For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 13, 2020

If it’s so cool, why are they hovering at the doorway, prepared to bolt? I hated those kinds of parties and I still do now. I much rather a small gathering with close friends at home or at a restaurant. No loud music or disco ball necessary.

never went to a dance in my high school days (didn’t know of anyone with whom to go; I was never asked by any girls to the “Sadie Hawkins” dance either)

Try dancing with strobe lights on. People only show up at intervals and one has to worry about intersecting in the dark. And yes, I couldn’t hear until the next morning.

They had fun without getting in trouble, so it’s a success!

For some reason the music is always to loud for me. I suspect it is to keep everyone from hearing all the farting going on.

This brings back so many memories. In high school, we had dances after every home football game. My friends and I would go to “watch” the game, then meet up with friends in the band and walk over to the school. There, we’d take off our coats and sweaters (sometimes titillating the boys) and dance our hearts out. I don’t think any student who was at the game skipped the dance. It was a good way to burn off any upset at losing the game or extra adrenaline because of a win.

We had Y dances at the YMCA every Friday night in the 7th and 8th grade. Interestingly, not in high school.

Just a quick poll of my peers: do you like loud music? I never did.

I worked at a restaurant and one day we had an office party of mainly older people who hired a rock band!! The speakers were HUGE and the music was LOUD!!! They asked the band to cut the volume, but they couldn’t go lower or they would be off. It was funny to me. Have no idea what they were thinking if they thought at all.

I’ve had a type of hearing disability for years that makes me react badly to loud, thumping music. I can turn from Jekyll to Hyde in minutes if stuck in front of a blasting loudspeaker. This began when I was in the Army and as a result, I have, whenever possible, avoided loud clubs, bars, or concerts.

Martha looks good in that turquoise outfit.

Let’s admit it, in high school, guys went to a dance to see the cute girls and “hang out”. We had a crush on a pretty girl, but were afraid to ask her for a dance because she might turn us down. If she did, the other guys would razz us for the rest of our lives. So…we worshiped her from afar, knowing very well she did not care if we were dead or alive. This happened to every male.

Who’s the purple kid that the gang is giving the cold shoulder?

And really! With all the people that come here and lose their minds over the word “stoopid” there’s not one peep about "hasta?

And “The Kelpfroths” are currently the lead attraction at a Coney Island sideshow.

That hunk-o-ham on the last panel has a human head on it!

Better get used to loud noises. After all, you are saving up to buy a motorcycle, Michael!

After all this ranting, Michael states that it is one of the best dances they ever had. I can see that but not for the reasons you would suspect. We have seen Michael at dances twice before and each time he ended up at the snack bar eating chips instead of dancing. Michael doesn’t have to dance. He has chips. Martha is with him and she is not forcing him to dance or kiss or snuggle or all those things he hates to do. Michael is winning on all counts.

Meanwhile just to show the kinds of kids who actually enjoy dancing at a dance we see four Milborough mutants having a great time with their bad teeth and ugly bodies. This is drawing shorthand to the readers so we can understand that only ugly mutant people enjoy dances.

The joke is supposed to be about how the teenagers say they like things they don’t like, while not participating in those very things they claim to enjoy. Teenagers are hypocrites.

My son is in 5th grade and has his Valentine’s dance at school the last hour of the school day. He’s super excited.