The Itchy Brain Simulation

"The Itchy Brain Simulation" is the eighth episode of the seventh season of the  The Big Bang Theory. The episode first aired on November 14, 2013.

Summary
Leonard tries to keep Sheldon from overreacting when a past mistake comes to light, but Sheldon punishes Leonard by making him walk a mile in his shoes. Meanwhile, Penny confronts Raj's ex-girlfriend, Lucy.

Extended Plot
While in Leonard's apartment, Penny asks why she has never seen them using the on the back of their front door. Leonard reveals that the only time they used it, he broke a with a dart, ninety degrees to the right and twenty feet away. Sheldon enters and asks where the tickets are. After three years, Sheldon has decided which prize he wants at the arcade. Leonard sounds skeptical, however if they he feels they might be in the junk box. Sheldon unfortunately implies he wants a squirting lapel. Leonard finds the tickets and a his  made for  that is bright red, itchy and has "Lenny" written on the front. Penny wonders if his aunt hated him. Leonard sarcastically disagrees since he got the sweater and his brother got a. Sheldon is short some tickets and wants Leonard to look again in the box. Leonard barely looks and then tells Sheldon that he can look if he promises to not flip out. Sheldon gasps when he asks if there is a in the box. Penny quips that its not a spider because if it was "Lenny" would have flipped out. Leonard pulls out a that they rented on his card and should have returned a long time ago (seven years). He begs for Sheldon to remain calm which Sheldon does do and asks him to return it. Leonard agrees and that freak out both Leonard and Penny because Sheldon is being reasonable.

Leonard starts to discuss with Sheldon, what it means to not freak out about the DVD. Don't fixate on it, don't wake him up in the middle of the night, don't nag him while he's on the toilet. Talking to Leonard while he is on the is not a picnic for Sheldon either. They can hear each other. Also, he completely disregards how uncomfortable unresolved issues are to Sheldon. He describes it as an in his  that he can't scratch. Leonard had a similar experience when he had a cast on his and had to stick a  down to scratch his itches. Leonard suggests that he stick a coat hanger in his ear. Sheldon replies that he wouldn't make jokes if he could feel the way he does. Then he agrees to not pester him about the DVD if he will wear the sweater until the matter is resolved with nothing underneath it. Leonard thinks it's stupid and doesn't understand why. Leonard has said that the sweater is itchy and uncomfortable; Sheldon feels the same way about unresolved issues. Sheldon wants them to share the experience and Leonard mistakenly agrees. Leonard tells him that if the sweater makes him shut up, he'll make a fortune selling them to everyone he knows. He puts on the sweater and heads down to return the DVD. Then Sheldon tells him that the went out of business years ago as the sweater starts to bother Leonard so he scratches. Sheldon wonders how Leonard's are feeling.

Amy and Bernadette are at the bar and Penny has not yet delivered their s. Amy and Bernadette both described their scientific work they did earlier in the day, while Penny added that she scrapped gum from underneath a table; granted it was her gum. Amy notices Lucy, Raj's former friend at another table. Penny always pictured her as n. Bernadette describes her comment as. Penny wants to go over to talk to Lucy because she hurt her Indian friend. Penny then asks who is racist now. Bernadette added that she just called Raj her Indian friend. Penny calls her short and leaves. Penny asks if she can get her anything to drink and Lucy asks for. Then she identifies herself as Penny, Raj's friend who was identified by Amy and Bernadette wave while reaching for the beers they never received. She asks how Raj is and tells her that he is good. Then she asks why she broke up with him by an. Lucy tells her she guesses that it was easier. Of course it was easier for her, not for him. Lucy asks for a different, seeming to have improved since last season. Penny continues that she can sit there while Raj is at home a blubbering mess. Lucy remarks that she thought she had said he was fine. Penny quipped that she also said she was going to get her water and she is still standing there. Penny tells her that she may be a bad waitress, however, she is a bad person. Then Penny asks a shocked Lucy if she wants to hear what the specials are.

