I don’t think EITHER of them will need a bath! But the car still will!
Howtheduck, gimme a break, you’ve never done something stupid? At least he took Mike with him, when it would have been SO much easier to just leave him at home.
I’m surprised Mike’s not laughing it up the little daredevil…looks fun! Poor Dad, you win some you lose some its all part of being a parent, we don’t know it all..
I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY FUNNY. NO ONE GOT HURT, BUT THE SPRAYER MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SHOWER FOR THE DAY. IN HOT WEATHER, THIS COULD BECOME A FAVORITE PASTTIME.
Is this strip like those “what gender are you?” tests that sometimes run in “Sylvia”? Y’know, something like this:
You take the kid to the quarter car-wash, he grabs the hose and goes spinning around like crazy, getting himself and you soaking wet. Match the response to the gender:
M_ F_ “Don’t ever do that again! You could hurt yourself!”
M_ F_ “Cooooool! Let’s do it again!”
wait, this premise makes no sense. And yes I know it’s a comic. I can understand using that type of car wash if you live in an apartment and cant wash your car. But the Patterson’s live in a house with a hose, so why do they need to go there. Its not like someone else is washing the car so its not faster or easier? So why?
Wolfdreamer: John’s taking Michael out to do something together. For 6 (?) year-old Michael, this is an adventure. It would not be “fun” in the driveway - it would be “work”. For John, this is a creative effort at father-son time - and it turns out to be a bit more of an adventure than he expected. :-)
Right Paul Jones. I’m glad YOU said it and not me.
And to add to that, it shows what I said yesterday. John is as hapless a parent as Elly and that bottom drawer of sharp gadgets, only lazier, and he put the kid in danger (see final paragraph before you start).
I want to see everyone pile on and defend John now, so we can laugh in disbelief.
Wolfdreamer is also right. It makes you wonder.
~~Last year some woman pointed that hose on her 4 year old as punishment for crying. The video went viral, people were so outraged they put the video on every news channel in the country in an attempt to flush he woman out. The woman turned herself in for child abuse. The pressure damaged the girl’s skin and she was covered with bruises. So before you all write about how offbase I am about the “danger”, think back to this event. ~~
While this is a “comic strip”, this particular one is about real life (of the author), and is more of a soap opera than a comic strip.
@wolfdreamer250, I have long since given up looking for rationality in comic strips. It used to bother me that the artist would draw someone knitting in a way that showed that the artist knew nothing about knitting. And similarly, why the characters didn’t think in ordinary ways like people in real life.
So many times, commenters have to remind each other, “It’s just a comic strip”, because everyone gets so passionate about some aspect of that day’s strip. Now everyone, take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and repeat after me:
(ooooops, I think I forgot what I wanted to say! just give me a minute please… aaah)
“It’s just the writer of the strip trying to make a specific point.”
Now you can argue about what the point is. Or there might even be more than one point. Just don’t expect the strip to make sense as we understand it. It has its own internal logic. Try getting inside it. It’s fun!
MrsLuke: the difference here being that Michael is not on the receiving end of the pressure washer, even accidentally. He’s “riding the wave” so to speak. While I agree with you that a 6-year old is too young to handle a pressure hose, this isn’t child abuse.
Wolfdreamer: I don’t own a power washer, so going to one of those car washes instead of washing the car in my driveway is much faster and easier.
Susan: I took my convertible through one of those ride-through car washes once. No, I didn’t leave the top down, but I didn’t realize the water would be spraying UP at some point, and it flowed right over the top of the window frame under the ragtop and into my lap. My husband was with me at the time, and we have never laughed so hard in our lives.
The two were having fun. I’ve never seen a self-service hose with high pressure for that very reason. Hyperbole is the strength of the spray. And the point in using a place like that is the use of “gray water.” You know, conservation.
We can’t tell if they are really having fun becuase of the terrified looks on their faces. Plus, they are wearing jackets so it must be cold outside. They’ll probaby catch colds.
But if I’m allowed to finish the strip in my own mind, I’d say it’s a day they’ll laugh about and talk about forever. That’s worth everything.
ooppps, I forgot one thing: RinaFarina I fully agree with your point of view, all of it, even the brain-slippage; even the sage advice of not looking for rationality; and the sager advice: HAVE FUN, IT’S THE COMICS.
