Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 11, 2015

Sounds like Gandalf talking to Bilbo.

Trouble brewing……..

…But what if you discover something worthwhile? There’s always two potential ends to a path; a glorious sunset or the dead end of a canyon. Stop thinking pessimistic. What happened to ‘bold and new’?

Looks like Dez will loosen up Bernice. A lucky thing.

Now just hold on one doggoned moment!

Dez and Piro don’t “really” know each other:

So where does “he’s your friend, Dez” come from?

the journey of 1,000 miles begins at a single step… or in this case, the journey of getting to know Piro begins with getting to know Piro

Do you mean, forget about Piro?

This is Gunther and Quill all over again. The next thing you know, Dez will have Bernice rolling down a hill.

Bernice is the female Gunther.

Um, hello? Withholding information about a guy you like is a very weird thing for your friend to do? This makes NO sense.

Take the chance Bernice. You may end up where you never planned but might be happier than you ever thought.

Nobody ever talks to anybody! Everyone just has to guess about other people—-what they really feel, what their motives are, what they’re like…. It’s ridiculous. Absurd way to tell stories.

Hello? It’s college. Has anyone hear of making new friends? Developing social skills? Bernice needs to get out and develop some.

The last time Dez influenced Bernice it turned out just great, and Bernice opened up parts of herself that she always keeps repressed. This may be one way she does not turn into the counselor at her high school, wanting to help people but never doing much beyond what is safe to help herself enjoy life.

Dez is a tiresome witch doctor who majors in tea and advice. Piro is a slug and a campus hanger-on, who appears at night looking for a flop house. If he has PTSD, then shape up and get to your support group and take your meds.

Omg, Dez could say a detail or 2

Me Mum-in-law used to say, when we would have a less-than-stellar meal at a restaurant, “Well, that was an experience.”

“Behold the turtle. Every time he sticks his neck out he gets his head chopped off.” says I. Stick to your studies Bernice. Forget about Piro.

Bern wants to do a spreadsheet with all the info. Unfortunately the right answer keeps playing hide & seek…

There are times when it’s all about the “fun of discovery”. – Still, doesn’t hurt to take a “map”… or “ask for directions”, every now and again….

’’We’ll always have Piro… wait… what?’’ – Humphrey Bogart (never said this.)

Gotta give it a try, Bee. Live life with no regrets, but “wrap that rascal”!!!

Didn’t Quill and Gunther have this EXACT conversation about 18 months ago?

Where is Gunther?

“The Bern Identity”“The Dating Game”“No Stinkin’ Badges”“Treasure Island Rock”“20,000 Questions Under The Sea”“Background Wrecks”“All That’s Fit To Fingerprint”“I’ve Always Depended Upon The Kindness Of Strange People”“Ask Around”“What’s The Name Of This Hot Soup We’re Getting Into?”or“Who Are You? Who, Who? Who, Who?” (♪)

“Who Are You” (The Who)“The Stranger” (Billy Joel)“(Don’t You) Forget About Me” (Simple Minds)“The Logical Song” (Supertramp)“I Got a Name” (Jim Croce)“Entre Nous” (Rush)“Different Strings” (Rush)’What’s Your Name" (Lynyrd Skynyrd)“What’s Your Name” (Don And Juan)“Like to Get to Know You Well” (Howard Jones)“Time of the Season” (The Zombies)“What I Am” (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians)“Hello, I Love You” (The Doors)“Once In a Lifetime” (Talking Heads)

You are never lost until you run out of gas. Until then you are just seeing the sights.

So, are Gunther and Bernice being guided to loosen up for each other?

He could dangerous.

I really like Dez – she’s just the sort of person “Bee” needs!

C’mon, do something, Bernice. Don’t just stand around and moan about how awful your life is, as you are so often wont to do!

Speaking of Piro, I still want to know what happened exactly a week ago.

For Bernice to make any friends she has to stop being the killjoy RA cop! Its Friday – lets party.

WHAT the HE….,

Bernice. The Term “Stranger Danger?” It APPLIES to EVERYONE Including CONFUSED Young FEMALE Adults, Such as Yourself. Especially when it comes to this Piro CREEP.

