Rory, Lorelai, and Emily enjoy what appears to be the dessert portion of Friday Night Dinner. And they're all getting along quite well, which is surprising, given Emily's total and complete contempt for Lorelai just last week. I guess a lot of uncharacteristic making up and apologizing happened off-camera. I'm glad for it, nonsensical as it is, because I finally get to see the Emily I was expecting. The three Gilmore Girls enjoy chocolate fondue, although Lorelai and Rory refuse to dip anything but marshmallows. Lorelai's refusal to eat fruit WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER. Emily asks Rory and Lorelai's opinion on her latest charitable venture: the Hartford Ballet has asked "select patrons" to sponsor individual dancers, and Emily doesn't know which dancer to buy. Lorelai questions the legality of this, while Rory asks Emily what sex she prefers. Emily wants a cute little girl, although Lorelai points out that not all the female dancers are cute, showing off a picture of one who needs a trip to the dermatologist. But really, who doesn't need a trip to the dermatologist? It's important for everyone to have regular checkups, especially if you have suspect moles. Skin cancer affects both the young and old! And hereth end my PSA. Lorelai tells Emily that this is creepy. Emily says it's nice, because they're "endowing" dancers. That sets Lorelai right up to say that dancer Gregorio looks "pretty well-endowed already" as she hands the picture off to Rory. Rory takes the picture as she hands Emily a picture of a "cutie patootie," because Rory wants to be Rosie O'Donnell now. Rosie O'Donnell would step on Rory if they were ever to meet, I think. Rory checks out Gregorio, asking "what's up with that" -- "that" being Gregorio's enormous package. Emily steers the conversation away from such blue topics and says that they should make two piles -- one for "maybe"s and one for "no"s. "Sandpaper Face is a no?" asks Lorelai. "Definitely," says Emily, with the best delivery ever. "What about Endowment Boy?" asks Rory. Emily pauses, and then quickly says "the 'maybe's." "You go, Grandma," says Rory. Hee.
After the opening credits -- where we once again get our only glimpse of certain cast members this week -- Rory and Lorelai are outside, transferring boxes and bags from one car to the other. It looks like Rory is gradually moving her stuff back to Stars Hollow in anticipation of her summer break; she'd rather do it this way than rent a U-Haul, since Lorelai doesn't have a very good track record with them. Or with most things, it seems. Rory and Lorelai then "finalize" their plans for Thursday, giving them a good excuse to tell us that they're throwing a surprise baby shower for Sookie during her regular midday napping period. Rory makes a remark about how lucky Sookie is to be able to nap and not feel guilty about it, like, what does Rory do in college? I know I spent a goodly part of it either napping or planning my nap. Lorelai says that they were really smart to wait so long to throw Sookie a baby shower, since she'll be totally surprised. Rory points out that waiting a long time wasn't part of a plan so much as it was because they totally forgot. Lorelai is a good friend. The girls kiss goodbye and walk to their respective cars, at which point Rory realizes that Lorelai has accidentally packed her purse away for a third time.
“ Rory walks down a pier. I hope it's a short one, and a long walk. ”
Rory walks down a pier. I hope it's a short one, and a long walk. She finds the engagement party yacht and sees Richie chatting up a blonde. He notices Rory and says she's really early. He jumps off the boat and kisses her. He says he doesn't know how Rory got out of the dinner, but he's glad she did. Rory asks who the blonde was. Richie says she's a friend of his sister's, who is married and has a two-year-old. "Do you even want me here?" snaps Rory. Richie says he obviously does; after all, he invited her. She gives him some more attitude, and Richie pulls her away from the party and asks her what her deal is tonight. Rory says she's in a weird mood, and needs to be away from people for a while. Richie says he'll take her anywhere. Rory says she wants to go "out to sea." How about they take his yacht out for a spin? Richie says the yacht is currently engagement party central, so no. Rory quotes the beginning of Moby Dick, where Ishmael says that when he's in a bad mood and wants to punch everyone, he knows it's time to "take to the sea." That's how she feels, so she's going to take Melville's advice that was in reference to nineteenth-century whalers, who didn't end up well, but whatever. Rory points to a boat that looks "seaworthy" enough for her needs. Richie says it doesn't belong to them. "That's never stopped you before," says Rory. And this time, she grabs his arm. Off they run to danger and petty theft!
Back at the dinner, Lorelai is trying to explain her Emily-Is-Stalin magazine-article jokes to Mikhail. She never meant for them to actually be in the article, and she sure as hell didn't intend for someone whose entire family and village were destroyed by the man to read it. Emily says that Lorelai has an "off-putting" sense of humor. Lorelai agrees, and begs Mikhail to stay: "You've just caught us on a bad day." Actually, I'd say this was a pretty good day. An unusually, uncharacteristically good day. Last week, Emily couldn't be bothered to remember her daughter's drink of choice, but this week, she forgives her for saying really awful things about her in a national publication. Bizarre.
Just as Mikhail agrees to stay, Lorelai's cell phone rings. It's Rory, and she sounds sad. "You need to come and get me," she says. "Where are you?" asks Lorelai. We'll find out week!