131

Clean up
Posted on November 3, 2023 by David M Willis

131 thoughts on “Clean up”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    Joyce: *adds “self” to list of things to clean*

    1. UrsulaDavina

      Maybe she can ask Joe to clean her face I m not sure if he is into food play though.

      1. UrsulaDavina

        Or Dotty either or

    2. Angel

      leveling up from the laundry room to the showers? ;D

    3. milu

      Joyce, upon reflection *also adds self to list of possible secret transgenders*

      1. Taffy

        Joyce has been a cistrender her entire life, unbeknownst to her.

        1. Kaiyalai

          . . . Oh, is that what I was doing before I hatched? Cistrending?

          How embarrassing.

  2. TrueVCU

    Not pictured: [feeding screech]

    1. Delavan

      Thank you. I actually LOL’d.

  3. Nono

    Mommy and Mommy are arguing.

    1. Dara

      itym “flirting” ^_^

      1. Decidedly Orthogonal

        That’s what they said. ?

        1. clif

          Or at any rate what we heard.

  4. quark

    are these two pretending to be married again?

    1. Thag Simmons

      pretending?

      1. Hoboturtle

        Oh hey this is Joe and this is his girlfriend Joyce and this is her wife Dorothy.

        1. Dday

          brings me back to:
          https://youtu.be/Nlb5vTI910E?feature=shared

        2. FlamestAndLight

          For real though

    2. Nono

      Well it is Date Night.

  5. Thag Simmons

    Joyce that’s not how you make it easier to clean

    1. Doctor_Who

      It will be spotless once she’s licks the bowl. No delicious Cheez Product will be wasted.

    2. Angel

      well i guess dorothy didn’t add a double amount of sauce but it shouldn’t look too bad lol

  6. Sirksome

    Aggressive gratitude. Lets hope this doesn’t devolve into a fist fight.

    1. Angel

      depending on how much gets on her shirt it might lead to another laundry room trip ;P

  7. Dave Van Domelen

    Now kiss her with a mouth full of mac & cheese.

    1. Auroki

      Helluva lot harder than it sounds trust me. I’m also forbidden from certain acts while kissing my partner after that

      1. clif

        For example, sneezing?

        1. Auroki

          Yeah, that ones a given. Also belching

  8. AeromechanicalAce

    Joyce is embracing her Inner Goblin here.

    1. Angel

      by college teen standards pretty tame lol

    2. clif

      Joyce is embracing her inner Walky here.

      Fixed that for you. Yes, the difference can be imperceptible at times.

    3. Tan

      The dichotomy of humankind:

      https://i.imgur.com/WZCrd3j.png

  9. Sirksome

    Is this what the kids these days call platonic flirting?

    1. Doug D

      I think it’s “gustatory foreplay”, personally.

  10. Nono

    Shouldn’t they have sorted out who cleans during their mock-marriage in Gender Studies?

    1. NGPZ

      Hey yeah, good callback! =D

  11. StClair

    “I’m in your debt.”
    “No you’re not.”
    “Yes I am!”
    “No.”
    “I’LL FITE YOU”

  12. UrsulaDavina

    Honestly a big glob of craft or box Mac and cheese on my face might cause me to vomit. I have vomiting trying to craft mac and cheese it’s the smell and the texture.

    1. wwwhhattt

      I’m impressed by how well they get pasta to feel like cardboard

      1. Decidedly Orthogonal

        ..? How long aren’t you boiling the noodles for?

        1. Angel

          i haven’t had instant mac that often but i can see a lot of ppl finding it uneappealing even if you cook it ‘properly’ lol

        2. miz

          hmm…instant mac n cheese, as in the stuff that comes in little individual cups that you microwave, has always had an unpleasant, slightly chemical-ly taste to me, and the texture can often be described generously as “gummy”, but i don’t think ‘cardboard’ is a descriptor i’d ever reach for ?

          an actual box of kraft made on the stovetop, though, tastes like….pasta with cheese sauce. because that’s all it is. and it’s so good.

          god i want kraft mac n cheese now.

        3. Jon S.

          I prefer the flavor of the house brand sold at Winco – the cheese sauce tastes better to me. Although of course none of it compares to my wife’s homemade – the only problem there is keeping all three kinds of cheese in stock until she feels up to it (fibro sucks).

        4. morleuca

          I miss the one we had growing up. Prince was the brand. I5 was so much better than the kraft

      2. clif

        What kind of bizarre mac and cheese are you eating? The cheese mixture may not be the best, but the pasta is fine and I have no idea what you could possibly be doing to it to make it comparable to cardboard.

      3. Jonathan

        You’re not meant to eat the packaging.

        1. clif

          Ah. You might be onto something.

  13. Yotomoe

    Cut to the mac and cheese lying on the floor.

    1. Taffy

      You reminded me of the “reach into my pocket for my money, spaghetti falls out” meme, thanks.

      1. Yeet

        you know how it is with memes

        1. clif

          No idea, but I’m sure there’s a meme about it.

