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This is Guntherās fault. If he hadnāt told her to meet at the Fuse none of this would happen. Also this is Luannās fault for interrupting somebody elseās dating knowing she wouldnāt want to be treated this way.
The look on Betsā face is the worst possible. Even an angry one who have been better. An angry face says āIām on a date with a real nice guy. And I donāt want anything to spoil itā. Instead, her face looks tired, resigned, and not a little bit sad. This face says āIām on a date with a real nice guy. But his friends wonāt leave us alone to get to know each other. And worse, he doesnāt have a problem with thatā.
If Bets was wearing a Christine Chapel outfit, Gunther would be deservedly wearing a bowl of plomeek soup right about now.
Itād be nice to think heās going to learn something from this, but he STILL didnāt turn off the phone, so Bets is going to have to explain every last nuance to him if she still wants to tryā¦
NOW I am concerned. Bets is jealous of OX? Hey, Gunther has FRIENDS. They are happy for him and text him. No big deal. Roll with it, Bets. He is WITH you and going to Trekkie-Con. Just go and have fun with him. You are already acting like a girlfriend which WILL scare him away. Nobody likes clingy or possessive types. You JUST met him and it is unrealistic to expect him to worship you and ignore his friends. Someday, if you and Gunther decide to date, those friends WILL be part of YOUR life with Gunther. Deal with it now or leave Gunther at Taco Time. Cut the date short and spare him the unnecessary problems down the road.
Gunther, youāre too smart to be as dumb as you are. Boy donāt you know when youāre on a date, you give ALL of your attention to the woman youāre with. Donāt act all surprised that bets is upset with you. You would be too if she was talking about others.
Very sad that it still hasnāt occurred to Gunther to turn his phone off. I would love to see Bets grab Guntherās phone and turn it off ā indicating that Bets knows Gunther needs help and sheās still willing to go to the convention with him.
OK, Gunther ā let us see if we can salvage this. Remember: Bets digs you as more a Captain Kirk type. Now, turn off the phone and ask Bets to put it in her purse. That will give her the sense that you are willing to devote the time to her and no one else, and you want to fix what just happened. Now, take off the Spock ears and get more into the Captain Kirk mode. Gently reach across the table and hold her hand. Pull her close, slowly, then meet her half way while looking into her eyes. Tell her that the whole rest of the world just faded away. Now, bring your lips close to hers and see if she responds by pressing her lips to yours. If she still digs you and you survive that, tell her that, if she likes, there is more where that came from after the Trek ā con.
.
And for Christās sake, DONāT MENTION THAT LUANN ONCE SAID YOU WERE A GOOD KISSER.
I remember an arc in the comic āDrabble.ā Drabbleās inept son Norman scores a job posing as a character in an artwork at the Laguna Art Festival. He has to remain stationary and motionless for one minute. His family is there to watch and theyāre proud of him. Sure enough ā during the one minute, Normanās cell phone rings ā and HE ANSWERS IT! Norman explains to his embarrassed family that he doesnāt get many callsā¦
As one of the very few who has not purchased a cell phone, my question to everyone else is, Why do you have to answer it EVERY TIME it rings? Do you ever shut it off? I hear them go off in church! During lectures, and funeral services! Why is it so important to stay connected every moment of the day?
My friends and I text each other at all hours and wouldnāt think twice about texting at an inopportune time. Same with my spouse. We all keep our phones on silent and only look if itās a good time. My daughter (college age) also texts me whenever the mood strikes. She knows Iāll not answer when busy or when it would be rude, Iāll respond when I see the text. Same goes with her, her phone is silent and answers when timing is right.
When Luann texted Gunther, I would hope she assumed heād have his phone off while on a date or at the very least on silent and put away. So when she said āCall me!ā maybe she thought heād be reading that text after his date. So the urgency couldāve been meant for a post date text reading, which seems more harmless.
So based on my own personal experiences, I canāt blame Luann for texting Gunther during his date. But I do agree she shouldānt have engaged in a converstation when he called. Her comments earlier this week about āfooling aroundā and saying Betās name in a familiar way also seemed a bit off and kind of obtuse. So, maybe there is some subconscious sabatoging going on here.
The more I look at the last panel it appears that Bets is genuinely hurt. She took a chance on someone who canāt even show her the respect of their undivided attention. Sad.
Hey now. Thereās 50-50 chance Gunny will pull this off. But not without suffering first.
On the other hand, G&K might pull a fast one. Bets may be here as someone elseās G/F. After this mess she changes her mind and gives Les , not Gunther, another chance. Les realizes his good fortune and becomes a decent human being, and Bets becomes Lesā first REAL girlfriend. Ann hates Bets (you name the reason) only cause Les to Iove Bets all the more.
Gunther finally learns some common sense and how to keep his big mouth shut. Luann, feeling sorry for him starts to date him, causing indescribable fan outrage. He later starts dating Tiffany, much to My delight!
resigns in the Fall putting the VP in charge who loses the election in 2020 to an unknown charismatic 3rd party candidate who loves making tasteless, sarcastic remarks and loves drinking COFFEE. He wins the nation over with his slogan: āHOW the H3LL???ā And with his best seller: āOn the other handā¦..,ā
During his third term the US invades Brazil insuring cheap COFFEE for decades to come!
As I pointed out, Bets has yet to use HER phone on this date.
What if the next text is from Les telling Gunther:
āHey LOSER! When youāre done screwing up your date, tell Bets a REAL Man is waiting for her!ā
Or to Bets:
āHey, Babe! Iām a Man who believes in in second chances! Why donāt you ditch the DWEEB, and come over and see Me later, and I SHOW how to explore the galaxy!ā
Gunther would freak, Bets would be appalled, and BOTH would finally focus on EACH OTHER after turning THEIR DAMN PHONES OFF!
I can see Luann and Ox (and maybe MAYBE even Les) together in The Fuse talking about Guntherās date really happy for him. They are great friendsā”. Precious friends. If Bets has a problem with this, she can walk away.
Gunther doesnāt exactly have a lot of experience with dates. And he pals around with people who group date to the point of passing off a digital date (Quill on video chat) onto him for him to keep the phone company for a bit.
