(Strip Number 641, Original Publication Date, 27 June 1984)
Panel 1: We find Lawrence and Mike sitting on a curb talking about Mike's travel plans. A thrilled Lawrence says "Goin'on a plane all by yourself? Far out, man!!"
Panel 2: Michael tells Lawrence that his mom called his grandmother and she'll meet him when he gets off.
Panel 3: Since Lawrence can't read minds, he thinks that he's congratulating Mike when he says that most kids don't get to do that until they're way older.
Panel 4: Since Mike thinks that he's staring down the barrel of being told "Having you a few time zones away works out best for us so stay there and we'll live our lives in comfort away from YOU", he gets all freaked out and squeaks out "Yeah....I know."
Summary: It's at this point that Lawrence gets used to the idea of Michael just plain not being around for the summer. Since he can translate Connie's mush about how Mike is being a pain into English, he knows that "Mr and Mrs Patterson are too fragile to deal with her children so they send them away."
ETA: For those of you who like Patterbuttcrotch, here's a banner that shows something that never happens: happy, carefree children playing with no Elly in the background shrieking about how they're wasting their lives.