Can I come in?

You're already in.

So I am, so I am.

Uh, Thelma, I want to apologize
for the way I acted out there.

I-I guess I let my
mouth run away with me.

Hey, Thelma, what's wrong?

Usually when I
say something like,

"I let my mouth
run away with me,"

you say, "Your
mouth runs so fast,

you should enter
it in the Olympics."

How come you blew
such an opportunity?

Oh, J.J.

I don't feel much like
hassling right now, okay?

Yeah, I guess you're right.

It would never work.

What will never work?

Well, out there I
said that if you left,

I would take over your bedroom,

but this color scheme would
clash with my red underwear.

Oh, J.J., you're too much.

I know.

Hey, Thelma.

I want to tell you.

I'm always around

if you need a
shoulder to lean on.

I would if you had one.

Now you're perking up.

What I want to know is,
what's really bugging you?

J.J., you know what's
really bugging me?

I have a feeling
something's happening

between me and Larry.

I mean, we're together,

but at the same time we're
going in different directions.

Well, let me tell you
something, Thelma.

I been watching you
since you been growing up.

I mean, in between the hassles,

and you got smarts,
I mean, real smarts.

Now, not to say that
Larry doesn't have smarts,

but it's a different
kind of smarts.

Like, you got "bal-let" smarts,
reading smarts, book smarts.

Larry's got changing
the oil smarts,

rotating tires smarts,
making a living smarts.

I mean, ain't nothing
wrong with that,

but maybe for you,
that just ain't enough.

But maybe it is enough.

I mean, we love each other,
and we could work it out.

I mean, people
have their differences,

and not every couple is perfect.

I mean, we can work things out,

and he'll give a little,
and I'll give a little.

Hey, there's nothing
we can't straighten out.

Except for one thing.

What's that?

I don't believe a
word I just said.

Well, Thelma, why
don't you just tell Larry

that it ain't going to work?

Oh J.J., it's not that easy.

He has plans and dreams,
and I'm part of those dreams.

Oh, I wish I didn't
have to face this.

Well, why don't you
get him to take you

to Jack in the Box?

It's pretty hard to
propose to someone

when somebody's asking you

if you want more chili
or onions on your burger.

Just jiving. Just jiving.

Thanks anyway, J.J.,
but I'll think of something.

J.J.?

Huh?

I love you, and I'm
glad you're my brother.

I'm glad I'm your brother too,
because if I were your sister,

we'd be fighting over
who uses the mascara.

Thank you.

Have a nice evening.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, Larry, this is a
beautiful restaurant.

Really beautiful.

Nothing but the
best for you, baby.

Nothing but the best.

You know, there's so many things

that I want to
tell you and ask...

You know, Larry, when you said

you were going to take
me to a fancy restaurant,

I had no idea it was
going to be a steak place.

I thought it was
going to be French,

you know, or Italian.

Oh, I just love Italian
foods, don't you?

Yeah, baby, sure do.

Now, what I wanted to ask you...

You know, and my
favorite is spaghetti olio.

Ooh, I just love it.

It's made with butter,
olive oil and garlic.

Mm, it's delicious.

Have you ever
had spaghetti olio?

Uh, I don't think so.

Now, baby, about
California, see...

You know, I think
they call it spaghetti olio

in California too.

Well, you know,
spaghetti is spaghetti

all over the world, right?

Except in China,
where it's noodles.

Yeah, honey, see...

Honey, what I wanted to tell...

Oh, my goodness.

Look at these prices.

Ooh, wow. Now, this is
an expensive restaurant.

Oh, that's all right, Thelma.

See, one thing we don't have to
worry about anymore is money,

which is one of the
things that I wanted to tell...

Oh, $11.50 for
live Maine lobster.

Maybe we should
order a dead one.

Oh, and $8.95 for a steak?

Oh, Larry, this is too much.

Babe, would you stop
looking at the prices, okay?

Would you care to order
anything from the bar?

Yeah. Honey?

Oh, uh, do you make
anything like Shirley Temples?

Yes, ma'am.

