For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for May 14, 2010

Thought the man who went out for a night on the town with his best bud – and without Elly – not too long ago (granted, it was Elly’s fault for not speaking up, but still… .)

awww. my heart bleeds.

Poor baby…..

Quick Someone send him a violinist.

Oh, be happy that your wife wants to better herself and have some fun with it. Enjoy your time with your son.

I’m with Downundergirl and margueritem on this one 100%! :)

I think it’s simply that John would be very happy to be at the pub too, just because he likes being at the pub. Remember, women often have very complex reasons for thinking things, but men often have extremely simple reasons and usually the simplest explanation is the correct one.

John, Elly didn’t ask you to come along with her to celebrate at the pub after her night course was over. You stay home with Michaeal and Lizzie. Let Elly have fun a little bit.

Just another issue that married couples need to learn how deal with, when each begins to have independent social lives. And particularly so in a time in which the expected activities of men and women are in transition as they would have been in 1981. And I think we men need(ed) to see how our extra-social activities affect(ed) our wives by seeing the turnabout - and learn to accept it as fair play. No criticism of Jon is needed, because he is still learning - and hopefully will learn - to accept it.

I love the third panel!

dsom8:

I think we are all still learning and will do so until the end. The fact that Lynn shows us this truth again and again is why this strip is so precious.

I think if I were John I would be disappointed too.

The shoe is on the other foot now, isn’t it John?! You go Ellie!!! Have fun and let down your hair. I hope you are gone to the pub to celebrate your accomplishment with your classmates. You deserve it - going back to school, at night, after caring for your family in the daytime. I admire you for wanting to better yourself!

Can’t be too late since the child is still up.

Ok, the out drinking without the spouse score is now Elly, 1, John, Y(X+B) to the third power.

I agree, Awwwww, poor you John, but if you remember back to the one where John met Ted out and Elly decided to stay home, she really played the self pity drama card, and she was the one who decided not to go. He at least invited her.

It’s good to see John paying some positive attention to his kids.

He still asked her. She COULD have gone. Your argument isn’t even the point of what I said.

The point was about the difference in the self pity party each of them displays. She threw a big one, even though she could have gone. Even though he does this all the time, why can’t he wish he was there with her?

At least he isn’t throwing a fit.

How ‘bout the world’s tiniest violin? (rubbing thumb and index finger together)

This is the one where he puts the kids to bed, then drinks a whole 40 oz bottle of whiskey. When Elly comes home and can’t wake him, the paramedics come for a visit.

To any of you out there that have at one time or another been disappointed:

(All of You)

Did it ever work to simply NOT be disappointed? Did it feel good? Did it take a while (or forever) to get “over it?”

Rhetorical questions that don’t need answering.

Four Panels, One slice of Life.

Please take another look at all the panels, (the third one gets me) and tell yourself what each one feels like, not what they mean.

BTW My dad read to me often and it was one of the best ways we had of being together. He died when I was thirteen.

I expect John has met Connie and Anne, and talked to them a bit. And I expect that he hasn’t met any of the people in Ellie’s night class. So this is not the same kind of experience - he does have to get used to Ellie having her own, separate, life from his.

It is a bit upsetting, in the beginning, especially because he wasn’t prepared to feel this way. But he should get over it.

I think John is jealous at the thought that Elly went to the pub without him … while he was “stuck” at home taking care of the kids.

Well, John … welcome to Elly’s world for a change. At least you’re away from home 8 hours a day, 5 days a week while she’s there pretty much all the time with little to no chance at having time on her own or the real ability to go out with her friends on her own to the pub (if that’s what she wants).

But maybe … just maybe … that’s not what happened to her at all. What if she hasn’t called because she’s got a flat tire, had a car accident, or gotten robbed in the night school’s parking lot??? I sincerely hope for her sake that the pub is exactly where’s she’s at!!!!!

For once!! Feeling a little insecure John?

Sometimes you men can’t see us ladies wanting to talk to someone who drinks something besides chocolate milk. And talks about something besides the cartoons on the television is that too hard for you men to think about, well is it. You men spend 8 hours a day with people who does grown up talk, why can we ladies do the same thing and not with our husbands ,.