Buffy and her mother, Joyce, are at a mall discussing Buffy’s desire to buy a revealing dress (which, in Joyce’s opinion, makes Buffy look like a streetwalker, although Buffy tries to correct her, saying “a thin streetwalker”).

Joyce and Buffy split up to each do an important errand before the mall closes. On her way to the store, Buffy sees a guy wearing a cowboy hat romancing a girl, but also notices he has no reflection in a nearby mirror. She follows him upstairs, scares the girl off and fights with him until he runs away.

She returns to her mom, but has forgotten about her errand, frustrating her mother (and making Joyce give Buffy a lecture on responsibility). Joyce thinks Buffy only thinks about boys and clothes. A chagrined Buffy tells her mom that she also thinks about saving the world from vampires, which causes her mother to sigh with exasperation.

Buffy: Come on, Mom, please?

Joyce: I’m sorry, honey.

Buffy: Don’t you understand how important this is?

Joyce: It’s an outfit. An outfit that you may never buy.

Buffy: But I looked good in it.

Joyce: You looked like a streetwalker.

Buffy: But a thin streetwalker. (gets a look from her mom) That’s probably not gonna be the winning argument, is it?

Joyce: You’re just too young to wear that.

Buffy: Yeah, and I’m gonna be too young to wear it until I’m too old to wear it.

Joyce: That’s the idea. (stops and looks around) The stores are closing, and I still need to order the flyers for the opening. (considers, then puts both bags in one hand) Okay. I’ll go to the printers and then get our food. (pulls out a slip of paper) You go to the tailor and pick up my outfit from Everyday Woman. (hands Buffy the slip of paper)

Buffy: (looks at the paper) Everyday Woman?

Joyce: Mm-hm. There’s the receipt.

Buffy: Why didn’t you just go to Muu-Muus R Us?

Joyce: Do now, make fun of your mother later. (walks off)

Later, after Buffy does her sacred duty, but forgets her errand…

Buffy comes walking in and spots her mom at a mesa with their food, waiting for her. Joyce stares at the food, looking bored and watching it get cold. She looks up as Buffy arrives.

Buffy: Oh, bliss. (sits) Mall food. (looks up)

Joyce: Buffy?

Buffy: (attentive) Mom?

Joyce: Where’s my dress?

Buffy: (confused) Your dr…? Oh. (winces) Oh, God.

Joyce: Let me guess: you were distracted sa pamamagitan ng a boy.

Buffy: (cringes) Technically.

Joyce: (leans back) Buffy…

Buffy: (exhales) Look, I-I can go get it right now.

Joyce: They’re closed. I’ll just have to fit it in tomorrow.

Buffy: Sorry.

Joyce: (sternly) A little responsibility is all I ask. Honestly, don’t you ever think about anything besides boys and clothes?

Buffy: Saving the world from vampires?

Joyce: (crosses her arms and shakes her head) I swear, sometimes I don’t know what goes on in your head.

Buffy just looks back at her.

Wow. This is a really great part of the episode to watch. It implies to me that Joyce has this image of her daughter only thinking about clothes and boys, rather than her grades at school or her future. Sometimes, mothers are that way when it comes to their daughters.

Of course, I can see Kristine Sutherland (who played Joyce in the series) watching those parts of the episode and laughing a little at Joyce’s lines. I can also see her taking a liking to the the classic one of “Don’t you ever think about anything besides boys and clothes?”, as that line speaks volumes to many women who are mothers.

“That Joyce… she sure has a mind of her own.”

Well, that’s true about Joyce right there. Deep down she knew that there was something special about her daughter Buffy (and was able to accept it before she passed away in Season 5).

Of course, not all mothers think that their daughters only care about their looks, clothes and boys. Some think that they care about the environment, or helping out others, too.