Lester's Uncle's men's club is honoring him. Mary wants to be there with him but his Uncle says that no women are allowed. Mary then decides to dress up like a man and go to the award ceremony as does Sandra.
Sandra is dating the IRS man who audited Mary. They later learn that the man is planning to buy the building. Later they learn he plans to tear down the building to make condos which everyone will be kicked out. They launch a protest to stop him and do. But later an inspector comes and when he cites so many violations, Rose has to sell. Mary suspects the guy is behind it.
Mary, Rose, and Pearl are toying around with Brenda's new keyboard, and Mary sings a song she wrote in high school. Sandra stops by and Mary sings the song for her. Sandra helped her edit it, and Brenda gave the song to Mary Wilson (of the Supremes), who offered to publish the song. When Mary is offered $5000 for the song and refuses to share with Sandra, Sandra sues Mary.
Lester's cousin Ed and his wife Sherry are visiting Mary and Lester. Ed is absolutely devoted to Sherry and still treats her like they're still on a honeymoon after 5 years of marriage, but Sherry feels stifled by him. Sherry announces to Mary that she's leaving Ed, and surreptitiously leaves during dinner. A depressed Ed mopes around the apartment and it's up to Mary, Lester, Rose, Pearl, and Sandra to cheer him up.
Calvin and his friend Eddie are about to fail history, so they have a tutor help them. When the tutor is an attractive young woman who inadvertently distracts them, Mary and Rose decide to help them. When both of their efforts fail, Lester decides to help out. Unfortunately, the boys still fail their final exam. Mary helps them get a second chance, but it is up to the Jenkins to get the boys back on track.
The ladies go to a self-help seminar and Mary meets a developer who has a 50 million dollar museum job. Rose recommends Lester for the job, but when Mary tells Lester about it, he says he can't manage the job because his company is too small. In spite of that, Mary agrees to meet with the developer and uses Sandra's boyfriend's penthouse to make her and Lester appear more affluent than they are.
When Rose needs a new handyman for the building. One of the kids' friends at school suggests his father, who is actuality a concert violinist. But he tries his best so that they could stay in the handyman's apartment.
A director and his assistant are preparing to shoot a scene for a movie in front of 227. When Sandra tries to insinuate herself into the movie by auditioning for a one-line speaking part, she is unable to deliver the line he way the director wants her to. When Mary tries to help her, the director chooses her for the part instead. Sandra becomes upset that Mary stole her part. However, out of nervousness, Mary throws out her back. Rose and Lester try various remedies to help her recover in time to deliver the line.
Mary and Lester go to the reading of Lester's uncle's will. Lester discovers that he has white cousins, and they have to live under the same roof for a week to collect the $10,000 inheritance. Since the cousins live in Arkansas, Mary and Lester invite them to stay at 227. However, Mary is nervous when she feels that their presence could cost her the presidency of the Ladies Auxiliary Club.
