By Special Request

by Jimmy Johnson

We don’t even have the mouse droppings swept out of the corners yet. The last thing I want to do is bring up politics, but this is by special request. When the website reopened Sunday, a friend and neighbor to whom I owe a lot requested that I post this A&J from October, 2000. I’m not sure why. She owns the framed original which hangs in her den, over her television. She stares at it every day. I guess she wants to share it with you, and I thought I could make this a teaching moment.

Regardless of our proclivities, I think we all get this cartoon. Political discourse is inevitable and vital and rough, but there is nothing wrong with a place of refuge from it. Not by design but thanks to you, what we came to call “the Village” was such a place. I hope you will allow it to remain so. I can’t afford a bouncer.

I expect most posts in coming days will pertain to the virtual restoration of this Website. And, no, you don’t get to make cartoon requests, at least not at this time. Well, you can make them, but don’t expect me to jump. Dorothy is like a mother to me. She’s an exception.

35 responses to “By Special Request”

  1. Dan Klugiewicz Avatar
    Dan Klugiewicz

    Testing, testing. Are we there yet?
    Cheers from Wisconsin!

  2. David Avatar
    David

    Thank you, Dorothy! Marvelous!

  3. Philippe/Symply Fargone Avatar
    Philippe/Symply Fargone

    It’s a Symply Fargone thing, having you back! A great old/new part of my mornings has returned/begun…

  4. Steve From Royal Oak, Mi (kinda) Avatar

    I am so glad to finally have the website up and running. You, our fearless leader, and the usual suspects were certainly missed! A lot has happened since we last communicated, so my apologies for the lengthy post.
    I lost my job in Automotive in July 2022, a couple days before we had planned to go the U.K. for our 40th wedding anniversary. We cancelled the trip until we could figure out what I should do next. I didn’t want to take SS for at least another year, so I took a job in Wholesale mortgage for a large mortgage lender in Jan 2023. I was shocked at the end of the year, at age 67, to be named “Rookie of the Year”.
    But that is when life took over. My wife’s brother developed pancreatic cancer and I almost retired to help take care of him. Then we received word that my mother-in-law’s companion needed to be hospitalized, so we had her move in with us. We did not realize how bad her dementia was and after consultation with my financial guy, I retired on February 19th. On the 21st my BIL died and a couple of months later her companion died.
    We were able to get her into a home on June 1st, but on June 24th I had my right hip replaced. That went great. About a week or so later she fell and broke her hip, so even though I was not 100% I drove an hour each way for a week or so. I have been driving once a week to visit and she still recognizes me, but her cognitive skills are very weak.
    Our daughter is getting married in Thailand in November so that is kind of a replacement for the UK trip that we cancelled. My wife is concerned about her job, but she is close enough to retire that we should be ok, Who knows???
    One of the benefits of being retired is that I am headed to the ballpark this afternoon. The Tigers traded their 2nd best pitcher and 3-4 other players in July. All of Detroit was ticked because they had “given up” but lo and behold, they have been the hottest team in baseball since August 11th!

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      Wow, a lot can happen in three years, and it looks like you had Friday the 13th all three of them. Here’s hoping things are going to get better before long.

    2. Jimmy Johnson Avatar

      I now I see it’s raining at the ballpark. I guess after your tribulations, that seems trivial. Thanks for sticking with us, Steve!

      1. Steve From Royal Oak, Mi (kinda) Avatar

        It was a beautiful day Jimmy. A slight mist for an inning or so, but with all the efforts to speed up the game,We weren’t out there very long. The Tigers won again!

    3. Ukemeister Avatar
      Ukemeister

      Hope things are finally on the upswing for you and your family. Just underwent a hip replacement myself last week, so I can relate.
      Fingers crossed that this last week of the season gives us a shot at some October baseball in Detroit!

  5. Hurd (Lower Alabama) Avatar
    Hurd (Lower Alabama)

    I agree. Politics is something that everyone should take refuge from every once in a while. While it is a necessary evil my father, an undisclosed Stoic, always said that the world has been going to hell since Roman times and all a normal person could do was to live live as best they could trying not do deliberately do any harm. I sort of took that to heart. I just let everyone rant away and do what I can to make my corner of the world a bit better.

    My post from the first day never appeared so let me repeat. I got away from this community several years ago when life got really busy but now that I am getting used to retirement from a 34 year career in a Science classroom, I am looking forward to joining the community again.

