Throughout the story, Laurie relays tales of Charles's outrageous and violent acts at school – Charles hitting the teacher, kicking other children, and generally wreaking havoc. The parents are increasingly concerned, even attempting to contact Charles's parents and teacher to address the issue.
The story's ironic twist is revealed at the end. During a parent-teacher conference, Laurie's teacher informs his parents that there is no Charles in the class. The realization dawns on the parents that Laurie, all along, *was* Charles; he was projecting his own misbehavior onto a fictional classmate. The story highlights the anxieties and challenges of parenthood and a child's struggle to navigate the complexities of social interaction and self-awareness.