(Strip Number 326, Original Publication Date, 26 October 1982)
Panel 1: We find ourselves watching John huddled over something or other like he's at the office and he's giving someone a root canal; his tersely telling Elly to hand him a pencil, a knife, the glue gun and the masking tape as if she's Jean adds to the feeling that he's on the job.
Panel 2: We then watch him go "There" so as to elicit praise for the fruit of his labors: the plane for Mike's costume. Elly is more than happy to provide it and gushes about how beautiful it is.
Panel 3: The little kid in him that mourns the fact that his own father never had the free time to do something like this says that he would have given anything for a costume like this growing up.
Panel 4: Elly points out that he never really grew up in the first place.
Summary: Lynn loves thinking of husbands as a sort of oldest child, doesn't she? Always and ever, we see Elly think of John as an annoying child who doesn't see how hurtful his actions are and John oh so ready to be an immature twit who lives to get in Mommy's way. Imagine you're Rod and people can't help but think of you as the spoiled, stupid child who pouted because the cops lectured him about being an idiot because he tried to scare the crap out of the participants of a Grubberware party and read strips like this. Not so fun anymore, eh?