Episode Report Card Niki: D | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT A Dream Deferred
By Niki | Season 1 | Episode 6 | Aired on 10.25.1999
B/W Judy reminisces about how Lily always took over her projects and stuff when they were kids. See, that's what's happening now. Do you get it? Ah, but would you have gotten it if Judy hadn't taken the time to tell you?
The ratman scampers around in a huff, gathering his stupid faux-cart sketches, his pseudo-professional tail tied in a great big knot. Judy pleads with him to wait a second and then, with gritted teeth and flashing eyes, asks Lily whether they can talk privately for a minute. Marty's going to be big about the whole thing, though, and just scurry off as fast as he can. No need to cause a scene. Glaring at Rick, he pauses in the doorway and tells them to call him when they figure out what they want. Little does he know, they've been trying to figure out that very thing for thirty-odd years, and with very little success.
Cut to a party shop, where Halloween decorations are strewn about. Lily and Judy are buying stuff for the store (because being broke shouldn't mean you have to live without plastic skeletons) and sniping about the earlier scene. Judy is less than thrilled to learn that planning a budget was Rick's idea. Her tone implies that Lily is incapable of thinking for herself. Lily points out that Rick is an experienced professional (and you just know she gets the tingles when she says it) and they "should take advantage of that." She then asks Judy, her voice dripping with condescension, whether she wants to call Marty to finish the quote. Judy insists, "He's supposed to be really good." Well, that may be, Judy, but can he swing a hammer? Lily's parting shot is not far off my wavelength: "If you sleep with him, does he still have to build the bar?"
Cut to Lily at home on the cordless phone, leaving another message for Jake because apparently he didn't return her call. She's stern. Lily really would make a good librarian. She then tries to finish a load of laundry, but the washing machine has other ideas. It squeak-squeak-rhumba-rhumbas to the tune of that plucky guitar, the one that signals This is Funny. Lily squawks as she glances down and finds water pouring out the bottom of the washer. She tries to shut it off while wrestling with some towels in an attempt to soak up the water. The phone rings. Of course. "Hold on a second!" Lily shouts into the receiver. She manages to turn off the washer. Rick's waiting on the phone. Lily stops herself from rhyming off a list of her problems when he asks how she is (ah, the good old days, when Lily had a stop-valve that worked), and asks what he's up to. He answers that he just came from the zoning commission, where he found the plans to her store. It turns out that it used to be an ice-cream shop, so there may not be a need for new plumbing. Lily gushes like any good damsel and tells him that Marty will be back at the store that night to finish the quote. Rick asks if she'd like him to "drop off the plans." Translation: "save her useless ass." He gets no argument.