Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for June 29, 2009

Yes, this is a very serious matter, and both options are advisable.

Just tell your dad the truth, he’ll understand. I remember when I broke my dads PS2 I told him the truth and was ready for my punishment. But he just looked at me, and said that it was ok and that he would take me and get a new one. And that’s exactly what he did. I was never punished.

Hobbes, be careful what advice you give here. Your existence is dependent on Calvin’s. No Calvin, no Hobbes.

Man, look at Calvin’s face in the second panel. Dante would be fascinated. (The third is almost as tormented.)

It’s not the broken possession. It’s the occasional unforgiving parental owner who forgets that possessions are not everything.

Calvin, Promise Dad better rating in the next poll. That should keep you alive until the next polls anyway.

don’t panic, Calvin, we all know Dad is an understanding dad, as long as you confess to him.

Boy, that brings back memories of all the things I broke when I was a kid.

I didn’t know my own strength.

Calvin-‘fess up to Dad and OFFER to commit hara-kiri. That ought to take care of it.

Calvin’s creative mind always imagines the worst. But, it’s the look of disappointment on his dad’s face that will hurt the most. His dad trusted him and he let him down. Better to fess up now than to live with the guilt. Of course, Hara-Kiri is a honorable way of dealing with guilt, too. But knowing Calvin, I bet he runs away.

Neither suicide nor running away from home are a laughing matter. I’m offended by this strip.

Heheh, I seem to recall there’s a pretty good little storyline heading our way.

………………………………….

rmleon said: ”Neither suicide nor running away from home are a laughing matter. I’m offended by this strip.”

Hang in here, rmleon….you just might learn something rather redeeming from a 6 year old cartoon kid and his stuffed tiger.

Charlie, I haven’t heard the word ‘hanky-panky’ in ages! LOL. I always thought it meant boy-girl trouble.

You mean it don’t???

I’ve seen Calvin’s Dad. He’s not a binocular kind of guy. He’ll be cool with this if Calvin plays straight.

Ok… so it’s all going to hell in a hat box.

It just fell out of my hands. Too heavy. Dad will understand.

Calvin should commit hara-kire over less than binoculars: the salamander accident for instance.

What about the time he did something unmentionable to Dad’s car and was ready to flee south of the border? “Hola Senorita, I am El Fugitivo”. Still PMP over that one.

As my kids would say when I asked how did it happen: “It fell off the table.” Clumsy binoculars!

