The Born Loser by Art and Chip Sansom for February 05, 2023

you’ll still be taking orders from Gladys, no matter what you decide

Don’t underrate yourself, Brutus: you woul’d be a good boss.

Can Brutus make a better tea cozy?

I was just thinking about this yesterday morning. It would give a story line for a long time. Red tape from agencies to get started and every year to renew, finding customers, keeping them happy, getting them to pay, supply lines, competition. I’d bet that 50% of small businesses have the other partner also working a job with insurance. Maybe if he just started a weekend business he’d look forward to going to work on Monday morning. LOL

Eventually, he would have to give himself a golden parachute and retire.

Then you can award yourself a golden parachute.

The story of his business would never get past chapter eleven.

He could always quit before he fires himself. That’ll teach him.

I can see the day when the word chief will be forbidden. Last week a hockey coach lost her job for using the phrase, “We have too many chiefs and not enough Indians.”

I’m surprised the Chief hasn’t already fired him.

Brutus is brutally self-aware.

As Harry Callahan in the movie Dirty Harry opined. “A man’s got to know his limitations.” Brutus is honest in his introspective assessment of himself. He knows his limitations.

Well done Mr. Sansom. Thought provoking.

I owned a Masonry business with my father before/after retiring from Air Force. When I hit 48 Degenerative Arthritis owned me. I fired myself and went to work for the State. Dad worked on till he was 82. Died at 89, same as mom. At 76 now, I can barely move this old body after 3 spine surgeries. Been working since I was 4. Born a Farmer. Hard work does kill the body. Still working. Except caring for my hospice wife here at home. Lord does grant thee strength. Brutus is right. Self owned business is not for everyone.

Whoa! So much to unpack in this strip. Talk about an existential crisis! Brutus realizes the Boss may have a good reason to be aggravated by all those “little things”. And maybe he sees that the Born Loser aura is a force of the universe that he is powerless to change. The mind reels! Great strip Chip!

Now there you have it! Brutus has business sense!

today’s Animal Crackers has a perfect descriptor for Brutus. The character says “we all make mistakes. Some of us just happen to be proficient at it.”

I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.

- Groucho Marx

I would call that by it’s other name “retirement” if l were the Owner or CEO of a company. Brutus has a good head on his shoulders and a good work ethic overall. However, most small businesses do fail. So just grin and bear it until retirement comes. Though, if he has any art talent, maybe he could create a cartoon character and market that while still keeping his job with the boss. Naaa. No money in that…..

Nobody ever wants to hear the dreaded words:" Sorry, but I’m gonna have to let me go!"

I’m afraid our Brutus would never do well as a self employed worker. He needs the security of going to another location away from Momma Gargle. Besides, he needs all those breaks by the water tank and coffee urn to get him through his day.

Uncle Ted, he already works for his own company, Gladys is the boss. Mother Gargle is head of the Complaining department.

It’s good to be self-aware

I was watching for the little puff over the coffee and was not disappointed. Brutus wouldn’t have to fire himself. He could just “step down.” But he is right, it’s better he does not start his own business. He doesn’t have the motivation to do it part time first and he can’t afford to walk away from his current job.

The boss might actually be grateful if he went to work for a competitor. But then he’d have to hire another whipping boy, and nobody wants the job.

Cognitive reality descends on Uncle Ted like the Chinese ‘weather’ balloon.

Groucho Marx: “I wouldn’t join any country club that would have somebody like me for a member”.

No, you’d just step down…

Brutus, I am sure Veeblefester would be in complete agreement with your self assessment.

no need to put yourself on top when you know you do such bad work that you have to fire yourself. :}