On this week’s The Big Bang Theory, “The Occupation Recalibration,” Sheldon complains that he doesn’t want to take his required vacation from work, while Leonard is distraught over what happened with Penny and her marriage proposal the he denied.
Leonard goes to Penny’s apartment, worried that she will break-up with him. Penny explains that he did the right thing, and that she was a mess. She tells him that she feels like she should focus all her energy on acting, so she quit her job at the Cheesecake Factory.
Sheldon follows Leonard out the door, asking him to take him to work with him because he doesn’t want to stay home, but Leonard refuses and yells at him to stay like he would a dog. Sheldon cowers on the stairs.
Bernadette goes to the comic book store looking to replace a comic book of Howard’s that she accidently ruined with her curling iron. She hopes to have it replaced as soon as possible so Howard doesn’t find out, since he is always saying she should be careful with her curling iron.
Howard and Raj go to see Amy at work to ask her if she would like to have lunch with them. Amy assumes it is only because Sheldon isn’t there, but agrees anyway. Before they go to lunch, a colleague named Bert comes in to give Amy a rock he found. Howard and Raj point out that he likes her.
Penny walks in to find Sheldon sitting in the stairwell. He explains to Penny that Leonard told him to stay. When Penny sees that he is sad, she asks if he would like to come along with her to run her errands to try and start up her acting career.
Stuart informs Bernadette that he found a replacement comic, but it is at a store he doesn’t like. Stuart decides to close the store and go with Bernadette to get it.
Penny calls Leonard and mentions she is at the Cheesecake Factory. Leonard gets excited that she got her job back, explaining that it was a bad decision to quit. She then tells him that she was only returning her uniform. Leonard changes his tune and tells her that he supports her.
Sheldon listens to something to help him become calm on his phone while he waits in the car for Penny. He gets sarcastic with the program, thinking it is silly. Penny returns and asks Sheldon if she is stupid for quitting her job. He explains that she was right to quit because when you want to do something, you should devote all your time to it, just like he did when he wanted to be a physicist.
Bert visits Amy to ask her to go to the mineral show with him. She tells him that she has a boyfriend, but he doesn’t believe her. He thinks that there is just something wrong with him. He gets discouraged saying he is big and funny looking. Amy feels bad and agrees to go with him. He instantly perks up saying “great! It’s a date!”
At the comic book store, that is much more crowded than Stuarts, the salesman, Jesse (Josh Peck), mocks Stuart so the two of them walk out without getting the comic book.
Amy asks for Raj and Howard what she should do about Bert. She wants to find him and be brutally honest about the situation, that she wouldn’t date him even if she were single. Howard and Raj tell her that they will take care of it. They plan on telling Bert she is a lesbian.
Sheldon does yoga with Penny. Leonard comes into the apartment, so Penny takes a break with yoga to talk with him. Penny doesn’t feel like Leonard is on her side, and Leonard feels like they should make decisions together. Leonard finally admits that he would be scared to do what Penny is doing, but he truly does support her.
Bernadette goes back to the rival comic book store to confront Jesse and get the comic book she needs.
Howard and Raj end up going to the mineral and rock show with Bert. He doesn’t seem to mind that Amy didn’t join him.