 Eddie and Tom, in an effort to do more father-son activities together, decide to take karate lessons. In addition, both will get some physical activity. The choice of activity is in no means to show an act of aggression or as self protection. However it may as well be as once Eddie s friends at school find out his new activity, resident tough guy Harold O Brien, an older fifth grader, picks fights with Eddie just to show that Eddie taking karate does not affect the tough guy pecking order. Harold doesn t listen to reason nor does Eddie fight back since he does not yet have the karate skills to do so, so Tom is forced to go talk to Harold s father. Mr. O Brien, like his son, believes that physical brawn is the sign of a man. Mr. O Brien does not condone his son s fighting, but he believes that the kids should work it out themselves. Things between the boys change when Eddie hits back and knocks Harold down. True to his word, Mr. O Brien tells his son to work it out himself. The fighting now stops since Harold doesn t like receiving the medicine he s been dishing out.