Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for February 27, 2017

Hey, if it works for Norm, maybe I’ll try it too. Where do I have to hit myself to make it work?

This has been Norm’s rule of thumb for some time now.

Looking at his bare desk, and considering that Norm retired three years ago…

I don’t really see why he’s so intent on concentrating…

He seems to have plenty of excuses to let his mind wander.

I think he should come on down to the Tiki for Happy Hour, instead of staying home for Hammer Time.

Then again, he was an efficiency expert for 23 years, at Ballard Business Machines, Bowling Balls, and Venetian Blinds….

He still hates not feeling focused.

He hit upon this method (cough) when he heard some younger fellows saying they were into. .. he thought….. something called “smashing thumbkins.”

Btw… ya gotta admire the way his trousers fit his square hips so closely, and then slide perfectly into the knee hole of his desk.

I believe the desk was specially made for him, over at

Overalls and Office Furniture Я Us….

You couldn’t ask for finer work.

Next time you need pencils, you really should let them fit you for a custom set.

Mine are number 1¼, with lead-free fuchsia paint, and fit my hand like a glove.

He looks as though he may be hammered.

He nailed it.

Why do you keep hitting yourself in the head? Because it feels so good when I stop!

If he keeps that up, I guarantee that, eventually, he will lose focus…

It looks too painful, I will just stay out of the here & then X

Perhaps it’s the colorist, but it looks to me as though Norm has already freshly destroyed his thumb up to at least the first knuckle. I don’t know if “focused” is the word I would use to describe myself, were I to find myself in the same circumstances as Norm.