03x22 - Jenny's Opportunity

[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 ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ To the East Side ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ We've 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 ♪

♪ 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 ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ To the East Side ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ We've finally got
A piece of the pie ♪

[CHUCKLING]

Weezy! This is it. This is it!

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

Oh, I've never felt
so good in all my life.

Oh! Mwah!

What happened? Why
are you so excited?

What is it I've
been trying to do

but haven't been able to
do for a long, long time?

Oh, George. You
mustn't blame yourself.

You're probably just tired.

Not that!

I'm talking about Florence.

I can't b*at her at nothing!

But, look, I've got this
new mind-reading trick

that can't miss.

I got it from the
Amazing Braino.

What's that? A new sink cleaner?

No, it's one of my
customers. He's a magician.

Oh. Well, good luck.

Now, I have to finish
setting the table.

Jenny and Lionel will
be here any minute.

Now, what I'm going to
do is called black magic,

and I need your help.

To do what?

Well, to win about 20
bucks back from Florence.

If she falls for it.

How does it work?

Well, it's easy, see.

I blindfold myself,

then we call Florence in

and tell her to pick out
something in the room.

It could be anything,
like the bar, or the couch.

And then you ask
me if it's this or that

and I keep saying, "No. No."

Then you say something black.

Then the next thing is the thing
I'm supposed to guess. Got it?

Loud and clear.

You're trying to cheat Florence
and I'll have no part of it.

I've got to b*at her!

It's not because of the money.

Okay. I'll help you if
you will play for fun.

But playing for
fun ain't no fun!

Have it your way.

Okay, we've got to
play for something.

Play for matches.

Matches!

Okay. Now, don't forget.

You call out a couple of things,

then you call out
something black.

The next thing is the
thing I'm supposed to get.

Got it.

Florence, get in here!

FLORENCE: I'm
coming, Mr. Jefferson.

[LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY]

What's so funny?

I see the donkey,
but where's the tail?

Florence, I am going
to read your mind,

which ain't easy,

considering how little
I've got to work with.

Can't nobody read my mind.

Five bucks says I can.

Ten bucks says you can't.

Well, if you insist...

No, George. Absolutely not!

We can't play for
money, Florence.

We've got to play for matches.

I'll bet you 10 matches.

Okay, you got a bet.

Good. Now, this is
what you've got to do.

Pick out something in
the living room, anything,

and then you point
it out to Weezy,

then you think
about it real hard

and then I'll tell
you what it is.

Okay, that's fair.

Okay, George. She
picked out an object.

You sure you can't see nothing?

Nothing.

Okay, I believe you.

Fire away, Weezy.

All right.

Is it this chair?

No.

Is it this lamp?

No.

Is it this picture of Jenny?

No.

Is it this throw pillow?

No.

Ha, ha! You lose! That was it.

[GIGGLING]

What? Weezy, what
did you do wrong?

I didn't do anything wrong.

I said, "Is it this
picture of Jenny?"

No wonder I didn't get it!

I said to call out
something all black.

Jenny's black-and-white.

Well, let's see.

That's a total of $172 and
now you owe me 10 matches.

Is there anything
else I can do for you?

You can get back in the kitchen.

Hi, Mom.

Oh, hello, Lionel.

Is Jenny here yet?

No, not yet.

Mwah!

I guess she went
upstairs to see her folks.

Good to see you, Lionel.

Good to see you too, Pop.

And if you've been
eating like I've been lately,

you know I mean that.

[LAUGHING]

But I thought Jenny's
cooking was getting better.

Oh, it is.

Now my TV dinners,

they're only frozen
in the middle.

[ALL LAUGHING]

But I don't mind.

Not as long as I have Jenny.

Sounds like she can do no wrong.

Mmm, you got it.

And in weather like this,

there's nothing warmer
than Jenny's feet.

Oh, yes, there is.

You're mother's got the
warmest feet in New York.

They've got to be
better than Jenny's.

