02x04 - Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Good Times". Aired: February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979.*
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A spin-off of Maude, which itself is a spin-off of All in the Family, making Good Times the first television spin-off from another spin-off; revolving around a poor family making the best of things in the Chicago housing projects.
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02x04 - Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah

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♪ 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 ♪♪

Ladies and
gentlemen, presenting,

direct from a
successful engagement

at the local supermarket,

the project is proud to present

the famous animal act,

J.J. Evans, and his
trained sister, Thelma.

Ma, he made me
carry all the packages.

J.J., I'm going
to fix you for this.

I carried the chewing gum.

You're so lazy,

I guess you want us
to chew it for you too.

Take that stuff
into the kitchen.

Yeah, I lug all the stuff,

and you carry nothing.

Well, I guess we carried

just about what we're worth.

Anyway, when they made you,

they forgot to give you muscles.

I happen to have
plenty of muscles,

little girl.

It just happens

that they're all on the inside.

And it's too bad your
face is on the outside.

You better stop
talking like that,

because I know who you look like

underneath all that makeup.

Who?

Me.

Hi, everybody.

Where have you
been all day, Michael?

I was getting worried about you.

Down at City Hall,

picketing the Board
of Education meeting.

The militant
midget strikes again.

They let you out
of school for that?

He didn't have any classes.

The grade school
boiler is still broken.

For the second day.

You know this neighborhood

has the worst schools
in the whole city?

Missing school
two days in a row?

Boy, are you lucky.

Aw, J.J., don't be jealous.

If I'm not mistaken,

you missed school
today, and you were there.

MICHAEL: What do you
think of my sign, Momma?

Let me see it.

"If you can read this
sign, "you didn't go

to Harding Elementary School."

Michael,

what would your teachers
say if they saw that?

Huh. Nothing.

Most of them couldn't read it.

It's the truth, Momma.
You don't learn nothing.

Know what our
hardest problem was

in math class this year?

What?

How to divide
kids into books.

Hmm. Michael, I know
your school isn't much good,

but nothing in this
neighborhood is.

Ma, you know when
we went to that school,

what our hardest problem was?

Getting clean books, so I
always tried to get the ones

J.J. had the year before,

because they were barely used.

I happen to have a
great mind, little girl.

And that's barely used too.

Look who's talking about smarts.

When they pierced your ears,

your brains leaked out.

Oh, come on!

No, this is a finale!

All right, kids!

[CLAMORING]

Tweet!

Chicago wants a timeout.

All right, Dad.

Hey, baby.

Gimme some sugar.

What's the matter?

James, we got a problem.

If I came home without
getting hit by a problem,

I'd think everybody had
moved out the house.

Is it a Thelma problem? No.

I ain't surprised.
She's a good girl.

Is it a Junior problem?

No.

Now, that surprises me.

It's a Michael problem.

He missed another day
from school, and I don't like it.

Momma, maybe we should call
the School Board and complain.

It wouldn't do a bit
of good, baby girl.

James, it just isn't fair.

Fair?

Baby, you can drive a truck

between what we
got and what's fair.

Ma, I know how much of a problem
you're going to have tomorrow

with Michael hanging
around all day,

so I'm ready to make
the supreme sacrifice.

Yeah?

I'm willing to stay home
from school tomorrow

and take Michael to the movies.

Some sacrifice.

But it's a very
educational film, Mom.

Son of Blacula.

It's about this black dude

who turns into a
vampire at midnight

and flies around Harlem

giving all the
foxy ladies hickies.

I rate it "D" for Dy-no-mite!

And I rate it "F"
for For-get It!

[KNOCKING]

I'll get it, sweetheart.

Okay, mom.

Educational program... Hmph.

Hi, Mrs. Evans.

Mr. Pearson.

Now, what a pleasant surprise.

Won't you come in?

Thank you.

James, we've got company.

Michael's principal is here.

Michael, your friend is here.

How are you doing
there, Michael?

Hi, Mr. Pearson.

Goodbye, Mr. Pearson.

Michael, don't be rude.

You stay right here.

Hello, Mr. Pearson.

Hey, Thelma.

It's nice to see you again.

Oh, you remembered.

Oh, I never forget
a bright student.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Hey, wait a minute.

