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Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for April 04, 2013
April 03, 2013
April 05, 2013
Transcript:
Brad: "Toni, I've been ready to marry you since the day we met! I don't know what inspired you to propose now, but - to US!"
Toni: "Actually, it was Dirk"
Went to Tarzan first, then to Alley Oop. Almost afraid to open Luann this morning.-Toniās being honest. Thatās good. But the possibility of misunderstanding is not so good. Now weāll find out what Brad is made of.
I think she saw that if Dirk was ready to make a commitment and looked good at it, than she is ready to do itā¦.. and she feels confidant about that decision
What Toni means of course is that she saw dirkās life get better after marriage. However ā Toni could have waited a while with that comment. Weāll see if Brad can wade through a little &%#* to get to Paradise.
Brad, I was afraid that Dirk would still want to damage our relationship, or worse ā us. I didnāt want to put both of us through that again. But now Iām convinced heās really changed and out of our lives for good so I can say what Iāve wanted to say for an awfully long timeā¦
Weāll see some sort of confession that Toni felt insecure after Dirk and she split. Then after seeing him domesticated, she realized that the problems between she and Dirk were his problem, not hers.
Tomorrow: Brad mistakenly takes it as āYou still love Dirk and Iām just 2nd choiceā (She could have said āI finally feel comfortable with letting my heart choose, over my fearsāā¦ but NO!!!)
I think it WAS really something like that, but men never wait for a detailed explanation and sometimes jump to the wrong conclusion. My man did not even like that I posted/printed his photo in a swimsuit @38 next to my X @29 to show him that he still looked 100% better.
Seeing Dirk with his new wife and baby made Toni realize that she was over him a long time ago and was really in love with Brad. Itās better that she waited to make her decision because too many people end up marrying someone even though theyāre not truly in love with him/ her. Hopefully, Brad wonāt jump to the conclusion that she still cares for Dirk.
Run Brad Run!! I called it yesterday . . . it is not so much Brad but the idea of marriage itself that has captured Toni. Seeing Dirk awakened her and Brad happened to be the unlucky sod she was with at the time of her awakening. I said it once and Iāll say it again . . . . she aināt pretty she just looks that way.
Interesting that any would think any feelings toward Dirk the former jerk would be feelings of jealousy.That assumes Toniās a very small minded woman. Brad is naturally feeling threatened since he wants the momemt to be about just the two of them and a third is mentioned. Heāll be happier when she explains her reasoning about how Dirk inspired a good thing at last.
Waitaminite now, everybodyā¦.. think about itā¦ even if Dirk somehow prompted her to give this marriage thing some consideration, that doesnāt necessarily mean that she would just calmly say it in that wayā¦ this was meant to cause us to do more of the āspeculate/anticipateā thingā¦. build up for the payoff, either wayā¦ but just one strip after yesterday, everybodyās rockin the other way it seems, like itās the Titanicā¦ uh, sorryā¦. but anyway, if we donāt want Brad to jump to conclusions, letās follow our own advice and seeā¦ sometimes, when someone says what Toni says, itās a little bit of setup to help the other person (in this case, Brad) to see how they have come to a new beginning, a new perspectiveā¦. that seems to be what she COULD be doing, and appreciating how they both have done a ā360ā.
Now, maybe it might turn out to be different, but maybe not. But it seems we should hear it out, first. Iāve come to learn that you have to let someone get their words out and listen (āswift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrathā, according to James 1:19[not trying to highjack the thread, but Iām just saying, the Bible has counsel on this])
To sum up, itās kinda like the camp that wants to send flowers for congrats (which includes me), is celebrating after yesterday, and now itās the whole other way in todayās strip, with the camp which wants to send flowers of condolences jumping up and downā¦. the moment yesterday JUST happenedā¦. Bradās reaction may be one ofā¦. āthis guy AGAIN?ā and he has reason to react that way. But letās see, fir itās tst where sheās taking thisā¦ (it seems kind of early in the week for this arc, and kind of early considering yesterday, in the moment for Toni to ruin something just by not thinking throughā¦) she may be relatively young, and may have her own set of issues to deal with (donāt we all?), but I donāt think sheās so stupid so as to just destroy everything so quicklyā¦. but again, itās a comic strip, and we all are in the audienceā¦ itās the whole speculate/anticipate thingā¦ letās just wait for the big payoff, thatās how itās done in the movies/TV/music and comicsā¦.. the moment of thrill, misunderstandings, emotion baring, sometimes wrapped up all in one, that it takes some time to sort out, and keeps us involved, and coming back to see whatās happening nextā¦. This turkey aināt done, yetā¦ Let it cook first, and then weāll see how it tastesā¦..
Should have known Evans would throw a wrench into the works. Sometimes I get sooooooo weary of strips that let their characters get THIS close to happiness then just make them miserable again.
Itās probably a lot lighter than the pessimists give it."
Agreed, the pessimists are short stroking it. That comment will in all probablity turn into a very well thought out explaination. Itāll be interesting to hear what actually changed her mind. It bet it wonāt be a stupid reason either.
Be very careful with what you say next, Toni Louise Daytona! You do not want to turn a fairytale evening into a nightmare. Think very deeply, but very quickly about the next words that will come out of your mouth.
