Tue, Sep 22, 1970
Eddie breaks open his piggy bank - it's actually a rocket-shaped bank - as he wants to buy a "just because I love you Dad" or what Eddie coins an "unbirthday" present for Tom with his $3.04. Mrs. Livingston comes up with standard ideas like a tie or socks or after shave, but Eddie wants something more special. Norman comes up with a perfect idea: a home movie showing Eddie on a typical day. Norman can film it as he has a new sound movie camera. It's going to cost exactly $3.04! Mrs. Livingston and Tina are in on the surprise. They film the movie on a Saturday under the guise of Norman taking Eddie on an outing. The plan doesn't go as smoothly as they hope as Tom wants to come along. Norman directly but tactfully tells Tom that he's not invited. Then Tom decides to go to the office to do some work, the office being one of Norman and Eddie's filming locations. Mrs. Livingston telephones to warn the film crew, and Eddie and Norman hide just as Tom arrives. Tina tries to get Tom to go home, but when he doesn't, she at least tries to distract him from Eddie and Norman's hiding location behind the curtain. But Tom finally finds out something is going on when he sees two pairs of feet underneath the curtain hem, and takes Tina's hint to go home so as not to uncover whatever Eddie and Norman's surprise is. They finish the movie. Tom loves the movie and the "surprise". It's the best unbirthday present he's ever received.
Tue, Sep 29, 1970
Household items slowly go missing from the Corbett household. Initially unbeknownst to Tom and Mrs. Livingston, Eddie is the one taking the items because he and Joey Kelly are planning on running away to Mexico. Eddie wants to just because it would be a fun kid thing to do. Joey, on the other hand, has more pressing reasons: her father, Joe, is planning on getting remarried to a woman named Sherry Dornen, and Joey doesn't like the idea of another woman - any woman - replacing the memory of her real mother. Joe thinks that Joey is fine with the idea. Eddie, not fully understanding the concept of running away, wants to tell Tom, but Joey doesn't let him. Tom pieces things together when Eddie inadvertently implicates Joey in the missing items from the Corbett household. When Tom discusses this with Joe, Joe comes to the realization that Joey has been acting strangely, like hiding underwear and pajamas in her lunch-box, and perhaps the two are planning on running away. Tom and Joe secretly follow Eddie and Joey to Eddie's secret hiding place - a large wooden crate on an abandoned lot - and overhear Eddie and Joey's plans, and the probable reason for them wanting to run away. Tom convinces Joe to let them try and run away. But Eddie beats them to the punch by telling Tom what they're planning on doing so that Tom can help Joey. Just before Eddie and Joey are scheduled to run away, Tom talks to Joey, specifically about a real family having a mother. Joey understands and runs back into the arms of her father.
Tue, Oct 13, 1970
Eddie thinks Mrs. Livingston and Norman are in love with each other. He comes to this conclusion since Mrs. Livingston has been wearing new dresses when she knows Norman is coming over, she cooked a special meal when he did come over and Norman gave her a gift of love beads. Although he thinks the idea far fetched, Tom begins to think so as well and tells Norman of his and Eddie's thoughts. Norman is nervous about the idea and now nervous around Mrs. Livingston. Norman has an exploratory chat with Mrs. Livingston, after which he thinks Tom and Eddie have it all wrong - he thinks Mrs. Livingston is in love with Tom. Tom begins to think that perhaps Norman is right. On a day that Tom has to take an overnight business trip, Mrs. Livingston plans on staying overnight with Eddie, she sleeping in Tom's bed. Plans change for everyone when Norman takes Eddie for the night and the reason for Tom's trip get canceled, so eventually Tom and Mrs. Livingston spend the night together alone, innocently but nervously for Tom as he knows Mrs. Livingston, the woman he thinks is in love with him, is sleeping in his bed (Tom is sleeping in Eddie's room). The next morning, Tom thinks he better be direct with Mrs. Livingston, but before he can be, Mrs. Livingston wants to talk to Tom. She thinks that Tom is unhappy with her care-giving duties to Eddie as she has been preoccupied with thoughts of something else - someone else. That someone else is Mr. Namura, her new beau. Tom, somewhat relieved, tells Mrs. Livingston what he thought about her and him, and initially of her and Norman. Mrs. Livingston is in hysterics, as hysterical as reserved Mrs. Livingston can be.
