# 9 Chickweed Lane **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910 "2012-04-05T13:55:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/61 "2012-05-08T21:43:15Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > That [panel](http://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2008/01/03), MHO, is one of his most poignant. Aha! The Artist does know what a home pregnancy test is, and, presumably, what it is used for! > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > The Author/Artist mentions that [here.](http://www.chickweedcafe.blogspot.com/p/frequently-addressed-questions.html) > > Sorry if someone else posted first. I have a suggestion for the Artist (not that he would care to listen, mind you.) Perhaps it would be better for his strip if he made believable, realistic characters who do things that real, believable people do, rather than base characters on his opinion of random internet wanks who post stupid comments in order to get back at said wanks. All he has done is piss off the sane people who might have otherwise enjoyed his strip and made plenty of snarker fuel. **Ferret Herder** : Bravo. +1. This. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/62 "2012-05-08T22:24:17Z")
> [@Tamex](#): > > Perhaps it would be better for his strip if he made believable, realistic characters who do things that real, believable people do, Ah, like Pibgorn. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/63 "2012-05-08T23:08:50Z")
> [@Tamex](#): > > Perhaps it would be better for his strip if he made believable, realistic characters who do things that real, believable people do… Why? I get enough real life in real life. I don’t read the comics for it. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/64 "2012-05-08T23:10:29Z")
Or she took a test at her mom’s place and the Author didn’t show it (Dr Burber seems the type to take charge and remove ambiguity) . Since everyone after the “I’m late” strip acts like she is definitely pregnant, that seems a reasonable assumption. Not everything needs to be shown, if it can be inferred. And he already did the “waiting for the pee to dry” strip with Diane and Francis, so presumably felt no need to do it again. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/65 "2012-05-09T00:11:00Z")
If she said, “I’m pregnant. Test confirmed it,” then hey presto, loose end tied up. He spent 4 days on wordless reaching-for-each-other after she said whatever she said to Amos. And she whispered it to Seth, who went into crazy-possessive “oh sweetie here’s your handmade wedding gown all ready for you and **DON’T YOU DARE NOT HAVE THAT BABY** and oh I’m going to make up the nursery for you” mode. So god knows what she’s actually whispering, but considering the glacial pacing that McEldowney tends to go at, it’d be awful nice to clue in the audience. And no, I’m not going to assume she’s peed on a stick yet. The girl ran off to Austria for gramma time without knowing for sure, for heaven’s sake (uncertain language was still used, to the best of my recollection - GoComics’ archive doesn’t go back that far). ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/66 "2012-05-09T02:37:32Z")
I feel that he’s left a big reset button on the table. Either she finally pees on the stick or her period comes and it’s “Oops, guess I wasn’t pregnant after all…tee hee!” In the meantime, he gets to bait some pro-choice commenters with a random strawman (strawwoman?) character. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/67 "2012-05-09T02:59:54Z")
> [@Tamex](#): > > In the meantime, he gets to bait some pro-choice commenters with a random strawman (strawwoman?) character. He’s been thoraxing\* about the pro-abortion correspondents who allegedly inspired this random character [on his blog](http://chickweedcafe.blogspot.com/p/frequently-addressed-questions.html) recently. \*a technical term meaning “smugly and condescendingly pontificating”, but I bet you already knew that. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/68 "2012-05-09T23:34:06Z")
It’s a fake-out. Seth is pissed she hasn’t seen a doctor yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/69 "2012-05-10T01:08:44Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It’s a fake-out. Seth is pissed she hasn’t seen a doctor yet. I approve. Though **this** would be a good time to yell, I have to say. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/70 "2012-05-10T02:56:49Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It’s a fake-out. Seth is pissed she hasn’t seen a doctor yet. She’d have to be really stupid to… Oh. NM. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/71 "2012-05-12T14:00:21Z")
