Pickles by Brian Crane for June 28, 2022

An important survival skill

I’m gonna try that! Especially when my daughter starts a sentence with: “why don’t you”…..

What if they’d invented that little blue pill earlier?

Well played, Earl.

Retrospective “what if” is too often a way to be upset with yourself or your family. It’s a good way to plan forward, though.

Selective hearing…isn’t it a wonderful thing! :-)

Earl has the right idea.

Bad hearing can have its advantages.

We use the been thinking that if I/we. . . and what would you think of . . . ?. Seems to gently open a new topic or slant on an old one. Has worked for most of our 60 years but took a while to get there.

I like to say about my Hearing loss "Queen , it was worth it " when actually it was 40+ yrs. of Industrial work and 4yrs. On a Aircraft Carrier .

What if she actually wants an answer to any of these questions?

Just as long as you remember to turn it back on when you need to, Earl!

I’ll be in my shop.

Opal is scatter-brained thinking like this. She’s also silly. Poor Earl has to listen to this – no wonder he wants to turn his hearing aid off.

“…what if the aliens had not returned me after I accidentally tore up their ship.”

I wish some papers dropped the few times a week reruns mixed in with new strips Pickles comic strip even if Brian Crane has yet to declare to end the strip for good!

“What ifs” get you no where in life.

Works every time

I always like the “what ifs”. . .what if we use blue instead of yellow? what if we eat chocolate now and cookies later? what if we use cinnamon instead of nutmeg? And then there’s that other great saying: “LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.” (My absolute favorite take-away line from Gregor Vorbarra of the Vorkosigan saga by Lois McMasters Bujold)

That’s what my grandfather did!

EXCELLENT idea…….. little late, but STILL excellent..!!!!!

If I survive my wife, her grave marker will include “I have no further questions.”

Smart move big guy

She should know that he isn’t listening to her. He’s busy reading the newspaper.

Earl, Contrary to popular belief, what you do not hear MIGHT hurt you!

Oy!

What if you just THOUGHT these things in your head, Opal, instead of letting out every inane babble?!

Wait … understanding cat talk? My cat told me I was the only one that could do that. :)

It doesn’t really work. My wife lost her voice the last few years of her life. It didn’t stop her from scribbling pages of insulting rant whenever she lost her temper.

Bingo. The solucion.

Opal should try indica. The sativa she smoked has activated the inquisitive part of her brain, and now she can’t shut up. Indica would put her in a mellower zone.

The only What If that guys ever think is What if I married that other girl.If you don’t want your man to talk about that, don’t bring up What If’s.

Turn off, tune out, drop out.

What if they HADN’T taken the “Pickles” gig?

I had several episodes of What IFs questions. Decided I liked the way things turned out in most of my life with my hubby and stopped asking the What Ifs.

When I first got my hearing aids, I was amazed how much “static” and unwanted noise there was in real life.

I was talking about an old photo of my “twin” cousin and I seated on either side of our Grandpa, looking like we were harassing him.. nicely! LOL! I said I wondered how Grandpa had put up with two little gigglers doing that. Cousin said “You don’t think he left his hearing aids on, do you?” I actually did! LOL!

Funny how Opals what ifs are all about her.

I realize he is trying to avoid a misunderstanding, but I hope won’t miss something important.

The gist of her thoughts seems to be that maybe marrying Earl wasn’t the best choice to make when she was younger. His response reinforces her doubts.

See, there IS at least one great advantage of needing hearing aids!

Yada..yada..yada..yada…click!

Earl, this is not the time for that. Something important is happening for Opal and this is the time to TALK WITH her. It may be a good conversation for you too. Embrace your memories.

“Well, if you re-marry after I die, would you let your new wife use my golf clubs?”

“Of course not honey, she’s left-handed.”

Sometimes it’s just that easy…

I have done what if’s myself, still live the same life.

Smart move there Earl.