Malcolm sucks at street-hockey, frankly because he has no skates. So he turns to his father, who trains all his sons in the secrets of skating before he allows them to have their own pair. Neither of his bigger brother tell him about his fathers training and Malcolm gets even more anxious as Hal gets very mysterious about it all, but nothing can prepare either one of them for what is to come. Lois hurt her back terribly and has to stay in bed, which does not keep her from tyrannizing Reese and constantly trying to avoid being drugged with pain medication by her loving husband Hal. At the military academy everybody is preparing for a weekend of survival training without any comfort, except for Francis who tries to ditch his comrades.