Les wanders the campus of his (and TB‘s) alma mater, Kent State University, talking to himself, and the definition of the word irony suffers another hit. No doubt Les’ “old English lit profs” have either long since been put out to pasture or were killed off when time suddenly leapt forward ten years.
Memo to Nate: I guess it’s acceptable for Westview faculty to date one another; however, it’s not cool to snap Cayla’s bra strap, like you appear to be doing in today’s panel 1.
“How the hell should I know where Les is, Nate? Aren’t you his damn boss?”, would be the appropriate reply from Cayla. Instead, she spreads Les’ business about the office (so much for the concept of “personal” day). Susan snaps to at the mention of the Grounded One’s name.
Panel 3, I believe, is a first for this comic: Susan “breaks the fourth wall” and fixes the reader with an ear-to-ear smirk. But instead of giving a “thumbs up”, she extends an index finger. Les is Number One? Or has Susan harvested a particularly ripe booger, and preparing to do the ol’ picky flicky?
Update: Merry Pookster has helpfully pointed out that “Susan just appears to be ‘crossing’ her fingers for luck.” OK, that clears that up! Thanks, Pookster. I stand by my “breaking the fourth wall” statement.
Les quickly weary of her incessant badgering (and squealing), but Susan is relentless. “You haven’t called them yet?” “No…anyway, what’s the big deal? The trip to New York cost me nothing, not even a drop of sweat…it’s only the Kent State University Press, they’ll be sitting around waiting for my call…and not for nothing, I’ve already gotten one book published without my even knowing about it. I’ll call them when I’m damn good and ready.” Meanwhile Les’ callous attitude only pours fuel on Susan’s long-smoldering libido…
Susan chases Les around the teacher’s desk, determined to find out what transpired in Annie’s Big Apple. Les finally spills: the “book agent” “thinks she may have found a publisher for Lisa’s Story.” Not “She found a publisher” or “I got a book deal” or “That old skank finally gave me back my missing manuscript.” No matter: it’s enough to elicit an orgasmic squeal from Station Wagon Susan.
Holly, please smack him before he gets to “balls”.
Nevermind. Les hasn’t got any.
Son of Stuck Funky 