So it was the till money that Stella lifted from the Fuse? It definitely looked like the draw for a days worth of business, not the start up for the next day. In college I worked at a couple of places where closing procedure involved zeroing out the registers, counting the till and then doing a night deposit at the bank. Surprised TJ and Nancy did not do this. Some stores like Publix or Winn Dixie and chain restaurants also have a safe. So Luann kind of started this trainwreck by being a good Samaritan but the Fuse could use an update of their cash control procedures.
Not so smart is the theme:Not so smart for Luann to let Tara crash at her parents business.Not so smart for Bernice to be in other peoples business. Not so smart for this crew to get down to the business of eating late night pie instead of leaving.And mostly no one cares enough to LOCK THE DOOR of this business in the small hours of the morning…
No worries, Tara. Luann and Bernice already called the cops. You already identified the burglar. It is a matter of time – and quickly – when the cops catch up and arrest Stella.
Some people’s moral compasses are so broken that being evil truly means nothing to them (I say that because I’m getting the frightened feeling she just ran Tara over, or is trying to)
Now, if that was Speed Racer’s Mach 5, she could press a button and jump over Tara. But, then, we would not have this dramatic end to the day leaving us wanting to know what will happen on Saturday’s strip. Will Stella stop short, or will she knock Chim – Chim, I mean, Tara, into next Tuesday? Or, will Greg leave it hanging for another few weeks while we watch Brad and Toni pick out new wallpaper for the dining room? Either way, someone or something is going to get plastered up against a wall.
“I followed you here, yesterday or even earlier, I guess, and Luann happened to leave the door unlocked tonight, which is a very convenient coincidence for me! Now I’m totally going to hit you with this car, apparently! Which somehow had the keys in them, which is why I was able to get in and start it so quickly, I guess! I’m totally a killer for some reason, and I’m taking this money that was left in the register, for some reason! My plans are flawless and totally make sense, bwa ha ha!”
Why was Tara trying to head to Utah to hide from her cuz?? She clearly stands up to her and isn’t afraid of her. And if Stella broke parole .. wouldn’t she be staying on Tara’s good side so she doesn’t report her and get her picked up by the cops? This is a fun story arc but it’s not the most logical. lol
Finally, clarification. Tara not involved. That’s the good news.
The bad news: G&K have dragged their legacy characters through the mud. As of yesterday, Luann and Bernice came out smelling like – anything but a rose.
It is hard to tell whether cousin Stella is going to run over Tara, or whether Tara moved to the side of the car. But it’s nice that Tara didn’t appear to take the money that her cousin offered…
Oh no! How is Tara, and we going to get out of this possible death or major injury, with only one arc day left before Sunday? Maybe the car is in reverse, but the motion lines indicate forward. One thing seems clear, Stella had/has a baleful influence over Tara; to me this explains some of the trauma in Tara’s life, perhaps she was in a family that was involved in crime, but this something she increasingly wanted to get away from. I await Saturday to see where this goes; now I really want a misdirection play. Do not want Tara hurt or worse.
I suspect she is going in reverse, even though the “motion stripes” looks like forward. Pointspread makes some good points in the comment above. Too many illogical things going on.
First, how did Stella find out Tara Starr was at the Fuse? Did she follow Luann or Bernice or Tara initially and staked out the DeGroot house (plus she arrived after Bernice instead of after Luann, hmmm)? Second, why did she just grab Tara’s bag? Why not sneak in and hide in the storage room until they left and then rob the place? Third, she is flashing money, presumably from Tara’s bag – was it Tara’s money Stella ended up stealing or did Tara rob the place and hide the money in her bag. I would assume the cash register was in the room where they saw the pie and then sat down to eat, so Stella would have had to be seen by all, not just by Tara (seeing her bag being grabbed).
Something is out of kilter here. I was hoping Tara wasn’t involved, but its beginning to look like it could be a possibility, especially if she puts the car in reverse and takes off (and later meets up with Tara and they skip off to Utah or maybe Tara was planning to steal the money by herself and skip town and her cousin just messed it up ).
Will Saturday’s strip leave us hanging with the Police arriving, Stella gone and the three girls telling their story to the police (I don’t see Tara’s cousin running her down – or Tara jumps out of the way just in time).
another possibility that leans toward tara having previously emptied the cash register into her backpack: in the pie scene a couple days ago, the shadowy robber is bending over — possibly to pick up tara’s pack? i’ve never seen a cash register where the cashier has to bend over & isn’t able to stand up straight to run it. but i hope not, i like tara, she’s way more interesting than her pals.
