Royce checks his face in a bathroom mirror. After a moment, he runs some water on his cake of shaving cream and starts soaping up. Later to his salt-and-pepper goatee.

Outside a market of some kind, Carcetti is pressing the flesh. Norman checks his watch and tells him it's time to hit the Westside. Into the truck he goes!

Back to Royce. He couldn't have just kept the goatee, and touched it up with some mascara?

Westside. At an outdoor market or street fair or something, Carcetti buys incense cones. Heh. Norman calls Carcetti over to say that Norman has a meeting at Gray's office in twenty minutes. Carcetti grins, and, I believe, takes off to get him an ear of corn on the cob and a funnel cake for the road.

Royce's office. Now clean-shaven, Royce heads for his desk, Parker appreciatively commenting that he looks just like he did back in '98, "when [he] surprised the hell out of everyone." Royce eats it up.

Gray's campaign office. Gray's campaign manager -- let's call him Pewter -- asks Norman why Carcetti's giving him Valchek's tip, instead of "sticking it to Royce" himself. Gray -- no dummy -- answers for Norman that, after the debate, if the attack comes from Carcetti, it just sounds like more of the same; if it comes from Gray, then he can take a bite out of Royce's lead, which benefits Carcetti along with Gray himself. Norman doesn't deny it, and tells Gray that he's going to lose, regardless. But if he loses with 28% of the vote instead of 24%, he is better positioned for a congressional run in the future. Gray considers this. His eyes are particularly pretty when he considers.

Prez's classroom. It's detention time, and Prez is calling roll. The first name he calls is Albert Stokes, who starts working his angles immediately, saying that his mom wanted him home right after school. Everyone else says the same thing, but Prez ignores them, telling Albert he should have thought of that before he smeared ink all over Prez's desk. Um...geez. (Albert squeaks that his pen exploded, but I am not sure that is accurate. Plus who uses a pen in Math?) Prez calls Michael's name, and as he waits for a response, Zenobia whines that she has to leave because she didn't have lunch, and she promises never to disrespect his pencil again. Heh. Prez says that it wasn't about the pencil, but before he can really get into an explanation of what it is about, there's a general clamour of dismay, and finally Prez decides he can't stand up to them (surprise) and says he'll make an exception just this once. The kids all tear out of there before he can change his mind...