Heās just got to drop the phone and realize this is a one-on-one time right now.
If he can do that, heāll be fine.
But G&K already neglected to let Bets overhear him call her āsmart and funā to another friend. So probably not, this time around.
Saying a prayer to the comic gods to not let Gunther completely bungle this date. He means well but is just incredibly inept in the world of dating since he hasnāt had much experience and was basically a mamaās boy for, well most of his life. Liking Bets so far, would like to see more of her with Gunther.
This is only Friday. By Saturday, Bets will show Gunther what he could be missing and plant a firm kiss on him. Then, hand in hand, they will be off to the Star Trek thingy.
Bets said upfront that she had ābaggage,ā that she always seemed to wind up dating a jerk. It is time for some of that baggage to show up. I expect a re-play of the Brad-Toni-Dirk love triangle. A large Black guy that does not like White guys poaching on his territory and wimpy ones at that.
Bets is coming across as a very possessive woman. They just met and sheās already making demands on a relationship that has just started. Gunther, beware!
I wouldnāt say sheās jealous of Ox, Iād say itās more the feeling like her date isnāt so private. Again it was a bad idea for Gunth to meet her at the Fuse, wherever everyone he knows is going to see it as a sideshow. that should have been done quietly and he should have silenced his phone and kept it in his pocket for the first date. The world can get along without constant contact for a few hours while I sets a first impression on a new potential love interest.
This looks bad, but I still think jumping to conclusions might be premature. We know she does not like cheaters or liars, but Gunther has been totally honest with her. This might be salvageable if she is interested in Gunther and really wants a relationship generally, and we his honest, smart self in particular. I still hold out hope. Gunther needs a separation for Luannverse because it is just as smothering with its blind love as his mom. I hope, in a way, that Bets can be his Uncle Al, a lot cuter. Please Gnk liberate the Gunth!!!
Given the pace of comic time to real time, did smart phones exists when Gunther had a girlfriend? I love the comments from cantankerous Luddites proudly saying they donāt have a cell phone, but comment on message boardsā¦LOL.
Unless you are a doctor taking medical emergencies, or unless you have a family member in critical medical conditionā¦.NO phone calls or texts during dates. Thatās just rude.
If he were a doctor on call, thatās a whole different ball of wax. But he isnāt. This is just rude behavior and on top of that, I, myself, would resent that I was being discussed behind my back by my dateās friends. Are they telling him Iām a 10? A bow-wow? What??? I would HATE that. My date would have to shut that phone off NOW and on top of that, would have to behave like a total gentleman and show a LOT of interest in me for me to continue the date. And/or to give him a second chance.
Gunther is no expert in the dating arena ā thus his faux pas with the tech is sort of excusable (not condoning it, but does he really not know better?) Not that Bets would know this; however, I do agree she has the right to be annoyed at the situation.
Well looks like this date is pretty much done. Luann just couldnāt leave Gunther alone! Plus he felt he just HAD to call her back. Iāll bet it was HER idea to have Ox send a Smiley Face too! That just doesnāt seem like something Ox would do on his own. Honestly, even if everyoneās intentions were good their hovering and smothering ( which Gunther has allowed and encouraged) have messed things up so much with Bets it may be beyond repair. Really really sadābut he brought it on himself by answered Luannās pestering texts!
For a guy whoās such a conscientious host, heās a real idiot with it comes to common courtesy. Not being in your phone on a date- especially a first date- is basic manners. And Gunther would have been the first one to call someone else out on it. Honestly, can this whole storyline die already? Bets is too good for him anyway.
From Bets perspectiveā¦ it seems all too obvious that Gunther has way too much baggageā¦ and I can fully understand Bets unhappy face in the last panel. If I were Bets, given the scant information I actually know about Guntherā¦. added to all the intrusions by Luann, Les, and Oxā¦. I would be getting the mindset that either:
1) This whole date action was some sort of shared, communal, poor-taste joke that she is being set up on.
2) If this is ārealā, then Gunther appears to be āway too involvedā with his āfriendsā if he cannot even maintain focus on his date during the damn date.
Nowā¦ we the readersā¦. know the backstory and can understand what is happening better (not that we like it any better). But, seriously at this pointā¦. if I were Betsā¦. I would now get the hell out of there and never look back.
I have waited 2 weeks to try and find out why Bets would use a online dating service. She is very very pretty with a nice little shape. She should have no problems finding dates on her own. Maybe she is to controlling??
Greg ā donāt do thisā¦too triteā¦too much of a comic trope. Give Gunther a chance to have at least something that lasts a bit more than a weekly arc.
Respect is the issue: turn off the phone for a while and be with that person youāve asked to go out with you. Itās insulting to be put in second-place to everyone else.
I donāt think Bets is jealous of Ox or Luann. She just doesnāt want them monitoring her date with Gunther, who characteristically is completely clueless. What a pathetic dweeb. Les knows this and loves tormenting his loser roomie. I enjoy it myself.
Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone.
TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE.
Any of you Gunther supporters, remind me WHY you root for him? He is DUMB! He may be a good engineering student, but he has zero emotional intelligence. Bets can definitely do better than him.
Gunther can do better than Bets. Sheās possessive, and on the first web date, yet! Imagine how sheād be if his friends stopped in to see him when sheās at his house? or if Luann should be around ā jealous? Forget her even if she is a Trekkie.
Farewell Bets, we hardly knew yeā¦ā¦Pity really, she seemed like she could have been and interesting new character. But then, so did Piro, and he got sent to purgatory (or wherever) a long time ago. I donāt think Greg knows how to write for his new characters. I sometimes think he doesnāt know how to write for his OLD characters, which is why he keeps falling back into the same well-worn groove. As in:
Gunther is a clueless loser, heāll never win, HA HA.
Luann is a boy-crazy ditz, desperate for a man (kinda like Sally on the old Dick Van Dyke show) HA HA.
Tiffany is a greedy, spoiled material girl who thinks her looks will get her anything, and again, HA HA.