Again nothing makes sense. The closest I can figure is that Tara had been casing joints for her dumb as dirt cousin to rob and had a change of heart because Bernice was polite (somewhat below “nice” on the level of kindnesses) But did the scam begin when Tara spent the night in Luann’s room, or only after getting into the Fuse? Doesn’t matter, a crook is a crook is a crook, and if Tara was casing robberies for STELL-AAH! she still goes to prison for a very long time. But if Tara is as smart as STELL-AAH! says she is Tara would have made sure she was long gone from the Fuse before the Cuz robbed it. And while I was sure the Cuz had pitched up the backpack it looks like she put the money in her own bag. In any case how did she get it out of the cash register without Luann and Bernice hearing the noise. Sure they were talking but that doesn’t make them deaf to the odd, unexplained noises around them. AS for Tara’s safety, Standing three feet in front of a motionless car is a pretty safe spot. Just leap on the hood as the car starts to move the roll off the side. I’m not saying she wouldn;t get bruised but she wouldn;t get run off either.
Like I said nothing makes sense. It all a tale of sound and fury told by an idiot
The illogical logical reason why G&K had Tara in those TV kung fu poses is that she is now going to do a Jackie Chan and jump over the forward moving car.
Tara’s cousin is an idiot. He doesn’t stand a chance of getting away with what he has done. There are eyewitnesses, and Tara knows where he lives. All he has accomplished is to make a mess of three other lives. How will Luann’s parents react to Luann, Bernice, and Tara being at the Fuse in the middle of the night? To say nothing of what they will think when they learn the truth about Tara staying there?
So let me hash this out, Stella stole the money from Tara that Tara stole from the Fuse. Where? when? how? ..If she managed this without anyone noticing she’s one smooth criminal
Because of Tara and Luann, The Fuse was robbed. Those two are in some really big trouble now.. Once again, it just proves that old adage: “If you run with dogs, you’re gonna get fleas”…
We stuck in Neutral until the exciting conclusion appears tomorrow. Did, the Calvary come thru with the rescue in the end? Did this Zebra surely change her stripes? Or, did fate take a terrible turn for Tara? Lets hope those Karate skills included Ninja reflexes to dive outa the way in time!
Sweet irony and the ultimate reference: a reformed Dirk, now a police officer, arrives at the Fuse to arrest Stella for burglary and attempted vehicular homicide.
Nothing proves Tara took any money. EVERYTHING points to Stella taking the money. …and likely stealing a car. Do a freaking GOOGLE search and you can find almost 50/50 instances of deliberately leaving some money in the register in retail/public establishments.
Stella may have been driving around looking for Tara’s jeep, SEEN it randomly somewhere and followed her to the Fuse. Then decided in a possible rage to confront her regardless of the other , thinking tara could be convinced ( threatened ) into compliance.
But it is more fun to speculate that Tara was a ‘crook’, therefore she will always be a crook.
Because no one is allowed to screw up in life, make amends and go on, they are expected to live with the scarlet letter forever. How forgiving.
We will remember you, Tara, as a brave character with integrity and honor. A free spirit and a true friend, who loved having fun and trying to make the life of her friends more fun by bringing them into the craziest ideas ♡ Actually I hope she’ll survives her cousin’s attempt to kill her. I wonder if G&K decided to do this strip to disappear any possibility of thinking that Tara is an accomplice (I’m afraid some readers will never believe it). But now the figure of Tara emerges as a giantess ♡. She really is a great girl♡♡♡.
So she took Tara’s backpack and ended up with a bunch of money. in her hand. I think this was a plan. When Tara was delayed the cousin came looking for her, saw what was going on, and decided to grab the bag. Maybe seeing Luann and Bernice there made Stella realize that Tara had changed her mind about the robbery.
Luann: I’m not sure I buy into the cousin immediately embarking on a crime spree upon release. And it seems unlikely that she would figure out where Tara was staying and go there, in hopes that maybe there would be an open door and maybe there would be some cash lying around on a countertop. But overall, it’s refreshing to see someone in this strip with some energy and ambition.
Either Tara is a VERY fast mover, or Greg didn’t realize that those movement lines on the car means that the car is (a) moving forward, and (b) has already moved far enough to hit her – we’ll probably find out tomorrow
Whether Tara told her cousin where she was staying purposefully or Stella followed her, it seems Tara wants out. Hope she can do one of those jumps before her crazy cousin hits her. I’d like to see this arc resolved somehow before we go on to the next one.
This is like watching paint dry any more. Very slow and boring JMO. Have enough bad things going on thought these were call comics. How about some happy funny stories.
She speeds away and attracts the attention of a cop. Is then arrested. Tara is loved by everyone because she stood her ground and is now working at the fuse as the manager of security. (that what could have happened. If this where not Luann world. )
So where do we stand for tomorrow. Will we see Luann and Bern kneeling over a hit and run Tara calling 9-1-1? A funeral event is out of the question. Will we see a hospital room scene with Tara fighting for her life? Thereby cementing Tara as something of an heroic figure into the future of Luanniverse?
Or will we see a dramatic save by someone pushing Tara out of the way? Likely Bernice. Judging by some commenters, she needs some sympathy creds. If Bernice is injured, we might see the aforementioned hospital scene with Bro Ben thrown in. In either case, Tara will stick around for a while.
