As a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, high school student clerking in a retail food store, Jerry encounters professional con artists.

As a three year old living in Granite City, Illinois, Jerry is taken to get his immunization shots in the military manner.  He becomes afraid.

As a four year old living in Granite City, Illinois, after getting off a public city bus, Jerry gets lost walking to his babysitter's house.  A teenager rescues him.

As a four year old living in Granite City, Illinois, Jerry has trouble sleeping due to nightmares.  Once that issue is resolved he finds himself visiting the stars.

Living in Granite City, Illinois, Jerry is with a friend cracking walnuts.  His friend becomes envious of his success and tries to exploit the situation.  Jerry's protests are unexpectedly supported.

Moving from Granite City, Illinois, to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1949, to start third grade, Jerry notes some differences in the beliefs the two communities have about children's behavior.  He considers informing his new elementary school that boys and girls happily played together on the school playground in Granite City.

As a ten year old living in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jerry intervenes when he observes an older boy trying to take a bicycle from a younger girl.  His intervention produces unexpected results.

As a sophomore at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, Jerry decides to hitchhike back to his old hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to spend spring break with his high school friends.  The hitchhiking adventure reaffirms the kindness of strangers.