in my experience (not specifically being homeless, but a student, which is close enough), a significantly large library with disused levels can work even better than underneath a bridge–actual shelter, bathrooms, no one to bother you…
((before anyone asks, I fell asleep there once and woke up well after closing time–luckily the doors still unlock from the inside))
I’ve actually slept in a few libraries before. Mostly during finals week. A few friends and I were all in one big pile. I kinda realized it might have looked weird if anyone decided to look in on what was going on…
Thats sounds like a great opening line to a Scholar-Noir novelette.
( My name is tayo —and I’ve spent the night… ( dramatic pause) in a library ( enunciated with emphasis ) Multiple Nights. ( lowering bass: boom-boom boom ) .
‘I am a scholar, like my father, before me’
You are working on your PHd in some arcane field. But you are also a detective. But Villains are afoot! This library is not safe for ordinary decent folks. Its a good thing you aint ordinary: Tayo, TA of Action!~
Prologue: The Pre-caffeinated Morning.
( i will leave the rest to you )
Actually, after some stupidity got me kicked out of student housing once, I spent about 2 months living in our schools 24 hour library before I found a new place. it wasn’t a good experience, but I imagine it’s better then under a bridge. Personally I hope shenanigans make her move in with Marcie. If she’s legally on the lease, there is nothing short of kidnapping he can do about it.
Even if she’s not legally on the lease, unless Marcie has a pretty strict and attentive landlord he can’t do much, her being an adult and not on university housing (which he shouldn’t be able to take her from either obviously, but could get her kicked out of)
She maybe should have gone to the questioning meet though, even as a non student they might have been able to hook her up with their campus pride or at least some public LGBT resources.
I’m wondering if maybe Joyce might have picked up some flyers or something at the meeting, with information that might help Becky. She was carrying around some papers, and was going to go talk to Brian again.
I’d say it’s a very good bet that Joyce has been getting three types of resources: 1) Coming out resources for Ethan, 2) General Queer Resources to help understand better what Ethan and Becky are going through, and 3) Resources dealing with housing and community for Becky.
So we get Marcie and Becky living together, start focusing more of Billie/Ruth, promote some background characters to main, and we rename the strip “Lesbian Roomies”.
my plan should I ever need a living space would be to go to the closest available college and start living in the vents. I would spend my time freaking the fuck out of some college students and become an urban legend. Stealing food from the mess hall at night
Mine’s a guardless storage locker. Preferably inside. The savings would probably be cheaper than most apartments. I’d only have to figure out how to have a makeshift bathroom.
The University of Birmingham Library Hermit was challenged by his rich lawyer brother to live in his university library for six weeks until his retakes.
…Actually I just looked it up again and it was all a lie. But it can probably be done!
There is the option of living in a shelter. Bloomington has a couple of shelters that take women, and trying to get away from a butthole father who is trying to force you through conversion therapy would easily qualify her to get into at least one of them.
BTW, the library isn’t 24 hours, but the Information Commons portion of it (as well as the lobby) actually is. Still, she would have a hard time sleeping in the Commons.
A lot of it is about having somewhere you can be in the middle of the night, with whatever the weather might be and whatever safety concerns you may have. So she could sleep during the day and then spend her nights in the Commons, though a shelter would probably be a better option.
Having been friends with homeless students (I have thankfully never been there myself), I’ve discovered that viable options include:
1) Living in a van down by the river (literally, not playing off the redneck joke gag) and using the gym locker room showers to shower and wash your clothes in.
2) Living in a broken-down car in the Walmart parking lot; just make sure it runs enough you can move it every couple days to keep the Walmart staff from noticing.
3) Sleeping in the commons with a book open next to you (as though you fell asleep studying) and then rotating to the library during library hours.
4) Finding friends in each of the dorms and dorm-couch surfing every three days to stay within the campus’s “visitors” policy.
Obviously, all of those require the school to be willing to notice and not take any action as long as nothing bad happens. The janitors and many other staff at the schools I attended knew full well who the homeless students were and what they were up to, but they were kind enough to let them go about doing it so they could still get an education.
Our library is medium-size, I guess, but open 24 h, and with bed-sized sofas. 6am a security guy comes through and wakes you up. (Which I know because I tried it.) Works perfectly fine.
I have never been to that particular building, but every building on that stretch is a converted house. Even if they do let people stay overnight, they might not have room.
my uni actually has hammock-type things on campus near the food court for people who want to study outside and/or take naps, so I suppose people could just “live” there
Obviously Leslie would be willing and able to help. Maybe Joyce or someone will remember that Leslie talked in class about homeless gay youth, and think to give her a call.
To me it looked like Toedad was only just starting to put up the posters so he probably only managed to put up one which could either be taken down by Dina or somebody or it might not be noticed.
He had only put the first one up, and when Dina is leading him out of the building we can see her holding a photo of Becky that has a piece of tape at the top. She likely took it down as they were leaving.
Should Becky manage to find a place to sleep for a week or so, she could truthfully tell Joyce that she’s sleeping elsewhere for a while, thank Joyce for her hospitality, and say that she’ll be in touch.
All true, and if pressed, Joyce could still truthfully say that Becky “stopped by for a visit.”
There’s a huge difference between “lying” and “being a bit vague.”
Let the strategising commence! Good call on Becky’s part: Joyce may be developing on that front, but she’s very likely not there yet. If Dina goes back to the drawing board, I’m sure there’s a better option than a bridge. Note: counting on the library option sounds legally risky, and entering the criminal system in a small way can (read: will) quickly become a big way if you’re broke. If fines are impossible for those living paycheck to paycheck (hint: they are) then there’s no hope for someone in the same boat minus the paychecks. Homeless shelters often discriminate against the LGBT community (as Leslie has pointed out (dear god can you imagine if she knew what was going on here —)) WAIT THAT’S IT. Someone needs to get in touch with Leslie. If anyone would know what to do (and know just how important this is) it’s her. Now it’s time to see if the involved parties can figure that out.
Mary knows about the party last night, and would definitely suspect anyone in attendance. Once she inevitably helps Ross in his search, it’s game over in this scenario.
1) Parents willing to help financially. I don’t necessarily mean they’re paying her rent or anything, but I know alot of people whose parents loaned or gave them money to help with the deposit on their first apartment (and/or cosigned the lease).
2) Time. Whatever Marcie’s story, she planned to move to Bloomington. It’s easier to get yourself set up when you have months to plan for than to one day realize you have no money, no job, and no place to go.
3) Marcie’s a BAMF. Becky’s cool, but she’s no Marcie.
4) Mysterious background. For all we know, Marcie’s living off some fat settlement money from whatever left her mute. Or she still lives with her parents, who moved to town while Sal was in reform school. Or whatever. The possibilities abound.
If Becky is going to live in a Library, she might as well use the time read some books on job hunting, the newspapers for the Want Ads, and the computers to search the Internet for jobs and housing options.
She can’t live on Campus for long if she’s not a student. And if she’s self sufficient and acting like an adult, her ‘Toedad’ can’t legally do anything about her, as long as she’s at least 18.
The mouseover comment is obviously not meant to be a parody of “Blackhole Sun” in any way shape or form, anyone found spreading this misconception will promptly have their head turned into a toe.
I think you can do far better than a bridge, Becky. Just look what two days at this place has given you already. You have friends here that will come through for you.
If it weren’t for the fact that I can’t imagine how it would fall into place, Ron owes Joyce big time, and presumably could handle a legally-adult person on the couch for a while.
Unfortunately, I can’t see anyone approaching Ron at all.
Roz. I was thinking that Roz would be very open to helping, especially because of how she treated Joyce during the last gender studies class. If she learned what Joyce was dealing with that day I should think she’s immediately try and put together a solution – Roz isn’t the type to let problems lie – and she seems to know Ron, having been to his party.
Alternatively Becky could end up living with Robin but while that would be very more awesome, dovetail with Robin from Shortpacked, and I think they’d get on fantastically, it’s unlikely.
I love Willis’s great handling of body language. Becky’s poses and facial expressions in Panel 1 and 3 are so haunting and so sadly nostalgic. That’s exactly the look of someone running out of options but knowing they have to come up with something fast.
Also, Dina is scary good at crisis management and analysis.
