Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for September 02, 2009

Monkey see, Calvin do.

Ah, I see that Hobbes did come along.

Now he’s hooked.

Reminds me of the time I went to the zoo with my parents years ago. Let’s just say the zoo had a visiting mountain lion, and was working to preserve the species. My mom made the comment, “Come on, we don’t need to see that.”

For the same reason your parents aren’t allowed to throw you into the alligator pit.

As long as they don’t start throwing “stuff”.

I don’t think birds are going to be enough of a distraction mom. Monkeys are exciting, but monkeys doing gross things are irresistible!

My mom once told me a story about her youth that always cracked me up, even after the re-telling of it. She was at the store with my grandmother one day and she couldn’t hold it in so let it go right there in the grocery store. She looks up at my grandmother and points at the puddle that she’s standing in and says “Mom, what’s that?” My grandmother looked down at the puddle, then looked her in the eye and said, “I’ll give you what’s that when we get home, young lady”

BC13 she could have taken a lesson from the lad in the pictures above.

Mom and Dad will be regretting those moments for as long as they live. Why do you think they stopped when they had Calvin?

All little boys are fascinated by those types of activities while Susie and her ilk would call it gross and be offended. Seems that the differences are more substantial than plumbing.

The birds aren’t a save bet either. I took my friend’s 5 year old daughter to see some ducks at a pond and they were “playing piggyback”, or “fighting” as she called it!

What’s monkey doing?? Picking nose? hahhaha

I bet the tiger pit would be a suitable distraction. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I don’t think the monkeys are getting up to “monkey business” - more likely picking their nose or scratching their butt.

Imagine Calvins play time for the next week

Show and tell for school ?

Susan001 said, “Why would a six-year-old WANT to do what the monkeys are doing? Assuming they’re doing what we think they’re doing?” I’m thinking three things, but I hope it’s ‘number 1’! Susan001 said, “BTW, it’s nice of Mom to hold Hobbes.” Yes, but doesn’t Hobbes look rather ‘crestfallen’? That doesn’t apply only to birds. By the way, does a ‘partridge in a pear tree’ have a crest? “But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone”.

definitely pushing the comic strip envelope.

See how instructive Calvin’s mother is? But Calvin soon observed something more interesting…to him. Yukoner said, “…Seems that the differences are more substantial than plumbing?” Tell that to the ‘radical’ feminists!

In panel 4 Calvin said, “HA HA! That’s gross!” Isn’t that an oxymoron?…not to Calvin! “Come look at the birds over here, Calvin” As far as Calvin is concerned right now, the birds are “for the birds”. “Monkey business” is better.

BC13 said, “…I’ll give you what’s that when we get home young lady.” Her mother used the word ‘lady’ rather loosely, didn’t she? It reminds me of what policemen (and others) sometimes say after the arrest of a felon “This ‘gentleman’ mercilessly beat the victim with a sledgehammer”. That’s just an example. It could be any number of dastardly crimes a ‘suspect’ was commiting.

It has been noted that the most popular nature shows involve sex and violence–animals procreating or chasing and eating one another…

I don’t think they’re “doing it” since Calvin’s asking why he’s not allowed to do it. Has he ever tried to do that? I doubt it since he’sonly 6. Therefore they must be doing something other than that.

Incidentally, Hobbes is taller than Calvin even in his inanimate “Tigris Stuffedsus Polyester(us)” state, as N7326 Foxtrot said yesterday. At least he’s not crestfallen, now, although his head is hanging just a tad (bit).

pouncing tiger said, “…Why do you think they stopped when they had Calvin?” Stopped having kids or…?

sjoujke said, “The birds aren’t a safe bet, either…” “Isn’t that just ducky?” What the ducks were really doing went “like water off a duck’s back” as far as the understanding of the five-year-old was concerned.

tbree said, “…Come on, we don’t need to see that.” Isn’t that an example (or even worse) of some of the ‘sex education’ that the kids are getting in many of the schools these days? I hope I haven’t raised a controversial issue here.

Lewreader said, “Imagine Calvin’s play time for the next week.” Do you mean Calvin will be marking his territory all week?

That is sort of not cool……but do you you think theres really little kids reading those comics, that dont now about that stuff already???

There probably throwing there poop around

By the way Calvin asks the question. it seems he already knows the answer.

BTW, does someone need attention? lol

Saw that happen at the Atlanta zoo years ago. The mothers were funnier than the chimps!

TerryLonewolf said, “BTW, does someone need attention? lol” Perhaps so, but isn’t at least most of it somewhat amusing, informative, humorous, instructive, encouraging and/or entertaining? It is for me, but maybe i’m another ‘Lonewolf’ :o)

Do as the Monkey Do with the Poo! :-)

@tbree - funny story! :-D

Man I guess TL ! Whoa !