Geeze, Dez. Some “Friend,” Huh?

Well, if She’s so “HOT” about “Adventure” why don’t You LIGHT the Tips of Her Dredlocks whilst She’s Sleeping?Then ENJOY Watching Her BEATING a Hurried, “Adventurous PATH” to the Sink.

Oh Wait-Person? COFFEE, Please! I’m in a Particularly EVIL Mood Today…..,

Ahhhhhh… this is all so boring!!!!

Yeah, and if you have a problem you deal with it. That’s what we women are now taught.*However, for people who don’t have a net of friends & family to catch them, we still have to slowly inch along, testing our balance at every step. Risk-taking is for the affluent.

Whenever Bernice is featured, I feel like I am reading about myself in college until I got a kinda crazy roommate my sophomore year who was my Dez.I learned you only give up the opportunity for an adventure if there is a better adventure available.

“Never get out of the boat unless your going all the way”. – Captain Willard, Apocalypse Now.

Just as long as she knows Piro hasn’t a girlfriend in every town he has been in during the last two years or has been in jail, Dez should keep mum about Piro.

I think I like this Dez girl!

“[Dez’s] purpose in life is to mentor one character and get them to come out of their shell”*Imp – Great insight!

Interestingly, ‘Chug’ has not yet been in evidence (unless I missed him or her).

adventure is not necessarily the same as fun

Bernice is too rigid. God help the guy who gets involved with her.

An adventure is an expedition where something goes wrong.

That’s the point Bern…date Piro!

Most people don’t think things through enough. I would never discourage planning ahead.

It is entirely possible Piro actually is not a close friend of ‘Dez’, though they have the acquaintance of ‘Chug’ in common.

Which still makes Bernice saying “He’s your friend, Dez” inaccurate.

Two characters who might be Chug …

The person seen over Piro’s shoulder in this strip.

The person walking behind Viper in this strip.

Leaving aside the fact that RAs are grad students and never freshmen, an RA is nothing but a hall monitor. No one liked the hall monitor in high school, and no one likes the RA, who is a glorified condo commando writing down infractions and making snitch reports. I can’t believe that this uptight prig, Bernice, hasn’t been brutally pranked every week until forced to drop out of this cow college in bitter humiliation.

-I’m starting to think Bernie doesn’t read the comments here. :)

LOL!!!

, Piro indicated that he did not know Dez. //// It is entirely possible Piro actually is not a close friend of ‘Dez’, though they have the acquaintance of ‘Chug’ in common.////-————————————————————.That comment was more than a year ago.She may know some about Piro by now.

@implausible that is very interesting. i was thinking this myself but it’s nice to see a name or definition to research more.

Hey, another stray thought about the missing-too-long couple of Crystal and Knute … remembering how surprised everyone was when they hooked up in - what was it, 2010?

I was re-reading some old strips and … look at the story arc that ran from October 27 through November 4, 2000, especially the panels after Crystal gets home.

She’s wanted him all along, and I think we need to see more of them as an antidote to the dreck we’re getting now.

> So I’m pretty certain Dez is just another Rosa. Her sole purpose in life is to mentor one character and get them to come out of their shell.>Of course, Rosa failed totally to change Gunther in any significant way. What Bernice needs, rather than a series of chats with Dez, is to get drunk on Peruvian beer and go on a week’s vacation with a busload of senior citizens. It will change her life! (Unfortunately, she will also stop shaving her legs.)

Where’s his scarf???

SPOILER ALERT: Dez thickens the plot.

-Re: Your characterization of Dez

I don’t see a bit of evidence that this character exists only to help Bernice and/or Luann, or that she would ‘sacrifice herself’ to save someone who happens to be white. Where do you get that stuff?

Second issue: if you believe what you say about Dez existing only to help a white person, then what is the reason for Bernice wanting to be a counselor (a profession supposedly about helping people)?

I really hate to be a nag, but… you’d think they could be consistent about something as basic as a main character’s skin tone.