[DOORBELL RINGS]
Thank you, George.

Bigger is always better.

[CACKLING]

I know, George, but
I'm stuck with you.

Oh, hello, Jenny. Come on in.

Hi, Mother Jefferson.

Uh, please, don't call
me Mother Jefferson.

But I'm your
daughter-in-law now.

I-I know, but let's try to think
of something nicer than that.

Okay. Okay, like what?

Like, uh, Dracula,
or something like that.

Hi, baby. Oh!

Hi, honey.

Lionel, wait till you see
what I just got from my folks.

What is it?

This letter they
were holding for me.

Oh, hi, Mr. Jefferson.

Hi. Now that they're
here, let's eat. I'm starving.

Oh, relax, George. They
haven't had a chance to visit yet.

Jenny! This is fantastic!

You proud of me?

Oh, I sure am.

I never knew anybody
who won a thing like this.

A thing like what? Of
course, I'll turn it down.

Turn what down?

That's ridiculous.

What's ridiculous?

Do you mean I should take it?

Take what?

Jenny just won a
summer scholarship

to Oxford University.

A scholarship?

That's wonderful!

I thought Oxford was in England?

Yeah, it is.

See, I knew that. Huh.

But you two just
got married, Jenny.

Why would you
apply for a scholarship

that would take you
away from your husband?

Remember, we didn't expect
to get married this soon.

Besides, I never
expected to win.

Well, it's out of the
question now, anyway.

Good. Now that
that's settled, let's eat.

Wait, wait. Why is it
out of the question?

Are you kidding?
We just got married.

I'm not thinking of
leaving you alone.

Look, Jenny. You've
got to think of yourself.

You've got your
own life to live.

Of course you've got to go.

Hey, you trying
to get rid of me?

Hey, I'm just trying to do

what's right for
my baby, that's all.

You mean you love
me enough to let me go?

Isn't this man fantastic?

That's dumb.

A woman's place
is with her husband.

But Pop, this is the
chance of a lifetime.

Wow, when I... When
I opened the letter,

I never really actually
thought of going!

Well, why not?

It's not every day

that you win a scholarship
to Oxford University.

What's so great about studying
with a bunch of foreigners?

Ain't your regular
college no good no more?

But Mr. Jefferson, this
is a special session.

Psychology professors from all
over Europe are gonna be there.

Why, I am gonna learn
more there in three months

than I could here
in three years!

I know. And it will really
broaden her academically.

Yeah, well, that
ain't a bad idea.

She could use some more meat
on her bones like old Weezy here.

Hmm?

That's not funny.

Excuse me for a minute.

Hey, Lionel. Where
are you going?

I have to make a call.

I'll do it in the kitchen
so I don't bother anybody.

Jenny, I'd like to
hear more about this

before you go
running off to Europe.

George, what do you think?

I think that if you
don't get dinner soon,

I'm gonna to run down
and grab me a hamburger.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

Why don't you grab
the door instead.

Dinner will be ready
in a few minutes.

Okay. I'll probably
be dead by then.

sh**t.

Hey, Bentley.

Food! Glad to see you, Bentley!

Nice to see you too, Mr. J.

I have a treat
I'd like to share.

Ahh! Well... Oh,
you have company.

Ladies first.

Mrs. J.

Oh, no, thanks, Mr. Bentley.

It's too close to dinner for me.

No. I'll pass.

You don't know
what you're missing.

Don't mind them, Bentley.

I'll take a few of
these off your hands.

I'm starving!

Hey, they ain't bad!

You have a keen
palate, Mr. Jefferson.

Not everyone appreciates
exotic delicacies.

Yeah? What kind of candy is it?

Chocolate bees.

You mean, like jujubes?

Uh, no, like bumblebees.

The kind that go "bzzzz."

You mean I got a
mouthful of bugs?

Absolutely. Argh!

They're imported from Japan.

You're very lucky, Mr. J.