OR will it be case three! Tara herself, leaping away from the speeding getaway at the last second and suspiciously avoiding any injurious effects of the encounter. This may trigger further calls of collusion and subterfuge. This may cause Tara’s Utah escape to be rendered moot.Being a Saturday strip, chances are that a dramatic cliff hanger will be presented. Therefore, lively discussions and questions are likely to be proposed by one and all.
P.S. So far, the “cousin” seems to be a McGuffin. She isn’t personified – just a silhouette shape. We may never see her again. In fact, we only know it’s a “her” because Tara Starr called her Stella – latin for star. BTW. Stella, the cousin, has a Belgian beer named after her. 8^ )
about a year ago a lady who tried to stop a person in a car from leaving without paying. She ended up dead and the lady got 10 to 25. BTW it was for a $35 manicure.
Many single register businesses leave no money in the register and leave the cash drawer open so a burglar won’t steal the register when s/he can’t open it. Many modern tills have a removable cash drawer insert for easy overnight safekeeping and change of shift cashiers.
Long ago, I worked for a “mom&pop” pharmacy that left their small narcotics safe unlocked overnight. The owner/pharmacist rationalized narcotics thieves would just as easily steal the whole safe if it was locked. Then he’d be out the narcs and a safe.
So, now there is (to me) some sort of cohesive “gelling” of this arc today:
This now feels like a pure “redemption” arc for Tara. Her progression to me reads as follows:
A) Originally, a “bad girl” archetype. Was booted out of Moony U for problematic behavior.
B) Migrated to Pitt CC where she was then more simply portrayed as a “wisenheimer” devil-may-care “party-girl” type who just wanted to experience things, and didn’t really give much of a damn for her schooling or what her future was to be.
Additionally, (B) remained her personality for a fair amount of time, where we were allowed to glimpse the “risk-taking” side of her behavior more in depth….. both in “good ways” and in “bad ways” (her actions at the party signify the “bad” types of risks she took).
C) Her “escape behavior” in this arc helped us to learn of her problematic home life so as to give us more perspective on her relatively erratic actions across the time we have known her character.
D) Now, we see her Tara’s “awakening” so-to-speak. She has now realized she cannot simply run away from her problems, and her confrontation of her “Cuz” is her first clear steps towards starting on a path of personal growth and enlightenment.
+ + + + +
If she survives the raging, “vooming” vehicle that her Cuz is attempting to squash her with (and I am 99+% sure she will, as I sincerely doubt Greg would kill of any character in this fashion), I predict that Tara will stay in Pitts, and that while she will still be “feisty” and a tad “flakey”…. she will also become far more focused on doing some good things with her life… and will become a more prominent character.
Who’s money did she steal? Tara’s / Luann’s / Bernice’s? I highly doubt that the FUSE would have cash just laying around in an old hand bag. So in the end, it’s one of these fine ladies money. Which speaks to the second point. What Millennial / Gen Z carries cash? Heck, I’m a Gen Xer and just started carrying more cash just to have something to tip with and/or buy when a business’s point of sale is down.
Seems likely that Friday Night/Saturday a police siren will roar in – the result of a phone call by Bernice. That way, The Fuse can get their money back and the hard lessons aren’t too hard. We need digs for Tara somewhere – she’s a keeper.
If Tara survives to press charges, her cousin could end up put away for a long time, as this would take it from theft to attempted murder for trying to run her down.
Interesting that crooks define “smart” as stealing and getting away with it. No moral issues – crooks like to think that everyone would steal if they were smart enough.
Here’s what I see as by far the most straightforward, and most likely, interpretation of panel 1: (1) Stella spotted Tara or her jeep somewhere and followed her to The Fuse. Her “Thanks for the juicy lead” is sarcastic. (2) Tara’s disapproval of Stella is genuine. Tara is not now, and has not recently been, aiding Stella in criminal activities, except perhaps to the extent of being afraid to report Stella’s parole violations lest she find out and take revenge. (I say “not recently” because Stella might have been involved back when Tara was stealing stuff at Moony.)
Some commenters seem to think it equally or more likely that Tara led Stella to the Fuse intentionally and that she only repented at the last moment—or even that she’s still conspiring with Stella, putting on a show of defiance to fool Luann and Bernice, and planning to meet up with Stella later to split the loot. My mind boggles.
Sorry, this is just too stupid for words. Why is a strip about post teenage girls devolving into some kind of noir story about very minor characters? I’ll be back when the characters who I actually know are back starring in their own strip.
What a pity that the cops are going to show up tomorrow before Evil Stella can run Tara over with the car that already had its engine running so that Evil Stella could evilly steal it from the parking lot of the place Evil Stella deduced was occupied by Tara, which made Stella want to steal from this place that Tara was hiding in because….okay I’m laughing too hard to write any more. I sure hope Tara gets the chance to show off those weird gestures one more time. “Heeeyi, behold, I’m carrying the invisible frozen pizza of despair over my head while my ankles go numb.” What a brave woman she is! OMG this has been a hilarious week!