Tue, Oct 20, 1970
Tom and Norman need to go on a business trip to Las Vegas. Unfortunately this trip coincides with Eddie's performance as Abe Lincoln. Eddie is excited about being in the school play, and excited to have Tom, Norman and Mrs. Livingston in the audience. When Eddie finds out that Tom and Norman can't make it, Eddie is so disappointed that he no longer wants to eat his dessert, be social or be in the play, so much so he throws away his Abe Lincoln beard. Mrs. Livingston explains to Eddie that Tom needs to go to Las Vegas to operate his business, and although Eddie is still unhappy about it, he understands and stops pouting. Tom is equally as disappointed, but sees no way of getting out of this trip. When Eddie overhears Norman talking about doing some fun social activities on this supposed business trip, Eddie goes back into his pout and refuses to talk to Tom about it. To get Eddie to talk, Tom decides that he and Eddie and Norman need to have a Board meeting, to talk officially about the issue. Eddie opens up. Further to the talk that Mrs. Livingston had with Eddie, Tina is the voice of practicality on this issue. She says that it is not only business but responsibility: Eddie has the individual responsibility of being Abe Lincoln, just as Tom has the individual responsibility of attending a business meeting in Las Vegas. Again, Eddie understands, doesn't like it, but accepts reality. Tom and Norman go on their trip, and Eddie recites the Gettysburg Address - at least the first line!
Top-rated
Tue, Oct 27, 1970
Talk of the law and a book on law from Tom's bookcase gets Eddie thinking about preparing his will. He is so intent on it that he puts off his homework which he promised to do, completion of which is necessary for him to go to a Japanese fair with Mrs. Livingston the following day. When Tom tells Mrs. Livingston about Eddie probably not being able to go to the fair and the importance of discipline of children, Mrs. Livingston tells Tom how much she really does understand despite not having a traditional family of her own. She, for the first time ever, tells Tom about her deceased husband and son, both of who died in a car accident, her son who would have turned eight years old the following day. Unbeknownst to the adults, Eddie overhears the story. Tom and Eddie come to an understanding that Eddie can stay up past his bedtime to finish his homework to allow Eddie to go to the fair, which is as much for him as it is for Mrs. Livingston. Eddie finishes his homework but also finishes his will, which he leaves for Tom in a sealed envelope while he goes to the fair with Mrs. Livingston. Tom and Norman are dying to read what Eddie wrote in his will, and finally decide that as Eddie's parent, Tom should make a copy for safekeeping. Expecting to read who got the much coveted aquarium (Tom, Norman and Mrs. Livingston all individually mentioned to Eddie that they like it the most of all Eddie's possession, but Eddie wills it to the school so that the three of them won't fight over it), Tom reads that Eddie has willed Tom, Norman and Mrs. Livingston to each other so that they will always have someone to love. Tom has probably never been more proud of his son.
Tue, Nov 3, 1970
There is a mutual attraction between Tom and upstairs neighbor, Valerie Bessinger, but he is equally exasperated by her as well. Tom first meets her when Eddie, who is part of her experimental play group, comes back from one of her sessions with a toy bear made out of a cut up American flag. Tom is offended by that act. But Valerie wanted the children to experience the flag in a different and more meaningful way to them. Valerie is somewhat of a free spirit, philanthropic and socially political with many political connections. She also has a zest for life. Her latest cause is to have officially a reflower the earth day, a cause she has not only taken up with the Senate, but also with her play group. The children are equally excited about it. There is mutual adoration between Valerie and Eddie, and Eddie would love her to be his mother. Tom contemplates what it would be like to have Valerie as a wife and as a mother for Eddie. But he doesn't have a chance to find out as Valerie all of a sudden picks up and moves: she has received an appointment to a political position in Washington. She is leaving on her reflower the earth day, leaving the children in the lurch. Tom is angry with Valerie for disappointing the children, specifically Eddie, solely for her own interests. Although Valerie wants to maintain a relationship and friendship with Tom, Tom declines. He feels that she is, in his words, not committed but fashionable. But Tom will admit that his time with Valerie has been an experience he wouldn't have missed.