*Processor image of Toedad & Blaine next to each other, blaine with pants lowered to under butt at back, “break my foot off in your ass” comment joins in, then next image is of Toedad with toe-shaped-head shoved up Blaine’s ass, Hancock style…*
Most agree that he is not acting in the best interest of his daughter, I agree he’s not acting in the best interest of his daughter. More than likely he’ll try to bully her to return home with him and god knows what will happen next.
However, he appears to believe that he is acting in the best interest of his daughter. Perhaps there is a chance to reason with him? Joyce has enough friends at the University who can back her up.
Hhmmmm, in one of the preview panels, it had what looked like Becky leaving – I wonder if Becky would stage her leaving and tell Joyce so she wouldn’t have to lie to Becky’s dad? Then as soon as the toedads been and gone, she could just come back again.
I mean, Joyce wouldn’t be happy with the lies but at least Becky wouldn’t get her involved.
Stranger things have happened, Becky but, yeah, it will be the ultimate test of your father’s credulity to see if Joyce can actually fool him. I’m not sure if it would be possible without poor Joyce ending up having a stress-induced breakdown.
A part of me wishes that Ross could know how Becky sees him and that it would break his heart.
I want then to plan on Joyce lying and then actually just saying something to the effect of “Yes, she is here. She is happy here. She is gay and that’s okay.” I feel like it will happen because of Joyce going to the questioning meet and her standing up to her parents when they met Dorothy.
The big problem is that Ross doesn’t care if Becky is happy or not. He cares about whether he is happy. Furthermore, I think that, through putting pressure on Joyce’s family, he can make her life difficult too.
Yup. This is not about Becky standing up to Dickbag Toedad McAbusivepants the Butthole. She has made her stand as clear as can be. This is about damage control and to reduce the threat from a very dangerous enemy.
I’ve seen lots of suggestions here as to possible help for Becky;
Leslie-and she may be the very best: she can get Becky off campus and away from Toedad’s missing posters and all the ‘Mary’s”. And she could also find what legal rights Becky has, as in, if she is 18 she can take legal action to keep her butthole father away from her.
The Questioning crew: may have suggestions but can they move fast enough to actually help her.
Marcie’s place-maybe. Marcie may well take her in for a few days till Toedad is gone. But it’s a short range plan. Becky needs more in the long run.
Dina & Amber’s place-they’d do it: but Becky has to get off campus because of people like Mary who will, for sure, point her out to Toedad.
Joyce lying to Toedad with a straight face and convincingly is at the bottom of the list-I just don’t think she can do it no matter how much she wants to.
Really, I feel like the course of action they’re gonna take is to lie to Joyce. Even if it hurts her.
It’ll be dramatic and hurtful, yet necessary and understandable.
Something that Willis seems to like using.
The only question then, is Becky willing to lie to Joyce and manipulate her in order to protect herself, or rather does Becky trust Joyce to help her on her own?
One hospital I used to work at had a 15 year old kid hide out in the ICU waiting room for two weeks. His picture was plastered all over the news and the police were actively searching for him, and he had been in our waiting room the whole time, bathing in the rest rooms and eating in the cafeteria off the food people left on their plates.
The solution for Becky is to move in with Dina and then Joyce can honestly tell Butthole that Becky had been there, but had left. But that would be too easy, so Willis would never do it.
While I’m all in favor of letting Ross spend the rest of his days looking for Becky, never being sure she wasn’t killed by hobos or whatever could happen to homeless youth and blaming himself for being such a butthole she had to run away from him, it’d probably be best to get to a shelter with personnel who can explain to him what being eighteen means and tell him to fuck off and find some less vulnerable people to make miserable with his god.
I would say Leslie, as has been mentioned by others. She’d know where Becky could go for help. And I wouldn’t be surprised she’d be willing to do what is necessary, even if it cost her her job. Though I obviously hope that won’t happen.
Other options are:
Marcie (as mentioned)
Billy (she’s sleeping there now and iirc has absent wealthy parents)
Roz (she’s very pro minority rights and people choosing their own lives. Of course she’s not particularly close to the situation, but she has a congresswoman for a sister. Bu considering their relationship think Leslie would have to intervene.
So all in all I’m rooting for getting Leslie involved.
It might be interesting if Leslie has been keeping in contact with Rep. DeSanto. Then you’re not just getting the faculty involved, you’re arguably getting the Legislative Branch involved. That is a completely different can of worms.
But, yeah, either Leslie or the guys running the outreach meeting might have information about local hostels and safe-houses that will help Becky. The real stumbling block is Joyce, who feels bad enough about Becky’s situation that I think it would be a serious blow to her self-esteem if she can’t have Becky around so she can personally help her.
The problem is that the self-righteous never blame themselves. If something bad happened to Becky, Ross would console himself that it was her own fault.
But he’d never know for sure, so he could never just dismiss her. The possibilities will eat him like ghosts and he’ll never rest easy. Ask anyone whose kids have disappeared. And given enough time, some guilt will probably sneak in there with all the doubt.
OK crazy thought here. You don’t actually attend the school but are just living in someone’s dorm room which if the rules are strictly enforced COULD get you kicked out of school.
So, again just a crazy thought…leave and get a job?
Even if an independent-life sustaining job was easy to get (and they’re not), Becky would still be in bridge mode if she left.
And the reason is that she doesn’t have the ability to come up with first and last month’s rent plus deposit for an apartment and won’t for a very long time in our time even if she lucks out into a really awesome and well-paying job.
Additionally, such an action would be extremely risky. Sure, she’s under a considerable amount of risk here for being kicked out, but here at least there are people around who will make a fuss if Toedad tries to drag her away physically (as he has already done once already). Off on her own she’s at much greater risk of being disappeared by Toedad.
So, any job Becky wanted to get would be able to fire her for being gay/looking gay/seeming like the type of person who would be gay. Also, any apartment or living situation would be able to throw her out or deny her housing based on her lesbianity.
There are some places that wouldn’t care (Galasso’s is a great option for work if it wasn’t clearly a small family-owned restaurant without much in the way of non-family employees) and would treat her fairly, but it does reduce her options considerably.
Even a shelter may be a hard sell as a number of homeless shelters discriminate against LGBT individuals and that’s in states that do have some form of non-discrimination legislation in place. I’m not sure about the resources in Bloomington, but I suspect that they lack a specifically LGBT homeless center in the model of the Ali Forney Center in New York.
“Go get a job” is a great thing to suggest, but in reality, it’s not as easy as you would think.
But the question remains, where does she live while looking for the job? Where does she live until she has the funds to actually pay rent, as well as groceries?
simply have Becky stay with someone else for a week or so.
Then joyce isn’t lying. Becky was here but she left when she heard he was there and went to another friend elsewhere. then have the roommate (who is probably happy to help, even if she’ll complain) drop tne “new york” line
I really don’t get the idea that Joyce not technically lying would solve anything. She is not a robot – she is a terrible liar. A terrible liar with deep respect for and tendency to obey authority figures.
“I am sorry Joyce, but Becky is gone. I assure you that she is safe but for her protection she can’t be anywhere near you until her butthole father has called off the hunt, which will probably be quite a while since you are his best lead.”
…I really hope they find a better solution. That one would hurt too much.
It’s possible. They got probably 2 hours before Toedad returns and look at what Dina was able to plan and learn in the space of what? 10 minutes? Of her interaction with Toedad.
I’ve been thinking again about some of the preview art that DMW has been showing on the Tumblr page. I’m specifically thinking of the sequence that starts with Joyce having an argument with Walky and ends, after Becky shrugs off something Joyce says, with a picture of the side of one of the college buildings.
I’m wondering if Joyce is discussing what to tell Becky’s father with her and Becky is basically saying that, if Joyce is not willing to lie, she’ll just have to move on for her own safety, something that upsets Joyce and leaves Sal, Mike and Walky wondering just what the hell is going on. Then, we later see Joyce talking to a concerned-looking Sal. I’m wondering if Sal is telling Joyce that parental figure =/= good person and that she needs to put what she knows to be really happening between Becky and Ross ahead of any rose-tinted lens view of what the ideal Christian family unit is supposed to be like. Just because Ross is supposed to be Becky’s loving protector and provider doesn’t mean that he automatically is that. Joyce doesn’t want to hear that but, from how Joyce is shown in that frame, I don’t think that she can honestly deny it either.
