At the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, Linus Baker’s routine workday is disrupted when his supervisor, Ms. Jenkins, approaches amid a culture of surveillance and demerits. Anxious over a salad stain and strict policies, Linus braces for punishment as the office listens in.

Instead, Ms. Jenkins informs Linus he has been summoned to meet Extremely Upper Management at nine the next morning. Startled, Linus tries to remain polite while Ms. Jenkins threatens retaliation if he has complained about her. She leaves him a terse memo specifying he must attend alone, and Gunther issues a demerit for his stained shirt as coworkers, including Mr. Tremblay, speculate.

After hours, Linus leaves late, misses the bus, and is soaked by the rain before trudging home to his small house on Hermes Way. His neighbor, Mrs. Klapper, chides him about his cat, Calliope, and prods into his personal life, suggesting a dubious match; Linus shuts down the exchange and goes inside.

At home, Calliope—the once-stray cat who adopted him—reasserts her presence while Linus changes, feeds her, and settles for a meager dinner, sneaking a bit of dressing as an old record plays. He quietly avoids confronting his loneliness by focusing on routine.

Uneasy about the summons and seeking control, Linus ends the evening by reading his personal copy of Rules and Regulations, determined to prepare for whatever Extremely Upper Management intends.