Joe attempts to end a long standing feud with a neighboring family, over a punch bowl Marie claims they never returned, when he notices Michael showing an interest in the youngest daughter of the other family.

While cleaning out the attic, Michael and Joe come across Marie's old diary, and deduce it was written about the time Marie was expecting Joe. After reading a few pages, Joe gets the assumption that Marie was having an affair with a neighbor, and thinks he's illegitimate.

The family, tired of Joe's constant bumming of rides because he doesn't drive, signs him up for driving lessons, but the instructor they hire turns out to be a psychotic nut who takes Joe hostage during the lesson.