This is a Mack Sennett comedy that runs at about the same speed. Add a little ragtime doubletime, and you’re there! Love this—no words, but you get the complete message!
This is kind of like every school day at my place. I can hardly wait until all 3 of them need to get to the bus on time. On the other hand, I can hardly wait until all 3 of my very active boys are gone 6 hours a day 5 days a week.
Susie apparently brings money to BUY lunch. When I went to school, that was only for kids of means or the very poor kids who received subsidies. The rest of us brought our lunch. Once in a blue moon my mom had some change to give me to buy lunch. Not that it was great, but having something other than a sandwich and for the novelty of it was cool.
From the look on Calvin’s face in panel 15 (bottom left), I’m guessing that his argument in panel 14 was something along the lines of “I missed the bus – I get to stay home!” (Losing, of course…)
Calvin, you have no idea how good you have it.Elementary school, inner city Chicago, 1949: No kindergarten; first grade on first day. No school bus; you walk. No homework; everything was done in school. It wasn’t perfect; but, if you survived, you felt like you really accomplished something. After going to a Chicago elementary school for eight years, going into the U.S. Army was a piece-a-cake.
“Another strip with no words at all. I kept the panel design extremely clean and simple, so nothing gets in the way of the frantic story. I’m very pleased with how each moment is distilled. A lot of experience fed into each picture by this point.”
BE THIS GUY about 9 years ago
And this on a Sunday.
PanosP about 9 years ago
….and the books were not there in the first place…. (?)
favm about 9 years ago
With Calvin, books are really not as important as lunch.
Kind&Kinder about 9 years ago
This is a Mack Sennett comedy that runs at about the same speed. Add a little ragtime doubletime, and you’re there! Love this—no words, but you get the complete message!
Bob. about 9 years ago
Where is Susie’s lunch?
rentier about 9 years ago
Such thing I had with one of my sons. He never knew, what homework he had got, I had to run to other mothers and they told me the homework.
Liverlips McCracken Premium Member about 9 years ago
Brilliant dialogue in this one.
Cameron1988 Premium Member about 9 years ago
LOL!
mattro65 about 9 years ago
This is kind of like every school day at my place. I can hardly wait until all 3 of them need to get to the bus on time. On the other hand, I can hardly wait until all 3 of my very active boys are gone 6 hours a day 5 days a week.
ldg about 9 years ago
How sweet it is….
dlkrueger33 about 9 years ago
Susie apparently brings money to BUY lunch. When I went to school, that was only for kids of means or the very poor kids who received subsidies. The rest of us brought our lunch. Once in a blue moon my mom had some change to give me to buy lunch. Not that it was great, but having something other than a sandwich and for the novelty of it was cool.
tom about 9 years ago
A typical school day for me!
gyroman12345 about 9 years ago
No one ever wins.
jrankin1959 about 9 years ago
From the look on Calvin’s face in panel 15 (bottom left), I’m guessing that his argument in panel 14 was something along the lines of “I missed the bus – I get to stay home!” (Losing, of course…)
Alexander the Good Enough about 9 years ago
So why didn’t they just call, or text, each other? Get with the program! ;-)
DocOmics about 9 years ago
This strip left me speechless.
chidecki Premium Member about 9 years ago
Love how Bill didn’t center his action in every panel. They’re like animation storyboards – simple and brilliant.
rentier about 9 years ago
How true, LE, it’s responsibility of parents, to bring order again into the mess, but it lasts years and years and years….
sonnygreen about 9 years ago
Calvin, you have no idea how good you have it.Elementary school, inner city Chicago, 1949: No kindergarten; first grade on first day. No school bus; you walk. No homework; everything was done in school. It wasn’t perfect; but, if you survived, you felt like you really accomplished something. After going to a Chicago elementary school for eight years, going into the U.S. Army was a piece-a-cake.
Susie Derkins :D about 9 years ago
You had it in your hand before Calvin. But then left it there to get your lunchbox.
skunky1960 about 9 years ago
Susie doesnt have a lunch at the bus stop because she buys her lunch at the cafeteria
Womble101 about 9 years ago
Brilliant!! The exasperation leaps out from the page, there’s no need for dialogue. One of my favourites :)
ellisaana Premium Member about 9 years ago
Mamma said there’ll be days like this.
JohnFarson19 about 9 years ago
Every time I see this strip, the theme from The Benny Hill Show starts playing in my head.
gg21064 about 9 years ago
He’s not carrying the books after he sees his lunch is not on the cabinet. He could have set them where his lunch had been as he looked for his lunch.
Number Three about 9 years ago
Wow. This strip is not only brilliant but it makes me glad that I’m young, free and single!
14th Panel:
“It’s your fault! It’s your fault!”
xxx
neverenoughgold about 9 years ago
I’m speechless!
Whoops… I lied.
renrod001 about 9 years ago
Beautiful. Great story. Very funny. And the best part … No dialogue. Love it.
Kr38or about 9 years ago
This.
renrod001 about 9 years ago
I love the last one. I can hear her screaming. LOL.
paullp Premium Member about 9 years ago
For sheer cleverness and brilliant execution, this is one of my favorite C&H strips.
TheGrandMugwump about 9 years ago
We know where he gets it from now.
Vara Lord about 9 years ago
“Another strip with no words at all. I kept the panel design extremely clean and simple, so nothing gets in the way of the frantic story. I’m very pleased with how each moment is distilled. A lot of experience fed into each picture by this point.”
Bill Watterson
Thomas & Tifffany Connolly about 9 years ago
The daily battle!
Christine Morgan Premium Member about 9 years ago
Six of one, half dozen of the other!
comiks2read about 9 years ago
what in the world!!!!
invaderben about 9 years ago
I used to think this was SO funny then I had kids and have gone thru very similar experiences.
Cronkers McGee Premium Member about 9 years ago
If this is Calvin’s Monday, he is in for a very long school week. I hope the best for him.
Opus Croakus about 9 years ago
I wonder why Calvin’s mom hasn’t invested in a backpack? Of course that would make for a less funny strip.
Opus Croakus about 9 years ago
1995? No, I can assure you backpacks were a thing then, I used to babysit kids who took them to school.
bmonk about 9 years ago
Maybe Mom needs to let Calvin stew a little—he’d be less likely to forget the next time.
OK, now that we are through laughing, does anyone have a suggestion?
Tijaro about 5 years ago
this morning I forgot my computer, this always happens when I forget stuff. its nice to see im not alone. :)
DanWolfie about 5 years ago
I think this stock music track would go perfectly with this strip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z95GuU-uLtI