When Theo's secret is finally revealed, Cliff does not initially punish him. Instead, the family gathers for a series of humorous but meaningful stories about their own youthful mistakes:
In the context of the popular sitcom , Season 1, Episode 14, titled " Independence Day ," the "useful story" refers to a lesson about growing up and the consequences of trying to appear older than one's age. Plot Summary
: Grandpa Huxtable (Russell) reveals that when Cliff was young, he tried to use a "straightening" chemical on his hair to impress Clair, but he ended up burning it all off.
: Grandma Huxtable (Anna) counters Russell's bragging by reminding him of the time he got a tattoo of her name. The artist misspelled it as "Adda" (the name of his rival for her affection), and he was left with a permanent scar after trying to have it removed. The Lesson