As far as Bets being clingy or possessive, I disagree. The poor woman just wanted to go have a nice time at a Trek con with a fellow Trekkie nerd. She WANTED to date Guntherāā-NOT Gunther and company. Time enough later (if there is a later) for her to get to know his friends. Instead of focusing his attention on her, Gunthy is taking and answering calls and texts from his friends in the middle of their date. Yes, his friends are to blame for doing it, but Gunthyās to blame for ALLOWING them to do it. He could easily ignore them. She has a right to be annoyed and upset. If the situation were reversedāif BETS was the one getting constant phone interruptions from HER friendsā-everyone would rise up and condemn her for treating lil Gunthy that way.
Putting this in terms Gunther can understand:āRED ALERT! RED ALERT! Unauthorized intrusion into secured space! Deflector shields at maximum! Initiate E.M.P. to disable all external communications!ā
I totally understand why Bets is annoyed and frustrated at this point ā TOTALLY. But Iām not sure I like how sheās (literally) showing her displeasure. Itās a passive-aggressive move, almost a shaming move, that could cut off all conversation. That Bets didnāt use a gentler approach seems to suggest that these two donāt, collectively, have the communication skills to make it as a couple.
Sad, but true, Guntherās life, his destiny, will always be that āslippery slopeā. His legacy will be āa hat full of rain,ā and his love life will be a one night stand, hopefully not producing another albatross like Shannon. Greg is no Wizard of Oz, and there is no yellow brick road in Pitts. Happy day! Happy day!
Focus, Gunther, focus! No one wants a date to ignore her or him. Just turn off your phone for now. That lesson is pretty much from the first week of Dating 101ā¦
ONE ā little ā tiny ā bright spot here: Gunther DID show her his phone (he didnāt have to, or hesitate indoing so), and that it was Ox, and him only.
Gunther can either FINALLY get the message to shut the phone OFF ā¦ or this date truly IS over! ā¦
Bets likely doesnāt have any idea of who Ox is other than he works at a cafe, if she even knows that. And why, even if your friends are happy for you, would they text you at the beginning of a date, any date, let alone knowing itās a first time date, first time meeting?
And no, he is not WITH you. He is with you (lower case), he is WITH (upper case) his (what you call) friends. Big difference. You just happen to be there while heās with his friends, the way you make it sound.
āNobody likes clingy or possessive types. You JUST met him and it is unrealistic to expect him to worship you and ignore his friends.ā Youāre right, you JUST met him, but youāre wrong āit unrealistic to expect him toā¦ignore his friends.ā You, or in this case Bets, are his friend and itās shouldnāt be unexpected that your first meeting and exploratory first time together should be about the two of you. He can āunignoreā his other friends later, in a little while, after he finishes what heās now doing, unless youāre saying that everything he does must come to a standstill if his āfriendsā want to simply contact him, talk to him, be āhappyā with him. Unless she with the fourth person on a double date with Gunther and another couple. The alternative would be she, the new person, joins the groupās members on a group activity, and thatās not what was planned, was it.
Iāve read theses Luann comments over the years and have hesitated to throw in my less than two-cents worth, but I couldnāt help but find the opening for this post, āNOW I am concerned. Bets is jealous of OX? Hey, Gunther has FRIENDS. They are happy for him and text him. No big deal. Roll with it, Bets.ā so out of place I decided to respond.
As for āSomeday, if you and Gunther decide to dateā¦ā, they are on a date, however formal or informal it is. It should be expected that Gunther and Betās concentration should be on each other and on āthemā, learning about each other, not on outs
Sheās not jealous. It is incredibly rude to be on your phone when on a date or talking with a live person. Gunther deserves to be taken down a peg for that behavior. As do a lot of other folks. Including those pestering him when they know he is busy. Thatās etiquette, not jealousy, not possessiveness.
I have an idea whereby Gunther could salvage this situation in a dramatic and creative way. He should take Bets outside, smash the phone with a large rock (if there is pond or lake, throw it in), then say āiām sorry Iāve acted like the total jerk and dweeb that I amā¦ forgive me and letās just go to the conventionā¦ if youāll still have meā¦ā
Might be cartoon characters, yes, but this is mirroring the lack of decorum and civility one sees in our world. Itās a comment on that, not simply a cartoon. A point is being made here that has nothing to do with cartoon characters.
In addition to possible autistic conditions, letās not forget that Guntherās Mom treated him like a baby into his late teens. Mom didnāt get up and leave when Gunther made a boo-boo.
Guntherā¦.dudeā¦Rule #1 on ANY outing (especially dates!): Never take your cell phone out unless its an emergency. This is salvageable still, but heās really screwing this up.
Tomorrow Bets should get up and walk out. Gunther deserves it. The next time we see an arc with Gunther, he should be telling off Luann and then distancing himself from her. He needs to go out and get a job so he can afford somewhere to live on his own. Then he can work on starting new friendships.
Very curious to see how Saturdayās strip closes out this arc. (PLEASE donāt drag it out another week.) Iād like to see Gunther apologize, express that heād really like to turn this first date around, and go off arm-in-arm to the Trek event with this very kind, gracious, and beautiful Bets. But Iām dreading that Bets will walk off in the first panel and Gunther will get on his phone to blame a clueless bewildered Luanne.
Guntherās mom will come over to the gulag later, tuck them in, and leave them warm milk and cookies. That is, if Gunther survives Betās āGunthyashi Maruā test.
.
If that scenario does not happen, Dick Dastardly and Muttley will befriend him and they will go from misadventure to misadventure ātill the end of time. Ya just gotta love Muttleyās wheezing smokerās laugh. Get used to it Gunthā¦
On a date, the human in front of you takes priority over the one on the phone. Turn the damn thing off and pay attention to the date. If you donāt, this can happen to you. Then your only date will be the phone.
All very cute, but now itās time again for Queen Tiffany to lose a few pounds, a few items of attire, and rise up so all may gaze upon the magnificent love goddess of Pitts. Bets will stand in awe, Luann will dare not challenge her superior glamor, and Guntherās knees will turn to water.
Poor Gunther. Evanās has him destined to be the Charley Brown of the Luannverse. No matter how hard he tries he just canāt win. He will always miss the football, get his kite stuck in the tree, and will always get a rock on Halloween. He will always be the whipping boy in the strip.
The date is over. Gunth should have kept his phone off during the date, but Bets is still over-reacting. Maybe it is best to say good-bye to Bets after all.
