232

Happiest
Posted on April 8, 2023 by David M Willis

232 thoughts on “Happiest”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    DON’T CALL JOE NOTHING

    …wait no

    (dang, relatable)

    1. True Survivor

      Hahahahaha. That’s a good one. Thanks.

    2. Anime fan

      I spit out my coffee. Thanks for that.

  2. Doxkid

    EFFORTLESSLY brought Joyce to orgasm.

    1. Doctor_Who

      With a little help from the Maytag Man.

  3. Schpoonman

    Oh, wow, Walky immediately shot that down.

    And oh geez, Dorothy.

    1. Doctor_Who

      Never thought I’d see Walky be the adult in the room.

      Especially never thought I’d see Walky be the adult in the room with Dorothy. Dorothy was born at age 45.

      1. jpnr

        what are you talking about there is no room here

        1. Doctor_Who

          The snowpile has been legally designated a temple due to Walky’s worship of it.

        2. TemporalShrew

          It’s a metaphor, duh.

        3. davidbreslin101

          Everywhere is a room, and there is an elephant in it.

        4. Psychie

          And anything not having to do with elephants is irrelephant.

        5. a/snow/mous/e

          Metaphoro Ikusaba, the sixteenth student at Indiana University. Watch out for her.

      2. DailyBrad

        He knows her very well, and that includes her frailty.

        1. Adept

          There’s no way this can end without heartbreak for somebody.

        2. Just_IDD

          I thought it already did when they broke up the first time. It’s just now somebody’s here digging up old bodies.

      3. Decidedly Orthogonal

        Sure he took a shot at it, but does he even realize what it is? And it hasn’t crashed yet if she’s still talking. ?

        1. Schpoonman

          For the usual dearth of effort he gives, Walky is very smart. He knows Joyce didn’t approve of him and Dorothy together, so when Dorothy shows up and says “I’m here to do something that Joyce wouldn’t like,” together with Dorothy’s prior poor boundary-keeping it’s very much in his wheelhouse to see where she’s going.

        2. Schpoonman

          I don’t think Walky’s heartless, he will listen to Dorothy when she gets down to it. But I do think he actually does like Lucy, and he’s extra aware of Dorothy being a little too comfortable with him.

          As for him and Lucy being a good match and what evidence I have for him being into her, I recommend the strips when Dorothy recommends he ask Lucy out and when Lucy sucked him–I mean, his shirt off. He doesn’t question Dorothy’s suggestion that he’s interested, he questions whether Lucy is; also a few fantastic Dotty faces. Second, he says it’s a good thing he had asked her out prior to the slipshine preview because he wouldn’t have been able to be just a friend afterward.

          Lucy is definitely ahead of Walky mentally in terms of their relationship, but that’s a problem that can easily be fixed if they have a heart-to-heart, like Walky can hopefully realign Dorothy now.

    2. Thag Simmons

      She’s really starting to unravel, huh?

      1. StClair

        panel 6: and there’s the trauma.

  4. Yumi

    Damn I need zombie!Mike to show up to deliver that hovertext.

    1. Doctor_Who

      He’s there in spirit.

      1. TulipKitten

        I see what you did there

    2. Andy

      Mike lives on in nickels, if you need to hear his voice simply hold a roll to your ear like a conch shell.

    3. Carla's #2 Fan

      Right? I checked to see if he was a tagged character after reading it.

  5. Sirksome

    This must be anti-Walky, cause I feel like Walky would let her at least talk. At least a braver Walky would.

    1. Blackdrazon

      Someone else pointed this out before me, but it seems like Walky is trying to fill the void left by Mike by… becoming Mike. Even if he might not realize it yet. It would probably be better for everyone if he did. At least Mike knew he was Mike.

      1. C.T. Phipps

        Walky is trying to be mature and not have backsies.

        Dorothy backsied him a lot.

        Especially about being “just for fun.” He’s keeping boundaries.

        1. Sirksome

          I don’t think it’s that simple when Walky still confides in her as much as he does. No take backs is hard to claim now.

        2. cbwroses

          Right, cuz confiding in Dorothy was the norm in their romantic relationship?
          He confided in her three times, if you count being nervous about the brunch as confiding in her, and two of those times were today, one of which was within the last 10 minutes.
          I don’t think they gave the impression to Dorothy that he wanted to get back with her.

        3. Sirksome

          It’s not about him wanting to get back together, it’s more about respecting space. Dorothy’s not the type to turn people down when they come to her for advice, but Walky’s probably too oblivious of himself to realize he’s charming. It’s not just about Lucy, they kind of set a precedent for these conversations and that’s all this is. Trying to dismiss i reads to me he’s afraid of this moment more than being mature. To me Dorothy at least has a right to say this.

        4. cbwroses

          I’m not commenting about whether she has a right to say it.
          My comment was about how asking for advice does not in anyway entitle her to that right.
          I’m saying that whether she does or not, it’s not because asking for advice somehow harkens back to the days when they used to bump pretties which is how I took “no take backs is hard to claim now”, though maybe that’s on me for reading it as such.

        5. Sirksome

          Nah. You’re right. I’m just struggling to articulate my point. Which is that talks like these have been established in their dynamic post breakup even before the time skip.

        6. Masumi

          If nothing else, she certainly has the right to say “I’m not over you, so stop bugging me with these kinda of questions”. And while that’s not her main objective here, just sharing her state of mind is fair game, no?

        7. GholaHalleck

          FWBs can still be friends and not fuck. Walky still respected her input and went to her for advice because he knew her as the most level-headed person he knows.

          At least the most level headed who can stomach talkin about where he puts his doodle.

          And he’s dead ass right here. He WAS just a distraction she caught feels for.

          And she has no right to put him on the spot like this, knowing his concerns about his current relationship.

        8. Decidedly Orthogonal

          What are the “benefits” of being FWB if fucking (or sex of /some/ kind) isn’t on the table? Isn’t FWB – sex just… friends?

        9. Nalim Skarro

          Well a potential nonsexual benefit might be greater emotional intimacy / comfort with opening up to and being vulnerable to this particular friend that you might be with other friends.

          I know for a lot of dudes at least their sexual partner is one of the only people they ever truly open up to emotionally. So I imagine that even if the sexual relationship ends in some cases they might still value being able to retain that emotional outlet / bond that’s missing from their relationship with friends who they’ve never previously bumped uglies with.

