Good Times (1974–1979): Season 3, Episode 4 - Love in the Ghetto - 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
ripoffs Good times ♪

♪ Scratchin' and
survivin' Good times ♪

♪ Hangin' in a chow
line Good times ♪

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪



♪ Good times ♪♪

Thank you for a
wonderful night, Larry.

Not so fast. Wait a
minute. Wait a minute.

The evening is not over yet.

We gotta tell them.

I told you we will.

Now, stop mixing
business with pleasure.

You know something?
I love you, baby cakes.

I love you too, pudding pie.

What's this, the end of a date,
or the opening of a bakery?

How long were you
standing there watching us?

Long enough to know he
could improve his technique.

Get out of here, J.J.

Hey, hold on, man.



What you doing,
messing with my sister?

What's it to you?

Just questioning
your lack of taste.

It's okay, honey.

Every family has its skeleton,

only ours isn't in the closet.

Baby, I really think it is time

we told your parents.

Larry, I've been thinking.

Maybe I should
tell them alone first.

Tell them what, baby cakes?

Thelma, listen, this
involves the two of us.

We both... We both
should tell them.

Both tell them
what, pudding pie?

Okay. I just hope
they understand.

Oh!

Hey, Thelma, that
looked like a ring to me!

All right, it's a ring,
and not so loud!

You mean, you're
engaged to old pudding pie...

Shh!

Yeah.

But we didn't tell
Mom and Dad yet.

Hey, that's great.

My little sister engaged.

Till death do you part.

Which won't be long,
once Dad finds out.

Oh, come on, J.J., I don't
think he's gonna be mad

if I sit down and talk
to him man-to-man.

J.J., this is really
important to me,

so, please,

please let me explain
it to Ma and Dad.

Thelma, if it's
one thing I like,

it's fireworks.

Ss... boom!

Uh, hi, everybody!

You remember Larry.

Sure! How are you, son?

Very good, Mrs. Evans.

Uh...

Thelma and I have
something that we...

Oh, Larry, not now.

Take off your coat
and have a seat.

Hey, I bet you kids are hungry,

and I got just
the thing for you.

Oh, by the way,

how were your dates tonight?

Oh, wonderful!

Terrible.

Everything that came
out of my date's mouth

was a four-letter word:

"stop", "don't", "no-no".

I'm sorry to hear that, Junior,

but as the father
of my own daughter,

I'm glad to hear it.

I trust you had the same problem

tonight, Pete?

Oh, Daddy, this is Larry.

Uh, I haven't been out
with Pete in six months.

Oh.

Nice to see you
again, Mr. Evans.

Oh, you too, uh... Larry. Larry.

Alias Pudding Pie!

You know, I hardly recognize you

without your mustache.

I never had a
mustache, Mr. Evans.

Uh, Dad...

the one with the
mustache was my date.

Daddy, I've been out
with Larry a dozen times.

And James, you always
manage to forget who he is.

But that's going to change.

Ma, Dad, Larry and I have...

Wait, Thelma, let
me handle this, okay?

Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,

there's something very important

we'd like to talk to you about.

Oh?

Like what?

Uh, maybe we
should sit down. Uh-oh.

It's a sit-downer.

It might even be a lay-downer!

All right, what y'all
want to talk about?

Well, I've known
Thelma for a long time

and we love each
other and, uh...

And, uh, what?

Well, tonight, we
became engaged.

Oh, my Lord. Thelma, baby...

What you mean, you
became engaged?

Well, Michael, get
ready for the 4th of July!

Won't do me any good, J.J.

Whenever they get
into the heavy stuff,

I always have to
go to another room.

Michael, why don't you
go into our room and study?

I knew it!

Boy, I may get A's in school,
but I'm gonna flunk real life.

Now, what's all this foolishness
about getting engaged?

Mr. Evans, if you'll
just let me explain,

I think you'll understand.

But you're too
young to be engaged.

I knew you'd say that.

Then you also should've
known I was gonna say no way,

forget it, it ain't
gonna happen.

And there's the door,
whatever your name is.

But why? Just tell me why.

Well, for one thing,

you haven't finished
your education.

Thelma, you had
plans to go to college.

I can still go.

Hey, Romeo...

Tell me something.
How old are you?

Twenty.

Oh, you just a kid.

But, Dad,

that's how old you were
when you married Ma.

Well, that was different.

Why?

Because you said so, that's why.

I knew there was a
good reason. I knew it.

Children, you just can't
rush into something like this.

