For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 20, 2021

I wonder what howtheduck has to say about the last panel.

how wise of you, Brian, to make a tear jerk from Michael’s face

I believe Mike is seeing life from a completely different perspective.

This is so strange coming from Brian Enjo who, prior to this point, was the kid who had no problem with moral choices. After all, Brian is the guy from the summer camp a few years ago, who squealed on Michael for getting caught trying to look into the girls’ shower to his mother, who then told Elly, who then did nothing. Summer camp Brian would not have hesitated to tell his mother about what happened to Gordon.

This Brian seems to be just the opposite. His conversation is very dark. That this Brian’s only aspiration is to survive his family and be healthy is a clue that something must have gone wrong in the Enjo house. I was worried for Gordon, but now I am worried for Brian.

For being a good and wonderful mother, mike is finally understanding how lucky he is to have you for a mother!

Kids that grow up in a functional family usually don’t realize how good they have it. :) (Not until they meet someone from the “other side.”)

Like Billy Joel sings, “We all have a face that we hide away forever, and we take them out and show ourselves when everyone has gone…”

I’m not a huge Elly fan but the last panel was sweet.

“Hafta. Hafta. Hafta hafta ‘an hafta ‘an ‘an hafta. Hafta ‘an ‘an hafta ‘an? Hafta ‘an, ‘an ‘an hafta ‘an hafta hafta hafta.”

If you look carefully, you’ll see the word is “an’”, a frequent way to shorten “and”; sometimes it’s just “‘n’”.

You never know how good you have it until you see how bad off others are.

Although this strip is a replay from its past, it still ranks as one of the best strips I look at on a daily basis, for this very reason. Thank you Lynn Johnston.

Mike can experience gratitude; who would have thought?

Made me cry. I am so glad Michael appreciates the good, kind parents he has.

Don’t know what you got til it’s gone.

Now the question is—-will Ellie ask, or just accept the hug at face value?

if you are his friend you need to be there for Gordon, let him know that you care about him, that he can count on you when times get to be too much for him, that you are there for him no matter what.

At least, ‘Mike’ has parents he he not afraid to hug ! ! ! ! !

Abuse is wrong no matter what the situation is, and especially when a minor is involved. Too bad different times tried to justify being ok with abuse as trying to “keep the peace”.

Moms do deserve and should get those appreciation hugs all the time……

“. . . Because hell, hell is for children

And you know that their little lives can become such a mess

Hell, hell is for children

And you shouldn’t have to pay for your love

With your bones and your flesh. . ."

- “Hell Is For Children”, Pat Benatar

takes someone else’s bad situation to show you how good yours is, even when the parents get upset you are better off than the physical attacks so many kids go through.

Elly does NOT deserve that hug. Gordon’s father beat the crap out of him because SHE gave him an excuse to do it!

Gordon’s father is a dropout. The more education people have, the less violent they are. Stay in school, everyone.

FINALLY, the kid is appreciating his mom and what he’s got …

Be thankful for what you have.

I don’t like the “you have to accept it” attitude that Brian displays here. We should never accept that abuse is okay as long as the abused person doesn’t complain.

I do love the last panel, though. It makes my arms ache to hold my mother again. (14 years and counting.)

Counting his blessings I would say.

This made me smile. Brian’s a good friend.

yeah!

He reminds me of the people who say “we’ve all been traumatised in childhood.” To which I would reply, “Wanna compare notes?!” Have you ever seen the eyes of a child who was ritually abused by her parents. They’re hollow, blank, full of pain and asking “WHY?

TGISATSLIO

(Thank God It’s Saturday And This Story Line Is Over)

aw

Beautiful.

It is evident “Lyin’ Brian” is covering for Gordon. What did Gordon’s father do to bribe Brian? Give him a stray cat so the Enjos could have some Asian food for dinner?

Surviving and being healthy is so sad, but is sometimes the truth. I just wish the real reason for the shiner was stepping on a rake, getting popped on the face, and being too embarrassed to own up to it.

That is for keeping the family in the ‘good’ category.