146

Expectations
Posted on September 12, 2022 by David M Willis

146 thoughts on “Expectations”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    “nooooooo ah’m turnin’ inta a DEFAULT”

    1. Schpoonman

      “Wait, you mean I’m BASIC?”

      1. Doctor_Who

        https://tvgag.com/content/quotes/3489-jpg.jpg

      2. The Wellerman

        Well, she HAS been on a 5¼-inch floppy ?

        1. The Wellerman

          OK I’m starting to suspect a lot of people aren’t gonna get the joke.

        2. Ophidiophile

          Don’t worry about it, Grandpa.

        3. The Wellerman

          Thanks. I know what you mean, but FYI I go by she/they 🙂

        4. Decidedly Orthogonal

          Don’t worry about it, Grandmas? Does that work in a friendly way, or no?

          As for the 5-1/4″, well… is it single, double, or *high* density? Ever cut out the edge of a dd to make hd?

        5. Psychie

          I feel like, specifically when used as a friendly insult, Grandpa is gender neutral. I’m not sure why but for that specific usage Grandma(s) just feels… insufficient. I don’t use that particular friendly insult very often, but when I do it’s always Grandpa regardless of the gender of the recipient, but that might just be that my friendgroup doesn’t get particularly hung up on gender in general, and especially with regard to friendly insults and just go by whatever seems funniest in the given context.

        6. Librain

          I just go with “gramps”. Easier and I don’t need to worry about genders.

        7. Yet_One_More_Idiot

          I appreciated that joke, it was aged like a fine wine. 😀

          (Although my own comp used 3″ floppies…damn Amstrads xD)

        8. MacareuxMoine

          you may be right: I’ve actually used 5¼-inch floppies and I’m lost as well.

    2. Prince Mech

      At this rate she’s going to find out she enjoys heterosexual sex in the missionary position with a committed, long term partner, and disappear in a puff of shame.

      1. Prince Mech

        Wow I really got the *best* icon for this joke.

        1. True Survivor

          Yes, Yes you do.

      2. Taffy

        Don’t knock the classics.

      3. Meagan

        Danny can be pretty sexually creative. He did have sex hanging from a thingamabob. So I don’t think he’ll bore Sal in that department.

  2. Johan

    ?

    1. FaerwenOfValenwood

      Big Same.

  3. AlexanderHammil

    errybody likes getting flowers, sal, you just gotta find your peace with that.

    also buy danny flowers, i 100% guarantee that he will be delighted to get them.

    1. Ophidiophile

      Second that. Everybody deserves to receive a little beauty once in a while.

      1. Twitcher

        My Aunt sent me flowers for my fortieth a month back. Daisies and baby’s breath. My sister got roses. I was so jealous.

    2. Azhrei Vep

      Ehhhh… many people like getting flowers. Some people find them both ugly and smelly, and would be annoyed to receive them.

      1. Max

        I am one that doesn’t like them. “You chopped up a plant to give to me.” At least give me a living plant so I can kill it myself.

        1. Cerusee

          Are you my mother? She’s very much “why give me cut flowers, they’re just going to die,” and in theory she’s open to potted plants as an alternative, but she’s got a bit of a black thumb.

          She has a slightly better track record with anything that can be planted outside and mostly left to its own devices.

        2. Max

          It would be difficult to be your mother given my anatomy. But it sounds like we are quite similar. In the plant department.
          I always say I have a brown thumb. Eventually all that’s left is the brown soil. I’ve killed cacti, which don’t need water, and bamboo and papyrus, which live in water. I can kill anything!

        3. Needfuldoer

          Buy her some hosta. Those things are damn near un-killable.

    3. Hof1991

      It interested flowers. Maybe a nice shrubbery.

      1. Needfuldoer

        Then get a second one, so we get the two-level effect with a little path running down the middle.

        1. thejeff

          “a path, a path!”

    4. Keulen

      I’ve never been given flowers as a gift before, but I probably would like getting them.

    5. GrumpyOLdMan70

      I give flowers to my wife because she likes getting them. For me its here are some dead things that smell nice, but you’re going to have to through them out soon.

    6. anon

      given teh various types and symbolism , prolly a flower for everyone (tho a lot of ppl seems to enjoy succulents), if not just get like a gift card or so, but from a practical standpoint, maybe a tomato plant/somethign edible might be nice lol.