Brad, Iāve loved you almost from the first time we met. I could not accept your proposals of marriage. Because I would always feel guilty if Dirk inflicted physical harm on you if we married. Now that I have seen Dirk and know that he has moved on with his life. That weight has been lifted and I now can accept your proposal with a clear mind. Please understand that I was reluctant to commit to marriage previously, because I would not want to be the reason to have harm come to you.
PS: I think that the first hint we had that Dirk had changed was with the incident where the bookcase had fallen on Nancy. If he was still his nasty self. He could have said tough, shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the house.
So Toni is about to reveal a plan- get Dirk to adopt Shannon so she and Brad can live out their dreams. Things like extra long shifts at the fire station and occasional absurdist theatre. Lets face it, theyāre not ready for Shannon (and few would be).
i just think there is nothing like seeing your ex being happy to give one pause. sometimes when you see someone else moving on with their life it give you the spur to move on with yours. itās also surprising like when you meet someone you knew say in high school who was a total jerk to you but now runs a soup kitchen and always pleasant when you run into them.
Agreedā¦ but remember, he has his strips done 6 weeks ahead of time, so thereās no way he could accurately gauge the response to any given arc or single strip. But if he has any sense and has been following the reactions over the long-term, he would be able to figure out that it would be āsuicideā to break these two up. They arenāt the title characters, but this āBraToniā theme has taken on a life of its own. Itās just as big a reason for many of us to follow the strip as Luann herself is, and for some readersā perhaps it IS the main reason for following along. To kill this relationship would be to kill off probably half the readership (in my guess)
Hereās a perspective from someone who has been in multiple abusive relationships, starting with parentsā¦ and in one now with no way to leave. When one is abused, especially long term, one does not trust their own judgment, even if others see it as spot on. The abused individual has trouble trusting others, even if there has never been ANY indication that the other person would become abusive. There is always the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. āHmmm, so when is THIS person going to turn on me and start abusing me like almost everyone else has?ā Sometimes, even counseling cannot help the victim of repeated abuse from multiple people (parents, spouse, romantic partners, teachers, etc.). It sounds hard to believe, but there are people who are just targets, and community punching bags. I was abused by both parentsā¦ physical, emotionally, sexually. I was abused by multiple romantic partners. I was abused by 2 spousesā an ex, and now my current (though he doesnāt hit me like others did, he is controlling and emotionally cold and cruel. Part of his control is financial, meaning he keeps me monetarily dependent, as in if my car breaks down, he wonāt help me fix it. Then he wonāt help me with bus fare to get to a job so I wind up getting fired and have no more income of my own in order to be able to afford to leave). Iāve sabotaged some good, healthy relationships in my fear that irt was all a facade and the abuse would start againā āhey, almost everyone else has abused me, so why should I expect anything different now?ā Then it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Now, if I ever DO manage to get out of this relationship, I will probably NEVER pursue another one. Why bother? Iāll just end up sabotaging that one out of fear, or else heāll just be another abuser like the rest of them....I wonder if thatās whatās going on with Toni, a form of PTSD that causes her to sabotage, but through wbat she sees as being honest, but subconsciously itās a defense mechanism.
well people think about this we have dirk the completely possessive guy who almost destroyed toni and himself over his own jealousy and insecurities so for toni who thinks nothing good can come out of a committed relationship like marriage because everything can change after that she sees her abuser who has completely changed is a caring father and even has let go of controlling everything and that the right woman for him did it some he trusts she trusts brad more times than not to take care of sharon and has proven he cares for toni more then anything else she has probably been thinking about it for a long time but seeing the positive changes it brings was probably the final nail in the coffin for her to commit to this degree
Uh-oh..bad move. I believe that she never really got Dirk out of her system, but seeing him with a wife and child finally made her realize that she had to let go and move on. She should have told Brad that her love for him has deepened, that his patience, kindness, goodness was what convinced her they needed to marry. That they were meant for each other. But no, she had to open her mouth and tell him it was Dirk.
Of course, itās a smart move on Mr. Evans part. A rough patch adds interest to the story. How will it endā¦that is the question.
Seeing Dirk was what PRECIPITATED her final decision. (If you ever studied Chemistry you will know what that means.) Her remark to Luann about the right woman for the right man shows that she realized that she was not right for Dirk. She already knew he was not right for her, but this further insight allowed her to finally let go. Seeing the baby probably was another precipitating factor. Recall her remark to Brad inn connection to Shannon about needing to pass the āfatherhood test.ā Commitment is a serious business and half the couples who marry donāt stay married. It is great that Brad has had the patience to wait till Toni was ready.
I donāt think it was based on jealousy. It was based on the realization that life moves quickly and Toni was not seeing the big picture. Dirkās situation caused her to see what she had in Brad and gave her the impetus to jump to a new level in her life. In other words, she grew up!
Brad nearly chokes on a dinner roll when Toni confirms her proposal..Brad spits wine back into his glass when Toni chose to reveal the Dirk connection..God help them both if Bradās in the middle of a sneeze when Toni drops her next bombshell!
In keeping with the glacier-like pace of things that actually happen in this strip, I fully expect Brad to back off and need some time to process this revelation.
go back to Toni & Luann, after Toni seen Dirk. The rght woman can make a difference. Toniās expression is that she can do it. Hope she doesnāt blow it. Wait and see.
