This is actually an old strip I did a few years ago in a sketchbook, but I have redrawn the last crappy panel and fobbed it off as new to you, my adoring public. Hey, sue me–I’m super busy this week and probably for the next two as well, but I’m determined to have a new/old strip up every week, because I love you.
This is a totally true story, without embellishment. I was probably 6 or 7 years old at the time–it’s weird to think that in the early 80′s it was totally fine to let your kids roam around the neighborhood unsupervised like this. Today if you saw a 7 year old untethered on the street you would call Social Services. I feel bad for my future children that they will be unable to enjoy this sort of independence in their own childhood(s).
I do still vividly remember the feeling of confusion I had when my mom’s advice didn’t work. I did just like I do today when something goes wrong–I have to stop and work my way backwards to figure out where the mistake was. There I was, sniffly-nosed and sore-headed on a curb (there were no sidewalks in Hemby Bridge, just rounded curbs; although this made it easier to steer your roller skates into someone’s yard to stop) wondering what I did wrong. Do you remember the days when your first impulse was to presume that you were the wrong one? That all adult advice was perfect?
I wonder sometimes if the reason that so many teenagers (myself included times a million) are such jerks to their parents is that they are inwardly upset at discovering that adults don’t know everything–the obvious conclusion being that therefore all their new teenaged ideas must therefore be correct. It’s like you have to make all your new ideas fight with all your parents’ old ideas and see what wins. In my case mainly my parents won–they’re pretty smart parents. One of the many lucky breaks in my life, to have been raised by such fine people, so tolerant of my many dickish impulses.
Feel free to click on the image above or right darn here to revisit your own early confusion at the fallibility of the world around you.
Blaming your mom for providing you with the inspiration for this wonderful comic?
Shame
Kids hate parents when they become teenagers because parents are so alien to teenagers in their ruling life force. Sex and instant gratification or safety and responsibility…. hmmm; which would you choose? Responsible Grown-ups will always choose safely– because they are responsible for MORE than themselves; teens can only think foe themselves. Sex, food, and any kind of thrill possible!!!
Back to the cartoon:
The same thing that happened to you happens to all kids EVER except nowadays, our generation has learned from our past bumps on the head and we make our kids where helmets.
Helmets were either not around or were un-affordable when we were kids…
Kids will always hit their heads, kids will always grow to hate their parents and most importantly, kids will always think they will be better parents than their OWN parents until they finally HAVE kids and realize that all parents including themselves and their parents have to operate without a net. But when we bump our heads we can't blame anyone but ourselves.
Have a kid, Dustin– you will be a great dad!!!
Love your cartoons of you as a kid– original, funny and cute all at the same time– tough to do!!
Ya! Love it! How does it feel to be able to change ones past?
Also: Please talk about your guest month at PARTIKA a bit.
Andy you're too kind as usual.
Simon you also are too kind. I haven't "officially" announced it yet, as I think Shawn and Matt are still fine-tuning things, but it is TRUE that I am going to be the guest artist this month at Partyka, which is the highest honor I have yet received in my short cartooning career. Check them out here: http://www.partykausa.com