- Mary Jane comes storming out of the Moondance Diner; based on her outfit, it would appear she works there. Peter passes by on the street, then turns around and chases after her.
- Mary Jane quickly covers her waitress uniform with her coat. Peter is in the neighborhood looking for a job, and M.J. says she's on her way to an audition.
- Then she lies and says she was actually just leaving a job. Technically, we guess that's not a lie, but she makes it sound like she was just leaving an acting job, not waiting tables.
- Peter thinks it's rad that she's living her dream. Then her boss, Enrique, waddles out of the diner and yells across the street at her that her drawer was short $6. M.J. is busted.
- M.J. asks Peter not to tell Harry that she's waiting tables because she's dating Harry now—say what?!—and she worries that he'd think it was low.
- Peter stifles his shock about his roommate dating Mary Jane and assures her it's not low, and here's why: A) she has a job and B) Harry doesn't exactly live on planet Earth.
- Then they part ways, promising to catch up sometime.
- Cut to Peter and Harry's apartment. Harry is struggling with his schoolwork. Norman is there, on the phone.
- Harry tells Peter that Norman is there for his weekly inspection. Based on how nice the apartment is, it's a safe assumption that Norman is paying a hefty chunk of the rent.
- Harry also asks Peter what's wrong. Peter was late to work again, and his boss, Dr. Connors, fired him. Harry asks Peter where he goes all the time, and Peter answers with a vague "around."
- Villainous brain snack! Dr. Connors is the alter ego of Spider-Man villain the Lizard.
- Unfortunately, the Sam Raimi Spider-Man adaptations, of which this is the first, never got around to using him.
- Norman gets off the phone and asks Peter to spill the beans on this mystery girl Harry's been dating. Peter says he hasn't heard anything about Harry dating anybody and gives Harry some serious stink eye.
- Desperate to change the subject, Harry tells his dad that Peter is looking for work.
- Norman says he'll make some calls. Peter says thanks, but no thanks: he likes to earn what he gets. Norman is once again impressed by Peter.
- Peter spots the Daily Bugle ad for pictures of Spider-Man on the counter. You can practically see the light bulb go off over his head.
- Cut to a pack of goons robbing an armored car. Spider-Man swoops in and saves the day as flashbulbs go off. We see a camera rigged up in a web.
- Cut to Jameson's office. He's rifling through a handful of seriously awesome Spider-Man pix that Peter has presented to him.
- Jameson tries to lowball him, then agrees to pay him $300. Peter says he wants a job. Jameson says it's freelance or nothing and kicks him out, but not before ordering Peter to bring him more pictures.