Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 14, 2020

you seriously got all the time in the world, Bernice? then listen carefully over your friend’s concern on your brother’s behalf

Bernice Halper is back, my favorite red head

“Stop talking, we need to talk,” — Love the word play. But will anything come of this? I’m not hopeful.

She does not want to see her family….

Yippee! Maybe we’ll get around to a girl-to-girl around Bernice’s Bro issues and avoiding dinner at home.

While they’re at it, how about where Jack relates to these two!

I suppose they’re finally returning to this Ben stuff now because it will be Christmas soon and it’s supposed to be heartwarming, or something. Maybe we’ll finally see their parents? And the parents will look identical to their kids, Momther-style?

Yep, Bernice. You need to be talked to. High time someone does.

Broom Hilda’s crystal ball just filled with static because of all the tension developing in the room.

I’m probably the only one who’s glad we finally got out of that Brad and Toni arc – sans Shannon, B&T really aren’t very interesting characters.

I’m thinking it was the only B&T arc without Shannon – at least since they got married. I still want G&K to resolve this custody issue – years since Jonah has been seen and Shannon sort of never not present in B&T’s lives. Except when Luann babysits her.

Moving on.

So, we’re back to Ben and Bernice. Blood relatives, so they can’t ever be a “thing” (a restriction that never really applied to Tiffany and Les, but I digress). Maybe that’s at the heart of this kerfuffle: Bernice may be ready for a boyfriend, but the only boy in her life right now is totally off limits to her.

As for Ben’s wife, for now, we know nothing about her. But in G&K’s scheme of things, maybe that will be yet another character who plays a big part of the story – but we never get to see.

¿Será que Bernice continúa soñando con Jack?

Luann is the adult in the room this time…

Maybe an actual story coming up.

How about how the box went from appox. 24 oz to 8 oz?

Wow, Bernice – you seem really chipper today – now cut the crap and spill why you are avoiding your brother.

Five to ten what they have to talk about concerns Jack.

I was watching Kitchen Nightmares yesterday and one restaurant nuked every meal. The thing that was really strange was there was only ONE microwave. I wonder what would have happened if it broke down in the middle of service. Gordon chucked it out of a second story window!!! LOL!! Subtle.

This pause has been so pregnant, they could deliver septuplets, between the two of them.

The package says “Stew for 2”, was Luann going to eat alone?

Just think. Earlier this year Bernice had power. She had authority.

And she spent her time happily stamping out EVERYONE idea of “Fun” on campus.

Now look at her. Powerless, fearful. Homeless. A dandelion. “How the Mighty have fallen.”

Luann? For fun, why don’t you tell Bernice there’s an illegal party going on over at her house, and she needs to go over there and shut it down! Maybe she slip back into “R.A.” for a few seconds. It would be worth a chuckle.

Nah. I got a BETTER idea. Don’t tell Bern anything. Instead, quietly invite Ben over to your house for stew.

Then lock the doors so Bern can’t escape! ;)

This could get interesting. I hope G&K can run with the story here. Something in 2020 has to end well.

How can someone so smart be this discombobulated over one brother?

This time Luann looks really serious. She no longer wants to see her best friend not go to the family dinner to avoid her brother and nephews. I’m happy! Sure, I understand, Bernice’s personal problems are personal and she should solve them on her own. But to see a friend become more and more miserable is too much! Talk to her, Luann. Help your best friend. If is the case, go at that dinner with her. Bernice has the right to be happy!

Uh oh. She is going to ask her to leave. Things aren’t working out.

That’s an oxymoron, Luann.

Hopefully, we’re getting somewhere with the Bernice-avoiding-Ben story arc.

I wonder why they don’t let her lead her own life

What’s does Luann want to discuss? Ben or Jack or something else!

Time to get back to Bernice’s insecurities about her family, (and, Jack, since Luann suspects Bernice is at least intrigued by him.)

