A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Gratuitous Gratuity

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
Hooray! It seems the EarthLink servers are up and running, again. I was getting worried after two days of “This Page Cannot Be Displayed” error messages. I will say, I have been with EarthLink since I launched my first Web site back in the 90s, and the reliability has been outstanding—with only the occasional hiccup. Today, I have another Sunday A&J from 1994. This is a mild example of the insecurity that characterized Janis in the early years. Janis since has mellowed and enjoys life and marriage much more these days. In reality, the waiter or waitress who hovers constantly around me and pesters me with ceaseless questions and attention is not ingratiating himself. But reality is what insecurity is all about, is?

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257 responses to “Gratuitous Gratuity”

  1. emeritus MN biologist Avatar
    emeritus MN biologist

    Jerry: Did a search / “Rosetta spacecraft.” I’d forgotten which name went with which craft. Its job was hardly to “explore the universe.” It’s doing its thing aboard the comet it landed on. One site I found was:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_(spacecraft)

    Other sites may have other info. It was a topic in a recent Sky & Telescope. Which reminds me, I need to work on a column on a recent local production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado.” [Everything was quite correct, almost.]

    Peace, emb

  2. Larry Sheldon Avatar
    Larry Sheldon

    When I was little Mom got two cats from somewhere–one a DSH, the other a DLH, both shiny black.

    One was named “Fuzzy” the other “Wuzzy” (“Fuzzy” was fuzzy, “Wuzzy” wasn’t.)

    I don’t know what happened to “Wuzzy”, “Fuzzy” lived until he was most of twenty years old. (I was 22, I think when he died–my mother thought a coyote got him, I think a jack rabbit did.)

    What I cam here to comment (in YADATROT) was that servers have to walk a thin like between “inattentive” and “intrusively attentive”. I remember years ago my wife and I went to a “Sizzler” for dinner.

    So everybody knows, the “thing” with Sizzlers was that you started at a counter where you placed your meat order, said which of the “salad bar”, “soups”, or “deserts” you wanted and got plates or bowls for each that you wanted, and got your drink order, and paid for the lot.

    Most people proceeded to an available table, then returned to the salad/soups/deserts bars with their salad plate and (or) soup bowls.

    When you first arrived at your selected table, usually, a server person would collect your meat receipt. Eventually your meat order would be brought to you.

    This particular might the first contact with the server was an inquiry as to how we were enjoying our meal! I pointed out that our salad plates were still empty and our meat had not yet arrived and the question was a bit premature.

    The question was repeated three or four more times before our meat dishes arrived.

    Now servers at places like that are on pretty thin ice because the only “service” they provide is bringing us our meat dish, and maybe refreshing out drinks. (I don’t remember of we had to bus our own table or not.)

  3. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Not the entire universe, but one little piece of it. I was previously unable to find any post-landing info, no doubt what my wife likes to call an operator error. Speaking of which I am presently getting some crab from the kitchen so I must depart.

  4. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Had a long and interesting day today, over a 140 boats there for inspection day. Launch is at daylight in the morning. Great day visiting with lots and lots of friends, seeing fantastic boats and inspiring people. Missed lunch and ended up having a senior citizen dinnerat Billy’s Stone Crab of fresh green beans, mahi mahi topped with stone crab, blue cheese salad and clam chowder.

    I look awful in photos. Still have to write something and send.

  5. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Hi, Jackie. Just keep remembering how sleek and sexy you’re going to look in photos, thanks to smart eating and moderate exercise.

  6. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    “People say we should have firearms in kindergarten and have machine guns in bars.” – President Obama, 3/6/15

    Dang! I’d thought I’d be safe by avoiding kindergartens, but now it looks like I’m gonna have to stay out of bars, too. What’s next, hand grenades in church? Oh, wait…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNbOsr7TDjE

  7. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Is it past the season to ask:

    How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
    If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

  8. Jackie monies Avatar
    Jackie monies

    The dinner could have done without the chowder and Bleu cheese. My favorite cousin is fantastic photographer and shot hundreds of good shots. Does a lot of sports photos and I hope he comes along some more. He is godfather to at least one daughter.

