223

Lob
Posted on March 16, 2015 by David M Willis

223 thoughts on “Lob”

  1. Jen Aside

    Walky throwing his poo…shi

    [get it? pocket… sushi… oh n/m]

    1. Jen Aside

      [[it’s not even half-eaten like a purse muffin would be]]

      1. Wire Segal

        Dorothy thinks very lowly of the pocket sushi, apparently. Purse muffins probably ok.

      2. Scoops

        Yes but by your methodology, a purse muffin is a puffin.

        1. Wire Segal

          Ok so penguins are acceptable to keep in purses now? I mean, that’s what i’m taking from this conversation.

        2. That Damn Rat

          Puffins aren’t penguins, or closely related at to them at all, so the jury is still out on that.

        3. HeySo

          “The fresh heart of a puffin is eaten raw as a traditional Icelandic delicacy”

          This is what I learned when I tried to follow up on your genetic referencing.
          That is all.

        4. Dapperanarchist

          Given his recent passing, it’s worth remembering Pratchett’s definition of “local delicacy” – something to repulsive to export, that you then trick tourists into eating.

      3. LittleMissMissy

        A half-eaten puffin?

    2. J Kelly

      I get it. I had a chuckle.

    3. a snow ʍousɐ

      Pokéshi?

      1. Ambitious

        You mean Magikarp?

      2. WolfLann

        Nigiri uses sticky rice ball!
        It’s super effective!!

    4. Screwball

      I don’t think Dorothy would like him monkeying around…

  2. Architex

    Food fight!

    1. Yet_One_More_Idiot

      Yaaaay! *opens mouth and lets all the thrown food fall in*

      I don’t care that I’m doing it wrong, I’m hungry! 😛

    2. Urishima

      http://gfycat.com/EnchantedSpiffyGoldenmantledgroundsquirrel

  3. otusasio451

    Pocket Sushi! Coming to a store near you!

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      Gotta eat ’em all!

      1. JustCheetoDust

        Pokésu[shi] getto da ze!

      2. Kris

        There is 150 of em so get eating. Oh, and some are version exclusive!

        1. Plasma Mongoose

          Nowadays there are over 700 sushimons to choose from.

        2. Deanatay

          I think you mean ‘Sushi-NOMs’.

        3. Plasma Mongoose

          YES!

      3. otusasio451

        Chirashizu! Use Water Gun!

        1. Doctor_Who

          Who’s your starter, Bulbashimi, Squirgiri, or Charmaki?

        2. otusasio451

          Bulbashimi! Use Kelp Wrap!

    2. Kennerly

      You misspelled Fighting Foodons.

      1. SgtWadeyWilson

        Nice!

        1. SgtWadeyWilson

          …and typing that made me realize how weird it sounds.

    3. Killjoy

      That’s almost as bad an idea as garage station sushi…

  4. Kelli

    Awww… friendship moments.

    1. Solenoid

      Explains quite a bit of why Becky’s been being a butt to everyone. She was deliberately trying to piss Joyce off. Pushing her away?

      1. Deanatay

        Or, trying to provoke an earnest response. Sometimes, you need to argue things out. But, if one person refuses to be contrary, how can you have an argument?

        1. Bagge

          Or just going for the same reaction she got yesterday before she came out to her. Being gay makes everything different. Everything

        2. SonicBlueRanger

          This! I really don’t see why this is apparently so hard for people to understand.

          Becky was expecting her to be a little anger that she threw herself at her and, as far as she knows, ruined her relationship. In a lot of ways the way Joyce is reacting is just as harmful because she’s not treating Becky as her best friend but like a wounded animal that needs taking care of.

        3. Just saying

          To call genuine care and concern “just as harmful” as anger and aggression is startling. As someone who HAS come out to a very religious family, let me tell you…nothing that Joyce has done even APPROACHES how harmful their reactions were.

          Even when it’s confused and directed weirdly and upsetting, I would still take “oh poor baby” over some of the nasty things I’ve heard.

