I was 5 in ’36 when mom and dad took me to see my very first movie in the Cusick, Washington Grange Hall. That pretty little curly haired girl dancing and singing along that picket fence was the most wonderful thing I ever saw. Yup, Shirley Temple…my very first love.
Everything is a trade-off, ma’am. You can have freedom, independence, and no accountability, which can be great fun. Or you can have the kind of fulfillment you only get by willingly laying down your freedom in order to love one person and devote yourself to that relationship…and becoming more than you could ever have imagined you could be on your own.
Independence beats the hell out of a lousy relationship — but a good relationship is a 1 + 1 = 3 kind of deal, and independence is a lousy substitute for that. (I’ve had both.) Good luck to you, and to us all, in what we end up with.
Abusive, @ladyfingers86?? Elly’s lucky to have someone who cares enough to worry. John would be a real lout if he failed to wait up for her. As I said yesterday, he’s probably not as worried about the celebrating as he is about the getting home afterward. I feel sorry about your appearance of bitterness.
Well, I did say, “Independence beats the hell out of a lousy relationship” — and no one should stay in an abusive relationship, or any one without mutual respect and simple kindness. And yes, luck does have a lot to do with finding a good life partner.
But while most human relationships are less than perfect, they can still be worth hanging on to for the long haul — you may annoy the living crap out of each other at times, but you can still be friends at the end of the day, and have fun overall. What you have to be is stubbornly rooted in the ethic that the relationship is more important than either one of you individually, that “we” trumps “me”.
You’re right: it’s better to be a live single than a dead married — but (speaking only for myself) it’s better to be a live married, as long as the relationship qualifies as at least “mostly good” — and most of them mostly do.
A bunch of you guys are missing the possible point that Jon is conserned about his dear wife’s safety after dark, i.e. hope she doesn’t meet with possible foul play, will the car get her home alright, I hope she’s OK, I love her…and the list goes on. I’ve been there.
Even an adult can be mugged or have their car break down late at night. Showing concern for someone is not doubting their ability to handle themselves. I’ve even waited up for my parents as a teenager— apparently I was looking down them as adults. — As for the old movies comments, there’s a lot of gems from back in the day, but there’s tons of crappy films, too. Actors back then were basically slaves to their studios and had to churn out whatever films they were told to do. Do you think anyone is going to remember the bad films of today and be talking about them in 60 years? Or are people going to wondering why the movies of the early 2000s were all so amazing and their contemporary movies bad? Hmm?
When I was taking tests in school, I could usually tell long before grades were given back by the teacher whether I did any good on them or not based on how prepared I was and how easy/hard I felt the questions were so I’m sure Elly probably can tell the same thing too. Meanwhile, I don’t think John believes for one single minute that Elly would ever cheat on him! It’s dark outside and if she goes out with some of her fellow classmates after school to celebrate passing her test, then she may have something alcoholic to drink. Add those two things to any number of other things that could possibly happen (such as a robbery, the car breaks down, etc.) and it’s only natural that John would be a little bit worried about his wife until she safely returns home. After all, that’s what people who love and care about each other do!
JanLC almost 13 years ago
Funny, so does my husband…..
EarlWash almost 13 years ago
I was 5 in ’36 when mom and dad took me to see my very first movie in the Cusick, Washington Grange Hall. That pretty little curly haired girl dancing and singing along that picket fence was the most wonderful thing I ever saw. Yup, Shirley Temple…my very first love.
Elaine Rosco Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Ha Ha! Love it when the shoe is on the other foot.
PShaw0423 almost 13 years ago
Everything is a trade-off, ma’am. You can have freedom, independence, and no accountability, which can be great fun. Or you can have the kind of fulfillment you only get by willingly laying down your freedom in order to love one person and devote yourself to that relationship…and becoming more than you could ever have imagined you could be on your own.
Independence beats the hell out of a lousy relationship — but a good relationship is a 1 + 1 = 3 kind of deal, and independence is a lousy substitute for that. (I’ve had both.) Good luck to you, and to us all, in what we end up with.
Nighthawks Premium Member almost 13 years ago
On the gooood ship, Lollipop……
dsom8 almost 13 years ago
Abusive, @ladyfingers86?? Elly’s lucky to have someone who cares enough to worry. John would be a real lout if he failed to wait up for her. As I said yesterday, he’s probably not as worried about the celebrating as he is about the getting home afterward. I feel sorry about your appearance of bitterness.
PShaw0423 almost 13 years ago
Well, I did say, “Independence beats the hell out of a lousy relationship” — and no one should stay in an abusive relationship, or any one without mutual respect and simple kindness. And yes, luck does have a lot to do with finding a good life partner.
But while most human relationships are less than perfect, they can still be worth hanging on to for the long haul — you may annoy the living crap out of each other at times, but you can still be friends at the end of the day, and have fun overall. What you have to be is stubbornly rooted in the ethic that the relationship is more important than either one of you individually, that “we” trumps “me”.
You’re right: it’s better to be a live single than a dead married — but (speaking only for myself) it’s better to be a live married, as long as the relationship qualifies as at least “mostly good” — and most of them mostly do.
EarlWash almost 13 years ago
A bunch of you guys are missing the possible point that Jon is conserned about his dear wife’s safety after dark, i.e. hope she doesn’t meet with possible foul play, will the car get her home alright, I hope she’s OK, I love her…and the list goes on. I’ve been there.
imrobert almost 13 years ago
When was the last time anyone said “So long man” when going to bed in the same house?
JanLC almost 13 years ago
You are a sick man. There has never even been a hint of infidelity in this strip in more than 30 years. Go peddle your theories somewhere else.
Tempscire almost 13 years ago
Even an adult can be mugged or have their car break down late at night. Showing concern for someone is not doubting their ability to handle themselves. I’ve even waited up for my parents as a teenager— apparently I was looking down them as adults. — As for the old movies comments, there’s a lot of gems from back in the day, but there’s tons of crappy films, too. Actors back then were basically slaves to their studios and had to churn out whatever films they were told to do. Do you think anyone is going to remember the bad films of today and be talking about them in 60 years? Or are people going to wondering why the movies of the early 2000s were all so amazing and their contemporary movies bad? Hmm?
Gretchen's Mom almost 13 years ago
When I was taking tests in school, I could usually tell long before grades were given back by the teacher whether I did any good on them or not based on how prepared I was and how easy/hard I felt the questions were so I’m sure Elly probably can tell the same thing too. Meanwhile, I don’t think John believes for one single minute that Elly would ever cheat on him! It’s dark outside and if she goes out with some of her fellow classmates after school to celebrate passing her test, then she may have something alcoholic to drink. Add those two things to any number of other things that could possibly happen (such as a robbery, the car breaks down, etc.) and it’s only natural that John would be a little bit worried about his wife until she safely returns home. After all, that’s what people who love and care about each other do!
lightenup Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Bravo to Scaaty and EarlWash! You both put my thoughts into nice words. Thank you.
lindz.coop Premium Member almost 13 years ago
I don’t think so.