Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for July 22, 2014

Gus and Gene really stepped in it. How else did they expect Mary Lou to react other than hurt? Gus, Gene, Arlo and Janis all know and are sitting around discussing the fate of the business she has worked at her entire life and is 49% owner? And conspiring to keep that a secret from her?

Men (including myself) just don’t know how to react to certain situations.

She may have felt like a partner, but the financial risk was all on Gus. The next steps in her life will be with Gene. Does Gene buy it? Or do the “escape to land” like she once said she wanted to do?

Typical. The blabbermouth woman who spilled the beans goes into a “men are such unfeeling brutes” blame game to deflect the guilt from herself…

Blabbermouth woman? Gus had something he wanted to be kept secret. So he told Gene. Gene was told to keep it secret. So he told Arlo. Arlo was told it was a Big Secret. So he told Janis. Janis didn’t tell anyone. Arlo and Janis were discussing it amongst themselves when Mary Lou overheard.

This always burns me. Arlo has been nothing but faithful to Janis all these years, yet when he tries to give a gentler angle to this issue, she’s there to cut him off, override him, and give us that tired “Men are all alike” speech.

And I also tire of the “women are all intelligent; men are idiots” concept that permeates everything now.

well, this really pepped me up this morning. (not)

MBTI Janis is an F, Arlo is a T.

Feelings are feelings, neither right nor wrong. It’s how we act upon those feelings that matters. And, DampWaffle, really?? You must have some issues w/women to go into a rant over a cartoon..

@comicsfanI think you’re right; Gene would never oppose Gus’ decision. Partly because of temperament, but partly because he doesn’t have the emotional investment, history, or legitimate business claim that Mary Lou does. Why tell Gene at all? If he didn’t want Mary Lou to know, why put Gene in such a position? He’s elevated Gene above Mary Lou in his confidences. This is a business, too, and he’s elevated an employee above a part owner.

I think everyone’s missing the whole point of the gag— Janis interrupted Arlo because Janis now has a daughter to talk to, much like Gus now has Gene as a son…

Gus didn’t know how to tell his daughter, especially after her response when he already told her..So he told GeneKnowing Gene would tell ArloKnowing Arlo would tell JanisKnowing Janis would tell Gus’ daughter somehow..Ergo, this is HOW Gus told Mary Lou.

Try that fourth sentence again, please.

Arlo is being rational. And rational thinking has NO place around a woman with hurt feelings.

Gus was condescending and patronizing to his daughter by treating her the way he did. Now Gene is treating her the same way. Janis is right to speak up and validate Mary Lou’s feelings.

Ouch! Janis cut him off in mid sentence….

Dam’ straight, Janis!