        4. Bagge

          Yeah, I think both Joyce and Becky are making things better for the other. Even if there is some friction – and good lord, who could have ever expected something else? – they both learn and grow and – maybe most importantly – stay friends. None of them doubt the full support of the other for a second, and for good reasons.

          It’s quite beautiful, actually.

        5. SonicBlueRanger

          Well okay maybe not just as harmful.

  5. Nono

    Becky’s uh, eyes in panel 4.

    1. winter

      I know. They’re piercing my soul.

      1. Doctor_Who

        Ooh, Becky should get piercings next. And tattoos. Then suddenly she’s so cool that Sal starts hanging out with her.

        Joyce sees this and decides that being a lesbian makes Sal want to hang out with you, and if she ever wants to get a motorcycle ride she needs to switch teams. That’s when the real crisis of faith begins.

        1. Marisa Mockery

          I approve of this XD

  6. Plasma Mongoose

    Why settle for pocket sushi when you can enjoy some panty sushi?

    1. JustCheetoDust

      Watch that somehow be less hygienic than Nyotaimori/Nantaimori.

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        Still more hygienic than anything from Walky’s saucy shirt.

        1. Deanatay

          “Oh, man, spilled BBQ sauce on my shirt again, Dotty’s gonna be mad…

          Hey, there’s still some sushi in here…

          MM! Delicious!”

    2. nothri

      Just like Ruth’s way of saying she likes you is to throw you across a room.

      …..if your a girl. I don’t think she has a thing for Blaine.

      1. nothri

        …..my comment seems to have connected to the wrong message from Plasma Mongoose. This…is very strange. Willis! Heeeeeeelp!

        1. Plasma Mongoose

          Sounds like the side effects of disappearing comment syndrome.

    3. Lord Geovanni

      waaaaa i need a shirt boob to suck on

    4. Screwball

      Hmmm, interesting…

  7. Time Sage

    ….Joyce really needs to tell her the whole story.

    1. Urukak

      Except the whole story, at least as it pertains to Ethan, isn’t really hers to tell.

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        I believe Sage was referring to Joyce’s near rape by Ryan.

        1. nothri

          Oh right. I had totally forgotten about that particular elephant.

        2. Sam

          There are so many elephants it is difficult to keep track of them all.

        3. No Name

          It’s easier when you go to the parking lot and count the Mini Coopers.

        4. John

          May I just say now, and for all eternity, fuck forgettable elephants.

        5. Time Sage

          Actully I was referring to the just the fact that she had broken up with Ethan before Becky met him.

        6. Plasma Mongoose

          Ah bugger, I was wrong…

        7. Time Sage

          That said that is ALSO a thing they should talk about…

  8. Ray Radlein

    “Eat Your Pocket Sushi” wouldn’t be a half-bad title.

  9. MM

    Alt-text obviously written by someone who’s never been saved from starvation by a purse muffin.

  10. Lukas

    I’m just amazed that they work through that kind of heavy shit in front of other people–I can’t really do that.

  11. sps48

    Are they facing away from the other while talking again?

    1. AgentKeen

      Soon, they’ll break out into an emotional duet!

    2. Jon P

      Yes, and even as they reconcile in panel 4, they are very much NOT making eye contact with each other.

      1. neeks

        Hard enough facing crushing realities without looking people in the eye while you’re at it.

      2. HeySo

        In my experience, outside of theater, film, and graphic storytelling, people don’t ACTUALLY stare each other down when speaking [romantic involvements or professional conduct aside]. In fact, they usually tend to eye their food, the salt shaker, the painting on the wall, their hand..

        YMMV, but that felt pretty natural to me, especially given the context of cramped booth + needing to give a hug = shoulder-hug = not much room for facing each other. ;P

        1. neeks

          Well, there’s “not constantly staring at someone in a casual setting” and then there’s “not being able to look someone in the eye for various reasons”, and the vibe I’m getting from both is the latter. Becky is remorseful over turning Joyce’s life upside down (this is not how she wanted to rock Joyce’s world.) Joyce is remorseful over having, for her whole life until today, bought into the mindset that basically dehumanizes a category of people that turns out to include her second favorite person (next to Jesus.) Becky is sorry to have burst the bubble that Joyce has come to realize is a terrible bubble.