“Zoos let people see how wild animals behave”

I propose that the inverse is equally true:

“Zoos let animals see how wild humans behave”

If I have learned anything from watching animals in Zoos, it’s that there’s very little difference between those inside the cages and those outside other than a misperception that captors are somehow superior…

to Puddleglum2

Rakkav said, “For the same reason your parents aren’t allowed to throw you into the alligator pit.” For what same reason? Does it refer to the previous quote (in the post above yours)? Or does it refer to “How come I’m not allowed to do that?” it is about the comment Calvin makes in the last panel “How come I’m not allowed to do that?” You are not allowed to do that for the same reason your parents aren’t allowed to throw you in the alligator pit.

to Puddleglum2

Rakkav said, “For the same reason your parents aren’t allowed to throw you into the alligator pit.” For what same reason? Does it refer to the previous quote (in the post above yours)? Or does it refer to “How come I’m not allowed to do that?” it is about the comment Calvin makes in the last panel “How come I’m not allowed to do that?” You are not allowed to do that for the same reason your parents aren’t allowed to throw you in the alligator pit.

Hah! That’s the only reason my bud RALPH AVERY from Maine would visit the monkey house. Hah!

GEEZ LOUISE!

@FishStix

Is nothing sacred?

Cows are… literally and figuratively, where I come from (India).

We also have sacred monkeys and elephants, and levels of religious significance are attached to various other animals, though that hasn’t stopped them from being poached / slaughtered to near-extinction.

(to answer Puddleglum2, very belatedly:)

The common thread is, whatever we might feel like doing naturally (throwing unruly offspring to the alligators, doing whatever the monkeys are doing, etc.), we don’t do it in public because it preserves what little veneer or pretense of civilization we have.

Happy? :)

When I was in the 7th or 8th grade, my Sunday School teacher took us to the zoo. At the chimp cage a couple of the guys started trying to get the chimps agitated by jumping up and down while making their best imitations of monkey noises. A few of the chimps did get agitated which prompted a few more of the kids to join in jumping up and down and grunting. One chimp in particular got very agitated and started jumping up and down and shaking his head. Suddenly he stood still against the bars and proceeded to urinate on the two original agitators. Needless to say, the rest of us avoided being close to those two the rest of the afternoon.

I imagine the monkey Calvin saw was doing something similar.

yeh TerryLonewolf, I hear ya, its like a constant echo

Rakkav said, “…Happy? :)” Yes, your answer is excellent. I concur wholeheartedly. I was thinking that neither one would be appropriate. You expounded on it articulately . Thank you. :o)

The monkey is probably peeing (outside) which Calvin is not allowed to do.

As for boys and girls: anyone who is a parent of both knows that they are as different as night and day from the day they are born.

Puddleglum2 said,“But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone”.

Sorry Puddleglum2 , JUST LIKE my wedding day 50 years ago . YESTERDAY, December 7th, 1941 – a date which will LIVE in infamy . The infamy part of my yesterday will never be totally “gone”, past yes .

Gone #6 past , is the closest to what I perceive your “gone”indicated . I’m not claiming “sharpest crayon in the box” status , mind you . That would be like me saying “yesterday is gone” .

I’d “say on” to “past” but you can keep your “gone”.

Brother , I’m NOT trying to be impertinent . Politics ever cross your thinking ? You seam to posses the necessary stamina & poise for a run at the covered public teat .

Matthew 18:22 A bunch ah yesterdays , not one truly gone .

That’s all I have to say on this matter . I’ve hit the end of MY obnoxious chain . Thank GOD right ?

My friends’ little boy got totally hosed by a tiger while at the zoo one time. That tiger was loaded!

if memory serves, there was a monkey at the zoo in san diego whick threw poo at guests several years ago

Hey its a comic strip

But if there is concern Hobbes should not be watching because he is sometime a leader And the picture of Hobbes picking his noes I dont need

I can think of 27 disgusting things that monkey might be doing.

I have done all 27 and so will Calvin.

sfb5761 said, about 2 commentaries ago

“…As for boys and girls: anyone who is a parent of both knows that they are as different as night and day from the day they are born.”

Actually, regarding “nature vs. nurture”, any mother of two (or more) children of any gender(s) can tell you that they were different persons, even before they were born, and certainly after.

Ronshua Have you never heard of Chad & Jeremy? They were a 60’s pop duo whose biggest hit was “Yesterday’s Gone”. The last line in the chorus was: “But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone” No political commentary, no impertinance, no historical WWII references, just the lyric from an old (and pleasant I might add) song.