Well first of all this is a woman speaking so the logic will escape any male reading this.Second this is Greg Evans writing and he being a male will have a male logic behind a womanās thinking.So as you can plainly see confusion will reign and only TJ will actually have the answer.Of course LuAnn will have something interesting to throw into the mix.YaHoo . . . Go Greg . . . . . Nice writing.
They will get married and adopt Shannon. Brad knows a good thing when he holds it in his arms. If Dirk meant that much to her she would be with the new Dirk. He has moved on and now she will too. Everybody Happy?
Nah I think Dirk was her inspiration to take the marital plunge because if a spooge like him could reap the benefits of wedded bliss why not her and Brad.
I think she saw that Dirk had changed and do good and that she doesnāt have to be afraid of commitment anymore. It wasnāt a big scary thing that was going to change Brad into a scuzzy.
Iāll bet a considerable amount of money that this story will turn out to be a fantasy or dream of Bradās and not really happening in the stripās āreality.ā`Any takers?
Dirk this, Dirk that, Dirk always makes me feel likeā¦.āØToni may have just hit Brad in the most painful place a woman can strike a man ā his ego. Again. Hopefully she can get the words out before Brad canāt hear them anymore.
Try as I might, I cannot like Toni Daytona. Sheās not a good person at all. She was involved with Dirk in the first place. She made a mistake, fair enough. But with abusers, there are warning signs. She should have dumped him LONG before his assault on Brad. He was chasing them in a car, for Godās sake.
After his attack on Brad, Toni vowed that she was through with Dirk for good. We saw how good she kept that promise. Not only did she let him hang around, but she actually STOPPED Brad from calling the police on Dirk for violating his restraining order. Sheās a firefighter. A public servant, and sheās telling someone NOT to enforce their restraining order???
Then, for the longest time in their relationship, she refused to let Brad even TALK about marriage. Now, all of a sudden SHE proposes to HIM. I see, so we only talk about marriage when Her Royal Highness wants to talk about it.
Sheās a controlling, selfish manipulator. A witch with a capital B. Brad, RUN! FAST!
First chance Iāve had to comment, been vacationing.
My wife and I learned a lot with her breaking up with a previous boyfriend to date and marry me. She realized I was the one for her, same as Toni realizes Bradās the one for her. Itās worked for us for almost 39 years.
A while back, Brad gave up on Toni, she had Dirk hanging around. When Brad moved into his rental house, it was Toni that came back to him. Same with her visits (leaving her glove behind to come back later to get it).
I donāt think Toni ever said she loved Dirk, but sheās said it numerous times to Brad. My wife did the same thing.
I think Toni is ready to move on with her life, but that includes sharing it with Brad. Dirk is past history, and sheās over him.
Notice Toniās wearing a blue sweater, thatās Bradās favorite color (remember the underwear?).
How about, āWhen I saw Dirk with his family I realized how much I have changed. I am no longer the scared, angry, abused girl that felt she needed him. I am now a mature, confident woman who is ready to take on life with the man I love.ā
The timing is unfortunate, but she may be aware that the other alternative is to have it suggested by TJ, and have Brad silently stew about the ideas it puts into his head without her input.
Nothing says romance like mentioning your ex-boyfriend shortly after getting engaged. āDirkā would be the number one thing for Toni not to say at this time.^^Ex-actly
whenās Toni going to start making wedding plans????!!!ā¦I canāt wait to see that the caterer the dress the church the reception hall and Brad picking out rings the wedding ring hope itās pretty
Was I the only poster who never faded from the idea that Toni still liked Dirk and just didnāt want to look like she was a weak abused girl and now she can get around that one and it is too late she is pretending Brad is Dirk. Great- wow TJās going to have a lot of ammunition.Donny Wallaceā¦ SHUT UP!
Oh, yeah, forgot to mention this earlier, but Brad did ākind of open the doorā, when he said: āI donāt know what inspired youā¦.ā itās like an unwitting lead inā¦ itās funny how some convos take that turn. But still, it could be that sheās about to reveal that she got enlightened by rececnt events, and she could be trying to answer Bradās seemingly āhalf-rhetoricalā question/declaration with some some supportive āwell, funny thing, butā¦ā of course, we must learn that once in a while, a pleasant surprise CAN come from the most unexpected places, Toni may be realizing that herselfā¦ Bradās reaction is what seems to be expected, but time proves allā¦..
Ottodesu almost 12 years ago
Has he choked?
PonyToast almost 12 years ago
Making a decision based on jealousy of someone elseās happiness is bad. Bad bad bad.
DaJellyBelly almost 12 years ago
Loose Lips ā Sink Ships
DaJellyBelly almost 12 years ago
Loweezy, you got some āsplaininā to do!
rayannina almost 12 years ago
Canāt wait to hear THIS explanation!
overtherainbow almost 12 years ago
How many of us called THIS? Yay, us!
Win Guy almost 12 years ago
Okay, okay, I get it. It was Dirk who inspired her to propose. For a second there I thought she meant she was proposing to Dirk. XD
Probedude almost 12 years ago
Ack! Not what I hoped to read tonight, I must sayā¦ā¦.