Sheldon, Howard and Raj and having together in Apartment 4A while Leonard fidgets in his itchy sweater. Howard asks if he can ever take the sweater off. Leonard isn't going to take it for sleeping. Howard says that he's an idiot. Leonard correct him that he is proving a point. Howard asks if the point he is trying to prove is that he is an. Sheldon explains that Leonard it trying to walk a mile in his  since his feet are too small to fit in his real shoes. Leonard's next step is to go downtown, find the name of the store's former owner and then return the DVD while also paying the fine to prove to Sheldon that you can solve the without being a complete. He now retorts to rubbing his back up and down against the. Howard watches Leonard and describes him as a man impersonating a who wants you to know that "only you can prevent forest fires". Raj hasn't heard of, but he does know Moon-moon the who tells you not to play with s. Howard is surprised that you have to be taught to not play with cobras. Raj retorts that he had to be taught to not start forest fires.

Over in Apartment 4B, Amy and Bernadette are down  and. Penny comes in and tells them if they were hungry, they should have ordered something at the. Bernie tells her that they did and Penny never brought it to them. She tries to remember their order and gets it wrong. Then she says that she wants to say. Amy retorts that she wants to say sorry. Then they want to know how she is going to deal with Raj since she told Lucy he was a pathetic mess. Lucy then left the restaurant in tears. Penny feels that they are overreacting and Raj is going appreciate her watching his back.

Raj comes over and screams at been asking what is wrong with her. She ended any chance of them getting back together since now she knows he is a desperate mess and previously only thought he was. Raj then gets a text from Lucy asking her to meet him for. Now he loves Penny and gives her a big.

Sheldon is in his office working on his when Howard comes in. His work involves using  to study  which Howard thinks is cool. Sheldon then says he needs the opinion of an which Howard is happy to provide. It seems his is squeaking and he wonders if he should repair it or get a new one. Leonard then comes in and describes his morning activities. He found the name of the DVD store owner and happily says that he did in his sleep at the bottom of a sometime ago. Since he can no longer return the DVD, he considers the matter resolved. He removes the sweater displaying the rash he developed and puts on a clean T shirt. Even though the sweater was uncomfortable he did not use it as an excuse to antagonize everyone around him. Howard suggests that he find the store owner's. Sheldon likes that idea which infuriates Leonard. Howard hands him back the sweater.

At the Wolowitz's Raj is having dinner and wants to know how to handle meeting Lucy. Howard says that he can't let her know he is hurting, try. Bernadette wonders why he wants to see her again since she hurt him so much. Howard explains that Raj has no and do anything for. Bernadette tells him to relax and see what happens. She says that he can say she looks nice, but only talk about missing her if she asks. She tells him to hold off until the second date his of them with their  and.

Over at Penny's Leonard continues to scratch himself while wearing the sweater. Leonard is searching the for a stupid relative of the stupid store owner so he can look at the expression of Sheldon's stupid. Leonard is practically in tears as Penny tells him to just take it off. For Leonard its the of the thing. Penny is shocked when Leonard shows her his rash. She wants to know if its made of. Penny pleads with his to take it off, however, Leonard doesn't want Sheldon to win. Penny reminds him that every night he doesn't kill him in his, he wins. Leonard explains that he is almost done and just has to get rid of the DVD. And wait for someone his to get a skin graft. Penny then takes his so he can send it to  and get his  back.

Sheldon is sitting at Amy's place. Amy complements him on handling the DVD situation with an impressive amount of maturity. Sheldon doesn't know why it shouldn't surprise her since he is a grown man so evident by his and real  in his lapel. She wonders if this is a new coping measure he is using. Sheldon wants her to answer the question what does his flower smell like. Amy's answer is "sad". Amy wants to know the real story behind this DVD. Sheldon proposes that he bought a about how to cope which told he to stop and smell the flowers. Amy asks, "Seriously?" to which Sheldon says please. She leans over and then the flower falls off his coat which is now spotted with water.

At the, Raj greets Lucy and tells her how good it is to see her. he ordered her a which she remembered as her favorite and also a  which he later remembered was his favorite and he ate it. First Raj learns that she is doing pretty good. She apologizes from breaking up with him via an email. Raj returns that he ate all the crumb cakes, so they both make mistakes. Raj says that he hopes that they can hang out again as friends. Lucy explains that she kind of seeing someone now. Raj needs it explained to him that its not him that she's seeing.