Poor Lulu is toast. When the popo shows up, the defecation will hit the revolving oscillator. As Ricky Ricardo would say, she will have some ’splaining to do to her parents.
Mad cousin Stella is overly sure who’s the “not so smart” one. Even as she burns rubber to flee the scene of the crime, Tara contemplates how to bring Stella down….
Rhetorical_Question about 3 years ago
Reverse or forward
Templo S.U.D. about 3 years ago
oh, now it’s a kidnapping?
beb01 about 3 years ago
So Tara in on it, not in on it and about to be run over. Just another Friday here in Detroit.
Pointspread about 3 years ago
How much cash do they leave in the Fuze overnight?
Tyge Premium Member about 3 years ago
SO! Will Tara rat out her cuz to the fuzz? Stay tuned!
Rhetorical_Question about 3 years ago
Did Bernice and Luann witness the conversation?Did Bernice reach the cops in time?
Crann Bethadh about 3 years ago
No problem, just perform some more interpretive dance moves in front of the car; that should stop it in its tracks.
TampaFanatic1 about 3 years ago
So it was the till money that Stella lifted from the Fuse? It definitely looked like the draw for a days worth of business, not the start up for the next day. In college I worked at a couple of places where closing procedure involved zeroing out the registers, counting the till and then doing a night deposit at the bank. Surprised TJ and Nancy did not do this. Some stores like Publix or Winn Dixie and chain restaurants also have a safe. So Luann kind of started this trainwreck by being a good Samaritan but the Fuse could use an update of their cash control procedures.
me_the_polish_gull about 3 years ago
Guys, do you have a feeling Stella is more adventurous version of Ann Eiffel? She’s greeding for money too.
Tyge Premium Member about 3 years ago
The cuz looks like something out of “Speed Racer” in panel 3.
Pointspread about 3 years ago
Not so smart is the theme:Not so smart for Luann to let Tara crash at her parents business.Not so smart for Bernice to be in other peoples business. Not so smart for this crew to get down to the business of eating late night pie instead of leaving.And mostly no one cares enough to LOCK THE DOOR of this business in the small hours of the morning…
SJhapamama about 3 years ago
Is robbery and assault with a deadly weapon a smarter move? Hmm…methinks not, Miss Stella.
Rhetorical_Question about 3 years ago
We will know if tomorrow has any fatalities?
capricorn9th about 3 years ago
No worries, Tara. Luann and Bernice already called the cops. You already identified the burglar. It is a matter of time – and quickly – when the cops catch up and arrest Stella.
Mordock999 Premium Member about 3 years ago
“I’m not the only soul, accused of HIT and RUN!”
“Tire tracks all across your back, I can see you had your fun!” – “Crosstown Traffic” The Jimi Hendrix Experience
And the “Tara Starr Redemption Arc” continues.
Will she leap out of the way at the last possible second?
Or will she get hit, and spattered like a bug on the windshield?
There’s a distinct possibility that someone might get hurt Saturday and leave Us all “breathlessly” hanging until Monday.
One more thing. Tiffany, Bernice and now Tara.
Have you noticed that the “drama” always seems to happen to just about everybody BUT Luann? ;)
TwilightFaze about 3 years ago
Some people’s moral compasses are so broken that being evil truly means nothing to them (I say that because I’m getting the frightened feeling she just ran Tara over, or is trying to)
Brdshtt Premium Member about 3 years ago
Now, if that was Speed Racer’s Mach 5, she could press a button and jump over Tara. But, then, we would not have this dramatic end to the day leaving us wanting to know what will happen on Saturday’s strip. Will Stella stop short, or will she knock Chim – Chim, I mean, Tara, into next Tuesday? Or, will Greg leave it hanging for another few weeks while we watch Brad and Toni pick out new wallpaper for the dining room? Either way, someone or something is going to get plastered up against a wall.
Rhetorical_Question about 3 years ago
Al Gary is not going to be happy with the burglary. He has connections.
Caldonia about 3 years ago
“I followed you here, yesterday or even earlier, I guess, and Luann happened to leave the door unlocked tonight, which is a very convenient coincidence for me! Now I’m totally going to hit you with this car, apparently! Which somehow had the keys in them, which is why I was able to get in and start it so quickly, I guess! I’m totally a killer for some reason, and I’m taking this money that was left in the register, for some reason! My plans are flawless and totally make sense, bwa ha ha!”
lvlax about 3 years ago
Why was Tara trying to head to Utah to hide from her cuz?? She clearly stands up to her and isn’t afraid of her. And if Stella broke parole .. wouldn’t she be staying on Tara’s good side so she doesn’t report her and get her picked up by the cops? This is a fun story arc but it’s not the most logical. lol
Cheapskate0 about 3 years ago
Finally, clarification. Tara not involved. That’s the good news.
