Changing Someone Else's Baby
“Amazing, isn’t it – how changing someone else’s baby is so unpleasant…but it doesn’t bother us to change our own!” That is the statement by Elly Patterson in today's For Better or For Worse.
When have we seen Elly or John changing someone else’s baby? For that matter, when have we ever seen John change anyone’s diaper before today? Moreover, who would even think that this statement is true?
I have vivid memories of diaper-changing in my house. However, there were very few times when I changed someone else’s baby. I changed my nephew’s diaper once. I remember changing the diaper of one of my wife’s friend’s children, when my wife and her friend went out socializing. That may be it. As I recollect, they were quite pleasant experiences compared to my son and his explosive poopy, or my daughter and her projectile poopy. My daughter, in particular, was tough to change, because she tightened the muscles in her back so her legs wouldn’t bend up to put a diaper on her. When she did this, my wife handed her off to me to handle that powerful little infant back. So, when Elly makes this outrageous statement, I can’t imagine any mother saying that and keeping a straight face.
Then, I figured it out. Elizabeth (Katie) was Rod’s kid and Michael (Aaron) was not. John (Rod) takes Elizabeth (Katie) to change her diaper, and with Michael (Aaron) in the same situation, he must have complained bitterly or refused. The joke is that John (Rod) hated changing Elizabeth (Katie) too. That’s the only way I can make sense out of it.
5 appearances by John in the new-runs and he is slammed in 4 out of 5. I look forward to more in the future.
When have we seen Elly or John changing someone else’s baby? For that matter, when have we ever seen John change anyone’s diaper before today? Moreover, who would even think that this statement is true?
I have vivid memories of diaper-changing in my house. However, there were very few times when I changed someone else’s baby. I changed my nephew’s diaper once. I remember changing the diaper of one of my wife’s friend’s children, when my wife and her friend went out socializing. That may be it. As I recollect, they were quite pleasant experiences compared to my son and his explosive poopy, or my daughter and her projectile poopy. My daughter, in particular, was tough to change, because she tightened the muscles in her back so her legs wouldn’t bend up to put a diaper on her. When she did this, my wife handed her off to me to handle that powerful little infant back. So, when Elly makes this outrageous statement, I can’t imagine any mother saying that and keeping a straight face.
Then, I figured it out. Elizabeth (Katie) was Rod’s kid and Michael (Aaron) was not. John (Rod) takes Elizabeth (Katie) to change her diaper, and with Michael (Aaron) in the same situation, he must have complained bitterly or refused. The joke is that John (Rod) hated changing Elizabeth (Katie) too. That’s the only way I can make sense out of it.
5 appearances by John in the new-runs and he is slammed in 4 out of 5. I look forward to more in the future.
posted by howard at 9:55 PM
10 Comments:
Yup. Lynn's conventional wisdom (or line of horseshit) is that a good parent doesn't mind changing his/her own baby. But John/Rod minded it, so you know he is/was an ass.
As for how often you have changed other peoples' babies: I guess it depends how much babysitting you have done. My guess is that men have a lot less experience with the diapers of strange children than women do. Girls babysit more. I did not think it was odd that Elly might have changed the diapers of other peoples' kids. But it would be very odd for her to expect a 1979-era John to have that same experience.
howard,
It is refreshing to see that RetJohn is simply John with his past removed, isn't it? All the other characters have been altered but Lynn's need to kick Rod in the crotch by proxy ensure that he remains constant. RevElly may have lost her mind, MikeClone his impulse to wreck, RetConnie her social life and AnneAchronism her confidence but RetJohn will always be a jerkass.
qnjones,
As for how often you have changed other peoples' babies: I guess it depends how much babysitting you have done.
Until I was an adult and had kids of my own, none. Only until I had kids of my own was I to be trusted around other children.
I did not think it was odd that Elly might have changed the diapers of other peoples' kids. But it would be very odd for her to expect a 1979-era John to have that same experience.
Even a 2008-era John. How often have we seen John alone with his infant grandchildren?
DreadedCandiru2,
All the other characters have been altered but Lynn's need to kick Rod in the crotch by proxy ensure that he remains constant.
And the best part is that when you look back at the old strips from 1979, that’s what she did then too. John is the one character in the new-runs who has kept his character. The difference in 1979 was that there were a few nice moments blended in with all the crotch-kicking.
The scary part about the recent interviews with Lynn Johnston is that there is almost always something she says which reflects a line one of her characters has said recently in the strip. If the strip truly does reflect the temperament of the artist, then all I have to do to feel sympathy for Rod Johnston, is to the read the strips involving John Patterson.
howard,
If the strip truly does reflect the temperament of the artist, then all I have to do to feel sympathy for Rod Johnston, is to the read the strips involving John Patterson.
It amazes me that she expected him to keep paying her an allowance after he left if she thought of him that way. "I'll insult and defame you and you can't fight back! Give me a dollar!"
I'd just like to say that as I opened the Sunday paper over my croissant and tea at the local cafe, an extended and pointless riff involving lots and lots of art on the topic of feces was pretty repugnant.
DreadedCandiru2,
It amazes me that she expected him to keep paying her an allowance after he left if she thought of him that way.
It’s interesting that out of the numerous interviews she’s done about her divorce, she has mentioned her loss of Rod in these ways:
a. Can’t take cruise I was planning to take.
b. Don’t need to retire anymore, so I am doing hybrid / new-runs instead.
c. Can’t share memories about old events with Rod anymore.
d. Money missing from bank account, so I can’t buy groceries.
e. Have to lay off staff because I divided my assets with Rod.
f. Smashed in the headlights of his jeep.
g. Painted some paintings at 3 am.
If the rumours are correct, Rod was messing around with Lynn’s #2 employee in the office (after herself). To me, she seems to be very far away from addressing what should be a betrayal by not just Rod, but the other person too.
Thursday Next,
I'd just like to say that as I opened the Sunday paper over my croissant and tea at the local cafe, an extended and pointless riff involving lots and lots of art on the topic of feces was pretty repugnant.
At least it wasn’t 10 panels of dog urination this time. I suppose we will have to wait until the Pattersons get Farley to start doing doggy mess jokes.
howard,
If the rumours are correct, Rod was messing around with Lynn’s #2 employee in the office (after herself). To me, she seems to be very far away from addressing what should be a betrayal by not just Rod, but the other person too.
If she did do the healthy thing and admit to her perfectly-understandable fury, she'd be able to move on with her life and be happier for it. She might even decide that people would actually want to read a comic strip about a lady in her late fifties.
dreadedcandiru2,
She might even decide that people would actually want to read a comic strip about a lady in her late fifties.
She already has that, only the ladies look like they did back in 1980 and have small children
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