Patty wants the family to pitch in to buy Martin a birthday present. But trouble begins when the family gets the wrong idea about what present Martin wants.
Patty befriends a trumpet-playing musician who is down on his luck, and invites him to stay with the Lanes until he can land a gig. But will he wear out his welcome first?
Ross begins having trouble with a bully at school. Meanwhile, Patty falls for the bully's brother so Cathy takes it upon herself to come to Ross' aid, with the help of Richard.
As part of a school project Patty writes a letter to a Soviet politician. While she is stunned to get a reply, she is even more surprised when the State Department gets involved.
After Patty receives a dress from Cathy, who is on vacation in Paris with her dad, she decides to throw her first adult party. But things get complicated when Uncle Jed arrives.
To teach Patty a lesson, Cathy encourages the family to trick Patty into thinking she has psychic abilities. After Patty starts giving readings to her classmates an actual psychic takes interest in her abilities.
When Martin thinks that Patty doesn't follow through with her chores, she reinforces that belief when she fails to make a bank deposit for him. He decides to teach her a lesson but ends up having the tables turned on him.
Patty and Ross buy three kittens from a neighborhood kid but before they can sell them for a profit they lose track of each cat. One by one, Cathy, Martin and Natalie each find one of the cats. And they all want to keep one for themselves!