Tue, Nov 10, 1970
Tom thinks that perhaps he has created too cozy a world for Eddie, one where Tom has no one to give to but Eddie, and visa versa. Norman suggests exposing Eddie to one of the children in his homeless native Indian story, so Tom brings home Bobby Brownbear, an Apache Indian, for a visit before Bobby is permanently placed. Although Bobby breaks Eddie's new model airplane, Eddie does like Bobby, but quickly gets jealous of him when he seems to be taking Tom's attention, attention that used to be solely reserved for Eddie. Eddie needs to talk to someone about his feelings, and he turns to Norman, who assures him that his father still loves him. Tom in turn apologizes to Eddie for making Bobby out to be a "sacred cow" - someone who Eddie feels like he cannot say anything bad about - and assures Eddie that he can treat Bobby like any other of his friends, who he sometimes does get mad at. Eddie realizes that he will always have the love of his father, and as such, he can appreciate the friendship of Bobby, and the friendship between Tom and Bobby. He demonstrates this friendship by giving one of his favorite possessions, one that Bobby admired, to Bobby as a farewell gift.
Tue, Nov 24, 1970
Tom encounters Cynthia Kurland of the Female Freedom Foundation, a women's liberation organization. An extremist, Cynthia is bold, forthright, direct, pushy, and also very beautiful. Compliments and pampering she sees as condescension. Cynthia wants Tom to do a story on women's lib for the magazine, which he considers. Mutually attracted to each other, they decide to mix business and pleasure, with Cynthia taking on the traditionally male role of paying for checks, pulling out seats, opening doors and sending gifts. Tom doesn't mind the role reversal, but admittedly he does feel slightly nervous around Cynthia as he doesn't quite enjoy the role reversal concerning the sexual aggression. Ultimately, Tom gets turned off by Cynthia's game playing, as he doesn't know what is real is what is a game. He convinces her that perhaps she takes the games too far and that men and women are not equal in every sense: they may be equal but they're also different, and she must understand those differences.
Tue, Dec 1, 1970
Elsie, Eddie's friend from the building, has sneaked into his room looking for refuge. She asks Eddie not to tell anyone she's there, and to be helpful to his friend, he tries to keep everyone out of his room to protect Elsie's sanctuary. Eddie figures that Elsie needs help, so with some hints, Eddie infers to Tom that Elsie is hiding in his room. After Tom talks to her, she tells him the reason for her running away: she found out that she's adopted, and her parents do not yet know that she knows. She found out by prying open her father's "secret box" where he keeps all his important papers. Elsie puts it into Eddie's head that perhaps he too is adopted and that Tom is hiding such information in his own secret box. Tom indeed does have a secret locked box in his desk. Elsie preys on Eddie's fears and convinces him to break into the box. Mrs. Livingston catches Eddie and Elsie in the act. Eddie and Tom ultimately have a discussion about what is hiding in his secret box. To be open to his son, Tom tells Eddie where the key is as well as what is in the box: a bunch of run of the mill papers such as insurance, but also what Tom calls his life miracles. The latter includes his marriage certificate, a wedding photo, and Eddie's birth certificate. Adopted or not, Eddie and Elsie understand that their respective parents love them. Eddie tells Tom that he too has a secret box, and because of Tom's openness, Eddie no longer wants to keep his a secret. Included within Eddie's box is an old discarded possession of Tom's. Seeing this, Tom thinks it's time for Eddie to have a personal possession of his mother's to keep in his secret box: a chain and locket.
