Laurie's mother doesn't feel too comfortable about her son's first day at kindergarten, not least because it precipitates a noticeable change in his personality and demeanor.

All of a sudden, a "sweet-voiced nursery-school tot" has been replaced by an ill-mannered, "long-trousered swaggering character," and Laurie's mother is understandably none too happy about it.

When Laurie comes home after his first day at kindergarten, he picks up where he left off earlier that morning. The boy slams the door, throws his cap on the floor, and starts yelling if anyone's there. Whatever Laurie learned at kindergarten, it certainly wasn't good manners.

In fact, Laurie is adamant that he didn't learn anything, hardly an encouraging start to his formal education. His mother is worried. She wonders if kindergarten is too unsettling for her son. As well as being worried about Laurie's toughness and bad grammar, his mother is concerned about a boy at kindergarten called Charles, who apparently is always getting into trouble and might be a bad influence on Laurie.