03x20 - Louise's Friend

[bunniefuu]

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apartment In the sky ♪

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A piece of the pie ♪

Ah. How about some
more coffee, Weez?

No, thanks, George.
I'll just drink what I have.

I meant for me.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm not quite through studying
my French lessons. Ask Florence.

Florence.

Uh-huh?

What the hell is
this, a public library?

Florence!

You want something?

No. I just love
saying your name.

It is pretty, ain't it?

I want some more coffee.

Take as much as you
want. There's plenty left.

I want you to get it for me.

Okay. In a minute.

I want it now!

I'm right in the
middle of a sentence.

You'll be right in the middle
of the unemployment line

if you don't move it.

And now!

There. Now I'm ready for
any test they throw at me.

Here's your coffee.

What did you do that for?

I just wanted to see

what's more important
than my coffee.

I'd say almost anything.

"Cedric gazed deeply
into Tiffany's eyes.

"'Oh, Tiffany, ' he murmured,
'I love you so much,

I could never bear the
a-go-ny of our parting.'"

That's "agony."

It sure is. Why are
you reading that junk?

To improve my mind.

Oh. Well, it sure ain't working.

Mmm. Ain't you
gonna pour my coffee?

No. I ain't smart
enough to do that.

George, quelle heure...?

No, Weezy, I ain't gonna
k*ll her, just get rid of her.

No. I meant,
"Quelle heure est-il?"

That means "What
time is it?" in French.

Well, I don't know
what time it is over there

but it is exactly : here.

Merci. That means "Thank you."

Mmm. Don't mention it. That
means, "I couldn't care less."

Ain't you gonna
be late for class?

No, George.

Michel is picking me up tonight

so I don't have to
worry about taking a cab.

Oh, good.

Who's Michelle?

A friend of mine from class.

Mmm.

Hey, Weezy, what are
you planning on doing

with all these French
lessons after you learn them?

Well, you never know
when it might come in handy.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

For instance, what would you do

if a stranger came
up to you in the street

and asked you how to
get someplace in French?

I'd just tell him
where to go in English.

Hey, Mr. Jefferson.
Yeah. Who are you?

I'm Michael Lucas.

I'm here to take your
wife to French class.

Oh, yeah. Well, Weezy
already got a ride.

Some chick named
Michelle is gonna pick her up.

Ah, Michel, I see you've
already met George.

This is Michelle?

What did you do, have
one of them sex operations?

Excuse me?

No, George. In class we call
each other by our French names.

"James" becomes "Jacques."
"Michael" becomes "Michel."

And "Louise" becomes...
[FRENCH ACCENT] "Louise."

Bonsoir, madame.

Uh, can I see you in the
kitchen a minute, madame?

But, George, we have to...

As they say in
French, Weezy, pronto.

Excuse us... Excuse us, Michel.

Just make yourself
comfortable. We'll be right back.

George!

What the hell is going on here?

What do you mean?

You told me a woman
was picking you up.

I said a friend
was picking me up.

Aha! You lied!

That dude out there
ain't no friend. He's a man.

You mean I can't have
a friend who's a man?

That's right.

Huh?

Why ain't you reading?

Because what I'm
hearing is a lot better.

We're having a
private conversation.

You wanna bet?

Everybody on this floor
could tell you different.

Florence.

Okay, I can take a hint.

A building don't
have to fall on me.

No. But it ain't a bad idea.

Okay, Weezy, look...

Oh, wait, George.
You love me, don't you?

Well, yeah.

Do you have to think about it?

No.

Well, let's hear it
for the home team!

♪ Rah-rah, shish boom
bah! I love you, Weezy. ♪

That's better.

And you know I
love you, right? Right.

And you know I've never
done anything behind your back

for years, don't you?

That's right. And
you're way overdue.

Now, if I were trying to
hide something from you,

I sure wouldn't do
it this way, would I?

No, I guess you wouldn't.

All Michel and I do
is talk French, period.

Mmm. So in other words, I
ain't got nothing to worry about?

Now, why would anyone
as wonderful as you

have anything to worry about?

Yeah, that's right.

Look, just go on out and have
yourself a good time, Weez.