Top-rated
Tue, Dec 15, 1970
During the middle of the night, Mrs. Livingston swears that she saw a ghost in Eddie's room. Tom thinks she just had a bad dream, but does attribute his and her difference in opinion on their respective cultures. Mrs. Livingston tells Eddie of a mythical creature called Baku, which is an eater of dreams. Eddie draws one for her to eat her bad dream. Despite Baku, Mrs. Livingston sees the ghost again in Eddie's room the next time she stays overnight. Since Tom is convinced there is a logical explanation for what Mrs. Livingston saw, Norman suggests they have a ghost hunt. Tensions mount as they all await the arrival of Mrs. Livingston's ghost. Suddenly it appears, and Eddie, Tina and Mrs. Livingston in particular are scared. However it is just the moonlight reflecting through Eddie's aquarium fish. Although Mrs. Livingston is relieved, she secretly is still not totally convinced that there are no ghosts. But this experience teaches Eddie that the longer you take a look at something, including ghosts, the less scary it becomes.
Tue, Dec 22, 1970
Norman is over at the Corbett household one evening, and is feeling especially grateful for not only the hospitality but the dear friendship of Tom, Eddie and Mrs. Livingston. To show his appreciation, Norman gives Tom an irreplaceable medallion he always wears on a chain around his neck. Tom is overwhelmed by Norman's act of kindness, that of a gift Norman obviously treasures. That weekend, Joey Kelly stays with the Corbetts as her father, Joe, needs to be out of town. Eddie's not too happy as it postpones a camping trip he and Tom were going to take, and more importantly, Eddie and Joey are currently on the outs as friends. Despite that, Eddie is a very gracious host to Joey. Because Tom is proud of the way his son is acting, he gives to Eddie Norman's medallion. Eddie is so excited by the meaning of the gift. The next morning, Eddie inadvertently insults an act of graciousness from Joey, which makes her cry. Eddie apologizes, and as a gift to show how sorry he really is, he gives her Norman's medallion. Like Eddie was, Joey is excited by the meaning of the gift. Joey in turn gives the medallion to her father as a 'just because I love and missed you' present. Later, Joe comes back by the Corbetts to talk to Mrs. Livingston. He wants to show his appreciation for the motherly influence she had on Joey during her stay, and gives her a gift of Norman's medallion. And finally, Mrs. Livingston gives the medallion back to Norman as a gift. She will treasure the meaning of Joe's gift to her, but she wants Norman to have it back both because she misses seeing him wear it, but more importantly he was the one who started the gift of giving. Norman is touched - it's the best present he's ever received in more ways than one. In Tom's estimation, this gift giving was the perfect circle.
Tue, Jan 5, 1971
Cissy Drummond-Randolph, the Chairman of the Board at the magazine, has come back from her soul searching trip in the rain-forest, where she went to learn how "to get her hair wet". Despite the fact that Tina is still in nervous awe of her, Cissy did come back a changed woman. She reconciles with Norman as she too is now more of a free soul than she used to be. And she asks Tom to move to New York to work directly with her. Tom thinks she has ulterior motives of a personal nature: he thinks she's after him as a husband. She admits as much to Norman, who in turn tells Tom. Tom in turn tells her that he thinks her interest in him is solely due to the fact that he was the one who initiated her life change, and thus she is misinterpreting her feelings for her new life as love for him. She is as gracious in rejection as Tom was in the rejecting.
