The Trials of Jobs

The park workers arrive at the ceremony and bring in some food for the unveiling reception. CJP continues her streak of quoting movie lines and emulating stars of stage and screen when she walks into the place while juggling two watermelons, à la Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. But alas, she finds no Patrick Swayze inside, grinding with Richard Marx's wife. Or perhaps that should be, "Thank God, she finds no Patrick Swayze inside." Because while I had a crush on the dude in, like, eighth grade? He is fugly. In an interview, Aneesa says that today is their last day of work, and that they are going to do a presentation with the kids to show off their work to their parents. CJP asks whether all of the kids are arrived, and seems concerned about the low attendance. In an interview, Theo says that he didn't see Nelson there, and that he was feeling like he didn't do enough to get Nelson to attend.

Kyle and Keri take a bus home while Chris rides his bike somewhere. Kyle says that he's the least close to Chris, out of all of the roommates. Keri thinks that Chris is the most distant of all of the roommates. Can you blame him? Would you hang out with those people? In an interview, Keri says that it would be nice to reconnect with Chris, because he does his own thing all the time. Keri mentions that Chris might not want to go out with them, since he's a recovering alcoholic, and they often go out to drink. However, Keri thinks it's a lame excuse, because he works in a bar. Can she honestly not see the difference between going to a social situation where everyone is drinking, and working in a place that serves drinks? When Chris is working, he's not drinking. It's just like any other service job, really. Kyle feels the same way as Keri. In an interview, Kyle puzzles over how Chris can pour drinks for people for hours on end when he doesn't drink himself. Kyle tells Keri that he thinks the new job will mean a big change in all of their lives. Kyle points out that they haven't really spent a lot of time together, all seven of them, and this job will force that to happen. Which is exactly why BMP set this job up. Kyle says that the job will "make so much controversy." Are the editors paying him to say these things, or what?

More kids start showing up at the mural-unveiling reception. Tonya is wearing a really tight blue dress that somehow doesn't seem appropriate to me. Maybe it's because Aneesa is wearing, like, black cotton pants and flip-flops. And the kids are all dressed very casually. Kyle, Keri, and Chris show up for moral support or something. ["More like mural support. HA HA!" -- Wing Chun] As the kids arrive, they paint their names on the mural. Aneesa gives one of the girls encouragement for her upcoming speech. In an interview, Theo says again that he's disappointed that Nelson and Robbie haven't shown up. The kids practice their speeches. Aneesa and CJP encourage them.

The roommates leave the ceremony. Keri's driving, and she asks whether they are going out for margaritas, and who will be the designated driver. Chris quickly says that he's going home. Kyle asks why he's not going, and Chris defensively says that he doesn't want to go out for a drink. In an interview, Chris says that his roommates are pressuring him to go out for drinks, and that's not how he celebrates anymore. In an interview, Kyle says that he's never dealt with alcoholism, nor had a friend who was an alcoholic, so he doesn't know the rules. How about just letting Chris do what he wants, and trusting that he's doing what he has to in order to stay sober? Also, I can't believe that Kyle has never dealt with alcoholism. I mean, off the top of my head, I can think of numerous people I know who are alcoholics -- some recovering, and some not. I don't think I'm unusual in that manner. Kyle adds that he'd like to talk to Chris about it. In the van, CJP sits on Chris's lap and jokes that she'll be sober, when really she means that she's going to get really drunk. In an interview, CJP says that sometimes she feels insensitive about Chris's not drinking.

Theo, Kyle, Tonya, CJP, and Keri sit in a restaurant and eat and drink. Why was it a big deal that Chris didn't go, but no one gave Aneesa a hard time? They all talk at once, so it's kind of hard to hear. Eventually, CJP says that Laura and Kim, the bosses from the park, are going to also be their bosses in their new job. CJP says that she's happy they will all be working together, but that it's also going to be difficult. In an interview, Theo says that "heads is going to bump" no matter what the job is. Kyle starts babbling again about how much their lives are going to change. He's really annoying. Shut up, Kyle.

