07x18 - All in the Neighborhood, Part 2

[bunniefuu]

♪ ♪

(no voice)

♪ I bet we've been together
for a million years ♪

♪ And I bet we'll be together
for a million more ♪

♪ Oh, it's like
I started breathing ♪

♪ On the night we kissed ♪

♪ And I can't remember
what I ever did before ♪

♪ What would we do, baby,
without us? ♪

♪ What would we do, baby,
without us? ♪

♪ And there ain't no nothing we
can't love each other through ♪

♪ What would we do, baby,
without us? ♪



Last week on Family Ties:

Ever since Gus and Maya Thompson
moved in here

to this neighborhood,

they have been threatened
and harassed

with hate mail
and-and phone calls.

I hope that we
in this neighborhood

can continue to live in harmony

and to sell our homes
to people of all creeds

and all colors, all races...

at tremendously
inflated profits.

I am moving out now.

And there's a lot of you
in this room here

who are gonna be following me,

even if you're too ashamed
to admit it.

Right now, I'm not so sure

that staying here
is the best thing for us to do.

Boy, that is the worst
neighborhood meeting

I have ever been to.

I think so, too.

Why can't we live
in a neighborhood

full of nice, thoughtful people

who care more about others
than they do about themselves?

One where people say,
"Hi, neighbor.

"How you doing there, neighbor?

Glad to see you here,
neighbor."

In other words, Dad,

you want to live
in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood.

Well, you've got to admit,
Alex, it's a real nice place.

♪ It's a beautiful day
in the neighborhood ♪

♪ Beautiful day
for a neighbor. ♪

It's a beautiful day
at the funny farm, too, Dad.

Well, I'm so upset
with those people.

We... we've known Phil and Nancy
how many years?

How can they sit there
and say that they're thinking

of moving if their
property value goes down?

I know. It makes me want

to put our house up for sale
and move out.

I feel the same way.

Wait. If we move, won't it look
like we're running away

from the Thompsons, too?

(sighs)
She's right.

We can't move
unless the Thompsons move.

And if the Thompsons stay,
we can stay.

Well, what if the Thompsons
decide to live here

in the summers and
somewhere else in the winters?

We'd go with them.

I guess we were pretty naive
when we urged Gus and Maya

to move into this neighborhood.

Sure, you're naive,
Mom, but I...

I mean, nobody
who came of age in the ' s

has a great deal
of savoir faire.

It's true.

I mean, you two don't have
a whole lot of...

that stuff.

Four years of French
at Grant College,

ladies and gentlemen.

You know, I never really
thought of it before,

but why do we live
in an all-white neighborhood?

You don't remember, Jen,
but it wasn't all white

when we moved in here.

That's one of the reasons
we liked it.

Oh, I remember
when I was little,

I had this, uh, friend
down the street named Maggie.

- (Alex chuckles)
- And one day, she asked me

how come my skin
wasn't black like hers.

And the only reason
I could think of

is that we washed
with Ivory soap

and it was dyeing my skin.

It's a good thing
you didn't use Selsun Blue.

Do you know,
if we could just hold on

to that kind of innocence
all our lives,

then there wouldn't be
any discrimination.

I mean, people would be accepted
for their character

and not their color.

I mean, how many years
can some people exist

before they're allowed
to be free?

♪ The answer, my friend ♪

♪ Is blowing in the wind ♪

BOTH: ♪ The answer
is blowing in the wind ♪

Okay, you finished? Huh?

♪ How many roads
must a man walk down... ♪

Oh, come on. Snap out of it.
That is old.

I think we should go across
the street and apologize

to Gus and Maya
for getting them into this mess.

I feel responsible.

I don't think we should
bother them right now, Elyse.

They probably want to be alone
to, uh, discuss things.

Oh, you're probably right.

If we went over there,
we'd just wind up interfering.

And they have to decide
what's best for them.

Is it possible
that they're really

going to mind
their own business?

No, way, Jen.

I mean, look at them
eyeing the door.

See that?
See Dad's left foot?

See he's starting
to make a move?

Any minute, Mom's gonna put down
the coffee cup

and say something like...

I could use some fresh air.

How about a walk?

And then he'll say...

A walk?

Good idea. Let's go.

You two are good.

(Jen chuckles)

(sighs)
One in favor of moving.

One not in favor of moving.

And one more in favor of moving.

Well, it looks
like we have a tie.

Since when does two-to-one
make a tie, Dad?

Well, I had to disqualify
this one

because of poor penmanship.

You always were
a poor loser, Gus.