In [today’s comic](http://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2012/05/12): **Seth:** _You didn’t even anoint the stick! And nobody thought to ask you?!_ **Edda:** _It didn’t occur to anyone I’d be that stupid!..Except for you._ No, Edda honey, I think plenty of other people were well aware that you’d be that stupid: > [@Ferret Herder](#): > > In what universe does the proper response to “I think I’m pregnant” involve flying to fucking Vienna to let Grandma know in person and get Womanly Advice On How To Cope With Unplanned Pregnancy before something like oh, I don’t know, maybe going to the drugstore to buy a goddamned pregnancy test? Apparently stupidity runs rampant in this family. > [@Sattua](#): > > TAKE A HOME PREGNANCY TEST YOU STUPID _bleep_. > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > She’d have to be really stupid to… > > Oh. > > NM. AFAICT, Edda and Seth are basically Calvin and Hobbes masquerading as adults. The problem with Edda’s character is that independent sexually active twentysomethings who approach life with the attitudes and behavior patterns of a snarky six-year-old tend to be raging jerks. Immaturity and irresponsibility are a lot more bearable in a child than in a grown-up, pretty much by definition. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/72 "2012-05-12T14:14:24Z")
Edda: “Haven’t you ever been afraid to ask a question…afraid to ask because you’re terrified of the answer?” Oh **HELL** no! That is the biggest bullshit excuse ever. She dealt with nausea and a late period for a **month** , tells Mommy she’s probably preggers, goes to Austria to talk to Gran, risking her job by not even mentioning her absence, tells her BF that he’s going to be a daddy, and tells her coworker/roommate… But she’s afraid to pee on a stick. Stupid bint probably has endometriosis or IBS or something. Go to a goddamned doctor already. If Mommy can afford last-minute round trip plane tickets for two to Austria, she can afford a doctor’s visit for you. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/73 "2012-05-15T18:39:01Z")
Last-minute place your bets on (what I’m guessing will be) tomorrow’s “big” “reveal”: [Doctor, part I.](http://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2012/05/14)[Doctor, part II.](http://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2012/05/15) My money says “false alarm”, with a nod to **Arnold Winkelreid** and **That Don Guy**. Takers? ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/74 "2012-05-15T20:19:09Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Last-minute place your bets on (what I’m guessing will be) tomorrow’s “big” “reveal”: > My money says “false alarm” > Takers? My money’s on tomorrow being a completely wordless strip with no reveal, with confirmation of the “false alarm” being put off until Friday. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/75 "2012-05-16T15:08:19Z")
[Nice work.](http://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2012/05/16) Where shall I send the check? I’m still betting on the ultimate reveal being a false alarm, though, whenever whatshisface gets around to letting us know. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/76 "2012-05-16T15:29:21Z")
It will stretch out _at least_ another week. Amos will buy a ring, he’ll try to propose, Edda will show him the test results, Amos will propose anyway. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/77 "2012-05-16T17:19:30Z")
There is a nonzero possibility that it it is ovarian cancer or something (in any case Edda finds out that she CAN’T have kids) Not predicting that, just won’t be surprised if it happens Brian ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/78 "2012-05-17T00:49:32Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > There is a nonzero possibility that it it is ovarian cancer or something (in any case Edda finds out that she CAN’T have kids) > > Not predicting that, just won’t be surprised if it happens > > Brian Had the same thought. I wouldn’t think merely not being pregnant would upset her so much. And given the fact that Amos has a presentiment of a fairly large passel of offspring, it might lead her to think that their relationship is doomed. Further thought: what if Edda has androgen insensitivity (or whatever Jamie Lee Curtis is supposed to have) — in other words, “she” is actually male? Should McEldowney try to pull that, I can see the villagers descending on Scrotumton with torches and pitchforks _toot sweet_. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/79 "2012-05-17T01:02:14Z")
I doubt it’s anything that dramatic, the doctor said he thought it was good news. I’m not sure even McEldowney could present a character who presumed that with a straight face. My WAG is that she’s not preggers, the doc was assuming that she wouldn’t want to be, and she’s all “wah, Amos said all kinds of mushy stuff to me about being a mommy and now I just look dumb!” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910/80 "2012-05-17T01:51:31Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I doubt it’s anything that dramatic, the doctor said he thought it was good news. I’m not sure even McEldowney could present a character who presumed that with a straight face. My WAG is that she’s not preggers, the doc was assuming that she wouldn’t want to be, and she’s all “wah, Amos said all kinds of mushy stuff to me about being a mommy and now I just look dumb!” I agree. OttoDaFe, what does it mean, “Scrotumton”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-chickweed-lane/617910.md?page=5)