The bad news: G&K have dragged their legacy characters through the mud. As of yesterday, Luann and Bernice came out smelling like – anything but a rose.
Argythree about 3 years ago
It is hard to tell whether cousin Stella is going to run over Tara, or whether Tara moved to the side of the car. But it’s nice that Tara didn’t appear to take the money that her cousin offered…
luann1212 about 3 years ago
Oh no! How is Tara, and we going to get out of this possible death or major injury, with only one arc day left before Sunday? Maybe the car is in reverse, but the motion lines indicate forward. One thing seems clear, Stella had/has a baleful influence over Tara; to me this explains some of the trauma in Tara’s life, perhaps she was in a family that was involved in crime, but this something she increasingly wanted to get away from. I await Saturday to see where this goes; now I really want a misdirection play. Do not want Tara hurt or worse.
blunebottle about 3 years ago
Was somebody saying we wouldn’t see violence in this comic?
ronaldspence about 3 years ago
What does Stella mean by juicy lead though. Did Tara have a change of heart after her reconciliation with Bernie…interesting…
Airman about 3 years ago
Another unattractive character about to exit the strip and nobody in this burg capable of pursuing Stella, unless they resurrect Dirk.
RabbitHole about 3 years ago
I suspect she is going in reverse, even though the “motion stripes” looks like forward. Pointspread makes some good points in the comment above. Too many illogical things going on.
First, how did Stella find out Tara Starr was at the Fuse? Did she follow Luann or Bernice or Tara initially and staked out the DeGroot house (plus she arrived after Bernice instead of after Luann, hmmm)? Second, why did she just grab Tara’s bag? Why not sneak in and hide in the storage room until they left and then rob the place? Third, she is flashing money, presumably from Tara’s bag – was it Tara’s money Stella ended up stealing or did Tara rob the place and hide the money in her bag. I would assume the cash register was in the room where they saw the pie and then sat down to eat, so Stella would have had to be seen by all, not just by Tara (seeing her bag being grabbed).
Something is out of kilter here. I was hoping Tara wasn’t involved, but its beginning to look like it could be a possibility, especially if she puts the car in reverse and takes off (and later meets up with Tara and they skip off to Utah or maybe Tara was planning to steal the money by herself and skip town and her cousin just messed it up ).
Will Saturday’s strip leave us hanging with the Police arriving, Stella gone and the three girls telling their story to the police (I don’t see Tara’s cousin running her down – or Tara jumps out of the way just in time).
drewpamon about 3 years ago
Bernice is going to make Tara’s injuries all about Bernice and how it makes her feel.
red_tape about 3 years ago
another possibility that leans toward tara having previously emptied the cash register into her backpack: in the pie scene a couple days ago, the shadowy robber is bending over — possibly to pick up tara’s pack? i’ve never seen a cash register where the cashier has to bend over & isn’t able to stand up straight to run it. but i hope not, i like tara, she’s way more interesting than her pals.
beb01 about 3 years ago
Again nothing makes sense. The closest I can figure is that Tara had been casing joints for her dumb as dirt cousin to rob and had a change of heart because Bernice was polite (somewhat below “nice” on the level of kindnesses) But did the scam begin when Tara spent the night in Luann’s room, or only after getting into the Fuse? Doesn’t matter, a crook is a crook is a crook, and if Tara was casing robberies for STELL-AAH! she still goes to prison for a very long time. But if Tara is as smart as STELL-AAH! says she is Tara would have made sure she was long gone from the Fuse before the Cuz robbed it. And while I was sure the Cuz had pitched up the backpack it looks like she put the money in her own bag. In any case how did she get it out of the cash register without Luann and Bernice hearing the noise. Sure they were talking but that doesn’t make them deaf to the odd, unexplained noises around them. AS for Tara’s safety, Standing three feet in front of a motionless car is a pretty safe spot. Just leap on the hood as the car starts to move the roll off the side. I’m not saying she wouldn;t get bruised but she wouldn;t get run off either.
Like I said nothing makes sense. It all a tale of sound and fury told by an idiot
Vilyehm about 3 years ago
“Too many illogical things going on.”
See Tara jump.
Jump, Tara, jump.
The illogical logical reason why G&K had Tara in those TV kung fu poses is that she is now going to do a Jackie Chan and jump over the forward moving car.
Good luck, Tara.
Or should I say,
“Break a leg.”
Code the Enforcer about 3 years ago
Hasn’t Frank or Nancy or TJ ever heard of ’ Night Deposit Boxes ’?!
dadoctah about 3 years ago
Tara’s suddenly starting to remind me of Erin eSurance. Was her hair always pink?
UmmeMoosa about 3 years ago
Guess Bernice was right after all, now SHE is owed an apology.
JonGoss about 3 years ago
Luann, Season 3 – now on Netflix.
DorothyGlenn Premium Member about 3 years ago
Hope she uses those Heeyaaa ninja jumps to hop on the hood.