Runforson almost 12 years ago
Saw that one coming, now for a baby maybe!!!!!!
bikenboatn almost 12 years ago
Right thing for the wrong reason?
hobbes84 almost 12 years ago
Andā¦.Boom goes the dynamite.
Fuddy Duddy almost 12 years ago
Went to Tarzan first, then to Alley Oop. Almost afraid to open Luann this morning.-Toniās being honest. Thatās good. But the possibility of misunderstanding is not so good. Now weāll find out what Brad is made of.
wiselad almost 12 years ago
I think she saw that if Dirk was ready to make a commitment and looked good at it, than she is ready to do itā¦.. and she feels confidant about that decision
Mordock999 almost 12 years ago
Well Here it COMES.
The REAL Moment of TRUTH.
Remember Brad: NOTHING You did for Toni up to THIS point, moved Her toward marriage.
It took a āChanceā meeting with Her Abusive Cro-Mag Ex to DO it. Remember THAT, Son and Remember it WELL.
Oh, Barkeep? WHISKEY over Here for the āHappyā Groom to be!
And MAKE it a DOUBLEā¦..,
Faux Real almost 12 years ago
Off topic but I didnāt realize Toni had a tattoo ā http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2009/07/20. Thatās going to look nice in a formal dress.
kenhense almost 12 years ago
What Toni means of course is that she saw dirkās life get better after marriage. However ā Toni could have waited a while with that comment. Weāll see if Brad can wade through a little &%#* to get to Paradise.
sactiger almost 12 years ago
Ruh-rohā¦ she uttered the āDā word. This cannot end wellā¦
locuravamp almost 12 years ago
MAYBE it helped her realize she wanted to move forward as well. HE obviously had, and she was holding herself back!
trspence almost 12 years ago
I called it yesterday!
MerriMagic almost 12 years ago
Ut-ohā¦Now, this may ruin it all.
artybee almost 12 years ago
She could have gone 60+ years without ever saying that. I thought only guys were that stupid.
Faux Real almost 12 years ago
Brad, I was afraid that Dirk would still want to damage our relationship, or worse ā us. I didnāt want to put both of us through that again. But now Iām convinced heās really changed and out of our lives for good so I can say what Iāve wanted to say for an awfully long timeā¦
CP Justy almost 12 years ago
Well played, Mr. Evansā¦
ILuvLu almost 12 years ago
Note that it was dirk that INSPIRED her.
Weāll see some sort of confession that Toni felt insecure after Dirk and she split. Then after seeing him domesticated, she realized that the problems between she and Dirk were his problem, not hers.
sactiger almost 12 years ago
āLiving in the footsteps of another manā. Been there, done that. Again I say ā this cannot end wellā¦
Cofyjunky almost 12 years ago
Knew it! I said that yesterday. Time to quit d*cking around and progress forward, Toni.
Mikeyj almost 12 years ago
oh CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not NOW!!!!
Angelalex242 almost 12 years ago
ā¦Toni, thou art an idiot.
stainless steel rat almost 12 years ago
Just do it Brad.
Mikeyj almost 12 years ago
Like so many of you I saw the possibility of this happening, but, I thought Toni would be smart enough to make something up
Mikeyj almost 12 years ago
Tomorrow: Brad mistakenly takes it as āYou still love Dirk and Iām just 2nd choiceā (She could have said āI finally feel comfortable with letting my heart choose, over my fearsāā¦ but NO!!!)
WoodEye almost 12 years ago
Advice to Bradā¦.. Looooong engagement.
barbara chaffin Premium Member almost 12 years ago
honesty is the best policy!
cooldude45 almost 12 years ago
Ah crap. Dont screw it up Brad dammit!
But at least shes being honest. Honesty and trust are 2 key things to a successful marriage/relationship
vldazzle almost 12 years ago
I think it WAS really something like that, but men never wait for a detailed explanation and sometimes jump to the wrong conclusion. My man did not even like that I posted/printed his photo in a swimsuit @38 next to my X @29 to show him that he still looked 100% better.
draksig almost 12 years ago
This may be the beginning of the end. Nice knowing you Toni.
gkid almost 12 years ago
Ok, get on with it. Let her have her say. Letās keep thisup front. All hearts open.
kfccanada almost 12 years ago
Seeing Dirk with his new wife and baby made Toni realize that she was over him a long time ago and was really in love with Brad. Itās better that she waited to make her decision because too many people end up marrying someone even though theyāre not truly in love with him/ her. Hopefully, Brad wonāt jump to the conclusion that she still cares for Dirk.
Rj_tapled almost 12 years ago
Where is that little tear now when he needs one?
Mikeyj almost 12 years ago
^^Of COURSE he will :s
solarrhino almost 12 years ago
The only save that I would accept would be something like this:
āSeeing Dirk made me realize ā he is finally becoming what you have always been.ā
Tue Elung-Jensen almost 12 years ago
He who should not be mentioned.
Sisyphos almost 12 years ago
No, Brad, not āGirkā; Dirk! Slow down, boy, and let her explainā¦.
