Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for November 18, 2009

Finally, someone’s putting it to the gert and telling it like it is!

Yeah, I think Walt’s about to be in the market for another caregiver Real Soon Now …

Who will interrupt Corky– Walt? Or Byrd?

He could have given her a chance to admit it. Walt’s fine, you can’t go through life worrying about what might have happened. Lighten up, Corkster!

RE: Axe - I’m beating on Walt.

Well I hope Gertie gets a chance to explain what happened but it appears Corky’s gonna just keep hollering and not give her a chance.

Gertie and Walt went to the show together, but because of the fake tickets, she got kicked out (but not Walt) but that was sooooo long ago, how can anyone remember?

Wait a minute: She and Walt were removed from their seats when it was determined they had counterfeit tickets. Because Gertie resisted, she was physically thrown out of the theater, while Walt was more gently treated. We don’t know exactly what happened to Walt when Gertie was thrown out. It looks like he may have been permitted to sit in the lobby.

But, after she was thrown out, Gertie’s motivation to get back in wasn’t to try to further her attempts to see Byrd – she sneaked back in to find Walt. It was in trying to avoid having the theater people discovering that she was back in that lead her to be in that dance routine.

She never intended to abandon Walt.

Thanks, Jogger. Saved me a lot of typing …

Jogger2…I am glad to hear that someone is actually following the story…A voice of reason

Gertie did give a fight when the tickets she bought where way over priced from a scapler. Gertie herself was removed from the theather whereas Walt was never removed the strip writer never showed Walt being removed and soon found that Byrd gave Corky’s dinner employees tickets whereas his dad was able to stay to see the show, while Gertie fought hard to get back in and make a funny unexpected show of herself and the audience loved it. Corky, as pointed out by so many commentators, does have the right to scold and possibly fire Gertie from her responsiblites as caregiver/looking after his dad by her negligence even though Gertie never got a chance to say about her charge. This is how I interpet this Gertie and Byrd story. Sorry if this was text I’m not sure it would make sense.

Bassman: What gives you the idea that a caregiver needs permission from the family for a “field trip”? A live-in caregiver is entrusted with the life and well-being of her patient. This includes trips to the market, doctor, drives through the countryside, and yes, sometimes an unexpected treat at the theater. She did NOTHING wrong.

I suspect Gertie will get a second chance because Jim has invested a lot of time and effort on her. Gertie nevertheless did NOT act appropriately at the theater (confrontation w/usher) or in attempting to “rescue” Walt (ie: go to theater management or Police) A caregiver is expected (required) to handle a crisis in a controlled manner.

Although most caregivers are paid so stinking little, they are expected to act and react like God himself, with ZERO flaws. For shame.

Corky, on the other hand is jumping to conclusions based on hear-say evidence and disallowing Gertie to utter her side. Again, for shame.

I certainly would not want a case against me in the court of law to have a judge with his mentality, and also certainly not as a juror.

A well deserved scowl!

Remember, Walt IS Corky’s father. Who among us wouldn’t be upset if that happened to their dad? Hate to admit it, but I gotta join the spank Gertie club here.

Uh, bring back Eve?

Yeah, lets bring back Eve and let her take care of Walt. She would take really, really good care of him.LOL Or better yet, lets have Corky take care of him, if he’ll even stick around. Afterall, how much as he been at his diner lately…hummmm?

ChubsyUbsy said, about 6 hours ago

Walt is over 100 years old and Gertie is paid to watch over him. She selfishly abandoned her duties (and Walt) to go off looking for Byrd. If Walt was my dad, I’d fire Gertie.

BTW….look who is back. ChubsyUpsy….is that you Norman?

What a great thing to be 100 plus years old and still have a night on the town once in a while. The elderly people I’ve known complain because they are lonely and bored (and rightly so). Hooray for elder adventures.

Holy Cow guys…it”s a comic strip not your real life Uncle Walt or Joe or Harold. Lighten up

GA (June 17, 2004)– Corky: “Eve is down on her luck! She lost her job, came back home and is trying to make a fresh start. She can live with Pops and look after him! Hey! It’ll be cheaper than a nursing facility!” Skeezix: “Shouldn’t he get er … professional care, Corky?” Corky: “It will be professional! Eve’s getting paid, you know!”

GA (June 18, 2004)– Corky: “Skeez! This plan will work out to everyone’s benefit! Eve gets a salary and place to live! Pops gets to stay home like he wants … and we won’t have the awful burden of looking after him ourselves!” Skeezix: “Burden’s an awful heavy word, isn’t it?”

Roohey - I’ve thought the same thing dozens of times. And then, when you say it out loud, or in print anyway, some dumbass goes and shrieks at you. Tells you not to read comments that bother you, when he’s sounding off on one that apparently bothers him. You just can’t win, can you?

Thank you for your chronology of what happened way back when, Old Man Mountain - I thought it was Skeezix who hired Gertie - where is he?