Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for September 11, 2020

What deficiencies?

For some reason, I’m thinking of Vienna sausages.

Not bigger money because if you own bigger cars , boats and homes means you have it and If that long pencil is Pastis’ psychological projection, I think he has had it for a long time .

Why did Rat steal Stephan’s pencil?

To rephrase Theodore Roosevelt a smidge, “speak softly and carry a big [pencil].”

I used to carry a 1" folding knife. When I got questioned as to why I had such a small knife, I would answer, “I don’t have to compensate for anything.”

And pyrotechnics at a gender reveal party.

I “see” your point, Rat!

Cartoonists have a wonderful way of slipping things past the censors.

if you have a big heart you don’t need to overcompensate with other big things…

Nice lead-in, Rat!

Maybe Rat should run for president. He can make mail in voting work. He can fill out his ballot with his big pencil.

The bigger, the better, eh.

It’s really sad if said guys don’t have the money to afford those bigger things.

This is even better than Shakespeare

Rat once you are happy in your own skin the need to overcompensate will diminish ;-) … Croc Power !

What happens many times is they have bigger bills they can’t afford to pay. That’s why there are bankruptcy processes.

Rat may strain a muscle if he has to erase something….

That’s a mighty big, erm, pencil you have there, Rat.

I feel you, Rat. I’ll never find that special someone.

Geezus, I’m tired of this measuring worth by the THINGS one owns. . .

Pencils are not defined by their size… they are defined by their hardness…

Sometimes a pencil is just a pencil.(But not in this case.)

That pencil brought to mind a comment that would bring forth the comic censor.

“Great moments in phallic portraiture.” Oops! Wrong comic.

I’m for Gun Control — hitting the target on the first shot

It’s not the size of your pencil – its how you write your name!

Reminds me of a xmas gift one of my sisters gave me: normal sized pencil, but the eraser was almost a foot long.

I see rat using said pencil to encourage social distancing, while holding a beer

It’s not the size of the screwdriver, it’s the skill of the mechanic ;-)

I’ve always driven four cylinder cars.

I had a boat once — a sail boat — but I got it for almost nothing.

I live in a one bedroom walkup apartment.

I would love to compensate for my deficiencies but my biggest deficiency is money.

You ees need more croks. Peeples LIKE crok streeps. Ees fonny!

Now, that’s one fine-looking pencil you’re using there. You have two choices, either hand it over or No. 2 in your pants.

He’s a rat. That pencil is normal sized.

Hmm. So, Mr. Rat, does this giant pencil symbolize something of yours that is actually tiny?

And why not your baseball bat? —At least that is actually useful, for beating Cartoon-Boy about the head when he puns badly….

Eh, I’m “average,” so no need to compensate.;^*

Luckily, I have no deficiencies to overcome.

How does one compensate for a deficiency of money to afford said big car, house, and boat?

We had a neighbor down the street a bit who was always buying huge new trucks every couple of years. He also had a very nice horse but sold him because he wanted a bigger one, even though he was quite a little guy. My son, then about 5 or so, asked why he needed a bigger horse. I said, “Remember the king in Shrek?” And the son said, “Ohhhhhhh.” Now, I don’t think my son understood at the time more than “he’s compensating for something,” but now that he’s grown, I’m sure he fully gets it.

Penicencil

I feel like if Rat is a standard-sized rat, then that pencil should actually be a normal sized pencil.

I see what you Trumped there.

Well apparently Rock Bottom has a basement.

I just finished reading all of the Pearls strips

That reminds me of a quote by Dolly Parton: “Walk softly but carry big jugs.” ( or was that Teddy Roosvelt to his wife, again …privately …

There’s a lot of wasted space in panel #4. I would have filled it with participants at a 2nd Amendment rally.