For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for July 03, 2021

You did break curfew

Is it possible for Elly to feed April without getting April’s food all over her? I am beginning to think that Elly should be wearing a bib too.

Reminds me of the book: “Where Did You Go?” “Out.” “What Did You Do?” “Nothing.” by Robert Paul Smith, about his boyhood.

Typical.

Only a concerned parent even asks these questions.

“And what did you do last night?” “Stuff”. “Are you going to do it again?” “Dunno”. Ah, youth. Masters of communication.

A good punchline could also be where Elly tells John “Now I know how you feel about pulling teeth!”

Be glad you have a mother who’s concerned, Mike!

Those half answers would buy you a weekend in the house in my family. “If you can’t give me any details then it must be something you aren’t proud of. Family movie night it is!”

It was a model familial interrogation. Mom got to ask questions and he provide verbal responses that did not really supply any answers. Neither is satisfied with the exchange but both can claim to be victims. Perfect.

This is why I’m glad I have such a great relationship with my girls. Not only do they tell me almost everything…they’ll sometimes tell me without my even asking!

Are teenage boys really that awful?

Even though my screen is on the small size, does the back of the Oaty Poffs box say ‘Almost Nutritious?’ Gosh isn’t that a clever way of saying their fake food is really junk food? Because almost nutritious means that it isn’t even 1% nutritious, or else they would have claimed the cereal was a nutritious meal.

I love the back of that cereal box!

Three words and that is everything!

Just wait until you actually do something tat isn’t boring even to you.

This one brought me back to my teenage years. I responded to parental interrogation in the same way Michael did. I think most kids hate to get the third-degree every time they are going out or when they come home.

As a parent, I was always concerned and interested, but not nosey. I never tried to pry information out of them, and I never snooped. Maybe that’s why I had better, and more open communication with them than their mother had. Unlike my own parents, I tried not to be judgemental or preachy. Most of the time, I never had to ask where they went or how they’d spent their time … they’d tell me without prompting – sometimes providing a little too much information!

All a matter of perspective…..

Not really you left out a lot, she had to pull it out of you, and you was late and sneaking in.

Parents are like that.

A fourth panel could be where Elly says “So, while it was OK last night and you were going around, I saw this viral video someone took with their cellphone of you, Gordon, and Brian Enjo saying ‘OOGH, OOGH, OOGH’ to two women, acting more like animals than men! Care to comment?”

Michael’s behavior shows he is an “ Oaty Poff”. You are what you eat! And only a doofus would eat Oaty Poffs.

Let us see…

Michael lives under the roof of a house paid for by…John and Elly.

Michael wears clothes paid for by…John and Elly.

Michael goes to a school paid for by…John and Elly.

Michael is eating cereal bought…John and Elly.

Michael reads by lights and watches TV whose kilowatthours are covered by…John and Elly.

Michael bathes and grooms himself (albeit infrequently) in water paid for by…John and Elly.

Michael’s body has not been found in a ditch somewhere thanks to…John and Elly.

No Michael, you do not get a private life. At least not until you find your own place to call home. Until that day comes, the people who you are dependent upon have every right to know what you are doing.

So you think buster. You were in mono syllable mode with your mother. But of course, we understand your age and circumstances.