    2. Dday

      I’m all out the bowl
      This is how I feel
      cut to mac and cheese
      lying naked on the floor

    3. M!a (cuz Quirdry Tawks isn't funny if Tawdry's not around)

      Cut to the clothing lying on the floor

  14. Schpoonman

    The motion lines around the bowl tell me Joyce shook that one big clump loose. Even odds on it hitting her in the face, landing in her mouth flawlessly, or going down the wrong pipe.

    1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      Maybe she can unhinge her jaws.

      1. Schpoonman

        “Would you like paper or plastic?”

        “M o u t h”

  15. Cholma

    “I can out-kindness your kindness ANY DAY.”

  16. BBCC

    Kindness competition!

  17. Steelbright

    The adorable domesticity is soothing to my soul

  18. DailyBrad

    Man, I want some fucking macaroni now.

    1. Ray Radlein

      That’s a bit more advanced — they’re barely at “flirting macaroni” right now

  19. Suet

    Joyce, save those panel 3 eyes for another time, okie? Gave me mixed signals there.

    What’re the odds that not all noods went through Joyce’s pie-hole

    1. Angel

      seemed more ‘smug’ than seductive to me lol

  20. Kyrik Michalowski

    “Choke down the kindness” feels like a euphemism, and I am here for it.

    1. Kyrik Michalowski

      Hell no.

      1. Kyrik Michalowski

        Neat, but no.

        1. Kyrik Michalowski

          No emo Ethan thank you.

        2. Kyrik Michalowski

          Acceptable for the evening.

        3. Thag Simmons

          rough luck, huh

        4. Kyrik Michalowski

          Yeah, but if I can’t find Sal at least I have some decent choices.

        5. clif

          I always make a list of notes so that I can alter the gravitar to match the particular comment. And then I loose the list.

        6. Jon S.

          So, you keep your Clif’s notes?

        7. Miri

          They just said they drop them and the notes fall from clif and are never seen again. Gravity is mean. (Also clif is presumably tall enough to be called high.

          (And I hope it’s obvious I’m just punning after the reference? Hit the “wait, do these comments happen all the time and get obnoxious as all heck?” point… Sorry if so, no offence intended!)

        8. clif

          No worries. Puns are the highest form of humor and therefore are always in order.

          High? I’m only high on life, which sometimes involves enjoying the heck out of it and other times is just sheer relief at not being dead yet.

        9. HueSatLight

          in the text of your comment, why don’t you use the same capitalization you use in your email address? then the only note you need is which strip’s comments you need to check.

  21. DiDi

    This made me laugh much more than I would have seen coming.

  22. Sirksome

    Seeing as I don’t live in Indiana and thus have never attended IU I do wonder what the rule is here as far as dishes. It seems like this is a communal kitchen of sorts. Do people bring in their own dishes or does the campus provide them? Like is that Dorothy’s pan she brought from home? For that matter what about the food? Was that Dorothy’s butter she gave to Carla? I assume she at least bought the mac n cheese herself. Just wonder if there’s potential here for them to be dicks by leaving a mess for others to clean, or maybe eating their food. Like if I was keeping a six pack in the fridge is that assumed to be for everyone? Would I have to label it? Any IU’ers past or present got insight on this?

    1. HueSatLight

      Those are their own bowls. https://www.dumbingofage.com/huffy/
      Lucy’s building doesn’t have a kitchen (nash sneaks into someone’s room to use their microwave), so it may be fictional here. If not, I would guess there’s a “if you leave a big mess, the stove/oven/microwave will be disconnected” sort of rule.
      Joe and Danny have what looks like a minifridge and microwave. https://www.dumbingofage.com/getgoing/

    2. Angel

      i’d imagine ppl would keep cheap plastic bowls if not use paper plates, but yeah i imagine most ppl wouldn’t keep too much food in a public fridge for food thieves but other than stocking up on drinks idk how many ppl would put something away for later versus just buying what they wnat/need in the moment

    3. Ed Callahan

      The dorm where my oldest son lived at IU had a kitchenette on each floor, which was fairly well equipped. It didn’t get used much but my kid occasionally would make dinner for his friends on the floor – my family likes to cook.

  23. Atrius

    JOYCE DID THE HE MAN FACE!

    1. Taffy

      THE FUNNY HE-MAN FACE!

      1. NGPZ

        SHE HAS THE POWER!!!!!!

        1. Decidedly Orthogonal

          BY THE POWER OF GAY-SKULL!

  24. butting

    “I’m savouring your goodness RITE NOW BAYBEE!!!”

    Aw, Joyce. If only.

    1. butting

      *kindness. Ah shush.

  25. HueSatLight

    What Dorothy’s doing in panel 2 is something they talked about at the beginning of dinner. And it feels a little pathological.

  26. Regret

    Dorothy, no. More than half the pleasure of sharing a meal is that you’re doing it together. She is asking for the participation not to end just yet.

    1. Angel

      dunno if dorothy had any later plans besides class or anything but i’d imagine if she wanted to distract herself from her own emotions/issues she could still spend the rest of the day with her

    2. StClair

      Dorothy has problems receiving. She’s going to help everyone and expect nothing in return. (And this won’t hasten her burnout at all, nope.)

