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, ...
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...
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 ...
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...
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,...
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 ...
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 ...