I would say that Walky and Sal could probably tell Joyce a lot about what horrors can hide behind a supposedly-loving parent’s smile. It will be a hard lesson for her to learn but the time has come to learn it and I think that Sal would be the best to help her do so.
“Butthole Dad won’t you come and look like a big toe”
took my brain in two distinct and disparate directions:
1. “Buffalo Gals” as sung by George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) and Mary Hatch (Donna Reed) in “It’s a Wonderful Life”; and
2. “Buffalo Soldier” by Bob Marley and the Wailers (the refrain of which always makes me think of the theme song from the Banana Splits show – which I saw in re-runs, thanks very much…but which still makes me old. :-p )
The various people reading it as Black Hole Sun are most likely correct – it matches the rhythm correctly, and matches multiple key words. Dear Old Dad only matches one keyword and the rhythm of 2/3 lines.
Since Joyce probably won’t be able to pull that lie off, Becky could always tell Joyce she has to leave, and then crash with Dina untill toedad is gone.
So, I’ve had “Black Hole Sun” in my head ever since I read the alt text. I’ll definitely take that over the first song that came into my head when I saw the strip title. Seriously, I saw the strip title, and of all things, “Muffin Man” came into my head. I started thinking, “Do you know the Butthole Dad/ The Butthole Dad/ The Butthole Dad/ Do you know the Butthole Dad/ He smells like unwiped ass.” I really don’t know why that got in my head. I definitely prefer “Black Hole Sun.”
What is it about “Butthole Dad” that inspires song? Were I more musically inclined, and also less lazy, I might create a Butthole Dad” playlist.
Housing wise, Ethan could possibly get in contact with Joyce’s writer brother. But if their parent comes to know it’d still become a problem for both of them.
If Becky were forced to leave the college for a bit while shorts some stuff out, I imagine Jocelyn would be happy to accommodate her. Becky strikes me as practically a member of the Brown family already, so I think she and Jocelyn would already be close.
Hmm, it’s a really good solution, but I don’t see it happening largely because there would need to be a large conflux of events to set it up being suggested in comic (Ethan knowing about the entirety of Becky’s situation (currently he just knows that it’s “scary” and Joyce is really worried about it), Ethan knowing about Toedad, Ethan being present for the crisis management situation involving the homelessness, Ethan thinking to bring up Jocelyn, and so on).
Additionally, I don’t see Joyce running with that idea easily as she’d likely be all “oh, (Jocelyn’s dead name), well (incorrect gender pronoun) is nice and all, but I don’t think (incorrect gender pronoun) would know of anything regarding Becky’s situation and there’s a risk of it getting back to my parents.”
And so Ethan would essentially have to out Jocelyn to her family in order to reveal that super useful resource and that’d be kind of a dick move with what we’ve seen regarding the dangerous to being out to that whole general culture she was raised in.
I don’t think it’s that likely although I also suggested it below (potentially framed as ‘Jocelyn finds out from the Browns, comes to check on Joyce and maybe be a good inflience or even feel out if Joyce will accept her, meets Becky’), but in this framing, if Ethan is deducing it then he could ask Jocelyn first, without naming names right away. In both of those examples, Jocelyn would be the one offering and thus not require being outed, although it might come up and she might explain to Joyce in that arc anyway, if it happened. Which I don’t expect, but kind of want.
It would be cool. People talked about Leslie mentioning homeless queer youth as a Chekhov’s gun for Leslie to help, but I mean, by that logic the reveal of Jocelyn’s blog/name has a chance too, even if Jocelyn’s motives for helping aren’t revealed to Joyce or Becky for a while
I think it’s possible, because I’m like 90% sure the next story arc is going to involve Toedad bringing in the Browns to help him, and Jocelyn came with them back in Freshman Family Weekend. If she got wind that her parents were hollering down to IU to basically kidnap his sister’s best friend, I don’t think she’d just stand by and let it happen. Plus, if Jocelyn provided her a safe haven, presuming that Becky does get revealed to IU in the next arc and has to be kicked out, it would give her time to enroll, if she can, anyway. I’m not quite sure if Becky would be able to enroll in late September.
It’s only six to eight weeks into the Freshman year, isn’t it? I’m pretty sure that, so early on, it would actually be simpler for Becky to start afresh. Of course that would require that she have access to something to pay her fees and I can’t see Ross being willing to do that.
However, if she has a legacy from her mother over which her father has no control…? Nothing has been said either way about this. We’ll have to see where DMW takes it.
Of course the earliest she could possibly get in would be the start of the next semester, and it’s gonna get real cold out under the bridges before then.
Okay, butthole dad IS a butthole, but I’d say this seems a bit early for Becky to already think of her dad in this way. Her eviction is only days ago. They must have had a ‘normal’ relationship before that. Dad is still dad.
– I’m not defending butthole dad or criticizing Becky, it just seems to me they must have had a different relationship before all this.
That’s a big assumption. It’s possible that this is part of a continuum of non-physical abuse that goes back a while.
A very, very dark part of me wonders the exact circumstances under which Becky’s mother ‘passed’. I’m not shouting ‘murder’ but ‘suicide because she couldn’t take any more’ is very possible.
If suicide, then Ross is probably in denial about it, because suicide is a grave sin. (Not that I share your reasoning, btw.)
The point is, Becky seems to share the author’s viewpoint that Ross is a cartoon villain who is there to be ridiculed. Becky talks like a cartoon character, if she’s already given her dad that kind of nickname.
(Although that’s part of Becky’s way of dealing with things, making light of the situation, pretending it’s no big deal, everything’s okey-dokey, hunky-dory.)
Um… I said similar things (and worse) and still do about the dad who wanted to “fix” me*, even though we had a more traditional and supposedly loving relationship before I came out. Reparative therapy is one of those things that kind of sours a relationship right quick and rather dramatically and quickly recontextualizes a lot about a father-daughter relationship.
And in comic context, the disownment and reparative therapy bullshit is gaping open pus-oozing wound fresh. I mean, that all went down last week and now Becky is absent a home, any connections but Joyce, a family, money, and any sustainable sense of safety.
I mean, I’d find it totally believable for someone to still be calling a dad a butthole for simply forgetting a birthday a week later, much less because they intended to abuse you for your sexual orientation, forcing you to flee from your home and become homeless.
*Fun fact: I also have a “nickname” for the thing that insists on calling itself my father that I use in casual conversation with friends. It involves considerably more swear words. Fuck, I even have an email folder to autoredirect any missives from him because of his habit of sending abusive emails with passive-aggressive digs every month or so that is literally labeled Fuckheads and Shitheels.
Butthole dad is downright mild. Which makes sense given Becky’s raising environment with regard to swears.
I’m pretty confident at this point that Leslie’s going to get involved. Very curious to see the outcome of that because 1) I don’t actually know what resources are available for something like this and 2) I’m curious to see if Becky is going to stay around.
Actually, I’m guessing “no” to #2. She’s gonna go off to a farm somewhere, where she can run and play and ogle pretty girls.
If no one’s said it yet, the obvious solution to me is to lie to Joyce. Becky tells her her dad showed up and she’s leaving and can’t tell anyone where to, then hides somewhere (mall, Dina’s room, whatever). Ross confronts Joyce, Joyce tears into him about how she doesn’t even know if Becky is safe anymore and how Ross is a fuckup, and it doesn’t matter too much if he finds out Becky was there, since she has fled again (time to check another uni?), as long as Dina keeps out of sight.
I was thinking about ‘does Becjy have any siblings? Maybe she would be suspected visiting Joyce’s sibling (one of them, although the one who visited (Jocelyn?) might be beneficial if she actually did), and then I thought wait, what if the families have been planning to marry her to one of the Brown Bros this whole time? And actually that’s why Jocelyn came up, because maybe her and one of the siblings were (incorrectly) suspected sweethearts when younger, and maybe it would be Jocelyn because they would unconsciously sympathize. Also if that was the case regardless of brother, that might mean the Browns would get more involved which would be awful but probably interesting to see.
Also if Becky did actually visit/meet one (which I don’t expect, but IF (and besides, maybe Jocelyn will, having an idea of the story, come to check on Joyce and be a good influence about gender/sexuality, it’s possible))- anyway, if that happened, since lesbians are sexual deviants in Ross and probably the Brown’s worlds, I bet they will try to swoop her (or them) away to prevent her from seducing them
I’m really happy with having Dina as a main character for a change.
