For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 25, 2021

have fun, Mike

He gets to go out on a school night, and his curfew is 10? I had to be in bed by 9 until after I graduated!

Mike gets to go to the mall on a school night and stay out until 10 pm? Mike definitely won for going out. However, Elly won for deluding herself into thinking that was good parenting.

Goin’ down to the mall? Maybe goin’ down to the mall and stayin’ till almost 10pm is fun if you’re in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”‘. Unfortunately, goin’ down to the mall when I was a kid wasn’t that great. Their mall must be awesome.

At least he isn’t going to the local Drive-In. That was the major hang out during my teen years. And as far as I know there is just one Drive-In left in the state of Oregon, up in Astoria somewhere. (They should work with today’s social distancing. You are all stuck in your on cars.)

Does Michael have his drivers’ license yet? Where I’ve lived, the malls were (deliberately) sited so one had to drive to them.

11? 10? Didn’t the malls close at 9 pm. So 9:15 is the correct answer

I thought most malls close at 9 PM…?

That was some exemplary negotiation. Hey, Congress! Pay attention you savage civil servants.

Seems like it’s a win/win situation. They both think they did!

The conversation should be: Let’s say 11; Let’s say 8:30. Let’s say 10:45; Let’s say 8:15. Let’s say 10:00; LET’S SAY 8:00, do you want to try for 7:30 or just stay home?

Mike did win – he came down 1 hour, Ellie had to come down 1 1/2 hours.

Actually, neither one won. They compromised!

!0 is what Ellie really wanted…

Even pre-COVID I think the mall near my home closed by 9.

Wow!

How’s he getting to the mall? Do the busses run that late, or is he getting a ride from someone? My mother would demand all the deets before I stepped out the door!

It’s called negotiating and both sides are happy with the agreement but I think he did a better job……

School night 7th grader.

Her: goin out back by 9

Me: 8 please, school night

Her: Dad!

Me: 7:30

Her: But…. etc

Me: 7

Her: I might as well not go.

Me: Your choice

I remember trying this technique with my parents as a kid – somehow, there numbers never changed …

Lynn draws a smug look very well.

In the late ’50s to mid ’60s, our suburb had a curfew at 11pm. “Camping Out” in our backyards, was very popular among us teens.

A few years back I did some research and found out that in cities the violent crime rate rises rapidly after 10:00 p.m. In Oakland I walked at any time of day or night and I could feel the streets tightening up around 10:00.

Michael must be glad his two weeks punishment for being an accomplice to Gordon’s joyriding is over

In grade school we usually got home by 9:00 on school nights, by10:00 on summer nights.In 7th & 8 grades by the same except for Friday an Saturday when it was around 11:00.In high school it usually was around 10:00 to 11:00 on school nights and 12:00 to 1:00 on Fri-Sat.But mostly we got home when we good and bored…

MALL = Food Court.

It is nice to deliver a barter that is positive for both sides

That would not have worked with my mom. If her first time was 8:30, you took it. Trying to negotiate a different time would have resulted in an earlier time or a “no, you are not going out.” from her.

After what you did to Gordon, how about when you’re the LATE Helly Patterson!?

The most famous compromise in world history: Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

How about when you’re the LATE Elly Patterson, you Nazi Witch!?