For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for November 29, 2011

You’re not going to sleep too well tonight, Mike.

Ella, “Thank you, Michael, but how could you have afforded to buy such an expensive scarf on the allowance we give you?”

It seems every little kid has to go through this experience…and get caught…and face the music…till he realizes that honesty is the very best policy.

Today, they would have had cameras on him from 4 different angles.

He’ll be sweating bullets!!

The thrill is gone, now reality sets in and Michael realizes it was wrong!

He’ll bring it back.

I’m 62 years old and still afraid of my mother. What I’m saying is that she taught me from day one that something called money had to be traded for anything in a store like that. The lessons were painful at times but no shoplifting was involved.

I’d hate to bring bad news to the forum, but it broke my heart when I noticed that the kid that was encouraging him was ‘coloured.’ Sigh… Maybe I am making too much of it, but I sure wish this weren’t the case.

It isn’t his color that matters. Small boys will encourage each other to do things that they KNOW are stupid all the time. I’m fortunate that my boys know better than to take stupid dares.

Not only is the Lawrence African-American, he also turns out to be homosexual. That said, I think Michael would have been capable of coming to the decision on his own, or encouraging Lawrence to make a similar decision if the tables were turned. Both of them are reckless little boys finding their way in the world — they’re all like that, black or white.

Thank you @TheSpanishInquisition. (I found your name to be quite funny since I am actually in Spain right now, I was wondering if it was related! But I believe it is a coincidence). As for the boys your absolutely right. However, I still wish it was some other kid that encouraged him though. I don’t like feeling like my comics carry undertones for groups like african-americans or homosexuals.

It’s probably no coincidence that there was an item in the news today about a man who returned money to a Sears store in Seattle that he stole a few dollars from in the 1940s. Guilt is a powerful motivator…..

Michael almost looks sick in the last panel from knowing he did the wrong thing.

@ blainemarcano – where in Spain are you? My husband is from Spain so we visit almost every year.

some one looks like they feel very guilty.

@redarmrest You see, he followed my advice trough the letter now all he needs is a scape-goat to put the blame on if and when he is caught ;-)

I remember clearly being caught trying to get six pieces of penny candy for a nickel when I was about five. Never pilfered anything ever again. It was a chocolate covered peanut pattie.

My dad half-jokes: “I believe in sterotypes. They exist for a reason.” Doesn’t mean they’re always true, but it’s just stupid to write something off just because it’s not PC.

It’s a lesson I never had to learn — I never stole anything from a store. I was, however, accused of it once, and my father raised HH with the store manager. I suppose it gave me something to live up to after that.

wow does he have the wrong friend.