The Pattersonhood of the Traveling Razor
I looked extensively through AMU Reprints and I could not find a single strip of John Patterson shaving. Somehow I had thought he was a blade man and not an electric razor man, but I could not find a strip to show otherwise. The best I could find was this strip, where John brushes his teeth. Elly Patterson, however, is a blade woman when it comes to her legs and her sheets. While I was looking through the strips, I did find the toilet plunger strip which Lynn Johnston referenced in her recent interview.
Today’s new-run of For Better or For Worse uses a joke which has been used before in this strip. Kids play with an adult object and then the adult doesn’t know what has happened to the object. Most recently, this occurred with Meredith and Grandpa Jim’s dentures.
I have an electric razor, but I have never experienced the situation which John does here. My kids have shown no interest whatsoever, in using my razor on themselves, or the carpet, or a stuffed animal. However, it doesn’t seem too farfetched that this could happen. The objects of mine which have disappeared most often from kid use are my shoes and my ties. Every once in a while I will find that my daughter has adopted one of my T-shirts as a night shirt. I lead a very boring life compared to John Patterson; but at least my kids haven't trashed my razor.
Today’s new-run of For Better or For Worse uses a joke which has been used before in this strip. Kids play with an adult object and then the adult doesn’t know what has happened to the object. Most recently, this occurred with Meredith and Grandpa Jim’s dentures.
I have an electric razor, but I have never experienced the situation which John does here. My kids have shown no interest whatsoever, in using my razor on themselves, or the carpet, or a stuffed animal. However, it doesn’t seem too farfetched that this could happen. The objects of mine which have disappeared most often from kid use are my shoes and my ties. Every once in a while I will find that my daughter has adopted one of my T-shirts as a night shirt. I lead a very boring life compared to John Patterson; but at least my kids haven't trashed my razor.
posted by howard at 11:02 PM
7 Comments:
There's also a shaving strip at the very end of One-More-Washload-Blues where Elly nicks her leg with a razor so pulls out one of three bottles of "depillatory" [sic], which happen to be sitting on her dresser next to a framed advert reading, "NEW! Hair Today Gone Tomorrow Depillatory". Naturally.
Thereafter follow six panels of a skimpy-slipped Elly with her legs covered in foam and her hair in curlers, staggering bow-legged around the house, cursing herself for being too insecure to wear trousers and be comfortable instead of wearing a skirt like the other girls on their night out.
The final panel is John answering the phone and telling Elly that Connie says everyone is wearing pants. Which is hilarious (to me) because pants means underwear in England, so it sounds like Connie planned on going commando but changed her mind.
I noticed in that strip that Lynn didn't use the "Flup-flup-baga" sound effect that she thought she had; it was more of a "Kafloompa-gush-skwork-thok":)
AS for this strip, it's a sympyom of a disease that the Pattersons suffer: the inability to get their children in the habit of respecting other people's boundaries.
forworse,
There's also a shaving strip at the very end of One-More-Washload-Blues
I don’t think Lynn has reprinted this one yet, so we may be leading into a story arc about shaving. However, I notice that your example is Elly shaving and not John. Lynn may have stayed away from the John shaving stories, because couldn’t relate to the idea of a daily shave, judging from her difficulties with leg-shaving.
Which is hilarious (to me) because pants means underwear in England, so it sounds like Connie planned on going commando but changed her mind.
Pants mean underwear in England? I better be careful how I use the word around my English friends.
DreadedCandiru2,
I noticed in that strip that Lynn didn't use the "Flup-flup-baga" sound effect that she thought she had; it was more of a "Kafloompa-gush-skwork-thok":)
In Lynn’s defense, it has been a long time since she did that strip. As to why she would mention it in 2009, when promoting a book which features a dog following his nose, and not a toilet, I have no idea.
AS for this strip, it's a sympyom of a disease that the Pattersons suffer: the inability to get their children in the habit of respecting other people's boundaries.
Certainly the Kelpfroths would agree with that statement.
Why is John so shocked? Electric razors of the type pictured make quite a bit of noise.
Anonymous,
John should be shocked, not by the noise, but by the stuff now choking up his razor.
I don’t think Lynn has reprinted this one yet, so we may be leading into a story arc about shaving.
It was a Sunday strip. Probably no arc.
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