  4. The Wellerman

    That second panel is just perfect, love it ?

  5. Reltzik

    Also, Sal, having this conversation out on the window ledge is a bit sill-y.

    1. anon

      well, love is blind(s) (lol not as good of a pun oh well)

      it’d be fun to see in a romcom/movie or so/other series lol

      1. bhtooefr

        That pun was paneful.

        1. milu

          you’ll be wanting some glass-pirin for that pane

        2. Reltzik

          That pun was curt an’ rude.

      2. Chaucer59

        You’re not fooling us, @Anon. We can see right through you. Keep it up and Willis will have to screen your comments.

        1. Clif

          I screen.
          You screen.
          We all screen
          For @Anon’s scream.

  6. anon

    aww.

    And lol i like the aesthetic of flowers but i was never into the smell/never saw the appeal. maybe some orange blossoms, smelled some that was citrusy/almost aloe/lotion-y. but if it’s cute/done well i’m sure plastic or handmade flowers would be a good alternative (surprised that’s not more of a common thing in ‘gift’ baskets or get well soon baskets like, if someone’s in the hospital they might not really be able to take care of a living plant /more sensitive tosmells but i’m tangenting

    it’s ok sal you can get him flowers in return lol

    1. Needfuldoer

      How about LEGO flowers?

      https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/adults-welcome/botanical-collection/flower-bouquet

      1. Arian

        I want one!

      2. anon

        aww that’s cute, i feel like i’d constantly mess with them til the ybreak (tho i imagine legos would be sturdy/hard to break on purpose), would be good for ppl specifically into legos

    2. Chaucer59

      De gustibus. My oldest daughter hates getting flowers. My mother is fond of carnations. My wife likes roses but loves the pairing of irises and yellow tulips. I had a boyfriend once who adored violets, but they had to be alive.

      You have to know your partner’s preferences.

      1. Clif

        This.

  7. Yeet

    is danny the best at relationships at the moment or does becky and dina getting past becky’s fears/concerns about sex place dina in first despite kind of a rocky start?

    1. Doctor_Who

      Becky and Dina are the best relationship because it involves Dina.

      1. Clif

        Your logic is impeccable.

    2. DailyBrad

      He was too clingy with Dorothy, but he otherwise honestly has a pretty good track record. Even that was youthful folly.

      Like, most of the “Dannying it up, hyuck hyuck” crap from people was him messing up a situation or two due to not knowing all of the information. His loyalty to Amazi-Girl made it tricky for him with Amber. He tried to reconcile the two of them, and was doing a good job until Amber’s Sal baggage made that impossible.

      Not saying he’s perfect or anything, but as far as partners in DoA go, he’s kinda top tier.

      1. Annamal

        There is also the cataclysmic discussion about Mike…

        1. Schpoonman

          Terrible timing, but Mike was likely to go on continuing to hurt people more than he’d ever help if he lived. Danny was still right.

        2. Meagan

          Exactly!

        3. DailyBrad

          Danny and Ethan were not dating. There was interest, sure, but it didn’t escalate to that point yet, so I don’t think of that as a relationship failure or anything, honestly, no more than I’d count Ethan’s indifference to Mike’s behavior prior.

        4. Meagan

          Excellent point.

      2. anon

        well sal is upfront enough to let him know when he’s crossing boundaries and i think he’s probably grown a lot since his first relationship

    3. Rabisch

      I’m afraid a day Dina and Joyce will have a huge fight and Becky will do something stupid.

      1. anon

        i think dina is emotionally mature/reasonable enough to talk any upcoming issues unless becky has a breakdown or so and like cuts everyone off or locks ppl out like ruth did (although ruth has her own room so she can’t really do the same if she share a dorm with doorthy)

  8. Stephen Bierce

    You Don’t Bring Me Flowers
    You don’t sing me love songs
    (You hardly talk to me anymore
    When I come through the door at the end of the day)

    1. Stephen Bierce

      You can’t imagine what a sensation that song was when it appeared. My mother had to have the album.

    2. Sombrero

      S&D cover was like:

      When I come through the window at the end of the day

  9. RassilonTDavros

    Sal is so taken aback by these feelings that she hasn’t even noticed the crowd of nine Joyces outside the window, one of whom is floating, glowing gold, and carrying a tree branch.