But we're not, Mrs. Evans.
We've thought it all out.

That's right, Ma.

Without talking it over

with your mother
and your father?

Ma, I'm almost 18.

Soon, I'll be of legal
age to get married

without your permission.

But we're not
getting married yet.

We're just engaged,

and we want your permission.

That's why we're talking to you.

You wanna talk about
it? We'll talk about it.

I'm against it. Now
I'm through talking.

James.

Please, James.

Baby, you don't mind
giving up your future?

Now, you say
you'll go to school,

but you'll probably have
to quit to support Larry

while he goes to school.

I don't go to school.

Oh, you graduated already?

No, I quit.

Oh, you're a dropout, huh?

Wait...

I've got a good job.

He works in a garage, Daddy.

Yeah, what do you do in
the garage, a mechanic?

No, Larry's not
exactly a mechanic.

Well, what do you do
in the garage, lube jobs?

Well, not exactly.

Well, what does he do, exactly?!

He exactly pumps gas.

Well, forget it, Jack,

because my daughter's
marrying somebody

that's got a future.

James, honey, let's
don't be too hasty.

I don't think we are.

I think they're being too hasty.

Mr. Evans, I do have a future,

if you'll just let me
tell you about it.

I mean, Thelma
and I do have plans.

We're not just gonna
rush into marriage.

We're gonna be
engaged for at least a year.

And I am gonna be a mechanic,

because I'm going
back to trade school for it.

I figure I should be a
mechanic in about six years.

Man, they turn out brain
surgeons faster than that.

I'm not finished yet, sir.

Some day, I plan to
own my own gas station.

When is some day, Larry?

About 10 years, ma'am.

There won't be
no gas left by then.

Well, I am sorry, but
that's how long it takes.

I mean, that plus
a lot of hard work,

and I'm gonna do it.

And I'll only be 30
years old by then.

Yeah, well, I'm through talking.

Larry, maybe I should
talk to them alone.

You go downstairs

and walk around for
about 15 minutes, okay?

We're not gonna put this off.

Larry, Larry... I
think Thelma is right.

Okay, Mrs. Evans.

But I'm coming back,
sir, in 15 minutes.

I'll be right here
waiting for you, son.

You go ahead, Larry.

Ma and Dad,
you're not being fair.

You haven't given
me one good reason

why we shouldn't be engaged.

Thelma, neither one
of you are ready for this.

After an engagement,
the next step is marriage.

Yeah, and the next
step after that is kids,

and I don't want my
grandchildren's first words

to be "Check your oil, Mac?"

Ma, I promise

nothing's gonna
happen for at least a year.

Ain't nothing gonna
happen, period.

Thelma, tell me something.

Now, what do you see
in this dude, anyhow?

For real, now.

Well, I feel right with Larry.

I feel safe with him.

Thelma, you ain't
got to get engaged

to that chump to feel safe.

I'll get you police protection.

Daddy, I love him.

Hmm. Baby girl, what
do you know about love?

You're just a child.

Ready to get engaged

to the first chump that
comes along and says,

"I loves you sweet-um face."

Dad, it's "baby cakes".

"Baby cakes"? Oh, brother.

What are you doing out here?

I came out...

I came out to
stretch my legs, Ma.

Go back in that room and study.

Mama, this is taking so long

I've already studied
halfway through college.

Then go study...

Then go study the other half.

Daddy, why do I have to study?

I mean, I'm getting tired...

Well, moving on, y'all.

And as for you, young lady,

I think we all know

how this conversation
is going to end,

so why don't we do
just that right now?

Oh, when are you gonna
stop treating me like a baby?

Why can't I run my own life?

Thelma, what you talking about?

You're free to do
anything you want to do

as long as you check with
me and your mother first.

Ma, you understand, don't you?

Larry loves me.

Look...

he gave me this
diamond engagement ring.

It's a beautiful ring, Thelma.

I see the ring, but
where is the diamond?

James, no.

The jeweler said it's
a perfect diamond.

It's got to be perfect.

There ain't no room
in there for a flaw.

J.J.!

Please!

Oh, I thought
you'd all be happy!

Baby, baby, it's
a beautiful ring,

and I know what it means to you.

And it isn't that
we don't like Larry.

Hah!

But we gotta think of
what's best for you, honey...

And you should too.

Add up all you
got going for you.

You got brains.
You got personality.

And look at that face.

Thelma, you'd
better grab him quick.

J.J.!

J.J., that's enough!

Ma, I know you and
Daddy wanted me

to marry a doctor or a lawyer,

or somebody like that.

