- You know how first impressions can sometimes be wrong? Well, they're not in this case.
- Count Olaf is just as horrible and awful as he first seems; in fact, the nicest thing that the kids can say about him is that he's not around much.
- Even though his dirty house is super huge, Count Olaf has given all three children one bedroom to share, as well as only one very uncomfortable bed and an old refrigerator box as a dresser. Yeah—classy, we know.
- Count Olaf spends every day up in the high tower of his house and he always leaves the Baudelaires with a list of instructions for chores they can do that day. Oh gee, thanks.
- One morning, the note says that Count Olaf and his theater troupe are coming by for dinner. The children should have dinner for ten ready by 7:00PM, then serve it and clean up. Oh, and most importantly, stay out of the way.
- And Count Olaf signs all his notes with the same picture of an eye. Creepy.
- This wouldn't be so bad, except the kids don't really know how to cook. Of course, maybe they could find a cookbook… if Count Olaf had any books.
- Just then, Justice Strauss knocks on the door. She wants to check on the kids, and when she hears they need a cookbook, she invites them over to her home library.
- Justice Strauss's house is pretty much the exact opposite of Count Olaf's, and the kids find a recipe that will work for that night.
- And, maybe, just maybe, if they have Justice Strauss as a friend, living with Count Olaf won't be so bad, right? Right?