Gunther, I get youāre probably inexperienced, but you are so blowing it if you canāt focus on the here and now with a person, sheās there to spend time with you, not to see you focus on something or someone else
Templo S.U.D. almost 6 years ago
I see the date isnāt going so well thanks to Guntherās friends (and fiendsā¦ I mean Leslie here) butting in.
Cheapskate0 almost 6 years ago
Looks like the date is over!
Novalynn almost 6 years ago
If you think thatās bad, just wait until you hear how many years Gunther spent pining over Luann. Not to mention that time they kissedā¦
GirlGeek Premium Member almost 6 years ago
This is Guntherās fault. If he hadnāt told her to meet at the Fuse none of this would happen. Also this is Luannās fault for interrupting somebody elseās dating knowing she wouldnāt want to be treated this way.
Dirty Dragon almost 6 years ago
Phone OFF ā charm ON!
live2read almost 6 years ago
Gunther is saying, āUh. . .ā in the second panel. Doesnāt sound like itās Ox sending that smiley face. . .
DaJellyBelly almost 6 years ago
I cannot put all the blame on Luann. If Gunther was dumb to call Luann right back. He deserves whatever happens next!
Namrepus almost 6 years ago
Luann againn. Nice little self-plug there.
AnyFace almost 6 years ago
AnyFace almost 6 years ago
Not every woman is attracted to āComplicated.ā āØ
ericbrower almost 6 years ago
The look on Betsā face is the worst possible. Even an angry one who have been better. An angry face says āIām on a date with a real nice guy. And I donāt want anything to spoil itā. Instead, her face looks tired, resigned, and not a little bit sad. This face says āIām on a date with a real nice guy. But his friends wonāt leave us alone to get to know each other. And worse, he doesnāt have a problem with thatā.
Kymberleigh almost 6 years ago
Letās see if I have all the fatal errors made before this date could even begin ā¦
1. Gunther met Bets at the Fuse, where everyone else in the Luannverse could get involved, however well-intentioned.
2. Gunther hasnāt got the sense to either turn off the smartphone or set it to silent mode when he is on a date.
3. Luann should have known better than to start texting Gunther while the date was in progress, instead of waiting to ask him about it the next day.
4. Bets and Gunther should have left right away and had whatever conversation they were going to have in the car on the way to the convention.
I miss anything?
SHIVA almost 6 years ago
Well, that was a quick ādateā!!
ridenslide65 almost 6 years ago
Put the phone away Gunther. Donāt be a doofus.
Need coffee almost 6 years ago
If Bets was wearing a Christine Chapel outfit, Gunther would be deservedly wearing a bowl of plomeek soup right about now.
Itād be nice to think heās going to learn something from this, but he STILL didnāt turn off the phone, so Bets is going to have to explain every last nuance to him if she still wants to tryā¦
ā¦hope sheās been reading this board.
capricorn9th almost 6 years ago
NOW I am concerned. Bets is jealous of OX? Hey, Gunther has FRIENDS. They are happy for him and text him. No big deal. Roll with it, Bets. He is WITH you and going to Trekkie-Con. Just go and have fun with him. You are already acting like a girlfriend which WILL scare him away. Nobody likes clingy or possessive types. You JUST met him and it is unrealistic to expect him to worship you and ignore his friends. Someday, if you and Gunther decide to date, those friends WILL be part of YOUR life with Gunther. Deal with it now or leave Gunther at Taco Time. Cut the date short and spare him the unnecessary problems down the road.
gnmnrbl almost 6 years ago
Gunther, youāre too smart to be as dumb as you are. Boy donāt you know when youāre on a date, you give ALL of your attention to the woman youāre with. Donāt act all surprised that bets is upset with you. You would be too if she was talking about others.
Pointspread almost 6 years ago
Well Bets I guess this is what you get for trying online dating.
Tue Elung-Jensen almost 6 years ago
Tbh it isnĀ“t fair towards Gunther that he gets the blame for other people disturbing all at once ā and she was off for just a bit.
Pointspread almost 6 years ago
Gunther, in case you havenāt figured it out: you blew it.
jvn almost 6 years ago
I liked the little self-promotion in the third panel. Well played, sir.
Enter.Name.Here almost 6 years ago
Gunthā¦.Phone off NOW, else date over NOW.
31768 almost 6 years ago
Sheās about to beam away from you, you moron. This date is over. Thanxs also to Lukhann.
amethyst52 Premium Member almost 6 years ago
If I was on a date and he answered his phone Iād get up and leave.
Snoopy_Fan almost 6 years ago
Just turn off the phone! You shouldāve done that the moment it rang the first time. If not before.
kenhense almost 6 years ago
Very sad that it still hasnāt occurred to Gunther to turn his phone off. I would love to see Bets grab Guntherās phone and turn it off ā indicating that Bets knows Gunther needs help and sheās still willing to go to the convention with him.
Brdshtt Premium Member almost 6 years ago
OK, Gunther ā let us see if we can salvage this. Remember: Bets digs you as more a Captain Kirk type. Now, turn off the phone and ask Bets to put it in her purse. That will give her the sense that you are willing to devote the time to her and no one else, and you want to fix what just happened. Now, take off the Spock ears and get more into the Captain Kirk mode. Gently reach across the table and hold her hand. Pull her close, slowly, then meet her half way while looking into her eyes. Tell her that the whole rest of the world just faded away. Now, bring your lips close to hers and see if she responds by pressing her lips to yours. If she still digs you and you survive that, tell her that, if she likes, there is more where that came from after the Trek ā con.
.
And for Christās sake, DONāT MENTION THAT LUANN ONCE SAID YOU WERE A GOOD KISSER.
kenhense almost 6 years ago
I remember an arc in the comic āDrabble.ā Drabbleās inept son Norman scores a job posing as a character in an artwork at the Laguna Art Festival. He has to remain stationary and motionless for one minute. His family is there to watch and theyāre proud of him. Sure enough ā during the one minute, Normanās cell phone rings ā and HE ANSWERS IT! Norman explains to his embarrassed family that he doesnāt get many callsā¦
sactiger almost 6 years ago
Okay ā this cannot end well.Boy, oh boyā¦ olā Gunth canāt catch a break with the ladies, can he?
moosemin almost 6 years ago
As one of the very few who has not purchased a cell phone, my question to everyone else is, Why do you have to answer it EVERY TIME it rings? Do you ever shut it off? I hear them go off in church! During lectures, and funeral services! Why is it so important to stay connected every moment of the day?