I looked up the incident you described on YouTube. I couldn’t find one about a 4-year-old child but I did find one about a 2-1/2 year-old that took place in Florida (is this the same incident you were referring to?). Pretty disturbing, to say the least, that anyone would do something like that on purpose to their child (especially one that age) just because the mother was “frustrated” at her child’s temper tantrums. The kid was 2-1/2 for heaven’s sake! That’s just what they DO because they haven’t learned the necessary skills yet to control themselves. But what really got me next was that while the mother admitted she “made a mistake”, she also stated that she didn’t believe she had done anything wrong. Incredible. All I can really say is … WOW!!!
Having said that though, I can still see the comedy in this comic too. While John shouldn’t have given his 6-year-old son that car wash hose (knowing how powerful it is and how hard it is to control), things like that happen. Parents sometimes do bone-headed things and the situation gets a little out of control. Everyone got soaked (not a good thing to happen on a day when it’s cold enough to have to wear a coat outside!) but as long as no one got hurt (hopefully!), it’s still pretty funny when you think about it … and Michael probably had the absolute time of his life!!! After the yelling he got from his dad yesterday, I’m sure that as far as he’s concerned, this little adventure they went on together more than made up for it!!!!!
OK, first off, do NOT let your kid use the pressure hose…
On the other hand, Michael (and his father) just got a priceless lesson in Newton’s third law of motion.
I’m too lazy for the do-it-yourself pressure washer, so I go for the drive-throughs. The first time through, my kids got a little scared, but now they think it’s fun.
For the woman who pressure-washed her kid - try that on your own hide before you go using it on someone else - ESPECIALLY a child… (shudder…)
As for taking a rag-top through an automatic car wash, I’m surprised that the attendants didn’t stop you - glad you took it with humor, though… :)
When I was little my family was pet sitting a friends dog.
My mom and i were taking him for a walk and i kept asking “Can I hold the leash, can I hold the leash?” My mom didn’t think i was strong enough but finally she gave in. I took the leash and the dog was off dragging me behind. My mom finally caught up to us and grabbed the leash out of my hands. I wasn’t allowed to walk the dog after that.
My little sister, about 100 pounds soaking wet, got a huge Gran Pyrenees (sp?) dog in a package deal with hubby number 2. Until it got old and crippled, if that dog wanted to go somewhere, there wasn’t a whole lot she could do about it. Thankfully it was a pretty mellow dog, and seldom took off full-throttle without warning.
As a comic, it’s hilarious – if it were real life, I might be concerned.
It might also serve as a warning to parents as an example of how NOT to spend quality time with your kid.
It’s interesting to note that in one of the strips (which shall remain nameless because it is so peaceful there) the cartoonist often weighs in on the conversation and clarifies what was meant. It is also interesting that said cartoonist is often very surprised at the different interpretations that come out in the comments.
alviebird over 14 years ago
Hosed.
gobblingup Premium Member over 14 years ago
I guess he won’t need a bath tonight.
Plods with ...™ over 14 years ago
Wheeeeeee!!!
jaeldid66 over 14 years ago
I don’t think EITHER of them will need a bath! But the car still will!
Howtheduck, gimme a break, you’ve never done something stupid? At least he took Mike with him, when it would have been SO much easier to just leave him at home.
celeconecca over 14 years ago
New amusement park attraction?
arsmall over 14 years ago
I’m surprised Mike’s not laughing it up the little daredevil…looks fun! Poor Dad, you win some you lose some its all part of being a parent, we don’t know it all..
sweetmelodies over 14 years ago
I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY FUNNY. NO ONE GOT HURT, BUT THE SPRAYER MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SHOWER FOR THE DAY. IN HOT WEATHER, THIS COULD BECOME A FAVORITE PASTTIME.
lewisbower over 14 years ago
Come on Dad, let’s ride it again!
lewisbower over 14 years ago
Come on Dad, let’s ride it again!
puddleglum1066 over 14 years ago
Is this strip like those “what gender are you?” tests that sometimes run in “Sylvia”? Y’know, something like this:
You take the kid to the quarter car-wash, he grabs the hose and goes spinning around like crazy, getting himself and you soaking wet. Match the response to the gender:
M_ F_ “Don’t ever do that again! You could hurt yourself!” M_ F_ “Cooooool! Let’s do it again!”
notinksanymore over 14 years ago
I still love the drive-through car washes. I always get my oil changed at the place with the free car wash just so I can ride through it.
cleokaya over 14 years ago
a car wash is a great place to have a water fight. It sure beats a super soaker.