Her chapter so far is glorious.
And I LOVE how it jumps from one character to the next without really resolving anything.
Willis makes a Nirvana reference in the comic and then uses the flavor text to make a Soundgarden reference…I’m not sure I can handle that much 90s in one comic.
Comedy option:
Ross returns
Ross: Have you seen my daughter?
Mike: HAVE I? [crasser comment than I can make up, and I know crass]
Ross leaves, as apparently Becky is straight and has found a husband
Sometimes I have to open things on the computer specifically because people start talking about the alt/hoover-text. Sometimes I don’t have my computer in the same building/vehicle, and this is sad!
It was incredibly awesome though 😀
(I also had to reread the entire archives when I first got here because I only found out about the hovertext near the end and I didn’t know where it started being interesting. But worth it!)
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So, I’m just sitting here wondering if Becky and Dina are gonna kiss again, and this happens.
https://31.media.tumblr.com/6c4d1b97cabe67a5c5437141ffcc91f6/tumblr_n4kst6DpNz1tzt6bzo1_500.gif
I could vote for Dina as 2015 Hottest, but the pale orange against pale blue makes it tough.
Vote Pale-y-entologist.
What you did there? I saw it.
Congratulations, Random.
I will now, never do this again.
Jen Let you. She turned off her QED (Quantum Entanglement Device… or Quick Exit Door… or Quaffe Energy Drink)
You peeps know I legit don’t care though??
(actually this was irritating)
((this, even))
(((wow, what the hell cut+paste)))
http://www.shortpacked.com/index.php?id=1537
I quit
Yeah we know.
Too bad about that one comic though.
in my experience (not specifically being homeless, but a student, which is close enough), a significantly large library with disused levels can work even better than underneath a bridge–actual shelter, bathrooms, no one to bother you…
((before anyone asks, I fell asleep there once and woke up well after closing time–luckily the doors still unlock from the inside))
(inb4 I wasn’t actually gonna try today and let y’all have fun, but then I looked down and it was 0:01 so whatevs)
Having been semi-homeless for a few days here and there, I agree with this, especially since universities often have libraries that are open 24-hours.
And if they’re not, then 24-hour coffee shops are your next best friend.
My university had a library open 24 hours a day. And it was enormous. I know if I were homeless, I’d probably hide out there.
I’ve actually slept in a few libraries before. Mostly during finals week. A few friends and I were all in one big pile. I kinda realized it might have looked weird if anyone decided to look in on what was going on…
Maybe to Freshmen. Everyone else is used to that.
I was at the time, actually.
my name is tayo and I’ve spent the night in a library (multiple nights)
Thats sounds like a great opening line to a Scholar-Noir novelette.
( My name is tayo —and I’ve spent the night… ( dramatic pause) in a library ( enunciated with emphasis ) Multiple Nights. ( lowering bass: boom-boom boom ) .
‘I am a scholar, like my father, before me’
You are working on your PHd in some arcane field. But you are also a detective. But Villains are afoot! This library is not safe for ordinary decent folks. Its a good thing you aint ordinary: Tayo, TA of Action!~
Prologue: The Pre-caffeinated Morning.
( i will leave the rest to you )
Well, I think I have a good character concept now for in case I ever play Trail of Cthulhu.
watch out: lovecraftian detectives tend to go mysteriously missing;
First Randalph Carter, Then HP Lovecraft, and then Larry Latham
Actually, after some stupidity got me kicked out of student housing once, I spent about 2 months living in our schools 24 hour library before I found a new place. it wasn’t a good experience, but I imagine it’s better then under a bridge. Personally I hope shenanigans make her move in with Marcie. If she’s legally on the lease, there is nothing short of kidnapping he can do about it.
Even if she’s not legally on the lease, unless Marcie has a pretty strict and attentive landlord he can’t do much, her being an adult and not on university housing (which he shouldn’t be able to take her from either obviously, but could get her kicked out of)
She maybe should have gone to the questioning meet though, even as a non student they might have been able to hook her up with their campus pride or at least some public LGBT resources.
I’m wondering if maybe Joyce might have picked up some flyers or something at the meeting, with information that might help Becky. She was carrying around some papers, and was going to go talk to Brian again.
I’d say it’s a very good bet that Joyce has been getting three types of resources: 1) Coming out resources for Ethan, 2) General Queer Resources to help understand better what Ethan and Becky are going through, and 3) Resources dealing with housing and community for Becky.
Roller Derby is their future.
So we get Marcie and Becky living together, start focusing more of Billie/Ruth, promote some background characters to main, and we rename the strip “Lesbian Roomies”.
my plan should I ever need a living space would be to go to the closest available college and start living in the vents. I would spend my time freaking the fuck out of some college students and become an urban legend. Stealing food from the mess hall at night
Our vents are too small.
I checked.
keep one eye open
Always.
Mine’s a guardless storage locker. Preferably inside. The savings would probably be cheaper than most apartments. I’d only have to figure out how to have a makeshift bathroom.
And electric lights. Some of those places have the main breaker on a timer so it shuts down after hours.
Eh, an electric lantern and a few mirrors can light up a place decently.
Actually a head torch and a bottle of water chucks out decent amounts of light.
I look forward to you doing your morning kendo exercises with rebar, and saving up for my Mr. Lee’s Greater Hong Kong citizenship.
The University of Birmingham Library Hermit was challenged by his rich lawyer brother to live in his university library for six weeks until his retakes.
…Actually I just looked it up again and it was all a lie. But it can probably be done!
It looks like the IU library is not 24-hours, unfortunately.
There is the option of living in a shelter. Bloomington has a couple of shelters that take women, and trying to get away from a butthole father who is trying to force you through conversion therapy would easily qualify her to get into at least one of them.
BTW, the library isn’t 24 hours, but the Information Commons portion of it (as well as the lobby) actually is. Still, she would have a hard time sleeping in the Commons.
* to go through conversion therapy
Why isn’t there an option to edit your comments?
A lot of it is about having somewhere you can be in the middle of the night, with whatever the weather might be and whatever safety concerns you may have. So she could sleep during the day and then spend her nights in the Commons, though a shelter would probably be a better option.
Unfortunately shelters are really unsafe for young people, especially LGBTQIA young people.
Having been friends with homeless students (I have thankfully never been there myself), I’ve discovered that viable options include:
1) Living in a van down by the river (literally, not playing off the redneck joke gag) and using the gym locker room showers to shower and wash your clothes in.
2) Living in a broken-down car in the Walmart parking lot; just make sure it runs enough you can move it every couple days to keep the Walmart staff from noticing.
3) Sleeping in the commons with a book open next to you (as though you fell asleep studying) and then rotating to the library during library hours.
4) Finding friends in each of the dorms and dorm-couch surfing every three days to stay within the campus’s “visitors” policy.
Obviously, all of those require the school to be willing to notice and not take any action as long as nothing bad happens. The janitors and many other staff at the schools I attended knew full well who the homeless students were and what they were up to, but they were kind enough to let them go about doing it so they could still get an education.
Our library is medium-size, I guess, but open 24 h, and with bed-sized sofas. 6am a security guy comes through and wakes you up. (Which I know because I tried it.) Works perfectly fine.
Wow, I might have actually made one of my 8 AM classes for once.
The GLBT Student Resources office has a library. You know, the one that could probably solve all of Becky’s problems.
I have never been to that particular building, but every building on that stretch is a converted house. Even if they do let people stay overnight, they might not have room.
my uni actually has hammock-type things on campus near the food court for people who want to study outside and/or take naps, so I suppose people could just “live” there
So, no kiss?
Why would they kiss? They’re preoccupied with Butthole Dad.
Yes, if they were both thinking about Ross while they were kissing, it’d be weird.
That… that’s got to be *someones* kink.
Toedadophilia. Yicck!
I’m told foot fetishes are fairly common.
but is someone that looks like a toe is that a common thing?
That sort of image would put you off kissing, that’s for certain.
Is your new grav An from ReLife?
click on plasma’s name,
receive baconand you shall see.Bacon isn’t halal so you won’t be getting pig-meat from me.
aw.
