For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for September 12, 2021

Boys would never do this, and thankfully do not understand it at all.

About school… uh-huh

Hey, Elizabeth. Mr. Lucas is not your math teacher. Miss Edwards is your math teacher. Nandini needs to straighten Elizabeth out. I expect if Elizabeth went to the right math class, it really would be an improvement in her school work.

By the way, Nandini is my all-time favourite close friend of Elizabeth’s that we will never, ever see.

My mother claimed my oldest sister spent more time on the phone complaining about her homework than doing it.

I never did this. I went to school as a tomboy who watched as much anime as the boys.

Liz must be talking on one of those “cordless” phones—progenetors of those damn iPhones that people are addicted to today.

Okay, well, she does have a point.

Have you ever notice that an answer this is technically correct is usually not technically true?

Nandini ??

That is her version of the call!

Females process in their brain by “talking.”

No school I went to allowed shorts, much less cut-offs…

It is not appropriate for a male teacher to comment on how a female student looks. Not unless she needs to go to the office and change something. Wearing eye shadow would not be in that category.

Elizabeth has graduated to teenage in this strip. More fodder for plots in the future. I’m sure that’s why April was born too.

Who’s giving her this work, Elly? YOU!?

Why don’t go whine with Connie IN PERSON?

Cut offs? Hope she doesn’t live in Texas or Afghanistan.

Good thing Lynn cut off Liz’s comment about Mr. Lucas’ reaction to the girls’ makeup — because if Elly overheard it, Liz might get her mouth washed out with soap…!

Hyacinth Bucket hates it when something gets broken.

Well, I love her shirt.

Yes talk about school just get no homework done. My own daughter she did her homework and not on phone with classwork.

The phone rings in the middle of the night. My father yells what you gonna do with your life%

How does she go from being barefoot to wearing half a stock? Alsof, complete the outfit by wearing sandalen.

It’s really interesting to be reading these strips as they’re rerun. First time I was roughly the age of the older kids and now I have kids about that age. I’ve always enjoyed FBOFW but didn’t really appreciate the Lynn’s genius until I was older. No wonder this one has been so popular for so long!

THAT LAST PANEL: The shaking-head, ghoulish, full-on bug-eyed closeup – it’s so Lynn.

I never do this, but it’s my youngest to a T (and yes, she is the same age as Lizzie). Of course on a cell instead of a landline, but otherwise exact.

Very well… Then you won’t mind paying the phone bill from now on!