For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 04, 2019

yeah, Gordon, ‘tis all Allyson’s fault your grades are slipping

Oh, Gordon, you barely know this girl. Lynn Johnston is very subtle in putting this point across. Look at Gordon’s rhyme scheme. He is pronouncing “Allyson” as if the last syllable is “ahn” and not “ən”.

No, Gordon, if you are failing science, it’s on you. You’re the one who is obsessed with a girl so much that you can’t think of anyone or anything else.

Ah, first unrequited love.

Plus NEVER EVER try to kiss an Allyson in the dark (See Chaucer for details).

“Get yer mind outta the gutter. Come down in the sewer, wid me.”

I thought it was MIKE who wanted to take Allyson to the dance?

I think it’s the spirit of Ogden Nash, not Allyson, that’s got hold of him.

And once you actually do talk with her, you’ll find out she’s not that great at all.

Funny that made me think of the shooting of Allyson Parker, who was an attractive TV reporter who was killed while giving a broadcast on-air. My first thought at seeing that was how it personally related to me. “If I had a wife, she would look like Allyson”

I hated puberty.

Been there. When you’re young you can’t understand why someone you love doesn’t love you back.

Lynn’s Comments:

I remember being so enamored of a boy I knew in grade 7 that I actually changed schools to be close to him. I was one of those ordinary-looking kids, whose face would disappear in a line up. I wasn’t smart enough to stand out either and I sucked at sports. Yup. This was me.

A total guy thing

Hormones one, Gordy nuthin.

Don’t be too hard on Gordo. Middle school hormones are debilitating.

Puberty is a real pain.

Isn’t the word “callus”? Certainly Gordon is not BEING callous in this strip!

Gordon, of course, grows up to be one of the most all-around successful characters of the entire strip: A truly nice guy, hard worker, faithful husband, adoring dad … It’s a shame, really, that young people (boys and girls) are so focused on looks instead of character. Maybe more people would spend more time developing those positive traits if they knew how important they would be someday.

That is the curse of having hormones and high school kick in at the same time. Survival of the fittest. I will get better. Some day. Maybe. or not.

Will he fail biology too?

Cupid,I don’t mean to bother you but I’m in distressThere’s danger of me losing all of my happinessFor I love a girl who doesn’t know I existAnd this you can fix… Sam Cooke

FWIW: the boys are in grade nine already….

Gee Gordon, maybe if instead of gawking at the cheerleaders you cracked open a science textbook, maybe you would not have flunked.

He’ll get over it…We all do….Ive been married going on 46 years now and I only dream about “HER”about once a week now… ( it’s been 50 years now) Had a good friend who had a Master’s Degree in psychology and worked as a Nude Dancer in the neighborhood bar… It was sort of like “Cheer’s” – only the girls wore no clothes )…She said it’s not about UN-requited love …its about an UN-resolved situation.Face her … all she can do is laugh…she might even care about your feelings …You’ll sleep better…..

The first panel made me think of the song about Marian the Librarian.

Real teen angst!