Yes it is indeed An from ReLife.
dammit ross, you’re ruining everything without even being here
But he WAS there. He’s left his contaminating power behind…
Chances are the bridges have already been taken by the bums and hobos, if only you had some camping gear…
Joyce is already Queen of the Drunks. This Fall, a Queen of the Hobos shall rise!
and together they shall run the city as Anna and whathername.
I hope Becky reaches out for help within the IU network.
That alt text, LMAO
Is the hovertext a reference to “Black Hole Sun”?
That’s what I’m hearing.
It took me a minute too, but I’m like 99% sure that’s the case.
Yes. See below.
**sings**
“Butthole dad, won’t you come, won’t you come, won’t you come…”
(Butthole dad, butthole dad)
and wash away the raaAAAaiiin~
I was thinking “stop being such a paaaiiiin…” personally… 😛
I wouldn’t have guessed Willis would be a Soundgarden listener.
Crossing fingers. Dina’s the unpredictable sort of clever and hopefully they’ll figure something out.
Dina will lend her Tricera-Top to Becky, and everyone who sees Becky in it will assume that she is Dina.
Brilliant.
Seriously, that actually stands a passable chance of working. At least on the handful of people who’ve noticed Dina.
And then when Butthole Toedad finally returns, he will walk straight up to her and say “You! You tricked me! … Waaaaaait a minute…”.
Hopefully Joyce will get some relevant infos at thi meeting. She was, after all, still discussing with the organiser when Dina left.
Actually, that could be true for Ethan, Danny, or heaven forbid, Walky as well
My face if *Walky* of all people is the one ending up helping to resolve the situation, seriousy.
Walky will build Becky a crude but habitable shanty out of McNugget boxes and Nachito bags.
Hell, he could probably get extra credit for that if he were taking an art course.
clever girl
Can’t tell if it’s supposed to be sung like black hole sun….
This cannot end well.
Obviously Leslie would be willing and able to help. Maybe Joyce or someone will remember that Leslie talked in class about homeless gay youth, and think to give her a call.
Nice forum ninja skills, rrb.
I thought I remembered something like that. Yay for a possible Chekhov’s Gun!
Bring it up, Joyce, pleasssse. And if Roz is present during this talk, all the better.
So who’s taking care of the MISSING posters?
I’m sure Dina wouldn’t have forgotten to take it down.
Yes, they need to get them down before Mary sees them.
To me it looked like Toedad was only just starting to put up the posters so he probably only managed to put up one which could either be taken down by Dina or somebody or it might not be noticed.
He had only put the first one up, and when Dina is leading him out of the building we can see her holding a photo of Becky that has a piece of tape at the top. She likely took it down as they were leaving.
And this obviously means Joyce will convincingly lie to ToeDad. (in the name of character development)
Should Becky manage to find a place to sleep for a week or so, she could truthfully tell Joyce that she’s sleeping elsewhere for a while, thank Joyce for her hospitality, and say that she’ll be in touch.
All true, and if pressed, Joyce could still truthfully say that Becky “stopped by for a visit.”
There’s a huge difference between “lying” and “being a bit vague.”
…Not to mention being selectively truthful, using actual facts to back up…altered…facts 😉
Me? I’m hoping for a bus crash. Not a deadly one, but one just bad enough to cause some serious delays.
Knowing how slow comic time is, that might be the hospital scene Willis previewed for early November.
Ya put him in the same type of coma Ambers dad should have been in.
Let the strategising commence! Good call on Becky’s part: Joyce may be developing on that front, but she’s very likely not there yet. If Dina goes back to the drawing board, I’m sure there’s a better option than a bridge. Note: counting on the library option sounds legally risky, and entering the criminal system in a small way can (read: will) quickly become a big way if you’re broke. If fines are impossible for those living paycheck to paycheck (hint: they are) then there’s no hope for someone in the same boat minus the paychecks. Homeless shelters often discriminate against the LGBT community (as Leslie has pointed out (dear god can you imagine if she knew what was going on here —)) WAIT THAT’S IT. Someone needs to get in touch with Leslie. If anyone would know what to do (and know just how important this is) it’s her. Now it’s time to see if the involved parties can figure that out.
This is Indiana! They have STEAM TUNNELS! (q.v. KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE)
In my eyes, indisposed
I live here and no one knows
Hide my face, from the snake
I’m his daughter, his disgrace
a toe head, butthole stench
if he catch me I may ‘well be dead
He calls my name through the streets
And I’m gonna scream again
Asshole dad, won’t you come
into the viper piiiiiit
Asshole dad, won’t you come, won’t you coooome, won’t you come.
(I have a problem. I, too, hear this to the tune of ‘Black Hole Sun’. However, I hear it polka-style, thanks to Weird Al.)
(hahaha. I can’t hear the Weird Al version without thinking of the Neon genesis polka AMV)
THIS ^
XD That’s going on both the funny & music lists… XD
Hmm, alternatively :
”
Asshole dad, don’t you come
I’m tired of your reiiign
Asshole dad, don’t you come, don’t you come, don’t you come
Lustful heat, autumn kiss
In this dorm my best friend lives
Called my name, down the hall
As if nothing’s changed at all
Butthole dad, aren’t you sad
Your daughter sinned again?
Butthole dad, aren’t you sad, aren’t you saaaaad?
is the alt text supposed to be to the tune of Blackhole Sun because thats how i immediately read it
oh everyone else thinks so too. it’s weird how well that works
perfeccct
I wonder whether Dina just disappeared in the last panel, Batman style.
WILD GUESS
Dina offers to have becky stay in her room until Ross leaves. Amber would understand about the whole dad thing.
Mary knows about the party last night, and would definitely suspect anyone in attendance. Once she inevitably helps Ross in his search, it’s game over in this scenario.
Becky’s already staying in Billie’s room now, there’d be no point in switching rooms again this soon.
Living off campus isn’t hard I mean Marcie can pull it off.
What is her living situation anyway? I don’t think that’s been detailed at all.
She’s working in town somewhere, living in something tiny and cheap and probably roommates with someone. aside from that, no clue.
Roller Derby, until proven otherwise.
To our knowledge Marcie has a loving and supportive family.
Have we seen her family at all ? She was alone in the playground flashback with Sal.
I would like a Marcie story-line, and more backstory.
Advantages Marcie could have over Becky:
1) Parents willing to help financially. I don’t necessarily mean they’re paying her rent or anything, but I know alot of people whose parents loaned or gave them money to help with the deposit on their first apartment (and/or cosigned the lease).
2) Time. Whatever Marcie’s story, she planned to move to Bloomington. It’s easier to get yourself set up when you have months to plan for than to one day realize you have no money, no job, and no place to go.
3) Marcie’s a BAMF. Becky’s cool, but she’s no Marcie.
4) Mysterious background. For all we know, Marcie’s living off some fat settlement money from whatever left her mute. Or she still lives with her parents, who moved to town while Sal was in reform school. Or whatever. The possibilities abound.
Fortunately for Becky, her father will be abducted by aliens and go on to lead an entire civilization, thus leaving her in peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_GwzBQU3Gs
(I can’t be the only guy old enough to have thought of that)
You do not want an abusive dad with a whole planet’s army at his disposal.
Have you tried shooting Toe Dad with a fusion cannon? That always works for me.
They could barrow joyces from the walkovers
I can hire my services out. Need money for webcomic reading…
If Becky is going to live in a Library, she might as well use the time read some books on job hunting, the newspapers for the Want Ads, and the computers to search the Internet for jobs and housing options.
She can’t live on Campus for long if she’s not a student. And if she’s self sufficient and acting like an adult, her ‘Toedad’ can’t legally do anything about her, as long as she’s at least 18.
I figured out how Dina should take care of Toedad: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/return/
The mouseover comment is obviously not meant to be a parody of “Blackhole Sun” in any way shape or form, anyone found spreading this misconception will promptly have their head turned into a toe.
I think you can do far better than a bridge, Becky. Just look what two days at this place has given you already. You have friends here that will come through for you.
If it weren’t for the fact that I can’t imagine how it would fall into place, Ron owes Joyce big time, and presumably could handle a legally-adult person on the couch for a while.
Unfortunately, I can’t see anyone approaching Ron at all.