Oh, well, that's what I'd
like... A Shirley Temple.

A beer for me, please.

Oh, and a cherry
and a slice of orange

in the Shirley Temple, please.

Yes.

Oh, oh, oh.

And... And a chunk of pineapple.

Oh, I just love pineapple.

Yes, ma'am.

Oh, oh, and if you have...

A slice of banana?

Perhaps you'd
like a fruit salad.

No, just a Shirley
Temple. Thank you.

Fine.

Funny, they're still
making Shirley Temples.

These days they should be making

Rodney Allen Rippys.

Let's see, now, where were we?

Oh, yeah, sweetheart.

Now, I got a lot
of big plans for us.

Now, we've been
engaged for a long time,

but I think it's time...

Ooh! Larry, everything
here's a la carte.

They don't even have
soup or salad with the dinner.

Oh, this is a rip-off.

Come on, let's get out of here.

Babe, would you stop
worrying about the prices.

What's the matter with you?

You act like you're
nervous about something.

Nervous? Me?

Oh, I'm not nervous.
Why would I be nervous?

I'm not nervous about anything.

Good.

Just relax and let
me get to the subject

of the evening, okay?

Let me do all the talking.

You do all the
listening, all right?

All right. Okay.

Now, babe, this is
what we're going to do...

Bow wow wow!

Ooh!

Look who's here.

Small world, isn't it?

Oh, J.J.

What are you doing here, man?

What you talking about?

This is one of my
favorite watering holes.

I always come here to chow down.

Even when I'm not going to eat,

I come here just to leave a tip.

Wow.

I'm really surprised
to see y'all here.

Hey, I want y'all to meet
my main lady, Samantha.

Sam, this is my sister, Thelma,

and her old man, big Lar.

Hi. Hi.

What are we all
standing here for?

Sit down.

J.J., wouldn't you and your
date like to have your own table?

Why? Y'all leaving?

This is our table.

Well, Larry, since they're here,

we might as well
all eat together.

There's no sense in splitting
up into separate tables, right?

So slide over, come on.

Well said, well
said, little sister.

But isn't this nice.

All the four of us here

right in a nice little cozy spot

for a nice long evening.

Here we are.

Oh, thank you.

Hey, look here, Jack.

Uh...

Uh, give my lady one of these,

and, uh, give me the u-jal.

What's the "u-jal"?

A Kool-Aid sour.

Uh, bon soir.

Look here, uh,
give me two menus.

Yes, sir.

Guess who's staying for dinner?

Well, isn't this a coincidence?

I mean, us meeting
here like this.

Well, as they say
in gour-met circles,

savoir faire and finger
bowls for everybody.

Uh, J.J., Thelma and I
have some private things

that we wanted to talk about...

Larry, we can't be rude.

Hey, hey. Y'all got
something private to talk about.

Don't worry about us.

Me and Sam here got
our own thing going,

don't we, sweet mama?

Mm.

Hey, don't wait
for us. Drink up.

We'll get started on
these bread sticks here.

Thelma, I have a feeling

that this is a little bit more
than just a coincidence.

What do you mean?

I mean, I think you're
trying to tell me something.

Ever since we walked in
that door, you been stalling

every time I bring up
the subject of California.

And now J.J. walking in here.

Well, I had no idea he
was going to come here...

Tell the truth.

You don't want to go
to L.A. with me, do you?

Well, Larry, it's a big step.

I mean, look.

We're both young.

Why do we have to rush into it?

Yeah.

I think I know what
you're trying to tell me now.

Oh, Larry, you're the most
wonderful guy I ever met,

and there are so many things
that are right between us...

And so many things
that are wrong.

Here we are.

Ah, good. Very good.

Would you care
to order now, sir?

Uh, yeah, four filet
mignons, please.

Yes, sir.

Yeah, I'll have the same.

Just jiving. Just jiving.

Waiter, bring me
the tab. It's on me.

Yes, sir.

On you?

Hey, Larry, you know how much

all this is going to cost?

Sure, but this is a big night.

We're celebrating.

It's a farewell dinner.

♪ 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 ♪♪