The Born Loser by Art and Chip Sansom for January 30, 2023

What was difficult was carrying the piano right under the window of Gladys’ house.

they are if you have chop suey and no fork

It could have been worse. Mother Gargle could have told her Brutus should be a one man banned.

Well . . at least Brutus made the effort, and that’s all that counts in his book.

And he played it off key.

He played piano by ear while she fiddled with her navel.

Then they would go out for Chinese food

Well who was on top of the piano? Brutis or Mom? And was the piano a “grand” large enough for them both? I’m so confused.!

Brutus was doing the best he could with the knowledge and talent he had…

The neighbors thought he was just a howling alley cat, and threw something at him.

what’s the matter with Chinese styled piano playing. :D

I don’t know, Gladys. It sure won you over. No doubt she was lucky to have anyone serenading her, playing anything.

That toy piano was murder

That’s about as far as I got with my piano playing.

“Chopsticks” may have been a fond memory, but it wasn’t the key to their relationship.

I was picturing Brutus sprawled out on the lid of a Grand piano singing torch songs…

I suppose it partly depends on the lyrics.

While l agree it may not be the most romantic song created, it did contribute to you falling in love and ultimately marrying Brutus. Let’s hear it for “chopsticks”….

NOW…that is funny!

And she said, “Would somebody stop torturing that cat!”.

Good ole Brutus Thornapple, his most request was for him to play Far Far Away.

No ‘Heart and Soul’ in that, eh???

Romantic is as romantic does, I am sure Brutus put his whole, “Heart and Soul” into his serenade.

Chopsticks on a floor piano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25CtoSJD9eo

Now when they go out to a swanky place and the band strikes up Chopsticks (which of course is a staple of Swanky Place musicians), Romeo Brutus says “they’re playing our song my love” and sweeps Gladys onto the dance floor.

For Brutus, that was a huge step into romance!

In the final panel, she appears to be smiling, just a little. She’s not in full zinger mode; there’s a fond memory coming back to her. (As several other people here have already observed, something won her over and they did get married.)