Roz. I was thinking that Roz would be very open to helping, especially because of how she treated Joyce during the last gender studies class. If she learned what Joyce was dealing with that day I should think she’s immediately try and put together a solution – Roz isn’t the type to let problems lie – and she seems to know Ron, having been to his party.
Alternatively Becky could end up living with Robin but while that would be very more awesome, dovetail with Robin from Shortpacked, and I think they’d get on fantastically, it’s unlikely.
I love Willis’s great handling of body language. Becky’s poses and facial expressions in Panel 1 and 3 are so haunting and so sadly nostalgic. That’s exactly the look of someone running out of options but knowing they have to come up with something fast.
Also, Dina is scary good at crisis management and analysis.
I estimate a 3% chance of victory.
…………But this is a webcomic, so it’s almost guaranteed to work out.
I estimate an 82% chance of victory. But this is a Willis comic, so it’s almost guaranteed to go badly for someone.
Is it time for Amazi-Girl’s first villain yet? The Big Toe?
Did the Whiteboard Dingdong Bandit not count?
That was a vandalism-based misdemeanor, nothing major. Just a small act to cover a small problem…
“I know what she needs, and I will rehabilitate her through any means necessary”? Toedad, that sounds like attempted kidnapping in the 1st degree. That’s big time villain material right there…
Amazi-girl’s first major villain then. Plot/commit a crime, get a nickname that spreads, and that counts as villainy to me in comic-context.
Ross should officially be known as Butthole Dad from now on because he is one.
But he is already toe dad.
Ya, someone else should be the ButtHole Dad, now who would be deserving????
Well there is always Blaine. If anyone deserves the sobriquet “Butthole Dad” it is Amber’s dad.
*Processor image of Toedad & Blaine next to each other, blaine with pants lowered to under butt at back, “break my foot off in your ass” comment joins in, then next image is of Toedad with toe-shaped-head shoved up Blaine’s ass, Hancock style…*
Butt-toe Dad?
Most agree that he is not acting in the best interest of his daughter, I agree he’s not acting in the best interest of his daughter. More than likely he’ll try to bully her to return home with him and god knows what will happen next.
However, he appears to believe that he is acting in the best interest of his daughter. Perhaps there is a chance to reason with him? Joyce has enough friends at the University who can back her up.
Hhmmmm, in one of the preview panels, it had what looked like Becky leaving – I wonder if Becky would stage her leaving and tell Joyce so she wouldn’t have to lie to Becky’s dad? Then as soon as the toedads been and gone, she could just come back again.
I mean, Joyce wouldn’t be happy with the lies but at least Becky wouldn’t get her involved.
I “heard” her say that in a joking manner, but knowing she would be serious makes me want to adopt her even though i couldn’t afford to properly.
Stranger things have happened, Becky but, yeah, it will be the ultimate test of your father’s credulity to see if Joyce can actually fool him. I’m not sure if it would be possible without poor Joyce ending up having a stress-induced breakdown.
A part of me wishes that Ross could know how Becky sees him and that it would break his heart.
I want then to plan on Joyce lying and then actually just saying something to the effect of “Yes, she is here. She is happy here. She is gay and that’s okay.” I feel like it will happen because of Joyce going to the questioning meet and her standing up to her parents when they met Dorothy.
The big problem is that Ross doesn’t care if Becky is happy or not. He cares about whether he is happy. Furthermore, I think that, through putting pressure on Joyce’s family, he can make her life difficult too.
Yup. This is not about Becky standing up to Dickbag Toedad McAbusivepants the Butthole. She has made her stand as clear as can be. This is about damage control and to reduce the threat from a very dangerous enemy.
I’ve seen lots of suggestions here as to possible help for Becky;
Leslie-and she may be the very best: she can get Becky off campus and away from Toedad’s missing posters and all the ‘Mary’s”. And she could also find what legal rights Becky has, as in, if she is 18 she can take legal action to keep her butthole father away from her.
The Questioning crew: may have suggestions but can they move fast enough to actually help her.
Marcie’s place-maybe. Marcie may well take her in for a few days till Toedad is gone. But it’s a short range plan. Becky needs more in the long run.
Dina & Amber’s place-they’d do it: but Becky has to get off campus because of people like Mary who will, for sure, point her out to Toedad.
Joyce lying to Toedad with a straight face and convincingly is at the bottom of the list-I just don’t think she can do it no matter how much she wants to.
Really, I feel like the course of action they’re gonna take is to lie to Joyce. Even if it hurts her.
It’ll be dramatic and hurtful, yet necessary and understandable.
Something that Willis seems to like using.
The only question then, is Becky willing to lie to Joyce and manipulate her in order to protect herself, or rather does Becky trust Joyce to help her on her own?
Is that Dina’s first spontaneous contraction???
A bit early in their relationship for that..
No.
In a previous strip, MeghantheWorldEater put up a nice list of Dina’s use of contractions:
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/04-walking-with-dina/contractions/#comment-785211
And in this strip (from a few days later), we can see her using contractions even when -thinking-:
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/04-walking-with-dina/followed/
One hospital I used to work at had a 15 year old kid hide out in the ICU waiting room for two weeks. His picture was plastered all over the news and the police were actively searching for him, and he had been in our waiting room the whole time, bathing in the rest rooms and eating in the cafeteria off the food people left on their plates.
The solution for Becky is to move in with Dina and then Joyce can honestly tell Butthole that Becky had been there, but had left. But that would be too easy, so Willis would never do it.
Wow, that reminds me a lot of the book The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley.
I’m not familiar with that one, but I will look it up.
The kid only got found out when the last patient in the ICU went home and the staff realized there was still someone hanging out in the waiting room.
I forsee a lot of sweating in Joyce’s future
While I’m all in favor of letting Ross spend the rest of his days looking for Becky, never being sure she wasn’t killed by hobos or whatever could happen to homeless youth and blaming himself for being such a butthole she had to run away from him, it’d probably be best to get to a shelter with personnel who can explain to him what being eighteen means and tell him to fuck off and find some less vulnerable people to make miserable with his god.
Though, on second thought who do these girls know who can tell them about such shelters? If only Billie was here.
I would say Leslie, as has been mentioned by others. She’d know where Becky could go for help. And I wouldn’t be surprised she’d be willing to do what is necessary, even if it cost her her job. Though I obviously hope that won’t happen.
Other options are:
Marcie (as mentioned)
Billy (she’s sleeping there now and iirc has absent wealthy parents)
Roz (she’s very pro minority rights and people choosing their own lives. Of course she’s not particularly close to the situation, but she has a congresswoman for a sister. Bu considering their relationship think Leslie would have to intervene.
So all in all I’m rooting for getting Leslie involved.
It might be interesting if Leslie has been keeping in contact with Rep. DeSanto. Then you’re not just getting the faculty involved, you’re arguably getting the Legislative Branch involved. That is a completely different can of worms.
But, yeah, either Leslie or the guys running the outreach meeting might have information about local hostels and safe-houses that will help Becky. The real stumbling block is Joyce, who feels bad enough about Becky’s situation that I think it would be a serious blow to her self-esteem if she can’t have Becky around so she can personally help her.
Leslie can.
The problem is that the self-righteous never blame themselves. If something bad happened to Becky, Ross would console himself that it was her own fault.
But he’d never know for sure, so he could never just dismiss her. The possibilities will eat him like ghosts and he’ll never rest easy. Ask anyone whose kids have disappeared. And given enough time, some guilt will probably sneak in there with all the doubt.
Getting Joyce to lie to Becky’s father? Won’t itbe easier to just resurrect a dinosaur, get Dina to train it and kill him?
GALASSO HAS ASSEMBLED AN ARMY OF CANON WIELDING CHICKENS!!!!!!
Let’s call it plan B
“Canon wielding”? so they are reality warpers?
That would actually explain quite a lot of what was going on over in shortpacked.
He had them specially trained by Deadpool himself…
OK crazy thought here. You don’t actually attend the school but are just living in someone’s dorm room which if the rules are strictly enforced COULD get you kicked out of school.
So, again just a crazy thought…leave and get a job?
I hear Bloomington is really in demand for homeless gay kids with no job experience.
With what information. She doesn’t even have an address, good luck filling out paperwork to even apply or set up payment.
Even if an independent-life sustaining job was easy to get (and they’re not), Becky would still be in bridge mode if she left.
