Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for January 04, 2013

Val, just move to another room or go outside.

Phil, Phil, Phil…run, run, run!!

Whether she can hear him or not – she definitely needs a quiet dinner!!

This strip is too loud for me, I need to go to a quiet room!

Evie and the girls can be so inconsiderate!! Or maybe it is on purpose because they don’t like Phil.

I’ve never thought they don’t like Phil. I’m surprised that he has stayed friends with their mother who has somewhat bratty kids.

Sounds about right – maybe add a macaw, a disabled indoor rooster crowing, his girlfriend griping because it’s too cold for her to go outside, cats meowing from behind the downstairs door because they smell something cooking. True story.

Val, just go to a different part of the house so you can hear yourself and Phil.

Val go with Phil for a quiet meal away from the noise and relax. Hopefully another parent will not have the same ideal.

Actually, I think Phil loves Val. Whether its a romantic love or just a platonic love at this point is unknown. However, he probably loves her more than just a friend, but is proceeding cautiously. As an older single man, he probably not in a hurry to get into a deep romantic commitment. He has learned to live this long as a bachelor.If Phil died not care for Val, he would not have thought of the fact that Val might long for some quiet time with adult-only conversation.