          So yeah a FBW without fucking is basically just friends but there could still be some benefit if there’s a greater degree of emotional intimacy than there would be with other friends.

        10. JRivest

          Walky and Dorothy were never Friends With Benefits. Sure, Dorothy framed their relationship as being “for fun” early on, but she knew Walky was smitten with her and she was also already catching feels at the time. They love each other. Likewise, Walky was more than just a distraction. Dorothy felt the need to overperform because she wanted to go to Yale and become President one day. It was too much pressure to put on herself, and it is a good thing she’s starting to let go of these goals.

          I don’t think Walky should cheat on Lucy of course, but I also don’t think there’s much of a future for Walky and Lucy’s relationship. He’s certainly not in love and just going through the motions. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to rip the band-aid off, with Walky breaking up with Lucy and getting back with Dorothy. They were good together, he helped her relax and she helped him mature.

          I like Lucy and I don’t want her hurt, I just don’t know that there’s a way for her not to get hurt by Walky who is just not in love with her. I feel like waiting until after they have sex might hurt her more. I’m not sure.

        11. Taffy

          Y’know the solution to this “Walky isn’t in love with Lucy after like 9 days” “dilemma”? Giving him more than a week and a day to get there.

        12. Masumi

          Not sure, isn’t this just his lack of self esteem? He’s accepted that he’s not got enough for her – even though that’s never what she meant.

        13. Steve C

          I’m not sure, but you may be onto something. It may not even matter, but I keep coming back to the thought that of his three GFs so far, Dorothy is the only one he actively pursued. Whether he loves Dorothy or not, he doesn’t want to hurt Lucy and he doesn’t think he and Dorothy can really have a future together. There’s not a lot there about what Walky want for himself, except maybe the desire not to get hurt.

      2. Keulen

        I feel like every character has been trying to fill the void left by Mike since he died, at least a little.

        1. Clif

          But now Mike has possessed the Alt-Text.

    2. Doopyboop

      I do feel like it is within his right to kinda shoot down what seems to be his ex wanting to get back together when he’s in a relationship.

      1. Vanessa

        And they are actually having a conversation, she’s finally sharing her worries and struggles with someone. And he’s listening although he doesn’t seem overly seduced. I have hopeful optimism.

      2. Sirksome

        This is a hard one for me. I understand shooting her down, but I think Dorothy is owed a chance to at least speak her truth. Walky has come to her for advice at every step of his Lucy relationship. A relationship that only exists romantically because of Dorothy. Shutting her down feels like a dick move in that context.

        1. GholaHalleck

          “I understand you think my dick is the cure for your PTSD, but it’s currently unavailable at this time. I am here for you in all non-dick related support functions as your friend without benefits.”

        2. justin8448

          I laughed hard at this. Then I felt kind of sad about the implications for Dorothy. But then I read it again laughed some more.

        3. Just_IDD

          Since my icon seems to be stuck as blowjob cat, all I can say is that this relationship needs to stick with friends and not go back to benefits. Lucy is having a great deal of positive impact and by meeting family giving Walky positive reinforcement. It’s also okay to go slow.

        4. Alanari

          Giving an ex, who is in a new relationship, an “I miss you” – speech is a dick move, too. You keep your mouth shut until their’re single or you are over it, whichever happens first. The probability of this not causing chaos is low, it might also damage his relationship with Lucy. Honestly, Dorothy doing this is a warning sign for me. She’s usually more about aware of limits.
          Not letting Dorothy finish is ungrateful, yes, but given the situation walky has been put in, I’m okay with that.

        5. Needfuldoer

          Preemptively shutting down “we should get back together” is the most Walky way to address this conversation.

          I bet Dorothy’s going to break through that shield anyway.

      3. Mark

        IS he shooting her down? Or is he thinking, “I’ve had similar thoughts, and I don’t want to, and I don’t want to talk about it because I’m afraid I’ll give in to them and I shouldn’t.”

    3. TerribleTransit

      Honestly, no. Letting her say her piece isn’t bravery. I’m pretty sure he knows where this is going, and he knows it’s a bad idea for both of them. Standing his ground is a hard option, not a cowardly one. Sometimes a conversation isn’t going to make things any better, and he knows that.

      1. Sirksome

        Maybe it’s because I’m old now but the stakes aren’t high enough to me to warrant such caution. It’s a conversation about dating, their souls aren’t on the line. To me holding regrets for things not said at this age is much worse.

        1. Clif

          No, no. Telling someone that you miss that you miss them pure evil. Trying to have an honest conversation about your feelings is a dick move. Burn the witch!

        2. Needfuldoer

          At best it’s a passive-aggressive parting shot. At worst it’s a coded message that they should break it off with their new partner so you can get back together.

        3. Just_IDD

          That’s exactly how I’m reading this too. If you really love the other person you’ll let them make their own decisions. This seems like forcing them to see your point of view after the relationship has ended claiming that you want to come back when you were the one that broke it off in the first place. Dorothy needs to spend some time with a counselor not a penis.

        4. anonymsly

          And then she needs to actually engage with the counseling/therapy process honestly, which she fully admitted to Ruth has not been happening.

        5. TerribleTransit

          I’m reading it as a lightly coded “I see where you’re going with this and it isn’t going to end the way you hope. Please reconsider what you’re about to say before it makes things much more difficult between us.” No matter the outcome of the conversation, there’s a big potential for the end result to be a big pile of resentment. Someone will be hurt. Either Dorothy, Lucy, or both will end up heartbroken, and Walky in the middle is going to have to make an extremely painful choice between two people he has feelings for, if the act of choosing doesn’t taint the relationship beyond repair.

          Like, even the best-case outcome of this conversation (barring deus ex polycule) is going to cause some issues.

        6. Sirksome

          To me those are all good things. Let them all get hurt and learn from it, let them actually grow into adults. Maybe Walky can’t have a platonic relationship with his ex, maybe Dorothy is more selfish than she lets on, maybe Lucy will get her two week boyfriend stolen, maybe none of them are mature enough to avoid heartbreak. Discovering that is the point.

        7. Schpoonman

          I don’t see the point of barrelling headfirst into decisions they know will result in pain. There’s no “learning” from slapping a hot stove multiple times unless you’re not very intelligent and you need multiple confirmations, which does not describe Walky. He’s already been yanked back and forth by Dorothy, he’s trying to be faithful to his current partner. What does he need to learn, still?

