Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for June 02, 2013

Or Twinkle Toes.

Out of curiosity, how does Mrs. Otterloop tell her husband and son apart when they’re a Senior and Junior? What about the rest of you who know people like that? (Happy boithday t’me.)

Every kid knows that grown-ups are on the verge of losing it.

Madeline, your daughter doesn’t know your “real” name! But then you don’t know hers, either. I guess it runs in the family. —And Petey just makes sardonic comments….

Mom’s good at getting Alice’s goat.

Alice should get some revenge. Nothing serious, just steal her mommy’s favorite dish towel (seen in the first five panels of today’s strip), and leave a note that says, “XXOO, Esmé”

She’s just pulling your leg, Alice.

Remember families where all the siblings’ names started with the same letter: Jimmy, Johnny, Joey, Jeffrey, Jay, etc.Imagine trying to keep those straight, especially when you are annoyed.

I remember more than once, when my mom was starting in on a good rant at one of her kids, would use the wrong name, try to use the right one and still get it wrong. Sometimes, if the kid was lucky, she would completely lose her dander and start laughing.

Life with Ron Raygun. Oldtimers.

SNERK!!!

My mother used to mix up our names, we new it would start when she would call us “damnit!”.

I’ve always had difficulty with names. When I got upset with my daughters back in the 60’s – 80’s, I’d automatically call them by the wrong name followed by the right name (like calling “Miranda” Esmé Miranda, and “Esmé” Miranda Esmé). Once I got really wound up abut a misdeed and ran through the kids’ names, my husband’s, and the cat’s. So I don’t think that Madeline started out to tease Alice, she just got mixed up. Then Madeline went into tease mode.

While growing up, one of my cousins always thought his name was “son of a b—ch!”

I’d do this with my kids if I had any.

Classic.

Well, I’ve been known to run through all four names of my kids and all the names of our various pets (some deceased) before finding the correct one.