You Move Me

Pete is a disorganized, dysfunctional wreck. He’s arguably Westview’s most successful writer (sorry, Les), and was already established in his field when he inexplicably moved back to town nearly five years ago. Does a professional at this stage of his career not understand how deadlines work? Pete has no girlfriend, wife or kids, and friends who only appear when he’s moving in or out. What distractions could he have from his writing? It might be plausible and amusing to have him deal with writer’s block once, but Batiuk has gone to this same well several times.

And now he’s supposed to sit on the floor to do his work? I guess Darin, Montoni’s Chief Technology Officer, never installed WiFi in the pizzeria.

Jeez-O-Pete

Pete struggles to keep a brave face as the apartment tour continues. Not sure why Pete’s personal effects are included in this tour, since they’ll all have to be moved out of there, and not soon enough to suit Darin. Just like in yesterday’s two-paneler, Jessica (who appears to be understandably on the verge of tears) tries to be polite (“Are they filed alphabetically?” Why would she even give a fuck?), Darin smirks and cracks wise, and Pete looks even mopier than usual.

Fixer-Upper

Pete gives Darin and Jess the tour of their soon-to-be home. Despite being forced by her husband to move here sight unseen, Jessica bravely imagines ways to brighten their surroundings. Darin, meanwhile, continues his dickish ways by obliquely suggesting that Pete’s possessions are so much trash.

There’s quite a lot of FW history associated with Pete’s pad. According to Wikipedia,

…Les and Lisa lived there before buying their home. Becky and Wally took it over, and then apparently during the time jump John and Becky lived there together before John turned it into a storage space for his comics, probably since the basement shop has flooded in the past.

While Pete’s alleged best friend Darin has been a jerk this week, hopefully Pete will recall Mooch’s thoughtfulness from four years back:

Peter Out

OK, so Darin and Jessica had been living at the Taj Moore-hal while Les and Summer were in Africa, meaning Les’ OCD episode was totally pointless. Today Darin, the web and wireless app maven must borrow the work computer to search for an apartment. In bursts Pete to inform his landlord that, after much soul-searching and careful deliberation, has decided he must tear himself away from his friends and his hometown to go and be among the backstabbing dirty dealers Back East. Rather than offer Pete their best wishes and tell him how he’ll be missed, Funky and (Pete’s best friend) Darin only care about how this benefits them. They don’t even try to conceal their glee over Pete’s imminent departure.