        2. Leadsynth

          That’s why it can be weird to sit across the table from someone on a date. It’s way less awkward to sit at the bar. You can turn toward each other if you like, but you can also not face each other without it being awkward or rude.

  12. Urukak

    It was not a purse muffin, it was just a muffin that happened to be in her purse, okay?

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      And it was only half eaten!

    2. newllend(henryvolt)

      I can’t wait to see the Joyce and Walky strips back up

    3. random832

      How exactly would one store a fully eaten muffin in one’s purse?

      1. begbert2

        Via the use of ipecac.

      2. Screwball

        As they say Down Under, “CHUNDER!!”

        Just aim inside the purse. Hope it don’t smell too soon…

  13. alicemacher

    D’awwww…friends forever. ♥

  14. Twilightomens

    Are they dramatically facing away from each other arguing?

    1. Twilightomens

      Oh someone said that already I’m sorry, comments.

    2. Deanatay

      It’s kinda like how when guys hug, they have to hit each other?

  15. Cephalo the Pod

    *Reads alt text*.
    Like, 100 people reading this might get that. I dunno.

    1. Mandy

      Is it a reference to something? May I ask what?

      1. Urukak

        It’s a Joyce and Walky strip. I just marathoned the archives like a month ago, so it’s still fresh in my mind.

        1. Mandy

          Ah. The only one of the dumbiverse strips that I didn’t retroactively read through. Thanks!

        2. Architex

          Ah, so I’m not the only one who reads in this manner.

        3. Cephalo the Pod

          Specifically, the strip from July 5, 2008.

        4. Screwball

          Damn, calender archive link won’t go that far back, Not getting anywhere, any chance of a link? My binges tend to start from random spots…

        5. Cephalo the Pod

          Don’t know whether you’re still using itswalky.com to find the archives, but that got converted into part of David Willis’s retrospective site.

          joyceandwalky.com works just fine for me. Specifically, http://joyceandwalky.com/d/20080705.html

  16. Doctor_Who

    Now I’m imagining something like Hot Pockets, except sushi. So I guess they wouldn’t actually be hot.

    Dammit, every night at 12:01 I go to this site and get reminded that sushi exists, and I can’t have any because there are no 24 hours sushi joints around here.

    1. tim gueguen

      I’m surprised someone hasn’t offered a noodles in a crustini type product.

    2. StClair

      Even at 9 pm, it’s a bit late.

    3. No Name

      Oh, stop complaining, Doctor. If your that hungry, just use your TARDIS.

  17. Just Me

    You’re not doing her any favors, Joyce. Lying is a sin, after all.

    1. winter

      Joyce didn’t say she wasn’t angry.

    2. Tess

      I don’t think Joyce is lyiing. I think Joyce is honestly learning that what she’s been told all her life might not be right after all.

    3. Spencer

      The way I see it, Joyce *is* angry at Becky. Becky made her realize that her views on sexuality were wrong, end things with her boyfriend, get chewed out by Roz, and put her in a position that can potentially incur the wrath of her family and community, and also jeopardize her education.

      However, Becky is so much more important than any of that that Joyce would rather take all of that than cut herself off from her best friend. She’d rather face the reality of her situation than live with comfortable lies where gay people are just “others” and she can un-gay her boyfriend. She’d rather be wrong about everything she’s ever learned in life than turn her back on Becky.

      1. begbert2

        I don’t believe she’s angry at Becky, because she literally has nothing to be angry at her about. Contrary to Becky’s belief Joyce broke up with Ethan before Becky spoke up, so that’s not her fault. Becky showing up and moving in is Becky’s father’s fault. Becky being unable to pay for dinner is…Becky’s fault, but Joyce isn’t even paying for that and that would be way too petty to hold against her.

