(Strip Number 198, Original Publication Date, 21 November 1981)
Panel 1: We find Mike slumped over his desk with a thousand-yard stare and frown; he thought-bubbles "They told Deanna Sobinski I was in love with her; my life is OVER!!"
Panel 2: He's brought out of his sweet fantasies of revenge and self-pity as his thought-bubbling about how he's going to kill the guys who took away his credibility by verbally asking "Huh?"
Panel 3: He then says "Yes, Mrs Hardacre? Um....I don't know the answer. A detention? I understand."
Panel 4: Since nothing seems to be going his way and, since he's seven and doesn't understand that sooner or later, they'll laugh at someone else, thought-bubbles "Why was I born a kid???"
Summary: Granted, Mike's problems are temporary and not as bad as he thinks; the problem is that he doesn't know that. A parent would try to get him to see that and make sure that he knew that he can survive what he sees as an irretrievable loss of playground cred; Lynn regards it as comic fodder owing to her lack of empathy so makes sure that the poor slob thinks that people will laugh at him forever and ever.