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Original Airdate: 11/16/98
Night at the Camdens finds both Matt and Simon doing their homework at the kitchen table. Matt goes to get a cup of coffee and Simon says he wants a cup as well, but Matt says its not for kids. Lucy is on the phone with Jordan and tells him not to wear plaid. Meanwhile, Annie is trying to practice the piano. Ruthie comes into the room and sits on the bench with her, ferociously chewing a piece of gum. Annie forces Ruthie to spit it out and sends her out of the room. Eric then comes in and interrupts, saying his old high school band is coming to town and that he has invited them to stay in the driveway on their RV. He says he would have called but the line was busy. She then takes off yelling at Lucy.The next day, Annie is making the kids' lunches when she gets an idea to just put money in the lunch bags. Mary says she has practice after school, Diane has a court set up near her house. Simon comes downstairs and pours a cup of coffee. He says he was up all night - Ruthie says he was up all night talking. Matt figured out Simon drank the rest of his coffee all night and that's why he was up all night. Simon is now convinced he is addicted to coffee.
Eric is in the study looking over some of his old high school photos. He says he admits that he's wondered what it would have been like if he would have stayed with the band instead of going to college. Annie says he has lots of fans at the church, they just don't throw their underwear at the pulpit at the end of the sermon.
At school, Simon sneaks into the teacher's lounge and tries to fill his thermos up with coffee. He manages to sneak out without the teacher in the lounge waking up from the couch. In the library, Matt's friend comes up and gives him some herbal supplements. He hands Matt the whole bottle and Matt puts them in his bag.
After school, Simon and Ruthie come home with Eric, where Annie sees Ruthie again has more gum. Lucy then walks in and says she got the phone bill and says her phone usage is out of control. Just then, Eric's friends arrive and come in after a bunch of hugs. Eric introduces everybody to Ray, Chris & Don. They apologize for just showing up0, but the line was always busy. Eric says he booked an RV spot for them 30 miles out of town, and the guys are demolished. Annie then caves in and invites them to stay in the driveway after all.
At practice, Mary Diane and the rest of the team finish up a grueling day. After kissing pavement, Mary tells Diane she needs to take it easy. When they sit down, a bottle of energy boosters falls out of Diane's towel. She says they give you that extra boost of energy and are all-natural. Later that night, Ruthie takes Simon's thermos and smells the coffee. Simon says its not his fault - he's addicted. Ruthie says it's the saddest thing she's ever heard. Simon begs her not to tell and he'd do anything.
The guys are in the living room and strike up a song. Eric can't believe the three of them are still together. They said they played half-time at the 76ers game once. Annie asks where they live when they aren't on the road. They say they are always on the road. No wives, no kids. Lucy comes in and asks when dad's weirdo friends are living. Annie says that Lucy is not allowed to use the phone for the weekend. Lucy protests. When Annie leaves the kitchen, Ruthie sneaks down with Simon's thermos and fills it up with him.
Mary goes up to Matt's room and finds Matt has the supplements. She asks him for a ride to the park so she can shoot some hoops.
Eric goes and takes some clean towels and sheets to the camper, where he asks if his former band mates were smoking anything illegal. They all say no, then when he leaves crack up.
Annie goes into Simon's room and finds him and Ruthie sitting down drinking coffee. Then Lucy walks in with the phone and Annie hangs up on him. She then makes Ruthie spit out her gum, takes the thermos, and takes the phone. She then storms off wondering what has become of her kids.
Mary and Diane shoot hoops, and we find out Mary has taking the energy boosters. She says her hands won't stop shaking. She hopes it wears off so she can sleep tonight. The two talk about how great they feel and then head back to shooting baskets.
The next day, the band members are playing hackey with Ruthie and Simon. Eric tells Annie that last night they were burning incense in the RV. Eric infers it means something else as well. Annie says he is avoiding his friends. Ruthie comes in asking who Chief Moon is. Annie explains he died of a drug overdose. Lucy comes down into the kitchen and asks where the beeper came from - it's Jordan's. She says no phone, no beepers.
Eric goes to take Matt a cup of coffee and sees the energy boosters on Matt's desk. He yells and wakes Matt up asking what he is doing with the stuff. He says a friend at school gave it to him. Eric explains not everything natural is good for you. Natural doesn't always mean good. Matt says the bottle is sealed, he didn't take any. Ephedrine based supplements are illegal in 13 states. Mary overhears and says she took some of them. She said Diane gets them from her father. Eric says people have died from them and goes to talk to Diane's father. Mary calls Diane and reams her about giving them to Mary, Diane says she feels fine.
Simon, Ruthie and Lucy are all going through withdrawl from their various addictions. Simon suggests forming a support group. Simon is left all alone after Ruthie and Lucy run away. Simon finds the three members to join his support group. They then go into the house and asks where Eric is. They all say they know Eric doesn't want to hang out with them. They suggest that Annie come jam at their show tonight on the piano. They say they'll figure something out. She then hands them some sandwiches.
Eric arrives at Diane's house and talks to her father about them. He says that Eric is overreacting, he takes them himself. Eric explains that Ephedrine in large doses has the same effect as speed. They actually market as the natural legal version of an illegal drug. He says others claim optimum performance. In the past 5 years, 3 dozen deaths have been attributed to Ephedrine supplements. Her father says he will look into the information he has told him.
Eric comes home and tells Annie that he doesn't think he got through to Diane's father. Mary says he will go talk to Diane. Annie then tells Eric she is invited to jam, and Eric is disappointed he wasn't invited. Matt finds Simon moping in the kitchen and gives him a cup of coffee. Simon scrunches his nose and spits it out. Matt says he is cured. Ruthie asks Matt for some gum and he gives it to her and tells her what they put in gum to make it so chewy. When she says no, he says that is good. He then whispers something in her ear and all of a sudden she has chewed her last chew.
Eric goes into the RV and apologizes for thinking they were doing drugs. They invite Eric to play with them tonight and hand him a guitar. That night at the club, Eric and Annie jam on stage with The Flowers and Vegetable Show. Annie beats on the triangle and Ruthie is near the stage dancing.
Mary finds Diane at the basketball court and chews her out about taking the pills. Diane says nothing is going to happen. Diane says she is in the best shape of her life. Mary says she isn't going to stand by and watch her hurt herself - she is on her own. Diane says she will make a deal. Stop bugging her about the pills and she will stop taking them at the end of the season. Mary says it's better than nothing. But then, they start playing 21 and Diane falls to the ground clutching her arm. Mary is scared and runs to call 911. Eric and Annie drive by the park on the way home from school, and see the ambulance. They run over and find Mary crying, and Diane is loaded into the ambulance. Eric goes to see how she is doing and finds Diane's father there who doesn't say a word. He says Diane had a heart attack and they are just happy she is going to make it. Mary collapses into the arms of her mom and dad as Diane is driven away to the hospital.