        All the other things you listed aren’t Becky’s fault; they’re decisions Joyce made herself, and Joyce blames herself for them. That’s why she’s moody; she’s unhappy with herself, and not deflecting any of that as anger at Becky.

        1. winter

          Eh, Becky may not be to blame for any of those things, but the fact remains that if Becky hadn’t shown up at Joyce’s door a day ago, Joyce could have continued dating Ethan and lived in blissful ignorance a little longer.

          Becky has done nothing wrong on this score and Joyce knows that and isn’t taking her frustration out on her as a result. But emotions often don’t listen to logic. I think it’s a bit naive to say that she’s not feeling a bit resentful at being made to deal with all these issues.

        2. begbert2

          Except she’s not acting resentful.

          As I said, I believe she’s on a (somewhat justified) self-blaming kick, and as such rather than deflecting blame onto Becky as anger she’s keeping it all for herself.

        3. winter

          Well, I definitely see the self-blame and guilt too.

        4. segnosaur

          Actually it would be interesting to see an ‘alternate universe’ where Becky didn’t show up. After all, Joyce did have the genders studies class where she learned some facts about the hardship of homosexuals. This would have happened even if Becky didn’t show up. And Joyce isn’t necessarily a bad person.

          Having Becky around did personalize the problems homosexuals face, but its possible that Joyce might have got there on her own once she knew the facts.

        5. winter

          I’m pretty sure Joyce was eventually heading to the same realisations about gay people, even without Becky being there. But Becky’s appearance sure gave an urgency and weight to the situation – and forced Joyce to deal with her conflicting ideology much faster than she was prepared for.

        6. No Name

          Which, of course, is why she showed up. What with the glacial rate this story moves, it would take years, if not decades, for Joyce to reach this point without Becky.

        7. Bagge

          I don’t like that universe. I don’t see good things happening to Becky in it.

        8. winter

          Oh god, I didn’t even think about that. Poor Becky.

          …on the other hand, I would like to see Willis tackle a “But I’m a Cheerleader” type storyline…

  18. Rosie

    Inari sushi is delicious. It’s sushi rice stuffed in a fried tofu pocket. I think even Walky could eat it.

  19. Plasma Mongoose

    Remember that lobbing things at people’s faces is how Walky show how much he likes you.

    1. nothri

      Take two:

      Just like Ruth’s way of saying she likes you is to throw you across a room.

      …..if your a girl. I don’t think she has a thing for Blaine.

    2. JustCheetoDust

      By that logic he would be lobbying for a threesome here.

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        Well foursome in this case, Walky, Dotty, Joyce and Becky.

        1. JustCheetoDust

          I guess Dorothy could (would) be implied, I left her out when I made the previous comment because there was no talk of throwing food at her as well.

        2. Screwball

          I won’t argue with that image…

  20. Mandy

    Yes, but what KIND of purse muffin? I’d eat a blueberry or chocolate chip muffin pretty much no matter where it had been.

    1. Urukak

      Bran.

    2. Architex

      The problem is, despite whatever flavor it was initially, a purse muffin being a purse muffin implies that it spent enough time in the depths in order to become purse flavored.

    3. Plasma Mongoose

      I rather have a purse puffin.

    4. JustCheetoDust

      Yes, but what KIND of purse muffin?

      A coin purse muffin?

      1. Kryss LaBryn

        I’m just going to assume you’re talking about the seaweed and leave myself in blissful ignorance, thanks.

      2. Screwball

        Would it be related at any of these things?e

  21. Kris

    The friendship..it..it’s too much!

  22. Ghostforge

    the feels; MY GOD, THE FEELS!

  23. Darwin

    So pretty… friends who love each other…

  24. AgentKeen

    Considering Walky’s usual hygiene, I don’t think I’d encourage him to eat anything out of his pocket. Then again, maybe Dotty’s been working on that, too.