But I'm sorry, Daddy,

I didn't fall in love with one.

I fell in love with Larry,
and that's all that counts.

Because I love him.

I love him.

I love him!

So you love him, you love him,

you love him.

Honey, you're okay

on those first
two "I love him" s,

but that third one worries me.

Well, it don't bother me at all

because the engagement is off.

Larry is out,

and I don't wanna
hear no more about it.

Ma, please!

Uh, Dad, could I say something?

Dad, I love and respect you,

but in this case, you're wrong.

What?

This time, I got to hang
in there with Thelma.

Well, that's just
what's gonna happen

you keep poppin' them chops.

No, Dad, I mean
Larry's a good man,

and if Thelma loves him,

and she thinks that
he can make her happy,

they should have a shot at it.

J.J., is that you saying that?

I can't believe it either!

Well, if it is, he'd
better un-say it.

Now, Junior,

I don't want your
opinion on this.

As a matter of fact,
I don't want to hear

another word out of
your mouth, you hear?

No, Dad.

Uh, Junior,

maybe I didn't
say that quite right.

Now, I don't want to hear
another word out of your mouth.

Now, that's clear
now, ain't it, son?

No, Dad.

All right, Junior,

I'm gonna say
this one more time.

I don't wanna hear one more word

out your mouth on the subject.

Not one word.

Now that's clear
now, ain't it, Junior?

No, Dad.

James, James, please!

This is not a family
discussion. This is a family war!

Nothing ever goes
right around here.

Thank you, J.J.!

Dad, I know you're
the head of the family,

and I know I went against you,
and I know what you might do.

I'm 6'1", and if you gave me
a shot to the top of my head,

I'll be 4'8".

Or you can simply
break me in half.

Oh, no,

have two of you
running around here?

No. I'd never do that, Junior.

All I want you to
do is zip them lips.

See, this is a matter
that's gonna be decided

between me and your mother.

Mama, I'm hungry.

Can I get some cookies?
Of course, honey.

Come on, let's sit down

and try to talk
about it calmly, huh?

All right, baby, we'll sit down

and talk about it calmly.

Good.

Michael, get your daddy a beer.

Yeah, I could use one.

Yeah, get me one too, Michael.

Now, J.J...

You know you don't drink beer.

Well, if Dad's gonna do to me

what I think he's
gonna do to me,

a man deserves to enjoy
his last hour on earth.

Now, nobody is gonna
do nothing to nobody.

Mama, we're out of beer.

Oh, now, that's just great.

A man comes home
after a hard day's work

and can't even
get a can of beer...

His oldest son
giving him a lot of lip,

his only daughter
getting engaged, and...

Well, that's

what we're supposed
to be arguing about,

Thelma getting engaged.

See, you did it again.
You got me off the subject.

Yeah, I'm so unreasonable.

Yeah, I don't wanna hear
about your hang-ups now.

I don't like this engagement
business, Florida.

I'm telling you, I
don't like it at all.

Yes?

Thelma, are you all right?

Sure.

And, J.J.? Yeah?

It's nice of you to
worry about me.

Well, Thelma, if you
ain't at full strength,

I don't have anybody
to hassle with.

J.J., come in.

Are you inviting me
into your off-limits area?

Next thing I know,

you'll be giving up your
bathroom time to me.

Stop clowning around
and come on in.

J.J., I wanna thank you

for taking my side against Dad.

Well, sue me. I like
to live dangerously.

You really stood up for me.

I almost fell down for you.

J.J., I wanna apologize
for all the times

I called you ugly.

That don't bother me, Thelma.

I mean, what's your word

against all the rest of
them chicks out there?

But I just want you to know

I never meant it.

In your own way,
you're beautiful.

I know.

And for being so
nice to me and Larry,

I'm gonna give you a kiss.

Oh, wait a minute, girl, now.

Let's not go crazy here.

Well, I want to.

You're the best
brother a girl ever had.

I agree, but... I'm
in demand, Thelma,

and I can't be wasting
these lips on... family.

Okay, then you're
gonna stand right there

while I hug you.

You took my side,
and I love you for it.

You're the only one
who understands

about me and Larry.

I wish Daddy could.

Take it easy, Thelma. I mean...

Everything is
gonna be all right.

You'll see.

But, James, Larry seems
to know what he wants.

He's a hard worker
and... he's a nice boy.

Nice?

Nice don't buy no groceries.
Nice don't buy no clothes.

Nice don't buy
none of the things

we want for Thelma.

