Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for February 21, 2024

Bern, simple questions, then shut up.

Bernice is having what Tom Bergeron would call a, “Can we kindly pull our head out of our @$$ moment.”

Bernice, did you hear what he just said, that his mom in the Hospital again, C’mon! Snap out of it!

Can Bernice really be this clueless??

Well, this explains why Piro has been especially moody.. he’s concerned about his mother.

Did Bernice try to match her outfit with the Degroot’s lamp? ;)

Bernice, it’s not about you

I see what your problem is, Bernice. You spend too much time inside your head rather than focusing on him and listening. You missed that he needs to be with someone because his mom is in he hospital because you’re obsessed with being a psych major and all that. Forget that. Be there and offer comfort. It’s not about you. As a counselor you have to first understand that it’s never about you but about your patients. Put aside your ego.

NO YOU DON’T BERNECE!

Is the intent here to show that Bernice is a terrible psych major because it sure comes off that way. She’s so busy trying to recall how to be quiet and listen to the patient that she can’t hear Piro asking for commiseration. This is like last week when the author show us that Tara and Luann were a bad influence on Piro because they would listen to him, only pushing their conceived “cures” for his maladies.

HAHAHA! Sorry, Bernice, you don’t know how to listen. Poor Piro, surrounded by fools.

Oh, for God’s sake, Bernice!!

Knowing how is one thing, doing is another.

I’m thinking Bernice needs to rethink her career choice. Listening is not her strong suit.

Interesting that Piro’s cousin, Tara, doesn’t know that his mom is in the hospital.

I feel like this is the third time this punchline has been used in this arc alone. We get it: the characters are terrible at listening to Piro.

Oh… the humanity!

G & K are really picking on Luann – and now Bernice. They’re pushing 20 – they shouldn’t be that oblivious.

A really perfect display of irony. B is so busy thinking about how she’s completed reading about ‘how to listen’ that she isn’t listening! Naturally, Piro is depressed – his mother is in the hospital. But B the counselor, Tara the ‘caring cousin’ and Luann the would-be comedian are too busy to listen to him…

A user of Reality Therapy™ would say, “Your mother is in the hospital again?” Then wait and listen.

And his cousin doesn’t know? What kind of family is that?

Imagine the self-absorbed Bernice penning a “Dear Abby”-type column. Boggles the mind!!

She has ears, but doesn’t hear. Must be the fog in her brain that blocks out everything.

No, you don’t know how to listen and the test just happened right now!

Piro: “I feel so powerless to help my mother”. Bernice: “Me, me, me, myself, I, myself, me me me me me me me…”

Gee, and it was going so well for several seconds after Bernice had her amazing lightbulb moment. But then she had a relapse. Who could have foreseen this tragedy?

Now, some of Us will be wondering “Who is Piro’s mom?”

Could be, she’s just a “plot device” and will NEVER be revealed

One’s parent being in the hospital is a good reason to have a lot on one’s mind. Of course, I wonder why Piro couldn’t tell his COUSIN Tara about it.

But getting back to Piro’s mom: What if it’s someone We KNOW who is still featured in the “Character’s” section?

And whom most of Us HATE? ;-)

Ugh…. that revelation would be too grandly SOAP OPERA-ish!!! Perish the thought! Although, the comments might be awfully d@mn fun. :)

Piro needs you now, Bernice, so start applying your listening skills that you supposedly learned after reading a chapter in a book.

Bernice you ain’t listenin if your brain is somewheres else!

“I read it so I learned it” isn’t always a true statement, Bernice.

No Bernice is not listening even though she thinks she is and thinks she knows how. Not good if she wants to be a counselor. She doesn’t know how to be a good friend even.

Bernice should listen to herself sometime… oh, wait.

Except you don’t listen.

Ugh, Bern – be a friend not a pseudo therapist!

Nothing worse than a psyc major

Bernice is like the armless person who’s determined to play the trombone.

Maybe you should practice in real life what you are internally preaching.

Bernice, stop thinking too hard and just hear Piro out.

If Bernice sticks with this “psychology,” I really hope she goes into the research end—-‘cause she’ll be a lousy therapist.

Bernice, you don’t even know what you think you know!

talking to yourself Bern is still talking; you can’t listen if you are talking.

So what did you learn in that chapter about narcissism?

aw

It’s one thing to read about it in a book; learning how to do it takes practice.

AAAAAANNNNDDDDD there it is! Once again ego over everything else with Bernice. Giving your characters flaws is fine, but they’re supposed to grow from them.

Oops, she missed it! The revelation! I’m sure we have lots of questions. With her self-evaluation, her ears were not open. Did she get any of what he said? What a perfect opening and she missed it! ;-/

That’s all B.S. His mom is in France on holiday! He’s just trying to get some gratuitous sympathy!

Piro said his problem and it’s heavy. Dunno if Bernice will notice it, but this is a huge step forward and a great demonstration of the trust he has in her. I don’t understand why he didn’t tell Tara. She’s her cousin and the one at the hospital is her aunt, it should be ok to tell her. My explanation is that Piro wants the special relationship to be with Bernice, the girl he puts on a pedestal and who he likes. I wonder if she will realize this or if she will continue to think he wants to talk to her just because she’s a psych major.

She knows how to listen? So why isn’t she?

I just wonder when Bernice will realize Piro’s mom is in the hospital, and who will tell her.

Knowing how and Doing. Two entirely different things.

Piro doesn’t need comforting, he just needs and wants a place to be.

Time to change majors

Piro has chosen the perfect audience. He can talk about his mom as much as he wants and say whatever he wants. The selfish, self-absorbed and narcissistic Bernice will never hear a word he says. Now we know the true core of her personality.

Is the “hospital” really a “facility”?

So shut up Bernice and listen.

I guess tomorrow will reveal whether Bernice will be able to use that degree in a professional capacity.

Yeah, Bernice, you just read a chapter on listening, but I guess it didn’t sink it, hm?

Serious comment:. “Active listening skills” are something every communicating adult should learn and practice. Check the phrase out on line.

What would be funny would be Piro talking about his mom all week with Bernice still thinking about herself – then he says “thanks for listening” and leaves.

Now I’m sorry for the ugly things I said about him.

“….I know how in theory. In practice? I may need a some improvement.”

He’s finally talking. Stop thinking and start listening!!!!

Our Bernice needs to learn that there’s more to being a psychologist than knowing about psychology.

Did she OD on drugs? Spousal abuse?

Yeah, so much for being “family”. How could she not know what was going on? Yeah, Bern, you really know how to “listen” to people.

Bernice, have you considered changing majors?

Piro CHOSE Bernice over the other two——which is interesting in itself

A good listener that isn’t listening?

Bern, as much as you may not be talking out loud, you are still not listening. You are not receptive to what Piro just revealed.

So quit your self-centered thinking and……Listen!

Finally………..

Knowing HOW to do something and DOING it are two very different things!1

A lot of help Bernice is going to be. She is more concerned about herself.

There’s his problem.

Not a close family

Piro: Bernice, did you listen to a dâmn thing I said? You’re just like Dick Facey

Les Moore from Funky Winkerbean: HUMPH!! It appears that some LOSERS were left behind!!

(Les waddles off(

Bernice is Psyched out! She’s not listening to Piro at all. She’s having a mental meltdown!

Could it be that Bernice’s thought in the last panel IS in response to what Piro just said?