    1. Taffy

      Is that a Bible reference I’m not getting?

      1. The Wellerman

        Might be a Hellenistic reference, vaguely reminds me of the ancient Greek Olympics.

        1. RassilonTDavros

          It’s a reference to this.

        2. The Wellerman

          Huh. Is that glowing figure supposed to be a Joyce? ?

        3. Cholma

          I take it you’ve never read It’s Walky! then? That “tree branch” she’s holding is the Power Booster Rod.

        4. RassilonTDavros

          Yeah, people glowing yellow and floating while holding a tree branch was a thing that happened sometimes in It’s Walky! The dress is referencing a specific storyline where Joyce did this.

        5. AbacusWizard

          *gasp* THE POWER BOOSTER ROD!!!

        6. The Wellerman

          Thanks for telling me. This is gonna be a game item one day.

    2. Sombrero

      In the Dumbiverse, Joyce would be carrying Booster Sanchez while floating and growing gold.

  10. Taffy

    Remember when Danny was being called a controlling creep despite acting exactly this chill the entire time? That character assassination aged well.

    Anyway, Sal is cute as hell and these two are gonna be fine.

    1. Fuzzy

      My biggest DoA flex is that I never disliked Danny. 🙂

      1. powerpowerpow

        Same here. I never understood why people hated him so much until I started reading Roomies and realized that it’s just a bit of a meme for various reasons, some more deserved than others. But to me, DoA Danny, even at his worst, always felt like a guy who meant well but kept screwing up cause it wasn’t his turn to get a character arc yet.

      2. BarerMender

        I never disliked him. I just… don’t like him.

      3. Meagan

        I’m surprised to see how many people feel this way! I felt like I was the only one who liked him back when everyone was shitting on him.

        1. Meagan

          I kinda stopped reading the comments for a while because of that, and other things.

  11. k

    I LOVE Sal and Danny so much because he’s just being entirely himself and that open-hearted honesty and genuineness is what breaks down Sal’s barriers and it’s alarming to her just how responsive she is to it. “Distressin’ly reportin’ that ah am [the kind of person that enjoys getting flowers]” it’s scary to her how vulnerable she’s letting herself be with him but she can Trust Danny. She’s learning and exploring who she really is alongside Danny and I think that’s wonderful.

    1. True Survivor

      I agree.

    2. DailyBrad

      I do love it. People who have been hurt before sometimes have to rediscover what it is to let themselves be themselves.

      1. BBCC

        Yeah. She used to only have Marcie and that was in a platonic context. She’s made in roads there but the romantic path is still new.

  12. BBCC

    Heeeeeeeeeeeelp, they’re the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

  13. Nono

    Honestly, how did Danny go from ‘maybe Dorothy will give up her hopes and dreams and stay with me’ to ‘YOLO Ethan!’ to this? It’s kinda impressive and he isn’t even really trying that hard, he’s just being himself.

    This iteration of Sal/Danny makes way more sense than the other universe.

    1. Wereg

      I’m guessing he just… feels more comfortable around Sal? Every other romantic entanglement Danny’s been in has made him anxious for various reasons, but he seems to be completely comfortable around Sal.

      I really hope that this relationship lasts a while. I like them a lot as a couple.

    2. RassilonTDavros

      It’s honestly impressive how one of the least healthy (and, frankly, most annoying to read about) relationships of the original continuity became one of the healthiest here.

      1. Cerusee

        That’s probably why Willis is revisiting Danny/Sal here despite generally steering clear of reproducing Walkyverse romantic pairings in the Dumbiverse. Danny and Sal being versions of themselves that have a healthier dynamic and are actually kinda cute and fun to read about is *new* ground to cover! I think this is extremely funny.

    3. Thag Simmons

      They’re cute and good and I’m rooting for them and I did not expect to be saying that about Danny Sal

    4. DailyBrad

      I think some of this is just like, being in his late teens. He’s grown a lot, and I think he also just really benefited a lot from the Amazi-Girl relationship in terms of navigating these things.

    5. Alex

      I think it helps that Danny initially saw her as a friend and not a romantic partner. Well, that is after he realized she wasn’t amazi-girl.

