Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 12, 2017

This feels like a replay of Brad and Tj’s entire life together. Let’s just hope Brad doesn’t do something stupid.

What’s going to go horribly wrong here, other than it being Christmas time at the mall?

Danger, Brad DeGroot! Danger!

How does T.J. know all these things? I think he has never been in a relationship.

This cannot end well.

No, scratch that. This cannot middle well. There’s going to be a lot of grief and hair-tearing before it’s over, but when the dust finally settles, everyone will be much happier than when they started.

Newsflash on the Pittsville Gazette: “Squander Mall In Flames – TJ Seen Running Out The Exit While Off Duty Fireman Bradley DeGroot Tries To Save Mall With Drinking Fountain”

I can’t believe she really wants no gift even a small one. “Keep it simple” doesn’t translate to “No gifts.”

On one hand, I do think that TJ is absolutely right that Brad should get Toni a gift – and more than just a card or flowers. And it should be very nice – more than trivial.

But on the other, TJ might press Brad to overdo it in some way.

I think we’ll just have to wait and see what all happens before deciding whether it’s a disaster.

If Toni returns quickly to an empty house – that could ruin whatever fun thing she had in mind.

On one of our anniversaries, I had one of my wife’s friends take her somewhere for an hour or so while I took an “emergency service call” for a client. While she was gone, I had some of our friends come over to help get things ready for a nice little get together for our anniversary. She was surprised when she walked in the door and all was ready. Some things you can only get away with once…

More lingerie, I assume? Or perhaps a ticket for two to “Romparound Resort” – an uninhibited resort in Costa Rica? TJ has always had the best gift ideas!

TJ is like an unsuccessful detective. Clueless.

Maybe Brad and Toni will return with very similar gifts for each other. They’ll laugh, and then have another romantic meltdown.

Take her to dinner at her favorite restaurant without old smiley.

“The Great Catch, On Route 22 South”

“This Mystery Loves Company”

“The Riddle Of The Great Walls Of Fine China”

“The Gift Of ‘Getting It’ "

“You’ve Banked My Saddled Ship!”

“Give Me Some Credit!”

“All’s Well, That Spends Well?”

“You Catch More Flyers About Money, Than You Do, On Vinaigrette Coupons”

“Strip-You-Of-Cash Mall”

“A Taxing Proposition”

“Find What She Minds” (♩)

“The Artistry Of The Galleria”

“You Never Give Me Your Money!….” (♬)

or

“Five-Gift-Card Stud”

Uh-oh, another of TJ’s hare-brained schemes.

So, the time when ‘no’ really doesn’t mean ‘no’?

So what happened to all the “Shannon predictors” from last week?

“Better yet, I’LL treat.”

Ah, and So the Expected MEDDLING Manipulation Begins.

So, What Over-Priced, Pointless Trinket Is the Jackass gonna talk You into Buying THIS Time, Brad?

Oh, and One More Thing: If This is “HIS” Idea, then the “Gift” Really ISN’T Coming From YOU. It’s Coming From “Him.” It’s NOT about What YOU Think or What YOU Want. It’s about what “HE” Wants.

You’re a “Slave” to This “Rasputin,” Brad. And It’s about Time You were FREED From “HIM……,”

Oh, no, TJ. Butt out. Maybe YOUR women like big surprises and big gestures, but Brad knows his Toni and please trust him. Leave it be. You’ve butted in and messed things up enough.

Same old story over and over again gets old and stupid. Enough of Tj and Brad being a sucker for his advice. JMO

TJ is a friend of Brad, who, in turn, sees value in his advice. The readers may not like that, but that is a firmly established pattern. Having said that, if I were Toni, I might prefer the somewhat obtuse Brad to a Brad that only buys an expensive gift because he is prompted by TJ. Finally, “keep it simple” is a minefield for many many couples, and I find this issue realistic.

Meh, I’m not really big on gifts (I already have more stuff than any human really needs) and I feel like cards are an absurd waste of money. All I want on our anniversary is a nice meal together. It can even be at home, I don’t care. Luckily my husband knows me well enough to know that I truly mean it when I say I just want a quiet evening together. Hopefully Brad knows Toni as well as my husband knows me.

Remind me why Brad is listening to his BACHELOR friend again?

Like Princess Diana said, “this marriage is getting crowded”. The hilarity ensues, but it will finish out the year, so lets see what happens next guys.

Comic opera begins.

Can we please just write TJ out of this strip? Can’t he just get arrested for insurance fraud already? I know the statute of limitations on that crime he committed hasn’t yet expired. Or maybe next time he decides to blow something up, he sets the charge a little too soon?

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when its TJ that we believe…….

7

I am a little bit surprised here…. TJ is recommending a GIFT… and in that regard…. regardless of how “keep it simple” Toni is wanting the Anniversary to be…. it would still be fully appropriate to buy your spouse a gift….. even with keeping it simple.

Now, could TJ convince Brad to buy Toni something that would go BEYOND the notion of keeping it simple? Yes. But, just buying a gift…. it does not have to be a problem.

Now…. here is what I wonder if it will happen…… WHAT IF Brad and TJ end up accidentally running into Toni at the Mall for her “errand”? And, what if Brad is carting around what he is planning to buy for Toni, and Toni is carrying around what she is planning to buy for Brad? How would the three of them end up interpreting all the subterfuge…. and awkwardness?

He is going to get her a big gift, and she will feel bad cause she got him nothing

If TJ is so smart about women why is he not involved with one?

For our first wedding anniversary, beginning 11 days before, I had a single white rose delivered to my wife every day at work or home, then in the anniversary itself one red rose.That was 24 years ago. I should have done something as cool for #25 but I failed.

I told my wife that I was going to take her somewhere expensive. I drove her to the Chevron station.

These two are a real pair. Brad, who can’t think of anything and TJ who is always ‘going off the deep end’. That said, TJ has done right by Brad twice: (1) helping them get a good deal on their wedding costs, and (2) remodeling the house in a nice way. Hopefully he will not lead the ‘clueless’ Brad astray this time.

We fervently hope that TJ gets lost at the mall. Permanently….

Question for TJ: If Brad is so clueless, how did he end up with an attractive woman and you’re still alone?