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

From here out, we will be seeing more maturity emerge from Mike. He is no longer the carefree Mike.

Good for Mike.

“I’d better any money that Gord’s dad cuffed him around last night.”

What decade is this kid from?

Brian, do you know how many abused kids have died because nobody wanted to get involved?

Good that Mike has the maturity to recognize that he ha a responsiblity to his friend.

harsh, isn’t it?

Might be time to visit the school counselor.

If I knew then what I know now I would’ve reported my dad.

It’s better not to have friends…

It has come to my attention that poster Charlie Farmer has been surreptitiously banned from talking on these pages for what appears to be no apparent reason as he is not one to make the kind of talk worth being shut out for. I am mounting a write in campaign for his release from the Phantom Zone.

If you wish to help send your letters to: moderator@gocomics.com  As always, be congenial. I believe Charlie’s dropout to have been done in error.

My letter to the company:

Good day, sir or madam. I hope winter isn’t too harsh to you as it has been here with minus zero temps but at least we have not had power outages.

I am writing you today concerning co poster, Charlie Farmer. He has informed me through emails that he has been blocked from the Comments groups at your institution. I am perplexed at this action as I have never known Charlie to make derogatory remarks to the other posters or to post off color material. He says he has sent two notes to you in the past two weeks or so but has not gotten a response. Regardless, it is my fervent hope that Mr. Farmer can be restored to the ranks of the living, to the groups he participates in before he whittles away to nothing from the deafening silence he is forced to endure as a result of having been banished to the Phantom Zone district of Gocomics. “Praise the company !” Thank you, Mr. Gordon Heavern.

mike’s now facing the dilema. does he report what he thinks has happened, and to who?. who would believe him, would gord ever corroberate?. would it help? would it just give gord another beating?. The question isn’t if what was done was right or not, but what is the solution. Taking him from his parents is not great- presumably his mum is fine, or locking his dad up would have massive effect on the household income if his mum is not an “earner”, and one assumes he loves his dad and the beatings aren’t all the time for no reason. The best solution is for his dad to get himself under control, so that punishment is not OTT, but how to achieve that is a problem facing many people. If there was a quick or easy solution, this story arc probably would not have been made.

It’s maturity time Mike. You have to make the hard decision of what to do, when you don’t see any good answers. (We see the problem from the outside. And for most of us, we have decades of prior experience to base our response. But Mike has to figure it out from the inside without any prior experience. What to do that will cause the least amount of trouble to Gordon or to himself. Although he does seem to be thinking far more about trying to solve Gordon’s problem than what may befall on himself.)

Mike has a point.

Sure, Mike could call the cops or report it to the school, however everyone living in Gordon’s house will have the same, robotic, monotoned response: “I/He was taking down the Christmas lights, ‘an I/He fell off the porch.”

Ontario most likely has “duty to report” laws although I do not know for sure. In that case Mike could tell any trusted school employee about his suspicions.

https://www.ohea.org/resources/professional-resources/teachers-and-childrens-services-investigations/

Mike, you should tell your parents and let them deal with the problem.

Friends don’t let friends fail.

Mike shows much awareness for his young teenage boy self.

One would think so. I don’t know what Lynn’s plan was for this but I hope it turns out okay.

Lynn’s Comments:

This dilemma was used as a talking point in classrooms and doctors’ offices. People cut out the strip and posted it on walls and bulletin boards. It was an amazing catalyst for discussion.

Brian does not have your best interests in mind, Michael. This is the same kid who stabbed you in the back at summer camp who ratted to his mother about Michael being caught spying on the girls’ shower hut, despite the fact Brian was also a participant. Brian’s mom in turn ratted to Elly. They don’t call him “Lyin’ Brian” for nothing.

My daughter once came and asked me if her friend could stay with us for a while. I asked why. She said it was because his father was always beating him. I allowed him to stay with us as long as he wanted. After several months he said he had to go home. I asked him why do that if he knows his father will beat him. He said “Because if dad is hitting me, he is leaving my younger sister alone.”. That was it. I spoke to the school principal who knew about it and did nothing. His teachers were the same. The police would do nothing unless he filed a complaint. I took him home and confronted his father who denied it. He said the black eyes were from walking into a door. I said “If he walked into a door…his nose would hit first and that is not injured. If you feel tough and want to hit someone…I am standing right here. Go ahead and try. Hit him again and I will have the police on your ass like a hemorrhoid.” The boy came back to my home..with his sister..and stayed for 2 more years. His father never contacted him again.Not getting involved just makes it worse. It says that you do not care, maybe even condone what is happening.GET INVOLVED. The child’s life may depend on it.

Brian is taking the easy way out at the expense of his friend. Mike may be the only real friend Gordon has here.

Tell your Mom meathead

Mike doesn’t need to be the grownup here, but he does need to find one.

You’d better have the facts right before getting involved. . . Kids can tell fibs.

It does my heart good to see Michael wrestling with this. Let’s hope he makes a good choice.

Unfortunately, some fathers are real….ba—ards!

NOW we’re getting somewhere.

Brian would change his tune if he were the one who “fell off the porch” taking down non existent Christmas lights!!

Growing up there was a young girl in my neighborhood, 2 years younger than me, that the parents of the other kids would not let them play with. Thankfully, my parents allowed us to be friends but I could not stay at her house. She was welcome at ours anytime. Her mother turned tricks during the day and her father sexually abused her and later allowed her older brother to sexually abuse her. Back then, turning someone into CYS was a waste of time. I am grateful that my parents at least gave her safe haven when she needed it. I only wish more of the parents would have seen her as a victim instead of a “bad influence”. For the record, the other parents deemed our family a “bad influence” because my parents opened their doors to any abused child.

Take Gordon by the house, Mike! Let that selfish, materialistic mother of yours see what she did to him!

Be there for him Michael and get him into some kind of group.

Was this where FBOW made the transition from family situation comedy to soap opera?

If true, Gord’s dad needs a visit from a bunch of big guys wearing leather gloves.

Those who see a wrong and do nothing are as bad as the one doing the wrong.