For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 06, 2020

Mind your own business!

Postman sure knows his stuff.

Yeah. Martha has plenty of other guys around to keep her busy until Mike returns. She is cute and everything. Mike? If you want a girlfriend who only pines for you, Martha is not the one. When you grow up and know girls better, you will come to understand what happened the summer you stayed on your uncle’s farm. You will pick a better girl.

By the advice the postal clerk gave Michael, I’d say he never married.;-D

This one reminds me of the postmaster / general store guy in the old Green Acres TV show, where he was constantly reading people’s mail and making funny comments about it. Given his comment to Michael, he seems to be a little too aware of what is going on in Michael’s letter life.

When I was that age, my beau won a trip to Germany for the summer (he was in army cadets), and I think he wrote me twice in that time. I wrote him every week, but he didn’t get my letters until just before coming home. This was back in the 1970s when the mail to Europe was not fast at all. I was disappointed to not get much mail from him, but he was VERY busy with cadet exercises (playing soldier) and traveling all over. Meanwhile, I was stuck at home, painting a huge fence, and lots of other chores. My parents didn’t want me to be bored. Sheesh! :P

Looks like Mike has developed a few farm arm muscles.

The days before email, texting, and cell phones.

Sounds like some very good advice, Michael. Hopefully, you’re listening!

(Spoilers) I honestly think this should have been the only time they broke up.

Martha never really seemed very devoted. It was more like she just wants to string Mike along. IIRC she has betrayed his confidence three times, although my memory of those is not clear.

Welcome to the world of ‘leaving home’(even for a week or two). Those who stay behind live on without you. By the time you return, everything is different. Some times that’s good. Some times that’s bad. But it always IS.

Queue up the Marvelettes “Please Mr. Postman”.

Lynn’s Comments:

This is from a summer I spent in Quebec. I was 16 and had gone to Montreal to learn French and to help my Aunt with my young cousins. I wrote letters to the “boy I left behind,” and he never wrote back to me. I was heartbroken. Just one letter would have been nice. He didn’t have to say anything personal…just “Hi” and I would have been thrilled.

snail mail? why doesn’t he and Martha text?

I have been in that situation a couple of times. Worst was when I was staying with relatives out of state for two months during the summer, I sent a letter every week. Some photos. Even a gift. Never got one letter back in two months. Near the end of on my stay when I hadn’t heard a peep, my uncle gave me almost exactly the same advice and he was correct.

As a teen I had to hide a hickie on my neck once when my steady came back from a trip. Not an easy thing to do ; )

Listen the guy Mike.

He’s gonna want to go home.

The clerk must have been “Over-Seas” sometime in his life….“Thank you for your service” Bub …..

…

just don’t succumb to them feminine wiles,

Canada doesn’t have a version of RFD? Do rural citizens only get their mail when they go into town for supplies? They’re not still using buckboards, I saw the pickup truck.

if their mail is like it is here, it now takes up to 10 days to get a piece of mail that usually took 2-3 days before the virus.

Jimmy Buffet?: If your phone doesn’t ring, it’s me!