Fran inherits a mink from an aunt, which upsets Maggie, who protests against using animal products.

Maggie is invited to her first sweet sixteen party, so Fran takes her to "The Chatterbox", her favorite beauty parlor. Meanwhile, Mr. Sheffield is holding auditions for his next play and this poor girl named Mary Ruth is rejected. She makes friends with Fran, who takes her to The Chatterbox to see if they can hire her as the new shampoo girl (a job also wanted by Sylvia). There, Mary Ruth soon noses herself into the personal life of the owner, Mr. Anthony, and his son, Mimo, who are trying to live without their wife and mother. In the parlor there is also Claude, the gay hairdresser, and Kim, the Chinese manicurist who can paint incredible things on her extra-long nails.