Look, I know you both
want to move,

but I'm afraid
that if we let ourselves

be run out of our home,

we're never gonna be able
to hold our heads up again.

Dad, don't let pride
get in the way here.

We're talking about your safety.

Look, I'm not talking
about pride.

I'm talking about
simple human dignity.

Tell me, Dad.

How dignified do you feel
when you hear somebody

shouting r*cist slogans
in your ear

every time you pick up
that phone?

(phone rings)

How'd you do that?

Uh-uh. Let me, Maya.

Hello.

Oh?

I see.

Uh-huh.

Well, uh, okay, uh,
thanks for the warning.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, uh-huh,
we'll be on guard.

What was the warning about?
Should we call the police?

Alex thinks so.

He says Steven and Elyse
are coming over.

They've been singing some
of those white protest songs.

Let's make a run for it.

(doorbell rings)

I work with the guy.

You two save yourselves.

Ah. We were taking a walk,

and we suddenly remembered
we wanted to borrow a...

A ladder.

Okay, uh, let's go around back
to the garage.

Oh, uh, we don't need that
right this minute.

Next week would be fine.

Our climbing plans are loose.

Oh, okay.

Well, then, uh, you might
as well come in, then.

Oh, uh, well, I guess we could
do that, couldn't we, Elyse?

Uh, we could.

Yeah, yeah, let's...
All right.

- Hey, we're in, we're in.
- Hi, Maya.

Hi, Elyse.

Steve, good to see you.

- Hi, Steve.
- Good to see you. My pleasure.

Sit down, honey, sit down.

Yeah, we got some time.

MAYA:
Sure.

Well, hi.

Okay, you can interfere now.

Just want to tell you

how badly we feel
about how the meeting went.

It... it really backfired.

No, it didn't.

It just opened our eyes

to the way the neighborhood
really feels about us.

Look, we just need some time
to work this out.

I'm sure most of these people
will come around.

Steven, we took a family vote,
and we decided to move.

You took a family vote
without us?

We love you, Steve, old buddy,

but, uh, you're not actually
in our family.

And even though it
didn't work out here,

we still appreciate everything
you did for us.

Oh, yes, especially the part
where you encouraged us

to move into this bastion
of racial equality.

But you don't blame us?

"Blame" is such a strong word.

Of course we don't blame you.

I mean, uh, it's our own fault
that we forgot how naive you are

when it comes to such
ugly things like racism.

Does everyone in the world
think we're naive?

- MAYA and MICHAEL: Yes.
- Yeah, that's true.

But it's a compliment.

You two are so pure of heart
that it never occurs to you

that others aren't that way.

You are very special people.

So you forgive us
for getting you into this mess.

"Forgive" is such a strong word.

Look, I-I realize

we put you in an awfully
uncomfortable position,

and I...
and I apologize for that.

But in spite of everything,

we'd really love to have you
as our neighbors, and...

and we'll do everything we can
to help you stay.

I'm with Elyse and Steven.

Yes, yes, I think, if we move,
we're making a big mistake.

And I-I tell you,
I just don't feel good about it.

MICHAEL:
Yeah?

Well, I don't feel good
about going off to Harvard

and-and leaving you two alone.

Your mother and I will decide
what's best for this family.

That's why I didn't count
her vote.

Honey, give it up.
You lost the vote.

You know, I fought against
discrimination as hard as you.

But I don't want to fight
the battle when I come home.

Well...

what about that cute
little window seat?

I mean, we looked a long time

to find a house
with a window seat, buttercup.

That's a mighty fine
window seat, buttercup.

What good is a window seat

if you're afraid
to sit in the window?

That was some of the best
Italian food I've ever tasted.

We'll have to come back
to Guido's, Gus.

Well, there are a lot
of restaurants you can try out

if you stay in the neighborhood.

Steven, I must say
I'm truly enjoying

the way you've been
trying all week

to make me change
my mind about moving.

- Is it having any effect?
- Oh, a lot.

It's convincing me
I might want to move after all.

There's something wrong
with this door.

I can't seem to get it unlocked.

Mom, Dad, I don't think
you should go in there.

Let's just go across the street
to the Keatons'

- until the police come.
- Police?

- What's going on in there?
- Dad, don't! Don't!

Who did this?

I don't know, Dad.

They didn't sign the guest book.

Michael, are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.
I got here after it happened.

I already called the police,
and they're on their way over.

How could anybody do this?

Oh, Gus, they even wrote
on the walls.

What does "whits only" mean?

It means that somewhere

there's a bigot running around
with a big "E."

