The narrator and friends are unhappy about their mom, Ally, dating Mr. Gladwell. To sabotage the date, they sneak into the restaurant where she’s meeting him and cause various disruptions. They mistakenly think the date is a romantic one, but it turns out Mr. Gladwell is there for a job interview. Their antics cause a mix-up with the food and other mishaps. Eventually, the mom and Mr. Gladwell clear up the misunderstanding, and Mr. Gladwell is offered a job. The narrator realizes the situation wasn’t as they thought, and the story ends with a resolution and a bit of humor.