For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 05, 2024

She knew not to be too close to him when he’s that tired. Must’ve been thinking “Don’t let the son go down on me.”

I used to work the “graveyard” shift at the USPS. Believe me, it was hell on earth!

The smells in that house must be awful.

WHUMP!

From Lynn’s Comments: As the series about Mike’s coming home for the summer continued, the letters asking me to remove Michael’s beard became adamant. I knew he looked scruffy, but it had to happen. A guy has to grow a beard—just to see what it’s like! I waited an appropriately long time before I gave in.

Elly is up at that time anyway when the sun comes up. Couldn’t she have been watching the sunrise herself?

I had a pistol once that was a real son of a gun.

I’ve woken up around the same time he comes home for shifts. I know how he feels

I worked the midnight shift for 8 years (10pm – 6am) and loved it. 99 percent of the time the head honchos weren’t there and you were basically your own boss unless your boss came in early.

The sun comes up. The son goes down.

The hands on the clock go round and round.

Oh, to be a kid again and be able to do 2 jobs AND go out and party!

It was winter time when I worked the night shifts. It was dark when I went to work and it was dark when I went home. Didn’t see the sun until after the first four hours of sleep when I’d get up to run errands and work on things.

What’s worse that graveyard shift? Swing-shift

Night shift takes some getting used to.

Ooga Farley

Booga Farley

Googa Farley

Wooga Farley

Notice how Mike is looking so much older, these days?

He’ll get used to it

That’s life…that’s what it’s all about………

Night shift or not, Michael was rude to his mother. If he is conscious enough to find his bedroom, he is conscious enough to say “I had a good day at work, thank you for asking” or “Yes, it is a quite a sight to see a sunrise”.

It’s funny because son and sun are homonyms. Everyone knows homonyms are hilarious because they sound alike. Other joke choices were:

Elly: It must be fun to be in a daze during the days.

Elly: You are in that phase after work where nothing can faze you.

Elly: It must be quite a feat for you to stay on your feet.

Elly: I love to see you have grown to the point where work makes you groan.

Elly: You are like a knight fighting only in the night.

Elly: I think you must be mourning the morning.

See. Those are all comedy genius because they sound alike.

Don’t be fooled.It was a long, bumpy road before Mike got paid a living wage for his writing

Sympathize, night jobs suck !

Now that is the way to deliver a punchline. Turn your back to the reader so we can’t see your facial expression and just the back of your head, and think the punchline as you are walking away down the stairs. That gives the maximum impact when you want to bring the laffs. Hilarious.

Lovely image in the last panel.

Like a full moon in the middle of the day!

I work nights. I know exactly how he feels.

I worked in a greenhouse, planting seedlings, one Summer. I worked from 11PM to 7AM. There was no idle chatting ’cause you had to count the seedlings. In all that quietness, it was very hard to stay awake.

I worked the sign on morning shift most of my radio career. Never got used to it. Came home at noon and hit the sack for at least 2 hours. 4am wakeup never came easy.

Ellie got out of bed in the middle of the night just so she could make this strained pun.

Cheer up mom, few shifts of night will add character to the young man.

Great closing shot there, Elly.

Like a full moon in the middle of the day!