[GARGLES]

[GEORGE SPLUTTERS]

Oh, uh, Mr. Bentley,
I'm going to Europe.

You don't say! Marvelous!

Jenny has a chance
to study at Oxford.

What? My own alma mater?

Oh, I could spend hours
telling you all about it.

What to see, where to go.

Oh, I'd love that!

Dinner's almost ready,
Mr. Bentley. Would you like to stay?

Oh, my goodness.
Is it that late already?

Charlotte will be furious!

We'll talk later, Jenny.

I'll take these little
fellows along with me.

Oh, no offense, Mr. J., but
I feel they'll be wasted here.

If you don't get these bugs out
of here, you gonna get wasted.

Wasted!

Now, that's an
interesting usage...

Oh, Lionel! Mr. Bentley
went to Oxford.

He can tell me
everything I have to know!

That's nice, Jenny.

In case you go there.

What do you mean "in case"?

Well, it was never
definite, was it?

I mean, there are a
lot of things to consider.

England is far away from here.

Well, it hasn't
gotten any farther

in the last five
minutes, has it?

No. But things change.

Things change?

What things?

Well, my transfer.

What transfer?

Jenny, when you
showed me that letter,

I thought I could get a
temporary assignment

with the firm's English branch.

What?

Well, I talked to Mr. Hoffman
just now on the phone.

He told me they're closing
down the office over there

so that's out.

We can't go.

I'm sorry.

Oh, you were gonna go with me?

Well, of course. That
was the whole idea.

Oh. You didn't think I'd
have you go over there alone?

Wait a minute. Let
me get this straight.

Two minutes ago when you
thought you could go to England too,

it was a great
opportunity for me, right?

Well...

But now that you've
found out that you can't go,

it's suddenly not a
great opportunity for me.

Right? I didn't say that!

What did you say?
GEORGE: He said you can't go!

Let us eat!

That's a good idea, Pop.

We'll talk about this later.

Later? I want to
talk about it now.

[SIGHS] Jenny.

I'm not gonna fight with
you in front of my parents.

All right, then. I'll leave.

Where are you going?
Up to see my folks.

But we were supposed to spend
the evening together down here.

Well, like you said,
Lionel, things change.

Mmm. Mmm-mm!

That roast beef was
out of sight, Weezy.

Mm-hm.

How did you like it, Lionel?

Great. Ah.

One thing you got to admit,

it is better than them TV
dinners you been getting.

One time Weezy wasn't here,

I tried eating one
of them things,

and it took me a whole week

to get the aluminum
out of my teeth.

What's wrong with you two?

Why ain't you laughing?

You really think this is
the time for telling jokes?

Well, it's better than
what y'all are doing.

Is this a dinner or a funeral?

He's spoiling my
evening with this fight.

Don't blame me!
It's Jenny's fault.

I mean, she's acting
immature, selfish and pigheaded.

I agree with you,
she is pigheaded.

Pop, you're talking
about my wife!

Hey, now... Now,
stop it, you two!

And sit down, Lionel.

If anybody's acting immature
and selfish, I'm looking at him.

That's telling him,
Mrs. Jefferson.

But you left out the part
about the pigheaded.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

And you know what else I think?

Get the door! You
ain't paid to think!

Hmm.

Because if you was
getting paid to think,

you'd be working for nothing.

I am working for nothing.

I'm working for you.

Tom, you're being childish.

I am not. I just wanna tell him.

Daddy, it's my
battle! I'll tell him.

Yes, Tom. I think
you're dead wrong.

Well, you folks came
to the right place.

You're just in time
for the main event.

No! Daddy!

I just want to say one thing,
and then I'm going to leave.

Why don't you leave first.

Because I have something
to say about the scholarship.

If there's one thing I don't
need, it's a lot of Willis lip.

I'm going to have my say.

Well, go ahead and have
it, but in a room I ain't in.

I don't care who knows it,
but I am absolutely against

Jenny leaving her
husband to go to Europe.