Shirl Summ Premium Member about 3 years ago
What?
kenwarnerfordictator about 3 years ago
Tara’s cousin is an idiot. He doesn’t stand a chance of getting away with what he has done. There are eyewitnesses, and Tara knows where he lives. All he has accomplished is to make a mess of three other lives. How will Luann’s parents react to Luann, Bernice, and Tara being at the Fuse in the middle of the night? To say nothing of what they will think when they learn the truth about Tara staying there?
EasyEight about 3 years ago
Cash was left in a till? There is no alarm system in a restaurant? Hoo-Kay..
Perplexed about 3 years ago
He?
UmmeMoosa about 3 years ago
So let me hash this out, Stella stole the money from Tara that Tara stole from the Fuse. Where? when? how? ..If she managed this without anyone noticing she’s one smooth criminal
Johnnyrico about 3 years ago
Because of Tara and Luann, The Fuse was robbed. Those two are in some really big trouble now.. Once again, it just proves that old adage: “If you run with dogs, you’re gonna get fleas”…
Ellis97 about 3 years ago
Oh no! Tara!
ForrestOverin about 3 years ago
Seems unlikely her cousin would try to kill her. That outcome would also be too morbid for a comic strip like this. So I’m guessing ‘NO’.
LeighBurton about 3 years ago
Tara has turned over a new leaf!
ForrestOverin about 3 years ago
I predict that we’ll discover that Tara’s cousin stole banana pies….
PeterPirate about 3 years ago
Oh Tara oh oh. You squeeze my heart and then you let it go. Oh Tara my oh my. I can’t help falling, no I wouldn’t try.
Wizard of Ahz-no relation about 3 years ago
you just committed a robbery and were seen by someone who can absolutely id you and your car to the police and SHE is not so smart?
rrsltx about 3 years ago
What restaurant owner leaves money in the till overnight? Not smart.
electricpostcard about 3 years ago
We stuck in Neutral until the exciting conclusion appears tomorrow. Did, the Calvary come thru with the rescue in the end? Did this Zebra surely change her stripes? Or, did fate take a terrible turn for Tara? Lets hope those Karate skills included Ninja reflexes to dive outa the way in time!
Chris about 3 years ago
well, he’s busted so it’s not like running away will do much, but stall.
Lawrence.S about 3 years ago
Most businesses take the money out of the cash drawer at closing.
StoicLion1973 about 3 years ago
Sweet irony and the ultimate reference: a reformed Dirk, now a police officer, arrives at the Fuse to arrest Stella for burglary and attempted vehicular homicide.
Terminal Frost Premium Member about 3 years ago
Nothing proves Tara took any money. EVERYTHING points to Stella taking the money. …and likely stealing a car. Do a freaking GOOGLE search and you can find almost 50/50 instances of deliberately leaving some money in the register in retail/public establishments.
Stella may have been driving around looking for Tara’s jeep, SEEN it randomly somewhere and followed her to the Fuse. Then decided in a possible rage to confront her regardless of the other , thinking tara could be convinced ( threatened ) into compliance.
But it is more fun to speculate that Tara was a ‘crook’, therefore she will always be a crook.
Because no one is allowed to screw up in life, make amends and go on, they are expected to live with the scarlet letter forever. How forgiving.
Aladar30 Premium Member about 3 years ago
We will remember you, Tara, as a brave character with integrity and honor. A free spirit and a true friend, who loved having fun and trying to make the life of her friends more fun by bringing them into the craziest ideas ♡ Actually I hope she’ll survives her cousin’s attempt to kill her. I wonder if G&K decided to do this strip to disappear any possibility of thinking that Tara is an accomplice (I’m afraid some readers will never believe it). But now the figure of Tara emerges as a giantess ♡. She really is a great girl♡♡♡.
ctolson about 3 years ago
Looks like the three amigos are in deep do-do now.
comic reader 22 about 3 years ago
So she took Tara’s backpack and ended up with a bunch of money. in her hand. I think this was a plan. When Tara was delayed the cousin came looking for her, saw what was going on, and decided to grab the bag. Maybe seeing Luann and Bernice there made Stella realize that Tara had changed her mind about the robbery.
DG about 3 years ago
No good deed goes unpunished.
funnyg1rl about 3 years ago
I’m still wondering why there was money in the till (register) after hours??
Droptma Styx about 3 years ago
So, after hours, maybe there was a hundred bucks in the drawer for change the next day? Right?
dtz_chrs about 3 years ago
I don’t get it. Or the last few for that matter
Tom_Tildrum about 3 years ago
Luann: I’m not sure I buy into the cousin immediately embarking on a crime spree upon release. And it seems unlikely that she would figure out where Tara was staying and go there, in hopes that maybe there would be an open door and maybe there would be some cash lying around on a countertop. But overall, it’s refreshing to see someone in this strip with some energy and ambition.
del_grande Premium Member about 3 years ago
Either Tara is a VERY fast mover, or Greg didn’t realize that those movement lines on the car means that the car is (a) moving forward, and (b) has already moved far enough to hit her – we’ll probably find out tomorrow
timzsixty9 about 3 years ago
I think the cousin just ran TARA over!!
timzsixty9 about 3 years ago
do the DeGroots leave money in the TILL, overnight?! how foolish!
