04x01 - The Big Move: Part 1

[bunniefuu]

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Anytime you meet a payment ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Anytime you feel free ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Easy credit rip offs ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Scratching and surviving ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Hanging in a chow line ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good Times ♪♪

♪ Mississippi, here we come ♪

♪ Right back Where
we started from ♪

[HUMMING]

Don't you know the
words? Sure, Ma.

[CONTINUES HUMMING]

Of course, how could I forget?

♪ Mississippi here we come ♪

Oh, Ma.

What's the matter?

Ma, you wrapped a gravy bowl

in Clifton Davis.

I was gonna frame it.

Why would you want
to frame a gravy bowl?

Oh, Ma, you know what I mean.

Now, look at it.

Clifton's all wrinkled.

Well, now you know

what he's gonna look
like when he gets old.

Well, I'll just have
to iron him out.

You can't.

I just packed the iron
in Ike and Tina Turner.

Why couldn't you

use the Help Wanted section?

You know, we won't be
needing that any more.

Amen to that.

I knew your daddy
would do it for us.

I just knew it!

When I got that
letter from James

telling us that his
uncle had offered him

a half interest in
the garage business,

it was like Martin Luther King

saying, "Free at
last! Free at last!

"Thank God Almighty.

We are free at last!"

Oh, Ma, now,

if everything is
gonna be so great

in Mississippi,

why don't we buy
new dishes there,

instead of taking
these old ones.

Oh, Thelma,

these dishes are precious to me.

I served your daddy

his first breakfast on them,

the morning after
we got married.

[CHUCKLES]

Was he hungry, Ma?

Have mercy.

He was hungry!

♪ Mississippi, here I come ♪

Hey, Ma, this is the
only box I could find.

Well, you sure

couldn't have looked too hard.

I looked,

and I asked everybody
for empty boxes,

including Mr. Ferguson.

The mortician?

Yeah, but he said he
didn't have any empty.

You know, it's not easy

moving on two days notice.

I know, Michael,

but your daddy is
getting impatient.

The last letter I got from James

was so full of love,

it could have
steamed itself open.

And Willona's party is tonight,

and goodbye
telegrams are coming in.

Yeah, I wrote three
of them myself.

I can't believe
we're really moving.

I wonder what it's
gonna be like, being rich.

Now, wait a minute.

We're not gonna be rich,

but we will be better
off than we are now.

We can be poor

and still be better
off than we are now.

Well, he's home again.

He's outta sight.

Feast your eyes on Kid...

Dy-no-mite!

J.J., when I said we
were traveling light,

I didn't mean your head!

It looks like you got corn rows,

only the crop failed.

Oh, you wouldn't talk that way

to Otis Sistrunk,
Kojak, Isaac Hayes.

For your
information, little girl,

this flip side of the Afro

has a certain daring,

a certain presumptuousness...

A certain baldness.

What is that?

J.J., you're not
wearing earrings.

Only one, only one.

'Cause one is a sign of macho.

Two is a sign of la-di-da.

I think it's silly.

Now his head is
perfect all around.

Empty on the outside
and empty inside.

[GRUMBLES]

Hey, that's my earring!

That's right, that's
right... Take it off!

You don't need it.

[BOTH SHOUTING]

Ah-ah-ah!

I'm not gonna
have that hassling.

All right, J.J., give
Thelma her earring.

Yeah, you old goldfish.

All right.

Don't wear my jewelry anymore.

Now, Thelma, you go
and pack those dishes,

and J.J., do something
about your head.

All right.

Y'all asking me

to do something about my head?

Check this out.

Here you go.

Presto change-o!

Look at him.

He'd do anything
to get out of work.

You big phony.
Hey, come on, now.

Hey, Ma, take these people out.

They are right.

This is no time
for fun and games.

Now, come and help
us with the moving.

[GROANS]

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

Saved by the bell!

I'll get that.

It's probably your daddy.

Hello?

Who do you want to speak to?

Mr. Goosebumps?

[LAUGHS]

That's for me.

Par-ton moi.

Hello there.

Mr. Goosebumps here.

Oh, that Mr. Goosebumps.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Thanks, turkey.

Hey, J.J., why don't
you mind your business?

This is private.

Hello?

Oh, hi, Luanne.

Well, I'm helping around
the house right now.

Well, I'm the only one
here who's working.

What?

Oh, okay, all right.

See you.

Ma, Luanne wants to see me.

She gotta tell me some things.

Well, I... Thanks. Bye.

Our little brother
is growing up, J.J.

We're gonna have to teach him

about the birds and the bees.

Well, I'll deal with the birds
and you'll deal with the bees.

Before you deal with anything,

you get those
paintings off the wall.

