Chapter 3: The New Kid on the Block
Song: Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses
In 1985, Howard's parents enroll their five-year-old son in the private K-12 Balboa City School in San Diego. Howard starts Kindergarten in September of that year.
Young school-age Howard Eastman is described by his teachers to be a "very friendly and outgoing boy" with a "constant need to please everybody." This is absolutely true as Howard likes making friends with anybody including both kids his age and adults. Howard is always there to cheer up one of his peers when something is wrong in their lives.
In his elementary years, Howard never studies but still manages to get near perfect marks in school. As his second grade teacher Mrs. Rosenberg says "I don't know how he does it but everything just seems to come to him."
However, while Howard is good academically, he is even better physically. Since he was very young, Howard has always loved sports. At the young age of six, his parents sign him up on several teams including Pee-Wee Soccer, Pee-Wee Basketball, Little League Baseball and Touch Football. His father once even has to have a fight with his soccer coach because his touch football practices were starting to conflict with his soccer practices.
"I'm sorry Mr. Eastman," orders Coach Murphy, "but if your son can't come to all of the practices, he is going to be cut from the team."
"So what!" Rick Eastman barked back. "You can't punish my son for wanting to be too athletic!"
In the end, Coach Murphy relents and lets little Howard stay on the team.
When Howard is seven, after his Touch Football team beats the opposing team, a player on the other team walks up to him and punches him in the nose. This unfortunate incident propelled Rick Eastman a black belt himself to sign up Howard in yet another sport, Tae Kwon Do. At this point, Howard meets his Sensei Mike and the two develop a close friendship.
While working as a paralegal, Rick Eastman goes to the University of San Diego Law School to fulfill his family legacy of becoming a lawyer. He graduates in 1987 and the family of four takes a trip to New York as a result.
When Howard is eight, his parents give him and his five-year old sister Allie a surprise for Christmas...a little golden retriever puppy, the runt of the littler of one of Rick client's dogs. The family names the dog Bentley after the car and he becomes Howard's best friend.
Tori and Rick taking Howard age 5 to his first day of school in September 1985.
Howard age 6 singing a Christmas carol at St. Anne's Catholic Church on Christmas Eve 1986
Howard age 7 after taking a shower on a steamy day in August 1987.
Howard's sister Allie age 5 with their puppy Bentley in April 1989
Song: Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses
In 1985, Howard's parents enroll their five-year-old son in the private K-12 Balboa City School in San Diego. Howard starts Kindergarten in September of that year.
Young school-age Howard Eastman is described by his teachers to be a "very friendly and outgoing boy" with a "constant need to please everybody." This is absolutely true as Howard likes making friends with anybody including both kids his age and adults. Howard is always there to cheer up one of his peers when something is wrong in their lives.
In his elementary years, Howard never studies but still manages to get near perfect marks in school. As his second grade teacher Mrs. Rosenberg says "I don't know how he does it but everything just seems to come to him."
However, while Howard is good academically, he is even better physically. Since he was very young, Howard has always loved sports. At the young age of six, his parents sign him up on several teams including Pee-Wee Soccer, Pee-Wee Basketball, Little League Baseball and Touch Football. His father once even has to have a fight with his soccer coach because his touch football practices were starting to conflict with his soccer practices.
"I'm sorry Mr. Eastman," orders Coach Murphy, "but if your son can't come to all of the practices, he is going to be cut from the team."
"So what!" Rick Eastman barked back. "You can't punish my son for wanting to be too athletic!"
In the end, Coach Murphy relents and lets little Howard stay on the team.
When Howard is seven, after his Touch Football team beats the opposing team, a player on the other team walks up to him and punches him in the nose. This unfortunate incident propelled Rick Eastman a black belt himself to sign up Howard in yet another sport, Tae Kwon Do. At this point, Howard meets his Sensei Mike and the two develop a close friendship.
While working as a paralegal, Rick Eastman goes to the University of San Diego Law School to fulfill his family legacy of becoming a lawyer. He graduates in 1987 and the family of four takes a trip to New York as a result.
When Howard is eight, his parents give him and his five-year old sister Allie a surprise for Christmas...a little golden retriever puppy, the runt of the littler of one of Rick client's dogs. The family names the dog Bentley after the car and he becomes Howard's best friend.
Tori and Rick taking Howard age 5 to his first day of school in September 1985.
Howard age 6 singing a Christmas carol at St. Anne's Catholic Church on Christmas Eve 1986
Howard age 7 after taking a shower on a steamy day in August 1987.
Howard's sister Allie age 5 with their puppy Bentley in April 1989
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