Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Mary Worth 1856

January 3, 2007

Dear Charterstone Residents,

In an effort to keep fees to a minimum, we are pleased to announce that the Condo Board has unanimously decided not to install a safety fence around the Charterstone pool in complete disregard for the Swimming Pool Safety Act of the California Health and Safety Code.

In addition to saving the landlord money, there are several additional benefits to this smart decision: 1) Easy access for carrying large pink cakes to pool parties.

We hope you are pleased with our leadership and wisdom.

Sincerely,

The Condo Board

Today's Full Strip

18 comments:

Mike in Cleveland said...

Looks like Darth Curt is on the way to winning the NaRC Contest. Early congrats to you!

Mike in Cleveland said...

By the way...What is that yellow thing in the background? A pavilion tent? An airport runway?

Bobby the Soccer Player said...

It's the mother cyst that's come to take Olive home.

KitKat said...

Kudos to Wanders for his expert research on the California Swimming Pool Safety Act.

As Olive leaves the building (Building B!) in a panic, Tommy Beedie arrives in a 2000 Mercury Topaz. Tommy is returning from his shift at Jerry's Sandwich Shop. Expecting that the pool will be deserted as usual, Tommy plans a little post-job R & R with the six-pack he picked up on the way home. He's startled to see what appears to be a giant spider on the surface of the water. The "spider" is Olive's hair, which Tommy grabs to haul the tyke out of the water. Olive gazes at Tommy and gasps, "My angel! You saved me! Now do something about Dr. Kapuht."

Anonymous said...

Will Mary's Meddle-Sense start tingling in her head with Olive almost assuredly tripping into the pool?

Next contest - who will save Olive from drowning?

Mike in Cleveland said...

I've been sitting here staring at this panel and you know what I really like about it? In her panic, Olive is running full tilt towards the pool and looking up. (I can't do that even when I'm calm and sober.) There is a similar non-sequitur in panel 1.

And then I realized why I'm fascinated by this panel: highly theatrical contorted poses expressing the emotion of the moment--that's a recipe for Baroque art. Imagine, Baroque art in a comic strip! Thanks, Joe! Nice going. This panel reminds me of "The Ecstasy of Saint Cecilia,"

Mr. Wanders, I propose a new category for the Worthy Awards: the "Hey, that panel wasn't as bad as we thought" award.

Mike in Cleveland said...

The California Swimming Pool Safety Act apparently applies only to private residences. Section 115925 exempts apartment complexes. So, since they didn't HAVE to put up a fence, they didn't.

Thus, now ends my involvement with today's panel. :)

Anonymous said...

I certainly hope that the guardian angel that warned Olive to stay away from the water and, apparently, Dr.Kapuht, makes an appearanc to save her from both. Of course, St. Mary may be out taking an evening stroll.

Carlye said...

My condo complex has a fence, only because the pool is considered an "attractive nuisance". Should a kid from the outlying neighborhood even climb the fence and drown, the HOA could be liable. I wanted sharp spikes on the top of the fence, but I was voted down.

Anonymous said...

To Mike in Cleveland - maybe a big yellow table with lots of little people sitting at it?
Also, has anyone EVER tried to run sideways while looking backwards? Simply can't be done.

TeacherPatti said...

There's just so much...the bizarre eye in the second panel, the fact that Olive looks to be in her late teens, Uncle Joe's sad attempts to draw a "late night" scene, the odd way that Olive is running and how out of proportion she looks in comparison with the background.

In other words, a typical panel of Mary Worth.

Mike in Cleveland said...

Baroque Art, TeacherPatti. Baroque Art.

Nance said...

The giant squid--whose ink has turned the pool black--will save her.

Mike in Cleveland--Whatever you're drinking at 8:55 AM, I'm having THAT.

Anonymous said...

P.S. The added benefit of the "no fence" policy is that it helps Charterstone enforce the "no children" rule.

Dawn Weston's Evil Twin said...

Mary Worth and Toby Cameron will walk by the pool as part of their evening stroll. They will be dissecting Ed and Evy's lack of parenting skills, Tommy's wondrous transformation into a productive member of society, and the dreaminess of Broadway legend Ken Kensington. Without interrupting their conversation or breaking off her adoring gaze at Mary, Toby will fish Olive out of the pool in mid-sentence. Mary will simply say "hello, Olive" briefly and then go on in her praise of Ken Kensington's dashing manners.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 8:52 am, I too was hoping Wanders would initiate a contest.... too late I guess. But I still want to know when Olive started doing the comb-over.... I can't recall her running into Wilber but then I don't read the strip every day.

Toots McGee said...

I think Olive is going to try and fold herself up in the pool umbrella.

birdie said...

Oh noes!

Grab the ducky, Olive!