Episode Overview
Ricky Hauk is devastated after learning he's being laid off from his unfulfilling job as a mechanic at Al's Gas Station. To cope with his anger, he scribbles poetry on the bathroom wall, but quickly wipes it away before anyone can see. Monica, brought in to take inventory, encourages him to follow his passion for writing. Ricky feels an instant attraction to Shelley, a local college student, who arrives with her pretentious boyfriend, Marshall. When Marshall mocks Ricky for wearing a college hat, a heated exchange ensues. After they leave, Ricky finds Shelley's school ID. Later, he helps his younger brother Joey prepare for the Invention Convention. When Shelley returns for her ID, Ricky pretends to be a college student, and she invites him to join her writing class, which he considers despite his mother Ellen's disapproval.