02x09 - George Won't Talk

[bunniefuu]

♪ Well, we're movin' on up ♪

♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ To the East
Side Movin' on up ♪

♪ To a deluxe apartment ♪

♪ In the sky ♪

♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ To the East
Side Movin' on up ♪

♪ We finally got a
piece Of the pie ♪

♪ Fish don't fry
In the kitchen ♪

♪ Beans don't
burn On the grill ♪

♪ Took a whole lot of tryin' ♪

♪ Just to get up that hill ♪

♪ Now we're up
In the big leagues ♪

♪ Gettin' our turn at bat ♪

♪ As long as we live
It's you and me, baby ♪

♪ There ain't Nothin'
wrong with that ♪

♪ We're movin' on
up Movin' on up ♪

♪ To the East
Side Movin' on up ♪

♪ To a deluxe
apartment In the sky ♪

♪ Movin' on up Movin' on up ♪

♪ To the East
Side Movin' on up ♪

♪ We finally got a
piece Of the pie ♪♪

Oh, hi, Mother Jefferson,

I thought you were
taking your nap.

I was.

Well, you weren't
in there very long.

Louise, a beauty nap
doesn't take as long

for some of us
as it does others.

Besides, I thought I'd
come out and cook dinner.

You don't have to do that.

I know, but I'd like
to do my share.

You're our guest, just
relax and enjoy yourself.

Louise, you certainly
have of a way

of making me feel useless.

Oh, I'm sorry. Of course
if you want to cook,

you're more than welcome.

Oh, thank you, Louise.
Now George can have

a good home cooked
meal for a change.

Hey, hey, hey!

Where is everybody?

Here I am, son!

Oh, hello, Mama.

Hi, Weez.

Hi, George.

I feel great.

Oh, that's nice. How come
you're feeling so good?

Why shouldn't I feel good
with such a beautiful wife

to come home to?

Answer the question, George.

Oh, you don't believe me, huh?

Well, I believe the part
about my being beautiful.

Because I know that's true.

But there's got to
be something else.

Something else?

Oh, yeah. The accountant
told me that last month

was the best month we ever had.

But why should that
make me happy?

Oh, George!

That's right, Weezy,
business is booming.

People are dirtier than ever.

Whew.

I'm starving. I
hope we're having

something good for dinner.

Oh, we are George,
because I cooked dinner.

That's great, Ma.
What are we having?

One of your favorite dishes.

Ribs.

No. Spinach casserole.

Spinach casserole?
Where you get the idea

that was my favorite dish?

From you, George. The
last time she made it,

you told her you'd never
tasted anything like it.

That's right, Mama, nobody
makes spinach casserole like you do.

The secret is my
marshmallow topping.

That's what it is, all right.

Uh, George, did a Mr. Thompson

ever get in touch
with you today?

Thompson? Who's he?

Well, he called here
a couple of times.

He's conducting some
kind of business classes.

Business classes? Somebody
wants to teach me about business?

After what I've done?

Remember, I started out
with three strikes against me:

Living in the
ghetto, strike one.

No education, strike two.

Being black, strike three,
four, five, six, and a hundred.

I should be teaching them.

That's why he called.

He wants you to
be a guest speaker.

Me? You jiving.

What school is this
dude from anyway?

He didn't say.

He just said he would like
you to speak to his class

about the way to make
it in the business world.

Just wait till I tell
the girls about this!

My son speaking at a college!

Well, how do you
like that, Weez?

I never even
finished high school.

Now I'm going to be
speaking at a college,

Wearing a robe and
one of them flat hats

with a tassle hanging
down. Ain't that great, Weez?

Remember, behind every
great, successful man

is a good woman.

Oh, thank you, Louise.

Damn! If only Papa
were alive to see me now.

Oh, he'd have been
so proud of you.

Yeah, only I'd
never have known it.

Huh?

Papa didn't talk much.

He always kept things inside.

I never knew what
he thought of me.

George, what are
you talking about?

Your father loved you.

I know that now.

Only I didn't find
out until his funeral.

All his friends
were telling me how

he was always bragging about me.

Too bad I didn't know
that when he was alive.

Don't forget that when it
comes to your own son.

Yeah, you're right, Weezy.
Don't ever let me forget that.

George, shouldn't
you be thinking

about what you're going
to say in your speech?

Ain't nothing to think about.

I'll just tell them
how I made it.

How I...

BOTH: Climbed the ladder
of success, rung by rung.

They don't want to hear
about ladders, George.

They just want to hear
about running a business.

I'll get to that, but first
I got to inspire them.

I'll just have to tell
them that 46 years ago...