Then he is back yelling at Penny that is all her. He should have listened to Moon-moon and not played with a cobra named Penny. He wonders if she enjoys his. She then tells him that she has a friend she can fix him up with. Now he loves Penny again.

Amy and Sheldon are now having at Sheldon's place. Sheldon wonders how he can conceptualize dark matters, but not able to fix a novelty squirt flower. Amy says that a better question is why he wastes his time with cheap childish pranks. Then Sheldon offers her some from a can. Leonard storms in telling him that he is out of options. He has found no next of kin. He went to the  where his  was held and found out that no one attended. He did light a and prayed for Sheldon's death, but because he is not Armenian, it probably won't work. Leonard says that the search is over. Sheldon suggests that he go to Armenia or. He is not going overseas just to return "". Finally he asks Sheldon why the DVD is not bothering him and why his brain isn't getting itchy. The DVD was checked out on his card and could be ruining his. Sheldon has to admit something to him and he asks Leonard to not flip out. Seven years ago he found out it was late and paid for it. He was gong to mention it then, but he thought that someday this could be a teachable moment. Leonard appears more upset, pulls off the sweater and then pulls out a couple of packs to apply to his. He then heads to his room. Leonard returns momentarily too flabbergasted to speak and then shouts, "What!!" Amy then comments that the whole thing was diabolical. Sheldon agrees and then asks if she knows what it like to wait for years never knowing if you'll finally get satisfaction. Amy just stares at him and says nothing probably thinking about again.

Raj is on his date telling the Indian girl that she is so pretty he can't believe she doesn't have a, which she doesn't Then Raj explodes that he doesn't believe her and accuses her of lying to him. Then he says that he is so desperate, that he is willing to be the man she has on the side. Then the girl is screaming at Penny, "What is wrong with you?" Then Penny is screaming at Raj, "What is wrong with you?" Finally Raj is screaming at a mirror, "What is wrong with you?"

Critics

 * Jesse Schedeen for IGN-The sweater conflict... just kept building and building until Sheldon dropped his final bombshell and Leonard was reduced to incoherent rambling. Simple, yes, but this episode did a great job of steadily building up a gag and then paying it off nicely in the end...The other half of the episode focused on the Raj/Lucy relationship. Given how abruptly Lucy was written out of the show at the end of Season 6, I was glad to see some actual closure this time...But really, it was Amy who had the coup de grace this week..."Do you have any idea what it's like to wait for years and never know if you're going to finally get satisfaction?" Amy's silent look was priceless.

Trivia

 * Sheldon researches the.


 * Sheldon ponders, "How is it I can conceptualize a methodology of examining in the universe but can't figure out how to fix a novelty squirt flower?" Given he would certainly be referencing his current work, an erroneous substitution of dark matter in place of dark energy was made.
 * This episode explains why the dartboard behind the door of Apartment 4A is never seen used.
 * Sheldon still overreacts to minor issues concerning DVDs or bluerays etc. Previously the similar thing happened in The Apology Insufficiency (S4E07) and The Romance Resonance (S7E01).
 * Sheldon claims that unresolved issues are uncomfortable for him, like an itch in his brain that he can’t scratch. This is consistent with his closure obsession, the main topic of The Closure Alternative (S6E21). And it seems the former provides a plausible explanation for the latter.
 * Penny again tells everyone she is a terrible waitress. Last time she said this in The Habitation Configuration (S6E07).
 * Penny finally meets Lucy and thought she was Indian (Previous to this episode only Raj and Amy in the gang have met her). The girls tell her that that attitude is racist.
 * Sheldon buys a squirting lapel flower that breaks and he can't fix it.
 * As of this episode, all of the gang have now met or seen Lucy.
 * Sheldon had waited seven years for a chance to use the "" DVD situation.
 * The guys' f ear of spiders have been mentioned twice before in "The Dead Hooker Juxtaposition" (S2E19) and  "The Bon Voyage Reaction" (S6E24).
 * Lucy doesn't run away during two emotional scenes, and she requests to change the waitress when Penny talks about the Raj issue with her. It is obviously that she has improved emotionally since last season.