Tue, Jan 12, 1971
Tom and Norman are doing a story on the ghetto for the magazine. To put their money where their mouths are, Norman hires a girl from Helping Hand Incorporated, an organization that places former juvenile delinquents in jobs. Tom isn't sure about this idea, only because it is a busy time at the magazine. The person they get is Angustia Ferrero, Gus for short. Gus is tough, mouthy, sarcastic, suspicious of establishment and basically mad at the world for her lot in life. She first meets Tom while he is doing some filing. Without knowing who he is, and she mouths off about what a hypocritical bigwig "Tom Corbett" is. She next meets Eddie not knowing who he is, and although she initially likes him, she dismisses him once she finds out he's the boss' son. This act hurts Eddie. Despite how she treated Eddie and how she made Eddie feel, Tom feels like he needs to reach out to her to show her that there are people in the world not out to get her, or else others down the line will be hurt by her. When he reveals himself to her as Tom Corbett, he apologizes for the initial non-disclosure of who he was/is. She's mad; her view of the bad of "the system" is strengthened. Without knowing her angered state, Norman has her make an urgent and important delivery. She goes missing. They find her, having thrown the delivery in the garbage. Tom immediately fires her, but explains to her that he is firing her because of what she did, not because of who she is. Still mad, Gus runs into Eddie, who has come to the office to, in the words of Tom, share himself with her by showing her something important in his life, namely a necklace that belonged to his mother. This act of kindness shows Gus that her anger toward everyone at the magazine and at Eddie was unfounded. She goes back to Tom with an attitude of truly wanting forgiveness and her job back. Tom agrees, but with the understanding that he will not hesitate to fire her again if she doesn't do her job. She now understands herself.
Tue, Jan 26, 1971
Although he really wants one, Eddie is OK when Tom won't buy him a horse. However when Tom refuses to let Eddie have a horse purchased by Norman, Eddie is mad. Norman and Tina figured they would do this good Samaritan gesture since Tom said that he wouldn't buy one due to cost, whereas Norman, a bachelor, can since he has no one to spend his money on. However, the expense is only one and least important in a long line of reasons why Tom won't buy Eddie a horse, the biggest reason being that Eddie is not yet old enough for the responsibility. Eddie is so mad, that he doesn't want to do anything with Tom anymore, and he also doesn't want Tom to use their favorite pet name for each other, "Sport", anymore. Tom allows Eddie to vent his anger since he wants to let Eddie know that first it's all right to express anger, and second that Eddie need not spend every waking moment of life with Tom. After Norman replaces Tom on an outing with Eddie, Eddie comes to a better understanding of his feelings of brief anger and of overwhelming love for his father, and that they need not be mutually exclusive feelings.
Tue, Feb 2, 1971
Tina and Norman are dating again. Tina's encounter group thinks that Tina and Norman need an impartial but close third party to evaluate their relationship, that neutral party being Tom. So they hold one of the encounter group meetings at Tom's apartment. After meeting Tom and hearing about his and Tina's relationship, the group thinks that the problem with Tina and Norman's relationship is that Norman has an inferiority complex to and rivalry with Tom for Tina's affections. What's more, they think Tina is really in love with Tom. These statements are making Norman and Tom uncomfortable with each other and with Tina, this feeling flowing over into work. Tina, however, just wants to let the information sink into her psyche. She begins to think that the idea of her and "Mr. Corbett" not such a wild idea. Tom feels he needs to nip this idea of Tina's in the bud and agrees to have another encounter group meeting at his place. He tells the group, including Tina and Norman, that he thinks he and Tina should fly to Las Vegas immediately and elope. This declaration freaks Tina out, and she declines. The group reevaluates the situation and come to the conclusion that Tina is fickle and is not in love with either Tom or Norman, but rather is in love with the thought of love. Tom and Tina and Norman's relationships go back to the way they originally were.
Tue, Feb 9, 1971
Eddie receives a telegram from astronaut, Colonel Leroy Gordon Cooper. Cooper is responding positively to an invitation from Eddie to come to the Corbett household to have a quiet lunch, away from the media spotlight. Tom is a little skeptical that the telegram is really from Cooper - he thinks one of Eddie's friends is playing a joke. But it ends up really being from Cooper. Tom, despite being in the media business, does not want to capitalize on Eddie's quiet lunch, and thus decides not to do a story on it for the magazine. However, one of Eddie's classmates, Sammy Weston, has a father in television and he wants to film the lunch. Tom lets Eddie make up his own mind, and Eddie says no. Weston counter offers with the filmed luncheon being shown as a segment on a network show with an appearance fee paid to Eddie of $1,000. Eddie still says no. Weston yet counter offers with a $2,000 donation to Eddie's favorite charity. This time, Tom, offended by the offer, says no on behalf of Eddie. The story of the $2,000 gets back to Eddie and his schoolmates via Sammy, who thinks Tom and Eddie are being mean and selfish, not only for not allowing the camera crews and Eddie's friends to attend the lunch, but for denying a charity, $2,000. Tom and Mrs. Livingston explain to Eddie that the money was just a buy off in the name of altruism. Eddie and Cooper end up having their nice, quiet lunch, just the way both of them wanted and intended.
