The family dog, 17-year-old Murray is ailing and the family engages in a dogfight over whether or not to put the dog to sleep, something Willie is dead set against. Meanwhile, a fallen tree has caused damage to the house, damage that Valerie and Michael can't afford to pay for at the moment.

Valerie is determined not to miss her ""happy anniversary"" phone call from Michael, however when Willie falls off the garage roof after trying to lower the basketball hoop; Valerie takes him to the hospital, which makes her miss her phone call.