Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for March 17, 2022

There’s the wing man block. The cliffhanger plot thickens. Tune in tomorrow for the next episode.

Ah ha! Financial entanglements. Although college students in my era that had money to lend were rare and far between. Spare change was relegated to beer money. Tho’ sometimes you would “hit it big” for five dollars after a late-night nickel-dime poker game.

Sure, Janis. Accept a $40 loan from this creepy weirdo you have just met. Then, when you find it hard to pay back, guess what he’s going to suggest.

Now there’s a pick up line if I ever saw one.

Who’s fault is it if she defaults?

“he works in a bookstore”, that means he has a job and gets paid.

He just wants to make you. Not make you a loan. Maybe get you alone.

Take it out in trade. ;^)

Yeah. What kind of dufus works at a “book store”?

What could Arlo expect in return…just saying?

My first husband borrowed $20 from me so we could go on our first date. It was the same time frame as this strip. We were married a year later and it lasted 20 years until the “til death us do part” part came way too soon. Go for it, Janis!

Keep in mind, we’re talking around $250 in today’s ‘money’.

And she has no way to pay it back! Bum, bum, bummmm…

( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)

Your forgetting about the employee discount.

“Here, take ‘em. I’ll cover you until whenever.”

I thought I had seen in earlier comics that they had met at a party?

My ex-son-in-law, after being fired as a cop for stealing from one college, was hired by another college to run their bookstore. He was fired from there when he’d put the proceeds from book buy-backs on his own debit card instead of the students.

I worked in a bookstore and did ok. I ended up with six degrees after a while.

$40 then is about $220 today, which seems believable. Also, yes, people might carry a few hundred in cash. I don’t know how expensive makeup was.

Man, what good times! I do miss them a lot. College days were just the best!New adventures daily! Woo-hoo!

What’s with the flashbacks???

Did she take the loan and did she ever pay it back?

So Janis was asking for a loan to cover her entire purchase, not just to cover a few bucks she was short? Did she go to the bookstore to buy stuff with no money? (Yeah, I know, it’s the comics, suspend my disbelief)

“‘Make’ you a loan”? Is that a Southern thing? I’ve always heard/said it as “give you a loan”.

I wonder if they will get together…Arlo and Janis.

The suspense is overwhelming.

I’m guessing this friendship evaporated as Janis started to evolve.

Janis is still paying back that loan, with interest.

This will be the third version of “how they met.” The first time was a fraternity party where Janis’ boyfriend, Woody, dumped her. Arlo made fun and got a kick in a sensitive spot for his trouble.The second time was at a dance and all Arlo remembered what she wore was what she did NOT wear—a bra.

At least he has a job.

Well, this is fun! Are these reruns or is Mr. Johnson reinventing “the beginning?” :)

Aww, GC won’t let me post a grinning emoji! :(

I think the one she needs to dump is the girl

Forty dollars was a lot of money back in the 70s.

At least she has a green shirt on for St. Patrick’s day