Top-rated
Tue, Feb 16, 1971
Tom uses the fact of Eddie going to camp to have a romantic weekend with his girlfriend, Brenda. Tom however does not anticipate the continual distractions. First, a work emergency occurs. Since it looks like it will take a long time to resolve, Brenda decides to go home and wait for Tom to finish. She's right as Tom needs to pull an all nighter. Once Tom finishes his work duties and gets some sleep, second, Mrs. Livingston decides to come in for the weekend to clean up the kitchen. As soon as Tom politely sends Mrs. Livingston home, third, Joey Kelly shows up on Tom's doorstep. Joey's father, Joe, and his girlfriend Sherry went to Las Vegas for the weekend and assumed that Joey would stay with the Corbetts during their absence. When Joey called Eddie earlier on to ask, she didn't ask Eddie since Eddie wasn't going to be around. But rather than stay with a sitter, Joey wanted to stay with Tom since she was upset about her father and Sherry probably going to elope without telling her. Since Joe and Sherry were driving to Vegas, Tom has no way of getting in touch with them, and thus Tom has no other choice than to keep Joey for the weekend. When Tom calls Brenda with this latest news, ever gracious Brenda is no longer gracious and hangs up on Tom. Later, Sherry comes by to pick up Joey - she and Joe decided that in Joey's fragile state of mind, it better to take her along. Just then, Brenda drops by in a mood of forgiveness, until she sees Sherry, who she assumes is a fling of Tom's. After clearing up the confusion, Tom finally has his romantic, albeit shortened weekend with Brenda. It ends up being even shorter when Eddie arrives home unexpectedly early.
Tue, Mar 2, 1971
Tina's mother is visiting from Sioux City. She believes in spiritualism and mysticism and possesses many charms and crystals, their magical powers in which she believes. Rational Tom isn't superstitious, but Mrs. Rickles wants to prove to Eddie that her beliefs are not bunk as Tom would have him believe. As such, she gives Eddie a special charm that she says will grant Eddie's deepest wishes. Tom is angry as he would rather have Eddie work at achieving his wishes rather than place faith in a magic charm. Eddie gets his wish - an A in his spelling test - and believes in the power of the charm. To prove to Tom the power of the charm, Eddie asks for his biggest wish: a mother. Just then, Miss Huffman, an unmarried new substitute teacher comes by, who to Eddie looks to be a potential mother type. When Eddie finds out she's engaged, he thinks he didn't wish properly. Finally, Tom directly but kindly tells Mrs. Rickles that he wished that she didn't impose her beliefs on Eddie. She is apologetic, but through a further gift to Eddie and an accomplishment of Tom's, she makes Tom realize that wishes are not magic but rather a combination of imagery plus will.
Tue, Mar 9, 1971
Things go missing from the Corbett household: Tom's belt, his gold cuff-links and Mrs. Livingston's kitchen timer. Eddie admits that he took them, as he is somewhat proud to announce that he has joined a gang, led by older kid Mark, of whom Eddie is in awe. Mark dictates to the gang of younger kids that they steal things from stores, but since Eddie was uncomfortable doing that, he decided to take things from home, telling the other kids that he stole them from stores. Tom is obviously upset with Eddie's conduct, explaining that stealing is an illegal act and is morally wrong. Tom tells Eddie that he is responsible for those items taken, meaning that he either has to get them back or else pay for them out of his allowance. When Eddie tells Mark he won't steal anymore, Mark kicks him out of the gang, but not before Eddie becomes the victim of theft himself at the hands of Mark, namely Eddie's major school project which Mark turns in as his own. Because he was punished at school for failing to turn in his project, Eddie stands up to Mark, putting him down front of the others and retrieving those items he stole from Tom and Mrs. Livingston. But Eddie finds out who his true friends are, when the other kids in the gang also dump Mark and return to being friends with Eddie.