      1. Meagan

        I forgot about that…I’d like to re-read that arc. How awkward. It was because Billie told him that Sal was Amazi-Girl, huh?

    6. GUIGUI

      ” how did Danny go from ‘maybe Dorothy will give up her hopes and dreams and stay with me”
      Unless I am mistaken, that was never Danny’s position. He imagined himself to be the supportive husband to President Dorothy. The issue is that he was smothering Dorothy whose feeing were no longer reciprocating.

      Dorothy tried to rationalise that as “I need to focus on my future”, but the truth is much simpler: she no longer loved Danny and that’s reason enough to break up.

      1. Schpoonman

        The line that makes Dorothy finalize and actualize the break-up was flavored like that. Not as direct, more towards “Maybe Dorothy will realize being president isn’t her dream, it’s something else,” but I do not fault Nono for reading it as they did. You’re right that Dorothy simply wasn’t into the relationship anymore and that’s all the justification she needed to end it, but Danny wasn’t entirely faultless in his behavior/rationale.

  14. AbacusWizard

    “Dumbing of Age, Book 11: Do Ah Still Get Flowers”

    1. RassilonTDavros

      I think we’re on 13 now, actually.

      1. Thag Simmons

        yeah it’s in the URL

        1. Clif

          Wait. We don’t get to unofficially rename old chapters? Who made that rule?

  15. True Survivor

    Interestingly, tulips were also the weakness of the Dutch economy during the 1630s.

    1. Thag Simmons

      I’m debating between “NFTs of their day” and “Subprime Loans of their day” about which is the more appropriate comparison.

      1. Daibhid C

        X-Men #1 of their day.

  16. Opus the Poet

    Mrs. the Poet seldom get flowers from me because I’m deathly allergic to most of them. There are a couple I can be around without going into coughing fits or sneezing my head off, so she’s learned to like getting them (interestingly enough Yellow Roses from here in TX are on that list of flowers I can survive being around).

  17. DailyBrad

    I love this so much.

    I’ve seen some people speculate on if Danny or Sal introduces the first conflict in this relationship, but I think it’s going to be parents that do. Part of me is wondering which is more likely to be a thing: Linda being a shithead to Danny, or Sal chewing out Danny’s parents for constantly belittling him.

    I guess there’s also the possibility of Linda being nicer to Danny than she would be to Lucy and it further bringing up the racial component to Sal’s relationship problems with Linda, which could also prove quite interesting.

    1. pyrock_mania

      It could be interesting to see what happens if Linda’s favoritism flips to Sal based on the siblings’ partner choices and we get to see how Sal handles Linda giving Walky shit after all the times she’s lectured him.

      I’d like to assume she’d stand up for him and screw the consequences, but I imagine it’d be tempting to just take the easy path and not say anything.

    2. Rectilinear Propagation

      Oh lord, I am now convinced that Linda being nicer to Danny than Lucy is absolutely going to be a thing and I am preemptively angry about it.

      1. Cabbage

        I’m actually expecting the opposite awful result: I think Linda is going to like Lucy, the same way she likes Jennifer, and it’s going to make Sal feel even more alienated 🙁

    3. Meagan

      I would be much more interested in that storyline, and seeing them weather it together, than a conflict between them. Stories need steady couples. Not every couple in every friend group is always on the rocks.

  18. Francoinblanco

    Let’s face it
    Let’s face it
    Let’s face it
    Let’s face it
    Let’s come to terms
    And embrace it
    Concur, admit, concede
    And face it
    I’m cute
    I’m cute
    I’m cute
    I’m cute

  19. Needfuldoer

    Oh no! Vulnerability! Her weakness!

  20. Deviant

    That is adorable!

  21. newlland(Henryvolt)

    Just keep doing what you’ve been doing.

  22. AGV

    ?”Why don’t you let yourself just be whoever you are?”?

  23. Rabisch

    This is so Awwww ♡♡… Sal seems so fragile right now, but Danny really knows how to talk with her♡. So sweet to see. If after seeing this Joe is still wondering why Sal is with Danny I will start doubt about his intelligence!

    1. Miri

      Is Joe seeing this, or seeing Danny’s butt and not really able to hear the conversation?

      1. Miri

        Not implying Joe is so busy looking at Danny’s bum he can’t hear the conversation – but Danny’s hanging out of the window talking to somebody not directly in front of the open window here. I’m reading this as a quiet chat. So Joe may well not be able to hear it!