BOTH: A baby boy
was born in a cotton field

in Alabama.

Applesauce, George. Applesauce!

You were born in a
hospital and you know it.

Will you two leave me
alone? I know what to say.

All I need is a snappy title.

What about "From
Rags to Riches?"

Or "How to Clean Up in
the Cleaning Business"?

George always says
clever things like that.

I know.

[DOORBELL RINGING]

I got the perfect title: "The
Most Unforgettable Character

I Ever Met: Me."

That's the way,
George. Keep it modest.

Mr. Jefferson? Yes?

I'm Charles Thompson.

Did your wife tell you...

She sure did! Come in. Come in.

Thank you.

Let me have your
coat. Thank you.

Oh, I'm sure glad to see you.

This is my wife Louise.
Wonderful woman.

Stood behind me on my way up.

How do you do, ma'am?

How do you do?

Please.

[COUGHING]

And this is my beautiful mother,

without whom I
wouldn't even be here.

Pleased to meet you.

How do you do?

Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll
go start my spinach casserole.

Take your time, Ma.

Beautiful home you
have here, Mr. Jefferson.

Yeah. It's simple,
but comfortable.

It didn't come easy, Thompson.

I worked hard for it.

Started out with
one cleaning store.

Now I got five.

Well, that's exactly
why we wanted you

to speak at our class.

You could give us a whole
lot of valuable information

about your business experiences.

Well, I figure it's only
fair that I should pass on

some of my business know-how

to them that don't know how.

We appreciate
you taking the time.

I know how busy you must be.

No matter how heavy my work
is, I can always find time out

for something like this.

Those kids in Harlem are
sure going to appreciate it.

Harlem?

What school you from, anyway?

Well, it's not exactly a school.

It's a special program that a
couple of brothers and myself

set up, we're trying to teach
young people in the community

how to start their own business.

I ain't going to be
speaking in no college?

No. You'll be speaking
in a basement.

In a basement?

Yes, of a housing
project on 126th Street.

You can't wear no robe
and tassles in a basement.

What?

Listen, you don't want me.
I mean, I ain't gotten much.

Why don't you get
yourself an oil millionaire,

or president of
some big corporation?

Well, I'd be glad to if you
can find me a black one.

Look, we need people like you.

You came out of the ghetto.

You got a successful
cleaning store in Harlem.

You can show these kids
that they can make it too.

Yeah, Thompson, but...

Look, it's only a few
weeks, one night a week.

Night? Why at night?

Because most people
work during the day.

Our first session is
this Thursday at 8:00.

Thursday? That's too bad.

Afraid I can't make it Thursday.

Why not?

Because that's the night we got

that big dinner date
planned. I'm sorry but...

George, we don't
have any dinner date

planned for Thursday.

Of course we do, Weezy.

That's the night we're
supposed to go out with...

um, uh... the Willises.

The Willises? We never
go out with the Willises.

That's why it's so important.

We can't break our first date.

Well, if you can't
make it this week,

how about starting next week?

Next week's bad too. Well...

And the week after
that's even worse.

Look, Mr. Jefferson, why
don't you level with me?

Now, you were all
excited about doing this

until you found out
it was in the ghetto.

You've got a good
business in the ghetto.

Here's a chance to give back
a little of what you take out.

I give back plenty of
money all year long.

Tell him, Weezy. Tell him
how many checks I send out

to black groups every month.

It's true, Mr. Thompson.

George is very
generous that way.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll write out a
check to your group.

How much you need? $200?
$300? I'll support you all I can.

I'm not asking you for money.
I'm just asking that you come

to Harlem and talk to us.

Look, I don't mind
talking in Harlem.

I just mind walking in
Harlem, especially at night.

Oh, so that's it. You're
afraid to go to Harlem?

You're damn right.

Nowadays, even the Globetrotters

are afraid to go to Harlem.

Well, tell me this.
Do you feel safe

walking around this
neighborhood at night?

No. I take a cab. Oh, good.

For a minute there I thought
maybe you had a prejudice

against black neighborhoods.

No way.

Most of the people in Harlem

are honest, decent citizens.

I know. They the ones that
ain't walking around at night.

And lots of those
honest, decent citizens

are trapped without any hope.

Don't you want to do a
little something to help?

Look, I'd like to help, but
I just don't have the time.

Honest.

Okay, Mr. Jefferson.

It's a shame you
can't make it, though.

I was going to give you
such a great introduction.

Yeah? What was you going to say?

Well, I was going
to begin by saying

something like,
what a privilege it was

to have a a great businessman
like George Jefferson visit us.

