The Bookstore

"The Bookstore" is the 173rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the ninth and final season. It aired on April 16, 1998.

The episode opens with a montage of what Kramer does at Jerry's place when he's not home. This includes making and spilling a smoothie (using Jerry's couch cushion to clean it up), riding Jerry's bike around his apartment, yelling down at people on the street, doing a Jerry stand-up impersonation, redecorating the apartment, and hosting parties. Kramer manages to revert the place to normal by the time Jerry comes home, except for a drink that is not on a coaster.

Jerry and George are at a bookstore, Brentano's, where George hopes to meet women and Jerry spots Uncle Leo shoplifting. George takes a large book into the bathroom with him, then the bookstore makes George buy the book. Elaine is at the annual Peterman party, where everyone is anxious to know if she is going to dance again. Elaine doesn't dance at the party; instead, she and a man named Zach get drunk and make out at their table. George suggests that Elaine tell everyone that she and Zach are dating, so that she won't be known as the "office skank". Kramer and Newman plan to implement Kramer's idea for running a rickshaw service in the city. They are getting a rickshaw from Hong Kong and need to find someone to pull it. Jerry confronts Uncle Leo about the stolen book. Uncle Leo claims it is a right as a senior citizen. Elaine catches Zach with another woman. Kramer and Newman attempt to interview potential rickshaw pullers from a collection of homeless men; however, one of the candidates steals the rickshaw. George tries to return his book, but is told the book has been "flagged" as having been in the bathroom.

Jerry rats out Uncle Leo to the security guard at the bookstore, and later talks with his parents about Uncle Leo's theft. He is told about Uncle Leo's prior arrest, a "crime of passion" of which his mother will not tell him the details. His parents also inform him of the senior approach; it is not stealing if you need it. Elaine plans to use the cheating angle to protect her reputation. Jerry tries to talk with Uncle Leo, but the only thing Uncle Leo tells him is that he never forgets when he's been betrayed. George discovers his book has been "flagged" in all the databases as a bathroom book. Elaine's plan goes awry when J. Peterman demands that she help Zach get off the "yam yam" by helping him to quit cold turkey. Jerry has a nightmare in which a heavily tattooed Uncle Leo does pull-ups in jail and vows to have revenge (a parody of Cape Fear).