Page "Secondhand Lions" Paragraph 2

As Walter settles into the household, he contends with his uncles ' odd habits, such as Hub's sleepwalking at night in which he fights old battles, as well as their daily routine of driving off traveling salesmen with shotgun blasts.

When the boy suggests that Hub and Garth should at least hear one salesman's pitch before shooting, which turns out to be a clay pigeon launcher which they buy.

This infuriates Ralph and Helen causing them to leave at that moment.

They then, in their attempts to relive their glory days, as when they buy and teach themselves to fly a biplane.

Another time, the uncles order what they believe to be a ferocious lion from a circus animal dealer with the intent of killing it for sport.

They are disappointed upon opening the crate to discover an aging, tame lioness, which Walter adopts, naming her Jasmine, much to Hub's chagrin.

Some time later, though Hub is hospitalized briefly for overexertion loading fifty pound bags of Purina Lion Chow, his restless nature still leads him to confront and defeat single-handedly four greasers who were creating a disturbance at a local diner.

When Ralph and Helen visit the uncles ' home in their absence, their children release the lioness from her crate.

Returning with Hub, Garth and the four hoods, Walter goes in search of Jasmine, and finds her in the cornfield, which then becomes her new home, reminding her of the jungle.

Later, Walter notices Hub lecturing the four toughs, using what Garth calls Hub's " What Every Boy Needs to Know About Being a Man " speech.