Night at the Camdens. Ruthie has chicken pox and Simon is afraid of catching it. He wants Ruthie to hold her breath while he's in the room. She fails, which is understandable, since they share the room and who knows how long he expected her to hold it in. She thinks he should hold his breath since he's so concerned. Once again, Ruthie seems to be the smartest Camden.
Matt and Annie are driving somewhere. The radio starts to fritz out so Annie has Matt pull over to fix it. On the side of an empty road. At night. With the windows open. Is anyone who has ever watched tv before surprised that they get held up?
Matt freezes up and Annie gives the robber their wallets and her wedding rings. She has trouble getting her ring off, so the thief grabs it off her, revealing his snake tattoo. Then he takes their keys and runs off into the night. Credits.
We cut to Annie and Matt reporting the incident to the police. St. Michaels advises them to change the locks. Eric tries to talk to Annie about what happened, but she insists that she's fine. Matt also declines to discuss the situation with him. I find it amusing that none of the Camdens ever want to talk to Eric about anything.
Annie is explaining the situation to Simon and Ruthie. Simon is so paranoid about catching Ruthie's germs that he's trying to sleep in a snorkel mask. Hate to tell you, Simon, but unless that mask is attached to an oxygen tank you're still breathing the same air as your contagious sister. Ruthie asks if her parents are still married if Annie doesn't have a wedding ring. Because she's four and sick, I won't pick on her too much. Simon wants to know if Annie was scared during the robbery. Annie is either lying or in deep denial when she claims that she was not scared.
Eric knocks and enters Mary and Lucy's room. Mary shows concern for her traumatized family members, but Eric can't focus on anything besides Lucy's new look. He thinks her dress is too old for her. She wants to wear something special to announce that she's running for class president. Mary teases her about her speech. Eric offers to help, but Lucy's not interested. She cleverly deflects his attentions by revealing that Mary wants a tattoo. Mary stammers to explain that the whole team is getting the school mascot tattos, and she doesn't want to be left out. Eric doesn't think much of this idea. I think it's a bad idea to get matching tattoos in general. For someone who is supposed to be so independent, Mary sure develops a tendency to follow her teammates lead.
Ruthie crawls up into Simon's bunk, because she's scared. Simon has a lot of confidence in his red lightening ring.
Lucy is still trying to figure out what to wear. Mary seems kind of bored by the whole thing. Lucy then prays to be elected class president and Mary gives her crap about it.
Morning. Simon has the chicken pox. He blames it on sharing a room with Ruthie. Annie sends him back to bed. Mary and Lucy tease him, but since they've already had the chicken pox his threats to breathe on them are ineffectual. Lucy is wearing a robe over her school outfit. She's trying to sneak to school in the dress that Eric thought was too mature. Annie sends her upstairs to change. Lucy apparently has not yet figured out that it is possible to change in the school bathrooms.
Mary asks how her mother's doing as a round about way of asking permission to get a tattoo. She's shot down. Matt comes in and borrows Eric's car keys. Annie is still insisting to everybody that she's fine.
The girls find Matt in the car. He's staring at the steering wheel and doesn't respond to them. Eric comes out and suggests Matt take the day off. They have a thoughtful discussion about Matt's reaction. Matt is pretty scared and Eric is understanding.
Middle School. Lucy finds out that Jimmy Moon is running for class president against her. He even steals her platform-- crime and safety. I didn't think school elections had any bigger issues than cafeteria food and more study hall. Anyway, Lucy is not pleased with this turn of events. Aww, her first fight with Jimmy Moon.
Matt is thinking about calling a victims' support group. Annie is talking to Mrs. Hamilton about the incident. She continues to deny having any reaction to it. She does admit to missing her wedding ring. Annie figures out that Eric sent her friend to check up on her. Throughout the conversation, Annie is changing the house locks.
Ruthie wants to continue to share Simon's bunk. She's scared of what might happen if someone breaks into the house.
Mary's teammates ask her about tattoos. She says she'll be there. Looks like someone is about to disobey her parents.
