(Strip Number 751, Original Publication Date, 21 November 1984)
Panel 1: After the game, Mike tells Elly that he's outgrown his hockey skates and will need new ones.
Panel 2: He then says that Coach says that he's going to need to start wearing long pants; since they cost ninety bucks, this constitutes a problem for Elly.
Panel 3: Having noticed that his mother in probably thought-bubbling a flock of dollar bills with wings on them flying away from her, he pleads with her to buy them because Tom Thumbs hockey is the best thing in his life.
Panel 4: She responds to that awkward set-up by whining about how the man who said that the best things in life are free is way off base.
Summary: So, he's supposed to wear skates that pinch and not wear what his coach tells him to OR flat-out lose something that makes him feel good about himself so you can save a few bucks. Way to crap all over your kid, Idiot. No wonder he's a jacked-up bonehead.