You're gonna stay
at our house tonight

till we get this mess
cleaned up.

No, we will not.

We're getting out
of this neighborhood tonight.

It's over.
I'm going upstairs to pack.

I'll help you.

Is this the house
that reported a break-in?

Take a wild guess.

How do you do?

I'm, uh... Officer Steele.

This is, uh,
my partner Officer Larson.

Who reported the break-in?

I did.

You came home
and found it this way?

No, he came home,
he slashed the furniture,

he wrote on the walls,
then he called us.

I'm signing us up for therapy.

Hey, I saw the police car
outside.

Oh, my God,
did somebody break in?

No, Mal, they came home,
did this themselves

and called the police.

Have we met before?

I don't think so.

Hey.

Hey, what does
"whits only" mean?

I think there's
a letter missing, Mal.

Oh.

Of course.

Which one?

Uh, did, uh... did either one
of you see anybody come in

or go out of this house tonight?

Oh, my boyfriend Nick
has taught me

to be very observant about cars,

and I noticed a
powder blue, um, uh,

Mercury Topaz GS
with sheepskin seat covers.

I knew it was suspicious
the minute I saw it.

That's my car.

Gus, you're under arrest.

FBI material if I ever saw it.

Hey, that's no way to talk
about your girlfriend, Nick.

No, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no.

First of all,

don't ever call me Nick.

Sorry... Nicholas.

All right, uh,

let's get this report
filled out.

Who's the owner of the house?

I am.

But not for long.

Hey, sport, where you been?

Timmy's house.

Timmy's dad said
the Thompsons are moving

'cause nobody wants
black people here.

Is that true, Alex?

Well...

I hate to say it, Andy,
but unfortunately

there are some people
who feel that way.

Why?

Uh...

because...

they have this ignorant idea

that they're better
than everybody else.

You always say that
about yourself.

(laughing):
Yeah, well...

I'm kind of joking
when I say that.

No, you aren't.

I got to stop saying that.

Timmy's dad is telling
everybody our house

is worth less money
'cause black people live here.

Who is Timmy's dad...
the town crier?

Listen, Andy, I want
to tell you something.

In the strictest
confidence, okay?

I don't want you telling

anybody else I said this,
all right?

Is that a promise?

- Promise.
- All right.

In this situation,

money's not important.

Mom, Dad, Alex has a fever!

Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa...

Andy...

I'm fine, okay?

It's just...

it's just that w-we have
to treat

everybody fairly and equally

whether th-they're white,
they're black

or-or my personal favorite,
treasury-note green.

All right?

- Promise.
- Promise.

What's this about a fever?

Oh, that-that-that's
just a little game we play.

We-we accuse each other
of having different ailments.

(singsongy):
You have fallen arches.

Whatever happened
to "Ring Around the Rosie"?

Go get washed up
for lunch, honey.

Hey, hey, keep those arches up.

(knocks on door)

- Uh-huh.
- Hi.

We just heard
the Thompsons' house

was vandalized last night.

This is really terrible.

Are they all right?

Yeah, th-they're fine,

but why are you suddenly
so concerned?

I didn't hear you speaking up
for them at the meeting.

It was different
when we were talking

about the value
of our homes, but, well,

now we're talking
about v*olence.

We can't sit back
and let that happen.

It-it's not different...
it was just easier

to pretend
it didn't matter before.

Look, you either support
the right of people

to live where they please
or you don't.

Well, that's easy
for you to say.

I mean, you're
a two-income family.

You can afford to let the value
of your home drop

without it affecting you
so much.

Are you saying that if you
were a two-income family

you'd feel differently
about the Thompsons moving in?

Yes, absolutely.

Phil, get a job.

Well, I don't want to.

I like it at home.

I think we're getting
off the point here.

The point is:
Where do you draw the line

between protecting
another family's civil rights

and your own family's
financial well-being?

I'd like to think
that I'd live in a tent

before I give in
to this sort of prejudice.

Yeah, well, it'd be my tent.

You borrowed it
last August, Keaton.

Look, we're not prejudiced.

I think there's a fine line

between prejudice
and complicity.

I mean, your silence is as
damaging as-as the graffiti

on the Thompsons' wall.

- It is not.
- It is so.

And get a job.

Look, look...

this isn't getting us anywhere.

Let's just stop
making accusations.

Where were you at approximately
: last night?

As a matter of fact,
I was watching television

with the kids.

And it was one of your
documentaries, Steven.

- Oh, Hieroglyphic Humor?
- Right.

Um, how did you like it?

The jokes were a little old.

Wait a minute.

