Marty desperately wants to play punchball with the neighborhood boys, a pickup game involving hitting a ball and picking on the weakest link. Verbal abuses are sent back and forth just as the ball is. Marty finally is allowed to play when he pressures another boy to join so that the teams are even. He convinces the new kid on the block to play. Marty quickly realizes that the new kid is not very good at the game, and thus he is the most vulnerable. Marty establishes himself amongst the group of boys by beating up the new kid, terrorizing him. His position as the target to be picked on is now replaced by the new kid.