Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for May 26, 2015

Surley Arnold would help her with the load and carry one of them?

And I’ll push Phil’s wheel chair!! :-D :-D

When did Val turn into Charlie Brown?

Val is being unbelievably selfish—she does not consider that Phil might, just possibly, be unhappy if she doesn’t marry him…

20 bucks says Phil gets shot to death while on duty the day after the wedding. Karma/irony … perfect for a comic strip!

People!!! If Val doesn’ want to get married why are all the characters pushing it on her?

Already Fuzzy, that’s terrible but I am chuckling. Very funny. I’m in the “Val this isn’t ALL about you” camp. I hope she starts acting like a caring person soon. Tired of this nonsense behavior from a grown woman.

Mom has spoken..\\//_

put your big girl panties on and get over it!!!!

I’m assuming Evie was a widow too and still was willing to let love in a second time around when she married Arnold. She has a good head on her shoulders and will know how to get Val out of her funk. I’m glad she showed up.

Agreed Evie.

It seems to me that Val and Phil need to discuss this themselves AFTER they tell everyone else to back off.

Phil was not asking because he thought, based on previous interactions, that she didn’t want a commitment. He was told she was now in a position that she could say “yes.” She was scared, and I think because of losing her first husband. But she did say “yes” and not even the moment of shock (on both sides) as in the Cathy strip. They wanted to enjoy being engaged for a while, is my read. Many people do! And adults with histories that can cause PTSD, like having a spouse die, can have reactions like this when faced with nearly losing someone else. She is scared by how much she hurts. And again, I think the accident was only a few days ago in their time. Her mom would have been called soon, by Joan or Wally if Val was sitting at the hospital very long. Mom hopped a plane as soon as she could after she got off the Skype chat. So 3 days isn’t implausible for how long it’s been after the accident

You GO, Evie!

I won’t comment on the marriage aspect of it but why isn’t Val attempting to support Phil. Friend or love interest to leave someone in the lurch as this is playing out is just poor.

This arc makes me not like her very much. Is she really going to make this about HER? Come on. Don’t make her into a trope, please.