Hey! You on my side.

I am?

That's right.

You can say anything you
want in my house, old buddy.

Well, thank you, but
I've already had my say.

Well, I liked it so much
you can say it again.

Jenny has a right to make up
her own mind about her education.

She ain't got no right
to leave her husband!

She just got married!

Well, it can't be
much of a marriage

if it can't stand a
short separation.

You call 14 weeks
a short separation?

A short separation is
beginning to sound good to me.

[ALL SHOUTING]

It's too noisy in here!

Come on, ladies. Ladies!

Kitchen.

GEORGE: That's right.

Y'all go in the kitchen.
That's where y'all belong.

I've waited three years

to get this dummy to
say something smart,

and when he does,
y'all walk out on him.

Thanks. I think.

I don't know what's
gotten into Jenny.

She's acting just
like a... Like a...

A woman. That's right.

Sometimes women can
be as stubborn as mules.

Mules, huh?

Want some Scotch?

Oh, I don't know.

I promised Helen I wouldn't

have a single drink during Lent.

So give me a double.

The men. All three of
them are living in the past.

I never expected my
father to behave like that.

Of all the stupid,
reactionary...

Don't talk about
your father like that.

I'll do it.

That stupid, reactionary,
male chauvinist...

It doesn't do any good
calling them names.

Well, now, it ain't
none of my business...

but when I was
out there just now,

they was calling all of y'all
a bunch of dumb jackasses.

HELEN AND LOUISE: Jackasses?

Uh-huh.

Did Lionel say that?

Uh-uh. Oh, good.

He was just nodding
his head in agreement.

How could he?

Oh, you're so young, Jenny.

Haven't you learned
anything about men?

Yes, they're all short
on understanding.

Well, the next time,
instead of getting married,

I'll get a cocker spaniel.

I'll drink to that.

Me too.

I'm glad we out here
with the Scotches

and not in there with them hens.

Hens?

Now, you don't have to keep
calling them names like that.

Why not? They're in there
calling us names, ain't they?

No, they ain't. All I heard was
something about you being short.

Short? That's nothing.

Nothing? Don't you know an
insult when you hear one, fatso?

Guess what.

Mr. Jefferson just
said something about

being glad he was out
there with the Scotch.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

And not in here with
you dumb chickens.

Well, now that's going too far.

Just because he
calls us chickens?

Yes, George hates chickens.

Yeah, and zebras.

And women.

Except his mother.

He worships that woman.

She can do no wrong.

He's always telling me
how perfect his mother is.

Jenny, I just
hope you're patient

when Lionel does that to you.

Lionel never does that.

He doesn't?

Who was at the door, Florence?

Mr. Bentley, but he
ain't gonna be here long.

He wanted to talk to you, Jenny,

but Mr. Jefferson said
that wasn't necessary,

because you sure
wasn't going to no Oxford.

What? How dare he?

Maybe some other time.

Mr. Bentley, wait a minute.

Uh, Jenny, perhaps
we could talk later.

I think I'd better leave now.

Why?

Uh, because Mr. Jefferson
just said, "Get out."

Why did you say
a thing like that?

'Cause he keeps rattling
on about Oxford and football.

Football? I never said
anything about football.

You said you wanted to
go punting on the Thames.

Oh, no, I meant punting
in a boat with a pole.

I don't care if you want to
go punting with a Russian.

I don't want to talk
about no football.

I think you've lost me.

I wish I could.

Mr. Bentley, I would like to
hear everything about Oxford.

So would I. Me too.

Well, I don't.

And I don't. Me neither.

Well, you're outvoted three to
three. Go ahead, Mr. Bentley.

How can we be
outvoted three to three?

It's three women to three men.

Oh.

You will love it.

You'll love it!

Some of the best years
of my life were spent there,

not to mention most
of my father's money.

Oh, Oxford.

The dreaming
spires, the long walks,

the curving river,
the curvy women.

That's where I met Penelope.

Penelope?

