Plot

Jules and Bobby try to get Travis out of his funk and get him to return to college, Bobby contemplates selling his Penny Can business to a big corporation, and Grayson deals with the creepy neighborhood "chalk children."

Heartbroken, turned-down Travis shows no more interest in college or life in general, despite Bobby's gentle and Jules's bossy efforts to prod him. Bobby can make a fortune by selling his Penny Can concept to tycoon Roger Frank's corporation, as advised by Andy, but soon realizes that would mean seeing a cool; game 'professioanlly' turned into a soulless gadget with Barnum publicity. Chalk-pale 'ghost kids' scare the living daylights out of Grayson, who tries desperately to reclaim his virility by skateboarding, which already proves physically painful.—KGF Vissers

As Travis continues on a downward spiral from his breakup with Kirsten, Jules decides it's time to give him some tough love. Meanwhile, Andy advises Bobby and Laurie on their new business with the help of Lou Diamond Phillips, and Ellie and Grayson are threatened by three occult kids.—ABC Publicity

WE SHOULD HAVE LIVE COUGARS ON COUGAR TOWN

Travis (Dan Byrd) is where we left him: on the couch in the dark. It's been two weeks, and Jules (Courteney Cox) and Bobby try to be sympathetic. It took them a long time to get over their divorce. (JULES: It took me a year to bounce back. BOBBY: Worst weekend of my life.) Travis missed his Spring Break, and Bobby (Brian Van Holt) reminisced about drinking and punching out cops. Actually, that was Jules. ("Don't try to stop me if I'm Vogue-ing on top of a cab!")

New Penny Can Rules: on the third hit in a row, the "PENNY CAN!" shout must be done as a robot, a miss off the rim results in an ear flick...which Laurie (Busy Philipps) found out the hard way...and a coin spinning results in a face sanwich...which Jules found out the hard way from Andy and Bobby. But apparently the Penny Cans are selling quite well; they're even asking Andy for financial investment advice. BTW, if you want the last cup of coffee at Jules' house, bring a bagel. Ellie (Christa Miller) knew that, and Grayson (Josh Hopkins) found out you can't eat love.

Jules and Bobby have actually made progress with Travis: he turned the lights on in his bedroom. They want Travis to go back to college, and he plans to do so later that day. At least it gives Jules and Bobby time to practice their "parents" high-five. Now they have to deal with the kids drawing on Grayson's driveway with chalk. He can't talk to them, as he thinks they give off a creepy vibe. Which Jules and Ellie find ridiculous...until they see the kids actually give off a creepy vibe. According to Tom, Chalk Children are emotionless...and home-schooled. (gasp!) Hose off their drawings from your driveway, and bad things start happening.

Bobby is off to his golf lesson with Smith's father, Roger Frank (), who has to play angry to do well, so Laurie assists. ("Imagine me tricking your son into putting a baby in me so I get all your money when you croak.") Bobby, Laurie, and Andy (Ian Gomez) talk about Penny Can while he's hitting a bucket, and he can't believe they waste their money like that. Then he plays Penny Can and wants to buy their company. Jules considers it a double-celebration, since Travis was finishing Spring Break and going back to school. Kevin (Lamarcus Tinker) was even there to pick him up. Actually, Kevin was there wondering if Travis dropped out of school, since Spring Break was last month.

The Cul-de-Sac crew was not happy with Travis, although Bobby lasted about 20 weeks less than Travis in college, but Jules gives Travis an ultimatum: finish college or move out and get a job. Travis wants to take option 3: stay and get his head cleared, but that's not on the table. Jules is breaking out the tough love. And a new bag of chips for Travis because the open bag was stale. Although she would give him a temporary discount on rent in exchange for a refund on his tuition. So Travis owes Jules $11,270. Travis remembered when Jules would take him out of school, making up a story about how an uncle or an aunt died so they could go to the beach. ("Sweetie, those people actually died.") Travis wanted to do that again, but Jules insisted she was doing tough love. But Travis talked her into a trip to the beach.

Bobby, Laurie, and Andy head to Mr. Frank's office to talk terms regarding Penny Can. Andy warns them not to fall for any razzle-dazzle, not even the new spokesperson for Penny Can, . And now the Penny Can is twice the size, has spinning lights, can move around, and has 's voice congratulating you when you get a shot. ("Knocked that out in one take.") They took Bobby's name off the can and changed all the rules. No 'stache attack, no dancing, and no ear flick! But there was a LOT of money behind it.

Ellie, Grayson, and Tom wake up to the Chalk Children drawing their houses on fire...and Ellie screaming with a severed head. Ellie thinks a peace offering would be good, but Tom hoses off the drawings...right in front of the Chalk Children!!

Bobby isn't happy about selling out to The Man regarding his game. And Lou Diamond Phillips kind of agrees. (". Hey, let's take everything awesome about and puke Bon Jovi all over it! Travesty.") Bobby doesn't want to sign, Laurie does, and Andy breaks the tie, since Bobby and Laurie would split $40,000 plus profits from sales.

In the morning after their Estevez Festivez, Jules wakes up to a note: last night was fun. (LAURIE: Did you just get one-night standed by your own son?) Jules was very upset Travis blew her off and conned her into spending quality time with him. And Ellie can't believe Jules STILL wants to take care of him.

ELLIE: What do you want him to do? Live her until he's sixty so you two can spend every waking second of your lives together?!?

JULES: Oh, my God, that would be so awesome!

Ellie demands she break out the tough love and suggest she practices on Grayson. He breaks out his inner Travis and she's successful...until Grayson says 'I Love You' and Jules makes out with her son. (Grayson pretending to be her son, not her ACTUAL son! Eww!)

Ellie and Grayson try to redraw the chalk paintings, and Ellie is mad at Tom for hosing down the last batch. But Tom has been trying to get into the Cul-de-Sac Crew for ages, and he was terrible at making friends. His wife was the social one before she died. But Tom was afraid of losing being part of the team if the Chalk Children went away. But they don't finish the drawings quickly enough, and they decide to try and out-creepy the Chalk Children. And it worked...WAY too well. On the good side, Tom got invited in for coffee.

Travis comes down, still in his pajamas at noon, and tries to kiss up to Mom. However, she isn't having it. She thinks he made a stupid, lazy decision when Kirsten left him, and she can't support it. He can go back to school or go get a job, but either way he had to leave her house. No joke this time.

Bobby was upset about being outvoted on Penny Can, but he was more upset that Penny Can was his one and only chance of making a mark on the world. But Laurie and Andy tell him he has plenty of chances to make his mark, and their friendship was more important than selling out. But Mr. Frank gave them a 'take it or leave it', so they sold Penny Can. But Andy gave Bobby enough money where he could get his own apartment and be off the boat. Bobby was still depressed...until the Lou Diamond Phillips Penny Can can climb walls and shout WAY every time someone says NO WAY. And inside the can, it says "invented by Bobby Cobb." Bobby is touched. And they sealed the deal by being (invisible) blood brothers...and sister.

In the morning, Jules discovers Travis was gone and went to celebrate. Bobby stopped by to celebrate his new apartment. One tiny problem: nobody told Bobby not to give Travis his boat. New location, same Travis in his pajamas at noon.