Joe1962 almost 6 years ago
Gunther you should have turn the cell phone off. And your friends just blew your date. Way to go Luann and OX.
sactiger almost 6 years ago
I gotta ask: whatās Guntherās middle name ā āputz?ā
Martdg almost 6 years ago
My friends and I text each other at all hours and wouldnāt think twice about texting at an inopportune time. Same with my spouse. We all keep our phones on silent and only look if itās a good time. My daughter (college age) also texts me whenever the mood strikes. She knows Iāll not answer when busy or when it would be rude, Iāll respond when I see the text. Same goes with her, her phone is silent and answers when timing is right.
When Luann texted Gunther, I would hope she assumed heād have his phone off while on a date or at the very least on silent and put away. So when she said āCall me!ā maybe she thought heād be reading that text after his date. So the urgency couldāve been meant for a post date text reading, which seems more harmless.
So based on my own personal experiences, I canāt blame Luann for texting Gunther during his date. But I do agree she shouldānt have engaged in a converstation when he called. Her comments earlier this week about āfooling aroundā and saying Betās name in a familiar way also seemed a bit off and kind of obtuse. So, maybe there is some subconscious sabatoging going on here.
Pointspread almost 6 years ago
The more I look at the last panel it appears that Bets is genuinely hurt. She took a chance on someone who canāt even show her the respect of their undivided attention. Sad.
M2MM almost 6 years ago
Turn the sound of your phone OFF! Putz!
maestrabella67 almost 6 years ago
Gunth, have a brain. Put the phone down. OTOH, if Bets canāt handle your friends, sheās not right for you
Barry1941 almost 6 years ago
To repeat what I said yesterday, TURN OFF THE PHONE!
sueb1863 almost 6 years ago
Youāre blowing it, Gunther! Unless heās subconsciously sabotaging it because he really doesnāt want to be on the date.
Bets is either going to end the date now or tell him that itās over if he touches that phone one more time.
Mordock999 Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Hey now. Thereās 50-50 chance Gunny will pull this off. But not without suffering first.
On the other hand, G&K might pull a fast one. Bets may be here as someone elseās G/F. After this mess she changes her mind and gives Les , not Gunther, another chance. Les realizes his good fortune and becomes a decent human being, and Bets becomes Lesā first REAL girlfriend. Ann hates Bets (you name the reason) only cause Les to Iove Bets all the more.
Gunther finally learns some common sense and how to keep his big mouth shut. Luann, feeling sorry for him starts to date him, causing indescribable fan outrage. He later starts dating Tiffany, much to My delight!
resigns in the Fall putting the VP in charge who loses the election in 2020 to an unknown charismatic 3rd party candidate who loves making tasteless, sarcastic remarks and loves drinking COFFEE. He wins the nation over with his slogan: āHOW the H3LL???ā And with his best seller: āOn the other handā¦..,āDuring his third term the US invades Brazil insuring cheap COFFEE for decades to come!
Mordock999 Premium Member almost 6 years ago
As I pointed out, Bets has yet to use HER phone on this date.
What if the next text is from Les telling Gunther:
āHey LOSER! When youāre done screwing up your date, tell Bets a REAL Man is waiting for her!ā
Or to Bets:
āHey, Babe! Iām a Man who believes in in second chances! Why donāt you ditch the DWEEB, and come over and see Me later, and I SHOW how to explore the galaxy!ā
Gunther would freak, Bets would be appalled, and BOTH would finally focus on EACH OTHER after turning THEIR DAMN PHONES OFF!
Imagine. Les (GAG) saves the dayā¦ā¦.,
dewcoons almost 6 years ago
Danger, Will Robinson!!
Purple People Eater almost 6 years ago
She apparently doesnāt want to be with someone who has friends that are going to butt into their relationship.
Cincoflex almost 6 years ago
I really get annoyed at how Gunther is never allowed to be happy.
chris_o42 almost 6 years ago
If you want to save your date, Gunther, TURN OFF YOUR PHONE!
Aladar30 Premium Member almost 6 years ago
I can see Luann and Ox (and maybe MAYBE even Les) together in The Fuse talking about Guntherās date really happy for him. They are great friendsā”. Precious friends. If Bets has a problem with this, she can walk away.
rrsltx almost 6 years ago
What a putz. Missed opportunity for a relationship with someone he had something in common with. Say goodnight Gunthie, your date is about to.
Fiammata almost 6 years ago
Gunther doesnāt exactly have a lot of experience with dates. And he pals around with people who group date to the point of passing off a digital date (Quill on video chat) onto him for him to keep the phone company for a bit.
Heās just got to drop the phone and realize this is a one-on-one time right now.
If he can do that, heāll be fine.
But G&K already neglected to let Bets overhear him call her āsmart and funā to another friend. So probably not, this time around.
maxiesmom2 Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Saying a prayer to the comic gods to not let Gunther completely bungle this date. He means well but is just incredibly inept in the world of dating since he hasnāt had much experience and was basically a mamaās boy for, well most of his life. Liking Bets so far, would like to see more of her with Gunther.
TORAD_07 almost 6 years ago
Gunthā¦. Rule #1 of āmilenia datingā¦.ā ā " Donāt ādisā your date! Ignore the smartphone!"
wschott almost 6 years ago
He can salvage this. Turn off the phone.
dan.mcquiston almost 6 years ago
I love to see how many readers psychoanalyze and offer solutions for characters of a comic strip.
Airman almost 6 years ago
This is only Friday. By Saturday, Bets will show Gunther what he could be missing and plant a firm kiss on him. Then, hand in hand, they will be off to the Star Trek thingy.
Wubbie almost 6 years ago
A little advice Betts. Gunthie is such a disaster that he qualifies for FEMA relief. Evacuate the area now!