        8. Sirksome

          I don’t think he was yanked back and forth by Dorothy. They both made mistakes in their first run. Walky’s not innocent either. Dude try to get back with Dorothy the day they escaped the kidnapping. The point isn’t for them to get back together, but maybe they could learn that sometimes friendships change after dating. The post breakup for Walky and Dorothy has been very easy so far, very uncomplicated. Maybe that’s no longer the case? This conversation is forcing Walky to actually make a decision, maybe he’ll have to let go of his relationship with Dorothy to be with Lucy? To me he’s trying to maintain a status quote and if Dorothy says anything more that changes. I say let that happen.

        9. Schpoonman

          If you don’t think he was yanked back and forth by “for fun,” then “I love you,” then “Actually I don’t have time to be with you,” then “I miss you,” we’ve got nothing left to discuss.

        10. Some Ed

          Different people are different. We only get to see slices of their lives. I’ve known people like Lucy who became suicidal after their boyfriend cheated on them, despite clear warning signs that people told them about. Including said boyfriend.

          Is Lucy *that* much like them? I don’t know. But it really was not fun providing support for that person because they were too poor to afford a real psychologist.

          I’ve known someone who was the “fun boyfriend” of someone who dumped them for strategic reasons, then got back together with them when their plans seemed hopeless, then dumped them again when their plans seemed to become viable again (extra fun bit – because of the “fun boyfriend.”). It was hugely devastating. They’d been so excited to help their significant other with their plans and were thrilled to be able to show them they weren’t the detriment that the SO had thought they were to the plans. They were less excited to have to instead show that SO that they were actually *critical* to those plans in that particular fashion.

          I certainly understand the regrets for things not said. I have far too many of my own. None of them were because the person was unavailable at the time. Sure, there was a point in time where she wasn’t available and I didn’t say things then. But I recognized that it was already too late by that point.

          Could someone give Walky worse advice than you’ve indicated you’d give them? Absolutely. But that’s not the competition.

      2. Vigil247

        Agreed. You’re not always entitled to “say your piece”. The other person isn’t responsible for your emotions and it is 100% unethical to tell someone you miss them after YOU broke up with them and they finally get over you and start dating somebody else. Also it’s not a fearful act to decide that the person who already left you once because they couldn’t make up their mind about the seriousness of the relationship is an emotional landmine. Walky is more than justified to shut this conversation down. If they are trying to maintain a friendly post-romantic relationship, this kind of conversation can’t happen. Dorothy needs therapy, not her ex boy friend back in the sack.

        1. vulcanodon

          Agree. “I made a mistake dumping you to pursue my ambition” is damn insulting when the ambition falls apart. Hurt someone and then turn to them for comfort.

  6. TrueVCU

    When Walky is being this wise at you, BEWARE

  7. jpnr

    BAD DECISIONS ARE GO!

  8. RassilonTDavros

    Reading the final panel of the strip and then reading the alt-text gave me the most hilarious whiplash.

    1. Clif

      Mike would approve.

  9. Rose by Any Other Name

    You know… it occurs to me that this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
    Dorothy was first introduced into the Walkyverse with similar goals. Just sayin.

    1. RassilonTDavros

      …the connection seems really obvious now that you’ve pointed it out.

  10. True Survivor

    I don’t know if this ends with sexy times, violence, or some sort of terrifying Preying Mantis style fiasco. Anyway, it will be fun to watch. LET THE DRAMA BEGIN!

    1. AGV

      You expect Dorothy (or Lucy?) to eat Walky’s head??

      1. Dara

        Eat, give, it’s a matter of perspective

        1. milu

          and teeth. it is in good part a matter of teeth

  11. Kyrik Michalowski

    This is going poorly and that concerns me. Mostly because I ship Walky and Dorothy, but also because I’m worried how this is going to end up for Dorothy.

    Anyone see a happy resolution to this? Because I’ve got nothing.

    1. jpnr

      believe in the foreshadowing of when Lucy first met Walky

    2. Sirksome

      This was never going to go well, even if they just started making out. The happiest resolution is kind of what’s happening which is them talking, even if Walky’s trying to avoid it.

      1. Vanessa

        Yes, I agree. She didn’t just ask him to have sexy times or try to kiss him so hopefully Dorothy will learn something without being completely humiliated. Maybe she’ll tell him all the stuff she knows she can’t discuss with the therapist without losing any hope of ever having a security clearance.

        1. Just_IDD

          See this is what I don’t get everybody here thinks that if you go get help for a problem that you’re not going to be trusted with security. That’s bullshit. Admitting you have a problem and working for a solution means that you’re sane.

          The thing they worry about for security is people hiding stuff like this and then somebody else trying to use it as leverage to get you to do something. If you are open about it there’s no way to have leverage on you about it. That makes you a better security risk not a lesser one.

    3. Warcodered

      Walky generally tries not to be obviously terrible, and not just immediatly going with this seems like a pretty easy home run for him.

    4. Thag Simmons

      Uh….

      Not an immediate one?

    5. Yotomoe

      Haha as a Walky/Amber shopper I know what it’s like to know they’re not gonna end up together.

      1. Dana

        Billie/Ruth shipper. I know what it’s like for your otp to not even keep their first names, much less end up together.

    6. zims

      Threesome?

    7. ezrast

      Dorothy confesses she still has feelings for Walky. Walky says “Thanks for coming crawling back but I’ve got other stuff going on that’s important to me, just like you did when you left me, so if we address this further it’ll be on my own sweet time.” Dorothy’s reality check is complete and she has an extremely cathartic cry in her room. The exchange is more emotional for Walky than anything he’s ever experienced with Lucy and it makes him realize he needs to let her down easy. Over the next couple weeks Walky and Dorothy have some heart-to-hearts and wind up slipping back into each other’s arms. That’s the best I got.

      1. ezrast

        That said I think Dorothy’s going to swerve us at step 1; she has a history of faking out the audience (see: the last time we all thought she would try to nab Walky away from Lucy; her encounter with Joyce a few minutes ago).

        1. Needfuldoer

          She was still trying to distance herself from getting too attached to IU for that first one.

