Peggy's talent for reusing wax from old birthday candles to create new ones lures her into exploring an identity outside the home for the first time. Her newfound candle-making work takes up more time, prompting Mike to get angry that her focus is straying from the family and the domestic duties. Meanwhile, Timmy is determined to get audience tickets on his birthday for a taping of "Boxcar Billy's Hobo Jamboree" in the hopes of making it on TV.

To fulfill his showbiz dreams, Timmy enters a contest to appear on "The Partridge Family" and takes matters into his own hands when he doesn't hear back. Elsewhere, Peggy takes a driving test in order to get her license, but anxiety sets in and things don't go according to plan. In secret, Peggy tries a few questionable shortcuts to becoming a legally licensed driver, and in the process, drags the Cleary kids into her web of deceit.