I agree with the fact that it is in no way Elizabeth’s fault Paul started a relationship with Susan before ending it with Elizabeth first. I do think that Elizabeth is somewhat to blame for the fact that the relationship deteriorated. First it’s “transfer to Mtig to be with me” then it’s, “no wait, transfer south to be with me”. Not a lot of “what will work for both of us” going on there.
I liked Paul, and I’m annoyed that Johnston decided to make him a super-bad guy by having him have an affair. It so easily could have been that Elizabeth shows up and excited to spend time with Paul and he gives her the old “we have to talk” line and breaks up with her. That way she could feel some guilt for the waning of relationship without being a victim.
After reading that essay, I’m not sure I can bring myself to ever look at this strip again. Part 9 especially bothered me … it’s like this woman was describing my own life. My dad tolerated my journalism career and living across the country during my 20s, but once he had decided that I had had enough time to get all that out of my system, he sat me down and informed me that I needed to quit my job and move home so I could get started on the computer programming career he had picked out for me.
(Thankfully, I managed to shake off his Jedi mind tricks, but it was still scary that he pulled that shit on me.)
One thing about Paul, though – he looked at Liz’s photo when Elly was at his station and flipped out over Liz, went out of his way to deliver the sunglasses so he could meet her, went head-over-heels for her so fast and intensely that I thought the story arc would be that he was a nutcase stalker. Then he and Liz had an intense long-distance romance with only occasional meetings, right?
So it sewems to me on Paul’s side this was more an infatuation with a glamor-girl, and that spending time with his long-time good buddy Susan in his native (ha!) surroundings opened his eyes to what really mattered to him.
So instead of looking at him as a rotter, you could think of him as a guy who got his priorities messed up but eventually found his rightful place in life at his roots – just like all the other characters in that strip.
I’m just afraid if Liz gets together with Anthony she’s never going to get laid again…well, maybe once a month for the first year. He is so boring! I’ve been with hot accountants before, and Anthony doesn’t have it. Can’t believe I’m obsessing so much about this…glad I’m not alone in the world on this!
I agree with what jayjay said about Anthony, and EddyTeddyFreddy raises some good points about Paul. Personally, I’d be a little leery of someone who fell so hard on so little. I’d certainly dump someone who had an affair and question the friendship of the people who knew about it but didn’t tell me. If they tried to tell me it was my fault or that I was helping them to find their destiny, I’d tell them that’s a load of codswollop!
As far as I’m concerned, by changing what he expected from his wife, Anthony broke his marriage vows and had no business marrying Therese if he was still stuck on Elizabeth. The whole business about his continuing to love her while he’s married to someone else and Elizabeth is involved with other people is dishonorable, if I may use an old-fashioned word.
My advice to Elizabeth is forget the losers (Paul and Anthony), enjoy her pilot, and enjoy her life. Oh yes, and next time Anthony declares his undying love, tell him to take a running jump into a frozen lake.
I was holding out for Paul because he was supposed to be Mr. Right. Mtigwaki was a wonderful place for Elizabeth to settle down and begin a life uniquely her own, but now it will only be a scrapbook memory.
Say it, Elizabeth. Throw yourself into Anthony’s arms and say it: “If ever I go looking for my heart’s desire, I won’t have to look any further than my own back yard." The End.
Now you guys have me caught up in this schlok-fest. I haven’t read the strip since my dad cancelled the Boston Globe 8 years ago.
Am I the only one who thinks the whole “well Paul and Susan share a culture so it’s best that they’re together…” argument is bullshit? Although that guy scores a point for noting that Elizabeth just expects Paul to move all over the place.
Well, if we can go by Johnston’s track record in disposing for E.'s inconvenient suitors, Warren will turn out to be a faithless jerk who will cheat on Elizabeth at the first opportunity. :rolleyes:
I just feel…sort of infuriated by the whole storyline. Everything I feel has been summed up by the shaenon essay someone linked and all the stuff you guys have stated…it just falls flat for me. She creates this adventurous, free-spirited character who is willing to take risks and go new places…and then cuts her off at the knees. Meanwhile showing that anyone she might meet outside of her neighbourhood block is a rapist, serial killer, philanderer. Is this suburb supposed to be Mississauga? Is everyone outside Mississauga a leper or a goblin? Deanna and Michael can’t even make a go of it in bloody Toronto because the only people in Toronto are evil, ugly hovelowners and that’s like what? An hour away at most?
Also, I kind of hate you, Jodi, for getting me caught up in this drama…but it’s a friendly commiserating hate. I agree with you completely and I haven’t read this strip since 1999.
People who own hovels as a guiding life philosophy. The tenement mafioso.
What was the name of the hovelowners in FBOW anyway? The Kleptokofs or something? Why doesn’t she just name them the Gargoylechases or Von Orcroth and be done with it?
No, the Kelpfroths are the evil people who live in the downstairs apartment. The building’s owner is the charmingly stereotypical Eastern European Jew, Lovey Saltzman.