      2. cbwroses

        Except when Walky goes to tell Lucy this, she tongues him down before he can say anything, he lets himself get caught up in the moment, clothes get removed, and then, afterwards, he tells her Dorothy came onto him and it made him realize he still has feelings for her and they should break up.
        Lucy, as a christian woman, has just given her virginity to her first boyfriend who immediately dumped her, and not for his ex, but simply the nostalgia of his ex.
        Lucy has a villain origin moment, joins Raidah’s Legion of Doom, and plots Walky’s, Dorothy’s, and Sarah’s demise (has to bring something to the group to get Raidah to accept her).
        Jennifer reads the writing on the wall, feels a twinge of conscious towards her oldest friend, and comes back to the light just as Dorothy and Walky have grown closer organically (and orgasmically) after the breakup with Lucy.
        Dorothy is happy because she got her fun boy back.
        Walky is happy because he’s no longer in a relationship he’s not completely sure about.
        Jennifer is happy because she no longer has to be Raidah’s henchwoman and is free to be the alpha bongo she claims to be.
        Lucy is happy because she’s finally part of the “popular group”.
        And Raidah is happy that she no longer has to hear about Kit Fisto (and because Lucy’s grandmother is some mega millionaire and she didn’t tell anyone because she didn’t want to be popular due to being rich).

      3. Mark

        Dorothy confesses she still has feelings for Walky. Walky confesses the same. The conversation stumbles along for a while, resolving to “we had something great, but we broke it, and if we tried to glue it back together it wouldn’t be the same. So let’s cherish the memory and keep the friendship.”

        Dorothy tries to be genuinely helpful in Walky’s relationship with Lucy, because she loves him. Meanwhile she bumps into a new character, they have an absorbing conversation, and…we’ll see.

    8. justin8448

      Dorothy breaks down and starts telling Walky everything that’s weighing on her. He listens and realizes he can offer her at least that much support as long as she doesn’t start back up on how much she misses him.

      By the end of it Dorothy realizes (among many other things) that coming to him like she did was pretty ridiculous, and makes a small joke of it.

      She’s still a mess, but she feels at least some relief from having talked to someone about everything. Her continued feelings for Walky are tucked away for now. She decides she needs to tell more people, as she feels able, and not keep her suffering hidden away any more.

      That’s the best I got!

      Though if Willis decides instead to turn his most moral character into the villain of this story, he’s done a stellar job with this setup.

    9. HueSatLight

      This will probably go bad short term. I’ve been wondering if Walky’s going to be angry at her for what could feel like her fucking with him. And panel 3 feels like he’s got some anger. I don’t know if that means Halloween levels of reaction, but I’m betting he rejects her.
      And then maybe she goes to Danny, and if so, he rejects her. I suspect she’s gone looking for Danny before, during the time skip: http://dumbingofage.com/notinterested

      And then she’ll bump into Arnold, and he’ll make her feel better as she makes her way through the long dark night of the soul, and they’ll end up in a healthy relationship. I ship Dorothy and Arnold now, and there’s no portmanteau name for them, because those are kind of obnoxious.

      1. cbwroses

        Who the hell is Arnold?

        1. HueSatLight

          Ken’s roommate, half-bath with Walky and Booster. All of his speaking lines have been in bonus strips, Oct and Nov 2020, I don’t know if there’s more.

          They’re going to be great together, their dynamic will be of mutual respect.

      2. Thomas

        Indeed, portmanteau names Arnothoriously Arnoyling. You have it on my Arnthorothy.

    10. Dana

      When Walky sees Dorothy being an asshole he think’s it’s against her nature and something is wrong. When Dorothy sees Walky being an asshole she thinks it’s against his nature and something is wrong. They’ll navigate this together. Maybe they’ll get back together, maybe they’ll be good friends, but they’ll bring out the best in each other.

  12. Caro

    book 13: watch out for metaphors

  13. Doopyboop

    I think Dorothy misses the idea of Walky. Maybe Walky himself a bit too, but she also misses having a handsome goofball to give her support and levity. And who can blame her? That sounds fantastic, man!

    But, she couldn’t juggle everything she wanted to do. It was her decision to dump Walky, as is her right to do as a person in the relationship. However, that means Walky isn’t beholden to her. He can move on. She has to, as well, and she hasn’t. She’s treading water, she can’t move forward because there’s way too much weighing her down.

    I am glad she’s talking to Walky about this, and I’m proud of him for seeming like a more… actualized version of himself. I think past Walky would have jumped at the opportunity to be with Dorothy again (as they did when they were supposed to be on pause) but Walky is responsible enough to tell Dorothy what she needs to hear, not manix pixie dreamboy stuff she wants to hear.

    1. Clif

      Wait for it.

    2. Comic.phile

      This is my take too. I really was rooting for them before Walky was with Lucy. They were an awesome couple. But Dorothy never considered how much Walky was hurting when she broke up with him. Or how after they went through something traumatic and he tried again to get her to be with him, because he could tell the spark was still there. She was done with him romantically. That had to be really hard for him. He respected her decision, picked himself up, and moved on. She needs to respect that he moved on and is with someone else. I’m afraid this will kill their friendship.

  14. Bittersweet

    Oh, it’s starting to look like what I suspected. Walky might not necessarily be 100% on board with Lucy, but he may be 100% over Dorothy.

    Tbh, outside of that uncalled for rude comment to Joyce and Joe [regardless of if it’s good advice, I do not believe he and Joyce are on friendly enough terms for it.] Walky has mostly been on a roll as far as handling stuff lately. I appreciate that he’s shutting this down unambiguously but without being cruel.

    Granted, it could change, but that’s what I’m seeing rn. It’s entirely possible that he might be the one to re-center Dorothy after Raidah’s comments or otherwise help her realize what she really wants. Speaking from personal experience, some of the best advice I’ve gotten has been from amicable exes—they knew me pretty well and still wanted the best for me even if it wasn’t them.

    1. Dana

      He knows Dorothy well enough to know that even if he was going to dump Lucy for Dorothy, buying into this conversation on Dorothy’s terms would be horrible for everyone.

    2. justin8448

      I’m not convinced Walky is over Dorothy. I think he just knows that everything about this situation is a mess and nothing good can come of it. The least damaging reply he can give her is “Noooooope to all this!”

      I just hope Dorothy starts telling him about everything else that’s weighing her down. She needs someone to talk to. And while Walky may not be the best person for that job, he could be adequate as long as Dorothy doesn’t go back to talking about how much she wants him back.

