Mom – Foot Powder and Five Feet of Vodka

By: Sammi Turano

The episode opens with Bonnie (Allison Janney) catching Tammy (Kristen Johnston) staring at the Christmas tree. Bonnie tells her it is just a tree and Tammy says it’s been a long time since she has seen one. Wendy (Beth Hall) wonders if there were Christmas trees in prison. Tammy says they frown on joy. Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy) says she is glad to have her there this Christmas.

Christy (Anna Faris) says it is time to draw names for the Secret Santa. Jill (Jaime Pressly) complains about last year’s gift while Bonnie teases Christy about losing Secret Santa. Jill also wants to up the limit because she isn’t sure what to get for twenty-five dollars (A bag of dirt?).

Tammy thinks the twenty-five dollar limit is out of her price range, but Bonnie tells her she can just make something. Tammy thinks she can make venison stew, but Jill frowns upon that.

The ladies all choose names and Tammy is disappointed because she didn’t get Bonnie. Marjorie trades her, but not before she complains a bit. They discuss gifts and Christy reminds them there are no requests.

Christy is frustrated over what to get Wendy for Christmas. She realizes she doesn’t know anything about her other than she is a 5’3 nurse. Bonnie says she got Marjorie, so her shopping is easy. Christy wants to trade, but Bonnie says no.

Adam (William Fichtner) comes in ordering tequila for the bar, leading Bonnie and Christy to say their favorite things to do with tequila. Bonnie says they have to pay for wedding stuff, so Adam tells her to just sign the check. She then asks him about Christmas Eve plans and he says he has to work. He tells her bars are hopping because people are depressed and will be even more depressed when the Raiders play. Bonnie quips that she can spend Christmas Eve in a bar or with her kids—noting that nothing ever changes.

Bonnie and Tammy are at the parole office. Tammy says she got Juan (her parole officer) a Christmas gift of aftershave and foot powder. However, she is assigned a new officer, who is tough as nails and not moved by the gift.

Eve (Anna Maria Horsford), the parole officer, tells Tammy she needs a job or else she will go back to jail. Bonnie, who was forced to wait outside, interrupts by trying to get her Sprite or dollar back from the vending machine.

At home, Christy says she was able to track down Wendy’s family. However, she thinks they are in the mob. Bonnie says she should be nicer to Wendy and Christy says she might end up frozen. Bonnie says it has happened before.

Christy has an old family cookie recipe from Wendy’s family. She needs a cookie sheet, so she goes to Adam’s house. Bonnie tells her to also get towels. When she gets there, she sees a stranger named Daniel (Shea Buckner) and it turns out he is renting the place. She offers him cookies, but his boyfriend is gluten free.

Bonnie takes Tammy on job interviews, but she is having no luck. Bonnie is also singing along to the radio and making up the names of the reindeers. Bonnie suggests Tammy flip burgers, but she thinks that is too degrading.

Christy goes to the bar to see Adam and figure out what is going on. She questions him about the guy renting his apartment and he admits the bar isn’t going well. He says he is afraid of Bonnie, which is why he doesn’t want her to know. He asks for Christy to keep it between them. She says she is lying for him, so they are family.

The ladies go to visit Tammy at work. She has a job at a taco place and is pretending to be Tammy from London. Wendy is excited and orders food, prompting Jill to complain and Bonnie to order food for everyone.

Christy is baking the cookies for Wendy when Bonnie gets a phone call that a wedding check bounced. She is confused and gets Christy to confess Adam’s secret. Bonnie goes to see him at the bar and gets him to confess how bad things are going. She says he needs to share the good and the bad because they are going to get married. She says that no matter what they are in this together and there should be no more secrets. He gets two customers and starts to work.

At the AA meeting, Tammy comes in and says she got fired from her job for giving free food to a homeless man. She is upset because not she will have to go back to jail. Tammy goes to her parole officer, who says she has no choice but to put her in jail. The AA ladies come in to help, but Eve won’t budge. The ladies all step in, saying they need handyman work done. Eve says they need invoices and the like but lets her count her odd jobs as employment.

The episode ends with a party at the bar. Bonnie offers to postpone the wedding so that the bar can stay afloat. He is thrilled that he gets to keep the bar and tells Bonnie he loves her.

The ladies exchange gifts. Marjorie gets a cat pillow, Christy gets a jacket and Wendy gets her cookies and cookie jar. Wendy denies that Christy found her family. However, she tells her to forget about them. Bonnie is thrilled Tammy got her Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, which was her favorite book as a child.