BigHug over 14 years ago
I guess this is the father/son time John didn’t give him yesterday. Be careful what you wish for lol.
bald over 14 years ago
wash the car and michaels clothes at the same time
is this multitasking ?
NashvilleMac over 14 years ago
Gives a whole new meaning to the term “Take off, hosehead!”
Wildmustang1262 over 14 years ago
The last panel looks sooooooooooo hilarious funny! X-D Love it! They are so helplessness to handle the snake hose with extra - powerful spray.
Wolfdreamer250 over 14 years ago
wait, this premise makes no sense. And yes I know it’s a comic. I can understand using that type of car wash if you live in an apartment and cant wash your car. But the Patterson’s live in a house with a hose, so why do they need to go there. Its not like someone else is washing the car so its not faster or easier? So why?
coffeeturtle over 14 years ago
Too Funny!!! Up, Up….and AWAY! XD
dsom8 over 14 years ago
howtheduck, Paul Jones: Look up the word “hyperbole.”
LornaP over 14 years ago
Wolfdreamer: John’s taking Michael out to do something together. For 6 (?) year-old Michael, this is an adventure. It would not be “fun” in the driveway - it would be “work”. For John, this is a creative effort at father-son time - and it turns out to be a bit more of an adventure than he expected. :-)
mrslukeskywalker over 14 years ago
Right Paul Jones. I’m glad YOU said it and not me.
And to add to that, it shows what I said yesterday. John is as hapless a parent as Elly and that bottom drawer of sharp gadgets, only lazier, and he put the kid in danger (see final paragraph before you start).
I want to see everyone pile on and defend John now, so we can laugh in disbelief.
Wolfdreamer is also right. It makes you wonder.
~~Last year some woman pointed that hose on her 4 year old as punishment for crying. The video went viral, people were so outraged they put the video on every news channel in the country in an attempt to flush he woman out. The woman turned herself in for child abuse. The pressure damaged the girl’s skin and she was covered with bruises. So before you all write about how offbase I am about the “danger”, think back to this event. ~~
While this is a “comic strip”, this particular one is about real life (of the author), and is more of a soap opera than a comic strip.
RinaFarina over 14 years ago
@wolfdreamer250, I have long since given up looking for rationality in comic strips. It used to bother me that the artist would draw someone knitting in a way that showed that the artist knew nothing about knitting. And similarly, why the characters didn’t think in ordinary ways like people in real life.
So many times, commenters have to remind each other, “It’s just a comic strip”, because everyone gets so passionate about some aspect of that day’s strip. Now everyone, take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and repeat after me:
(ooooops, I think I forgot what I wanted to say! just give me a minute please… aaah)
“It’s just the writer of the strip trying to make a specific point.”
Now you can argue about what the point is. Or there might even be more than one point. Just don’t expect the strip to make sense as we understand it. It has its own internal logic. Try getting inside it. It’s fun!
JanLC over 14 years ago
MrsLuke: the difference here being that Michael is not on the receiving end of the pressure washer, even accidentally. He’s “riding the wave” so to speak. While I agree with you that a 6-year old is too young to handle a pressure hose, this isn’t child abuse.
Wolfdreamer: I don’t own a power washer, so going to one of those car washes instead of washing the car in my driveway is much faster and easier.
Susan: I took my convertible through one of those ride-through car washes once. No, I didn’t leave the top down, but I didn’t realize the water would be spraying UP at some point, and it flowed right over the top of the window frame under the ragtop and into my lap. My husband was with me at the time, and we have never laughed so hard in our lives.
littledutchboy over 14 years ago
The two were having fun. I’ve never seen a self-service hose with high pressure for that very reason. Hyperbole is the strength of the spray. And the point in using a place like that is the use of “gray water.” You know, conservation.
