Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for July 16, 2023

I want you to want me

I need you to need me

I’d love you to love me

I’m begging you to beg me

I want you to want me

I need you to need me

I’d love you to love me

Today’s background music: “I Want You to Want Me” by Cheap Trick.

Dodged a bullet

Pig, just be yourself, everyone else is already taken

Pig’s BIG mistake was listening to Rat’s “advice” in the first place: when has Rat ever helped Pig out when he gave him advice?! Dan aka…

What would Rat know about being wanted???

I don’t want to be wanted…by the POLICE!

This is why you dont take advice from rat

Your first mistake was listening to Rat, little buddy.

You can’t always (or is it ever?) get what you want.

You can’t win Pig!

Commit a crime and go on the run the FBI loves those ones

Want to be wanted? Commit a crime of some sort…

yep

Why does Pig always listen to Rat?

Huh? Sounds like the story of my life.

Not worries Pig. You is always wanted. How could anyone not wants ham bacon pork….mmmm…!

Doesn’t somebody want to be wanted like me, where are you? Partridge Family

Dam-ned if you do and dam-ned if you don’t!

Cheer up, Pig. Could be worse. You could be featured on a segment of “America’s Most Wanted”.

Maybe don’t listen to rats.

Pig, I want you. You’re a good friend.

Poor Pig.

So much for reverse psychology, huh, Pig?

No Pig, you have a ton of fans.

Aah, sweet memories https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6l5JKWA1LM

Playing hard to get is overrated.

Didn’t I see Pig crying?

I want some bacon from you.

When I acted interested I was treated like furniture until I treated them like furniture; you have entered the friend zone with no exit, they weren’t dressing sexy for you & your Jedi mind tricks won’t work.

The way to be wanted is to make someone else feel wanted.

Doesn’t somebody want to be wanted like me?Where are you?Doesn’t somebody want to be wanted like me?Just like me

Did he seriously just take advice on how to be “wanted” from RAT?!

Panel 3: true at 20. Panel 6: true at 60. I’ve been a few panels off my whole life.

PSA for anyone who might be curious: Stephan frequently references (or at least the comments frequently reference) Harry Chapin’s 1974 song, “Cat’s In the Cradle.”

Harry Chapin died 42 years ago today, on July 16, 1981. He founded an hunger/homelessness awareness and advocacy organization (now) called WhyHunger. If you feel so moved, a donation in his memory might be appropriate.

Never take advice from a rat who carries a baseball bat

Never take advice from Rat, never!

Lonely might be better than being wanted only for what you can do, vs who you are…

Pig is learning that there is no such thing as winning at the Game of Life for him….