      1. Dana

        I think he might be the best person for the job. She confides in so few people that she saw Ruth as the best available ear earlier. Joyce worships her. Walky and she have mutual respect and he already knows she’s only a human being.

  15. BBCC

    Good, Dorothy! Let it out!

    1. Bryy

      There are two ways I see this playing out:
      1) Dorothy is finally accepting that she is not okay.
      2) Dorothy is wondering why the world isn’t paying her the favor she is owed.

      Judging by the context of her plan, it’s #2.

      1. Steve C

        She already knows she’s not okay. The questions are what she’s willing to do about it, who she’ll trust for help, and what kind of help she’s willing to accept.

  16. Nerrin

    There we go. It’s not enough to excel, but to make excelling look easy. Because everyone expects it of you to the point you expect it of yourself. And that is some awful fucking pressure. I’m pretty sure this is about to hit real close to home.

    1. RassilonTDavros

      Yup. Yup yup yup yup. AGH.

    2. anon

      other than physical labor it’s kinda hard to see ppl put in the work for other stuff other than watching dorothyh study or so, but things always look easier on the outside looking in

  17. Thrair

    He was a lot more direct dealing with than I thought he’d be. In hindsight, I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising.

    For all his faults, he is extremely loyal. He’s in a relationship already, and won’t for for another unless he stops being in one.

    And he’s also prone to taking emotional matters *much* more seriously when it impacts someone else. A number of his interactions with Billy and Amber attest to that.

    Put those two together, and he wasn’t going to waste much time shooting this down and telling her it is not a healthy idea.

    Far from deflecting, he’s not wasting any time dealing with this and is getting straight to the point.

    1. Thrair

      Ugh, this is what happens when I post on 20 hours awake and 4 hours of sleep after stop being in my 20s.

      I should have proof-read this. I apologize for any English majors who read this.

      …Or anyone who can read English.

      1. StClair

        Trust me, this (former) English major has seen much worse.
        (Just for starters, you used “should have” correctly.)

        1. Jess

          this is obviously far beside the point but dare I ask…how you have seen it used incorrectly

        2. Schpoonman

          Did you do that on purpose?

        3. StClair

          Far, far, far too many people who know only how it sounds, not what it means, type “should of” (would of, etc etc) instead. It’s a particular peeve of mine.

        4. Schpoonman

          I think what bothers me most about that usage is that literally any reflection upon what’s just been written would point out the error. People want the contractive “‘ve” but they boldly soldier on without a glance backwards.

        5. Yumi

          It bothers me too, but it also definitely reflects people’s education/linguistic environment, which as a kid, isn’t really up to them. Like, I actually remember the lesson my class got on this in 8th grade. And I think a lot of us sort of knew at that point, but it was still a common mistake. “Of” is a common word. The “ve” in would’ve, could’ve, should’ve somehow (in my dialect, anyway) sounds different than in I’ve. And yeah, realizing you’re saying “should have” over “should of” makes sense. But for that to really matter (in a sense that’s not just “I know this because I was told this”), one would need to be of the opinion that English makes sense. Which, in my opinion, it actually does! But not always in an obvious way. And a lot of people learn the “rules” of English from someone explaining technicalities with answers like, “It’s just one of those things.”

          This is a long response. Guess I’m feeling chatty this morning.

        6. Uly

          Languages don’t make sense, and if you think they do or they ought to make sense then you really need to take an intro course in linguistics.

        7. Yumi

          I don’t know if you meant that directed at me, but since I mentioned my view of English making sense, it certainly seems like it does– and boy, is it flippant! Like, I’ve taken linguistics courses. That’s why I have the view that I do. It’s just that “makes sense” isn’t the same as “is simple/straightforward.”

        8. Uly

          Well, I gotta say, if you came out of those linguistics courses with the idea that native speakers make mistakes then I don’t really know what you think you learned there.

        9. milu

          native speakers do make spelling mistakes. that’s not a hot take. that’s obviously true

        10. Yumi

          You’re really making some assumptions here, and I don’t know why, but it’s feeling pretty shitty talking to you. This is a simplified conversation; your comments are full of simplifications as well. You don’t have to assume the worst here.

          I really would have liked to have talked about this and the various ways what people are discussing here play out (because it happens with a lot of people, and as such happens in a lot of ways!), but it’s not worth the stress of continuing this with you.

        11. Uly

          What bothers me is that people assume that this is the case without considering other alternatives, such as the fact that if people write “should of” it is because they perceive themselves as saying “should of”, and if that is the case it may be that they consider “of” to be the correct word in that slot and not a mistake at all.

        12. StClair

          No, what it means is that they were never taught how contractions work, because that construction is literally nonsensical.
          And that may not be their fault. But it’s still wrong.

        13. Uly

          The view of Merriam-Webster, among others, is that for those speakers the word “of” has been reanalyzed as a verb in that specific context.

        14. StClair

          IMO, they haven’t “reanalyzed” or thought about it at all – they’re simply parroting what they’ve heard or been taught. It’s the phonetic equivalent of an ideogram, a collection of sounds representing a concept, indivisible, having no meaning outside of itself.

          They’re not using “of” in place of“have”, they have no idea that a verb belongs there, any more than me speaking a series of syllables that mean something in Mandarin indicates that I understand that language.

        15. Uly

          Yeah, I don’t think you know what is meant by the word “reanalyze” when we’re talking linguistics.

        16. Uly

          No, what it means is that they were never taught how contractions work, because that construction is literally nonsensical.
          And that may not be their fault. But it’s still wrong.

          LOL, according to whom? You? You’re not the One True Arbiter of Correct English. You don’t get to say what is and is not wrong.

          Language does not have some sort of platonic existence outside of the speakers. Usage is what determines what is and is not correct. Many native speakers have “should of” as their usage. That is correct for those speakers and those speech communities.

        17. Jess

          ah, okay — I suspected as much but thought you might have (also?) seen “should have” popping up in places it shouldn’t be

  18. Yotomoe

    Walky straddling the line between being based as hell and being a complete jagoff. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    1. Thrair

      Not even remotely being a jagoff. He’s in a relationship. Dorothy knows he’s in a relationship. He knows she knows he’s in a relationship. She’s WHY he’s in a relationship.

      He’s firmly rejecting her, but he’s also complimenting her. “Effortlessly thoughtful, like always.”

