Episode 108: Double Standard

"Why do they call it homecoming if nobody's coming home?"

- Mama

Buzz and Sonja are getting ready for their Homecoming dance, and Vint tells them to be home by midnight. Both are upset about this, but Sonja, who is older, believes she should stay out later because of her age. Vint tells her she has to be home early because she is a girl. This makes Sonja mad. As the two are getting ready, Vint tells Buzz he can stay out later because he is a boy. Sonja finds this out when they are getting ready to leave, and she storms out. Before midnight, the family is awaiting the kids' return. Buzz comes home by midnight, and Sonja comes in a little later. She and Mama have a talk, and as Sonja is going up to bed, Vint tries to talk to her. Mama defends Sonja and her rights as a woman.

Story
Buzz and Sonja are getting ready for their high school's Homecoming dance. As they are about to go upstairs, Vint tells them he wants them home by midnight. They aren't pleased with this. But Sonja is more upset because she is the older child and believes she should be able to stay out later because of that. Vint tells her that since she is a girl, she should come home early, but if she was a boy, she could stay out later. As the two are getting dressed, Vint comes in Buzz's room to help him out, and also tells him he can stay out later because he is a guy, and as a guy, Vint understands what he is going through right now. But he tells him not to tell Sonja.

Sonja comes downstairs, dressed and ready to go. Naomi and Mama tell her about how to handle boys. Vint enters the room, and the family asks her about her date. Sonja doesn't have real answers to the questions, but tells them why she is going with him. He helped her get invited to a party because he is a senior. Michael, Sonja's date, arrives moments later and has a quick chat with the family. Outside, a horn beeps, and Buzz gets ready to meet his date. As he is leaving, Vint tells him to come home "no later than one." Sonja sends her date out, and yells at Vint for being a trader. After Vint tries to reason with her, Sonja tells him she is coming back "a woman," and storms out of the house.

Mama, Vint, and Naomi are playing cards and waiting for the kids to come back home. Midnight isn't too far ahead, and they are wondering about when Sonja will return. Naomi says that she doesn't blame Sonja, but Mama and Vint talk about how girls have to protect their reputations. A few minutes later, the door opens. Vint thinks it is Sonja, but it is Buzz. He goes in the kitchen, followed by Vint. Buzz tells him that he is home early because his date called him a jerk for wearing a clip-on tie, and she went back to the dance with a football player. But to get back at them, Buzz took their spark plug. Just then, Sonja gets home and heads to the kitchen. Mama follows her and starts talking to her. Sonja is still heartbroken about the event and complains that men have more freedom than women do. Mama tries to understand the problem, and Sonja ends up revealing the reason she is home on time is because her date has a curfew. Sonja then goes up to bed, and Vint tries talking to her. Sonja yells at him, and Vint tries to put her in her place. Mama defends Sonja and tells him that Sonja can do the same things before midnight as she can do after, which helps put Vint in his place.