Bandera_Ken almost 12 years ago
Wow. Brad didnāt say something stupid to mess it up. Toni did.
bearcat666 almost 12 years ago
Run Brad Run!! I called it yesterday . . . it is not so much Brad but the idea of marriage itself that has captured Toni. Seeing Dirk awakened her and Brad happened to be the unlucky sod she was with at the time of her awakening. I said it once and Iāll say it again . . . . she aināt pretty she just looks that way.
David Huie Green LikeNobody'sEverSeen almost 12 years ago
Interesting that any would think any feelings toward Dirk the former jerk would be feelings of jealousy.That assumes Toniās a very small minded woman. Brad is naturally feeling threatened since he wants the momemt to be about just the two of them and a third is mentioned. Heāll be happier when she explains her reasoning about how Dirk inspired a good thing at last.
BellsAndMotley almost 12 years ago
Well. I am very interested to see what happens next.
Edward White almost 12 years ago
1 day in 4 actual days. (so far) I hate soap operaās By the time this all plays out I will dead & 6 feet under at 80 & I am 53.
morningglory73 Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Her intensions may not be based on her love for Brad but a kind of competition with Dirk.
JoeStoppinghem Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Honesty is the best policy.The opening line is an attention grabber.Now letās hear her explanation.
JayBluE almost 12 years ago
Waitaminite now, everybodyā¦.. think about itā¦ even if Dirk somehow prompted her to give this marriage thing some consideration, that doesnāt necessarily mean that she would just calmly say it in that wayā¦ this was meant to cause us to do more of the āspeculate/anticipateā thingā¦. build up for the payoff, either wayā¦ but just one strip after yesterday, everybodyās rockin the other way it seems, like itās the Titanicā¦ uh, sorryā¦. but anyway, if we donāt want Brad to jump to conclusions, letās follow our own advice and seeā¦ sometimes, when someone says what Toni says, itās a little bit of setup to help the other person (in this case, Brad) to see how they have come to a new beginning, a new perspectiveā¦. that seems to be what she COULD be doing, and appreciating how they both have done a ā360ā.
Now, maybe it might turn out to be different, but maybe not. But it seems we should hear it out, first. Iāve come to learn that you have to let someone get their words out and listen (āswift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrathā, according to James 1:19[not trying to highjack the thread, but Iām just saying, the Bible has counsel on this])
To sum up, itās kinda like the camp that wants to send flowers for congrats (which includes me), is celebrating after yesterday, and now itās the whole other way in todayās strip, with the camp which wants to send flowers of condolences jumping up and downā¦. the moment yesterday JUST happenedā¦. Bradās reaction may be one ofā¦. āthis guy AGAIN?ā and he has reason to react that way. But letās see, fir itās tst where sheās taking thisā¦ (it seems kind of early in the week for this arc, and kind of early considering yesterday, in the moment for Toni to ruin something just by not thinking throughā¦) she may be relatively young, and may have her own set of issues to deal with (donāt we all?), but I donāt think sheās so stupid so as to just destroy everything so quicklyā¦. but again, itās a comic strip, and we all are in the audienceā¦ itās the whole speculate/anticipate thingā¦ letās just wait for the big payoff, thatās how itās done in the movies/TV/music and comicsā¦.. the moment of thrill, misunderstandings, emotion baring, sometimes wrapped up all in one, that it takes some time to sort out, and keeps us involved, and coming back to see whatās happening nextā¦. This turkey aināt done, yetā¦ Let it cook first, and then weāll see how it tastesā¦..
doodlerjeff almost 12 years ago
Should have known Evans would throw a wrench into the works. Sometimes I get sooooooo weary of strips that let their characters get THIS close to happiness then just make them miserable again.
terek almost 12 years ago
SO NOW THE CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG!!!! THE TRUTH COMES OUT OF TONI LIKE ONE OF THOSE LAUGHS THAT CAN"T BE SURPRESSED!!!!
CasualObserver almost 12 years ago
Toni neeeds no lessons in how to mess With Bradās heart. Her emotional tie to Dirk is, unfortunately for Brad (AND Toni) permanent.
kd1sq Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Itās probably a lot lighter than the pessimists give it.
All she did was to realize that one of the worst people she knew had turned his entire existence around and was even married and very happy to be so.
Dirk was a good example of commitment and not being afraid of life.
Toni was the exact opposite and Dirkās successful remaking of himself rubbed her nose in it and gave her a rude awakening.
Endunamoo almost 12 years ago
ākd1sq said, 1 minute ago
Itās probably a lot lighter than the pessimists give it."
Agreed, the pessimists are short stroking it. That comment will in all probablity turn into a very well thought out explaination. Itāll be interesting to hear what actually changed her mind. It bet it wonāt be a stupid reason either.
lorenzo23462 almost 12 years ago
Well, of courseā¦.
PMark almost 12 years ago
This should be good. Iām looking forward to hearing what she has to say. The only question is, will Brad let her say it?
Phongor almost 12 years ago
Be very careful with what you say next, Toni Louise Daytona! You do not want to turn a fairytale evening into a nightmare. Think very deeply, but very quickly about the next words that will come out of your mouth.
DaJellyBelly almost 12 years ago
Iām hoping her explanation will be.
Brad, Iāve loved you almost from the first time we met. I could not accept your proposals of marriage. Because I would always feel guilty if Dirk inflicted physical harm on you if we married. Now that I have seen Dirk and know that he has moved on with his life. That weight has been lifted and I now can accept your proposal with a clear mind. Please understand that I was reluctant to commit to marriage previously, because I would not want to be the reason to have harm come to you.