Don't tell me.

Um...

J.J.!

Oh, yeah.

Hey, Mr. Pearson, how you doing?

Mr. Evans, how are you?

Just fine. Good.

Can I offer you a seat?
Thank you very much.

Excuse me, but I have
some studying to do.

It was good to see you, Thelma.

Uh, can I offer you
a cup of coffee?

No, no.

Thank you very much. I'm fine.

Michael...

Well, now, what
can we do for you?

Well, Mr. and Mrs.
Evans, I came by

because I'm surprised
at your attitude

toward the voluntary
busing program.

What are you talking about?

Well, um, next week,

a few select students from
Harding Elementary School

are going to be bused to
a school in Rogers Park.

Rogers Park? That's a pretty
fancy neighborhood, ain't it?

We call it the
Detergent District.

Everything there
is whiter than white.

And they have an
excellent school system,

and we found that students like
Michael tend to learn a lot more

when they're surrounded
by other students

who are also very
highly motivated to learn.

You hear that, baby?

They're gonna send our
son to a decent school.

Oh, Mr. Pearson,

how can we thank
you for the good news?

You know, this
is really confusing.

I mean, today you're
in favor of busing,

but on that questionnaire
you filled out,

you were dead set against it.

What questionnaire?

The one Michael brought home

for your comments.

I mean, your answers
really threw me.

Somebody around here

has been throwing
more than answers,

but it wasn't us.

Your answers were
not just anti-busing.

I mean, they were
downright inflammatory.

Excuse me, I've got
to go to the bathroom.

Freeze!

Here it is, and with
both your signatures.

"We will never allow our son,

"Michael Evans, to be bused

"for the very valid reason that,

in our estimation,
busing stinks."

Let me see that.

"Black ain't beautiful
on a yellow bus.

"You're wrong if you think

"you're fooling us.

"Busing ain't nothing

but a bunch of
honkie four-wheel jive."

FLORIDA: Mr. Pearson,
we never saw this.

But if you've never saw this,

then who signed it?

Michael... Come on, James.

Well, Michael?

I figured I was speaking

for all the brothers
and sisters everywhere.

I mean, it was the only thing

a self-respecting
black would say...

and besides, I get bus-sick.

Michael, how could
you do such a thing?

Momma, desperate situations
call for desperate action.

I'm going to put
some desperate action

on your behind.

James... Mr. Pearson,
don't worry.

Michael is going to be
on that busing program.

That's really good
to hear, Mr. Evans.

I'm glad we were
able to get this thing

all straightened out,

and it was really
nice talking to you.

Thank you, Mr. Pearson.

Now, I just have one
more stop to make,

and then I can call it a day.

Another busing problem?

No, it's good old
Joseph Cumberbatch.

Cumberbatch?

Wait a minute.

He's the janitor, ain't he?

Why you got to
stop by his house?

His union won't allow
him to come to the school

to fix the boiler... Oh.

Until the boiler's fixed.

Oh.

Come here, Michael.

Momma, Mr. Pearson
said busing was voluntary.

Well, I don't volunteer.

Michael, it ain't
that much busing

being done for
school integration.

In fact, it's only about
% of all busing.

Well, why did it have to be me?

You got a lot of smarts.

It'd be a shame to waste
that God-given talent

at a bad school.

If God gave me talent,

it was meant to be used
in my own neighborhood

with my own people.

Don't be so sure.

Maybe God wanted
you to be bused.

Yeah, that's easy for him to say
because his son was never bused.

Busing is just a
way of buying us off.

It's a step, son.
Busing is a beginning.

JAMES: Michael, hadn't you
always told me that one day

you wanted to be on
the Supreme Court?

That's right.

Well, here's your
big chance, man.

You make it to
the Supreme Court,

you can get them laws changed

and make it good
for everybody...

but I got news for you, my man.

The Supreme Court don't
hold no sessions in the ghetto.

How come you so much for
busing? You were never bused.

Yes, I was. You were?

When I was a kid in Mississippi,

I was bused... by foot...

past three beautiful
white schools

to one crummy black one.

You see, Michael?

There are lots of
children out there

who are dying

for the chance that you've got.

Any kid wants to
ride to Rogers Park,

they can have my seat.

