Slink's Special Talent

Summary
When Rattles takes over Slink's paper route, Slink is determined to earn his job back.

Plot
In the introduction, the Tough Customers make a video on how to be successful. Slink films the others as they tell the audience to have a positive attitude and practice. Then Slink's smart phone's battery goes dead and Slink decides to quit instead of using Rattle's phone. The others tell the audience never to quit like Slink did.

Slink's Special Talent

Slink reluctantly gets up after he could not make his alarm clock start beeping. He rolls up newspapers and goes on a paper route, carelessly throwing papers in bushes and puddles and stepping on flower beds.

After his route, he meets Rattles in the ice-cream shop and asks him to take over the route for one week while Slink visits his grandparents. Rattles agrees.

When Rattles does the paper route, he carefully places the papers on the doorsteps and chats with the customers. He uses the library computer and printer to make a good map of the route.

While Rattles tells Binky about his route, the newspaper supervisor calls and offers him to take over Slink's route permanently. Rattles is worried that Slink will be upset, but Binky tells him that Slink hated the job.

It turns out that Slink liked the paperboy job since he was good at it. After some pressure from Rattles he admits that he was terrible and in fact he is terrible at everything. Binky tries to cheer him up with a water balloon which Slink accidentally throws at Mr. Ratburn.

Rattles gives Slink a self-help book and tells him to make a list of at least three things he thinks he might be good at.

The next day, Slink reads the list to the Tough Customers. The first thing is comedy, but he tells a joke so lousy that Rattles tells him to skip it. The next thing is watching TV, but the others tell him that that is not a talent. Slink's third thing is packing, since his dad always lets him pack suitcases. He imagines being the professional packer for a rocket flight to Mars.

Rattles takes Slink to the mall parking lot to get practice. Slink packs a man's shopping in his trunk, but when the man drives off, Slink realizes that he has missed a bag. He tries to run after the man, but he is gone, so Slink gives up.

Rattles finds Slink watching TV and tells him that he is a quitter. Slink wants his paper route bag, because he believes he can do better. Rattles tells him, that the customers will get questionnaires and if he gets an average performance of at least seven out of ten, he will get his route back.

The next morning, Slink has put the alarm clock on the other side of his bedroom, so he has to get up. This time, he places the papers on the doorsteps and does his best make friendly conversation with the customers.

At the end of the week, Rattles tells him that his average rating is six. Slink refuses to quit and offers Rattles the money from the route if he will give Slink another chance. Rattles arranges this with the supervisor.

The episode finishes with Slink delivering a paper to Rattles’ house. Rattles compliments on how well-folded it is.

Major

 * Slink
 * Rattles

Minor

 * Binky Barnes
 * Molly MacDonald
 * Alfonz
 * Mrs. Higgenbottom
 * Mrs. Pendergrass

Cameo

 * Nigel Ratburn
 * Maria Pappas
 * Francine Frensky
 * Jenna Morgan
 * Arthur Read
 * Sue Ellen Armstrong
 * Buster Baxter
 * Bellow
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Testing Woman
 * Amanda Hulser
 * Fletcher
 * Teenage boy
 * Edwin
 * Steve
 * Fern Walters
 * George Lundgren
 * Ladonna Compson
 * Brain
 * Chip Crosswire
 * Big Kid #2

Mentioned

 * District supervisor

Songs

 * "He's Givin' 50 Percent"

Trivia

 * 4th Wall break: The opening to this episode has the Tough Customers filming a show opening.
 * Timeline:
 * Slink mentions that Rattles is good at chess, Binky can dance, and Molly gives great advice. These traits are revealed in "Brain's Chess Mess," "The Chips are Down" and "Don't Ask Muffy," respectively.
 * Slink can be seen doing his paper route in "Arthur Takes a Stand."
 * A The Backyard Survivor poster can be seen in Slink's room.
 * Slink's MCTC shirt can be seen in his room.

Episode connections

 * After Slink walks through Mrs. Pendergrass' flowerbed, she is seen fixing the hole while Rattles brings the newspaper the next day. This scene is nearly identical to a scene in "Sue Ellen & the Last Page," except Arthur brings a library pamphlet and Muffy's limo drives past.
 * Slink tries to tell a joke, but messes it up. Arthur does the same thing in "Arthur the Unfunny."

Cultural references

 * One line of the song "He's Givin' 50 Percent" is "Makin' crummy money for an unhappy meal," which could be a reference to the Happy Meal.
 * Binky mentions.
 * Rattles mentions.
 * Slink's MP3 player resembles an iPod Classic.