Luke says he's been trying to come to the arcade for days, and Glynis just wants to hang out at the park: "You know, I'm a fan of photosynthesis as much as the next guy, but if God merely wanted us to smell the flowers, he wouldn't have invented a three-gigahertz microprocessor and a 3D graphics board, you know?" Frink's all over that. The Friedman: "Trouble in paradise?" Luke denies it, but admits to feeling a bit pressured: "Like [when] someone puts a pillow over your face and you can't breathe. But, I mean, just sometimes." The Friedman: "Brittany was cool. She let The Friedman…be the Friedman." Yeah, imaginary girls are great that way. ["I sort of liked The Friedman here. He had a certain élan. Whatever else you can say about him, The Friedman is not afraid to be The Friedman." -- Sars] He offers to spot Luke fifty million points. They happily slaughter zombies side-by-side. Man, why'd Friedman have to go and be all vulnerable and humanoid? Makes it harder to hate him. Actually, I rag on the character a lot, but I really should give Aaron Himelstein props: he does a really good job playing Friedman.

Helen's alone in her classroom when Joan arrives. Her mother asks, "How's Mr. Turnbull? His combover stylish as always?" Joan says hesitantly, "I wanted to leave with you…" Helen: "You don't have to explain yourself to me." Has any mother ever said that and actually meant it? Please. Joan says she does: "You were so on my side, and it was like I just dissed you after we'd been through this thing together." Helen agrees. Joan says she had to stay: "There was a poem I had to find." Helen: "A poem? I'm trying, Joan. I want to be there for you, but when I am, you want me to back off. And when I back off, you say that I'm not supporting you." Joan: "I wish I could explain…but I don't -- I don't get it myself…" Helen: "I know the teenage thing is hard, but…boy, it is not easy being a mother, either. I think I have it down with one kid, and then something springs up and I'm clueless all over again." Joan says in a small voice that she's sorry. They're both kind of teary. Helen: "You just have to understand: whatever it is, if we don't go through it together…I don't want to lose you." Joan takes her mother's hand as Helen cries, and tells her, "You have to trust…that what I'm doing…there are reasons." Helen's look is utter disbelief. Joan: "And it's all gonna be okay." Helen: "Promise?" Joan nods. They hug. Dumpster God suddenly apologizes for interrupting and says he's there to collect the recycling. He sort of beams meaningfully at Joan. Joan says to her mother that she should help him carry things out.