Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for October 16, 2019

It looks like he’s fighting the battle of the bulge.

Hula Hoop for Freedom!

Would she rather he played with guns?

Nathan’s waging a war of his own.

I posted what I thought was a pithy comment but auto correct keeps making it politically correct.

Nathan looks positively delighted with the geopolitical situation.

Also, Nathan strikes me as a most unBallard St-like name.

Nathan is hip to the situation. There is a war so he’s practicing to aid the war effort by gardening. He intends to plant potatoes on his right side and tomatoes on his left, and, when he gets his engine started, he will rotate his crops! (I know, I know. A very old joke Arthur Godfrey told about Haleloke, the Hawaiian Hula dancer on his show. Perfect for Ballard Street!)

Is Gloria merely informing Nathan of something she just heard on the Channel 7 news, because he might want to know?

Or is she saying he shouldn’t be playing with frivolous toys at a time of national crisis?

Because, you know, if she’s just trying to harsh his mellow….

it doesn’t help the war effort to keep everybody in a state of gloom and doom.

Send in the clowns.

There ought to be clowns.

Yeah, I know, but, I want to be in the hula hoop too!

Nathan knows he has very few skills to get him in the army… but is working on the one he does have and hopes it is enough.

Nathan regrets that he has but one Hula to Hoop for his country…

Maybe Nathan is just a kid? ‘Cause adults don’t fit in hula hoops.

If Nero can fiddle, I can hoopla-hoop.

Give hoop a chance.