Fortunately I started to develop a better relationship with my Dad in the last few years of his life.
I will be honest, because of the changes in our relationship I had a bit of a hard time letting him go. I miss you Dad. Fortunately I have faith that we will see each other again.
I think Rat might’ve taken a lot after his old man, resulting in a very strained relationship. Either that, or they used to be quite close, but the bond got destroyed, resulting in a major falling out. Now that he’s gone, he probably regrets never reconciling with him.
As much as The Count dislikes getting serious on here… The Count is absolutely channeling Rat. And/Or Visa Versa. Yo, Rat, bro… The Count would bet the ranch and livestock that, just like The Count, when you do reminisce like this you realize He Was RIGHT!
That’s a little hard for me to do as my dad is buried halfway across the country in Poplar Bluff, MO. The last time I was there was when my mother and I took him there in 1994, and we went to his 50th high school reunion in his place.
The last year of my dad’s life, I got to spend just about every day hanging out with him and picking his brain about life, the wisdom he had, and his own story. That year is probably one of my most treasured memories, and the time that did the most to shape me into a decent person and a good father and husband.
sadly, i won’t get to go to heaven since i will never forgive that bas***d for what he did to my mom and our family. THANKS DAD. sorry folks. some feeling s unresolved still. obviously
Our personality and behavior is the result of genetics (the genes we inherit) and epigenetics (the environment). There is increasing scientific evidence that our free will is limited, if at all present, so let’s give each other so slack and do the best we can to get along.
He already knows; don’t worry. He was a Dad. Dads aren’t necessarily a biological father. Dads are Dads. That’s why I often refer to God the Father as my Heavenly Dad in my prayers. It’s what He is……
Make peace while you can. Had struggled with my relationships with some of my immediate family in recent years and have done my best to smooth things over on my end.
Also, my mom passed away in 2006 and I miss her all the time.
Say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear) You can listen as well as you hear It’s too late (it’s too late) when we die (it’s too late when we die) To admit we don’t see eye to eye
Not long before my father died, he called up the relatives he was close to (like me, for instance) and old friends to apologize for anything he may have done to hurt them in the course of his long life. Of course, I told him that he had nothing to apologize for, that he had been the best of fathers. And it was the truth.
It is sad when a parent dies that was emotionally abusive to the children. All children want to know their parent loves them. A parent passing when the child doesn’t know if they were loved is the worst. There is no way for them to ever really know if their parent loved them or not. I actually feel for Rat today.
It’s been 4 years since I lost my dad. He was the world to me. He did everything he could for my comfort. This comic hit me right in the heart. Miss you Baba!
BE THIS GUY 11 months ago
Never thought I would say this because of Rat:
Excuse me, I have something in my eye.
BasilBruce 11 months ago
Nothing to say here.
DanielRyanMulligan1 11 months ago
Um, does this comic strip provide the evidence to implicate Rat for Rat’s father’s death/murder?! Dan aka…ps hmmm….
Liam G.P 11 months ago
Oh Lord, I almost teared up, I swear. I pray that there would be an afterlife, so I wouldn’t be worried.
Baarorso 11 months ago
H-oly cow! What a GUTPUNCH in the last panel!
Wilde Bill 11 months ago
Somehow, I knew that was the reason.
marilynnbyerly 11 months ago
All of us who have lost our dad know this feeling.
The dude from FL Premium Member 11 months ago
Don’t we all, they were so smart!
David_the_CAD 11 months ago
Fortunately I started to develop a better relationship with my Dad in the last few years of his life.
I will be honest, because of the changes in our relationship I had a bit of a hard time letting him go. I miss you Dad. Fortunately I have faith that we will see each other again.
orinoco womble 11 months ago
The saddest thing is when someone dies and all their family feels is a sense of relief. Some people never change, unfortunately.
Johnny Q Premium Member 11 months ago
Someone said that after your parent dies, you become more like him/her…
Bilan 11 months ago
The Rat doesn’t fall far from the tree.
