June's makeup is missing; Wally is using it to cover up a black eye some kid gave Beaver. The makeup didn't work, so what do we say? Beaver fell down fighting.That's normal. Even Ward got into a few good fights, so how many punches did Beaver get in? None. This is a problem. Boys have to be able to defend themselves. Defend himself enough to mop up the playground with the kid who gave Beaver the black eye next time there is a fight. Unfortunately, in this case Beaver can't fight back: you can't hit girls.
Ward is determined to give Beaver a few pointers. In the garage, Ward tells Beaver not to start a fight, but not to run away either. When someone gets aggressive towards you, you need to be aggressive back. Or, if a kid punches you, you just punch them right back. Look out Violet Rutherford.
Worse, Fred Rutherford has stopped by to let Ward know he just beat Ward out of a fat contract at work. While Fred has dropping off some work, he really came by to rub it in; plus, he can then brag about his children. His two boys are bruisers, no doubt will get football scholarships when the time comes. And his daughter Violet, she just keeps getting notices in the paper. Tough luck about losing out on the Thompson contract, but no hard feelings.
Wally tells Ward why Beaver didn't fight back; it was a girl who gave him the black eye. Ward gets a laugh until he learns the girl was Violet Rutherford. Wally says Beaver went over to see Violet. Ward takes off to warn Fred, he just about told Beaver to beat up a girl. Violet comes out to see Beaver but she isn't interested in fighting, the kids just go on a walk about through the neighborhood. Fred and Ward go looking for Beaver and Violet and through miscommunication manage to get all the neighborhood kids excited about a fight at Metzger's Field.
Violet and Beaver are talking with Gus the fireman. The story of the upcoming fight grows with stories of the police being called. Violet and Beaver have moved on to the soda shop and are having ice cream sodas. The story grows even larger; blood was spilled and some kid had his ear bitten off. Fred is getting close to hysterical? Beaver and Violet are sitting on the stoop of the Rutherford's house when Fred and Ward show up. Fred doesn't see the humor in the situation; and we almost get a fight, but Ward is smarter than Fred. Fred forbids Beaver from seeing Violet again. Shouldn't be too difficult as the character of Violet makes only three additional appearances throughout the series' run; and Fred's two sons turn into one: Lumpy.
Beaver wants to know why Ward didn't get into a fight with Mr. Rutherford. He was being aggressive. Ward tries to explain but Beaver just figures the rules grownups make for little boys are too difficult to follow.
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