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      At least he already has dipping sauce on hand shirt.

      1. Architex

        Hey boys and girls, let’s play “What’s that stain?” and today’s subject will be from the wardrobe of one David Walkerton!

  25. Swoop

    This is some hard-core friendship. I love it.

  26. caesaria82

    I think the more accepting Joyce becomes, the more attractive I’m finding her, because I just went ‘awww she’s looking cute in this’ and I have never thought this of Joyce before. Inner beauty and all that 😉

    1. Bill

      I’ve been finding Joyce attractive/cute/even (dare I say) cuddly since the fall of 2013 when I first discovered this comic.

      1. caesaria82

        I’m usually more an Amber or Sal girl, looks-wise, and Carla since she got introduced ~

      2. begbert2

        Joyce’s looks are good, but the garbage that used to frequently come out of her mouth negated that (and then some) pretty often. Lately she’s behaving less horrible, so it’s allowing her positive attributes (physical and personality-wise) to shine through.

        1. Kryss LaBryn

          Oh, she’s totally adorable, but personally I usually can’t get past the Creationist aspect. The few I’ve met in real life (that I’m aware of), my knee-jerk reaction is to just throw my hands in the air and walk away, and not waste my time bothering with them, because I feel very strongly about science, being as it’s, you know, provable. Don’t have a problem with religion per se (I consider myself a very religious person myself); but I do have a huge problem with people deliberately ignoring solid facts.

          Honestly, if it were up to me, having the judge or a juror being a Creationist would be grounds for declaring a mistrial, because they’ve already proved themselves to be incapable of impartially and logically weighing evidence.

          Sorry, Joyce; you’re good people and have a good heart; but that bit’s a deal-breaker for me. :/

        2. begbert2

          Pretty sure her days as a creationist are numbered, too. 🙂

  27. Boomwolf

    Walky, ladies and gentlemen. Makin situations worse one sushi roll at a time.

  28. Idris

    Back to Back Feelz!

  29. TemplarKnight

    Pocket sushi, great name for a resturaunt.

    WHITE GUY DIBS!

    1. Tacos

      Pocket Sushi would probably also be a good band name.

    2. HeySo

      It’s like Taco Bell, but for sushi.
      Just.. please don’t make it like supermarket sushi, that stuff has a rather high notoriety for creating vomit episodes.

      ..oh, hey, so does Taco Bell. Nevermind, you’re good to go.

  30. Jenny Creed

    To know anything with certainty, we must first doubt everything we know.

  31. Bill

    Is “pocket sushi” anything at all like a “walking taco”?

    1. Tacos

      I’ve never heard of a walking taco. Is it literally someone walking around holding a taco?

      1. Urukak

        Let me enlighten you, then. You take an individual size chip bag (the ones I’ve encountered use fritos, but doritos or something would probably work just as well), stick your meat, cheese, whatever other taco fixings you’re partial to inside, grab a spoon, then walk around while holding/eating it. It’s pretty much a fair/sports venue sort of food. My experience with it consists of the local bowling alley. Personally, they’re not really my thing (mainly because I don’t much care for fritos), but people seem to like them.

        1. Orbit Junkie

          That sounds amazing.

        2. David M Willis

          Bag of Fritos with taco meat and cheese in it. My hometown schools served it occasionally as a lunch item. Name makes much less sense when you’re forced to sit down at a cafeteria table.

    2. Kryss LaBryn

      “Walking taco” sounds like an amazing pre-historical myth of some heroic figure like Glooskap or someone.

      “Listen to the story of my people, handed down from my grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather. Listen to the story of… the Walking Taco.”

    3. Killjoy

      So a walking taco is nothing like walking pneumonia or the walking dead?

  32. nothri

    Not to be confused with a sushi pocket, which is an ill conceived place to store your keys and wallet.

  33. Jim tin

    Don’t worry Walky I roll 24-7 with a pocket dog you’re good.