  9. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Ghost, whenever the President visits a site, you have the situation he describes. Will he disarm the Secret Service so as not to offend those who don’t want firearms in kindergarten and machine guns in bars when he makes an appearance or goes on vacation?

  10. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    I’m still trying to get my mind around the hypocrisy of a billionaire proclaiming that honest citizens living in a crime-ridden inner city do not need and should not have firearms as a means to defend themselves…while standing at a podium in an elaborate building surrounded by his corps of armed bodyguards.

    Perhaps when it’s said that the extremely rich are very different from you and I, it’s not meant as a compliment.

  11. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers….

    That poor family being bombarded with eggs (the article also mentioned someone has a real issue with one of the residents)….and let me tell you from personal experience, it is messy…one time I dropped six trays on the floor, it was not a pleasant site nor cleaning it up. What are the price of eggs now in the store? To carry on a personal vendetta for a whole year and buying eggs you have to really be po’d.

    I mentioned yesterday the 500,00 laying hen house that was recently built by The Corp. Yesterday, the delivery/pick-up driver was in….said the house is in operation and has been for about a month. Anywhere from 55 to 60 skids of eggs are taken out each day….I did the math: 55 skids equals 475,200 eggs….I’m averaging 8 skids a day which is 69,120 eggs a day.

    Gal and Ursen….glad to know you two are well stocked. And yes, Llee, we are blessed.

    And it’s good to see Sandcastler and Loon again…but what about the rest of the story regarding the desert………

    AND, when I clicked on GR’s you tube link, I found out loudly, that my sound card is working…hooray……I had volume turned up on high, about spit my coffee out and cat jumped off my lap.

    Ya’ll have a blessed Caturday………..

  12. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    and to the whole Village:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Xm30heHms

    Mark, I don’t think Ian did anything to it, at least he hasn’t said anything about it.

    But I am one happy person, I tell you I’m so excited….I got my music back…..Amen

    Happy, Happy, Happy.

    🙂

  13. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    and Steve……I remember the movie “Regarding Henry”, it too is a favorite of mine, I loved it when his daughter teaches him to read all over again.

    Have I mentioned how Happy I am?

  14. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    and Denise, you speak lolcat well…

    http://cheezburger.com/6277800960

  15. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Jimmy, what are you doing with this Robin and Janis thing? Is Robin laughing because the jokes on us or has Janis just been telling tales? Inquiring minds you know.

  16. Jackie monies Avatar
    Jackie monies

    We forgot about moving time and are behind and missed the launch. I can’t believe that.

  17. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Debbe 😉 I’m happy that you’re happy, hon. It had really bothered me that you were without music, knowing how much you love it…and how much I love picking out a tune for you from time to time. I may have a list around here somewhere of some I wanted you to hear.

    On the downside, now all I’ll want to do today is sit around and listen to Blue Bayou and think, ah, interesting thoughts of days gone by. 😉

  18. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Jackie, it gets worse. DST starts tomorrow morning.

    Jerry, I’m guessing Janis has been telling tales to Robin. And just imagine some of the ones she can tell about Arlo.

  19. Jackie monies Avatar
    Jackie monies

    After one of worse trips down here ever we began to hit palm trees, oak trees dripping in Spanish moss, blooming redbuds.azaleas and verdant greenery.

    Then I remembered why I love the South so much and start to think about moving to God’s country and reminding myself that hurricanes are not annual occurrenceS.

  20. Jackie monies Avatar
    Jackie monies

    Daughter is bailing on me in Fort Lauderdale and I will scramble around for a while on my own. She and grandson are back asleep and I am sitting in dark sending Messages.

  21. emeritus MN biologist Avatar
    emeritus MN biologist

    1. In today’s A&J, what is angelic Janis [see panel 4] doing off-screen behind Arlo’s back that breaks Robin up in panels 2 & 3?

    2. So what’s to prance and leer about. Checked previous 2 days’ comics: Robin has a slightly different bust line than Janis, but they seem about equally [and reasonably] endowed.

    3. No new OF prediction when I last looked. Peace, emb

  22. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    GR6, a person without security detail must think before engaging mouth. 😉