Thanks.

Ready to go?

As soon as I get my coat.

Allow me, s'il vous plaît.

Oh, merci, monsieur.

Go on, y'all.

Oh, yeah, Michel...
Call me Mike.

Mike, I just want to tell you

I really appreciate
you picking Weezy up

and taking her
to class like this.

Oh, it's my pleasure.

You're sure your wife
don't mind you doing this?

George!

Well, Weezy, you know how

some people get jealous

over silly little
things like this.

Oh, no, there's no
problem with my wife.

Good.

'Cause I don't have one.

See you later, George.

Nice meeting you. Au revoir.

Yeah. I sure will.

Hey, that Mike, he
sure is a nice guy, huh?

Yeah. I sure am glad to
see you ain't jealous no more.

Jealous, me? What I
got to be jealous about?

Nothing.

I don't know why

but Mrs. Jefferson
sure loves you, child.

That's right.

But he sure is one
handsome dude, ain't he?

Handsome?

And tall. Mmm.

They sure are making the
young men tall nowadays.

Well, he didn't look
that young to me.

And real slick too.

I bet he can have
any fox in town.

Think so, huh?

Yeah. So why should he
be after Mrs. Jefferson?

Who said he was after her?

Nobody.

And even if he was,

I mean, just because
he's tall and handsome...

sweet-talking...

Mrs. Jefferson is too strong
to fall for a dude like that.

I think.

Anyway, I'm glad to see
it don't bother you none.

[CLICKS]

Aha!

What did you scare
me like that for?

I only wanna know one thing.

What?

Where the hell have you
been and what were you doing?

That's two things.

That's right. And I want one
answer, and it better be good.

Now, calm down and stop
making a big thing over nothing.

You told me to go out
and have a good time.

Yeah. But it's almost midnight.

The kind of good time I was
talking about ends at : .

Well, we went for coffee.

Coffee!

Yeah.

It's that dark stuff that comes
in a cup with cream and sugar.

Don't get smart with me, Weezy.

George, there's nothing wrong
with coffee and conversation.

Michel and I...
I can't believe it!

My own wife hiding
out with another man

in some dark,
way-out-of-the-way restaurant

just so nobody could see them.

Out-of-the-way?

We were in the school cafeteria.

What? The cafeteria?
That's even worse!

Where everybody can see you!

All we did was talk.

Weezy, sooner or later your
man friend ain't gonna wanna talk.

And he's gonna try something.
That's the way men are.

And is that the way you are,
always thinking about sex?

Definitely not.
I'm a married man.

I never think about sex.

Thanks for the compliment.

And I don't stay out until
midnight drinking coffee.

Look, George, I've told you,

Michel and I are
just good friends.

Good, you just give him
a good friendly goodbye

and you ain't gonna
see him no more.

What?

Look, and also you
call that school tomorrow

and you tell them
to cancel your class.

I'm not gonna do that.

Okay, I'll call them.

George, learning French
is not the only reason

I go to that class.

It gives me a chance
to meet people.

Look, you can meet
all the people you want,

long as they're the right sex.

You don't own me, George,

and I'll be good friends
with anybody I want.

Aha! Okay.

If good friends is what
you want, you're in luck,

because you just got
yourself another one.

Who's that?

Me.

Goodnight, good friend.

You mean, George slept
on the couch last night?

Yeah.

You kicked him out of bed?

Nope. He kicked himself out,
and he thinks he's punishing me.

What was the fight about?

Well, last night
George found out

that the woman who's been
taking me to French class

is a man.

Run that by me again.

Well, you see, my
friend's name is Michel

and George thought
it was Michelle.

You gotta run that by me again.

The point is
George doesn't think

I should have any men friends.

Oh, how can he think
a stupid thing like that?

George?

I withdraw the question.

Hello, George. [DOOR SLAMS]

George, Helen said hello.

Well, she ought to
have enough sense

not to talk to me when
I'm in a bad mood.

In that case I'd
never talk to you.

That's fine with me.

George, just because
we had a fight last night...

I don't wanna talk
about last night.

Oh, okay.

Suit yourself.

And keep your hips off my bed.

Look, George, don't you think
that a woman really has a right

to choose her own friends?