      He just got put into a shitty situation that doesn’t have any happy solutions to it, is all.

      1. Yotomoe

        I’m not annoyed that he is turning her down instantly. Just the way he’s saying some of it pisses me off.

        1. Clif

          He hasn’t turned her down yet. We’re getting to that.

        2. Steelbright

          I don’t think Dorothy has even asked him anything he could turn down yet. There’s a lot suggesting she’s planning on it, but currently, she just told him her real feelings, which isn’t all that terrible. Yet.

        3. Mark

          I’m glad to see that someone else noticed this.

    2. Yotomoe

      Like I’m proud of him shutting this shit down but its a pet peeve of mine when you say “I feel a certain way” and they reply “no you don’t” like. Walky she probably does miss you. Just turn her down. Don’t just tell her her feelings aren’t her real feelings.

      1. Thrair

        Ok, that’s actually fairly valid. I concede the point on that.

      2. shrub

        I’m not Walkys biggest fan but in fairness to him Dorothy certainly changed her name and the dynamics of their relationship

        First it was for funsies then she said she loved him then she pushed him towards Lucy and now shes, from his pov, about to suggest another twist

        1. sakamism

          When you put it like that, if I were Walky I would be getting annoyed with Dorothy too by now.

        2. Comic.phile

          Yeah when you put it like that I’d be quite peeved if I were Walky, by this confession.

        3. shrub

          Changed her name…changed her mind I meant

        4. a/snow/mous/e

          her legal name is “Dotty” now

      3. GholaHalleck

        It’s a fine line between “No you don’t” And “you only miss the *idea* of me” which is what I feel he was leaning more into.

      4. Amós Batista

        Now I got it.
        Peharps he’s still on the cocky energy from morning.

      5. HueSatLight

        It reminds me when he was deflecting in a jokey manner on Halloween. Walky being a goofball, but it turns out that’s not always loveable, even when he’s cocky about it.
        It’s like he wants to say “let’s not have this conversation, including me not saying, ‘let’s not have this conversation'”, which is understandable, but he’s not pulling it off.

  19. Dday

    You know, if all she wants to do is confess that she misses him and regrets breaking up, that’s actually kinda sweet and totally fine.

    1. Steelbright

      Agreed, I’ve been kind of hoping for that all along! Guess we’re about to find out

    2. Mark

      +1

  20. Yumi

    The thing about being “effortlessly thoughtful” gets me. Walky means it as a compliment, but it actually ignores all the effort Dorothy puts into it.

    I’ve been thinking about this as I’ve been getting slightly back on dating apps, and some people fill out a part about “what’s your golden rule” or whatever with things like, “Being kind costs nothing” and “Caring about others isn’t hard.” And, like, fuck! Sometimes, yeah! But sometimes being kind costs a lot, sometimes being caring and compassionate is hard, sometimes being a good person feels next to impossible! And you know what? You have to try to do it anyway.

    Today I did something nice for some people; I told someone a bit about it and got a response of, “You’re always so nice!” And yeah, meant to be a compliment. Also not true, doesn’t make me feel seen, doesn’t leave space to acknowledge that this was actually difficult. My anxiety wanted to take over, and I almost started crying once I was away from the people I helped out.

    I hope Walky is able to hear Dorothy here.

    1. cbwroses

      I had kind of the opposite response today.
      I read chines web novels online and there’s a person in the comment section who always replies in such a nice manner that I have to fight not to view it as sarcasm.
      It sometimes feels like no one is that nice anymore, at least online, and so I make an effort to assume they’re genuine, but if so, I also assume they’re making a conscious effort to be that nice.

      1. Mark

        Sometimes being nice is also an enjoyable skill.

        1. Yumi

          Being kind very often feels good, but I feel that ultimately it can’t be based on “because it feels good.” Sometimes it doesn’t. Still worth doing.

    2. Yeet

      yeah there’s a big difference between like “not being an asshole” and “going the extra mile for as many people as you can juggle all the time to the point that you take notes about it”
      avoiding the low end of the scale is easy enough (if people are willing to accept that a genuine mistake is a genuine mistake and you didn’t mean to bump into them or whatever) but dorothy is way over the high end of the scale to a degree that clearly became self-detrimental quite some time ago

  21. Cmasta1992

    Imagine having the “I Gave Up Being President For This” dick

    1. Thrair

      Your randomly assigned gravatar makes this come across as absolutely savage.

      1. Vukodlak

        It does:

      2. GholaHalleck

        I just picture Lucy holding the dick like Moe holding two knives. “You know, this is pretty terrific.”

        1. anon

          or a danny gravatar too lol

          i’m sure there’s a bit of other reasons that all pile up as well

  22. shrub

    Good job Walky, thats a pretty good way of navigating a tricky and emotionaly charged situation

  23. Sol

    I see that Mike has started writing the alt-text.

    1. cbwroses

      He’s a ghost. He has to make his presence known somehow.
      And wow, I just realized that Willis said no one would die from a truck hitting them, so, instead, he made someone die from them hitting a car.
      I’m sure others have realized that, but it just hit me (no pun intended).

      1. Dday

        AW DIP, what if the alt text has been Mike’s ghost the whole time?!

  24. anon

    Ah, burnout. at least she recognizes it

    I imagine harvard/yale and other such places might be ‘cushy’ for trust fund kids who can get away with half assing it, but the overall education system might be needed to be redone if ppl tend to struggle. too bad we can’t just have like one hour a week instead of like daily classes but i am very slow paced and lazy xD

  25. Suet

    Nothing Easy! We’re going to Game 7, baby! GAME SEVEN!

  26. Vukodlak

    I imagine Dorothy is remembering my this conversation https://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/forfun
    Or Uncle Irohs words
    “ Perfection and power are overrated. I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love.”

    1. Bryy

      …… sometimes I have to remember that these people are barely even out of high school.

      You know.
      To keep my sanity.

  27. Alongcameaspider

    I feel like what Dorothy needs is just someone she feels like she can vent to, maybe Walky will be that person

    1. Dunedon

      Exactly this … I’m seeing this as her FINALLY getting all the hurt, anger and terror out with someone she trusts, and is actually wise enough to listen and understand, while being empathetic enough to validate her emotions.

      1. justin8448

        We can all hope.