Vangoghdog01 almost 6 years ago
Bets said upfront that she had ābaggage,ā that she always seemed to wind up dating a jerk. It is time for some of that baggage to show up. I expect a re-play of the Brad-Toni-Dirk love triangle. A large Black guy that does not like White guys poaching on his territory and wimpy ones at that.
micromos almost 6 years ago
STEP AWAY FROM THE PHONE!
preacherman Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Bets is coming across as a very possessive woman. They just met and sheās already making demands on a relationship that has just started. Gunther, beware!
TheElderGodfather almost 6 years ago
I wouldnāt say sheās jealous of Ox, Iād say itās more the feeling like her date isnāt so private. Again it was a bad idea for Gunth to meet her at the Fuse, wherever everyone he knows is going to see it as a sideshow. that should have been done quietly and he should have silenced his phone and kept it in his pocket for the first date. The world can get along without constant contact for a few hours while I sets a first impression on a new potential love interest.
2Goldfish almost 6 years ago
You are blowing it, dude!
Tyge almost 6 years ago
Anyone catch the plug for Luann Againn?
Tyge almost 6 years ago
Gunther need a new set of āfriends.ā He can start with Bets.
Tyge almost 6 years ago
Time for Bets to bring Gunther up to date on dating āgrown ups.ā
luann1212 almost 6 years ago
This looks bad, but I still think jumping to conclusions might be premature. We know she does not like cheaters or liars, but Gunther has been totally honest with her. This might be salvageable if she is interested in Gunther and really wants a relationship generally, and we his honest, smart self in particular. I still hold out hope. Gunther needs a separation for Luannverse because it is just as smothering with its blind love as his mom. I hope, in a way, that Bets can be his Uncle Al, a lot cuter. Please Gnk liberate the Gunth!!!
StackableContainers almost 6 years ago
Given the pace of comic time to real time, did smart phones exists when Gunther had a girlfriend? I love the comments from cantankerous Luddites proudly saying they donāt have a cell phone, but comment on message boardsā¦LOL.
AndreaR almost 6 years ago
Unless you are a doctor taking medical emergencies, or unless you have a family member in critical medical conditionā¦.NO phone calls or texts during dates. Thatās just rude.
Prescott_Philosopher almost 6 years ago
Remember, this is Karenās idea of men, doofus little boys.
dlkrueger33 almost 6 years ago
If he were a doctor on call, thatās a whole different ball of wax. But he isnāt. This is just rude behavior and on top of that, I, myself, would resent that I was being discussed behind my back by my dateās friends. Are they telling him Iām a 10? A bow-wow? What??? I would HATE that. My date would have to shut that phone off NOW and on top of that, would have to behave like a total gentleman and show a LOT of interest in me for me to continue the date. And/or to give him a second chance.
Ken Otwell almost 6 years ago
hmm. Sounds like Bets is too clingy for him.
percheronhitch6 almost 6 years ago
Sheās really letting her sketchy boundaries show right out of the gate, isnāt she? Hmmmmā¦.Check, please?
Schrodinger's Dog almost 6 years ago
Sometimes it doesnāt ātake a villageā. lol
ScretWitch almost 6 years ago
Gunther is no expert in the dating arena ā thus his faux pas with the tech is sort of excusable (not condoning it, but does he really not know better?) Not that Bets would know this; however, I do agree she has the right to be annoyed at the situation.
eladee AKA Wally almost 6 years ago
Well looks like this date is pretty much done. Luann just couldnāt leave Gunther alone! Plus he felt he just HAD to call her back. Iāll bet it was HER idea to have Ox send a Smiley Face too! That just doesnāt seem like something Ox would do on his own. Honestly, even if everyoneās intentions were good their hovering and smothering ( which Gunther has allowed and encouraged) have messed things up so much with Bets it may be beyond repair. Really really sadābut he brought it on himself by answered Luannās pestering texts!
ahess247 almost 6 years ago
This Gunther dating storyline is stupid.
Code the Enforcer almost 6 years ago
GunTHERRRR!!!
As I said earlier ā and it was and IS advice to HIM:
āHailing ā¦ Frequencies ā¦ CLOSED!!!ā
ladyhawk89 almost 6 years ago
For a guy whoās such a conscientious host, heās a real idiot with it comes to common courtesy. Not being in your phone on a date- especially a first date- is basic manners. And Gunther would have been the first one to call someone else out on it. Honestly, can this whole storyline die already? Bets is too good for him anyway.
Pipe Tobacco Premium Member almost 6 years ago
2
From Bets perspectiveā¦ it seems all too obvious that Gunther has way too much baggageā¦ and I can fully understand Bets unhappy face in the last panel. If I were Bets, given the scant information I actually know about Guntherā¦. added to all the intrusions by Luann, Les, and Oxā¦. I would be getting the mindset that either:
1) This whole date action was some sort of shared, communal, poor-taste joke that she is being set up on.
2) If this is ārealā, then Gunther appears to be āway too involvedā with his āfriendsā if he cannot even maintain focus on his date during the damn date.
Nowā¦ we the readersā¦. know the backstory and can understand what is happening better (not that we like it any better). But, seriously at this pointā¦. if I were Betsā¦. I would now get the hell out of there and never look back.
tutibug5 almost 6 years ago
I have waited 2 weeks to try and find out why Bets would use a online dating service. She is very very pretty with a nice little shape. She should have no problems finding dates on her own. Maybe she is to controlling??
GaryCooper almost 6 years ago
Cāmon, donāt blow it, Gunther. Turn the damn phone OFF.
phileaux almost 6 years ago
Turn. Off. The. Phone.
Bobtul07110 almost 6 years ago
Bets seems to be just a little bit controlling.
dougsathome almost 6 years ago
It does not appear that they will Live Long and Prosper together.
JNOLO almost 6 years ago
Greg ā donāt do thisā¦too triteā¦too much of a comic trope. Give Gunther a chance to have at least something that lasts a bit more than a weekly arc.
LC1 almost 6 years ago
Respect is the issue: turn off the phone for a while and be with that person youāve asked to go out with you. Itās insulting to be put in second-place to everyone else.
St. Pillsbury almost 6 years ago
Gunther, turn the phone OFF!
