Bubber, whose real name is George, is a smart 2nd grader who looks sick and is always attracted to pretty things—like his four-year-old neighbor Baby's pink costume. When Bubber accidentally shoots Baby in the head with his friend Spareribs' BB gun, his sister Mick tries to punish her brother by telling him that Baby is dead. Bubber feels so guilty he tries to run away. Once an outgoing a playful boy, Bubber becomes a loner after the accident. Everyone in his family starts calling him George.