Skeezie is a kid who likes to dress like a 50's tough guy but who has a complicated home life. He cultivates the image of the rebel, but in reality, he is confused about his identity. When people expect that he will cause trouble, he generally does cause trouble and becomes labeled a "troublemaker." In fact, he is not a troublemaker, and he becomes trapped in an identity that he comes to detest. In fact, Skeezie is dedicated to helping his family and has a genuine love of food. The Gang of Five's decision to run on the issue of name calling is in part the result of experiences like Skeezie's, where one's reputation becomes a kind of self-fulfilling destiny of sorts.