    2. DailyBrad

      He’d absolutely let her vent, but yeah, he also just really does not want her to do something imprudent here.

  28. DailyBrad

    Walky is, among other things, a person of integrity, and furthermore, someone who believes in Dorothy and has faith in her. Maybe he is more equipped to handle this than anyone could be.

  29. Bajj

    I love and respect you, inner Mike of the Willis.

    1. Clif

      Indeed.

  30. Bo

    Walky: *looks at his hand*

    Walky’s Deck of Cards: *ALL DEFLECTIONS*

  31. Just an Armadillo

    A good initial response by Walky. Bit blunt towards Dorothy but let’s be real here if somebody’s trying to seduce you and you have someone in your life already then shutting that shit down hard is never a bad answer. I know a lot of people have been talking like Dorothy is going to drive a wedge into Walky and Lucy’s relationship but I genuinely believe Walky has the integrity to not let that happen.

    Now, whether Walky and Lucy are going to last long together is a different story, but I at least don’t believe cheating is likely to be a factor in that potential breakup.

  32. goggleman64

    Walky’s giving me big “Just because you’re breaking down on me doesn’t mean I’m going down on you” energy.

    1. Bo

      i absolutely need to know the genius who birthed this quote- einstein?? Nostradamus?? who is she…?

  33. Josh Spicer

    Mayhaps a Mike reference is not the best time for this, Alt Text.

    1. Clif

      When is a better time than a Mike reference?

    2. Amós Batista

      Mike will live forever through the author. Like his medium.

    3. BOOSTER SHOT

      LET CLAP EMOJI ALT-TEXT CLAP EMOJI BE CLAP EMOJI THE CLAP EMOJI NEW CLAP EMOJI MIKE

      1. Taffy

        ?

  34. Hazel

    People have been treating Dorothy as “effortlessly thoughtful” for way too long. It would be nice if at least one person recognized the, y’know, effort.

  35. Francoinblanco

    TFW easy bad way is not easy

  36. Needfuldoer

    Theory: Walky’s deflecting because he knows what she wants, and he’s afraid to admit he kind of wants the same thing.

    1. justin8448

      This rejection is hard for both of them.

    2. TerribleTransit

      Absolutely agree with the theory. The question is why Walky’s afraid: because he knows he’s committed to Lucy and those feelings can only cause them more hurt now, or because he knows if she says the words he won’t be able to resist and he’ll have to break Lucy’s heart?

      1. darkgloomie

        Or third, because Dorothy already ditched him twice and he’s not sure he wants to be on the riller coaster again

  37. Andrews

    Nothing has been easy for a very long time – lovely/sad writing.

  38. Steelbright

    I dunno, until i see Dorothy suggesting Walky cheat on Lucy, I’m kinda still on this selfish train. It’s not wrong for her to tell him what she really feels right now and not just pretend to be ok. It would be a lot more wrong for her to pressure him to break up with Lucy and get back together with her, but she hasn’t done that, yet. Until then–yes, Dotty, yes

  39. milu

    many commenters think Dorothy’s being bad here, by trying to “break up” Walky & Lucy.

    and i say, what’s wrong with that?

    1. walky is a free agent. he’s responsible for whatever choice he makes, not dorothy. the “homewrecker” stigma is sexist.

    2. walky & lucy’s relationship is not that great. maybe a breakup is a good idea actually?

    3. lucy will be messed up, sure. but… heartbreak happens?

    4. maybe walky won’t break up with lucy, maybe they’ll agree to open their relationship (ok sure, not likely) or maybe he’ll cheat on lucy, she’ll be mad at him, they’ll break up. none of these are tragic outcomes?

    5. a breakup can be a really bad situation irl. but walky & lucy have been dating for like a week, they don’t live together, they don’t have a joint bank account, they don’t have kids. This is as harmless a breakup as it gets, if it comes to that.

    i don’t know, i’m just very pro-breakup generally, i think breaking up is just as fundamental a part of life as getting with someone.

    1. Allison Branford

      If I may offer my own addendum, so far, all Dorothy has said is “I miss you” and that nothing has been easy. She hasn’t asked for any action to be taken, just talking about her feelings, which is healthy, especially since Dorothy rarely does this. The fact that Walky thought things were easy for her shows the gulf between them that was always there, partly Walky’s fault, partly Dorothy’s. Maybe now, Walky can come clean about everything, like his failing grades, and his emotional distance. I also think Danny would be a good sound board for Dorothy’s problems, not that there’s any chance of that ship sailing.

      1. JRivest

        Agreed 100% with milu and Allison both. It is far more healthy for Dorothy to let go and be honest about her feelings at this point, and then it’s up to Walky to reciprocate or not. Cheating on Lucy would be bad, but not, like, evil. He’s just not that into her, and a breakup is pretty much inevitable at this point. Not that Dorothy is aware of that, but she doesn’t need to be. She can tell Walky how she feels and what she wants, and then Walky can be a grown-ass man and either reciprocate or turn her down.

        And then Dorothy has to really open up to her therapist, that’s the whole point of therapy.

    2. Yumi

      On number 4, I have to say… “maybe he’ll cheat on lucy”… that would be pretty bad. On a real life level, some people really hate cheating. Some of that is, I assume, based on experience, and some based on cultural standards. I’m not among those with the more extreme “if you cheat on someone, you’re trash” views, but it’s still bad.

      On a character level, I don’t think “mad” would be a sufficient descriptor of Lucy’s hypothetical reaction. I think she’d quite possibly be devastated. This is her first relationship, she loves him, and we know the girl already has self-esteem issues. I think being cheated on, even though it’s been a so far short relationship, would really, really hurt her.

      But! That hasn’t actually happened. That hasn’t actually come close to happening. I do think some anxiety around that might be what some commenters are responding to, but it is not the present situation. (Also, if this did lead to a cheating incident, yeah, that would be worse on Walky’s part, but it’d still be a major mistake of Dorothy’s too.)

      I think people have also been somewhat worried about how Dorothy might handle it, if hooking up with Walky or breaking up him and Lucy was her goal. Like, is she going to be manipulative about it? I’d say that’s not really her style, but she has been more erratic lately. Is she going to try to bulldoze on some boundaries? That actually does seem like it’s something she leans toward at times. But here, from the dialog she’s gotten out, it seems she’s being pretty straightforward. Which, if you’re interested in someone in a relationship and want to do something about it, is the way to go.

