Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for March 16, 2020

You would think Mom would appreciate Calvin’s sense of responsibility.

Nice try, Calvin… again.

Mom’s expression in the third panel kills me!

You could have said it was for an art project.

Mom saw thru it, eh Calvin?!?

Parents develop a sixth (and seventh and so on) sense about such things. “Dad, what did you do when you accidentally got the dog onto the roof?” was one of my favorites.

Nope, there wasn’t.

The electric saw blades are in the same place where we don’t keep the flame thrower.

I don’t think that’s part of your homework assignment, Calvin.

Calvin reminds me of a kid I babysat in my teens. Even to this day I cringe when I think of him.

They were all “leading” questions, Calvin. Leading to trouble!

That one was kind of obvious, Calvin!

Mom needs to pay closer attention to Calvin.

“Something tells me that there was no right answer to that question.”

Bad idea to have anything in the pantry on the bottom shelf with Calvin around.

Calvin will eventually learn where these things are without asking. I did. My favorite escapade concerned Dad’s lawnmower gas and some matches.

WOOOP WOOOP WOOOP…RED ALERT!

Not a very convincing answer, Calvin.

For his birthday I will get Calvin a copy of “The Anarchist’s Cookbook.”

No, my name is not Rosalyn, but I really relate. Yes, I babysat a kid like that when I was a teen. He was high-energy, but the problem was that he was rebellious, refusing any limits, and disrespectful, with a garbage mouth and perverted language like a sailor. He was only seven years old. I stopped taking care of him when his mother realized she could ask me to CLEAN as well—deep cleaning, pulling out the fridge and scrubbing floors and such. I did it for her when she was on a trip and grandma, who was watching him, wanted me to scrub the house. Then when mama came back she wanted me to do more, too—for the same piddling pay per hour. That was it. He was hard enough to care for without having to sacrifice my attention to clean her house as well. Even this kid’s mother didn’t seem to have respect for boundaries.

Where do we keep the fissionable material?

Just asking.

Reminds me of my mother’s story about watching us kids piling up sticks in the yard, then coming in and asking her where the matches were.

Like Homer said to Bart when Marge chided him (Homer) for letting the kid use the welder: …and don’t forget to wear the mask!

Sorry I’m late, everybody. Was working at the grocery store until closing time and did some of the clean up after closing. Clocked out at 2345 and zonked out until 0030. At least it wasn’t as mayem-like as Saturday and Friday.

Imagine Calvin being an employee at a hardware store when it comes to inventory when he’s a teenager or an adult.

We keep the electric saw right next to the bandages.

He IS a quick-thinker, just NOT faster than mum! grin

The answer wasn’t as bad as the original question.

He’ll probably try that tomorrow with the gas can for the lawnmower and Dad’s blowtorch.

well OBVIOUSLY mom, Calvin needs to know where they are because one day if you’re trapped under a wooden plank and the house was falling down he would need to save you.