It's been a long time. Usually, when I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer screen. I went out for drinks with a friend from work after work today, so that gave me a bit of a break from staring at a screen.
Now I'm back at home, wrapped up in a sweatshirt because it's unseasonably cold for late May, and I just poured myself a tall drink. Let's see how drunk re-capping goes, shall we?
We open with the gang drinking milkshakes at Sharkey's. A leather-clad kid named Eric walks in, and Tiffany comments that she's surprised that his girlfriend isn't with him. Tony's like "nah, they broke up and I totes got some of that last night" Matt says that he hates how he treats people, and offhandedly mentions that Jenny also dated him.
Sly runs in and interrupts the conversation by announcing that he got the band a $250 gig at a cafe in Santa Barbara. Cheers, high-fives all around, and so on and so forth.
Matt points out that it's a two-hour drive and they don't have a way to get the equipment there. Sly says that he'll take care of it. Famous last words.
Circle wipe to...Sly showing off a 70's-esque falling apart VW bug. Tony says that at least they don't have to worry about it getting stolen.
Sly defends the old van by saying that it has new windshield wipers and a new air freshener. Tiffany goes around to the back and reads off all of the 60s-70s bumper stickers. She says that you can really sense the history. She pats the bumper and it falls off and hits Tony's foot. Jenny finds an old Partridge Family 8-track. Mrs. Garrison comes into the garage and tells Jenny that Eric is there to see her, and he's waiting in the living room. Jenny leaves to talk to him. Matt offers to go with her, but Mrs. Garrison asks him to stay and explain the van.
Matt explains that it's for the band, but Mrs. Garrison ain't having it. She wants it out of the garage. Sly goes to move it and to the surprise of exactly no one, it won't start.
Up in the kitchen, Jenny is rehearsing what she wants to say to Eric, and he comes in behind her and overhears the whole thing.
Mr. Garrison comes into the kitchen, and makes pseudo-polite chit chat with Eric. It's kind of boring and not worth recapping.
Mr. Garrison sticks around the kitchen and tries to eavesdrop, despite Jenny trying to kick him out. Mr. Garrison says to pretend he's not there, and goes about his business, getting a drink out of the refrigerator. I just realized that the fridge in the Garrison's kitchen is the same one that my parents have. I hate that fridge. It's been on it's last legs FOREVER. The freezer doesn't even freeze things anymore, which is by definition, THE POINT of a freezer. Like, I didn't want Cherry Garcia SOUP, okay? Ack! Moving on...
Eric begs Jenny for another chance, adding that he still loves her. From upstairs, Mr. Garrison screams, and a picture falls off the wall. Wacky hijinks!
Jenny says that she needs to think, and asks Eric to leave.
Later, Matt knock on Jenny's bedroom door and tries to get her to talk about it. She doesn't want to, but thanks Matt anyway. He tells her that if she changes her mind, she can get his attention by knocking on the wall, like when they were kids. Aww. That was kind of sweet.
We fade into a black and white music montage.
Back in Jenny's room, she picks up the phone. "Hello, Eric... It's me", she says seductively, while biting her lip.
In the garage, Sly is still trying to fix the van. Jenny comes in with Eric, and asks the gang if they remember him. They all say yes, and non-nonchalantly greet him.
Matt reminds Jenny that they have band practice that afternoon. Jenny says that she knows and she'll be there. Eric tells her that she promised to help him practice for the school play. He got the lead in Phantom of the Opera. Jenny tells them that she'll have to miss practice because Eric needs her. They're not pleased.
At Sharkey's, Jenny and Eric are reading something gooey and romantic that definitely is not Phantom of the Opera. It's something that Eric wrote, mostly to get a kiss from Jenny. On the other side of the restaurant, the rest of the gang is watching them. Matt thinks it's ridiculous, Tiffany thinks it's romantic. Tony concedes that it's smooth and all, but "a real ladies man doesn't need a script" He looks to Sly for some back up, but Sly is busy taking notes from Eric.
The band is practicing in Matt's room. Mr. Garrison doesn't approve, because he has work to do and can't concentrate with the band upstairs. Matt explains that they can't use the garage while the van is in there. Mrs. Garrison joins everyone in Matt's room and says that it's time for the van to go.
The next few scenes revolve around Jenny blowing off the band to spend time with Eric. Matt calls her on it, and she accuses him of not caring about her being happy. Matt says that it's just the opposite, and he doesn't want to see her get hurt.
Next, in the kitchen, Matt, Tony, Tiffany and Sly announce that the van is okay and ready to go. Mrs. Garrison wants to know what the problem was. It turns out, there was no gas in the tank. Really? It took them that long to figure that out? Tony reminds Sly that "E" does not stand for "Enough"
They're about set to go to the gig, but Tiffany doesn't want to go without Jenny. She talks Matt into going to Eric's cast party to get her. The cast party is at... where else? Sharkey's! Because, why visit another set?
Eric sees Jenny sitting by herself and asks what's wrong. She tells him that she's disappointed about missing the gig. Eric tells her that it's not a big deal, and drags her off to meet his friends who thought he was great in the play.
The rest of the band shows up at the party, but Jenny doesn't want to go to the gig with them. They all leave, and Jenny returns to Eric. She asks him if they can leave and take a walk. Eric says that everyone is going to hang out on the beach later. Jenny clarifies that she means right now, and just the two of them. Eric says that he can't leave in the middle of "his" cast party. He is the star of the show, after all.
Jenny tells him that she really needs to talk. Eric says that it can wait, and that he'd never ask her to give up something important to her. Jenny tells him that he already did and they break up. Again.
Back in the garage, the guys are fighting over who's going to drive to the gig. Tiffany ends the fight by saying that she'll drive. Then the guys all fight over shotgun. Jenny arrives just in time. She tells them that she broke up with Eric, and Sly offers to beat him up. Jenny says that she'll be okay, and apologizes to Matt.
Matt tells Jenny to sit up front, and they take off for their gig.
