I’m not sure what limitations Arlo would put on his confidence or why, but the point of this 2001 A&J is the usually pointless question, “Can you keep a secret?” Whoever says anything except, “Yes.” By the way, this old strip is the beginning of a little series, and I intend to post more. I hope you had a good 4th of July.
The Secret Sharer
By Jimmy Johnson
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50 responses to “The Secret Sharer”
I’ve always approached conversation with the general idea that if someone tells me something, that they are telling me– not everyone I know. If someone tells me it’s okay to talk about with others, then I may. The only exception is that I don’t keep things I’m told that are also relevant to my wife a secret. Other than that, when it comes to other people’s business, mum’s the word.
Some of us are in positions (chaplains, priests, etc.) where we are required by law to relay certain information to the authorities. Other than that, I keep secrets because I don’t gossip.
The demise of Mad requires that I make some comments since it was so much of my life from the 8th grade through my 2 year stint in the U.S. Army. My first encounter was when a fellow student wore an Alfred E. Newman tee shirt to 8th grade PE. Emblazoned with his toothless grin and the words, “What, Me Worry” certainly got my attention. I had not heard of the magazine until then. That student loaned me his copy and I was hooked. I remember that the back page ad was “Sailem’, Don’t Inhale em.” a cigarette ad parody.
I purchased every magazine, anthology, and book after that. My kids found my collection well after I had forgotten it and enjoyed it every bit as much as I did.
One of my best gifts ever was a CD collection of every Mad magazine from the original through the early 2000’s. The box contained, beside the CD’s, a roll of Mad toilet paper. I still keep it handy for emergencies.
1958 – What, me worry?
2019 – We should worry.
I think if you asked Tom Holland if he can keep a secret, he’d say no.
Was it Mark Twain that said “Two can keep a secret, if one is dead.”?
The truth in Twain’s statement is why so many conspiracy theories fall apart, in my opinion anyway, especially in these days when those who can expose the “truth” have a great deal of so-called fame and fortune to tempt them. A good example would be the moon landing – even if the only people involved were those known personally to some of our Village regulars, that’s a whole lot people!
For the moon landing, I imagine that you are correct.
However, I have read about many people who were involved in top-secret projects in WWII and who did not break their vow of secrecy until they were given clearance decades later. Some have not yet been given clearance and most likely never will be.
Another case in point: One of my colleagues is a credit analyst who was in the Air Force for 26 years. Once, I asked him if he had been involved in operations that he is forbidden to divulge, and he said yes. I have never known him to lie or even exaggerate; so, I chose to believe him now.
Remember Ghost’s defense of my reality? When suggested I was a troll he said impossible because of thousands it would require to create me!
If Mark Twain didn’t say that then Oscar Wilde did!
Why is Janis grumpy at Arlo’s answer. She is already proving she can’t do it.
We’re both wrong! Benjamin Franklin.
“Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.”
How can we expect another to keep our secret if we have been unable to keep it ourselves?
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
“The secret’s in the sauce.”
Re 7-5-19 real-time cartoon (late to the party):
But to be honest, most cat owners would much rather to feed their kitties “A Whisker-Licking Medley of Bistro-Inspired Flavors” than “Parts and Pieces of Dead Animals That Aren’t Good for Much Else Other Than Making Cat Food”.
When it comes to major events requiring many to keep silent, I would say that it is nearly impossible to keep it a secret. The Mafia has/had pretty good success with keeping things quiet, but even they have had leaks.
Jimmy Hoffa. Yeah that is one that might never see the light of day. I would assume that the body was disposed of in many pieces or mixed in cement, never to see the light of day….But I don’t think Janis was involved.
You never know. Do you remember Guido, her bookie?
Re 7-6-19 real-time cartoon: Hugging has a history at A&J.
https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2016/05/13
True this…
https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2015/04/29
And then there’s this…
https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2015/01/04
And not to leave out Gene and ML…
https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/1997/06/13
This looks like the same art as today’s real time strip with different speech. Are you doing reruns with dubbing, Jimmy?
Thanks for the correction Jackie
Rick i ST – that was when a man’s word meant something.
{However, I have read about many people who were involved in top-secret projects in WWII and who did not break their vow of secrecy until they were given clearance decades later}
I agree.
If I said to my hubby what Janis says in the last panel, we’d have to have a discussion about the difference between a conversation and a discussion.
It’s been busy as bees at the boutique today.
Lots of honey for Ghost.
Next week we switch to pigs, hawgs and cow girls!
Yee-Haw!
Haven’t seen any honeys show up in the store in an actual two-piece swimsuit, but what they wear as a “cover-up” often doesn’t cover up much more than the bikini would.
Btw, that entire June of 1997 involving Mary Lou is worth a re-read. It explains a lot about the present-day Janis-Mary Lou relationship.
Back to sleep! Almost time for Ghost’s pain pill alarm to wake me up! My pill, not his!
We had a great week at shop. Ghost is right, we hear a constant chorus of “That is so cute!” Which does my 75 year old physique good since I am the buyer.
It offsets the occasional old grouch who says “There isn’t anything fit to be seen in.” I usually answer that one that lois and Roberta and I are 65-75 but we probably dress inappropriately!
Re 7-7-19 real-time cartoon: I always wondered a bit about those purists that insist on using only lump charcoal for grilling. “Starstruck” are they?
I’m just back from a scout mission downtown to see if we need to consider opening the store this afternoon. (OK, OK, so it was mostly a donut shop run.) Only one other Main Street store open; no foot traffic; and bumper-to-bumper vehicle traffic headed out of town. So yeah, no. It appears the holiday week is grinding to an end. Tomorrow we will begin re-setting the store and redressing the mannequins for Eufaula Whole Hawg Days™ and the rodeo coming up at the end of the month. No rest for the wicked.
Our mannequins are huge source of entertainment for visitors and locals. Poor Kandi out on bench gets assaulted almost daily. Drunks or bad kids.
Tbh, we’ve had to take so many red, white and blue garments off Kandi to sell the past couple of weeks that she’s not wearing much anymore. And of course, she’s not wearing any underwear to begin with. (She is an eye-catcher, and yes, pokies are involved.) So when I have to disrobe her to sell something she’s wearing to a customer, I have to pick her up from the bench and carry her inside. Invariably, someone driving past on Main Street will yell the (half) witty remark out their window, “What are you doing with that woman?” (Often it’s someone I know.) Oh well, as they say in business, “All publicity is good publicity, right up to the point when they lock you in a cell.”
If it’s still there, this is probably the surviving Great Spirit youngster. The parents have completer dark skull caps. Yay!
https://explore.org/livecams/birds/falcon-nest-cam
Peace,
I bought some beautiful girls for shop. Sometimes when it is busy and crowded in shop you find yourself.saying “Oh, excuse me” they are so real.
So do customers because we move them around!
We usually have about 6-7 girls.in window and after hundreds of undressings I made rule that we had to have lots in inventory and to use only Small sizes in window.
Didn’t help. We still do hundreds of window un- dressing!
If you want to follow Ghost and his all female staff go to Steals-A Women’s Boutique on Facebook. We’re really fun mix of the Ghost and Mrs. Monies.
I could STILL plant a small garden in the kitchen garden beds. They have few weeds to clean out.
Now about the ritual,?
That’s between you and Ghost.