Gil Thorp by Henry Barajas and Rachel Merrill for March 09, 2021

Huh. Who would have imagined this would happen?

Hey, easier to tell a stranger something unpleasant than to tell a friend. Of course, the flip side is that a stranger is more willing to punch you in the nose for saying it than a friend.

Katrina to ask to hear Vic’s “promposal” and say yes? Or just ask him directly to be her date? Or will Vic bring the house down as prom MC — “Now arriving … Time to meet our Queen” etc. Chaperones Mimi and Gil to bust their Bossa Nova moves?

P3 Awhhh, this is sad. I was hoping Vic and Tessi were going to make good use of the van in the MHigh parking lot!!! No nockin while the van is rockin!!!

P1 the fickle fingers of tickle attack CK to torture her until she agrees to talk to Vic, meanwhile the ants wait for their opportunity to jump in and join the fun

P2 CK in full vamp mode as she squeals on Tessi, in Vic’s darkest hour at least he has the brilliant shine of Mopman’s floors to show him the way

P3 You probably should, but run it by me just for the halibut, did I ever mention I have a thing for big crutches? Just what does the back of that grampa van look look like? Show me big boy?

In all reality , Odds are 5/1 that Vic and Corina go to prom together . Meanwhile , as Tessi walks to her classes she notices other students pointing at her and whispering and hears classmates calling her a B*××h .

P1 – hand-o-rama! In case we didn’t think there was a fetish before, now we know; one finger chucks the chin, the other pokes the eye, and both hands are on display although the artist has a problem with thumbs. P2 – nice teamwork on the alliterative “van” and “vapid” but I am certain after teaching HS English for 33 years that most teens will know the former word but not the latter. P3- again good use of the alliterative descriptor, but if they do not know each other well the prom proposal seems a little over the top – shouldn’t they “date” first? Showing my age but…….

“…barely know him.” “Yeah, but with that cool moustache ,you’re like, irresistible. He has to listen.”

Too bad Vic, that was a non-refundable contract on those sky writers and hot air balloon.

Tessi is vapid and shallow? CK describes most of the student characters in GT. I nominate blasé as a TCFS verb.

P 2.5 (as Vic pummels CK with his cane): “…NO WAY! …YOU’RE A G****M LIAR!…SHE LIKES ME!…YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS!…I’LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER BLACK EYE TO MATCH THE FIRST ONE…..NOW GET T.F. OUTTA’ HERE…”…..(kicks CK in the butt)

P 2: “…oh!…I almost forgot…you wear glasses too…” (I heard that one myself back in the day)

CK is her usual funny self with her “I barely know him” act….she’s been nosin’ around his business for some time now

P1: CK clutches at her non-existent pearls and feigns a shocked expression of “Who, me???” as she is appointed to do something that was her own idea in the first place and that is the sort of thing she takes delight in doing.

If only he had a friend with a GTO. Oh well.

Day 94 of Moon held Hostage. Thank God for the recent stimulus package, as his unemployment benefits are set to run out this Friday.

The Contessa is dead.

CK with a case of the vapors

P1, Giant hands, what would this strip be without them?

P2, Nice job, rip off that bandaid!

P3, And you can stop being the P.A. announcer for the girls. It’s a win-win, more study time.

CK is Turning Japanese?

So she’s surprised everyone would nominate her to throw down some truth to someone?

Coaches Held Hostage: Mimi, Day 48; Kaz, Day 38.

Are those windshield wipers on his glasses?

Good, this wraps up Saturday with a state championship season in baseball starting.

Now you can subtly mock her on the P.A. system!

Wise decision, Vic… once upon a time, perseverance was an admirable quality. Now, it tends to make one look like a stalker.

well adjusted fellow. hope it pays off.

He’d probably do better in school if he found an optometrist who prescribed bifocals that weren’t on 45 degree angles.

Theme song: “I’m the freindly stranger in the Grandpa Van won’t you step inside my car. Something, something, something, my PA will make you a star…” (CK interrupts and says You had me at “stranger”)… I’m your announcer baby, take you anywhere you want to go, I’m your announcer baby, the Pointer Sisters call me “Slow”.

For those of you who doubt Milford is in a time warp, please note in P-1 CK is doing the Macarrina (and cheese).

Oh man, the artist was in all his glory with P1. You know how much he loves to draw hands, here he’s got 4, including 2 close ups! I don’t recall a panel with more than one person’s giant paw in the shot.

Oh, and as has been said many times, many ways….no, Corina, nobody has to tell Vic to stop chasing Tessi. Other than Tessi herself. He should have gotten the hint by now anyway, and how often does this happen in real life in high school, where “friends” of the girl being pursued take it upon themselves to confront the guy, without the target girl even knowing? Maybe once in history?

And speaking of history, today’s Mopped Up Thorp will go down in history as one of the top 500 strips I’ve done. I know, that’s a pretty lofty boast, but here it is.

https://moppedupthorp.wordpress.com/

The whole premise here, with “someone has to stop him!” is a bit over dramatic. He asked her out a whole two times. The first time she gave a reasonable excuse. She did not say “not interested.” So it is not stalker material for him to ask her out again. And she still didn’t make it clear she wasn’t interested, so him asking a third time would not warrant an intervention. After that, maybe.

P1, Lots of giant hands. What would this strip be without them?

P2, Even though this strip is stuck 50 years in the past, CK maintains 2020’s 6 feet of distance from Vic.

P3, And run her over in the parking lot instead!