And the reason is that she doesn’t have the ability to come up with first and last month’s rent plus deposit for an apartment and won’t for a very long time in our time even if she lucks out into a really awesome and well-paying job.
Additionally, such an action would be extremely risky. Sure, she’s under a considerable amount of risk here for being kicked out, but here at least there are people around who will make a fuss if Toedad tries to drag her away physically (as he has already done once already). Off on her own she’s at much greater risk of being disappeared by Toedad.
Oh, one other really nasty factor?
Indiana has no LGBT non-discrimination ordinances: http://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/non_discrimination_laws
So, any job Becky wanted to get would be able to fire her for being gay/looking gay/seeming like the type of person who would be gay. Also, any apartment or living situation would be able to throw her out or deny her housing based on her lesbianity.
There are some places that wouldn’t care (Galasso’s is a great option for work if it wasn’t clearly a small family-owned restaurant without much in the way of non-family employees) and would treat her fairly, but it does reduce her options considerably.
Even a shelter may be a hard sell as a number of homeless shelters discriminate against LGBT individuals and that’s in states that do have some form of non-discrimination legislation in place. I’m not sure about the resources in Bloomington, but I suspect that they lack a specifically LGBT homeless center in the model of the Ali Forney Center in New York.
“Go get a job” is a great thing to suggest, but in reality, it’s not as easy as you would think.
But the question remains, where does she live while looking for the job? Where does she live until she has the funds to actually pay rent, as well as groceries?
W, I think you meant was:
Some toe’s in the way
Yeah, Mm-hm…
Some toe’s in the bay
Yeah, Mm-hm…
Yep, lying isn’t exactly Joyce’s strong suit, especially to someone she’s known for a while and is somewhat of an authority figure (and an @asshole!).
simply have Becky stay with someone else for a week or so.
Then joyce isn’t lying. Becky was here but she left when she heard he was there and went to another friend elsewhere. then have the roommate (who is probably happy to help, even if she’ll complain) drop tne “new york” line
I really don’t get the idea that Joyce not technically lying would solve anything. She is not a robot – she is a terrible liar. A terrible liar with deep respect for and tendency to obey authority figures.
So don’t tell Joyce where she went.
“I am sorry Joyce, but Becky is gone. I assure you that she is safe but for her protection she can’t be anywhere near you until her butthole father has called off the hunt, which will probably be quite a while since you are his best lead.”
…I really hope they find a better solution. That one would hurt too much.
It’s possible. They got probably 2 hours before Toedad returns and look at what Dina was able to plan and learn in the space of what? 10 minutes? Of her interaction with Toedad.
I’ve been thinking again about some of the preview art that DMW has been showing on the Tumblr page. I’m specifically thinking of the sequence that starts with Joyce having an argument with Walky and ends, after Becky shrugs off something Joyce says, with a picture of the side of one of the college buildings.
I’m wondering if Joyce is discussing what to tell Becky’s father with her and Becky is basically saying that, if Joyce is not willing to lie, she’ll just have to move on for her own safety, something that upsets Joyce and leaves Sal, Mike and Walky wondering just what the hell is going on. Then, we later see Joyce talking to a concerned-looking Sal. I’m wondering if Sal is telling Joyce that parental figure =/= good person and that she needs to put what she knows to be really happening between Becky and Ross ahead of any rose-tinted lens view of what the ideal Christian family unit is supposed to be like. Just because Ross is supposed to be Becky’s loving protector and provider doesn’t mean that he automatically is that. Joyce doesn’t want to hear that but, from how Joyce is shown in that frame, I don’t think that she can honestly deny it either.
I would say that Walky and Sal could probably tell Joyce a lot about what horrors can hide behind a supposedly-loving parent’s smile. It will be a hard lesson for her to learn but the time has come to learn it and I think that Sal would be the best to help her do so.
I am hoping on the very next page Dina throws her arms around Becky, and
gives her a big smooch.
Tells her she has a not to worry, she has a plan.
and she DOES have a plan.
…on the mouth?
How does one have a plan “on the…”
Oh.
OH!
So, (almost) complete non sequitir:
“Butthole Dad won’t you come and look like a big toe”
took my brain in two distinct and disparate directions:
1. “Buffalo Gals” as sung by George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) and Mary Hatch (Donna Reed) in “It’s a Wonderful Life”; and
2. “Buffalo Soldier” by Bob Marley and the Wailers (the refrain of which always makes me think of the theme song from the Banana Splits show – which I saw in re-runs, thanks very much…but which still makes me old. :-p )
Anyone? Bueller? #DamnYouWillis ?
I think it’s a riff on “Dear Old Dad” from the Steven Universe episode House Guest. Which would make David a very evil man.
The various people reading it as Black Hole Sun are most likely correct – it matches the rhythm correctly, and matches multiple key words. Dear Old Dad only matches one keyword and the rhythm of 2/3 lines.
I read it to the tune of ‘Black Hole Sun’, personally. Not sure why.
The “won’t you come?” line was pretty compelling.
Thank you! One for…uh, several. 😉
Since Joyce probably won’t be able to pull that lie off, Becky could always tell Joyce she has to leave, and then crash with Dina untill toedad is gone.
So, I’ve had “Black Hole Sun” in my head ever since I read the alt text. I’ll definitely take that over the first song that came into my head when I saw the strip title. Seriously, I saw the strip title, and of all things, “Muffin Man” came into my head. I started thinking, “Do you know the Butthole Dad/ The Butthole Dad/ The Butthole Dad/ Do you know the Butthole Dad/ He smells like unwiped ass.” I really don’t know why that got in my head. I definitely prefer “Black Hole Sun.”
What is it about “Butthole Dad” that inspires song? Were I more musically inclined, and also less lazy, I might create a Butthole Dad” playlist.
Housing wise, Ethan could possibly get in contact with Joyce’s writer brother. But if their parent comes to know it’d still become a problem for both of them.
After all, he did get his @mail address during the parents visit day.
Sorry, his or her. I do not remember which way it was.
Oh, it’s her. All her tags now say Jocelyn. Just for future reference.
Thanks 🙂
If Becky were forced to leave the college for a bit while shorts some stuff out, I imagine Jocelyn would be happy to accommodate her. Becky strikes me as practically a member of the Brown family already, so I think she and Jocelyn would already be close.
Hmm, it’s a really good solution, but I don’t see it happening largely because there would need to be a large conflux of events to set it up being suggested in comic (Ethan knowing about the entirety of Becky’s situation (currently he just knows that it’s “scary” and Joyce is really worried about it), Ethan knowing about Toedad, Ethan being present for the crisis management situation involving the homelessness, Ethan thinking to bring up Jocelyn, and so on).
Additionally, I don’t see Joyce running with that idea easily as she’d likely be all “oh, (Jocelyn’s dead name), well (incorrect gender pronoun) is nice and all, but I don’t think (incorrect gender pronoun) would know of anything regarding Becky’s situation and there’s a risk of it getting back to my parents.”
And so Ethan would essentially have to out Jocelyn to her family in order to reveal that super useful resource and that’d be kind of a dick move with what we’ve seen regarding the dangerous to being out to that whole general culture she was raised in.
I don’t think it’s that likely although I also suggested it below (potentially framed as ‘Jocelyn finds out from the Browns, comes to check on Joyce and maybe be a good inflience or even feel out if Joyce will accept her, meets Becky’), but in this framing, if Ethan is deducing it then he could ask Jocelyn first, without naming names right away. In both of those examples, Jocelyn would be the one offering and thus not require being outed, although it might come up and she might explain to Joyce in that arc anyway, if it happened. Which I don’t expect, but kind of want.
I feel you and Spencer. I don’t think it will happen, but it would be all sorts of badass if it did.
It would be cool. People talked about Leslie mentioning homeless queer youth as a Chekhov’s gun for Leslie to help, but I mean, by that logic the reveal of Jocelyn’s blog/name has a chance too, even if Jocelyn’s motives for helping aren’t revealed to Joyce or Becky for a while
one of my start of those comes from a very Agatha Christie thing : “if that happened, it happened because it will likely serve the plot later” 🙂
But maybe the mail thing happened for something totally different. I wouldn’t really know.
