Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for March 02, 2020

Ignore him, Janis. He’s pondering.

Looks like he wants to talk about it. Just doesn’t know where to start. Maybe it’s age related.

I think that’s what’s irking Janis, Arlo isn’t connecting.

Even when he has nothing to say, he still loves your company.

Janis is holding her cellphone. Arlo is curious.

Misery loves company.

I think fuzzbucket is correct. He just likes being in her company.

Take him in back and sex him all up. That worked for her a few weeks ago…

“There’s a bad moon on the rise.”

Aww he wants to be near his wife regardless of his bored look.

Uh-oh! Arlo’s gonna go and buy a Corvette…

This is why women hate when their husbands retire. Arlo, go whittle a birdhouse or somethin’ …

Hey Sanspareil, He’s depressed as he considers Bernie running against Trump. Can you say “Landslide”?

Arlo is just looking at the coming end. He’ll get over it and move on. Do your part Janis.

sometimes we all need a little space in which to contemplate our lives; J is just trying to give him space by going to her other communications, and now he’s following her like a puppy because he still wants to be close, can’t quite put his thoughts into words yet but knows she’ll understand. it’s that comfortable silence, except sometimes it’s a little more awkward

Somebody’s in a Blue Funk… and what happened to all the backgrounds???

This morning, as I showered, I reflected on the fall of television. (Scholars warned from the beginning it would come to no good because it was part Latin and part Greek!) 60 years ago television became a fixture in nearly every home; today we have big screens or small screens that increasingly show things that are not broadcast in real time. It no longer really matters what time slot shows get; the big market is On Demand and ever more of what we watch is not even current. Last night I watched 36 hours (James Garner, 1965) with John Bannon as his Sgt. Schulz character before he was Sgt. Schulz. Broadcast television may wither and die before I do.

Arlo is just wondering if he should do something… and if so, what should he do?

My hubby retired in the Fall, this is him quite often. I tell him to go out and play. (work part time, visit friends, volunteer, etc)

My wife accuses me of that, too.

Last panel: Janis is effectively saying “What?” But sometimes you need words. C’mon, Arlo.

Spring, when a baby boomers thoughts turn to sail boats.

My dad was like this. He had to be near my mother even if they weren’t conversing. He hated to be alone. I guess she was used to it. But on the comic level, Arlo needs to be interested in Something. Get a hobby or a job! Volunteer somewhere! Get a life other than Janis.

Contemplating the infinite. Or maybe trying to think about if he’s right that his favorite breakfast cereal tastes different. Or constipated.

I think Arlo is waiting for Jimmy to give him his lines….

Arlo has a twin brother?

Doesn’t Arlo have a computer or TV to stare at like most husbands? Mine would never follow me around like this.

When I retired I went from 10 or more hours a day at work plus an hour or so at home to zero. volunteering for me was unfulfilling, it wasn’t until I took some time to figure out what I wanted to do that I was in a similar fugue to Arlos

Bedroom eyes !

Jeez! Look at Arlo’s eyes. Janis’ chest has him fascinated, that’s all.

I do not recall the 2020 election having been completed. Who says Pinocchio will win again ( unless he cheats like last time. Republicans are deleting as many voters from the rolls as they can. Is that legal? If it isn’t Trump will change the law.)

Arlo just wants to be near Janis, even if doing nothing in particular. I can relate.

Hobbies I have multiple ones. Doing voices, dialects, watching Jeopardy for a few.

uhhhhh…………..okay

Gee, if they only had mouths they could speak.

Looks like they’re out of coffee…

Separation anxiety from work is a real thing.

After I retired, I joined a group of adults who get together weekly and share what we have written. We are mix of writers (some published, some not) who range in age from college students, working adults, and retirees. We meet in a public restaurant. The guy who started the group was a high school teacher. When he retired (or was forced out-we aren’t sure) he tried to turn our group into a class with him as ‘professor.’

We ignored him for awhile until he tried to censor our writing (no swearing, no sex, keep things PC.) We politely but pointedly told him we weren’t his high school students. He went off in a huff. It was shame because he writes some really funny stuff. Now he is back – sometimes he sulks; sometimes he participates.

Arlo will get past this, too, like our friend did. Until he does Janis will have to put up with it.

So weird, I never thought of politics. I have been at that table with my spouse over some small disagreement, which later worked it out. Most times a financial matter that we worked out.

I’m amazed by the hatred in the USA that a simple strip about how dull the XFL is leads the 2 parties to take it for their msg. Vote independent ya brainwashed slugs.

Misery loves company.

Maybe he’s thinking about that fairly large sailboat they “bought”, or essentially got for free— but are paying some probably large yearly fee to dock— and as far as we readers know, they have never even once taken out and actually sailed!! It would be nice to have that storyline continued at some point— or brought to a definitive end by having them sell the boat (or give it for free to someone else who might even use it!).