We can’t tell if they are really having fun becuase of the terrified looks on their faces. Plus, they are wearing jackets so it must be cold outside. They’ll probaby catch colds.
But if I’m allowed to finish the strip in my own mind, I’d say it’s a day they’ll laugh about and talk about forever. That’s worth everything.
One more country heard from…..
littledutchboy over 14 years ago
ooppps, I forgot one thing: RinaFarina I fully agree with your point of view, all of it, even the brain-slippage; even the sage advice of not looking for rationality; and the sager advice: HAVE FUN, IT’S THE COMICS.
OK, now I’ll breath….
Gretchen's Mom over 14 years ago
MrsLukeSkywalker:
I looked up the incident you described on YouTube. I couldn’t find one about a 4-year-old child but I did find one about a 2-1/2 year-old that took place in Florida (is this the same incident you were referring to?). Pretty disturbing, to say the least, that anyone would do something like that on purpose to their child (especially one that age) just because the mother was “frustrated” at her child’s temper tantrums. The kid was 2-1/2 for heaven’s sake! That’s just what they DO because they haven’t learned the necessary skills yet to control themselves. But what really got me next was that while the mother admitted she “made a mistake”, she also stated that she didn’t believe she had done anything wrong. Incredible. All I can really say is … WOW!!!
Having said that though, I can still see the comedy in this comic too. While John shouldn’t have given his 6-year-old son that car wash hose (knowing how powerful it is and how hard it is to control), things like that happen. Parents sometimes do bone-headed things and the situation gets a little out of control. Everyone got soaked (not a good thing to happen on a day when it’s cold enough to have to wear a coat outside!) but as long as no one got hurt (hopefully!), it’s still pretty funny when you think about it … and Michael probably had the absolute time of his life!!! After the yelling he got from his dad yesterday, I’m sure that as far as he’s concerned, this little adventure they went on together more than made up for it!!!!!
zev.farkas over 14 years ago
OK, first off, do NOT let your kid use the pressure hose…
On the other hand, Michael (and his father) just got a priceless lesson in Newton’s third law of motion.
I’m too lazy for the do-it-yourself pressure washer, so I go for the drive-throughs. The first time through, my kids got a little scared, but now they think it’s fun.
For the woman who pressure-washed her kid - try that on your own hide before you go using it on someone else - ESPECIALLY a child… (shudder…)
As for taking a rag-top through an automatic car wash, I’m surprised that the attendants didn’t stop you - glad you took it with humor, though… :)
mroberts88 over 14 years ago
Skywalker, the lady intentionally did that.
Michael and John learned a valuable lesson….if you dont think the kid can control the hose, you’re probably right. That, and listen.
sthakrar over 14 years ago
When I was little my family was pet sitting a friends dog. My mom and i were taking him for a walk and i kept asking “Can I hold the leash, can I hold the leash?” My mom didn’t think i was strong enough but finally she gave in. I took the leash and the dog was off dragging me behind. My mom finally caught up to us and grabbed the leash out of my hands. I wasn’t allowed to walk the dog after that.
andymeijers over 14 years ago
My little sister, about 100 pounds soaking wet, got a huge Gran Pyrenees (sp?) dog in a package deal with hubby number 2. Until it got old and crippled, if that dog wanted to go somewhere, there wasn’t a whole lot she could do about it. Thankfully it was a pretty mellow dog, and seldom took off full-throttle without warning.
cleokaya over 14 years ago
Everyone is getting way to wound up. Geez, enjoy the strip or move on.
hildigunnurr Premium Member over 14 years ago
cleokaya - that’s pretty much the norm here, isn’t it?
lindz.coop Premium Member over 14 years ago
As a comic, it’s hilarious – if it were real life, I might be concerned.
It might also serve as a warning to parents as an example of how NOT to spend quality time with your kid.
It’s interesting to note that in one of the strips (which shall remain nameless because it is so peaceful there) the cartoonist often weighs in on the conversation and clarifies what was meant. It is also interesting that said cartoonist is often very surprised at the different interpretations that come out in the comments.