For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 18, 2021

A boy called her and Elly appears to be quite an eavesdropper and she does not appear to be shy about it. At this point in the story, the only boy that Elizabeth has expressed an interest in is Christopher Nichols, the boy next door who is her age. If this is the boy, then Elizabeth should never invite him over because we already know that Elly dislikes Christopher. We know from Michael’s experience what happens if you bring someone home as a romantic interest that Elly does not like.

how long until we meet Anthony? I doubt that was him calling Elizabeth

Elly, when you are trying to have a conversation with your daughter, it’s a good idea at some point to actually SHUT YOUR YAP AND LET HER TALK!

So if the mother was on the extension phone too because she said ‘we’ talked for half an hour, instead of ‘you’ talked, then how come she doesn’t know these answers already like if it was a boy in her school math class?

Elly chill

When I was 15/16 I was dating a boy from another town. He called me every day. My mom informed all of her friends not to call between 3 & 4 in the afternoon so that I could have the phone to talk to him during that time.

Wow, control much Ellie? STFU.

At least Elizabeth is over her appearance. Her bangs grew back.

Elly seems to have fumbled her boy friend investigation.

At least the bangs crisis is over

My mom never did that to me. In some ways I wish she would have.

Sigh. Little Lis is growing up ♡.

Granthony?

Puberty has arrived.

Liz won’t bring any boys home as long as her mom behaves like that. What a nosy pest!

One of my phone phobias – which even persists to this day – is a result of my mother’s incessant eavesdropping on my teenage phone calls. Even if she could only listen to one end of the conversations, she was sure to give me the third degree about who’d called and what they’d wanted, and also gave running editorial opinions similar to what Elly is doing. She’d also read my mail – if given the opportunity.

Considering Elizabeth was being nosy when Michael was talking on the phone to Martha, why not now?

Her first boy phone call…..it is scary?

What did he call you?

Elly’s amazing talent in the fifth panel: Being able to peel potatoes with her eyes closed.

Why do think they call them “Elly-coptur parents”?

We have a friend like Elly. She has a T-shirt that says, “Help! I’m talking and I can’t shut up!”

A moment she will always remember and the first person she shared it with was her brother. Too bad…..

Woha mom – BACK off! By the way – 30 minutes to my wife is just warming up.

Ahh, brother/Sister relationships can be good sometimes!

I think Mom was trying to deter so much time on the phone, to avoid such questions

A boy called me in middle school. I assumed the whole thing was part of a joke and people were listening in to laugh at me (now I’m not sure- it could have been, though- but he was less popular than I’d thought, so maybe he really did like me. I didn’t care for him, sadly, so it didn’t matter much). I didn’t really get any more calls till the end of high school, and then I had money to buy myself a phone extension and have these chats in my closet. My mother didn’t get to play at that game, and my father? Ha! He thought I was dating people I wasn’t even dating, he was so clueless about my lile.

Elly really is way past ridiculous here! My mother never acted like that, I’m grateful to say.