MichaelAxelFleming 11 months ago
My dad was called Jack. I’m Michael, Jack’s son.
carlsonbob 11 months ago
Rat being serious and reflective. A nice change.
salakfarm Premium Member 11 months ago
My dad and I get along the same way.
Imagine 11 months ago
I was very fortunate to learn that before my Dad passed away. The last few years of his life were the greatest time we had together. I miss him.
ivanprime93 11 months ago
A little close to home, but nice.
Binky 11 months ago
( ◜‿◝ )❤
blunebottle 11 months ago
Saw that coming.
iggyman 11 months ago
A whole different side of Rat..
hariseldon59 11 months ago
Nice to see Zebra again.
Darth Stevious 11 months ago
I’d like to see Zebra more.
unclebob53703 Premium Member 11 months ago
Aw, man!
Geophyzz 11 months ago
Cody Johnson says it best:
https://www.youtube.COM/watch?v=v2LixP7n_hM
stringer831 11 months ago
Weirdly enough, today would have been my father’s 102nd birthday.Let’s just say he was a very difficult man.
cdward 11 months ago
Aww.
Ellis97 11 months ago
I think Rat might’ve taken a lot after his old man, resulting in a very strained relationship. Either that, or they used to be quite close, but the bond got destroyed, resulting in a major falling out. Now that he’s gone, he probably regrets never reconciling with him.
ladykat 11 months ago
Aww, rat.
Count Olaf Premium Member 11 months ago
As much as The Count dislikes getting serious on here… The Count is absolutely channeling Rat. And/Or Visa Versa. Yo, Rat, bro… The Count would bet the ranch and livestock that, just like The Count, when you do reminisce like this you realize He Was RIGHT!
Aficionado 11 months ago
Profound, Mr Pastis. Well done.
jel354 11 months ago
Rat rarely struck me as the sentimental type, until today.
pheets 11 months ago
Loss is hard.
Cameron1988 Premium Member 11 months ago
I figured Rat’s father had to be deceased
uniquename 11 months ago
Rat with some real introspection. No matter what happened between you in real life Rat, your dad left you a gift.
Goat from PBS 11 months ago
Awwww. We truly never know what we have… until it’s gone.
DaBump Premium Member 11 months ago
Aw! Didn’t expect to be touched by a strip featuring Rat like this!
[Anonymous Account] 11 months ago
R.I.P Rat’s dad
mikenassour Premium Member 11 months ago
I know the feeling. Thank you, Stephan.
royq27 11 months ago
Rat has never been so right…
Charlie Tuba 11 months ago
That’s a little hard for me to do as my dad is buried halfway across the country in Poplar Bluff, MO. The last time I was there was when my mother and I took him there in 1994, and we went to his 50th high school reunion in his place.
Radish the wordsmith 11 months ago
Leave some pizza.
davidlwashburn 11 months ago
The last year of my dad’s life, I got to spend just about every day hanging out with him and picking his brain about life, the wisdom he had, and his own story. That year is probably one of my most treasured memories, and the time that did the most to shape me into a decent person and a good father and husband.
Shinrinder Premium Member 11 months ago
I miss my dad.
HOTLOTUS1 11 months ago
sadly, i won’t get to go to heaven since i will never forgive that bas***d for what he did to my mom and our family. THANKS DAD. sorry folks. some feeling s unresolved still. obviously
figuratively speaking 11 months ago
Poor Rat.
TheBigPickle 11 months ago
Darn dust in my eye…
ShadowBeast Premium Member 11 months ago
Just lost my father last month.
InuYugiHakusho 11 months ago
A surprisingly human moment for Rat.
The Fly Hunter 11 months ago
So many questions I wish I had asked my father…. “sigh”….
elgrecousa Premium Member 11 months ago
Our personality and behavior is the result of genetics (the genes we inherit) and epigenetics (the environment). There is increasing scientific evidence that our free will is limited, if at all present, so let’s give each other so slack and do the best we can to get along.
