Tue, Jan 4, 1972
Tom starts dating Eddie's substitute pediatrician, Dr. Liz Park. Before things get too serious between the two of them, Liz tells Tom that she is going to Switzerland for three years to study. Although they are very attracted to each other, Switzerland is an obvious obstacle, but they decide to keep dating regardless until she leaves. But because of Tom and their time together, Liz decides not to go to Switzerland. However, after their date, Tom and Liz return back to the apartment to find that Eddie has developed a high fever, for which Liz, in her doctor role, treats. This act makes her realize that pediatric surgery, her chosen field of study in Switzerland, really is her true calling; she has to go.
Tue, Jan 11, 1972
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.
Tue, Jan 18, 1972
Eddie has decided to learn the saxophone. With a borrowed instrument and free lessons at school, Tom is encouraged that his son is showing an interest in music. After three days, Eddie's talent is still lacking, but the household endures to encourage Eddie. However, upstairs neighbor, Major Pritchett, is not so understanding. Not willing to compromise, Major Pritchett demands that Eddie cease and desist from ever playing the saxophone again. After speaking to the major, Tom is outraged. The major has declared war, and one of his tactics is to stomp continually on his floor and play his bagpipes at two o'clock in the morning. As neither side gives in, the major, with other neighbors on his side, organizes a tenant's meeting to discuss the issue. After consulting his lawyer Sy Freeman who advises him to come to terms with the major, Tom welcomes the opportunity to address the tenants. After making his point and outing Major Pritchett as the bagpipe player, Tom informs the tenants that Eddie has decided to stop playing the saxophone since he has decided he doesn't like it. The major thinks he's won the battle, but apparently he has not won the war. The major gets a talking to from his next door neighbor, Lorraine Karn, who objects to the continual squawking of his birds. And another neighbor, Mr. Hobson, was so buoyed by Tom's speech that he has decided to bring out his drum set.
Tue, Feb 1, 1972
Renowned inspirational writer Peter Stowe is an old friend of Tom's from their college days. Peter has agreed to write an article for the magazine, but really only did so to catch up with Tom. With Peter comes an old manuscript of a half completed novel that Tom wrote in college. Tom initially wants to put that ancient history, as he calls it, behind him, but Peter convinces him that perhaps he should resume writing that novel. Tom manages to shut out as much extraneous activity around him so that he can write, but he doesn't know if he wants to do that to Eddie or if it is fair to Eddie. Finally as Peter completes the article, Tom completes his understanding of why he didn't complete the novel in the first place and why he doesn't want to write it now: he found other things in life more important to him, which now includes his life with Eddie.
Tue, Feb 8, 1972
Because Mrs. Livingston has the flu, Tom asks Norman to sit for Eddie over the weekend while Tom is away on a last minute business trip to Sacramento. Also staying with Norman and Eddie at the Corbett household is Norman's bachelor friend, Rodney River, Jr. Tom wants to make sure that Rodney is not a carousing playboy bachelor, which Norman assures him Rodney's not. In actuality, Rodney is an actuary, whose professional life spills into his personal beliefs. Rodney assesses the risk of everything he does and takes precautionary measures to reduce the risk of accident, injury, illness and any other negative issue of which he may think. He is thus also a hypochondriac. The first problem that Rodney has is the sleeping arrangement, first all the germs he thinks are in Eddie's room (the room in which he is first assigned, but later has to move since he is allergic to the goldfish food in the room), and second the narrow couch from which he thinks he may fall off of. After a half sleepless night for the threesome, Rodney doesn't allow Eddie to go to his regular Saturday morning football game for fear of injury. OK'd by Rodney, Norman does allow Eddie to go visit with his friend in the building instead. When it's dinnertime, Eddie is nowhere to be seen. Norman's isn't concerned until Rodney voices his concern. Calling Eddie's friend, Norman learns that Eddie never made it to his intended destination. After calling others, Norman and Rodney, both now worried, decide to go and search for Eddie, but not before a telephone call from Tom who wants to speak to Eddie (Norman doesn't tell Tom that Eddie's missing). Norman and Rodney quickly find Eddie in the building elevator, which is broken - the door stuck ajar and the emergency button not working. Once they open and close the elevator door, the threesome now find they're all stuck in the elevator. Eddie's not worried, Norman only slightly so, but Rodney, afraid of everything, is on the verge of hyperventilating, that is until he finds that he's actually in no harm. This causes a further but more profound revelation that he doesn't need to be afraid of everything in life and that life really is for living, which he hasn't done up to this point. Just then, a savior comes to their rescue: Tom. Tom came home early since he had a premonition that something was wrong. However, finding the threesome in the elevator - Tom just assumed that they were heading off somewhere, the threesome not correcting him - Tom admits his premonition was wrong.
Tue, Feb 22, 1972
Partly because Eddie turned his bedroom into a makeshift football field, Tom thinks they may need more space, namely a house. In their search, they come across Irma Handily, a real estate agent eager for a sale. Based on Norman's advice to Tom, Mrs. Handily finds Tom what he thinks is the perfect house: a huge, older country house. Tom and Eddie are both initially excited about the house, but doubts slowly creep into their minds. For Eddie, he will have to leave his friends and his school. In addition, Mrs. Livingston may not be able to go with them because the house is located so far from her own home. And for Tom, the cost of renovations is going to be much higher than what he first anticipated. Although they are still excited about the house, they decide, much to Mrs. Handily's dismay, it is just not right for them at this time and decide to stay put.
Top-rated
Tue, Feb 29, 1972
Tom hires Landon's Listen-In, a telephone answering service for home, their answer lady being Annie Dempsey. She's a Jill of all trades, and once Eddie and Mrs. Livingston simultaneously come down with a cold, Annie offers to sit for Eddie while Tom is at work and Mrs. Livingston recuperating at home. While at the Corbetts, Annie not only looks after Eddie, but she also does her answering service business, sits for another client's dog and cooks dinner for Tom and Eddie, the dinner for which Eddie invites Annie to stay. Annie ends up staying a little longer than expected, as first she passes out from drinking too much wine, then second suspects she is coming down with whatever bug Eddie and Mrs. Livingston have. But Annie has other work to do, namely catering a party, so Kathy and Jeff, two of her colleagues, descend on the Corbetts to find out what needs to be done. Also descending on the Corbetts is Mr. Landon, Annie's boss, who objects to Annie offering too much personalized service. In other words, he thinks Annie and Tom spent the night together. For Tom, this really is a little too much personalized service from Landon's Listen-In. To protect Annie, Tom tells Landon that he wants to a write an article about Annie and the business for the magazine. But he also decides to cancel the service for home as he needs his peace and quiet and privacy back.