PMark almost 12 years ago
Well, Brad did ask. Now we get to see how he handles it.
DaJellyBelly almost 12 years ago
PS: I think that the first hint we had that Dirk had changed was with the incident where the bookcase had fallen on Nancy. If he was still his nasty self. He could have said tough, shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the house.
ewalnut almost 12 years ago
She saw Dirk had moved on with his life and decided it was time to move on with hers.
w2lj almost 12 years ago
Some things are better left unsaid. That was one of them.
schmid13 almost 12 years ago
So Toni is about to reveal a plan- get Dirk to adopt Shannon so she and Brad can live out their dreams. Things like extra long shifts at the fire station and occasional absurdist theatre. Lets face it, theyāre not ready for Shannon (and few would be).
Dconskjk almost 12 years ago
Andā¦DUN DUN DUUUUUN
Sportymonk almost 12 years ago
I KNEW IT. Toni didnāt do this because she WANTS TO but because she saw Dirk.Brad, say no till later.
kenwarnerfordictator almost 12 years ago
Ok, I eas wrong about the April Fool joke, but there is still time for Brad to get ugly.
prof2 almost 12 years ago
After yesterday, do NOT screw this up.
Dragongirl2319 almost 12 years ago
DANG IT TONI!!! Consider the moment officially ruined.
yldonaldson almost 12 years ago
Yeah ā I was afraid of that. I donāt foresee good from this.
Tetonbil almost 12 years ago
Ah-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!!!!!!!
PMark almost 12 years ago
Howās this for a short Toni answer?
āWhen I ran into Dirk, I realized that I was still allowing him to control my life. He was still keeping me from being happy.When I saw that he had moved on, I knew it was time that I did the same.ā
2Goldfish almost 12 years ago
mehā¦. just spiking the comments count. I knew somebody would do something stupid.
fredb49 almost 12 years ago
And the runner up isā¦ā¦.
paultunes almost 12 years ago
i just think there is nothing like seeing your ex being happy to give one pause. sometimes when you see someone else moving on with their life it give you the spur to move on with yours. itās also surprising like when you meet someone you knew say in high school who was a total jerk to you but now runs a soup kitchen and always pleasant when you run into them.
Loki Laufeyson almost 12 years ago
Agreedā¦ but remember, he has his strips done 6 weeks ahead of time, so thereās no way he could accurately gauge the response to any given arc or single strip. But if he has any sense and has been following the reactions over the long-term, he would be able to figure out that it would be āsuicideā to break these two up. They arenāt the title characters, but this āBraToniā theme has taken on a life of its own. Itās just as big a reason for many of us to follow the strip as Luann herself is, and for some readersā perhaps it IS the main reason for following along. To kill this relationship would be to kill off probably half the readership (in my guess)
Loki Laufeyson almost 12 years ago
Hereās a perspective from someone who has been in multiple abusive relationships, starting with parentsā¦ and in one now with no way to leave. When one is abused, especially long term, one does not trust their own judgment, even if others see it as spot on. The abused individual has trouble trusting others, even if there has never been ANY indication that the other person would become abusive. There is always the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. āHmmm, so when is THIS person going to turn on me and start abusing me like almost everyone else has?ā Sometimes, even counseling cannot help the victim of repeated abuse from multiple people (parents, spouse, romantic partners, teachers, etc.). It sounds hard to believe, but there are people who are just targets, and community punching bags. I was abused by both parentsā¦ physical, emotionally, sexually. I was abused by multiple romantic partners. I was abused by 2 spousesā an ex, and now my current (though he doesnāt hit me like others did, he is controlling and emotionally cold and cruel. Part of his control is financial, meaning he keeps me monetarily dependent, as in if my car breaks down, he wonāt help me fix it. Then he wonāt help me with bus fare to get to a job so I wind up getting fired and have no more income of my own in order to be able to afford to leave). Iāve sabotaged some good, healthy relationships in my fear that irt was all a facade and the abuse would start againā āhey, almost everyone else has abused me, so why should I expect anything different now?ā Then it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Now, if I ever DO manage to get out of this relationship, I will probably NEVER pursue another one. Why bother? Iāll just end up sabotaging that one out of fear, or else heāll just be another abuser like the rest of them....I wonder if thatās whatās going on with Toni, a form of PTSD that causes her to sabotage, but through wbat she sees as being honest, but subconsciously itās a defense mechanism.
sjsczurek almost 12 years ago
Crack in the picture already.Not a good portent.
BeniHanna6 Premium Member almost 12 years ago
ahā¦ wrong thing to say.
Restlessdreams almost 12 years ago
well people think about this we have dirk the completely possessive guy who almost destroyed toni and himself over his own jealousy and insecurities so for toni who thinks nothing good can come out of a committed relationship like marriage because everything can change after that she sees her abuser who has completely changed is a caring father and even has let go of controlling everything and that the right woman for him did it some he trusts she trusts brad more times than not to take care of sharon and has proven he cares for toni more then anything else she has probably been thinking about it for a long time but seeing the positive changes it brings was probably the final nail in the coffin for her to commit to this degree
Kathe almost 12 years ago
Uh-oh..bad move. I believe that she never really got Dirk out of her system, but seeing him with a wife and child finally made her realize that she had to let go and move on. She should have told Brad that her love for him has deepened, that his patience, kindness, goodness was what convinced her they needed to marry. That they were meant for each other. But no, she had to open her mouth and tell him it was Dirk.