Yes, a lovely girl.

She was a baker's daughter.

But you enjoyed studying there?

Oh, every inch of her.

At first, I thought
she had freckles,

but they were caraway seeds.

Mr. Bentley.

Oh, I'm sorry, I'm digressing.

Do you know what a
lucky young lady you are?

It's been said the only thing
better than a great education

is an Oxford education.

That's interesting.
Who said that?

I did, just now.

Jenny, I'll give you the
names of some of my old tutors.

They'd be only too
glad to tutor you.

Oh, fantastic! I'd
really appreciate it.

Jenny, I don't want you to.

It's all right, Lionel. They're
very respectable men.

I don't think they'd
do anything to...

He means he's not letting
her go to England, Bentley.

He's not stopping her.

If he's any sort
of man, he will.

[ALL SHOUTING]

Well, I think perhaps
I'll be running along.

I certainly am glad I
was able to help you.

Jenny, I want to talk with you.

I'm finished talking.

Come on. Come on!

[ALL SHOUTING]

Look, you don't want
to go on fighting, right?

Right.

But we've reached
a stalemate, right?

Right.

And if there's a stalemate
between husband and wife,

one of them has to
have the last word.

That makes sense,
doesn't it? Well, I...

And as husband and
breadwinner, I think it should be me.

You just ran right out of sense.

Jenny!

Jenny, there's gonna
be plenty of time

for you to go to
England later on.

Well, now, if you ask me...

Which nobody did.

Lionel!

I'm sorry.

Now, that's the
trouble with folks.

They're always
putting things off.

When I was Jenny's age, I
had a chance to go to Europe.

But I let somebody
talk me out of it,

thinking I could go later.

Well, that later got later
and later until it was too late.

And I never did
get a chance to go.

And Lord, I sure do regret that.

Oh, I didn't know.

You had a chance to
go to Europe to study?

No, I had a chance
to go to Europe

with Dizzy Gillespie's big band.

You did, Florence?
What did you play?

One of the musicians.

If I ever get an
opportunity like that again,

I bet you I wouldn't
let it slip by.

It could've changed
my whole life.

Oh, Florence.

Of course, I'd have made him
play the "Wedding March" first.

You know, Jenny,

I still think the husband
should have the last word.

No way, Lionel.

And my last word is that you're
going to accept that scholarship

and go to England for summer.

Do you mean it?

LIONEL: I mean it.

Hey, I got two weeks
vacation coming up.

I'll come over to see you.

That way, we won't
be apart that long.

I love you, Lionel.

I love you too, Jenny.

Oh, and we're both
crazy about you.

Go on out of here.

Oh, I want to get mine too.

Then we're all agreed?

ALL: We're agreed! Oh, good.

I got to hand it to you, Louise.

You've got a lot
of common sense.

Well, all that yelling
and screaming

wasn't getting us anywhere.

And besides, both
the kids are over 21.

Everybody, Jenny and I
want to talk to you for a minute.

Hold it a minute, Lionel.

We've been doing a little
talking ourselves out here,

and we've decided you kids
have to stop leaning on us.

Huh? What?

He means

we are not gonna
interfere anymore.

So don't come running to
us if you have any problems.

[PARENTS LAUGHING]
But we didn't. I was...

You've gotta stop playing grown
up and start acting grown up.

That's right. And if you make
a mistake, you make a mistake.

That's right.

Now, Lionel and I
really appreciate this,

and we won't trouble you
any more about my scholarship.

Terrific.

No, we've decided that
she's going to accept it.

What? You can't let
her do that, Lionel!

You're making a
bad mistake, boy.

George, don't interfere.
You went back on your word!

Don't start picking on George!

[ALL SHOUTING]

That's your husband! Oh, really?

Where are you two going?

Anywhere out of here.

Because you're right, Mama.

We're not grown up
enough for this group.

[ALL SHOUTING]

[♪♪♪]

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

♪ Movin', movin' on... ♪