Brdshtt Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Perhaps it will dawn on Gunther that things are not going right when Bets goes into the Trek ā Con with him and instead leaves with a Tribble.
Mayor Snorkum almost 6 years ago
I donāt think Bets is jealous of Ox or Luann. She just doesnāt want them monitoring her date with Gunther, who characteristically is completely clueless. What a pathetic dweeb. Les knows this and loves tormenting his loser roomie. I enjoy it myself.
mourdac Premium Member almost 6 years ago
āBeam me up, Scotty, Iām out of this dateā (apologies to Star Trek).
David Huie Green LikeNobody'sEverSeen almost 6 years ago
Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone. Turn off phone.
TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE. TURN OFF PHONE.
locake almost 6 years ago
Any of you Gunther supporters, remind me WHY you root for him? He is DUMB! He may be a good engineering student, but he has zero emotional intelligence. Bets can definitely do better than him.
Ginny Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Gunther can do better than Bets. Sheās possessive, and on the first web date, yet! Imagine how sheād be if his friends stopped in to see him when sheās at his house? or if Luann should be around ā jealous? Forget her even if she is a Trekkie.
txmystic almost 6 years ago
Love the extra āNāā¦reference to the throwback comicā¦
AndrewSihler almost 6 years ago
Cell phones are indifferent servants and dreadful masters.
wantcomicsnow almost 6 years ago
Farewell Bets, we hardly knew yeā¦ā¦Pity really, she seemed like she could have been and interesting new character. But then, so did Piro, and he got sent to purgatory (or wherever) a long time ago. I donāt think Greg knows how to write for his new characters. I sometimes think he doesnāt know how to write for his OLD characters, which is why he keeps falling back into the same well-worn groove. As in:
Gunther is a clueless loser, heāll never win, HA HA.
Luann is a boy-crazy ditz, desperate for a man (kinda like Sally on the old Dick Van Dyke show) HA HA.
Tiffany is a greedy, spoiled material girl who thinks her looks will get her anything, and again, HA HA.
Oh well.wantcomicsnow almost 6 years ago
As far as Bets being clingy or possessive, I disagree. The poor woman just wanted to go have a nice time at a Trek con with a fellow Trekkie nerd. She WANTED to date Guntherāā-NOT Gunther and company. Time enough later (if there is a later) for her to get to know his friends. Instead of focusing his attention on her, Gunthy is taking and answering calls and texts from his friends in the middle of their date. Yes, his friends are to blame for doing it, but Gunthyās to blame for ALLOWING them to do it. He could easily ignore them. She has a right to be annoyed and upset. If the situation were reversedāif BETS was the one getting constant phone interruptions from HER friendsā-everyone would rise up and condemn her for treating lil Gunthy that way.
nomomaniacs almost 6 years ago
Its not unrealistic to expect his undivided attention on a date. Gunth should never have answered that call from Luann
Ahuehuete almost 6 years ago
Buh bye, Bets
locake almost 6 years ago
One day left in this comic week. I think someone else will contact Gunther Saturday, probably his mom. The last panel will show Bets walking out.
Troglodyte almost 6 years ago
All Bets are off now?
yoda1234 almost 6 years ago
Putting this in terms Gunther can understand:āRED ALERT! RED ALERT! Unauthorized intrusion into secured space! Deflector shields at maximum! Initiate E.M.P. to disable all external communications!ā
SactoSylvia almost 6 years ago
I totally understand why Bets is annoyed and frustrated at this point ā TOTALLY. But Iām not sure I like how sheās (literally) showing her displeasure. Itās a passive-aggressive move, almost a shaming move, that could cut off all conversation. That Bets didnāt use a gentler approach seems to suggest that these two donāt, collectively, have the communication skills to make it as a couple.
Airman almost 6 years ago
Sad, but true, Guntherās life, his destiny, will always be that āslippery slopeā. His legacy will be āa hat full of rain,ā and his love life will be a one night stand, hopefully not producing another albatross like Shannon. Greg is no Wizard of Oz, and there is no yellow brick road in Pitts. Happy day! Happy day!
Chunk Style almost 6 years ago
Guys! What if Gunthās phone rings one more timeā¦and itās Rosa? Back from Peru! And looking for some dweeb company!
Just kidding. This will all amount to nothing very soon. Are we on week one or two of this arc?
SukieCrandall Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Focus, Gunther, focus! No one wants a date to ignore her or him. Just turn off your phone for now. That lesson is pretty much from the first week of Dating 101ā¦
randyingr almost 6 years ago
Evans, donāt screw this up.
Code the Enforcer almost 6 years ago
ONE ā little ā tiny ā bright spot here: Gunther DID show her his phone (he didnāt have to, or hesitate indoing so), and that it was Ox, and him only.
Gunther can either FINALLY get the message to shut the phone OFF ā¦ or this date truly IS over! ā¦
dungarees almost 6 years ago
Jealous of Ox? Gunther has friends?
Bets likely doesnāt have any idea of who Ox is other than he works at a cafe, if she even knows that. And why, even if your friends are happy for you, would they text you at the beginning of a date, any date, let alone knowing itās a first time date, first time meeting?
And no, he is not WITH you. He is with you (lower case), he is WITH (upper case) his (what you call) friends. Big difference. You just happen to be there while heās with his friends, the way you make it sound.
āNobody likes clingy or possessive types. You JUST met him and it is unrealistic to expect him to worship you and ignore his friends.ā Youāre right, you JUST met him, but youāre wrong āit unrealistic to expect him toā¦ignore his friends.ā You, or in this case Bets, are his friend and itās shouldnāt be unexpected that your first meeting and exploratory first time together should be about the two of you. He can āunignoreā his other friends later, in a little while, after he finishes what heās now doing, unless youāre saying that everything he does must come to a standstill if his āfriendsā want to simply contact him, talk to him, be āhappyā with him. Unless she with the fourth person on a double date with Gunther and another couple. The alternative would be she, the new person, joins the groupās members on a group activity, and thatās not what was planned, was it.
Iāve read theses Luann comments over the years and have hesitated to throw in my less than two-cents worth, but I couldnāt help but find the opening for this post, āNOW I am concerned. Bets is jealous of OX? Hey, Gunther has FRIENDS. They are happy for him and text him. No big deal. Roll with it, Bets.ā so out of place I decided to respond.
