Pickles by Brian Crane for December 17, 2023

Sometimes blood is slow. Initially, it doesn’t look like it’s bleeding, but then it is.

He may prefer a Unicorn band-aid!

I got a scratch from a “clean” piece of tin, turned major!

When we were first married I was cooking chili and had an accident with the knife while slicing onions. I was holding my hand like Earl. My wife had the same reaction as Opal. I told her it was worse than she thought, then I passed out, landing flat on my face. She called 911 and I had to be carried out on a stretcher bleeding from four places (both nostrils, thumb, eyelid). In the emergency room the doctor sewed me up. When she took me home later she finished cooking the chili, which we ate. I asked her what she did with the thumb piece. She looked at me oddly. Then I explained that the doctor had confirmed that I had lopped off the tip of my thumb. It had been been left lying on the cutting board. It ended up in the chili. We even ate the leftovers. Ever since that recipe has been known as thumb chili and the knife, which we still have is the thumb chili knife.

Hmm—that makes me wonder if we’re related.

When I’m making something like, I dunno, weiners and beans, instead of regular canned pasta, I’ll use any of the novelty ones like Disney Princesses. To go for a reaction.

I’ve already got whatever limited mileage I could get in asking if these animal shaped Zoodles pasta are vegetarian.

The first time I read that, my reaction “GEEZ, THE AUTHOR KNOWS MY FATHER?” it’s his reaction to small cuts besides tourniquets but more “THEY ARE GOING TO CUT OFF MY FINGER!”

Was working at Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in the 80’s and all but cut my left index finger off at the first knuckle… since they weren’t allowed to treat anyone over 17 years old they handed me a “Snoopy” band-aid and sent me (on foot) across 7 lanes of some of the most dangerous traffic in the Atlanta area to Northside Hospital. Don’t know what was worse.. nearly get’n run over 30 times or almost bleeding out trying to get there.

Didn’t Watterson do this one with Calvin and Hobbes like 30 years ago?

I was working a construction site one fall when I was tasked to use a chain saw to cut the bottom plate out of interior doorways. (You build the interior walls while they’re flat on the floor, then tip ‘em up, nail them in place and eventually saw out the interior plate). Alas, a pneumatic-hammered nail had hit a knot on the subfloor, curved up into where I was cutting. The saw snagged and jumped… and cut through the top of my shoe right over my big toe (Yeah, my fault for placing my feet thoughtlessly). I looked down and saw the hole, the fuzz from my sock and some blood. “Take me to the ER” I said, and off we went. The doc refused to remove my shoe or sock… and when I did, I found a flap of skin on the top of my toe, about 1/4 inch wide and 3/8 inch long… just BARELY deep enough to let some blood out. The doc offered me a bandage, which he said I should put on myself, otherwise, he’d have to bill me. Talk about embarrassing!

Cut tip of my finger while making a salad. Bleeding wouldn’t stop. Brother took me to ER. Intern tried to put stitch in but there wasn’t any way he could. He turned white as a sheet. Finally went out to get advice and was given a glue to use on it. Perfect. Bet he’s never forgotten the experience.

Have Roscoe lick it to make it better!

My little sister thought cartoon Band-Aids were cool. She would use any excuse to ask for them, even for small bruises. People must have thought she was abused.

That’s all I ask.

Earl, the drama king?

That’s why you shouldn’t use a knife to open a can, don’t they own a can opener?! (I’d bet Opal does but Earl is silly enough to use a knife to open a can anyway!)

What a "Woosie " < < I think that is how it is spelled ? But how about the precious Roscoe ?

Earl needs to get one of those fancy newfangled can openers.

Earl needs a can opener that makes a smooth edge on the lid

He needs a manly Flintstone Band-Aid.

OUCH…….. That comment hurts more than the SCRATCH.!!!!!

“Okay, but none of those sissy princesses like Snow White or Aurora. Make it someone tough like Mulan or Merida.”

Earl the actor……..

HA!!

Hilarious! Been there. Cut that.

At least give him a Spiderman one.

So sorry that they don’t show EVERY PANEL HERE! The missing 2 are; Opal “Earl, what are you doing in the kitchen?” Earl “Nothing, OOPS!” In this panel Roscoe is on the couch next to Opal and has opened just one eye.

Obviously Earl doesn’t work with is hands or tools much, where nicks and cuts are a common occurrence. Kiss it and make it better Opal.

In Earl’s defense, fingertips are very nerve-dense. I always though comic strips showing dentists complaining about kids who bite were lame until I worked in a residential setting where I had to floss twenty set of teeth a day (before the days of plastic floss aids) One of the residents was a biter; getting bit was really, really painful.

I use kiddie bandaids because they aren’t as sticky. They don’t hurt as much when removed and soak off easier.

After my hernia surgery I wonder if I too can get one of those bandaids

Too good for him.

Put a Hello Kitty bandaid on Earl.

I was cutting some foam core “in the air” instead of laying it flat and using the X-acto knife as if I have good sense. The X-acto slipped, and I cut my thumb from the second knuckle, down through the meaty part and started back up toward the palmar arch. I walked into the den holding my hand together. “What did you do this time?” What I did was thirteen stitches worth of damage.

Earl is channeling his inner Curly: “ow, Ow, OW ! ! !”

No, please get me a Maleficent.

I’ve cut my thumb and fingers a lot preparing food so much, I invested in a couple of Band-Aid bandages boxes specifically for finger tips and joints. I would sometimes get too zealous slicing cucumbers on a mandolin. It’s less frequent now. My reactions is to stop the bleeding and get it bandaged before I make a bloody mess. That never bothered me, however I look the other way when medical types draw blood or put an IV in my veins. I don’t know how I would react if they drew blood and put an IV in at the same time. ;-p

Opal, don’t forget to kiss it first.

And a lollipop.

“I want Ariel!! Waaaaaaahhhhh!”

You are what you eat!

Geez, for an instant there I thought he caught something in his zipper.