YorkGirl Premium Member about 3 years ago
Whether Tara told her cousin where she was staying purposefully or Stella followed her, it seems Tara wants out. Hope she can do one of those jumps before her crazy cousin hits her. I’d like to see this arc resolved somehow before we go on to the next one.
ST Joe River about 3 years ago
This is like watching paint dry any more. Very slow and boring JMO. Have enough bad things going on thought these were call comics. How about some happy funny stories.
Need coffee about 3 years ago
Hope Luann has her phone out taking a video since Bernice’s is in use while she’s on hold with 911.
Terminal Frost Premium Member about 3 years ago
Off to get my first COVID shot
6foot6 about 3 years ago
She speeds away and attracts the attention of a cop. Is then arrested. Tara is loved by everyone because she stood her ground and is now working at the fuse as the manager of security. (that what could have happened. If this where not Luann world. )
MuddyUSA Premium Member about 3 years ago
It is what it is!!!
ACTIVIST1234 about 3 years ago
You were right, Tara. You need to get out of town.
timbob2313 Premium Member about 3 years ago
that looks kind of like an old Datsun 240Z. If not that, she is driving what looks like an expensive sports car
locake about 3 years ago
Tara had plenty of time to MOVE out of the way during this lengthy conversation with Stella. She must want to get run over.
RSH about 3 years ago
time for the cops to show up.
Tyge Premium Member about 3 years ago
So where do we stand for tomorrow. Will we see Luann and Bern kneeling over a hit and run Tara calling 9-1-1? A funeral event is out of the question. Will we see a hospital room scene with Tara fighting for her life? Thereby cementing Tara as something of an heroic figure into the future of Luanniverse?
Or will we see a dramatic save by someone pushing Tara out of the way? Likely Bernice. Judging by some commenters, she needs some sympathy creds. If Bernice is injured, we might see the aforementioned hospital scene with Bro Ben thrown in. In either case, Tara will stick around for a while.
OR will it be case three! Tara herself, leaping away from the speeding getaway at the last second and suspiciously avoiding any injurious effects of the encounter. This may trigger further calls of collusion and subterfuge. This may cause Tara’s Utah escape to be rendered moot.Being a Saturday strip, chances are that a dramatic cliff hanger will be presented. Therefore, lively discussions and questions are likely to be proposed by one and all.
P.S. So far, the “cousin” seems to be a McGuffin. She isn’t personified – just a silhouette shape. We may never see her again. In fact, we only know it’s a “her” because Tara Starr called her Stella – latin for star. BTW. Stella, the cousin, has a Belgian beer named after her. 8^ )
kunddog about 3 years ago
about a year ago a lady who tried to stop a person in a car from leaving without paying. She ended up dead and the lady got 10 to 25. BTW it was for a $35 manicure.
Tyge Premium Member about 3 years ago
On the burning question of cash in the till.
Many single register businesses leave no money in the register and leave the cash drawer open so a burglar won’t steal the register when s/he can’t open it. Many modern tills have a removable cash drawer insert for easy overnight safekeeping and change of shift cashiers.
Long ago, I worked for a “mom&pop” pharmacy that left their small narcotics safe unlocked overnight. The owner/pharmacist rationalized narcotics thieves would just as easily steal the whole safe if it was locked. Then he’d be out the narcs and a safe.
BobYoshimaru about 3 years ago
What are they doing leaving cash in the premises overnight?
reedkomicks Premium Member about 3 years ago
Wait til Luann’s parents get wind of this! For sure they will kick Luann (and Bernice) out of the house. They cannot trust Luann. Where will she go?
Kenezg about 3 years ago
So tomorrow, Tara on the ground with Luann and Bernice frantically running to her or Tara being put in an ambulance….
Joe1962 Premium Member about 3 years ago
Tara is in on it from the beginning.
Pipe Tobacco Premium Member about 3 years ago
7
So, now there is (to me) some sort of cohesive “gelling” of this arc today:
This now feels like a pure “redemption” arc for Tara. Her progression to me reads as follows:
A) Originally, a “bad girl” archetype. Was booted out of Moony U for problematic behavior.
B) Migrated to Pitt CC where she was then more simply portrayed as a “wisenheimer” devil-may-care “party-girl” type who just wanted to experience things, and didn’t really give much of a damn for her schooling or what her future was to be.
Additionally, (B) remained her personality for a fair amount of time, where we were allowed to glimpse the “risk-taking” side of her behavior more in depth….. both in “good ways” and in “bad ways” (her actions at the party signify the “bad” types of risks she took).
