Leo heads for the lobby, where everybody has gathered to yammer about the shutdown, and to place bets on which employees can remember where they live and which can't. Leo climbs up on an end table or something and says, "Listen up!" Margaret waves her arm in a futile semaphore. Charlie assists, "Hey, everybody, shut up!" Everybody complies. Then Dulé Hill goes home, because his cleavage isn't nearly impressive enough for a sweeps episode about a budget crisis. (But don't worry! They've addressed that problem.) Leo tells them that, effective immediately, the government is shut down, and they have no operating budget. He says that everyone below Special Assistant or who is non-national security and public safety has to go home until further notice. He takes questions; of course, Donna's first. She asks how long he thinks it will last. Leo: "Hours, probably. Maybe a day." Margaret: "Maybe a couple [of] days?" Leo says maybe. Margaret: "Maybe a couple [of] weeks?" Leo: "It'll last as long as it lasts." He adds, "Listen, guys, I'm sorry."

We cut to C.J. and Toby passing behind the throng, asking if the Republicans are coming back tonight. Toby sure as hell hopes so. C.J. reads: "Amtrak, the courts, federal prisons, border patrol, National Weather Service, all open. And meat inspectors will remain on the job." Toby: "Nothing jeopardizes the sanctity of the American hamburger." Other than the occasional bout of E. coli. C.J. mentions that the suspension of 60\% of EPA factory inspections is good news for polluters. As they reach her office, Toby says, "Sell me." C.J. asserts that the Speaker pulled a bait-and-switch situation, while Toby pretends to ask what's so unreasonable about 3\%. C.J. doesn't have all the numbers she needs to explain how many flu shots or school lunches those cuts add up to. She hollers for Carol, who says she's going to need "a minute" because they just sent the researchers home: "And, um, we just sent me home, too." Toby says he'll get her the numbers. Maybe you want to get on that, Tobe. C.J. glances at Haffley, who's bloviating on CNN, and yelps, "He's on the front lawn?" Carol explains that he "wrangled" some reporters from their room. C.J. asks Toby if she should wait for Haffley to finish; Toby says that they need to start reclaiming some ground. C.J. hustles out, saying, "Okay, but I need some numbers fast! Maybe some garlic, and a crucifix!" Carol wonders what she should do. Toby tells her to go home. She starts sobbing, "I...I...I don't remember how to get home! I've been sleeping at my desk for forty-nine months..." Toby promises to show her how to use MapBlast right after he gets C.J. her numbers. I might be making some of that up. There might be a lot of that in this recap, because I was either bored or annoyed or both, a lot.