Storied Past IV

by


I’m sorry about yesterday! This site was down for much of Saturday, and when it seemed evident it wouldn’t return on its own, I grimaced and called my web host, EarthLink. After I’d gone through the preliminary rigamarole (“What was the favorite toy of the third pet you ever had?”), the nice fellow on the other end typed in the address of my web site and said something like, “Yes, I see it,” to which I replied, “You do?!” I looked on my computer, and sure enough there it was. It turned out, certain sites built with WordPress were not functioning properly on EarthLink that day. The corrections apparently were finalized about the time I was trying to think of my third pet’s favorite toy. That was the easiest call that young man took all day, although it was a while before I could get off the phone, because he was obligated to try and sell me stuff. I will say, I pay a bit every month for EarthLink, but it’s served me well for years.
Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"

56 thoughts on “Storied Past IV”

  3. Yes, I spent awhile finding and then reading about it, thanks to Mark. Then spent awhile begging Ghost to drive me to Iuka, Mississippi.

    By the way I have been there before. Never thought I’d be pleading for a return visit for the holidays.

  10. emb, I disagree. That is a good sight gag, probably one of the better strips I have seen by McEldowney. And much easier to comprehend than his convoluted storylines.

  12. Mark, We’re evaluating different things. Fine sight gag. Brooke, however, is a great draftsman, and he too often gets away w/ drawing almost nothing: a leash here, bent borders of the panels other times, and such, but a minimum of actual drawing, a major reason that I seek out 9CL and Pibgorn. Peace,

  13. emb, I understand what you are saying, and I agree that Brooke can do some very good illustration when he wants. And he could have as well done this as a daily 4 panel strip rather than using up an entire Sunday page for it. But I’m sure he had his own reasons for doing it this way, perhaps as simply as he felt like it.

  15. About McElheney, the man had a stroke didn’t he?

    Who among us could draw a cartoon, much less after a stroke? Cut him some slack.

    Right, that’s the cartoon joke isn’t it?

  16. Possibly Arlo and Janis have dressed in their best clothes and pretended they are at the “Cafe Tuscany” for the fun of it; but they are still at home — where the washing machine is. And yes, she could have avoided the spill, but there wouldn’t be any story to amuse us.

  17. As I see it, FWIW, when they were at the Cafe Tuscany Janis had a similar mishap and ran into the ladies’ washroom to get the stain out. When she returned to her seat, her favorite white blouse was still wet.

    And translucent.

  19. They are at home — that’s a home washing machine, and where would she get the spray bottle if they had gone out to eat? They are pretending, as people sometimes do, being at a fancy restaurant.

  20. Charlotte, I agree you have the current setting correct. Janis has done all these things just as you have described. But I read Arlo as thinking of another evening from some time ago, where some havoc was created at the named restaurant. They were either asked to not return, or have been too embarrassed to return ever since. Either way, I think Arlo enjoys the memory more than he misses the restaurant.

    I do remember a variety of Calvin and Hobbes happening at a restaurant, but don’t remember a name. If this one is a nod to Mr. Watterson’s work, that adds to the fun.

  21. Ghost and I agree, Arlo is talking about a previous dinner at the Cafe Tuscany where Janis got marinara sauce on her blouse. Ghost says she ripped her blouse off at the table and ran into ladies room in her bra.

  22. About Calvin and Hobbes , I have that sequence in one of my collection books of strip but I am in truck. He insisted zHobbes go and I remember Calvin eating noodles. I can locate when we are home.

  23. The “Café Tuscany” cartoon is a visual depiction of an old joke…one I thought I’d told here but may not have.

    A woman goes to a friend, who is a physician, to confide that she and her husband’s love life has been flagging of late. The doctor in turn confides that she knows of a drug, currently in trials, that is sure to cure that problem. “Let one pill dissolve in a glass of liquid at dinner, and things should be looking up by bedtime.” A week or two later, the physician sees her friend on the street and asks if the drug had had the desired effect.

    “OH, yes,” the friend said, “I dropped the pill in his water glass when he wasn’t looking. About five minutes later, I looked at him, he looked at me, and then he swept the table clear, ripped off my clothes, and made passionate love to me on the table.”

    “My goodness,” the doctor said. “They must not have the dosage right on that. I’ll be glad to pay for the damages.”

    “That won’t be necessary,” her friend said. “We can never go back to that restaurant, anyway.”

    So do I think Jimmy ripped off an old joke for his cartoon? Hardly. Or at least no more so than the person that told it to me was ripping off the same joke Ogg the Caveman told to Thag the Troglodyte. If anything Jimmy improved it, by presenting a visual version of that joke in four panels and in less than two dozen words. Well, not a literal visual version, of course; this is still a “family-friendly” venue.

  24. Retro strip:

    Janis goes from calm and loving to raging and deadly in 0.6 seconds.

    Just about as long as it takes Arlo to go from amusing to stupid.

  25. Good morning Villagers…..and a very crisp one at that…25 degrees…brrr

    GM Old Bear

    …and a Monday morning greeting to you Miss Charlotte.

    Rick…I’ve got her beat…less than .6 seconds I can become ‘unglued’ 🙂 Like with this kitten now, he’s driving me nuts, doesn’t leave me alone.

