Young Sheldon – A Secret Letter and a Lowly Disc of Processed Meat

By: Ujjyani Banerjee

Adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) recollects how back in the day he used to struggle with squishing bugs, managing cuts and scrapes and preparing himself a bowl of spaghetti and hot dogs in Mary’s (Zoe Perry) absence. With his mom out running errands, we see Missy (Raegan Revord) watching Oprah while Sheldon (Iain Armitage) slices away hot dogs. One of the slices slips and rolls right under the refrigerator. Adult Sheldon interprets the meat’s short rolling trip as its own quest for freedom and compares it to his own quest which began shortly.

Struggling to retrieve the meat Sheldon goes to Mary’s bedroom to look for a working flashlight but ends up finding a letter from CalTech that had been neatly tucked away in the drawer. Sheldon is confused as to why his mom would hide it from him. He is aware that it’s a crime to read other’s letters, but thankfully Missy comes to his aid. She suggests Sheldon hear out the contents while she reads it out to him. Sheldon confirms that it’s legally fine by calling the authorities at the Law Offices of Morris, Morris and Yorn. He soon realizes that Missy has a condition that needs to be fulfilled before she discloses the letter to him.

Georgie (Montana Jordan) visits Meemaw’s (Annie Potts) to tell her about Dale (Craig T. Nelson) firing him in spite of him making up for the robbery. Connie reveals about their breakup. Unhappy to see her grandson suffer, she gives a call to Dale hoping to fix things. It turns out that Dale doesn’t care. Meanwhile, to please his twin sister Sheldon dresses up as a princess, gets photographed against his own wishes and finally learns that CalTech wants him to go to school there! Mary gets home and Sheldon asks her why she kept this news from him. Mary bluntly says that moving to LA wasn’t an option and any discussion would’ve been unnecessary. Sheldon wonders if dad thinks the same way. Mary remains mum and orders him to go to his room. Devastated, Sheldon decides to speak to his dad by sneaking out to the bar. George (Lance Barber), who is busy enjoying drinks with Coach Wilkins (Doc Farrow) and Mr. Givens (Brian Stepanek), is shocked to find Sheldon holding a CalTech letter and demanding answers in the middle of a packed bar. Both father and son get home. George decides to speak to Mary in private. He is appalled that Mary kept the letter from him and didn’t even find it necessary to discuss it with him. As the night rolls on Missy and Mary eat dinner alone. While Mary tries discussing school, baseball practice and boys Missy feels awkward and doesn’t reciprocate. Georgie gets home but to Missy’s dismay he doesn’t join them for dinner as getting fired has made him lose his appetite.

At bedtime Mary reveals to George that CalTech wasn’t the only college to contact them as there were letters from New Jersey and Germany as well. Hearing their parents fight Missy holds Sheldon’s freakiness responsible for splitting their family apart. George finds Mary selfish as she barely seems to care about Sheldon’s future. Disgusted that so much was kept from him, George decides to sleep on the sofa. Just then Sheldon walks in wanting to speak to dad. Seeing both of them abandon her, Mary looks hurt. The next day on his way to school Sheldon wonders how the colleges learned about him. George lets him know that they’re always hunting for talent, but having said that CalTech and New Jersey seem impossible as options. Sheldon realizes that he is right and both decide to come up with a plan to somehow convince Mary. They brainstorm at school after agreeing to only focus on local options.

Brenda (Melissa Peterman) catches Mary smoking in her backyard. She wonders what petty issue might’ve cropped up, but after seeing Mary simply break down she realizes that it’s something serious. Brenda asks her to come over with her cigarettes. Drinking and smoking away, Mary reveals everything that happened the day before. Brenda is awed at how Mary didn’t break down all these years and glances back at her own imperfect household. She feels that Mary shouldn’t stand in the way of Sheldon as she, herself, worries if her own son will ever get into a college. Mary gives her hope. Brenda loves how Mary graduated from being a superlative pious to a smoker, drinker and occasional liar. Meanwhile, at school George helps Sheldon record a tape where he would explain why he must be allowed to go to college.

Feeling better, Mary returns home and goes to talk to Missy. She asks her not to worry. Just then Sheldon and George get home. Sheldon wants his mom to watch the tape with an open mind before arriving at a decision. Mary agrees. The tape begins. Sheldon vouches as to why he must be allowed to be enrolled at East Texas Tech full-time under Dr. Sturgis’s guidance whilst staying at home with his parents. His notion is supported not only by him but also by Mr. Givens, Ms. Macelroy (Valerie Mahaffey), Principal Petersen (Rex Linn) and Ms. Ingram (Danielle Pinnock). All of them agree that the boy is indeed a prodigy who deserves to enter college early for an illustrious future. Towards the end of the tape Dr. Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) requests Mary to allow Sheldon to shine and promises to take good care of him. Finally convinced, Mary says yes. Thankfully, she and George reconcile. Sheldon finally catches hold of the hot dog slice that had slipped from his hands and throws it into the trash, feeling relieved. Later that night Georgie and Meemaw drive up to Ballards’ Sporting Goods store and egg the whole place as nastily as they can, hoping that it teaches Dale one hell of a stinky lesson!