Does Luann ever stop talking?

Bernice wants to be a counselor, but currently in needs of counseling. It could be helpful for her to experience what it’s like to be on the receiving end.

Well Bernice, it’s not easy getting stuff out of the freezer … just so. And you have to put stuff back in … just so.

Re Rhetorical_Question’s “redhead” early comment. He may have meant it to generate comments and he was successful. BUT…

He is correct! Partially. “Brown” is actually a mixed color. It is orange (red and yellow) mixed with black or blue.

Think of it. When you see a rainbow there is no color brown visible. The rainbow contains all the primary and first mixes colors the eye can see. Same for prisms.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light#/media/File:Light_dispersion_conceptual_waves.gif

Bern , It’s your Bro so Listen.

“Mayor Snorkum? Stop reading. We have to draw this boring arc out all week, so don’t waste your time.”

@Greg Evans – Geez, there has been a lot of talk in this ‘toon of late!

Luann will start this big spiel on “family” and Bernice will say “it’s okay Luann, I got together with Ben last week but if you don’t mind, I really don’t want to discuss it”. Then we can wait and see if Luann knows how to respect her friends’ privacy. Counting…1…2…3..

Bernice has no business studying psychology.

The psych major is deflecting. In the words of the late, great Arte Johnson, ‘very interesting’.

I’m tired of people dissing the Bernice character. She has a role to play. (“All the world’s a stage…” etc.) She is Luann’s BFF and they mesh well together and play off of one another.

At one time Delta James was included in a BFF triumvirate. But Delta was never as insecure as the other two. So she was out after graduation.

I think GnK are having trouble creating a successful, post high school, universe for the strip. College had flashes but wasn’t unifying enough. A blizzard of new characters was tried but few stuck and they became unwieldy. Dez has stuck and Bets (so far). Their most successful arcs have been with few characters; like Tiffany crash, burn and recover from Ann Eiffel.

Is Luann about to lay some heavy reality on Bernie? (She certainly needs it!) Time to stop sponging off DeGroot charity and get her own life in order? (Hello, Ben?)

If only….

Let’s all leave Bernice alone. At least she’s not trying to (or not to) get pregnant.

At last! Maybe they are FINALLY going to discuss the “Ben situation”!!!!

Luann being best friend here, and contrary to different opinion, doing what a caring best friend should do, will start the conversation that gets to the heart of why Bernice is so hesitant to met her brother.

computer walks down memory lane aside, Kudos for Luann for realizing Bern is in need of some talk therapy concerning her family.

Maybe they are FINALLY going to discuss the “Ben situation”!!!!

♪ Ben, the two of us need look no more

We both found what we were looking for

With a bro’ to call my own

I’ll never be alone, and you, my bro’, will see

You’ve got a sis in me

Ben, you’re always running here and there

I feel I’m not really wanted anywhere

Now you, mom, and dad are in cahoots

And I’m stuck living with the DeGroots

Ben most people turned me away

I don’t listen to a word they say

They don’t see things as I do

I wish they would try to…

I’m sure I will think again if I had a bro’ like Ben

A bro’ like Ben

Like Ben

Like Ben ,,,♫ -Jack Michaelson

.

(Song and name of artist modified slightly)

Not to mention looking for clean tableware.

After several detours we are back to Ben and Bern. Coincidence that Bernice was given that name, or did the Halperns want to remember the son they gave up? Did they get a chance to name him, or is it coincidence the adoptive parents gave him that name? Anyway, maybe this strip will begin to move now.

Luann is tired of you, Bernice!

cue the ominous music

Bernice is more russet than red.

Bernie is Ducking dinner with her Brother.

I don’t know why this strip exists, I have heard wittier and more interesting dialog while listening to 2 folks talk in a diner.

Yeah she talks to much.

My fir homest computer was a Commodore(Basically a keyboard that hooked up to a television). The first computers I used in school, were PET2000, and WANG.