Quotes

 * Leonard: Oh I forgot about this. My aunt made it for my when I started college. [Holds up a red sweater with ‘Lenny’ sewn into the front.]
 * Penny: Ah. Did she hate you?
 * Leonard: Why? Because I got an ugly itchy sweater and my brother got a car? No, I was her favorite.


 * Amy: My God, that’s the girl that broke Rajesh’s heart.
 * Bernadette: That’s Lucy?
 * Penny: I don’t know why, but I always pictured her as Indian.
 * Bernadette: I think reason is called racism.
 * Penny: I’m going to talk to her.
 * Bernadette: Why? What are you going to say?
 * Penny: I’m not going to say anything. I’m going just want to talk her out. She hurt my friend. My Indian friend. Who’s racist now?
 * Bernadette: You. Because you just called him your Indian friend.
 * Penny: Yeah, well, you’re short.
 * Amy: We’re never getting our drinks.
 * Bernadette: No, believe that.
 * Penny: Hi. Can I start off with something to drink?
 * Lucy: Oh, water would be great.
 * Penny: Okay. Um, you’re Lucy, right? I’m a friend of Rajesh Koothrappali. You see, Amy recognized you.
 * Lucy: Wow, how’s he doing?
 * Penny: Oh, you know. He’s good.
 * Lucy: Great.
 * Penny: Yeah. This is none of my business, but why did you break up with him in an email?
 * Lucy: Um, I don’t know. I guess I thought it would be easier.
 * Penny: Yea, I get that. I’ll go get you your water. When you say easier, you mean easier for you, right? Cause it certainly didn’t make it easier for him.
 * Lucy: Any chance I can get a different waitress?
 * Penny: I’m sorry, it’s rude of me. I will get you that water. See, see, see, see. Just now, you expressed your feelings to my face. How come you can do that with me and not with Raj?
 * Lucy: I don’t know your email.
 * Penny: You know what the worst part is? You’re sitting here perfectly happy and he’s at home a blubbering mess.
 * Lucy: I thought you said he was OK.
 * Penny: Well, I also said I was getting your water, but look at me. Still standing here. You know, maybe I’m a bad waitress, but you’re a bad person. Now, you want to hear the special


 * Sheldon: And second, you completely disregard how uncomfortable unresolved issues are for me. It’s like an itch in my brain I can’t scratch.


 * Raj: How are you?
 * Lucy: I’m pretty good. Listen, I just wanted to apologize for breaking up with you in an email.
 * Raj: And I ate all the crumb cake. We both make mistakes.
 * Lucy: Okay.
 * Raj: I’m so happy you asked me here and I hope we can hang out again sometime you know as friends…love making partners…whatever.
 * Lucy: Oh..um. I’m kind of seeing someone.
 * Raj: I think I know the answer to this, but to be clear; it’s not me right?


 * Penny: Oh my God. Is the sweater made of bees?


 * Penny: Smile.
 * Leonard: What I s that for?
 * Penny: So you can send it to Princeton and get you money back.


 * Leonard: Why isn’t this bothering you? Isn’t your brain getting itchy? This is on your card. This could be ruining your credit score. Why isn’t this making you crazy?
 * Sheldon: I have something to tell you, but I want you to promise not to flip out.
 * Leonard: What?
 * Sheldon: Seven years ago I found out the DVD was late and I paid for it.
 * Leonard: What?
 * Sheldon: I was going to mention it at the time, but then I thought someday this might be a teachable moment.
 * Leonard: Ahhh! I.. You..Ah…WHAT??
 * Amy: Sheldon, that was diabolical.
 * Sheldon: I know. And it wasn’t easy. Do you have any idea what it’s like to wait for years and never know if your going to finally get satisfaction?
 * Amy: Nothing. [Amy just stares.]

“What is wrong with you??” [Repeated line by several characters.]