Francine's Cleats of Strength

Summary
When Francine needs money for new soccer cleats, Muffy hires her as a personal assistant. But is drinking pumpkin smoothies and playing games with your best friend the best way to make an honest dollar?

Plot
While playing soccer against Mighty Mountain, Francine’s cleats fall apart, causing Lakewood to lose the game.

Francine's Cleats of Strength

Francine sees an ad for Tarantula cleats, but they cost 100 dollars. Her dad has already bought her cheap cleats, but he promises to exchange them for Tarantulas if Francine can raise 50 dollars herself.

When Francine and Muffy talk about the Tarantulas in the cafeteria, Mrs. MacGrady offers to pay Francine for garden work. Muffy instead offers Francine to be her personal assistant, a job she read about in a magazine.

Muffy offers Francine more money than she asked for and gives her tasks like eating chips, giving advice for her playhouse, and playing Megalopolis. However, Bailey does all the real work.

Mr. Frensky congratulates Francine on getting a job, assuming it is hard work. Francine feels guilty.

The next day, Francine tells Muffy that she does not need an assistant, because she has Bailey. Muffy promptly tells Bailey to take a holiday and Francine is happy to have a challenge.

However, Francine is not very good since she does not know where things are or how to prepare fancy food. The Crosswire's vacuum cleaner almost wrecks Muffy's room until Bailey steps in. Then Francine accidentally rips Muffy's dress and needs to be rescued by Bailey again. Francine is ready to give up, but then she talks to her dad who is doing extra shifts to pay half of the Tarantulas.

After Francine drives Muffy to school on a tandem bike, Muffy fires her, but gives her the Tarantulas as a retirement gift. Francine thanks Muffy, but she will not accept the shoes as a gift.

Instead, Francine works for Mrs. MacGrady to raise the money, then asks to do some more work because she wants to pay for something else.

At the next soccer game, Francine plays wearing Tarantulas she bought herself, and scores a goal. After the game, she treats her friends to ice-cream.

Major

 * Francine Frensky
 * Bailey
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Oliver Frensky

Minor

 * Ed Crosswire
 * Leah MacGrady

Cameo

 * Alex
 * Arthur Read
 * Jack Weasel
 * Buster Baxter
 * Bitzi Baxter
 * Binky Barnes
 * George Lundgren
 * Sue Ellen Armstrong
 * Laverne Frensky
 * Jane Read
 * D.W. Read
 * The Brain
 * Nancy
 * Otis

Trivia

 * Moral: When someone gives you money for something you don't do, deal with it.
 * Timeline:
 * Muffy's clubhouse from “My Club Rules” has been converted into a playhouse.
 * Bailey says that he has not had a holiday in 743 days, suggesting that this episode takes place before “The Butler Did… What?”, in which Bailey takes a week off.
 * Mr. Crosswire takes Muffy to the opera, a tradition they started in “Lights, Camera… Opera”
 * Before or after “Prunella Gets It Twice” becuse Muffy's behavior when Francine needs money is the opposite of her behavior in said episode when she demands high interest for a loan.