    1. Jimmy Johnson Avatar

      Welcome back, Hurd. Looks as if you’re going to be a busy man the remainder of this week. Keep us up to date.

      1. Hurd Lower Alabama Avatar
        Hurd Lower Alabama

        All good in LA. As long as the track holds. Big Bend of Fl is going to get hammered I’m afraid.

  6. Linda Fekete Avatar
    Linda Fekete

    It seems like here in Virginia, we are never out of the Election season.

  7. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    If anyone knows how to reach Old Bear and others of the old group, let them know the Village is open for business again, please.

    1. cxp Avatar
      cxp

      I did, for 2 others including eMb.

      1. Mark in TTown Avatar
        Mark in TTown

        Thank you. Good to hear from you, too.

  8. Becky Avatar
    Becky

    Like Hurd, my post from Sunday never appeared, either. I’m so glad you’re back, JJ! I’ve missed you! I’m usually a lurker, enjoying everyone else’s writing, without much to say for myself. Nice to have a politics-free space.

  9. cxp Avatar
    cxp

    I sent mail to two other Villagers a moment ago. Hope they take action.

    cxp

    PS: Will we need to list our emails every time we comment?

      1. cxp Avatar
        cxp

        Thanks. It certainly wasn’t a deal-breaker, but appreciate needing fewer strokes. Getting older, y’know?

  10. Rusty B Avatar
    Rusty B

    Glad to be back!
    Rusty

  11. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    I agree that this hallowed hall should be a place of refuge.

    Although Wordsworth was not speaking directly of politics, I still view “The World Is Too Much With Us” as an apt statement about that peculiar endeavor, and I am glad that, here, we will be able to turn from the world for a bit.

  12. Ken from Framingham Avatar
    Ken from Framingham

    Nice to see the site back up, Jimmy!

  13. NK in AZ Avatar
    NK in AZ

    Hello, everybody!!! It’s SO nice to be back together with Arlo and Janis (and Jimmy, of course). I’ve been in touch with cxp these last several years—thanks for letting me know the Village gates are open, cxp! (Curmudgeonly Ex Professor for those who might not know or remember.)

    Let the feasting and dancing begin!!

    NK in AZ

    1. cxp Avatar
      cxp

      You are quite welcome, NK/AZ! Glad to have been the bearer of joyous news.
      My MBH and I did, indeed, feast this evening with a church group, totally unrelated to A&J. We are completely stuffed – it takes a lot less to do that than hitherto. My diabetes drug has allowed me to eat what I want and still lose weight: ca. 40 lbs. so far.
      No dancing, though; the tables had too many dishes on ’em….

  14. Fan in Japan Avatar
    Fan in Japan

    Hope this comment survives. The last one I posted (on the day this site was restored) seems to have disappeared. Anyway, I am very happy to see this site is up and running again. I’ve been waiting for a very long time. Greetings to all in the community and I look forward to reading all the comments again.

  15. Blinky the Wonder Wombat Avatar
    Blinky the Wonder Wombat

    Not only is it nice to havethe Village active again, it’s great seeing a lot of familiar names again!

  16. Ruth Anne in Winter Park Avatar
    Ruth Anne in Winter Park

    I agree – it’s wonderful to see so many familiar names! Only a few missing, like Jackie and Ghost, but I’m sure Mark will let them know the party has resumed. I do wish we could find Trapper Jean.

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      Your post reminded me that I hadn’t heard from Jackie in a while on Facebook. I dropped her a message to let her know about the Village being back. Hope we hear from her.

      1. Mark in TTown Avatar
        Mark in TTown

        No answer from Jackie. I noticed she hasn’t looked at the last message I sent her back in May. I hope she’s doing okay.

  17. Dennis Avatar
    Dennis

    I wrote the other day about the parallels in my life and Arlo’s, giving me rationalization of being ‘normal’! Happy to see your site up and running again.

    Unfortunately, sometimes reality raises it’s ugly head. Yesterday our cat ‘Shadow’ passed on. He was a black cat but with pure white fur under the black. It was strange. We had him over 15 years, and like most cats, he was a joy and a pain and well loved. He is already missed. Meanwhile, Ludwig marches on! Life never fails to be amazing.

  18. Dan Klugiewicz Avatar
    Dan Klugiewicz

    Better every day! Thanks Jimmy, for the ongoing efforts to provide this hangout with you & the A&J family.
    Cheers from Wisconsin!
    Dan