I don't know

if I should trust my life's work

to those moving men, you know?

They're always dropping things,

breaking things,
bumping into things.

You think President Ford
started out as a moving man?

Just put them in a carton.

As long as you
don't mark it "Fragile"

they'll be all right.

Oh... this apartment
has so many memories.

You think I'm gonna miss it?

Not me.

The way Daddy writes
about Mississippi,

sounds like the Promised Land.

Oh, yeah?

If that's the Promised Land,

what are all those Jewish
folks doing in Tel Aviv?

I remember when my folks
left the South to come here.

Chicago was going to
be the golden opportunity.

I guess a lot of black
people felt that way

when they came
up north, huh, Ma?

Well, it seemed the only
right move at the time.

Do you know when
we left Mississippi,

they still had
separate facilities

for blacks and whites.

Yeah, but all
that's changed now.

Now when you gotta go,

all you gotta do is
just raise your hand,

and they'll bus
you to another john.

Wouldn't it be awful

if on our way
down to Mississippi,

we met some sisters and brothers

on their way to Chicago,

and we both said,
"Go back! Go back!"

Well, have no fear,

because once J.J. gets there,
the South shall rise again!

Yee-haw!

J.J., you're gonna
have Bookman up here.

Hi, y'all.

Hi, Willona. Hi, Willona.

Here's the suitcase
I said I'd lend you.

You know, I was saving this

for my next honeymoon,

but the hinges
are getting all rusty,

and so am I.

Willona, we're gonna miss you.

I'm gonna miss you and James

and Thelma and Michael.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Something wrong, J. J.?

You almost forgot
the unforgettable me.

You know I was just jiving.

Honey, if you were
just 20 years older...

Then you'd be 20
years older too, Willona.

Wrong. Wrong.

I'd only be 10 years older.

Willona, you got a lot to learn

about arithmetic.

J.J., you got a lot to
learn about women.

Well, then, how come

I got coming to
the party tonight

Samantha the Human Panther,

Wendy the Wonder Woman,

and Olivia the Octopus?

Honey, that ain't no guest list.

That's roll call at a circus.

But that's cool.
Invite everybody.

We're gonna have
the biggest, bumpin'-est

footstomping-est
bash I ever threw.

Oh, by the way, Willona,

thanks for holding the
party at our apartment.

Anytime.

Willona, don't make
the party too terrific,

or we won't wanna leave.

That's the general idea.

You'll make friends

with the people
who move in here.

How am I gonna make friends

with people I hate?

Willona, you don't
even know the people.

It don't matter.

I'm not gonna like anybody

that tries to take your place.

Oh, Willona.

I'm so happy for you.

I don't know what I'm
gonna do without you.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Who is it?

Me. Me who?

Me the janitor.

Oh, good, I finally get a
chance to tell this dude off.

If he finds out we're moving,

he'll find a way to
get us out of here

before we're ready.

You mean I can't get
even with this dude

for ripping us off all
these years? Later.

Now, get these
boxes out of sight.

[KNOCKING CONTINUES]

[HUMMING]

Coming. We're
all getting decent!

FLORIDA: Just a minute.

[HUMMING CONTINUES]

Good afternoon, folks.

Well, it was good
till you got here.

What do you want, Bookman?

Do I detect a note of hostility?

You detect a whole symphony!

Yeah, well, you'll
change your mind

when you hear the good news.

You're going to
Angola as a mercenary.

The hot water's coming on
again the first thing in the morning.

What do you mean again?

Well, it's being turned
off again tonight.

Hey, what are we
gonna do about bathing?

Why don't you folks

learn to take cold
showers, like me?

Because we're not
married to Mrs. Bookman.

I'll remember that
remark the next time

your old man asks for a favor.

Look here, Bookman.

I've had the final
straw... Not now, J.J.

Bookman is just leaving.

Arrivederci, lardo.

Who do you think

you're calling "Arrivederci"?

I was born right
here in Chicago.

Oh, please.

Oh, Ma, how come

you didn't let me
tell that dude off?

Because we still
got two more days

to live here.

So, unless you wanna sleep

on a concrete mattress,
don't make waves!

When I get my chance,
I'm gonna make a typhoon!

Michael, are you all right?

Michael, wait a minute, now.

What happened with
you and Luanne out there?

Because if I think what
happened happened,

this calls for a celebration!

Wait a minute.

Could it be he's
got his nose open?

In love? Michael?

He left here a boy,
but came back a man.

[ALL SHOUTING]

Cut it out.

Why don't ya'll cut it out?!

I am in love.

And I'm not going
to Mississippi.

Oh, don't worry,
it's just puppy love.

Yeah, out of sight, out of mind.

