While young David took a nap in his brand new crib, his father was busy in the garage. He found an old duffle bag and asked his wife Sonia where David’s old clothes were. Sonia kept all of David’s clothes that he outgrew in garbage bags and once a year or so she would take his old clothes and donate them to a nearby thrift store. Sonia showed her husband where the clothes were and asked him what he was going to use them for. Edward explained that when the other kids found out about their son’s baby ways that David had better be prepared to defend himself. Sonia didn’t approve of fighting but she knew that many times this was the sad reality of growing up. She shook her head in disapproval as she headed back into the house.

Edward took the old clothes and stuffed them into the duffle bag as tight as he could and then tied up the duffle bag. He got out the ladder and took a piece of rope and ran it over one of the rafters in the garage. He then tied the duffle bag to the rope creating a homemade punching bag.

When David awoke from his nap he came downstairs still wearing his blanket sleeper. His father instructed him to go change into some “regular” clothes and to meet him in the garage. When David entered the garage he saw the punching bag and didn’t know what to think. His father explained that even though they had talked about how to handle the other kids teasing him for wanting to wear a diaper and wanting to be treated like a baby, that sometimes no matter what he might say to diffuse the situation, he may still be faced with having to fight to defend himself. Edward carefully explained that fighting was an absolute, positive last resort when nothing else had worked. He also told David that he should only fight to defend himself and that he should never, under any circumstance, ever be the one who starts a fight. After he had laid down the ground rules and after David accepted the ground rules the training began. The first thing Edward taught his young son was how to throw a kidney punch. David doubted that such a punch could be very effective. Edward then punched David in the kidney, he was very careful not to hit him too hard, but at the same time, he wanted to hit him hard enough so that he could see what a powerful punch it could be and how it could render his attacker helpless. David doubled over in pain after the punch and then realized that his father was absolutely correct about what an effective punch that it could be.

While David recovered from his punch his father explained how a kidney punch could catch people off guard. He said that in most fights people put their arms and hands up to defend their face and this leaves their stomach and torso wide open. Edward also told his son that if the kidney punch, or punches, were effective in disabling his attacker that he should just walk away and not continue the fight. After David was feeling better Edward demonstrated on the punching bag how to throw a good kidney punch. He then held the bag and had David practice. Edward gave his son several pointers and after David had mastered the kidney punch, he taught him a couple of other punches that he could use in combination with the kidney punch. Edward then left his son alone in the garage for him to practice on the punching bag. After about of 30 minutes of hitting the punching bag David was exhausted and went back in the house.

When Edward saw his son back in the house he told them after he rested up and caught his breath that he needed to go upstairs and take a shower and clean up because his grandparents were coming over that evening for dinner. Edward reminded his son to be sure to change into his “baby” outfit for his grandparents to see. When David heaved a heavy sigh, his father reminded him that he did not have to dress up like a baby if he didn’t want to, that he could still wear his regular “big-boy” clothes, but that if he did then their “deal” was off and that David would have to get rid of all of his diapers and other baby paraphernalia. His father then asked: “So, are you ready to call off our deal?” He was secretly hoping that maybe his son would end this foolish baby business.

David answered his father with a polite: “No sir” and then he asked: “Do I have to wear a diaper too?”

His father replied that not at first he wouldn’t. He didn’t want to freak out David’s grandparents right off the bat. But after dinner, after they had explained everything to his grandparents, that David would be instructed to go upstairs and to “get ready for bed”. At this prompting the young man was to change into his footed pajamas and put on a diaper and then come back downstairs and spend the rest of the evening in his blanket sleeper and diaper. David nodded his head in agreement and headed upstairs to shower.

After his shower David put on his youthful shirt that he and his mother had bought at the thrift store the week before along with his custom tailored shortalls and his sandals. David watched TV and played video games until his grandparents arrived. There was a large lump in his throat as he thought about how they might react to seeing him dressed in such a childish outfit.