Some women don't even
know how to choose a husband.

Well, Louise is
entitled to one mistake.

Er, look, George, let's
discuss it reasonably.

I ain't got time. I got a
meeting Who's Mabel?

George's bookkeeper.

Oh!

Do you like Mabel?

Yeah, I like her, long as
she keeps my books in order.

Well, if you like her, then
she must be your friend,

the same way Michael
is Louise's friend.

That's right.

How can she be my
friend? She's my employee.

Are you telling me you don't
have anything in common?

Oh, yeah, we got
something big in common.

Uh-huh? Money!

I make it and
she counts it. Hah.

You know what you
ought to do, Louise?

What?

Trade him in for
an electric blanket.

There's one law for you and
one law for me, right, George?

What are you talking about?

Well, you spend a
couple of nights a month

going over the books with Mabel

and I don't get upset over that.

Yeah, but me and
Mabel don't go out

socializing and
partying afterwards.

Well, there wouldn't be
anything wrong with it if you did.

I wouldn't mind
if you took Mabel

out for a coffee
after your meeting.

Oh, no? You'd be
worried to death.

About what?

About poor Mabel being turned on

by my wit, charm
and personality.

I wouldn't be worried.

Ah-ha-ha.

Okay, Weezy, I think
that's a great idea.

Tonight after work, I
am taking Mabel out

for drinks at Charley's Bar.

You hear that, Weezy?

Me and Mabel are going
for drinks at Charley's Bar.

I heard you. I think
it's a good idea.

Oh.

Yeah. We should
be there about : .

Hear that?

Eight o'clock, Weezy. Mabel
and me, talking, laughing, drinking.

Together, side by side.

That's nice.

I just hope Mabel
can control herself

and don't get no wrong ideas.

Bye.

This is really nice
of you, George.

George?

Huh? Oh, another drink?

Not yet, thanks.

I was just saying this
is really nice of you.

Oh, yeah, it is,
ain't it? Thank you.

Uh, listen, Mabel, excuse
me for just a minute.

[WHISPERING] Charley.

Look, if my wife calls...

I got it. Tell her
you're not here, right?

No!

Tell her I am here.

What?

Tell her I'm sitting...

Oh, I know. You're
sitting by yourself, right?

No!

Tell her I'm sitting
with this woman.

Tell her me and this woman
are having a great time.

Yeah, yeah. A great time, right.

Boy, in this business,
you meet all kinds.

I can't get over this.
You're usually all business.

By the time I get
the books closed,

you've got the door open.

What time is it?

When I closed the books?

No, no, no. I mean now.

My watch says : ,
but I think I'm a little fast.

No, you're right. It's : .

Oh, I'm sorry. Are
you in a hurry to leave?

Who, me? No, no, no.

Look, I got all the
time in the world

to spend right here
with you, Mabel.

Damn!

What's the matter, George?

Let me ask you something, Mabel.

If you were married and you knew

your husband was out
with another woman,

would you get mad?

You mean if he
was cheating on me?

No, no, no, no. He's
not cheating on her.

I mean, if you found out

that him and this
woman were good friends.

If they're just friends,
why should I get mad?

Well, you know, man
and woman, you know,

anything can happen, you know.

You know?

Yeah, you know,
the kind of "you know"

that everybody knows about.

Well, I guess you
just have to trust.

I mean, I have a
boyfriend and he...

You do? Yeah.

But he trusts me.

And he knows I'm
out with you tonight.

He does?

Sure. I called him
from the office.

Hmm. How big is he?

Hey, don't worry. He knows
you and I are just friends.

We are?

Funny, I never thought
of you as a friend.

Thanks a lot.

Oh, no. What I mean is...

It's okay. I know what you mean.

You don't think of us as friends

because all we do is
talk business, right?

Right.

But we both enjoy
talking about it, don't we?

Yeah.

So what could be friendlier

than two people talking about

something they
enjoy talking about?

Hey-hey, that's true!

Weezy was right.

About what? Oh, nothing.

Mabel, you are
really a good friend.

Here's to friendship.

Oh, sh**t. Ain't this a shame?

What's a shame?

