He can’t have much time left right? Like he looked plus 80 and walks with a cane. One bad fall without the life alert and he’s done right? My uncle almost died last year from falling in the hallway. It can’t be that hard.
Sirksome
Hmmm. Very weird that I replied to this instead of darkoneko. Just pretend that reply was actually just “Asma.”
You know maybe this is unfair of me. Reading the alt text, maybe it was all the Clint in the room that left me with a bad impression of Chloe. Maybe she deserves another chance? Deserves some…..trust?
It is a shame that Chloe was so easily swayed by Clint, but from her POV she doesn’t know that he’s abusive. She did seem genuinely worried for Ruth’s sake and probably felt bad at the idea of firing her, so when her grandfather came to smooth things over, and with the proposed idea of just moving Jennifer elsewhere to get rid of the power dynamic, Chloe’s just thinking “wow, what a simple, convenient, and happy ending!!! My job has been made easier, yeehaw”.
plus it’s been said many times about how abusers can often be incredibly charismatic and convincing. doubly so if you’ve never experienced abuse yourself, the “tells” and give-aways might pass you by. i could easily see myself doing just that. normal social cues are hard enough… if chloe had a good childhood, she wouldn’t be able to catch on to what was happening.
Doopyboop
It’s a lot like how Lucy missed Walky’s cues about not letting his mom in on his web comic because from Lucy’s perspective, why WOULDN’T his mom be curious and interested in her son’s passions? But Linda, of course, has certain ideas and expectations for her son that don’t include making a webcomic. Because Lucy seems to be a very sheltered and optimistic young woman, she didn’t realize until it was too late that Linda’s a shitty person.
Throwatron
I remember almost melting down at all the people who couldn’t recognize, for instance, that Ethan’s mom was flagrantly abusive, and unwittingly treating her like a sympathetic person who might really care. People who haven’t been affected by this kind of thing, are really just that blind to the signs. You don’t learn to spot abusers until you spend enough time being abused by them, and then you need to escape that situation, and even then, it still takes you time and distance to finally recognize what all the red flags were.
It’s easy to get mad about people being blind to it, when you’ve experienced it; but, we all were blind to it, once. Blindness to that, is our natural state. It’s a desirable state. We’d all be better, if nobody had to know better; but, we get taught.
thejeff
Chloe definitely missed a lot of signs about Clint, but it’s also worth remembering that she didn’t make the decision, only passed it on to Ruth. Clint went over her head to protect his investment.
And yeah, under normal circumstances, her trying to help Ruth keep her job would have been a good thing – as opposed to firing someone because of their depression.
One time I had to leave work early because I got really sick (didn’t realize til later but it was my first bout with COVID and it hit HARD. Had a lingering fever of 104 later that night, fever dreams, lost my sense of smell, fatigue, the woiks) and I had a sobbing breakdown about it because I felt so guilty. …I also had a fever and wasn’t thinking clearly but I appreciate that my superiors and coworkers were all like “you need to look after you, fuck the job”.
i wonder how much she usually works unless it’s like an hour before and after class time or so bc i assuem she’d go to her own classes versus spending all day in the front desk unless it’s also weekends only
Massively grateful for both of my last two bosses, who each would cut me off mid-explanation with an “I don’t need an explanation, your PTO is yours, including how you use it, see you on Friday”
Wanted to take a day for, y’know, sanity, ended up getting a COVID booster the day before to justify it. To be fair, at least it meant I got my booster shot taken care of.
Not necessarily. The protest was planned as an encampment. They were going to stay for a long time.
It wasn’t just a march or an afternoon demonstration.
i mean if she dealt with ruth’s bs, i don’t think she’d care too much about asma going to a protest versus scolding her instead of saying “take more time off”
Ahhh, the feeling of perpetual obligation which makes one feel guilty for ever doing anything that’s not directly tied to one’s responsibilities, I am… intimately familiar
159 thoughts on “Shift”
Morrison
Asma!
Rose by Any other Name
Asma?
nadamás
¡¿Asma?!
Steamweed
Asma;
Needfuldoer
Asma
Doctor_Who
re:alt-text
Everything looks better with an absence of Clint.
darkoneko
oh. HIM 😐 https://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-7/03-the-thing-i-was-before/disgrace/
Tawnee
ohhhhh, it’s NOT a Stardew Valley joke, ok, I’m back on track, carry on.