A week from now,

he won't even know
who this chick is.

He'll have forgot all about...

I don't care what anybody says.

I'm not leaving Chicago.

Michael, if this
is supposed to be

some kind of
joke, like J.J.'s wig,

I don't think it's funny,

and you're upsetting Ma.

Michael, you can't
stay here by yourself.

Where would you live?

I could stay with Willona.

You can't stay with Willona.

I can so stay with Willona.

Doesn't anyone
want to ask Willona?

Well?

Well, leave Willona out of this.

I'm going to get
ready for the party.

See you all later.

All right, Michael.

What's this all about?

Well, Ma, I'm in
love with Luanne,

and she's in love with me.

That's what she had to tell me.

Oh, Michael, don't you think

you're a little
young for all this?

Romeo and Juliet were young.

Michael, you wanna
end up O.D.ed like them?

J.J., please don't make jokes.

You've had many
girlfriends before,

but this is the
first one for me.

Michael, don't be juvenile.

Now, there are a lot of
pebbles on the beach.

Except all the
beaches are closed

because of pollution.

Well, I don't care.
I'm not going.

I don't believe this!

Everything's set for us to go.

The party is tonight,

telegrams are coming in,

and Michael's worrying
about his little league romance.

Now stop that, Thelma.

This is important to Michael.

That's right.

It's the first time I've
ever been in love,

and it took me 14
years to get to it.

I don't want to wait
another 14 years

for the next one.

Michael...

nothing will ever again

be as sweet as your first love,

but you're gonna fall in love

so many times,

you won't be able to
keep up count with it.

Michael...

sweetheart, the reason
your father went down

to Mississippi

is to make a new and better life

for his family.

Now, I know how
important Luanne is,

but your father wants
us in Mississippi,

and where your
daddy wants us to go

is where we're going,

so you're just gonna
have to tell Luanne.

But, Ma, I don't know how.

Oh, the words will come.

You'll see.

Don't worry, Michael.

I'll help you.

We can tell her

and Olivia the Octopus
at the party tonight.

[LAUGHS]

I just hope that all that crying

Olivia's gonna be doing,

she don't water
down the Kool-Aid.

I don't know.

Michael...

we can't pass up
this opportunity

to get out of the ghetto,

because it may never come again.

Now, if you don't wanna
come along with us...

[STERNLY] That's tough,

because you're going anyway,

if I have to drag
you by the ears.

[DISCO MUSIC PLAYING]

[SCREAMS IN JOY]

Too much.

Too much.

Hey, there,
Willona, honey child,

sweet magnolia blossom,

this is sure is a
nice little cotillion

you all fixed up for us all,

and us all sure appreciate
y'all going through the problems.

J.J., are you high,

or is your mouth out of order?

No, Willona,

I'm just boning up on
how to talk Southern.

They don't talk
like that anymore.

Shows you how much you know.

I got that

from Jimmy Carter's
acceptance speech.

Luanne ain't here yet.

Oh, she'll be here, Michael.

Girls like to make an entrance.

They sure do.

In the meantime, get
me some ice cubes, okay?

All right,

and if Luanne
comes while I'm gone,

you lay off, J.J.,

and no funny looks, Thelma.

She can't help it.

She was born with that face.

Hey, hey, watch out. Cool it.

I told her we were
a non-violent family.

Uh-huh.

Whoo, Willona, you
sure put on some spread.

Oh, thank you, sugar.

You just better be
talking about that food.

Well, well, well,
well, uh... Uh...

Err, uh...

Funny, your name just
happens to slip my mind.

Yes, that is funny.

Just give me the initials.

I'll come right up with it.

I doubt it.

Oh, hold on, then,
just give me your name.

I'll come up with the initials.

Uh, Nancy?

Mary?

Edie?

Roxanne?

Uh-uh.

Uh, Teresa? Linda?

Michelle?

Am I getting warm?

No, you're getting cold.

Hi, Luanne.

Hi, Michael.

Luanne!

I knew I'd come up with it.

Hey, wanna dance?

All right.

Hey, J.J., when are we

gonna tell the girls?
Later. Later, man.

Hey, J.J.

Hey!

You have not danced
with me all night.

Olivia, you see what's happened

is that there are
so many foxes here,

that I have to dance with
them in alphabetical order,

and I'm only up to the Gs.

Well, just call me, "Go-livia."

Look out, dancing on.

Turn it around.

Hey, J.J., when are
we gonna tell the girls?

Later, bro.

The night is young,
and I am so beautiful.

[ALL HOLLERING]

[SCREAMS]

What are you doing here?

I've had some complaints

about the music and the noise.

What?

The music and the noise!

I can't hear you

through the music and noise.