As for āSomeday, if you and Gunther decide to dateā¦ā, they are on a date, however formal or informal it is. It should be expected that Gunther and Betās concentration should be on each other and on āthemā, learning about each other, not on outs
genej101 almost 6 years ago
Sheās not jealous. It is incredibly rude to be on your phone when on a date or talking with a live person. Gunther deserves to be taken down a peg for that behavior. As do a lot of other folks. Including those pestering him when they know he is busy. Thatās etiquette, not jealousy, not possessiveness.
RSH almost 6 years ago
I have an idea whereby Gunther could salvage this situation in a dramatic and creative way. He should take Bets outside, smash the phone with a large rock (if there is pond or lake, throw it in), then say āiām sorry Iāve acted like the total jerk and dweeb that I amā¦ forgive me and letās just go to the conventionā¦ if youāll still have meā¦ā
genej101 almost 6 years ago
Might be cartoon characters, yes, but this is mirroring the lack of decorum and civility one sees in our world. Itās a comment on that, not simply a cartoon. A point is being made here that has nothing to do with cartoon characters.
tkspring almost 6 years ago
Am I the only one who noticed that Bets said, āLuann Againn?ā Two Nās like the comic page below.
kenhense almost 6 years ago
In addition to possible autistic conditions, letās not forget that Guntherās Mom treated him like a baby into his late teens. Mom didnāt get up and leave when Gunther made a boo-boo.
kstxmd almost 6 years ago
and so it endsā¦.
TwilightFaze almost 6 years ago
Guntherā¦.dudeā¦Rule #1 on ANY outing (especially dates!): Never take your cell phone out unless its an emergency. This is salvageable still, but heās really screwing this up.
Ariesr almost 6 years ago
Tomorrow Bets should get up and walk out. Gunther deserves it. The next time we see an arc with Gunther, he should be telling off Luann and then distancing himself from her. He needs to go out and get a job so he can afford somewhere to live on his own. Then he can work on starting new friendships.
DukeDiamond almost 6 years ago
Greg, WHY must you torture us along with your characters? Sigh.
mawa14 Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Very curious to see how Saturdayās strip closes out this arc. (PLEASE donāt drag it out another week.) Iād like to see Gunther apologize, express that heād really like to turn this first date around, and go off arm-in-arm to the Trek event with this very kind, gracious, and beautiful Bets. But Iām dreading that Bets will walk off in the first panel and Gunther will get on his phone to blame a clueless bewildered Luanne.
Brdshtt Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Guntherās mom will come over to the gulag later, tuck them in, and leave them warm milk and cookies. That is, if Gunther survives Betās āGunthyashi Maruā test.
.
If that scenario does not happen, Dick Dastardly and Muttley will befriend him and they will go from misadventure to misadventure ātill the end of time. Ya just gotta love Muttleyās wheezing smokerās laugh. Get used to it Gunthā¦
barb_herb almost 6 years ago
The correct response to this abbreviated acquaintanceship, friendship, association, or whatever term is suitable today is, WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
chris_weaver almost 6 years ago
Another perfectly good date ruined by an overly enthusiastic cheering section!
STACEY MARSHALL Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Time for Gunther to POINTEDLY turn off his phone, thereby forcing the buttheaded buttinskies to buttout.
ajakimber425 almost 6 years ago
Uh oh, it looks like Luann and Ox ruin his date.
MyWord almost 6 years ago
Ya know kids, it is possible to turn the dang phone OFF and just enjoy the moment youāre in.
malakhi067 almost 6 years ago
he should have stayed with Rosa.
JustinWondga almost 6 years ago
Gunther deserves every tiny bit of happiness.
That said ā the lessons here that Gunth might learn is this:
DO NOT INTRODUCE YOUR NEW DATE TO YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY RIGHT AWAY.
Friends, family ā and of course, frenemies ā whether itās well-meaning or just plain mean, will interfere and pretty much ruin everything.
And the other lesson?
TURN OFF YOUR PHONE. BOTH PHONES.
JRobinson Premium Member almost 6 years ago
Youāre blowing it, dude. AGAIN. Turn the phone OFF! You can do that, you know!
baraktorvan almost 6 years ago
On a date, the human in front of you takes priority over the one on the phone. Turn the damn thing off and pay attention to the date. If you donāt, this can happen to you. Then your only date will be the phone.
Sisyphos almost 6 years ago
KABLOOIE! There goes Gunnyās Great Date with Bets.
Luann, go be a pest in some other comic strip. Maybe you could find a job in Cathy (if that still runs?).
Gunther, learn this: there are times when you shut your phone off! Or else.
This is what āor elseā looks like. Betsā happy faceā¦.
notbornyesterday almost 6 years ago
I think Bets is looking for someone a little more mature than Gunther, not sure sheās gonna find him in this misbegotten cast of characters.
Airman almost 6 years ago
All very cute, but now itās time again for Queen Tiffany to lose a few pounds, a few items of attire, and rise up so all may gaze upon the magnificent love goddess of Pitts. Bets will stand in awe, Luann will dare not challenge her superior glamor, and Guntherās knees will turn to water.
bakana almost 6 years ago
His Friends are ruining his Date.
Thanks a Bunch, guys.
Mr. Impatient almost 6 years ago
Poor Gunther. Evanās has him destined to be the Charley Brown of the Luannverse. No matter how hard he tries he just canāt win. He will always miss the football, get his kite stuck in the tree, and will always get a rock on Halloween. He will always be the whipping boy in the strip.
phxhocking almost 6 years ago
Guntherā¦pleaseā¦turn off the damn phone!!!!!
Willow Mt Lyon almost 6 years ago
The date is over. Gunth should have kept his phone off during the date, but Bets is still over-reacting. Maybe it is best to say good-bye to Bets after all.
Airman almost 6 years ago
Donāt give up the shipā¦ā¦Bets just may decide to climb his rigging.
ct0760 almost 6 years ago
Gunther, I get youāre probably inexperienced, but you are so blowing it if you canāt focus on the here and now with a person, sheās there to spend time with you, not to see you focus on something or someone else