MacareuxMoine
Right – I forgot ‘Sir’ had an actual name.
Reltzik
Not so! https://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-7/03-the-thing-i-was-before/wretched/ The appearance of Billifer’s fist is greatly improved by the presence of Clint.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
For those who want to compare, see this and the two strips following:
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-7/03-the-thing-i-was-before/solved/
darkoneko
Asma.
Rose by Any other Name
Asma;
Sirksome
He can’t have much time left right? Like he looked plus 80 and walks with a cane. One bad fall without the life alert and he’s done right? My uncle almost died last year from falling in the hallway. It can’t be that hard.
Sirksome
Hmmm. Very weird that I replied to this instead of darkoneko. Just pretend that reply was actually just “Asma.”
cbwroses
Don’t trust replies.
Or don’t trust Asma.
Throwatron
idk, the text is suggesting i should trust asma
Jon
Don’t trust text. Especially this text.
NGPZ
Yay More Asma!!!! ^-^ <3
Morrison
Those are some bare shelves. I wouldn’t have noticed if the hover text about how the room looks without Clint hadn’t clued me in
Rose by Any other Name
They were bare last time we saw this room as well.
Not sure why Chloe keeps them if she’s not going to put anything on them.
Doctor_Who
Chloe collects good decisions made by her residents.
BYM!
Y’know if she left them around for the residents to see maybe they’d make some…
Clif
Oh, she does. There just haven’t been any yet.
Deanatay
She’s an advocate of feng shui.
Deanatay
EXTREEEM feng shui.
morleuca
Chloes are supposed to have books.
Falcon
It’s an office, not a home. Not everyone is in a rush to decorate. If your work doesn’t necessarily need books, those shelves could remain bare.
Needfuldoer
He took the books with him?
Dastardly!
Dot
lol this rules. Can we please stay on Asma for a while longer
Pocky
something something wanna go bowling something something
NGPZ
BOWLING!
BOWLING!
BOWLING!
Eric
Keep them doggies rollin’
thejeff
Rawhide!
Sirksome
Don’t trust pudding heads. I actually don’t like this lady. ?
Dot
Chloe kind of sucks yeah
Sirksome
You know maybe this is unfair of me. Reading the alt text, maybe it was all the Clint in the room that left me with a bad impression of Chloe. Maybe she deserves another chance? Deserves some…..trust?
Doopyboop
It is a shame that Chloe was so easily swayed by Clint, but from her POV she doesn’t know that he’s abusive. She did seem genuinely worried for Ruth’s sake and probably felt bad at the idea of firing her, so when her grandfather came to smooth things over, and with the proposed idea of just moving Jennifer elsewhere to get rid of the power dynamic, Chloe’s just thinking “wow, what a simple, convenient, and happy ending!!! My job has been made easier, yeehaw”.
Tequila Mockingbird
plus it’s been said many times about how abusers can often be incredibly charismatic and convincing. doubly so if you’ve never experienced abuse yourself, the “tells” and give-aways might pass you by. i could easily see myself doing just that. normal social cues are hard enough… if chloe had a good childhood, she wouldn’t be able to catch on to what was happening.
Doopyboop
It’s a lot like how Lucy missed Walky’s cues about not letting his mom in on his web comic because from Lucy’s perspective, why WOULDN’T his mom be curious and interested in her son’s passions? But Linda, of course, has certain ideas and expectations for her son that don’t include making a webcomic. Because Lucy seems to be a very sheltered and optimistic young woman, she didn’t realize until it was too late that Linda’s a shitty person.
Throwatron
I remember almost melting down at all the people who couldn’t recognize, for instance, that Ethan’s mom was flagrantly abusive, and unwittingly treating her like a sympathetic person who might really care. People who haven’t been affected by this kind of thing, are really just that blind to the signs. You don’t learn to spot abusers until you spend enough time being abused by them, and then you need to escape that situation, and even then, it still takes you time and distance to finally recognize what all the red flags were.