Of course, itās a smart move on Mr. Evans part. A rough patch adds interest to the story. How will it endā¦that is the question.
tubgrape almost 12 years ago
I hope the next frame is good. If this thing falls apart nowā¦ā¦
wrldtrvlr almost 12 years ago
At least she admits it
lightenup Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Oh boy, canāt you just leave well enough alone??
overtherainbow almost 12 years ago
Totally stupid response so far, but letās see how she manages to save it tomorrow. Or doesnāt.
JimT8 almost 12 years ago
Seeing Dirk was what PRECIPITATED her final decision. (If you ever studied Chemistry you will know what that means.) Her remark to Luann about the right woman for the right man shows that she realized that she was not right for Dirk. She already knew he was not right for her, but this further insight allowed her to finally let go. Seeing the baby probably was another precipitating factor. Recall her remark to Brad inn connection to Shannon about needing to pass the āfatherhood test.ā Commitment is a serious business and half the couples who marry donāt stay married. It is great that Brad has had the patience to wait till Toni was ready.
Deborah N Lurie almost 12 years ago
I donāt think it was based on jealousy. It was based on the realization that life moves quickly and Toni was not seeing the big picture. Dirkās situation caused her to see what she had in Brad and gave her the impetus to jump to a new level in her life. In other words, she grew up!
Faux Real almost 12 years ago
Brad nearly chokes on a dinner roll when Toni confirms her proposal..Brad spits wine back into his glass when Toni chose to reveal the Dirk connection..God help them both if Bradās in the middle of a sneeze when Toni drops her next bombshell!
nfergnospam almost 12 years ago
Who is Karen?
Aloysius almost 12 years ago
In keeping with the glacier-like pace of things that actually happen in this strip, I fully expect Brad to back off and need some time to process this revelation.
jppjr almost 12 years ago
Guess she saw how happy they were and wanted the sameā¦at least, letās hope thatās the case.
Durak Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Oh god, please no. Can we be more predictable?
misterokiebu almost 12 years ago
This will be a good thing
lauraceri almost 12 years ago
Dang it, I was afraid of that. :(
ooptheman almost 12 years ago
go back to Toni & Luann, after Toni seen Dirk. The rght woman can make a difference. Toniās expression is that she can do it. Hope she doesnāt blow it. Wait and see.
friendjoanie almost 12 years ago
Dirk the Jerk!
bba3555 almost 12 years ago
Uh-oh. I think Brad is going to have some second thoughts.
Hoodude almost 12 years ago
Lots of reasons to get married..this is just one of them.Cheers,RE
Garison54 almost 12 years ago
Who didnāt see that coming?
siw1939 almost 12 years ago
Indeed.
notbornyesterday almost 12 years ago
and they say men are insensitive
dblbaraje almost 12 years ago
I sure hope Brad doesnāt get hurt ā but it doesnāt look good at the present moment!
kmwtigger almost 12 years ago
Yep, I called that one the other day.
NorCalChuck almost 12 years ago
Well first of all this is a woman speaking so the logic will escape any male reading this.Second this is Greg Evans writing and he being a male will have a male logic behind a womanās thinking.So as you can plainly see confusion will reign and only TJ will actually have the answer.Of course LuAnn will have something interesting to throw into the mix.YaHoo . . . Go Greg . . . . . Nice writing.
mitachondria almost 12 years ago
Am I mistaken or are Brad and Toni the only ones allowed to age in this strip?
rons almost 12 years ago
They will get married and adopt Shannon. Brad knows a good thing when he holds it in his arms. If Dirk meant that much to her she would be with the new Dirk. He has moved on and now she will too. Everybody Happy?
Tha_Hype almost 12 years ago
Nah I think Dirk was her inspiration to take the marital plunge because if a spooge like him could reap the benefits of wedded bliss why not her and Brad.
Popeyesforearm almost 12 years ago
say wha?
Cubbysgirl almost 12 years ago
I think she saw that Dirk had changed and do good and that she doesnāt have to be afraid of commitment anymore. It wasnāt a big scary thing that was going to change Brad into a scuzzy.
muffin05 almost 12 years ago
Canāt wait to see how Brad and Luannās Mom reacts to their engagement! LOL!
buccaneer8 almost 12 years ago
Some of you are waaayyy over thinking, over analyzing this.
slypuma almost 12 years ago
And now they are un-engaged.
Semper Fido almost 12 years ago
Watch your temper, Brad.
cdemattos almost 12 years ago
Now aināt that a kick in the head?
Alabama Al almost 12 years ago
Iāll bet a considerable amount of money that this story will turn out to be a fantasy or dream of Bradās and not really happening in the stripās āreality.ā`Any takers?
Faux Real almost 12 years ago
Dirk this, Dirk that, Dirk always makes me feel likeā¦.āØToni may have just hit Brad in the most painful place a woman can strike a man ā his ego. Again. Hopefully she can get the words out before Brad canāt hear them anymore.