Calvin’s repertoire of facial expressions is unbelievable =D

And don’t worry Calvin…your dad’s going to stay as cool as always.. =D

Rakkav said,

It’s not the broken possession. It’s the occasional unforgiving parental owner who forgets that possessions are not everything.

~~~

You’re so right. I remember breaking one of my mom’s cups by accident once when I was washing the dishes and she never let me forget it. Months later I heard her on the phone griping to a friend about me breaking the cup. It was only a stupid cup!

Yukoner, you make an interesting point in your first comment. Hobbes’ fate is indeed tied to Calvin’s existance; sort of a Twilight Zone meets Aesop’s Fables.

rmleon, I am offended by your offense.

Honest Dad, I was just looking at them and they broke

If it was a genuine legitimate accident while the kid was being careful, sure punishment is over the top. But I think we will all agree that there’s no such thing as an accident in Calvin’s case :)

Knowing that, I’d hate to be in Calvins shoes.

HeyCalvin, just tell us HOW you broke the binoculars. And how many pieces are there?

Another potential “learning opportunity”…

Few people in our culture appear able to deal with adversity or mistakes in an appropriate fashion. If Calvin follows the societal norm, he will reflexively deny everything, portray himself as a the victim and demand that the any accuser offer incontravertable proof of wrong-doing on Calvin’s part.

That’s a lot of work. It’s so much easier to simply live life with honesty, honor and integrity.

I once had a brand new (and now I am dating myself) Hopalong Cassidy watch. I got it for my birthday. I went to the hospital with my mom to visit my grandfather, but I had to wait in the lobby becasue I wasn’t old enough to visit. Mom, knowing me all too well told me not to take off my watch, which I did and it promptly fell on the floor and smashed. When she came back and I told her she said that it was too bad that it broke, and she understood. I didn’t get punished, except for the fact that there was no money to replace it and that was my punishment. I always remembered that incident, but more how mom handled it than that it broke.

what is hara-kiri? i’ve never heard that before…

Little kids have little hands. That’s why they drop their glass of milk.

madampresident : Did it come in a box with a cardbord saddle inside? I had one too. I found a book in Barnes and Noble yesterday that had the value of old watches in it. Today it’s worth almost $600.

Ladywolf, not every dad is as understanding and cool as yours, but you & rmelen stay tuned I think Calvin’s dad will surprise. mjw22307 - hara-kiri: traditional Japanese ritual suicide by sword.

just fess up to your dad calvin, then see if hobbs has a pair in his stash box.. oh you didn’t remember about that

@musicnut1986: I guess there are too many to glue them together..

Calvin is mechanically inclined. He can fix the binoculars.

You’re all wrong. The dad broke it. He covered it up with his dust cover and left if for an unexpecting Calvin. Then he took Calvin to the store, so Calvin would think that dad is an okay guy. This is just a theory.

Well it depends… Calvin’s dad could go for the bonus points in the popularity polls by forgiving. He could really use them.

Hara-kiri is Japanese ritual suicide with a sword. You take your sword and cut sideways across your stomach, below the waist, into your guts. When it is verified that they are falling out all over, THEN the assistant cuts your head off with another sword.

(I have seen lots of Japanese movies…)

Anyone want me to say what happens next??

Of course if I crash the car my dad would probably blow a fuse and ground me for all eternity. Game systems are minor things to him, the car on the other hand, is a major thing that costs lots of money.

the best way for calvin is to ask dad what he would do if he found out the binoculars are broken without telling him they are broken..if its something drastic then run away..you’ve already done that before hara-kiri deserves something worse than this=)

Take the lens caps off, Calvin.

Ladywolf: It’s not the how big or small the object is when it comes to learning responsibility with other people’s property.

Calvin will blame it on hobbes maybe!

I used to live in fear of my father, he was very stern and punished every thing, while making me feel so small and very stupid. After marrying, I accidentally backed into a pole at the drive in grocery. I worried all day, about telling my husband. I said to him when he got home: I backed into a pole today, and I am so sorry! He said: Well, I am too. What a difference, I will never forget that. What a great guy!

I love his statement “I just broke them by accident”. He knows he’s responsible, but still wants to call it an accident. He doesn’t really know how to be extra careful. He needs training. Parents need to give specific instructions.

Regardless of how neglegent, it’s still an accident. The neglegent part is what needs to be taught. Accidents will happen.

Ladywolf: I guarantee that if you told your dad you had wrecked the car, his first thought and first question would be: “Did you get hurt?”

Calvin must beg Mom to speak to Dad and explain how Hobbes dropped and broke them A few tears from Calvin will help

D-i-c-e-R said, “A good landing is one that you can walk away from.”

But a Great landing is one where the plane can be flown again.

@N7326F I knew I left something out - the punch line. Thx.

Wait until you see what remains of the binoculars.

Wow. Thank you for the info. Hari-kiri an interesting way to die.

Run away Calvin, we want some adventures in a far away land…

I’m with opuscroakus70, I prefer the time he did something unmentionable to Dad’s car and was ready to flee south of the border.

But I like Hobbes question whether it could be fixed, to which Calvin replied something like, “If we suggested that we could find it, it would be possible to imagine that it might be able to be fixed.”

This would make a great South West Air commercial. “Want to get Away?”

Ray C Quit the Crap! Post only for C&H Ok?

If Calvin dies, does Hobbes?

How does a SIX-year-old know about HARAKIRI anyway ?!?!?!?!?!?

what’s hara kari?