At age eleven, George is studious and confident. Not even the thought of getting braces can rattle him. Instead, he looks at a trip to the dentist with his mother as a chance to learn something outside of school. He asks a plethora of questions of the technician and the dentist, wondering aloud about the tools, the x-rays and the procedures. The dentist is affable and happy to answer George’s questions. George bluntly asks the dentist how he does, pay wise, to which the dentist replies with a grin that he “does all right” (47). George also asks him which profession is better: a doctor or a dentist. Likening them to Godzilla and King Kong, George asks which occupation would win in the ring. The dentist explains that dentists are doctors and that they receive all the education doctors have so they are more like Superman. George leaves the appointment intrigued and ready to learn more.

At eleven, Sampson accompanies his older brother, Andre, and two neighborhood boys, Crusher and Razor, to meet a man named Reggie whom they believe will teach them kung-fu. Their ideas of martial arts are all gleaned from campy movies. They want to learn jumps and fake karate chops.