I think it’s possible, because I’m like 90% sure the next story arc is going to involve Toedad bringing in the Browns to help him, and Jocelyn came with them back in Freshman Family Weekend. If she got wind that her parents were hollering down to IU to basically kidnap his sister’s best friend, I don’t think she’d just stand by and let it happen. Plus, if Jocelyn provided her a safe haven, presuming that Becky does get revealed to IU in the next arc and has to be kicked out, it would give her time to enroll, if she can, anyway. I’m not quite sure if Becky would be able to enroll in late September.
Plus, I want to see her again. Jocelyn’s rad.
Urgh, I really do not want to se the Browns parent again anytime soon 😐
The arc is titled “To Those Who’d Ground Me”.
The preview pages show a lot of Joyce freaking out.
Toedad showed up and there’s no way he’s going to leave easy.
It’s a safe bet.
Shit. I misgendered Jocelyn at one point in that post. Sorry about that.
Or y’know….maybe she could have her credits transferred and go to school with Joyce ?
Good news, she doesn’t have any credits to transfer. Simple.
It’s only six to eight weeks into the Freshman year, isn’t it? I’m pretty sure that, so early on, it would actually be simpler for Becky to start afresh. Of course that would require that she have access to something to pay her fees and I can’t see Ross being willing to do that.
However, if she has a legacy from her mother over which her father has no control…? Nothing has been said either way about this. We’ll have to see where DMW takes it.
How would she pay for school?
Palgrants, checking with leftover or unclaimed scholarship funds, or get employed as an aide, custodian.
Of course the earliest she could possibly get in would be the start of the next semester, and it’s gonna get real cold out under the bridges before then.
Okay, butthole dad IS a butthole, but I’d say this seems a bit early for Becky to already think of her dad in this way. Her eviction is only days ago. They must have had a ‘normal’ relationship before that. Dad is still dad.
– I’m not defending butthole dad or criticizing Becky, it just seems to me they must have had a different relationship before all this.
He pulled her out of college for kissing a girl. He told her he was going to “fix” her.
That’s a big assumption. It’s possible that this is part of a continuum of non-physical abuse that goes back a while.
A very, very dark part of me wonders the exact circumstances under which Becky’s mother ‘passed’. I’m not shouting ‘murder’ but ‘suicide because she couldn’t take any more’ is very possible.
Also, what measures did he take to “correct” her? Becky didn’t say. And, how he put it to Dina clearly set off her “Dino-senses” for danger.
Dino-Girl, Dino-Girl,
Does all the things a Dino can.
If suicide, then Ross is probably in denial about it, because suicide is a grave sin. (Not that I share your reasoning, btw.)
The point is, Becky seems to share the author’s viewpoint that Ross is a cartoon villain who is there to be ridiculed. Becky talks like a cartoon character, if she’s already given her dad that kind of nickname.
(Although that’s part of Becky’s way of dealing with things, making light of the situation, pretending it’s no big deal, everything’s okey-dokey, hunky-dory.)
Um… I said similar things (and worse) and still do about the dad who wanted to “fix” me*, even though we had a more traditional and supposedly loving relationship before I came out. Reparative therapy is one of those things that kind of sours a relationship right quick and rather dramatically and quickly recontextualizes a lot about a father-daughter relationship.
And in comic context, the disownment and reparative therapy bullshit is gaping open pus-oozing wound fresh. I mean, that all went down last week and now Becky is absent a home, any connections but Joyce, a family, money, and any sustainable sense of safety.
I mean, I’d find it totally believable for someone to still be calling a dad a butthole for simply forgetting a birthday a week later, much less because they intended to abuse you for your sexual orientation, forcing you to flee from your home and become homeless.
*Fun fact: I also have a “nickname” for the thing that insists on calling itself my father that I use in casual conversation with friends. It involves considerably more swear words. Fuck, I even have an email folder to autoredirect any missives from him because of his habit of sending abusive emails with passive-aggressive digs every month or so that is literally labeled Fuckheads and Shitheels.
Butthole dad is downright mild. Which makes sense given Becky’s raising environment with regard to swears.
In short: Hovertext confused my interpretation of the comic. I conflated things & decided Becky sounded as if in league with the author.
Previous strip has Becky saying “my butthole dad”, so “butthole dad” seems a logical continuation of that.
@ Cerberus: I’m sorry to hear you have been in Becky’s situation! I hope you’re in a better place now. Take care!
I had an argument with my dad last week and was angry about it for days and didn’t want to talk to him.
Becky is homeless and in danger because of her dad.
Presumably she knew he was a butthole before the eviction, only the scale of it has changed.
So, now he’s a giant butthole ?
I think butthole in itself is a pretty big swear for Joyce and Becky, so perhaps he was just a butt before
I’m pretty confident at this point that Leslie’s going to get involved. Very curious to see the outcome of that because 1) I don’t actually know what resources are available for something like this and 2) I’m curious to see if Becky is going to stay around.
Actually, I’m guessing “no” to #2. She’s gonna go off to a farm somewhere, where she can run and play and ogle pretty girls.
My biology is a bit rusty, but becky would’ve had to get dina 9 months pregnant off screen, correct? Is her awesome hair capable of that?
what
…this was intended as a response to Melvin Schlock’s ‘contraction’ comment.
If no one’s said it yet, the obvious solution to me is to lie to Joyce. Becky tells her her dad showed up and she’s leaving and can’t tell anyone where to, then hides somewhere (mall, Dina’s room, whatever). Ross confronts Joyce, Joyce tears into him about how she doesn’t even know if Becky is safe anymore and how Ross is a fuckup, and it doesn’t matter too much if he finds out Becky was there, since she has fled again (time to check another uni?), as long as Dina keeps out of sight.
I was thinking about ‘does Becjy have any siblings? Maybe she would be suspected visiting Joyce’s sibling (one of them, although the one who visited (Jocelyn?) might be beneficial if she actually did), and then I thought wait, what if the families have been planning to marry her to one of the Brown Bros this whole time? And actually that’s why Jocelyn came up, because maybe her and one of the siblings were (incorrectly) suspected sweethearts when younger, and maybe it would be Jocelyn because they would unconsciously sympathize. Also if that was the case regardless of brother, that might mean the Browns would get more involved which would be awful but probably interesting to see.
Also if Becky did actually visit/meet one (which I don’t expect, but IF (and besides, maybe Jocelyn will, having an idea of the story, come to check on Joyce and be a good influence about gender/sexuality, it’s possible))- anyway, if that happened, since lesbians are sexual deviants in Ross and probably the Brown’s worlds, I bet they will try to swoop her (or them) away to prevent her from seducing them
‘Does Becky have siblings,’ that should read, and to provide a next place to look
Burned bridges?
I’m really happy with having Dina as a main character for a change.
Her chapter so far is glorious.
And I LOVE how it jumps from one character to the next without really resolving anything.
Giving a few idea to our daily contrarians 🙂
“What if ToeDad actually fled away from an abusive Becky ?”
“What if Becky caused her own mother’s death ?”
“What if Becky is actually a witch and turned her dad’s head into a toe ?”
“She turned me into a newt!”
“Into a newt?”
“I got better…”
Willis makes a Nirvana reference in the comic and then uses the flavor text to make a Soundgarden reference…I’m not sure I can handle that much 90s in one comic.
Ok I’ll bite, what Nirvana reference?
i also want to know
i think he’s talking about the song something in the way
*googles*
Oh. That’s unintentional. I’m not even sure I know that song.
I just figured that the next story arc would involve Becky fighting goats
Maybe? Its quite a light reference, of course the last thing I thought was *the* joke of the day was pretty random too…
@Mattyos, did we get it correct?
Comedy option:
Ross returns
Ross: Have you seen my daughter?
Mike: HAVE I? [crasser comment than I can make up, and I know crass]
Ross leaves, as apparently Becky is straight and has found a husband
For a nickel. What a bargain.
I’m a day late, because I haven’t grokked how to view hovertext on my tablet.
That was excellent.
Sometimes I have to open things on the computer specifically because people start talking about the alt/hoover-text. Sometimes I don’t have my computer in the same building/vehicle, and this is sad!
It was incredibly awesome though 😀
(I also had to reread the entire archives when I first got here because I only found out about the hovertext near the end and I didn’t know where it started being interesting. But worth it!)
Honestly, I don’t get why they don’t just have Becky stay with Dorothy for a couple nights.