Keeping Up With the Caines
I can’t help but to think that Michael Patterson’s selection of a bunk bed for Meredith in today's For Better or For Worse is because he has heard that little Francie has a bunk bed too. I suppose we could consider this to be more proof that Lynn Johnston thinks of Meredith as the same age as Francie; however, the drawing of the bunk bed set my mind whirling and I had to look at several on-line pictures of bunk beds to convince myself that this bizarre bed structure was not actually a bunk bed, where one bed is “bunked” on top of the other. In fact, it appears that what we have is a loft bed with another bed pushed in underneath it into an L-angle. Usually, the bunk beds are for space-saving. With this bed combination, that advantage is lost. In Anthony Caine/Francie strips, Lynn drew an actual bunk bed, so I don’t know where she got the idea for this one.
As I predicted, Lynn Johnston’s story does not match the one from my family. My daughter, when she was Meredith’s age, wanted a pink canopy bed and at age 5 started to get particular about the way she wanted things decorated. I am surprised that Meredith is expressing no opinion about it, except to ask her father if this is the bed he wanted.
My sisters had bunk beds when they were growing up, since they shared a room. The phrase “bump bed” is one I have never heard of before, and certainly not one my sisters would have used, since they were both short enough so they could sit on their bed and not hit their heads. I would imagine only grown-ups would have the problem bumping her head demonstrated by Deanna Patterson (apparently her only purpose in this strip, since she expresses no opinion whatsoever on the choice of bed). However, the pun is obvious enough that someone somewhere has probably used it.
Now, if I had to make a prediction about what is going to happen next, considering we are almost assuredly going to lead into next week’s strip reprint of the 1979 Pattersons all lying on a bed in the furniture store, I would say that Deanna is going to suggest to Mike that they consider buying a new bed for them too. That would keep them in the bed store to the end of the week, depending on how many mattress or bed puns the family can fire off between now and Saturday.
As I predicted, Lynn Johnston’s story does not match the one from my family. My daughter, when she was Meredith’s age, wanted a pink canopy bed and at age 5 started to get particular about the way she wanted things decorated. I am surprised that Meredith is expressing no opinion about it, except to ask her father if this is the bed he wanted.
My sisters had bunk beds when they were growing up, since they shared a room. The phrase “bump bed” is one I have never heard of before, and certainly not one my sisters would have used, since they were both short enough so they could sit on their bed and not hit their heads. I would imagine only grown-ups would have the problem bumping her head demonstrated by Deanna Patterson (apparently her only purpose in this strip, since she expresses no opinion whatsoever on the choice of bed). However, the pun is obvious enough that someone somewhere has probably used it.
Now, if I had to make a prediction about what is going to happen next, considering we are almost assuredly going to lead into next week’s strip reprint of the 1979 Pattersons all lying on a bed in the furniture store, I would say that Deanna is going to suggest to Mike that they consider buying a new bed for them too. That would keep them in the bed store to the end of the week, depending on how many mattress or bed puns the family can fire off between now and Saturday.
posted by howard at 12:27 AM
12 Comments:
Yep, a girly-girl like Merrie would want something pink and frilly and girly, not Mike's massive clunky brown wood loft bed. I wasn't even that girly-girl, but if my parents tried to buy me a bed like that when I was 5 or 6, I would have cried. Eew.
Love Mike's idea of making guests sleep in Robin's toddler bed! Lynn's losing it. She can't remember continuity from day to day.
No way will Dee want a new bed. Their "oops baby" needs to be conceived in John and Elly's castoff bed, just like Mike was, between the sheets that require shaving! ::gag:: 'Cause you know, if Elly is a sheet-shaver, she is the type to never, ever buy a new mattress.
qnjones:
No way will Dee want a new bed. Their "oops baby" needs to be conceived in John and Elly's castoff bed, just like Mike was, between the sheets that require shaving!
They're still in what used to be April's bedroom on the mattress and sheet set she bought with her own money. I'd say John and Elly's room has been turned into his home office.
apparently her only purpose in this strip, since she expresses no opinion whatsoever on the choice of bed
Actually, if you look closely, you'll see that the line about having company comes from the shorter of the two adult silhouettes in panel two--making that Dee's line. :)
How do we know Dee and Mike are still in April's old room? That would be a bit odd. I've never known adults who didn't sleep in the master suite, with the big bathroom right next door, etc.
Lame. I thought the whole point of buying a bed was so they wouldn't share a room?! And they already have a guest bedroom (Apes old room) if they moved into the master bedroom.
Bunk beds are only for kids who are close in age AND the same gender, Lynn. The only time I slept in one was at summer camp. And it wasn't that much fun cuz if you tried to talk to your bunkmate after lights-out the counselors yelled at you.
It seems to me (and this is just me, mind you) that the Pattersons redux haven't taken the time to move out of the rooms they were in before John, Elly and April moved to the Tiny Train House. Of course, I could be wrong.
qnjones,
How do we know Dee and Mike are still in April's old room?
Dee's Letter, May 2007
April, we're not sure about. We did offer to let her stay with us. She so desperately wants to be in her house, in her room. The problem is - until our two are older, Mike and I need her room, and our kids will soon have to have rooms of their own.
The implication was that even though a master bedroom was available downstairs, Deanna and Michael intended to stay in April’s room to be close to the kids. However, with this storyline, Lynn has chosen to ignore this:
Mike's Letter, August 2007
Both kids are settling into their new routines, getting used to having their own rooms and living in a place where you can play hide and seek for real!
aprilp_katje,
Actually, if you look closely, you'll see that the line about having company comes from the shorter of the two adult silhouettes in panel two--making that Dee's line. :)
Argh! I missed that. I have had Mike put a correction in April’s Real Blog. I guess I should have figured the only line about why a bunk bed would be chosen would come from the controlling Deanna.
Don't feel bad, howtheduck--usually you're the one noticing visual details that I miss. :)
I'm seriously starting to doubt that Lynn actually had children; maybe Aaron and Kate are fantasy kids, too!
Totally agree with you Howard and qujones. I had two girls--even the one who was "tomboy" wanted a canopy bed.
Best solution for sleepovers: a trundle bed. Of course, based on the closed boundaries of the Pattersons, only Francoise would be allowed to stay overnight. And who would they expect to use the "guest room"? Everyone lives within a mile of each other in the little FBoFW world.
DebJyn
DebJyn,
Of course, based on the closed boundaries of the Pattersons, only Francoise would be allowed to stay overnight.
Françoise is the obvious choice for a friend to spend the night, and the obvious reason why Meredith is chosen for the bunk bed instead of getting one for Robin too. Not to mention the fact that Françoise already has a bunk bed, so the favour can be returned. This would also explain why Françoise and Merrie are developmentally the same, even though they are about 2 ½ years apart in age. Given enough time, I am sure we would learn that Sharon Park Drive is bustling with young couples with kids who are Merrie and Robin’s ages, even though we only see the Poiriers. However, Lynn doesn’t have time to do that; so Françoise is going to be it.
And who would they expect to use the "guest room"? Everyone lives within a mile of each other in the little FBoFW world.
Obscure relatives should come popping out of the woodwork for Liz’s wedding and they will need a place to stay. Uncle Phil, Auntie Bev and cousin Laura have all made appearances in the last 18 months. However, I hope to see the return of Fiona Brass.
That letter about "needing" April's room is sooooooo fucked up! As in, Dee needs to have her head examined. There are FOUR BEDROOMS on that top floor (according to the floor plan at FOOB Central). If the kiddles are crammed together in one room, there are still two other rooms! I think the Dee character just enjoys taking advantage of other people, especially April.
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