You can yell all you want,

but if it means better
schooling, you're going.

I don't want to
go to that school.

I'm never going
to sit on that bus.

Michael!

No, both of y'all are right.

Michael's going
to be on that bus,

but he ain't
going to be sitting.

Come on, man.

Move that ball!

Got to do better
than that, brother.

When you going to
get a black quarterback?

Come on, man.

Move that.

Get... J.J., get up from there.

What's going on?

You're going to bed.

Going to bed?

It's only : .

Not even the Waltons
go to bed this early.

Maybe not, but beginning today,

the Evans do.

Tomorrow is the
beginning of busing.

Michael's got to get his rest.

He's got to get up an hour early

to make that bus.

I can't go to bed this early.

Why not?

Because I'm a night person.

You're looking at a
finely tuned machine.

I don't turn my
motor on until : ,

then about lunch
time, I eases into first.

Then when school's
out, I shoves into second,

then about dinner time, I
double-clutches into third,

and right about now, I'm
popping into overdrive.

Well, you'd better
stick it into reverse.

You're going to bed.

Aw, Momma... Go.

Why couldn't you be
bused to night school?

Did you brush your
teeth, honey? Yeah.

Momma, do I have
to go to that school?

Aw, now, Michael,

I thought your
daddy sat you down

and talked some
sense into your head.

If he was trying
to get to my head,

he was working at the wrong end.

Come on.

Get in.

You're still upset, aren't you?

Come on.

Give me a smile.

Aw, you can do better than that.

Give Momma a big smile.

That's a boy.

What time you
setting that clock for?

: A.M.

Oh!

: AM?

The only ones up that
early are the garbage men,

and the way the streets look,

they're dropping it off
instead of picking it up.

Get in the bed, J.J.

Good night, honey...
Good night, Ma.

And don't worry.

Everything's
going to be all right.

Good night, J.J.

Hey, man.

Be cool over there.

I'm getting seasick.

I can't sleep.

I'm worried about tomorrow.

What's the big deal?

A school's a school.

Yeah, but this one's white.

I don't know how to act,
what to say, or anything.

Aw, it ain't nothing,
handling white people.

What do you mean?

Like when they ask you
where you come from. Just say,

[OVER-ENUNCIATING] "Hello.

"I'm originally

"from the Southern
portion of the nation,

where my grandfather
was in textiles,"

but you don't tell them he
was up to here in cotton,

and, like, whenever
they're drinking something,

they always stick
their little pinky out

like this.

Why?

That's Caucasian for saying,

"Don't bother me.

I's drinking something".

How am I going to
learn all this, J.J.?

You'll pick it up
in no time at all.

Matter of fact, after a while,

you'll be eating ribs
with mayonnaise.

Oh... Don't worry
about it, Michael.

Now, go to sleep,

and everything will be okay.

All right?

Good night, J.J.

[TICKING]

[LAUGHS]

Aw, now come on, Henrietta.

There's enough
of me to go around.

[ALARM RINGS]

You don't need
a bell, Henrietta.

It's all right.

Huh? What?

Oh.

Hey, Michael.

It's time to get up.

Michael, it's time to get up.

Michael!

Michael, this ain't no time to
be playing hide and go seek.

Oh, wow.

Michael.

Oh, wow.

He split.

Mom. Hmm.

Mom.

What? What?

I don't want to get you excited,

so remain cool,

and by all means,
don't wake up Dad.

Michael ran away.

What?!

What happened?

Michael ran away! What?!

Michael?

Michael?

James, he's gone.

You've got to do something.

Don't worry, baby.
I'll do something.

What's happening?

Be cool.

Michael ran away.

Ran away?! And you say be cool?!

Oh, Momma. It's all right, baby.

If we hadn't forced
him on that busing thing,

he'd still be here now.

Oh, James.

We made a big mistake.

Don't worry about it,
baby. I'll find Michael.

We'll talk about it later, hear?

Michael!

Boy, Dad, I've got
to hand it to you.

You sure know where to look.

Michael, where you been?

I went for a walk.

I couldn't sleep, and I
didn't want to wake J.J.

You were up all night?

Come on.

Let me make you
some hot chocolate.

I kept thinking

about going to
school in Rogers Park.

I don't want to go any
place where I'm not welcome.