    1. Orbit Junkie

      Now I can’t help but imagine Walky, wearing a fancy tuxedo, using a hot dog as his boutonnière.

  34. newllend(henryvolt)

    Pocket Sushi ! The brand new Snack treat on the go !

    1. comic.phile

      ..I wish that was a thing so bad. Like little individual wrapped sushis that you could put in your lunch or take on the go!

      1. Nono

        Isn’t sushi small enough that you can actually do that? Just wrap it up in some tinfoil or put it in a container if you want to stick it in a bag.

        1. No Name

          Yes, but we want to pay exorbitant prices to have some big name company do it for us. It’s just not the same otherwise.

        2. Kryss LaBryn

          Not to mention raw fish – proper refrigeration – proper packaging = unhappy times.

  35. dailybrad

    Joyce and Becky are having a rough few months for similar and yet very different reasons. I hope Joyce shares some of the burden that she has held onto, as she’s shouldered some of Becky’s.

  36. Spencer

    You know how some of us were getting tired of Becky’s shenanigans? That’s kind of where I am with Walky right now. Quit being such a butthole, Walky.

    1. begbert2

      I honestly think he just wants to lighten the mood. This is some heavy shit to be hit with when you just wanted to go out to eat.

      1. HeySo

        They should have known this was coming when they came to the decision to go out for sushi..
        I mean.. you could tell SOMETHING fishy was coming.

    2. Rycan

      Unless Earth is being invaded by aliens, the chances of Walky acting mature are slim to none.

      1. Solenoid

        More relevant: This Walky is 18. Walkyverse Walky was of an age with the other abductees, making him… 18+the total run of the Walkyverse… ~25 at the end of It’s Walky! and ~35 at the end of Shortpacked! (Joyce and Walky would have him somewhere in the middle…)

        Of course, this Walky is immature. He’s essentially still a kid.

        1. timemonkey

          Hell, this Walky is more mature than It’s Walky Walky was. At least this Walky can be left unsupervised without wrecking something or endangering himself and others.

      2. Screwball

        Hey, let me call my old boss, Megsy would love in invade, long as they have something he wants. Energon will be good enough. Invading alien sentient transforming robots good enough?

    3. Bagge

      I think he behaves like a saint. Note how even during smartassery he doesn’t interrup Joyce and Becky. He just give Dorothy an aside comment. Big sis made an impression

  37. The Wizard

    Do it anyways!

  38. motorfirebox

    Wow. “Purse muffin” is definitely the most obscene non-obscene thing I’ve ever heard of.

    1. HeySo

      Shush, Joe. Every non-obscene thing is the most obscene thing you’ve ever heard of.. or at least, it is when you’re done with it.

  39. FuryOfFirestorm

    I’d rather have a wallet cookie.

    1. Mass Confusion

      ….dammit, now I want a cookie

  40. Dammy

    I expect pocket sushi to be fresh and delicious. Hopefully, the pocket was a soft, dry cotton.

  41. JessWitt

    Joyce and Becky’s friendship = best of the best friends

  42. 6Qubed

    “A sushi in the face is worth two in the pocket.”

    Sun Tzu said that.

    1. Anonymous

      And I’d say he knows a little more about sushi than you do, maggot, because he invented it! And then he perfected it so that no living man could best him in the kitchens of honor!

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        That Soldier guy was one kooky fellow.

        1. Screwball

          LOL read that as “Solder Guy” :p. apparently some of us did crash ages ago, so you never know… 😛

  43. Idon'tcarenomore

    Still, even though they are best friends…and Joyce is giving Becky credit for ‘fixing things’, I don’t think that Joyce is changing her world view for Becky.

    If she is than she’s learned nothing.

    Joyce is changing her world view for her self, because of things she sees about Becky’s circumstances: she seems to be realizing she has been living in a bubble all her life. And that bubble is the slanted world view her parents and schooling surrounded her with.

    I don’t see where ‘giving up Becky’ or changing her world view have anything to do with each other.