@Musicnut1986 and @sfb5761, no I do not think that the monkey is peeing. I have a very definite and clear idea of what he is doing, but I know that these comments are censored, so it would be a waste of time to say what I am thinking. If I thought it would be acceptable, I would make my comment.

It really annoys me how everyone is tiptoeing around a few explicit words.

Unfortunately, it’s tiptoe or rink getting booted off the island. However I am against gratuitive profanity, with every word followed by a bleep word.

It’s a safe bet on what they were doing.

I saw that happen with the turtles.

they better watch calvin,he has seen something that he will want to do,besides public nudity.

I guess you can’t do that because you don’t like girls.

JonD17 said, “yeh TerryLonewolf, I hear ya its like a constant echo” The constant echo is the ‘howling’ of a pack of Lonewolves. Pack of Lonewolves is a paradox, isn’t it? Look up paradox in the dictionary if you know how to use one! Instead of calling the number of comments I post as “a constant echo”, why don’t you try reading some of them? You might learn something. :o)

awgiedoggie said, “I bet the tiger pit would be a suitable distraction. But I’m getting ahead of myself.” Aren’t you “speaking out of school”, so to speak. Would Doggie Daddy approve? If you’re getting ahead of yourself, doesn’t that leave you ‘a little behind’? :o)

Montese said, “GEEZ LOUISE!” (Pardon the expression!) Are you really Dagwood Bumstead? You’re in the wrong ‘comic’. :o)

BTW To whomever this applies: Calvin said, “Hey, look what THAT monkey’s doing?” Whatever he is doing, it’s only one monkey that’s doing it.

Puddleglum you run your mouth too much and I don’t need a dictionary to state the obvious there.

JanCinVV said, “Have you never heard of Chad & Jeremy?…” You are quite right. Do we have a music aficionado here? Their best known songs also include “A Summer Song” and “Willow Weep for Me”. Ronshua means well, I think. I consider him to be a friend.

Ronshua, See my post to JanCinVV! Thank you for the paragraph about politics, but I doubt that it would work for me. It’s tends to get frustrating when you try to do well and the detractors keep howling at the door. “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down”. BTW, when you see my comments in quotes, it often means that I’m quoting titles and/or lyrics of songs. That was the case this time. I won’t argue the respective merits of past and gone. Actually, oftentimes people use past and gone, interchangeably.

BC13 said, “However I am against gratuitive profanity…” I’m with you; I am against gratuitous profanity, also, but it’s practically pandemic (to coin a commonly used word these days; it used to be epidemic).

JonD17, What’s the obvious? Do you mean the meaning of the word ‘paradox’? I don’t need an ignoramus to tell me how much to talk, either.

YOU think well Puddleglum2 and I also of you friend .

JanCinVV– After a Google I Suddenly remember it . Now I really feel bad . Sorry Friend .

I must of been thinking of Paul’s “Yesterday”& the allegory employed . Thanks JanCinVV.

Why is masturbation such a taboo subject?–even little girls and boys do it…c’mon people!

It’s more of an oxymoron than a paradox

All we need now from Puddleglum2 is the story of how she got her on-line name. Making a puddle at an inopportune time or place probably would make someone feel a bit glum. We don’t really need to hear or see the tale of Puddleglum1. Come to think of it, we can happily do without the Puddleglum 2 tale as well.

Far be it from me to chastise mom and dad for missing an opportunity to augment Calvin’s education. But when Calvin draws their attention to the “monkees” and mom comments about how they use theit tails to climb, what they are probably observing are not monkeys but apes. There ARE some small monkees with prehensile tails, but zoos are most likely to feature the graceful Gibbons which are apes, not monkess. [Gibbons are sometimes referred to as Lesser Apes to distinguish them from the larger, but less graceful Great Apes: Gorillas, Orang Utans and Chimpanzees.] End of Natural History lesson for today.

papawhale, Both oxymoron and paradox have a contradictory aspect. I had used an oxymoron previously so I decided to call this one a paradox, but I won’t dispute it with you. :o) I suppose context can make a difference, too; it usually, if not always, does.

bandz, Maybe you are new to this site, but I previously told both stories, briefly. Somebody wanted to know. Neither of them had anything to do with the kind of puddle you mean. I’d like to have a cordial, or at least tolerant relationship with everyone, but an unnecessary nasty comment about me doesn’t lend itself to such a possibility. All I’m trying to do is make worthwhile, often with humor, comments. Why does the number of comments, whether many or few, matter?

My wife and I once saw a monkey alternating between # 23 on grazer’s list (the one papawhale mentioned) and covering his eyes while laughing at the attention he knew he was getting. So in essence, we were watching a monkey spanking his monkey. I guess we’ll never know for sure if that’s what Calvin saw the monkey doing.