Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for August 10, 2011

Uh-oh, this could go sideways in a hurry.

There have been a couple of lines in the dialogue which could indicate a pregnancy, that’s why.

If Janis saw Mary Lou look at the way Gene and her daughter were interacting in panel three, what Mary Lou says in the forth panel is all Janis, as a mother, needs to know…

Depends on your definition of perfect!

Don’tcha just hate it when the waitress kneels down like that ..looks stupid to me ..

@wannabeaussie – I just don’t see pregnancy between the lines. I see a woman telling her friend – and future MIL – how happy she is with her life.

i hate when waitresses kneel down next to the table. where did that come from? has anyone EVER done that in their own home? Another thing that bugs me is when they ask ‘still working on that? we’re not cows endlessly chewing for cryin’ out loud. as to the storyline- i dont think mary lou is pregnant, but i do wish arlo would accept that boat.

The kneeling-down is an old psychological ploy… when a waiter/waitress stands OVER you, there’s a subconscious sense of being dominated (think of sitting in the boss’s office while he walks around and looks down on you). When a waitperson kneels or squats to your level (or even lower), they’re allowing you to feel more “in charge” of the situation, so even when they recommend all the add-ons to your order, you think it’s YOUR idea to include them, rather than a semi-subtle coercion.

Naw, she’s not expecting yet, or the line the other day about “lovingly planted seeds” wouldn’t make much sense, it being in the future tense. She’s just really happy with a man who loves being the father to her children.

I don’t think Mary Lou’s love is blind at all. She knows Gene can be relied upon, particularly when it comes to her daughter. Single parents can’t afford the luxury of blind love. That’s not to say it’s all about calculation and “finding a daddy,” but it’s a MAJOR factor.

It’s that “As far as I’m concerned”, following the look she gives in panel three, that’s key. I watched a TV show the other day wherein a rich father threatened to cut his son out of the will if he married an “unsuitable” woman: “I mean it, you’ll have nothing!” To which the son replied “On the contrary, sir, I shall have everything in the world that I desire.” Mary Lou knows full well that things aren’t (nor will they be) “perfect”, but as far as she’s concerned it’s perfect.

They must learn the truth sooner or later.

To what “truth” might you be alluding, Comic Minister?

I’m always impressed by J.J.’s ability to convey so much meaning and emotion with just one or two deft pen strokes!

I didn’t get any pregnancy vibe…I think Mary Lou is happy Gene and her daughter get along well together. Being a stepmother myself, the bonding process with other people’s children is not a given. Mary Lou is lucky to have found a man who loves her daughter as though she was his own.