LaughterIsJoyMuliplied 11 months ago
These words are wholly inadequate but, thanks Steph.
raybarb44 11 months ago
He already knows; don’t worry. He was a Dad. Dads aren’t necessarily a biological father. Dads are Dads. That’s why I often refer to God the Father as my Heavenly Dad in my prayers. It’s what He is……
oakie817 11 months ago
know the feeling
patrickab7 11 months ago
Make peace while you can. Had struggled with my relationships with some of my immediate family in recent years and have done my best to smooth things over on my end.
Also, my mom passed away in 2006 and I miss her all the time.
I'm Sad 11 months ago
Harry Chapin.
Otis Rufus Driftwood 11 months ago
I feel the same way with my father gone. Every now and then, it is good for Pastis to show Rat is not completely callous.
delennwen 11 months ago
Say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear) You can listen as well as you hear It’s too late (it’s too late) when we die (it’s too late when we die) To admit we don’t see eye to eye
zeexenon 11 months ago
Thank goodness for Shawn Woods and Mousetrap Monday.
B.comics.61 11 months ago
❤️
Spacehog 11 months ago
It is good to see Zebra again, Zebra is my favorite character besides Pig
Hank Bordowitz42 Premium Member 11 months ago
That may be the saddest thing I’ve ever seen in the funnies.
MarshaOstroff 11 months ago
Oh, Rat, I feel for you. Time for a chat with my late daddy-dear.
itsacatsworld Premium Member 11 months ago
<3 oxox
CamiSu Premium Member 11 months ago
I so wish I really missed my mother.
David Rickard Premium Member 11 months ago
Goddammit, it’s gotten dusty in here…
Jaime Jean M 11 months ago
Now, that was depressing.
KEA 11 months ago
my dad died when he was 58… there are so many adult conversations I would have liked to have with him.
MarshaOstroff 11 months ago
Not long before my father died, he called up the relatives he was close to (like me, for instance) and old friends to apologize for anything he may have done to hurt them in the course of his long life. Of course, I told him that he had nothing to apologize for, that he had been the best of fathers. And it was the truth.
Chris Sherlock 11 months ago
It’s nice to see Rat has more than one dimension to his personality.
billdaviswords 11 months ago
Who woulda thought… Rat has a heart.
Ukko wilko 11 months ago
That’s the only way I’ve had to talk to my Dad since 1962.
jearnold15 11 months ago
Made me cry. I lost my parents a number of years ago, and it still stings. Thank you for your sensitivity.
Tom in WV 11 months ago
Good job, Pastis. The last time PBS moved me like this was when Junior Croc went off to college.
pchemcat 11 months ago
It is sad when a parent dies that was emotionally abusive to the children. All children want to know their parent loves them. A parent passing when the child doesn’t know if they were loved is the worst. There is no way for them to ever really know if their parent loved them or not. I actually feel for Rat today.
John Jorgensen 11 months ago
Rarely does Rat come out with something so touching. And come to think of it, rarely does Zebra show up at all these days.
deojaideep aka Courage 11 months ago
It’s been 4 years since I lost my dad. He was the world to me. He did everything he could for my comfort. This comic hit me right in the heart. Miss you Baba!
mholding 11 months ago
awww Rat..
shelly 11 months ago
What a lovely message
Snoots 11 months ago
Geeminy… sometimes Pastis has a great way of tugging those heart strings.
My favorite of all time: “You were the best thing that ever happened to me.” I tear-up every time I think about it… and not ashamed to admit it.
Perhaps someone here can figure out the link to the original strip.
chriscc63 11 months ago
the first bit of loving emotion shown by Rat Jr.
Sisyphos 11 months ago
Aww. Rat has a soft spot in his heart (who knew?) for Rat Senior. Such pathos….
c001 11 months ago
“…und viel mehr Blumen während des Lebens, denn auf den Gräbern sind sie vergebens.”
(…and many more flowers while you’re on life’s lane, because on the graves, they are in vain)
DebUSNRet 10 months ago
Miss my Pop too, Rat.
Swirls Before Pine 10 months ago
Please stop chopping onions, Rat.
Swirls Before Pine 10 months ago
The 10 year anniversary of my Dad’s passing was four days before this strip. I didn’t tear up until today.