I understand that
you're scared, Michael,

but I never heard
of any racial trouble

going on in Rogers Park.

That's because they
ain't got no racials there.

The only color
problem they have there

is matching the
carpets to the drapes.

I bet you they'd never sell us
a house in that neighborhood.

I bet you they've got
plenty of black people

living in them houses.

Oh, sure they have,

but they're all
in white uniforms

and get every other Sunday off.

Now, come on, Florida.

James, I've been thinking
about this busing business,

and it had me
tossing and turning

all night long.

The more I think about it, the
less I want him to be bused.

Baby, I thought we both agreed

that we wanted him

to get the best
education he can.

I do,

and you know that I want
Michael to have the best education,

but when I think of him

getting on that
bus in the morning,

going so far away from
home, James, I just can't.

You know it isn't easy

to just pick up and
go to a new school.

Michael would be
leaving all his friends.

I wish y'all could
hear yourself.

You talk about Michael

gonna miss all his friends.

Florida, you talking about
you gonna to be worried.

I'd be worried about him too,

but I worry less about him
making his mark in the world

if I know he got a chance
to get a good education.

We all want that, James.

But y'all was talking just like
white people do about busing.

They talk that way
to cover up for the fact

they don't want to
go to school with us.

Why should I go to
school with people

who don't want to
go to school with me?

What if they give
me a hard time?

What would you do

if the people give
you a hard time

at the school you going to now?

Protect myself.

Different folks, same strokes.

But James, he's only a baby.

How about those people
that turned over that bus

with all those
little kids in it?

Honey, I can't get that
picture out of my mind.

The people that turned
that bus over were sick.

How can I show you?

Look, suppose I was to get

a good job at double my salary.

Huh?

That would be nice, James.

Yeah,

but suppose the job was
located way across town

and required two bus
transfers and a mile walk

and I didn't get
home till midnight.

Hm? Uh-uh.

Well, that's the point, baby.

Anything worth having

is worth going through
the trouble of getting. Huh?

Okay, Thelma.

J.J., get ready for school.

Oh, Ma, but it's just
starting to get good.

You want some of this?

On second thought,
maybe you're right.

Well, Michael?

I don't want to go.

All right, Florida,
you heard the boy.

He don't want to go to school.

It's okay.

Ain't nothing we can do if
he's ashamed of being black.

What you mean,
ashamed of being black?

Oh, that was just a mistake.

Your father didn't mean it.

I ain't ashamed of nothing.

'Course you're not.

Maybe you're just
scared to sit down

in the middle of
those white kids

and prove you're just
as smart as they are.

That ain't it.

There's a lot of players
in the minor leagues

that would rather stay there

than try and face
major league pitching.

I can get just as good grades

in that school as
they do, if I wanted to.

I guess we'll never know.

You don't think I can?

There's only one
way to prove it.

You still got time
to catch that bus.

You think I'm afraid of them?

You must be.

I don't see you moving.

Michael, you
forgot your lunch...

Thanks, Mom.

And look, Michael,
when you get outside,

don't forget to keep
your jacket buttoned up,

and listen, if you
don't feel well,

you can always go
and see the nurse...

I will.

And if anything goes wrong,

always call home.

Florida, the boy ain't
going to boot camp!

He's going to school.

Now, son, just remember

everything your momma
told you, you hear?

Just take it one step at a time.

Okay. See ya, Mom.
Bye, sweetheart.

See you later, Dad.

All right, old man.

Have a nice day.

Yeah, take it easy, you hear?

We got him.

It worked, though.

Michael!

Oh, don't worry. I
didn't change my mind.

I just wanted you to know

that I was hip to
what you were doing,

and you know, it ain't
right for two grown-ups

to try to con a
little -year-old.

Hi, everybody.

FLORIDA: Michael!

You're back. Come on, tell us.

How did it go,
your first day, baby?

Yeah, you have
any trouble today?

No, and it was kind of fun,
and J.J., you were wrong.

They don't eat spare
ribs with mayonnaise.

They don't?

No, but they do think
fatback is the guy who plays

between quarterback
and fullback.

[♪♪♪]

♪ Mm-mm-mm ♪

♪ 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 ♪

ANNOUNCER: Good
Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good times ♪♪
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