  27. AlexaSpuds

    Pictures taken moments before disaster

    1. Angel

      Dorothy doing joyce another kindness by performing the Heimlich on her 8D

      1. clif

        is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?

  28. Rabid Rabbit

    This is the gayest thing I’ve seen in DoA, and I’ve seen the Mike/Ethan Slipshine.

    Just sayin’.

    1. TulipKitten

      I mean, damn. Even gayer than them holding hands while masturbating in the laundry room?

      1. clif

        That was just friends help friends. As one does.

        1. clif

          *helping

  29. MordWa

    Joyce, it’s a bit much.

    Now, spit or swallow – just don’t choke on it.

  30. Bogeywoman

    Bukakeroni and cheese

    1. David DeLaney

      DOROVORE

      –Dave, surprised, etc.

  31. milu

    Heyyy

    More Julia Gray, Space Captain?

    It is nsfw. ?

    1. Amós Batista

      totally boss ?

  32. Needfuldoer

    Joyce unhinges her jaw like a snake to finish off whatever’s left in the pot.

    1. Schpoonman

      “Mouth.”

      1. Needfuldoer

        Perfect visual aid. Thank you!

  33. Mym

    These actions are what makes me still like Joyce, even though her journey has been P a i n f u l

  34. Rabisch

    Dorothy has seen how Joyce can eat like Walky, now her feelings for her will become more and more confused. Maybe going horseback riding with her will become a recurring dream?

  35. Amós Batista

    savor your food is good, but eating the whole thing like this, it’s the best sensation

  36. Nicoleandmaggie

    I don’t like this metaphor. Jeez Dorothy.

    1. clif

      wait. It was a metaphor?

  37. Keith

    Seems many have forgotten, Joyce has a beast mode.

  38. ThatDerpGuy

    gravatar roulette time

    1. ThatDerpGuy

      Nope, still Amber

      1. clif

        Spin again.

        1. clif

          Jackpot! Thank you.

        2. Kyrik Michalowski

          You lucky motherfucker… congrats 🙂

  39. ValdVin

    Joyce has been watching Walky in the cafeteria too much.

    1. clif

      Not the first time that Walky has been a good bad influence. https://www.dumbingofage.com/2022/comic/book-12/03-trial-and-sarah/rethink/

      1. ValdVin

        Great callback.

        Although I’m gonna be very worried if Joyce gets pajama jeans and wears them like he did.

  40. Steamweed

    Sheesh, it’s a good thing that I know these two are totally straight types and have no hidden physical or romantic interests in each other. Otherwise I’d perceive this behavior as flirting. 😛

  41. Diane

    And now you’re wasting good mac and cheese by letting some fall on the floor. The audacity of this Joyce. Should have just let me have it. /endsarcasm

    Man this storyline makes me miss making mac and cheese.

    1. Hambone Jones

      Good news! Unless you’re reading webcomics in prison, I think you can do it. Be free, Champion of cheesy noodle-tubes!

      1. clif

        Purchase it in the self-checkout lane and no-one can judge you.

  42. Amós Batista

    Joyce will be glad she isn’t using white shirt, because there’s no way she could clean this stain anymore…

  43. M!a (cuz Quirdry Tawks isn't funny if Tawdry's not around)

    Hey, on the subject of cheap-ass macncheez, did anyone else ever notice that single-digit number that used to be on the cheez packet?

    And how the digits on rach side always added up to seven?

    Just me? Dammit.

  44. Yakumo

    The alt text was good, but was the author thinking Cookie Monster on panel 4. That was my first unfiltered thought.

    Joyce Brown, MacNCheese Monster. Just not blue. And no MacNCheese is a sometimes food.

  45. StClair

    Breaking this out of above chain, because I think it bears more attention.

    This interaction isn’t just “lol married” or “lol gay” or just another punchline. It’s showing again how Dorothy needs to give “unselfishly”, and fix other people’s problems (and IMO, does not prioritize her own self-care, thinking she can just push and/or schedule her way through it). When people push back against this mode of interaction, she digs in.

    1. Coatl

      As I said before, it’s a long road but I remember that when Dorothy got angry with Jennifer for interrupting her method of helping Joyce, Jennifer said that “well, Joyce is yours.”

      I’m afraid to think that this will create an obsession for Dorothy to prioritize Joyce in an unhealthy way, but this may even be to the latter’s liking at first, but if things get out of control, Joyce will explode in a way that she will regret it herself

  46. uze

    Dumbing Of Age Book #whatever: I’ve been trying to savor your kindness

  47. Buli-Buli

    Dotty: Hey Walky, lets watch cartoons and eat junk food together instead of studying.

    Linda: She dresses professionally. Obviously she is going places and will take Walky with her.

    Lucy: Hey Walky, let me encourage and support you in becoming a published amateur artist.

    Linda: This lazy piece of trash is ruining my son.

    1. Buli-Buli

      Wrong page. How?

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