A "Pun"-ishing Workout

No pun intended? More like “no pun detected“. What’s Les talking about? Even Bull is confused…but that’s nothing new. “Top” shape as in “top” of the mountain, I guess. That’s not a pun, Mr. “Language Arts” Moore. And what’s with Les’ samurai headband? Is he getting ready to climb Mt. Fuji?

Endure Thy Father

Here is Funky’s idea of showing his father a good time on Fathers’ Day: schlepping him to the food court at Mammoth Mall. What do you expect from the cheap bastard who celebrated his wedding anniversary at Montoni’s? Hell, Montoni’s would’ve been a nicer place for lunch than the crowded, noisy food court. Their “nice chat” consists of poor Pa’s persistent proffering of his too-big sandwich, and Funky’s polite refusals. Batiuk might have used today to have Funky at least attempt a conversation with his father, and given the reader some kind of insight into this relationship, rather than using the old man as a prop to make us feel sorry for Funky.

Opposites Detract

Raise your hand if, like me, you’re roughly the same age as Les, Funky, and Crazy Harry. I know that’s more than a few of you. Now get up, go across the room, and grab your high school yearbook. What’s that? You don’t have it right at hand? It’s been packed away up in the attic for 20, 30 years? Yeah, mine too. Come to think of it: what’s Cayla’s yearbook doing on the shelf in Les’ house? Have she and Keisha moved in already? What has become of Darin and Jess?

Les the Good Times Droll

“Very droll“? Very dull is more like it. Day five of Cayla and Summer teasing Les about what a dork he was in high school, pointing and laughing at a yearbook that we’re not allowed to see; not even so much as a photo-album-cornered, sepia-toned “classic” flashback. The “stuck on a rope” gag actually did occur in Act I. Don’t know what’s “very droll” about pointing out Les’ misfortune, nor do I know what it is Cayla thinks she sees.

The Hat Locker

“Your friend Crazy Harry“, I guess so as not to confuse him with any other Crazy Harrys, or with the relatively sane Harry Dinkle. More stiff dialogue from Batiuk, and more needlessly effusive gesticulating from Les. At least he seems to be warming to being interrogated about his school days. Tune in tomorrow to hear Cayla ask “Did you really piss your pants in the janitor’s closet?”