You heard all that
jivin' he was giving us,

about having his own
business... some day.

About getting ahead
and having a better life...

some day. Hmm.

Wolf tickets.

James.

Doesn't that all sound
a little familiar to you?

Huh?

You said the same
things to my father.

Well, that was different.

Your father was
a bull-headed ox.

Oh?

Well... I'm sorry, baby.

It's just that I don't see

why she wants to get
engaged to this kid.

I do.

Larry reminds her of you.

Ah, no, that don't
make no sense.

Just because you and I had plans

for early marriage
and a big future,

that don't make us the same.

Oh, it goes deeper
than that, James.

He's nice to her.

He's polite and handsome,

and big and strong,
just like you, James.

Well, you may have
something there.

Honey, you know,

you have always
been Thelma's idol.

She sees you in Larry.

Yeah, but, baby,

I want her to have
somebody better than me.

And what's wrong with you?

I couldn't have done better
than you with any man.

Oh, yeah, you could.

I mean, you could've
married Charlie Harris.

He owns his own hardware store.

Oh, sure.

And I could've had all the
nails and sandpaper I wanted

for the rest of my life.

Now, Florida,

you know what I'm talking about.

What I'm trying to say

is that we wanted Thelma
to get out of the ghetto.

We wanted her
to go on to college

and get a good education,

marry a professional man,

build a better
life for herself...

Not have to struggle
the way we did.

Was it such a terrible
struggle, James?

Well it wasn't no piece of cake.

Well, James, I never
said we had it easy,

but we had a lot of good times

mixed up with the bad. Yeah.

You remember the first
apartment we ever rented,

a one-room flat with no heat.

Yeah, but that
was the first year

we got married,

so we didn't notice
too much difference.

And remember when
J.J. was born? Yeah.

We couldn't afford a crib.

He had to sleep in the
top drawer of the chest.

Yeah, but it wasn't
too bad, baby,

because J.J. was so skinny,

I still had plenty of room
left over for my shirts.

Except for that one time

when I was in a big
hurry for a job interview,

I liked to slip Junior
on as a necktie.

Ah, but things got
better though. Yeah.

You had a pretty good job by
the time Thelma came along.

Mm-hmm.

We were able to buy her
a nice crib and a layette.

That's right.

Florida, you know Thelma
was the cutest little baby I...

You did it again, didn't you?

You got me off
the subject again.

I don't care, Florida,

I still don't like her
being engaged to that kid.

James...

being engaged isn't the
worst thing in the world.

Remember ours?

Those wonderful
evenings we spent together

sitting on the couch.

Yeah.

With your mother
and the bull-headed ox

sitting in between us.

Well, they were
a little protective,

but they loved you.

Yeah, they must have.

They never let me
out of their sight.

Oh, James.

What you doing back here?

I said I'd be back
in 15 minutes.

Yeah, well, you're
two minutes early.

Wait in the hall.

James! Daddy!

Come in, Larry.

Thank you, Mrs. Evans.

You'll have to
excuse my husband.

This isn't one of
his better days.

Yeah, it ain't exactly
one of mine either.

If this were Christmas,

Santa Claus wouldn't have
the guts to come in here.

Ma and Dad, I've been thinking.

If you don't want me
and Larry to be engaged,

okay, we won't be engaged.

Hallelujah!

Wait a minute.

Thelma, what are
you talking about?

Now let me finish.

I'm gonna say just
what I want to say.

Go ahead, honey.

Daddy... if my being
engaged to Larry

makes you that upset,

then we'll just forget it.

Here's your ring back, Larry.

Wait, Thelma, no, I
don't want it back. Here.

See? I gave him back his ring.
We're not engaged anymore.

Satisfied?

Yes, I am, baby
girl. I'm satisfied.

But I want you to know
one more thing. Hmm?

Larry and I are gonna

keep right on seeing each other.

It used to be
three times a week.

Now it's gonna be
five times a week.

And since you don't like Larry,

I'll go over to his folks' house

and spend time.

But Larry and I are gonna go

to the movies together.

We're gonna go
to dances together.

We're gonna be together
every minute we can.

Go on, go on.

Uh, Thelma, I've
been thinking...

why don't you and,
uh... Larry. Larry...

Why don't you all get engaged?

Daddy!

Oh, James, that's a fine idea.

But we've got to give
credit where credit is due.

J.J. saw it all along.

Junior... I just want
to say something.

Well, the way you stood
up for your baby sister

made me real proud of you, son.

♪ 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 ♪♪