    1. Liz

      I give my friends credit for making me see that they were suffering because of a book I discussed on Sunday mornings. Though Becky’s not the only reason for change, she is the catalyst.

  44. krveale

    oh man i am so relieved to be wrong.
    I mean the stuff I mentioned yesterday needs to come up, but in a way less likely to derail into horrors, misunderstanding and trauma.

  45. heavvymetalqueen

    this storyline is just messing with my feels so much

  46. Lordess of Madness

    Sushi did turn out as Dorothy had anticipated…

    1. Screwball

      Uncooked?

  47. ailorn

    Its interesting. Despite the hug and words there is still a big distance there in that reconciliation, neither are looking at each other. Joyce is doing the right thing by her friend, but I wonder that she isn’t being completely honest with her feelings. It’s OK to be angry or upset with your friend even if you are trying to support them. Yet again Joyce is stuffing and denying her feelings, like she has with the attack, and I think if she doesn’t confess, she’ll break.

    1. Solenoid

      Let’s hope she doesn’t break somebody else in the process… but I can see she’s bent on bottling it up. She’s not going to confess until she breaks down.

      But maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Who knows.

  48. Gigafreak

    No, Dorothy, throwing things at people’s heads is how Walky expresses affection!

  49. The World's Wrongest Person

    Pocket sushi is the only thing that is worse than normal sushi.

  50. Rycan

    Becky is never gonna get over Joyce at this rate, is she? Too many mixed signals.

    1. Nono

      Not for the foreseeable future, especially considering they’re basically spending every day together. Sometimes you really need some absence to get over a crush.

    2. Urukak

      Oh man, I just had the worst idea. Now that Joyce is done being Ethan’s beard, she can use Becky as a reverse beard! (moustache?) That would make Becky happy, right?

      1. Nono

        Given that Joyce told Ethan that it’s okay to ‘stop pretending’, I doubt she’s going to be okay with whatever you’re suggesting.

        The funny thing is this whole fiasco might actually wean Joyce off boys for a while – between the Ryan incident and having to let both Ethan and Becky down, Joyce might be done with romance for the short term.

        1. begbert2

          But then what’s the point of her being at college? She’s only there for the MS degree!

        2. Kamino Neko

          MRS.

          Somehow I don’t see Joyce going for a Master of Science even if she does start focusing on her academics.

        3. Rycan

          Need to get a BS begree first, and Joyce isn’t very good at bullshit.

    3. Kaunisenkeli

      Does one ever really get over these things completely? I still think about a woman I fell for in high school nearly twenty years after graduating. I’ve moved on with my life, and haven’t heard anything from her in nearly a decade (and I only heard from her then due to the freakiest coincidence of my life to date). Becky will move on, yes, but her attraction to Joyce will almost certainly still be there.

      As for mixed signals, I don’t think there’s anything mixed happening at all. Becky and Joyce are very good friends, and that level of intimacy is commonplace to them. Might Joyce’s arm around her cause Becky’s heart to speed up a tad? Yes, but I don’t think it will have too much of an effect on Becky’s ability to move on.

      1. Bagge

        Well said

    4. chris73

      You don’t have to get over someone , I still (every now and then) think about a girl I knew 20+ years ago (in my mind she’ll always be the same 17 year old) and always wonder might have happened had things turned out differently…

  51. Kaunisenkeli

    Walky, stop being immature (incredibly difficult for you, I know), and enjoy the moment of growth for two close friends.

  52. Liz

    These kiddos are going to be okay.

  53. Bagge

    Dorothy is bummed that she has no part in solving the drama except babysitting Walky

  54. The Heretic

    Not quite pocket sand, not quite sushi, it’s a great meeting in the middle.

  55. Sailor_Arashi

    Pocket Sushi is smaller and less heavily armored than regular sushi, but is faster and carries the same size main guns. It was created as a response to the Washington Sushi Treaty (also known as the Five Sushi Treaty) which limited the size and number of regular sushi in the post-WW1 era.

