Post-Nuptial Agreement

by Jimmy Johnson


By the early 1990s, just before the advent of digital archiving for A&J, The strip largely had taken on its present appearance, although the evolution of Janis’ appearance still had a way to go, and I would continue to improve as a cartoon artist. The first strip above hangs in the home of a friend of mine. No, I won’t tell you what friend. Obviously, the “Summer of 35” stretches on, that observance of the 35th anniversary of the premier of A&J. In fact, I’m thinking of institutionalizing it somehow, making older material available on a permanent basis either here or on GoComics.com. You know, sort of like “Nightline” grew out of the Iranian hostage crisis.


61 responses to “Post-Nuptial Agreement”

  1. Dawn Avatar
    Dawn

    I’m not sure how to put this, so I will just do my best. My goal here is to be affirming and empowering. If somehow my words are so poor that they fail in this, please forgive me. I am Choctaw, as I think some of you know. Indigenous peoples around the world see the fragility of older folks very differently from how people of mainstream culture are seeing it right now. I have been thinking that maybe the way we see it can help some of you feel stronger about your needs for protection. (I am 68, as a disclaimer, and just now on the cusp of being considered an Elder.) To us, Elders are a treasure. Elders are more fragile, yes, like babies are more fragile. But no one says, “Oh, just let the babies die.” Because babies are literally the peoples’ future. But Elders are the ones who make the babies’ good future even possible. We have to have all the ages. Everyone has a vital role in the community. But there are fewer Elders, statistically, so they are relatively rare and therefore precious. Elders are more fragile because of the passage of years and all that they’ve been through, but those years and those experiences have given them wisdom. Elders remember things others don’t know about, have been through things multiple times that others are facing for the first time ever, and have spent a lifetime learning things that actually take a whole lifetime to learn. We particularly protect our Elders the same way we protect our very young children and babies. Both ends of the lifespan require more care and protection and are also the richest with possibility for the people as a whole. It’s RIGHT, in our value system, for Elders to protect themselves and for their family members to take special pains to protect them from things like this virus. It’s not weak of Elders to ask for or expect this special care, or silly, or unreasonable. Really, we should not even have to ask for it. Our family members and other members of our community should be bending over backwards to keep the Elders safe. Unfortunately, I am reading a lot in the news about people in mainstream culture who are older saying they’re starting to feel disposable, and starting to feel they are asking too much special favor to insist that their family members and friends treat them with special care at this time. So that’s why I decided to speak up. Alas, I am applying one culture’s way of seeing things to a different culture, and this can be a misguided thing to do. But I thought maybe if you are old enough to need extra protection from this virus, and there are people who are making you feel foolish or selfish about this, maybe it can help you to see yourself as I see you, and as the people of my community see you (and yes, they do see you). We see you this way: You are of very great value to all of us. You have lived through so many experiences, and learned so much about life that younger people do not and cannot yet know, that you have great wisdom we need now more than ever before. Please honor all the generations of the present as well as of the future by protecting your health and well-being during this difficult time, so that when these days are ended and we walk into an unknown future, you will be there to provide the counsel we will need then.

    1. TruckerRon Avatar

      JJ, where’s that LIKE button!

      Dawn, I concur… I was raised in Memphis in the 1950s, and during my formative years my grandparents lived close enough to help us kids value their examples. No, they weren’t endless fonts of wisdom, but they knew what they knew, and that included loving us kids unreservedly and explaining our parents’ lives and reasoning to us in terms we could understand. BTW, my maternal grandmother was 1/4 Choctaw, and having grown up in the white culture was embarrassed to talk about that… but I well remember how lovingly she treated her mother (1/2 Choctaw, of course) during the last few years of her life, taking her into her home.

    2. David in Granbury Avatar
      David in Granbury

      Dawn, thank you for some very wise words. I can only pray that we do not sacrifice our elders on the alter of expediency.

  2. Nancy Kirk in AZ Avatar
    Nancy Kirk in AZ

    Thank you indeed, Dawn. Those are lovely words, and we are so glad to have you speaking to us in the Village.

  3. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Thank you Dawn
    .
    Don’t know when the value of Elder Knowledge started to be devalued.
    Maybe in the “don’t trust anyone over 40” era?

  4. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Well said, Dawn. The wisdom of our previous generations is indeed an underappreciated treasure.

  5. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo from Ohio

    Thank you Dawn, for those words of wisdom. I am 77 – still working full time, although I will retire (again!) at the end of the year. I am so thankful that I have lived this long to learn the important things of life. I like myself – and others – so much more than I did even 20 years ago. And to those who say they would like to be a teenager again – I say – you are so foolish!

    Sure – we might have aches and pains… and sometimes worse… but the contentment and love all around me more than make up for those physical complaints.

    I am blessed – and I know it!

  6. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Dawn that is the most beautiful and articulate post to ever appear here in the Village. Thank you.

    My family and ancestors married into the Choctaw tribe as they migrated from South Carolina. Unfortunately they too denied being Native American out of shame. I have always thought that so sad.

    Ghost and I are native of Louisiana and Mississippi and in our 70’s but we were raised to love and respect our senior family and others. Somewhere I failed to transmit that and I grieve. Do others?

  7. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    I have to hope that the other guy stays on his side of the rode, but keep in mind, 50% of the people are below average.Anyone else looking for a walker I can tell you that I looked at Walgreens, came home and ordered one from Amazon for less than half the price with all the bells and whistles and got it in two days.

  8. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Jimmy, this is for you! I have been noticing marked details you are adding while drawing the strip. Janis’ jeans, her clothes, a riding up shirt, windblown hair, the details on the heirloom pumpkins.

    I know for a cartoonist adding those little extra lines takes more thought, more effort, more ink. Most cartoonist don’t bother. It’s why I don’t bother to read them anymore.

    Thank you. I love your coloring.

  9. Dawn Avatar
    Dawn

    Your kind words have moved me nearly to tears. Thank you for not “flaming me” for speaking from my heart. I just really esteem you all, and felt so sad that . . . well, that all these things are happening and making us feel as they make us feel. This is truly a very special place.

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