Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for August 12, 2008

That’s OK, Cleo, we all know that if the can opener makes the slightest noise, you’ll be off that chair like a shot.

Well…. I was feeling guilty (but only a teeny weeny bit) about being so late tonight….

and hardly anybody else is here!

Hi Farside!….

and hello future visitors….

Very near future, I hope.

Not one of those deals where people will come back here to have yet another tucked away forum for some other strip, in 2028…

and mock this comment for being ten years old by then.

We’re here, of course, to talk about Cleo and Company on Sherpa….

http://www.comicssherpa.com/site/feature?uc_comic=cscwy

Speaking of whom…. Cleo has really melted into that chair.

If a burglar or the can opener rouses her, it’ll take a moment to stretch and straighten out her legs…

not that basset legs ever get particularly straight…

before she can give chase…. er…. waddle chase.

But if a really slow burglar ever breaks in… she’s on it.

Any minute now.

Let’s walk on down to the Tiki, OK?

But watch out for Neal’s holes.

Some are perilously near the sidewalk.

Old man Ferguson owns that lot, you know….. and I hear he wants to sell it.

What’s he going to say when he, or some prospective buyer falls into a hole?

OK… I know what he’s going to say at that moment…

and I wouldn’t repeat it here.

I meant to say, what’s he going to say later, to Neal.

You’re right…. I wouldn’t repeat that here either.

JP Steve…

You asked yesterday what you were getting blamed for….

it was just for posting a link to an image you made for Pooch Cafe, and removing it, so that Stel’s reply to you made no sense….

and made me think I was losing my mind…

a not unlikely thing anyway.

But you are totally forgiven….

(though you can stay under that bus if you really like it there….)

because you saved and posted that cake I made for you years ago!

Thank you so much!!

Those were the glory days of Ballard Street.

Sigh……

(Unless I posted that originally for you on Citizen Dog?)

We stand on guard for zzzzzzzzzz.

Neal’s dug himself a whole he can’t get out of. We better call on Cleo to rescue him. (Yeah right).

My favorite part was Panel 5 when absolutely nothing happened (except of course the encapsulation of continuity), building the reader’s sense of anticipation and suspense that culminates in the pièce de résistance that is Panel 6.

Everybody is ragging on our Poor Cleo, when the attention should be on ole Claude! Is he the King of Sarcasm or what!!!

No, Cleo, nobady said something.

Nighthawks I left you a message on the 10th’s edition here. And Fellow Baby, left you one yesterday.

Good evening everyone!