That's true.

And then I was going to say
that you were the owner of one

one of the best
cleaners in Harlem.

The best.

Sure. And then I
was going to tell

all the brothers and sisters
to tell their family and friends

to bring all their cleaning
over to your store.

Hey! That is a
nice introduction.

Yeah. Shame nobody's
ever going to hear it.

Hold it.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll change my dinner date
and come to your class

just to see how it goes.

But I can't make any
promises after that.

That's all I ask. I'll
see you Thursday.

Oh, I'm so glad you decided

to help Mr. Thompson.

It feels good doing
something noble and unselfish.

Hey, Mom, isn't Pop
back from uptown yet?

No, you know your father. Once
he starts talking about himself,

he goes on and on...
And on and on. Yeah.

They ain't getting
away with this.

If it's the last thing I do,

they ain't getting
away with this.

George, what's the matter?

Didn't they like
your speech, Pop?

Not as much as they
liked my delivery van.

They ripped it off.

Oh, no!

Oh, yeah. While I
was giving my speech,

they stripped my van clean.

Took everything:

Tires, wheels,
carburetor, radio, battery.

Oh, George, that's terrible!

Let this be a lesson
to you Louise.

Don't ever ask me to
do anything nice again.

Weezy, as long as
you're writing anyway,

would you fill out this
insurance form for me?

How can I do
that? I wasn't there

when the van was ripped off.

I'll tell you what
to say, just write.

Okay.

Name of claimant?

George Jefferson.

Sex?

Occasionally.

Come on, Weezy, I ain't
got no time to fool around.

I know.

Male! Male!

Reason for being at location?

Stupidity.

Was vehicle locked?

Right up to the minute
they stole the door.

When was theft first discovered?

When I sat down
in the driver's seat

and it wasn't there.

I don't think these are
the kinds of answers

the insurance company
wants to hear, George.

It don't matter what kind of
answers I give them, Weezy.

It's still going to
be the same thing.

You're right. They're
going to pay up.

[DOORBELL RINGING]

No. They're going
to raise my premium.

Hi, Mrs. Jefferson, can I
see your husband, please?

Uh, I'm not sure
he wants to see you.

Who is it Weezy?
Thompson? Tell him I ain't in.

Mr. Jefferson, I've
got to talk to you.

Uh-huh? And what's
it about this time?

Giving my body to science?

No, we're bringing
you back the clothes

that were stolen from your van.

Oh, that's wonderful!

Where'd you get them anyway?

Well, let's just
say I found them.

Too bad you didn't find
the dudes that stole them.

Well, we tried that,
Jefferson. This here is Train.

Hi. Thanks for trying.

Leader of the bunch
that ripped off your van.

What?!

Okay, Train, I'm going
to kick in your caboose.

Hey, man, this dude is crazy.

Cool it.

I promised him there wasn't
going to be any trouble.

That's why he came
over here to apologize.

Apologize?! Apologize?!

This jive turkey rips off my van

and comes to my house
with the nerve to apologize?

I'm going to give you
something to be sorry for, chump!

George, you can't take
the law into your own hands!

You're right, Weezy.

Hello. Give me the police.

You said no cops!

No police, Mr. Jefferson.
We can handle this ourselves.

Wrong! I can handle it myself!

Ah! You got to be reasonable.

I'm being reasonable,
I'm going to let him live!

Hi, Pop. Hi, everybody.

Mom. Hello, Lionel.

Train?

Hey? What you
doing here, brother?

Hey, Diver.

Diver?

You know this thug?

What you mean, "do I
know him?" We all know him.

We do?

Oh, now what is this?
Some kind of joke?

This here is Ronnie Walker.

Ronnie Walker?

The nice young
kid who used to play

cops and robbers with Lionel?

No. We used to play
robbers and robbers.

Nobody wanted to be
cops in our neighborhood.

I thought you said
his name was Train?

Well, that's his street name.

Because he puffs when he runs.

And they call you Diver

because you know
how to take a dive, right?

Right.

When did you
take a dive, Lionel?

Oh, every week at Old
Man Loper's fruit store.

What? Sure, he was the best.

He could throw an
appendicitis att*ck

good enough to
fool Marcus Welby.

Yeah.

While you were rolling
around on the floor,

the other kids were
stealing the fruit, right?

Uh-huh.

Old Man Loper never figured out

how you could catch appendicitis
one, two, three times a month.

Lionel, you stole?

It was nothing serious,
Mom. Only a few bananas.

Everybody did it.
That's the way it was.

That's the way it is.

Only now we ain't after
fruit, we after bread.

Ronnie Walker.

