I’m busy and running behind today. I still have to draw those pesky new cartoons, you know! However, I want to keep this thing going, so here’s the next installment of “Mary Lou and Gene, the Early Years.” There are a lot of new people here, to follow the old strips, and I’m very glad. I hope you’ll continue to return after this Mary Lou business is over. I promise: we’ll show some old strips and come up with something interesting to talk about. Just ask the regulars: I promise that all the time!