A boy's $998 home computer exposes a marriage's real fight: who controls the family's money.
The computer was never about the computerGeorge felt threatened the moment he learned Mary had savings, because it meant she could live independent of him.
One purchase, three different grievancesSheldon wanted the machine, Georgie lost his packed lunches, and Missy resented getting only a Ring Pop-sized consolation.
Money talk settles what arguments cannotThe finance program put a number on the beer budget — $936 a year — that no argument had managed to.
Executive SummaryAI
At Radio Shack, Sheldon begs for a Tandy 1000 SL and salesman Dave pitches easy monthly payments, but Mary says the $998 machine is out of reach because the family lives paycheck to paycheck.
Over dinner Connie offers to buy the computer and be paid back later, which George Sr. treats as an insult to his ability to pay his own bills, and Mary counters that his Lone Star Beer money is the expense worth cutting.
Mary then reveals she has quietly saved money for years from church bookkeeping, seamstress work and birthday money from Aunt Zelda, and refuses to say how much or where it is, so George accuses her of keeping secret money and she moves across the street to Connie's.
After Georgie complains that the fight has cost him his packed lunches, Mary takes Sheldon to buy the computer anyway, leaving Missy sour that she only got a toy.
Sheldon tries to fix the marriage through the computer's Eliza program while Connie coaches Mary to stay cold until George apologises, and once he does, the machine's finance program reports he spends $936 a year on beer.
Key Quote
“What on earth do we need a computer for?”
— Mary
Key Quote
“On index cards, like a cave person.”
— Sheldon
Key Quote
“Just so I'm clear, my money's our money, but your money's your money.”