For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for November 04, 2018

um… how long until Michael outgrows the star in his drink? wait a minute… by the time he does his drink straight, he’ll belch

Why Mike being asked to go to dinner with his family as an afterthought? Isn’t Mike a member of this family?

John is not actually ordering in Chinese. He is reading off the menu a standard Chinese dish: Tai Dop Voy

I hope Mike does not expect John to say, “A combination of chicken, shrimp, b.b.q pork, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms & mixed vegetables please!”

Typical young teenager behaviour. I can remember suffering the same agonies myself when I was 13 and 14 and I’m 75 now. :)

Another bit of ironic humor and is blind to what they do.

“I hope they don’t do anything to make me feel stoopid”. Yes, like spell “stupid” properly.

And now we sit with our smartphones and can avoid all conversation. We can even order without having to speak to the wait staff. Ain’t it great? (It is for me, I don’t even have a cell phone.)

Huh?

They’ve already got their coats on….

What were they going to do, at the last minute, if he said “no?”

Walk out and say “See you later…. hope you can scrounge something in the refrigerator!”?

This strip is from 1989, I think… Michael is maybe 14?

I’m not sure…. but in any case he seems a little young for them to be so casual about it.

Not nearly as well as you can embarrass yourself.

Yesterday my husband & I took our girls out to lunch for our older girl’s 16th birthday. Her Godmother was also there. Our younger girl (13) was talking, and she has what we call “dramatic arms”. My older girl & I were imitating her arms while she talked (think Snoopy behind Lucy in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”). My husband & the Godmother were cracking up…as were a few of the tables sitting near us. Best lunch ever.

You really want to leave a child like Mike at home to be miserable alone. That’s not a great idea though since you want to have family memories for you all to share. Tomorrow Mike be telling his friends what a great dinner he had with his family.

Lynn’s Notes:

I think teen age angst begins long before the teen years actually set in.

Glad I’m not the only one who noticed the family was practically out the door before Michael was asked if he wanted to join them.

Also don’t understand the obsession with spelling stupid, “stoopid.” Am I supposed to overemphasize the “ooo” sound?

Actually, Michael! You did a better job of that than they did.

Michael is in grade 6 at the moment which makes him about 11. That’s a bit young to be asked if he wants to accompany the family to dinner. Lynn’s comment about angst beginning well before the teen years would fit that age, too. I could be wrong about his grade, but it doesn’t seem that he is in middle school yet which would have been at grade 7 in the late 80’s.

I notice that no one grasps the chopsticks right, although dad is close.

#BoycottStrawsInComicStrips

They are not at the front door, ready to walk out. They are at the closet door, putting their coats on, although they are almost finished by the time they ask Mike.

Poor Michael! I think I remember the feeling….

Today’s strip was a LOL.

I’m confused by the first panel. Is it common in Canada for parents to ask their under-age children if they want to go to dinner with them? If he had said “No”, then what? They just leave him alone to fend for himself?

Hey Mike, who is paying for your meal?