Cedric loved Tiffany
with all his heart

and she just told him
she could never love him.

Why?

I don't know.

I like him.

Listen to this:

"I know how you feel
about me, Cedric, my dear,

"but you must be brave.

Perhaps another
time, another place."

[DOORBELL RINGS]

Ain't that sad?

Oh, Florence,
nobody talks like that.

Tiffany do.

I gotta get me a Kleenex.

Oh, Michel! Hi, Louise.

Do we have a class tonight?

No. Are you busy?

Er, no.

George is out and
I was just reading.

Come in.

Thank you.

I was planning to study tonight

and I thought you might
like to study together.

Well, I... Sure. Why not?

May I sit down?

Sure. Why not?

Is anything wrong? You
seem a little nervous.

Well, I guess I should tell you.

George and I had
a little argument.

About what?

About you and me.

You see, George thinks

our friendship could
lead to other things.

Isn't that silly?

I think George is a
very perceptive man.

What?

It's not silly, Louise.

If you wanna know the truth,

I think I'm falling
in love with you.

Did you hear what
I said, Louise?

Oh, boy.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, Weezy.

Oh, George! Hello, George.

Hey, Michel, old buddy.

"Old buddy"?

Sure, any good friend of yours

is a good friend of mine, Weez.

I just came over so Louise
and I could study French.

Great. Don't let
me interrupt you.

I'll just go in the bedroom
and look through some papers.

You two just carry
on with your studies.

Oh, oh, oh, you don't
have to do that, George.

Why don't you sit
down and join us?

It's okay, Weezy. I understand
how it is between you and Mike.

I don't think you do.

Sure I do, Weezy. Look,
I learned a lot tonight.

Mike, old buddy,
have a great time.

Go ahead. Just continue
doing what you were doing.

Michel... Louise.

Michel... Louise.

Michel... Louise!

Florence!

Oh, it's good to see you again.

What you talking about?

You just saw me a minute ago.

Oh, you don't have to dash off
to your room already, do you?

I'm tired. I work around
here, remember?

Why don't you sit
down and join us

while you're
drinking your cocoa.

Oh, I can understand
if she's tired

and wants to go to bed, Louise.

She's not that tired.

Sit down, Florence.

I don't want to.

Florence, please join us.

No, thank you.

Louise, now that we're alone...

Uh, Michel, we are not
really alone. My husband...

Louise, there's something
I must say to you.

Don't say it.

Why not?

Because... Because...

Because...

I know how you feel
about me, Cedric, my dear.

"Cedric, my dear"?

Oh, I mean Michel.

Who's Cedric?

My, uh... uh... ex-husband.

George is not
your first husband?

George is my fourth.

And I wouldn't want to hurt you

like I hurt all the
others, Michel.

But it could be
different with us.

No, Michel.

In spite of the
feelings we have,

we must be content just to
admire each other from afar.

You mean, I can't
even see you again?

Perhaps...

across a crowded room.

You mean in French class?

You do understand, don't you?

I was just too
late for both of us.

You must be brave, Michel.

Perhaps in another place,
another time, who knows?

It could have been
beautiful, Louise.

Au revoir.

That was quite an act
you put on there, Louise.

Act? What...?

But I get the point. If it's
not there, it's not there.

But like they say in French,
you're still une belle renard.

Huh?

A fine fox, baby.

Hey, what... What,
Michel leave already?

Yes, he had to leave.

Too bad.

And how come you weren't
mad by him being here?

Because you're right, Weezy.

There's nothing wrong with

having friends of
the opposite sex.

Me and Mabel had a great time.

You did?

Yeah. We became
real good friends.

In fact, every time we
go through the books,

we're gonna go out
for dinner and drinks.

Oh, no, you're not.

Why not?

Because if you think I'm gonna

let you get away with
that stuff, you're crazy!

Weezy, it was your idea!

There'll be no more

nights out with
Mabel, George, or else!

Or else what?

Or else I'm sleeping
on the couch.

But you said that...
Don't do as I say!

Do as I say!

[INAUDIBLE]

ANNOUNCER: The Jeffersons was
videotaped in front of a studio audience.

♪ Movin', movin'... ♪