(Strip Number 6094, Original Publication Date, 14 November 1982)
Panel 1: We start out with a smiling John watching Mike sitting down while reading a comic book.
Panel 2: His asking Mike what's up is met with a bored-sounding 'Nothing.'
Panel 3: John then points out that it's a perfect day out so maybe the two of them should go build a go-kart; Mike murmurs 'Uh, later' because he wants to see who the guy in the ghost suit is, (Hint: it's the owner of the abandoned amusement park.)
Panel 4: An indifferent 'Naw' greets John's asking if the two of them could fix the car.
Panel 5: John's asking if they could toss a ball together evokes a listless 'Later' from the lout lounging on the Barcalounger.
Panel 6: John isn't smiling any more when he tells Mike that he's going to the store and asks if he wants to come with; Mike uh....dunno if he wants to.
Panel 7: A few minutes later, Mike asks Elly where John is; she says that he went out.
Panel 8: Mike splays his tentacle fingers out in that stupid palms-out gesture as he asks howcome John never wants to do anything with him.
Summary: Since Mike is seven, I'll spot him the inability to connect what he does with its results; the problem is that he never actually learns that his behaving this way means that people won't give him the attention he craves on his terms.