Tue, Mar 16, 1971
Eddie wants a brother. After Tom tells Eddie how long it took for him to come along after he first met Helen, Eddie is despondent as it's going to take a long time for his brother to materialize and Tom will be really old by then. Tom is worried by Eddie's fixation, especially after Eddie makes up an imaginary brother playmate, "Tommy". Tom does not approve of Tommy because it masks the reality of not really having what Eddie wants. Eddie decides to take matters into his own hands and negotiates with his friend Steve, of who Eddie is jealous since Steve has four brothers and another one on the way. Eddie trades some of his possessions, including his aquarium, for Steve's yet unborn baby sibling. Tom obviously stops the negotiations and has a chat with Eddie about the realities of having another child. Tom, who really would like to get married again and have another child, thinks an ideal solution would be for Eddie to "adopt" a needy child through the Concerned Parent's Plan.
Top-rated
Tue, Mar 23, 1971
Tom gets Eddie a chemistry set as a gift. Mrs. Livingston wants Eddie only to play with it in the bathroom just in case he spills some chemicals on the carpet, this suggestion supported by Tom. Mrs. Livingston catches Eddie playing with it in his bedroom, at which she kindly reminds him to take things immediately into the bathroom. Not heeding the warning, Eddie immediately spills a dark blue tinted chemical onto his bedroom carpet. Eddie, trying to hide the accident, only makes things worse as the blue gets onto his shoes, tramped to other areas of the carpet, onto his shirt, onto a towel, and onto the bedspread. Eddie can't hide the visible manifestations of his accident from Mrs. Livingston. Ultimately, Tom reminds Eddie of the deal they made regarding responsibility, and the consequence of losing whatever the cause of failed responsibility. However, this one time, Tom decides to bend the deal, and lets Eddie keep the chemistry set. Although she doesn't say anything and supports Tom's parental decisions concerning Eddie, Mrs. Livingston is really as upset with Tom as she is with Eddie for Tom's leniency with Eddie in the situation. It isn't until Tom directly asks Mrs. Livingston of her thoughts regarding his decision with the chemistry set that Mrs. Livingston speaks her mind, albeit in her typically reserved Japanese way. For her, it is not a matter of a ruined carpet, but rather really of teaching Eddie what it means to be responsible and the role of discipline. Tom still thinks he made the right decision and attributes Mrs. Livingston's attitude partly to a woman's more emotional and sensitive nature. Both Tom and Eddie notice Mrs. Livingston's standoffish behavior following the incident and Eddie in particular tries to do whatever he can to make Mrs. Livingston "smile again". Another incident occurs later when Eddie hears a parade outside, and wanting to get a better look, climbs on top of the balcony railing. Seeing this, Mrs. Livingston grabs Eddie and sternly chastises him. Eddie, feeling physically hurt, runs to Tom, who just arrives home after the incident, for support against Mrs. Livingston's action toward him. This time, Tom supports Mrs. Livingston's actions, but only gives Eddie a stern warning without any real consequence. Tom figures Eddie has learned his lesson, however Mrs. Livingston, the witness to Eddie's action, doesn't think Tom really understands the severity of what Eddie did. It isn't until Tom later sees a similar incident - Eddie climbs over the balcony railing trying to retrieve his kite - that Tom takes more direct action: he grabs Eddie off the railing, gives him a quick spanking and a more concerned and hysterical talking to. Because of the spanking, Eddie says Tom is not only no longer his friend, but he doesn't love Tom anymore. Tom finally admits to Mrs. Livingston, who caught the tail end of Eddie's second time on the balcony railing, that he has never been as scared in his entire life, and that Eddie probably wouldn't have climbed onto the railing the second time if he was stricter with Eddie from the get go. The supportive Mrs. Livingston tells Tom that Eddie still loves him despite his words and despite Tom's discipline, which is indeed the case.