  24. Bicycle Bill

    Sure wish I had someone I could give flowers to…

    1. Clif

      There’s an entire world out there. If you’re not expecting anything in return, it becomes very easy.

  25. Axel

    I’m not a fan of Danny usually but these pages are really sweet

  26. ischemgeek

    Not smotheringly clingy and unwilling to cut off his own wants and needs for his partner Danny is A+. Seriously, I really like how he’s developed over the series. 🙂

    And yeah. Poor Sal. She knows how to be the shameful secret and the scandal but not how to exist in a role where she’s treated as valuable for who she is.

    1. Alex

      It’s a really positive step that she’s willing to give this a try.

  27. Bagge

    Quick Sal, what’s your position on footrubs, chokolate and love balads sung to the tune of an ukulele.

    1. Meagan

      Hahahaha. I know what MY position on those things is.

  28. saltchocolate

    ? for you, hovertext! ?

  29. Adept

    Aw… that’s oddly sweet.

  30. LiterallyJustSomeGuy

    Okay then, hovertext. You funny.

    1. Clif

      Tulips to kiss.

  31. Cerusee

    Sal I hate to break it to you but this is ferociously adorable

  32. Felian

    Wow, this is actually great communication (assuming Danny is honest with himself). YES! Negotiate relationships and ONLY take the parts you both enjoy! If it’s casual sex and flowers, that’s so valid!

  33. ValdVin

    Sal is getting very vulnerable especially in panel four and I’m so here for it.

  34. Spriteless Aunty

    I just had a terrible thought. What if the Walkertons’ relationship started this cute?

    1. Meagan

      Ergh.

  35. Thanatos

    Tell ya what, I’ll get you flowers and you can complain that you don’t want them and that you are just putting them in a vase to humor me. You can tell anyone who notices them that you are protecting my fragile ego, so can’t just throw them out immediately.

  36. darkoneko

    that’s way too cute and I would hate if something happened to that pairing

  37. The Jighole Man

    who doesn’t like getting flowers?

    even if you don’t like keeping them in a vase (not really a difficult thing to do), you might at least like the fact that someone thought enough of you to want to bring you something nice.

  38. Alex

    Wholesome Danny! I love it. He is a good egg.

  39. Laura

    Apropos of Joyce’s and Dina’s exploration of various autism spectrum related experiences, here’s a hopeful article (please pardon the discouraging descriptions at the outset) of a Dutch business working to engage people with autism spectrum conditions who were previously considered “unemployable” with meaningful employment in tech: https://www.propublica.org/article/autistic-adults-train-for-cybersecurity-jobs

    Wouldn’t be useful for either of them, as they are both college educated US folks with different interests besides IT. But interesting nonetheless.

  40. Juanoku

    What do you mean people like romantic gestures

  41. nalem

    Sal has a heart of gold

  42. Grayfinity

    Good for Sal. I’m glad that she and Danny get to have this moment. And they’re talking, which is a plus in any relationship. Hopefully, they will be good for each other.

    Meanwhile in some different universe…

    “Besides, it helps with the smell of mah room. Malaya keeps comin’ back sweaty fer some reason and her laundry bin’s loaded.”

  43. teebee

    Joe cannot escape cute happy couples everywhere he turns!!!

  44. Ray

    And of course the ancient joke: “Roses on my piano is nice, but tulips on my organ is better…”

  45. Some Ed

    Nobody said it?

    Ok, I’m doing it, because it needed to be said. Tulips are better than one.

  46. Crotonhurst

    This is delightful and I am delighted.

  47. Meagan

    Preciousness deepening. It’s weird seeing Sal so insecure and vulnerable, but I guess its good for her that she feels safe enough with someone to share that part of herself.

    1. Meagan

      Also, Danny NEEDS this. He wants someone to fuss over and make them feel special! He is a guy who loves love. Dorothy was too busy with other ambitions to be very receptive to that. Amber/AmaziGirl had too many insecurities to think they even *deserved* that. But it seems that this might be exactly what Sal wants and needs! A perfect match.

  48. Liliet

    HOW ARE THEY SO ADORABLE

  49. Scrawler

    They are so adorable!

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