      All that said, I’m pretty pro-breakup too. Be in a relationship because you want to be, not because you’re scared of conflict and endings, yknow?

      1. milu

        that’s all true, i wrote this kinda quickly, as usual this storyline i’m not quite clear on what’s been rubbing me the wrong way.

        walky cheating on lucy would be pretty awful, you’re right. i don’t think cheating is always a bad thing regardless of context, but in this situation, sure, yeah. and she would certainly be devastated.

    3. thejeff

      I mean sure, break up if you want to. It happens, you’ll survive it.

      But don’t hit on people in relationships. Let them work their own shit out. They don’t need you there messing with them.

      It’s also kind of a nice parallel here with how Dorothy reacted to Joyce flirting with Jacob. She’d be breaking her own rules, if nothing else.

      1. Big Z

        Was coming here to say basically all of this, so I will instead endorse you.

      2. milu

        eh. idk, i think it’s all about the way you do it. ok so if i’m dorothy i’ll try and say somehing like, “look i know you’re with lucy, but i think it’s too bad we broke up, i miss you, if you’d rather be with her well good for you, but if you change your mind, know that i’m here”. or something. feels harmless to me?

        1. thejeff

          I think it’s at least partly about how you do it. That would be one of the least bad ways, if you really couldn’t keep yourself from going there.

          Better, in my opinion than Joyce’s flirtation with intent, but without letting Jacob know what that intent was.

          Given what’s already been implied about some of her advice to him about Lucy, I think we’re past that point. She’d be better off coming clean by saying something like “I don’t think I can offer advice on her anymore. I’m too conflicted to be fair about it.”
          And then if he asks why, it’s only fair to explain.

    4. Cmasta1992

      This was alot of words to say you don’t like Walky and Lucy together.

      Like you said they’ve just started dating, that is way too early to get into discussions of viability of the relationship. Very very few relationships display what their arc will be in the first few weeks

      1. milu

        no, that is actually not what i meant.

    5. HueSatLight

      Cheating doesn’t make someone evil, but it is them wronging someone. Dorothy wouldn’t be the one cheating though. The wrong she’d be doing is using Lucy like an object. For Dorothy’s own desires, she pushed Walky into asking Lucy out. And also for her own desires she’d be pushing him to discard her.

    6. Steve C

      I think the world could use a few more like you, milu.

      1. milu

        well thanks! i’m not so sure, but regardless =D

    7. darkgloomie

      I mean sure, Dorothy isn’t actually doing anything wrong if you only read this strip and ignore what it has built up to.

      1. Nerrin

        We also don’t actually know shit about where she’s going with this, especially given how hard people kept predicting her to go off in one way or another on various other things and kept being incorrect. So far we only know what built up to it, and do not in any real certainty what it’s building up to.

      2. milu

        that’s probably fair. i think there’s a vibe i’m picking up from a lot of comments that kind of bothers me, but it’s quite possible i did a poor job of articulating that

  40. DarkoNeko

    Lucy “I’m willing to share if that’s what it take”

  41. ValdVin

    We’ve never seen Lucy and Walky kiss, correct?

    I want to get that bit nailed down. Walky didn’t even think about girls before Dott-o and she knocked on his door and kissed him. That, plus all which followed, doesn’t just wash away from an 18 y. o. guy, or a 19 y. o. gal.

    After the Jojoyce storyline I’m gonna need extra ? ? ? reserves for this story.

  42. Shade of Blue

    I love the way Dorothy is looking at Walky in the 2nd panel. Walky looks very straight faced and confident, and I think this has Dorothy on the back foot.

  43. Plaaaa

    Nothing has been easy? Then keep doing nothing.

  44. vulcanodon

    Good developments all around. Walky and Lucy are not dialed into the same frequency. And they have not invested much in the relationship yet.

    This loss of certitude is probably a ‘painful good’ for Dorothy. Thinking you always know what’s best can do harm.

    Maybe Walky has always been this insightful, but only recently confident. In the long run he may really surprise everyone.

    And Mike, even as a ghostly voice in the Alt Text, has the last word.

    1. Just_IDD

      So you’re saying…
      “Walky for President — not the absolutely worst choice”

      1. Mark

        “This time why not the worst?” Was that A. E. Neuman, or Bill the Cat?

  45. Moonie

    It’s called Dumbing of Age so yes she goes to her now-coupled ex immediately

    BUT let’s give Dorothy a moment and appreciate that it’s really healthy for her to be vocalizing her vulnerable emotions and reflecting on when she was actually happy

  46. Amelie Wikström

    Effortlessly thoughtful
    His hopeful ex hovers nearby, awaiting a word
    Gasping at glimpses of glorious hairgrowth
    She climbs wishing for more snow
    Only to trip on the letter from Yale

  47. Hof1991

    Nothing has been easy describes the last three years pretty well.

  48. vulcanodon

    Least important question of the day: Is Dorothy left-handed?

    The percentage of left-handed presidents is higher than the population average.

    1. HueSatLight

      yes. https://itswalky.tumblr.com/post/75227635213/is-dorothy-left-handed-because-an-above-average

  49. Lysbeth

    Dumbing of Age book 13: “Watch out for metaphors”

  50. C.T. Phipps

    I admit I hope this ends with Walky jumping on a passing truck and flipping her off.

    We need more Amazi-Girl scenes like that.

  51. JA

    Walky being surprisingly insightful and grasping perspective.

  52. thumb

    Deflecting, but also solidly on point.

  53. Taffy

    I dunno, I’ve never been able to get personally, seriously, boots-on-the-ground invested in these two and their relationship. Kinda seems like he’s better off out of her reach. She’s probably better off either finding a new boytoy to catch feelings with or just staying single for a bit.

    1. shrub

      It’s probably because these two, irl, would never work.

      I’d you’re driven enough to want to become the President and are actively working towards that goal are you really going to be with someone like Walky, you’d really be after someone like Jacob

  54. Felian

    There is something super frustrating about people who think you are perfect and have it all together, and won’t listen when you say that actually, you are just a mess like everyone else.

  55. Just_IDD

    One less than a group of golfers?

  56. Just_IDD

    My advice is You’ll be OK

    https://pbfcomics.com/comics/youll-be-ok/

    1. Schpoonman

      You see “pbf” and you know it’s going to be a doozy.

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