Church. The choir director begs Eric to fire the organist. Mrs. Hinkle is a long-standing member of the parish, and he's not looking forward to it, but she does seem to be playing terribly.
Matt decides that he's ready to drive again. Spending time with Simon and Ruthie has driven him to want out. He's also planning to check out victims' support. Annie is still not admitting to a reaction. Eric is skeptical about how well she's handling it.
Annie goes downstairs to get a midnight snack. She makes sure to take Happy with her. She double checks the door is locked and sinks down by the door, clinging to the dog. I think someone is having trouble pretending not to be scared.
Eric fires Mrs. Hinkle, but only after making sure she's not carrying her pepper spray. She takes it well, much to Eric's surprise. She wants one more Sunday, he agrees. And then plays chopsticks on the organ. Seriously.
Annie is making a baking soda bath for Simon to soak in while she and Mary go to the store. Simon asks her to buy red light bulbs. She's confused. Simon dumps the rest of the baking soda that Annie left by the tub into his bath.
Jimmy Moon stops by the church to ask Eric to dump Lucy for him. Eric is stupid enough to be talked into this plan.
Store parking lot. A man rushes up to Mary and Annie freaks out. Turns out he was just returning her sunglasses. Annie breaks down and Mary tries her best to comfort her.
Simon is covered in baking soda. He looks like a piece of human chalk. He wants to know if he can get out of the tub, but Annie's not home. He asks Matt if he's done and Matt makes him take a shower.
Eric confronts Annie about what happened at the grocery store, and Annie bursts into tears. They talk about what happened. She admits she's afraid. Simon overhears and asks Matt about it. Matt notices that Happy is itching and might have fleas. Did Matt secretly go to vet school? That's the only way I can think of that he always seems to be the first to know what's going on with their dog.
Annie is cleaning up her kitchen when the phone rings. It's the police, they want her and Matt to come down and identify the robber in a line up. She agrees, but then lies to Eric about who called. Maybe she's not quite finished with her denial.
The next day. Eric is going through his to do list when Annie overhears him mention that he needs to talk with Lucy. She thinks Eric should stay out of it, because every once in a while, she's the sane one in the household. Lucy interupts them, and she and Eric head out together.
Simon is making a nightlight for Ruthie, presumably in an effort to get her back into her own bed. He uses the red light bulbs he asked for earlier. Ruthie seems satisfied.
Jimmy Moon comes over to the Camdens. Annie doesn't seemed pleased to see him. She makes him help her plant tulips while he waits for Lucy to come back. Which is about a second later. Eric tries to get rid of him, but Annie makes them talk to each other.
Once inside, Matt asks Annie about the lineup that they missed. Eric and Matt get ready to head to the police station, leaving Annie alone in the kitchen, stewing about getting caught in her lies.
Lucy and Jimmy get way too introspective about their relationship. They decide to stay together and withdraw from the election. Gag.
Annie and Matt are looking at the lineup together, which means that the case will be thrown out if Law and Order is to be believed. They don't recognize anyone.
Looks like Mary got her tattoo. Matt notices, and predicts trouble ahead. The parents are not happy. They bombard her with pointed questions until she reveals that it is fake. She apologizes for tricking them, but it did trigger a memory for Annie. The guy had a tattoo. Back to the lineup that any defense attorney would have thrown out. Annie recognizes the tattoo and agrees to testify.
Sunday. Mrs. Hinkle plays surprising well on her last Sunday. She reveals that she was hoping to get fired. She felt too bad quitting on the church to retire. Eric doesn't deny her claim that quitting a church activity would lead her directly to Hell. Maybe he was too shocked by this convoluted plan. Or maybe he's just a crap minister.
Simon needs Eric's help with a special project. Eric gives Annie Simon's red lightening ring to help her feel less afraid. And we fade out on them hugging.
Thoughts:
If Mary had any sense, she would have gotten the tattoo without asking her parents first. Or maybe she was planning to, since it was Lucy who spilled the beans.
Jimmy Moon is such a tool. Who asks their girlfriend's father to break up with her for him? Doesn't he have friends who could do this? That seems more reasonable for a kid his age.
Eric is still an idiot for agreeing to it.
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