C) Her “escape behavior” in this arc helped us to learn of her problematic home life so as to give us more perspective on her relatively erratic actions across the time we have known her character.
D) Now, we see her Tara’s “awakening” so-to-speak. She has now realized she cannot simply run away from her problems, and her confrontation of her “Cuz” is her first clear steps towards starting on a path of personal growth and enlightenment.
+ + + + +
If she survives the raging, “vooming” vehicle that her Cuz is attempting to squash her with (and I am 99+% sure she will, as I sincerely doubt Greg would kill of any character in this fashion), I predict that Tara will stay in Pitts, and that while she will still be “feisty” and a tad “flakey”…. she will also become far more focused on doing some good things with her life… and will become a more prominent character.
billdaviswords about 3 years ago
So we know who did it, and their car, license number, etc.. So call the police.
JohnSheldon about 3 years ago
Who’s money did she steal? Tara’s / Luann’s / Bernice’s? I highly doubt that the FUSE would have cash just laying around in an old hand bag. So in the end, it’s one of these fine ladies money. Which speaks to the second point. What Millennial / Gen Z carries cash? Heck, I’m a Gen Xer and just started carrying more cash just to have something to tip with and/or buy when a business’s point of sale is down.
locake about 3 years ago
Saturday: Stella speeds away while Bernice and Luann look in the direction of Tara with shocked looks on their faces. Tara is not shown.
Queen Wolfen about 3 years ago
Juicy lead..?
jandaloft about 3 years ago
Why do all the bad guys get all the good cars? Dirk had a S2000 and this looks like a FRS!
kenhense about 3 years ago
Seems likely that Friday Night/Saturday a police siren will roar in – the result of a phone call by Bernice. That way, The Fuse can get their money back and the hard lessons aren’t too hard. We need digs for Tara somewhere – she’s a keeper.
daddo52 about 3 years ago
Guess Bernice was right
Scoutmaster77 about 3 years ago
All have some explaining to do…
calliarcale about 3 years ago
If Tara survives to press charges, her cousin could end up put away for a long time, as this would take it from theft to attempted murder for trying to run her down.
kenhense about 3 years ago
Interesting that crooks define “smart” as stealing and getting away with it. No moral issues – crooks like to think that everyone would steal if they were smart enough.
outonalimb about 3 years ago
Here’s what I see as by far the most straightforward, and most likely, interpretation of panel 1: (1) Stella spotted Tara or her jeep somewhere and followed her to The Fuse. Her “Thanks for the juicy lead” is sarcastic. (2) Tara’s disapproval of Stella is genuine. Tara is not now, and has not recently been, aiding Stella in criminal activities, except perhaps to the extent of being afraid to report Stella’s parole violations lest she find out and take revenge. (I say “not recently” because Stella might have been involved back when Tara was stealing stuff at Moony.)
Some commenters seem to think it equally or more likely that Tara led Stella to the Fuse intentionally and that she only repented at the last moment—or even that she’s still conspiring with Stella, putting on a show of defiance to fool Luann and Bernice, and planning to meet up with Stella later to split the loot. My mind boggles.
Natarose about 3 years ago
Wonder if Bernice got a hold of the police…
BlueKnight1966 about 3 years ago
This is when you hope you brought the .45 instead of the 9mm.
ChrisTrey about 3 years ago
Sorry, this is just too stupid for words. Why is a strip about post teenage girls devolving into some kind of noir story about very minor characters? I’ll be back when the characters who I actually know are back starring in their own strip.
Dragoncat about 3 years ago
I still think Luann’s idea of recording this is a good idea!
Caldonia about 3 years ago
What a pity that the cops are going to show up tomorrow before Evil Stella can run Tara over with the car that already had its engine running so that Evil Stella could evilly steal it from the parking lot of the place Evil Stella deduced was occupied by Tara, which made Stella want to steal from this place that Tara was hiding in because….okay I’m laughing too hard to write any more. I sure hope Tara gets the chance to show off those weird gestures one more time. “Heeeyi, behold, I’m carrying the invisible frozen pizza of despair over my head while my ankles go numb.” What a brave woman she is! OMG this has been a hilarious week!
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 3 years ago
Watch him keep trying to lure her in to a life of crime.
rrsltx about 3 years ago
Poor Lulu is toast. When the popo shows up, the defecation will hit the revolving oscillator. As Ricky Ricardo would say, she will have some ’splaining to do to her parents.
bakana about 3 years ago
As predicted, we are learning who was the Real Thief of Moonie Uni.
New prediction: The Cousin looks enough like Tara to pass as her Twin.
Sisyphos about 3 years ago
Mad cousin Stella is overly sure who’s the “not so smart” one. Even as she burns rubber to flee the scene of the crime, Tara contemplates how to bring Stella down….
Schrodinger's Dog about 3 years ago
tomorrow: tragedy or triumph?
stay tooned!