Fuddy Duddy almost 12 years ago
As much as I hate to say it, I think weāve analyzed the snot out of this arc. Time to just saddle up, and see where the trail leads.
PatrickASL almost 12 years ago
Try as I might, I cannot like Toni Daytona. Sheās not a good person at all. She was involved with Dirk in the first place. She made a mistake, fair enough. But with abusers, there are warning signs. She should have dumped him LONG before his assault on Brad. He was chasing them in a car, for Godās sake.
After his attack on Brad, Toni vowed that she was through with Dirk for good. We saw how good she kept that promise. Not only did she let him hang around, but she actually STOPPED Brad from calling the police on Dirk for violating his restraining order. Sheās a firefighter. A public servant, and sheās telling someone NOT to enforce their restraining order???
Then, for the longest time in their relationship, she refused to let Brad even TALK about marriage. Now, all of a sudden SHE proposes to HIM. I see, so we only talk about marriage when Her Royal Highness wants to talk about it.
Sheās a controlling, selfish manipulator. A witch with a capital B. Brad, RUN! FAST!
Terrywoebegone almost 12 years ago
Everyone, including moi, thought Brad might blow it but aye carumba. There be foul weather ahead.
davidpepper almost 12 years ago
First chance Iāve had to comment, been vacationing.
My wife and I learned a lot with her breaking up with a previous boyfriend to date and marry me. She realized I was the one for her, same as Toni realizes Bradās the one for her. Itās worked for us for almost 39 years.
A while back, Brad gave up on Toni, she had Dirk hanging around. When Brad moved into his rental house, it was Toni that came back to him. Same with her visits (leaving her glove behind to come back later to get it).
I donāt think Toni ever said she loved Dirk, but sheās said it numerous times to Brad. My wife did the same thing.
I think Toni is ready to move on with her life, but that includes sharing it with Brad. Dirk is past history, and sheās over him.
Notice Toniās wearing a blue sweater, thatās Bradās favorite color (remember the underwear?).
Go forward, Brad and Toni!
Caldonia almost 12 years ago
Oops! I honestly didnāt think there would be any nasty developments in this arc. Iām soooo naive. Later, haters!
Angelalex242 almost 12 years ago
Hereās an ideaā¦itās still April Foolās day IC.
What if she says it was Dirkā¦and next panel is āApril Fools!ā ;)
sfknight almost 12 years ago
really? in the most romantic moment of allā¦this is what you choose to disclose?
sarafaye almost 12 years ago
How about, āWhen I saw Dirk with his family I realized how much I have changed. I am no longer the scared, angry, abused girl that felt she needed him. I am now a mature, confident woman who is ready to take on life with the man I love.ā
sarafaye almost 12 years ago
The timing is unfortunate, but she may be aware that the other alternative is to have it suggested by TJ, and have Brad silently stew about the ideas it puts into his head without her input.
RobinHood2013 almost 12 years ago
Dun dun DUUUNNN!
Mikeyj almost 12 years ago
Nothing says romance like mentioning your ex-boyfriend shortly after getting engaged. āDirkā would be the number one thing for Toni not to say at this time.^^Ex-actly
melmarsh9v almost 12 years ago
Everything will come out in the endā¦
sarafaye almost 12 years ago
I would have kept it to myself, but sheās probably safer having him think of it while heās with her, so his imagination doesnāt run wild.
JayBluE almost 12 years ago
ā¦.And, soā¦. we waitā¦. for Midnightā¦..
schmid13 almost 12 years ago
What time does the new days strip go up? I didnāt see it at 12:30 last night and assumed it updates laterā¦
AmyGrantfan51774 almost 12 years ago
whenās Toni going to start making wedding plans????!!!ā¦I canāt wait to see that the caterer the dress the church the reception hall and Brad picking out rings the wedding ring hope itās pretty
JimT8 almost 12 years ago
No, no, no.
candyisyummy almost 12 years ago
Was I the only poster who never faded from the idea that Toni still liked Dirk and just didnāt want to look like she was a weak abused girl and now she can get around that one and it is too late she is pretending Brad is Dirk. Great- wow TJās going to have a lot of ammunition.Donny Wallaceā¦ SHUT UP!
JayBluE almost 12 years ago
Oh, yeah, forgot to mention this earlier, but Brad did ākind of open the doorā, when he said: āI donāt know what inspired youā¦.ā itās like an unwitting lead inā¦ itās funny how some convos take that turn. But still, it could be that sheās about to reveal that she got enlightened by rececnt events, and she could be trying to answer Bradās seemingly āhalf-rhetoricalā question/declaration with some some supportive āwell, funny thing, butā¦ā of course, we must learn that once in a while, a pleasant surprise CAN come from the most unexpected places, Toni may be realizing that herselfā¦ Bradās reaction is what seems to be expected, but time proves allā¦..
Panekbutton Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Is anyone surprised about this?
Panekbutton Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Is anyone surprised about this? We all saw it coming.
itchet88 almost 12 years ago
Yeahā¦I thought so. This could either go good or bad.
eheroking almost 12 years ago
donāt spew it out on her, brad! youāll ruin everything!
Isaac Chen over 6 years ago
Way to ruin the mood, Toni. Hahaha!