It’s easy to get mad about people being blind to it, when you’ve experienced it; but, we all were blind to it, once. Blindness to that, is our natural state. It’s a desirable state. We’d all be better, if nobody had to know better; but, we get taught.
thejeff
Chloe definitely missed a lot of signs about Clint, but it’s also worth remembering that she didn’t make the decision, only passed it on to Ruth. Clint went over her head to protect his investment.
And yeah, under normal circumstances, her trying to help Ruth keep her job would have been a good thing – as opposed to firing someone because of their depression.
Thag Simmons
I don’t hate her. She clearly means well, she seems to be a decent boss, she’s just kind of inattentive and oblivious to red flags.
But maybe I’m biased. Maybe I don’t want that to be damning.
alicewe
off topic but i love the vladia grav
yak
She does seem like the kind of person I wouldn’t like IRL.
Not because I think she’s malicious, but because I think she’s clueless.
Spectre
Oh man. The whole need to over-explain and over-justify taking time off is… uncomfortably relatable
Doopyboop
One time I had to leave work early because I got really sick (didn’t realize til later but it was my first bout with COVID and it hit HARD. Had a lingering fever of 104 later that night, fever dreams, lost my sense of smell, fatigue, the woiks) and I had a sobbing breakdown about it because I felt so guilty. …I also had a fever and wasn’t thinking clearly but I appreciate that my superiors and coworkers were all like “you need to look after you, fuck the job”.
anon
i wonder how much she usually works unless it’s like an hour before and after class time or so bc i assuem she’d go to her own classes versus spending all day in the front desk unless it’s also weekends only
Stormtide Leviathan
Well we never see anyone else working that desk (except for the one time we knew asma asked off for the protest)
Jon
Massively grateful for both of my last two bosses, who each would cut me off mid-explanation with an “I don’t need an explanation, your PTO is yours, including how you use it, see you on Friday”
Yumi
Wanted to take a day for, y’know, sanity, ended up getting a COVID booster the day before to justify it. To be fair, at least it meant I got my booster shot taken care of.
Kyulen
I don’t know what the work culture is like in other countries, but here in America we really need to prioritize taking time off and resting more.
Mitzi B.
HELL YEAH ASMA IS BACK
….. She was expecting to get arrested at that protest, huh.
thejeff
Not necessarily. The protest was planned as an encampment. They were going to stay for a long time.
It wasn’t just a march or an afternoon demonstration.
QueenofSodor
BE FRIVOLOUS AND DORKY, ASMA! BE FREE!!!
Amós Batista
Oh no, her boss saw Asma in protest.
I’m worried for her
anon
i mean if she dealt with ruth’s bs, i don’t think she’d care too much about asma going to a protest versus scolding her instead of saying “take more time off”
Thag Simmons
She doesn’t seem like she’s going to kick up a fuss, and it’s probably more putting two and two together than having specifically a photo of Asma
Shakes
So the pudding hasn’t changed in months?
Chloe just has natural pudding head?
Doopyboop
I was wondering about her roots too…
John Campbell
She re-colored it right after the last time we saw her, and her roots have just now grown out to where they were there again.
Shakes
I just like saying pudding.
Tequila Mockingbird
well then, live your truth and continue saying it to your heat’s content, comrade 😀
Effie
I love how you’re just pudding that out there
Thag Simmons
Chloe maintains a daily regiment of hair bleaching to keep that perfect pudding colour split
zee
Maybe she just likes having visible roots. I like visible roots. She kinda reminds me of that really bad hair gabbie Hanna had a few years back tho
Ado
Aww Asma’s so sweet. Her recent presence has been great. Rooting for her
IntangibleMatter
Ahhh, the feeling of perpetual obligation which makes one feel guilty for ever doing anything that’s not directly tied to one’s responsibilities, I am… intimately familiar
ESM
Chloe, what the fuck do you mean “I saw the newspapers”? The only newspaper in school covered Joyrothy instead, we had a whole storyline about it!
Are you implying you read about the student protest in some other newspapers? Why is everyone still reading newspapers in the first place?
Zero
She doesn’t have to have seen Asma in a photo. If she knew hat was going and she knows what happened, that’s really all she needs for that response.
Cameron Stone
Why would she assume Asma would be at the protest? What does Asma have to do with the protest above anyone else she knows?