Hey, Booker, baby,

I don't remember inviting you.

Yeah, didn't you read the sign?

"Come as you are,
unless you are the janitor."

Right.

[SHOUTING] You know,

on top of all the other trouble
you've caused around here,

[MUSIC STOPS] now th...

On top of all the trouble
you've caused around here,

now this.

You know, I've had
complaints from two tenants.

Mrs. Evans, you know the rules.

Three complaints,
and you're out.

You said you only had
two complaints, fatsy.

The third complaint

was when Mrs. Evans said

she couldn't understand
what I was saying.

Oh, that's it.

J.J., he's all yours.

Tell him.

Well, Mr. Bookman...
Get 'em, tiger.

Mr. Bookman,

or as you're more
affectionately known:

"Buffalo Butt..."

[ALL LAUGH]

you are so dumb

that if you tried
to flush a toilet

you couldn't,

even if the instructions
were written on the handle.

[SHOUTING]

Furthermore, your dumbness

is only exceeded
by your fatness.

Whenever you have
to go to the movies,

you have to get two tickets,

one for each side of the aisle.

And talk about mean.

You are so mean,

that if you ever went
to get a heart transplant,

you'd be plumb out of luck,

because you wouldn't
have nothing to trade in.

That's right.

Okay, that's all right.

You guys have had it.

You're out, spelled O-U-T.

Evicted. Gone. Bye.

Oh, yeah?

Well, you can't fire
us, because we quit!

What are you talking about?

That's right.

We're moving to Mississippi,

and you know how that's spelled:

M-I...

ALL: ♪ Crooked
letter, crooked letter, I ♪

♪ crooked letter,
crooked letter, I ♪

♪ humpback, humpback, I ♪♪

[ALL LAUGH]

So... you can
take this apartment

and stuff it in your furnace.

Maybe some of the other tenants

will get some heat.

I'm appalled.

J.J., you were great.

You couldn't have done it better

if you were James himself.

MICHAEL: Hey, J.J.,

now do we tell the girls
that we're leaving them?

Well, now's as
good a time as any.

But let me do the talking.

[J.J. CLEARS THROAT]

Uh, ladies, me and
Michael have something

very, very, very
important to tell you.

Yeah.

See how hard she's
taking it, Michael?

Yeah, I see.

See, our whole family,

which encompasses
Michael and myself,

are moving to Mississippi.

Oh, no!

I don't believe it!

I believe it.

Hey, Leon!

About Saturday night, it's cool.

Michael, check this out.

She's in a state of shock.

She look like she
don't care to me.

Michael, that's the
worst kind of shock.

Luanne,

if you don't want me to go,
then I don't know what I'll do.

Oh, Michael, of course,
I don't want you to go,

but I know you have
to be with your family.

I'll write you every day.

And I'll come visit
you when school's out.

Come visit me on Easter too.

Yeah, and Christmas.

MICHAEL: Hey, and summers too.

LUANNE: Right.

Hey, J.J., what
about the telegrams?

Now's as good a time
as any to read them.

Ladies and gentlemen,
ladies and gentlemen.

Lend me your ears

and all the rest
that's attached.

We are about to read
the telegrams, now.

All right!

We started the evening off

with just seven wires
and now we've got 12.

That's what I call inflation.

MICHAEL: I'll take one.

Wow, let me read
this thing here.

All right, now.

It says, "Good
luck on your move.

"May there always
be a place in your heart

"and on your sofa for me.

Signed, Grandpa."

[ALL CHEER]

Whoo! Listen to this one.

"Sounds like a great party,

"but wish it were
somewhere else.

Signed, the people downstairs."

Who are not invited.

I've got one. I've got one.

It says here that 10
votes in your name

have been stuffed in
a ballot box in Chicago.

Signed, Alderman Fred Davis.

This is a cute one.

Chicago's loss is
Mississippi's gain.

Signed, Gladys Knight.

And these three here
must be from the Pips.

Hold it!

Here's one from Mississippi!

It must be from James!

From Dad, let me
check this out here.

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!

If it's from
Mississippi, it's mine.

It's probably one
of your daddy's:

"Have mercies."

Open it slowly.

Oh.

Mrs. James Evans.

That's me.

"We regret to inform
you that your husband,

"James Evans, was...

k*lled in an automo..."

Oh, my God.

[DISCO MUSIC CONTINUES]

♪ Mmm ♪

♪ Just looking
Out of the window ♪

♪ Watching the asphalt grow ♪

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

♪ Good Times yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Keeping your
head Above water ♪

♪ Making a wave when you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Easy credit rip-offs ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

ANNOUNCER: Good Times is
videotaped in front of a studio audience.

♪ Good Times ♪♪