I hope City High got paid a great deal of money for those weekly promos. Because that's just sad.

Chris and Kyle lie in bed (separate beds, of course) and discuss Chris's alcoholism. Kyle wonders why Chris doesn't want to go and have drinks when he's a bartender. In an interview, Kyle says that every time he starts to develop an understanding of Chris's problem, something throws it off and he has a long way to go before he understands it. I still don't understand why he can't just let it be Chris's problem and accept however Chris chooses to deal with it. Especially since Chris is dealing with it. Chris explains that he hasn't been to a meeting in a while, so he's not in the right frame of mind to go and sit in a bar, because it might make him feel left out. And if he starts to feel that way, having not been to a meeting in a while, it makes him uncomfortable. He just doesn't want to put himself in a situation where he's going to feel angry or bitter. Kyle sort of understands.

Kyle and Chris get into a cab. In an interview, Kyle explains that Chris said he was going to a meeting, and Kyle had nothing better to do, so he tagged along. Kyle says that Chris got really happy about that. In the cab, Chris tells Kyle not to feel nervous. Kyle voice-overs that he doesn't want to feel unwelcome at the meeting. Chris tells Kyle that none of his friends have ever volunteered to attend a meeting, and Chris is really happy that Kyle did. Kyle asks whether Chris's friends are intimidated. Chris doesn't know, but he's happy that Kyle wants to go. So, do you think Chris is happy that Kyle wants to go to a meeting? In an interview, Chris says that Kyle got to see an amazing speaker talk about his experiences. Walking home, Kyle says that he would love to talk to the people at the meeting and find out what their lives are like. In an interview, Kyle says that the people were fascinating. Kyle tells Chris that, last spring, he was doing keg stands with his fraternity brothers, and having the time of his life, and similar experiences have ruined people's lives. In an interview, Kyle says that he drank in high school and college, and never felt out of control. Kyle tells Chris that, in some ways, he felt guilty about not having a drinking problem. I hate to make fun of him when he's being so honest but...what a gomer. He feels guilty for not being an alcoholic? Kyle says that he wasn't nervous going to the meeting, and he didn't feel uncomfortable when he got there. As they get home, Kyle tells Chris that if he hadn't gone to the meeting, he probably would have gone out and gotten drunk. What an idiot. I'm surprised Chris doesn't smack him.

The roommates are getting ready in the morning when CJP's watch starts beeping. Apparently, their watches double as pagers. Tonya is, for some unknown reason, wearing a piece of gauzy fabric on her head in the manner of a beekeeper. Are they playing dress-up? CJP reads the message, which tells them to meet someone at the Waveland Clock Tower at 6:30 PM to find out their assignment. Tonya laughs that she feels like a spy or something.

The roommates go to the Clock Tower that night. Tonya was doing a goofy walk, I hope, because she looked very funny. I hope that's not her normal walk. Keri and Kyle start running over to an amphitheater, where Kim and Laura are standing in front of seven orange things. CJP thinks the orange things are basketballs. The roommates get close enough to find that the orange things are jack-o-lanterns filled with candy. Mmm, candy.

Laura explains to the roommates that Halloween is a big deal in Chicago, and that it's the mayor's favorite holiday, so they have a month-long celebration called "Chicagoween." Most of the Chicago residents on the forums were like, "It is? We do?" Laura explains that the roommates will be performers on the plaza, and that they will be acting out an original scary story. Tonya clarifies that they won't just be reading stories; they'll be acting out a story with costumes and sets. Laura says that they'll also make sets and such. In an interview, CJP says that they will be putting on three plays. In an interview, Kyle explains that he and Keri are in charge of the script. In an interview, Keri says that she loves ghosts and Dracula and stuff. In an interview, Tonya says that she and Aneesa have been assigned to do costumes and makeup. Let's hope one of the characters in the play is a beekeeper! Tonya's got that one down. In an interview, Aneesa says that Tonya can't even do her own makeup, so she can't do someone else's. In an interview, Chris says that he and Theo will be working on the sets. What is CJP going to do?