Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for April 26, 2016

And death….

Time to review your enemies list.

Strange things befall Ballard men on the way to work, such as getting mauled by characters from other comic strips……..

My epitaph from R Crumb, to be on my tombstone:

:“Cripes! Phooey! Cancel my Rumba lesson!”

Ted actually once studied architectural engineering.

Though now employed as a tax consultant, he still prides himself on understanding water and earth movements, and all the related science.

But what can fall from the sky?That’s a whole other branch.

Well after having a tree limb fall on you and being licked to death by a Great Dane, do you blame him?

Then when Ted final thought it was safe enough to continue with his commute, along comes Scooter. Go home Ted, get back in bed and pull the covers over your head. This is not your day, please. The mayhem is causing all of us to consider an intervention.

After a short nap, Ted is once again ready to traverse the mean streets. Will he ever get to work? What adventures await him there? Tune in later for Episode 2. Ted in the Office.

Beviek,

I remember singing that song as a smart alek 8th grader, when all the kids at a party were making out in the dark, and the poor host’s parents came through and lit everything up.

Rose… the fellow who put Marmaduke in that panel has modified a lot of comics, and he’s really good at it.

I used to remember his name, and had his site bookmarked… but not any more.

Maybe now I can track it down again. Yay!

That reminds me… Bev…. Your cute little animal helped me solve a mystery.

It looked familiar (aside from your posts) so I did an image search…did you know it’s a miniature Japanese flying squirrel?

I saved a different picture a few years ago of another adorable little creature…it won a “Cutest Photo” contest someplace…but the accompanying article said no one there could identify the animal.

In my search tonight I discovered that it’s another photo of a miniature Japanese flying squirrel.

Say “awww…”

Dennis… gosh….

When I was in 8th grade, I was overseas living on an Air Force base…and “playing around with boys” meant being outside in the afternoon,making roads in the sand for our Dinky trucks and Matchbox cars…or on rare occasions, helping a friend set off his Jet-ex powered rockets.

I also still could be talked into playing dolls with my younger sister.

Maybe I’m just old….sigh….

It’s a sign Ted. You’re destined to be branch manager.

The squirrels on Ballard Street are formidable.

Ted may be going out a on a limb here….

If a branch falls on Ted and no one is around to hear…does Ted scream like a little girl?

After risking life from limb, being slurped on by an exuberant Great Dane, and being striped of his dignity ( to say nothing of his cot sleeve ) by the fierce Fence Fido, a horrific thought occurs to Ted." Oh my God , " he thinks. " It’s ONLY TUESDAY " !!

“Miniature Japanese Flying Squirrel” Those guys make everything small.

“Ya nose”, thinks Ted… “ether thets teh biggist damb skwirrel ah ever did seas…. or… or… Munky is senden a messege…” “mehbe ahl stop buy teh TIKI an kleenup mah bartaB…”

What disturbed him was the discovery that in sensibly ordering his affairs he had got out of step, and not into step, with Life. He felt like somebody had taken the lid off life and let him see the works.

Dashiell Hammett

Soon after, he begins to ponder why most shoes are not made with tootsie protection in mind…

@beviek“texting 1932” All he needs is a long wave radio and a klienschmidt teletype.

It’s a message: “Ted. Branch out.”

Hay SuSun… Teds pAYed uP….

Thanks, Monkey!’Bout time.Marathon Zack… good job.