For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 07, 2024

Gordon’s gonna make some money!

100 years! This was called Daly’s Garage for a 100 years? No wonder Gordon did not want to change the name to Gordon’s Garage.

100 years from when the comic strip was originally published n 1995 would have been 1895. Frankly this explains the horse plows, buckboard and blacksmiths tools in the back. This garage predates automobiles in Canada. After doing a little research I learned the the very first places that sold gasoline for the early automobiles were blacksmith shops and pharmacies. Blacksmiths used petroleum as a fuel for their blacksmithing.

they’d be selling them on high markup on ebay if this wasn’t 1995

Elly reads it but I don’t see a “by Michael Patterson” in there. This sounds like they trimmed him down to be not much more than a picture caption with no credit.

Oh, yeah. He knows.

Well Mike helped bring the scrap metal customers to Gordon and the money would help him buy what he needs for his business. Although the article was greatly truncated to just a few lines, they were the important parts.

I think so. Antiques roadshow will be filming an episode tomorrow.

That looks like more than just three lines! Now, Gordon can really become rich—and Michael’s career is off to a good start.

I don’t think Gordon will have to worry about finances now. I wonder if he will give Mike a commission.

Maybe he will be able to replace or repair his broken hoist now?

A nice windfall for Gordon if he sells.

I was under the impression that the Valley Voice was a local Canadian paper so that they would buy a piece about a local boy’s gas station from Michael.

Apparently though it must be an internationally distributed paper because isn’t the 555 telephone exchange located in Hollywood, California? And that van driver drove thousands of miles across the country to buy old scrap metal?

It is the classic “Be careful when you talk to the press. You never know the stardom that can start.”

Ah, the “Gordon randomly steps into a goldmine the second the unseen business owner gives him the business” thing. Very funny, and kind of Lynn throwing the guy a bone before he’s mostly out of Michael’s life.

Yep! The “Pickers” found him!

If he doesn’t get ripped off, he’ll be able to pay off his debt early.

Copy seems a little clumsy. Do a re-write and clean it up.

yeah, I’m sure he’s aware… :\

Good time to have a ‘Take a Number’ card set.

He didn’t have time to put price tags on everything

If he didn’t before, he does now.

..pre internet. The antique store business tanked after a few years. Used to be everywhere..

As the Sun peeked over the trees onto his junkyard, Gordon sat uneasily at the kitchen table, brooding over his morning Oatie-O’s. Tracey, his mousy-haired bride-to-be, stared at him intently, her face flush with irritation. Tracey barely spoke more than a few words at a time, however now it seemed like she was ready to unload. “Okay, Gordo, so just when are we gonna be rich?!”, she spat out. “For the past several months, I’ve been keepin’ the books ‘an runnin’ this place, ‘an I’ve made this craphole into a really nice apartment! When are we gonna see some REAL loonies??”. Gordon sighed and thought to himself, just how miserable almost-married life could be. “Well-er, if ah can get the lift-er fixed and the roof-er repaired, we’ll git ‘er goin’, and we’ll be on our way. Just be patient, is all ah ask. We’re Patterson favorites, remember?” Tracey gave him a look of disbelief. Then suddenly, there was a low rumbling outside, and the building began to shake slightly. Was it an earthquake? Gordon rose from the table and looked outside. The rumbling grew more intense. “Ah better git-er downstairs and see what’s going on”, he said. Without warning, a pickup truck came roaring into his lot, screeching to a halt. Then a van. Then a dump truck. Then a flatbed. Then another truck. Then a U-Haul. Then some French car. Then a dozen more vehicles of all types, then yet a dozen more! Gordon could only look on in shock as hoards of people ran up to him with their fingers in the air, all clamoring for the junk in his backyard. “Wowsers!”, Gordon thought. “It must be the article that Mike got into The Valley Voice. Who would have thought that such a small fly-speck of a local newspaper would have SUCH readership??” Tracey came downstairs, her mouth agape. “See honey?” Gordo beamed. “Ah told you that the Pattersons would git-er done fer us! Thank you, my wonderful P-peeps!”

Gordon the filthy capitalist is at it again.

I don’t remember this story arc, but I can see where this is probably heading: all these antique dealers want to buy the items, and he’s not gonna sell because they’re part of the garage’s history.

Actually, it’s the proliferation of everything on eBay that has killed the resale market. Gordon shoud do just fine!

good money for advertising signs of places that are long out of business. Dibs on the luggage trunk

Good for you Gordo ! Make it rain !

Lynn Johnston said Gordon was the non-Patterson that she got the most hate mail about. Canadians thought it is highly inappropriate to show a boy from a lower class family become a successful business owner.

“There is no such thing as the Canadian Dream’” Lynn quoted one of the hate letters and laughed.

A lot of people watch way to much of the TV series ’Road Show".

Time to call in a professional auctioneer and get the most for his stuff.

Auctioneers charge either a flat fee or a percentage. The percentage can be anywhere from 2%-20%, depending on the laws and regulations of the State or County. Regardless, he’ll get more than if he just prices it himself or holds a “garage sale”.

He knows.

I’d say Gordon knows now.

Hopefully he knows not just to take the first offer he gets. Make these people bid against each other. An auction might be best, if he can find an auction house that won’t eat up too much of the profit.

A little marketing can wonders.