Tyrone

Additional Comments:

This is the episode where Suzanne starts watching the news.

Anthony's birthday is celebrated in this episode, which aired in January, but in Season Five, his birthday is in September.

Belonging to an organization that helps ghetto kids, Anthony is assigned to be Tyrone's mentor. As of this episode, Anthony has known and worked with Tyrone for three months. He lovingly refers to Tyrone as a little con-artist, and says that he has no parents and lives with his sister who is a prostitute.

The ladies drive Tyrone to Anthony's apartment for the birthday party. On the way, they stop at a convenience store for Tyrone to run in and pick up some candles.

Tyrone tells the ladies that he can only afford to buy Anthony some socks, so they are very surprised when he presents Anthony with a new camera. The group actually eats dinner at Anthony's place and then hear the news report about the black youth holding up a store and jumping into a getaway car licensed to Julia Sugarbaker, former candidate for County Commissioner.

Classic Scenes:

(Suzanne enters the shop, obviously distraught.)
SUZANNE: (whimpers)
JULIA: Something wrong, Suzanne?
SUZANNE: Yes, something is wrong. I'm driving down the street this morning, the sun is shining, I'm young, I'm beautiful. I look in the rearview mirror and what do I see? There is a hair growing out of my chin. I mean, have you ever in all your life? I simply could not believe my eyes. Here I am, hardly 30 years old, and there's this hair sticking out right here. It's unbelievable. Obviously, I'm being punished for some heinous sin, like telling Kyle Westheimer's parents that he is, in fact, a bisexual. But all I know is, whatever it is, I did not merit this.
MARY JO: You told some guy's parents that he's a bisexual?
SUZANNE: That's right. I always tell the parents. And I'm not sorry either. I don't believe in bisexuals. I figure the rest of us have to choose, so why shouldn't they?

(leaning her chin in towards Julia..........)
SUZANNE: Julia, do you see anything else there?
JULIA: No Suzanne, I don't.
SUZANNE: Good. Cause if I get another one, I'm just gonna have to get a gun and shoot myself through the head.
MARY JO: Why don't you shoot yourself in the chin? Maybe that way you'll hit the root.
SUZANNE: I'm glad you all find this so amusing.
CHARLENE: Oh c'mon, Suzanne. Don't you think you're being just a little bit shallow?
SUZANNE: No I do not Charlene. I don't think it is shallow not to want to go through life wearing a goatee.

(Tyrone watches as Julia frosts Anthony's birthday cake)
TYRONE: Man, this is a good looking cake.
JULIA: We're gonna have to make one for your birthday. What kind do you like?
TYRONE: I don't know. I've never had a birthday cake.
CHARLENE: You haven't............?
TYRONE: Naw, but that's ok. I really don't like cake anyway.
MARY JO: So, Tyrone, what'd you get Anthony?
TYRONE: Some socks. If I'd had the money I could have gotten something from my uncle. He's in merchandizing.
MARY JO: Oh? Where?
TYRONE: Everywhere. Mostly gas stations. He sells jewelry, stuffed animals, air fresheners. When I get my first paycheck I'm gonna buy all you guys ankle bracelets with you names and birthstones on 'em.
JULIA: Aww, that's so sweet, Tyrone. We want you to save your money.
TYRONE: Why? It's just green paper with dead presidents on it.
MARY JO: Kinda has your philosophy, doesn't he Suzanne.

(Suzanne enters Sugarbaker's the morning after the newscast.........)
SUZANNE: Well, I just had breakfast at the country club and it's all everyone is talking about. They want to know if we're gonna change the name "Sugarbaker's" to "Bonnie and Clydes."
MARY JO: Well, I hope you told them it's all just a big mistake, the child in question is in juvenile hall, and Julia has not been charged with anything.
SUZANNE: No. I just said that it was her time of the month and her hormones had made her insane.

(Julia accompanies Anthony to juvenile hall to give Tyrone some tough love........)
ANTHONY: I want to know what you're gonna do to compensate Julia and all the others to whom you've brought pain and sorrow.
TYRONE: I guess I don't know yet.
ANTHONY: Well, you're gonna have plenty of time to think about it. This is your third offense, and they're gonna throw the book at you this time.
TYRONE: I know. I don't even know why I did it.
ANTHONY: You just wanted to screw up because that's what everybody expects of you. Well I'm gonna surprise you, Tyrone. I'm gonna wait around here for you to get out. I'm gonna come to visit you every week. I'm gonna check on you. I'm gonna hound you like a dog. And when you do get out of here, I'm gonna expect to see something a whole lot better than what I'm looking at now.
TYRONE: You are?
ANTHONY: Oh, you're damn right.
TYRONE: I can't believe you came. My own sister didn't even come.
ANTHONY: So what, Tyrone. You think that you're the only kid in the world whose family doesn't care about him? Well let me tell you something. I grew up in a neighborhood where people put cigarettes out on your head. I never met my father, and my mother was an addict who left me behind when I was two weeks old --- I didn't see her again 'til I was nine. Then she wrote and said she was coming. One day she showed up at school after I had told everybody how beautiful my mama was and how she was coming just to see me. You know what she did, Tyrone? She got out of her car. She walked across the playground and picked up some other kid and hugged him and starting crying and calling him by my name. She did that right in front of everybody. I was her son and she didn't even know me. So you see........I've been where you are right now. And if it hadn't been for that one person, my grandmama, loving me and kicking my butt everyday I'd still be there.
TYRONE: I'm sorry I let you down.
ANTHONY: I'm gonna be here every week. You can count on that Tyrone.
GUARD: I'm sorry, but your time is up.
ANTHONY: One more thing, man. You know that birthday wish that you asked me about? I wished you were my son.
TYRONE: I love you.
(hugs Anthony)
ANTHONY: I love you too, man.
(The guard escorts Tyrone out.........Julia comes up to Anthony)
JULIA: Anthony, I want you to know that I've never been prouder of anyone in my life.....than I am of you at this moment. (she hugs him) Let's go home.