You don't seriously suspect us

of breaking in
to their house, do you?

Frankly, I don't know
what to think about anyone

around here anymore.

Steven, where were you at
approximately : last night?

Oh, what a mess.

Let's go back to the hotel.

They sure trashed this place.

Well, I don't know.

I always thought that lamp
would look better over there.

Come on, Michael,
that was a joke. Laugh.

How can you joke
at a time like this?

But this is the kind of time
you need to laugh most.

Your father and I
learned that a long time ago.

(Gus laughs)

Hey, you remember that
freedom march in Selma in ' .

(laughs)
We laughed that day.

Yes we did. (laughs)

What exactly made you laugh?

Your father used to tell
the worst jokes

just to keep my spirits up.

Hey, now, wait a minute.

They weren't so bad.

Oh, really?

Do you think it was
a coincidence

that the stone throwing started

whenever you said,
"Knock, knock"?

She's kidding.

- (laughing)
- (doorbell rings)

I wonder who...

Keaton Cleaning Brigade
at your service.

No job too small.

Some jobs too big.

What does "whits only" mean?

There's a letter missing.

Somewhere.

Where should we start?

How about anywhere?

- STEVEN: Right, okay.
- Okay.

Oh, Gus.

They destroyed your
Lawrence Welk collection.

(Gus groans)

Racism takes many ugly forms.

(à la Lawrence Welk):
A one and a two.

Uh-oh, he's starting to bubble.

Gus, I know this can

in no way make up
for what's happened here, but...

I'd like you to have my
Lawrence Welk record collection.

No, Alex, I-I couldn't. No.

- Yes, you could, please.
- Take it with our blessing.

All right, all right.

Thank you, Alex.

Gus, we're gonna need
some extra boxes

for all this stuff.

Oh, well, we got lots of boxes
in the basement.

Yeah, come on,
let's go get them.

STEVEN:
Okay, let's go.

Hey, Michael,
what are these pictures of?

Oh, well, in this one,
my folks were thrown out

of a segregated
lunch counter in Mobile.

And in this one,
they were thrown out

of a segregated lunch counter
in Birmingham.

Can you imagine
being years old

and choosing to walk
through an angry mob

just to get a drink
out of a public fountain?

I would never have
the guts to do that.

I don't even have the guts
to walk through school

in gaucho pants.

You know, your parents
really went through

a lot back then, Michael.

They sure did.

They were turned away
from public schools.

They couldn't sit at
lunch counters next to whites.

They couldn't live in the
neighborhoods they wanted to.

Looks like they still can't.

- It's really crazy, isn't it?
- MALLORY: Yeah.

I mean, how many years
can some people exist

before they're allowed
to be free?

♪ The answer, my friend ♪

♪ Is blowing in the wind ♪

♪ The answer is blowing
in the wind. ♪

Finally.

Proof that they're ours.

What's this picture
with all these people

at the Lincoln Memorial?

Uh, the march on Washington.

That's where Martin Luther King
made his famous speech.

"Now is the time

"to lift up our nation

"from the quicksand
of racial injustice

to the solid rock
of brotherhood."

You know it, Michael.

How could I grow up
in the same house

with you two and not know it?

Well, I wonder what Dr. King
would say about the situation

in this house today.

He'd say we can't move.

That we got to stay here
and continue to fight.

And what would you say?

You and your friends
fought long and hard

to win us certain basic rights.

And now it's my turn...

to fight for them.

Finally proof that he's ours.

I always wanted a window seat.

They're not going to make us
move out

of this neighborhood.

Even if they pound
down that door.

(knock on door)

How do you do that?

- Hi.
- Hi.

Can we come in?

- STEVEN: Nancy, what are you...
- NANCY: Hi, guys.

- Hi.
- Hi.

We, uh, would've
been here sooner,

but first we had to raid
Keaton's garage

to get our tools back.

I know you have every reason
to turn us away,

but we would very much
like to help you

get your home back together.

We're ashamed
that it took this v*olence

to get us to come over here.

But we're here now, and, um,

we'd like to do everything
we can to make you feel

welcome and safe
in your neighborhood.

Well, we certainly
could use the help.

What does "whits only" mean?

Let's clear this up
once and for all.

(groans)
Now we'll never know.

Hey.

- Hmm?
- Gus.

Here, here we go, here we go,
here we go, here we...

Mm-hmm.

That's better.

You know, Gus, you could
have this man arrested

for defacing your property.

Aw, no, no, no.

I wouldn't do that
to my neighbor.



MAN:
Sit, Ubu, sit. Good dog.

(Ubu barks)