    Like the hole in my air mattress…put Gorilla tape on it, must have another small pin hole somewhere as I kept losing a little air. Twice I turned it on to put more air in it.

    GR and Jackie, well wishes are with you both today.

    today’s grin:https://i.chzbgr.com/full/9097041664/h9036DCE1/

  30. Usually, I don’t celebrate a death. It’s sad for someone. There are exceptions,and one has just happened. Charles Manson is dead. The chaos and destruction he wreaked and caused to be done was horrific.

  33. When my sister and I heard the news last night, we both cheered. He was a waste of space and resources, and I hope he’s buried in an unmarked grave, so that idiots can’t make a shrine out of it.

  34. At least the fire alarm didn’t sound while Jackie was in the infusion lab and all hooked up, as she is now. She has been pre-medicated and is about to start receiving the actual anti-cancer drug. We are hoping this will be as uneventful as her first treatment three weeks ago.

  37. …and another thing…he received medical aid without being billed…oh, we taxpayers paid for it, but I agree that he was a deviant, controlling madman….and the rest are just as guilty. I pray that Leslie Van…..is not released and dies in prison. I don’t care how much religion she ‘prayed’ upon…let God and the devil toss the dice.

    Have any of you noticed the the sentencing for murder is like 20 years with parole in so many years….we’ve become immune to murder…..

    I’m outta here before I bite my tongue

  38. Well, the main reason that bunch of losers is getting to die of natural causes is the Warren Supreme Court which declared the death penalty unconstitutional for criminals. And with that observation, I’m gone for now too.

  40. +Sideburns…yup he did and got turned down by the parole board…but Parole Board gave favor to Leslie….as they once did before…but in the end…the Governor turn it downl too bad, so sad!

  43. Speaking of Manson …

    The caretaker was William Garretson, and he was the only one to survive. They didn’t know he was in his separate quarters. Due to the acoustics of the terrain, he did not hear anything happening inside the house.

    The police first thought that he was the perpetrator, and they took him through the house, telling him “You did this,” “You killed her,” and more. They showed him everything before taking him into custody. He was later released.

    It badly affected him. The last time I saw him in 1973, he was still deeply disturbed.

    Bill went to my high school. He didn’t explain how he came to be the caretaker there, and I didn’t ask.

    I don’t know where he is now.

  45. We are back at the hotel after a very long day…got to clinic a bit after 8:00 am, left a bit after 4:00 pm. After stops to eat and pick up some things we needed, we just got back to hotel about 7:00 pm. We had already decided to stay over tonight as well, which turned out to be a good call.

    Jackie is of course a bit tired, but otherwise seems to be doing well. We saw her medical oncologist this morning before the chemo treatment, and he seems frankly amazed she had made it to her second treatment with so few physical problems. (As an example, we had a very nice meal this evening, actually our first of the day, which she not only handled with no problems, but greatly enjoyed as well.) We will pray for that to continue after today’s treatment.

  46. As I have said, I have been unfortunate enough to personally know a number of killers or their victims. Most were affluent and from good fsmilies. It came down to money and sex usually or outcome of abusive relationships.

    No one heard voices of God telling them to kill someone. Some were angry.
    Most either got away with it, even if tried. Some were never tried it even arrested.

    Four were women who killed, three killed husbands, one killed the wife of her boss in hopes he’d marry her.

    Six were men, mostly wives and a mother in law, but one killed husband, girl friend, roommate and himself. Some sat on death row, some were tried in civil court and found guilty.

    Some became notorious with books, magazine articles, television shows and lots of news paper articles.

    Will try to find links when I feel better. I was reading about Ed Post murder today because there is a new book out that came up in my news today. Ed was murderer of his wife Julie Post. There are two books on that one, fascinating if you like detective shows based on autopsy, forensics and a.c. Investigation.

    Google Ed Post murder. That’s all it takes.

  48. I babysit my grandson on Saturday. He just recovered from the Norovirus which consisted of throwing up Etc. His mom got it on Thursday and my son got on Friday night/ Saturday morning. At first I thought it was psychosomatic but I started to feel a little rough this morning. I decided to drive home from work as I’m off Tuesday and Wednesday. Sure enough I started visiting the porcelain throne several times this afternoon.

    It made me think of those who had to suffer what from AIDS or from chemotherapy. To me it’s one of most uncomfortable feelings in the world. And I only had to do it for one day! My heart and prayers are with those who have to suffer that on a daily basis.

  52. GM Debbe & Mizz Charlotte

    Debbe
    BH & I really like our air bed – her side hard mine soft.
    You need more padding (a blanket or quilt) between it and the sharp claws –
    maybe boiler plate?
    Had 4 kitties in bed Sunday night.

  55. More lifestyle of rich and social murders, Judy Saragusa was a friend we often went out to expensive restaurants with, at our expense. Her husband was a very major customer of ours. Judy bought a oat dealership and both she and liquor wholesaler were manor floral customers.

    This .murder was on front page of papers and nightly news for a year. It was sensation. Now later evidence has shown district attorney suppressed evidence that husbandof murder victim had been in long time affair with secretary and plotted with her. Judy had filed for divorce three months before because of affair.

    http://www.pressreader.com/canada/truro-daily-news/20100626/282673273580574

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