    1. Bill

      I thought Pocket Sushi was a type of seek-and-find game that was smaller and more portable.
      You know, “You sank ate my California Roll!!”

  56. Aurora

    No way man, pocket sushi is like ten times worse than a purse muffin.

  57. SonicBlueRanger

    Pocket Sushi from the makers of Pants Shrimp.

  58. averystrangeplace

    Pocket Sushi? … So, Pocky?

  59. DuckDuckMoose

    You lob that roll, Walky, and Becky will catch it one-handed and eat it while simultaneously slinging a lump of wasabi paste at you with her other hand. Don’t mess with the Becks.

    1. Bagge

      “Becky, do not engage him on his level”
      “Naw, I’d hafta throw way worse for that”

  60. Bagge

    Becky’s worry and frustration is understandable, but she’s missing one important piece of the puzzle. Joyce was not doing swimmingly before she came. Joyce was scared, frustrated and increasingly worried about how to reconcile her expanding world-view with her religious beliefs. She had endured traumatizing experiences and made some pretty dumb decisions. It was increasingly clear that she couldn’t go on as she had. Something had to change, she prayed for answers.

    And she got them.

    Not broke. Fixed.

    Or just to take a concrete example. 24 hours after Joyce asked God for a sign about what to do with her relationship with Ethan she broke up with him, to her own, Dorothy’s and the readers sigh of relief. Becky is making things better just by being Becky (OK, Roz helped to, but I don’t think she would take it kindly if I call her an angel).

  61. DFS

    Aren’t Joyce and Becky facing the wrong way relative to how they’re seated? Or can they simply to stand to look one another in the face during this exchange? I’m assuming they are facing the wrong way, and that it was a simple and easily forgiven mistake by Mr. Wilis

    1. David M Willis

      Look at the opening corner edge of the booth seat behind Becky in panel 2 and you tell me again I didn’t know what I was doing.

      1. ailorn

        You know what you’re doing. Readers often are the ones who dont pay attention 😀

      2. Orbit Junkie

        Apparently I need to pay a lot more attention to the composition of your strips from now on. There’s a lot of neat stuff going on here.

        1. Orbit Junkie

          Speaking of which, is panel 3 Joyce looking panel 2 Becky dead in the eye, all adorable and determined to be better?

          Also, are Joyce and Becky doing a really convincing Janus impersonation in panels 1 and 2? I need to know, because I can’t unsee it.

    2. Killjoy

      Nope — they’re looking away from each other, at least physically. They’re both emotionally raw here and avoiding the hit that would come from looking right at each other. As someone else said, this is more how most real people have conversations, as opposed to the staredown that Hollywood and Broadway seem to love.

      Now, there’s some possible *symbolism* in panels 2 and 3.

      1. Killjoy

        I wish the threading had lines or brackets or something to indicate more clearly which post is being responded to. My post was in response to DFS, not DMW.

  62. Bilal Kalyal

    This is rather touching to be honest. Even if I am of the opinion that Walkerton should throw the Wasabi, it still strikes me as a rather great scene on itself.

  63. Hoboturtle

    Walky: Geez, why don’t you two just make out

    Joyce: We already agreed not to do that again.

    1. Bagge

      Becky: Too bad you missed it, it was super hot.

      1. Screwball

        Dina: *Pops up from behind door* I believe it was “super hot”. I had a feeling it was coming, so I recorded it from my usual position behind the door…

        Joyce: *Frozen in place, only able to make confused noises*

        Becky: Hmmm, I wonder if I could have a copy…?

        Walky: Hmmm, I-
        Dorothy: No David. No…

  64. Tenn

    Now I has a sad.

    But it’s the good kind of sad.

    Mostly.

  65. Speedball

    Did they switch places?

    1. David M Willis

      can you not read like three comment threads up

      1. Architex

        We’ve got the sassmaster here

  66. Originalslugboy

    I want Dorothy’s line to be a future book title.

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