You were one of the
nicest kids on the block.

He still is, Mrs. Jefferson.

That's why he came
over here to apologize.

Apologize for what?

Your old buddy, the
nicest kid on the block

is one of the bums
that tore my van apart.

Do you make a
habit of stealing vans?

No, ma'am. Most
people are smart enough

to park under a street light.

Didn't park under a light, Pop?

Look, this ain't no
laughing matter.

Mr. Jefferson...

I'm real sorry that my
g*ng ripped you off.

But we didn't even
know it was your van.

We didn't want to hurt you.

Though from the
looks of your pad here,

you ain't hurting much.

And you got your goods back.

Yeah, what about my van?

It's probably spread
all over Harlem by now.

Won't the insurance
take care of that?

Yeah, man, we done you a favor.

We took you. Now you can
take the insurance company.

Train!

Now do you see why we need

your help up
there, these kids...

You don't need my help up
there. You need handcuffs.

That's the easy
answer, Jefferson.

Good, because I don't want

to make things
difficult for nobody.

Now I'm giving you a choice.

Either I call the cops
while you're here

or after you're gone.

You going to let him do that?

Hey Pop, don't call the cops.

Let's deal.

Deal?

Yeah, Train and me can
work this out real easy for you.

Huh?

Hey, go with me.

Yeah, how we going
to do that, Diver?

Well, he can collect the money
from the insurance company

and he can get a brand new
van without having to pay for it.

How do I do that?

We could pick up
a new van tonight,

couldn't we? Sure.
What make you want?

Lionel!

It's cool, Mom. We
could pick up a new van,

give it a new paint job...

Hey, what color
would you like, Pop?

Color?

Red? Red.

Yeah, red would be good.

What are you talking about?

Are you talking
about stealing a van?

Like the Bible says,
"An eye for an eye,

a truck for a truck."

Don't get smart, Train.

And don't you
get smart, neither.

I'm sorry, Pop, but I
feel kind of responsible.

See, if I had been with
Train the other night,

we'd have known better
than to pick on your stuff.

"We?" What "we?"

You mean, you've been
running around with Train's g*ng?

Oh, my God!

Oh, ain't no big thing, Ma,
it's only once or twice a week.

Just for kicks.

He's a heavy dude.
He's taught us a lot.

Now hold it, riffraff!

Why don't you call the
police now, Mr. Jefferson?

You can get two
for the price of one.

Lionel, Louise, in the kitchen.

Pop! In the kitchen!

And you keep your eye on him.

When I come back,
out of there I want to see

my apartment still here.

George... Hush, woman!

A thief. My own son, a thief!

Why did you do this to me? Why?

It was only to save you
from having to give me

a bigger allowance, Pop.

All I stole were a few diamonds,

and gold watches and
mink coats... What?

See what you done to your
mother? She's hysterical!

George, can't you see
he's just putting you on!

I know that.

I was just putting him
on to see how far he'd go!

Hey, you know I could
never do nothing bad like that,

Not with you setting
me such an example.

Naturally.

Besides, you'd have slapped
the taste out of my mouth.

Why'd you have to go and
make up a story like that?

You scared your mother
poor mother half to death.

He was just trying to
make a point, George.

If you hadn't had the drive
and the luck to get ahead

and to get us out of
the old neighborhood,

there, but for the grace
of God, goes Lionel.

The other day, the
biggest problem I had

was finding the
right shirt to wear.

Train's problem every day
is finding a way to stay alive.

Uh, Lionel, I just remembered.

I don't say this often enough.

I'm proud of you, son.

Thompson, I'll be up
there Thursday to speak

to your business class.
That's good, Jefferson.

On one condition: That
this guy and the rest

of his rat pack come
and hear my talk.

And I want them missing
a single word, understand?

You got it. I want
you and your g*ng

right there in the front row
with your ears turned on. Solid?

Solid! He'll be there, right?

Right. Oh, and Jefferson,

thank you very much.

Hey, see you, Train.

Stay cool, Diver.

So long, Ronnie.

Oh, George, I'm so proud of you.

I know, Weez.

It's just that George Jefferson
is a special brand of gentleman.

Right on.

That's why I decided
to go on with those talks.

I mean, it's my duty to share me

with the rest of the community.

And I think it's
wonderful of you

to ask for Train and his g*ng
to come and listen to you.

That's really going
to help them, George.

No, Weez, that's
going to help me.

How?

Because when I look out there

and see all that g*ng
sitting in the front row,

I know they ain't out there
ripping off my van again.

ANNOUNCER: The
Jeffersons was recorded on tape

in front of a studio audience.