Commercial break: There was probably an ad for Pulp Fiction here originally, this being the autumn of 1994. I wonder what the critics said at the time. Probably some crap about John Travolta's big comeback. Hee hee hee. That's battlefield mirth.

At Rayanne's, while Rickie watches the birthday girl arrange a wide array of alcoholic beverages, the buzzer buzzes. "Let the games begin. I'll go put on some music." The first guests at the prisoner-of-happiness party have arrived.

In what is surely an unintentionally stark contrast: ding-dong, Vivian arrives at Chase Place for a party with less beer, and probably less Toad and Hatfield. And she's alone. Patty gives her a look. "What?" "What do you mean, 'What?' Where is Daddy?" "Oh, Daddy. He didn't want to come." "What?" "Oh, you know how he hates parties." Graham comes in, and the conversation happens again, with Patty in the Vivian role. Everyone is now on the brink of being driven crazy by Grandma, who says, "You know something? I think we're better off. I can never really enjoy myself when he's around. Let's look at it this way: We can all relax. We don't have to worry about any of his crazy dietary restrictions." This is like telling a capacity crowd at Madison Square Garden that *NSync is ill and can't perform, but at least they don't have to worry about the over-priced tickets. Graham more or less points this out. Vivian doesn't care. Danielle complains about hanging streamers and says, "I wish I was dead," which is always funny, especially when a little kid says it. Vivian tries to contradict her, but Danielle says, "How do you know whether I wish I was dead or not? Are you me? Am I allowed to have a feeling in this house? Or is that just Angela?" Graham looks very pleased with this little speech. Ding-dong. Various old people start to arrive for the party, and super-fake pleasantries are exchanged. Angela watches from above, musing in AVO: "Sometimes I think that if my mom weren't so good at pretending to be happy, she'd be better at actually being happy." Oh, man.

At Rayanne's party, it's dark, and there's drinks, and music, and groping, and dancing, and, like, people of various racial backgrounds wearing sunglasses. Rickie finds Rayanne and says, "Who are these people?" "I don't know! There's people here I've never seen! There's people, in the bathroom, I don't think they're from Pennsylvania!" Rickie laughs with not-amusement. "Have you seen Tino?" Rayanne asks. Rickie says, "Rayanne, I'm lucky I found you." Yes, the endless corridors and rooms of this apartment are daunting to even the most intrepid wanderer.