Careful, Mary! You used that same cliché six years ago, and this was the response you got!
It was fun for a few minutes to go back and relive the classic Bobby Black and Gina (whose mother had died recently, but surprisingly was not shot) story. At least a few panels of it. I couldn't handle much more than that.
Okay, you know that I think Mary Worth is an amazing comic strip. I loved Joe Giella, but it's days like this when Karen Moy is able to craft human sounding dialog because she knows that June will capture all the unspoken emotion of the moment, that I just want to put snarking aside and say, "Well done."
Of course, if this scene goes on too long, I may feel a little bit ill, so bring on the pool party!
It's hard to use quote verbal quotation marks endquote, but it can be done. Mary is a true quote friend endquote so I'm sure it didn't sound quote sarcastic endquote at all.
By all means, Dawn, please, tell us what happened! We'd all like to know. Maybe you could make your account even more exciting by using a series of flashbacks. This should be good.
I love June's interpretation of Dawn's "ugly cry." No matter how ugly Dawn gets, she's still adorable. And no matter how bad her timing, Mary knows that (where Weston's are concerned) if she comes attached to a warm pan of muffins, the Meddling Door swings open wide.
Having achieved total enlightenment from her summer job adulting, she is ready to form her own Monastery for the Forlorn. Jared would make an excellent first disciple.
"Be a dear, Jared, and let Sue know I'm quitting since she's the one who contracted with my temp agency. She'll want to file a complaint about my unreliable performance, and my dating her boss and stuff."
Oh, how I wish Mary had used air quotes, instead of real quotes, when she was talking to Dawn.
By the way, June Brigman is a great artist, as evidenced by the nuanced expressions in Panel 2. I'm officially a fan.
Okay, first off, you're a TEMP, Dawn. You were supposed to stop working weeks ago when the semester started. And second... well, the secondary stuff makes comparisons to the real world, so they're irrelevant.
You know who I'm really concerned about in all of this? Dr. Ned Fletcher. He has the same feelings of love for Dawn that she has for him. How messed up is that? I'm generally not a proponent of murder, but it looks like Dawn has very few other options but to kill Mrs. Fletcher. 
What?? What the heck is wrong with this girl? What does she think love is? Any remaining respect I had for Dawn was just flushed down the toilet. She is AWFUL! "I'm not bad, I'm just written that way."
Wait! Is "the next day" Saturday? Is she on her way to work? All I want to see at this point is the awkward encounters between Ned and Dawn at the workplace, and what kind of retribution Ned has in store for Dawn, or better yet, Jared.
Oh, NOW he remembers her name! The flames of Hell are starting to feel a little warm, aren't they Neddy boy.
Maybe Ned knows that his wife will never spot him out with Dawn because she hates French food. Or maybe she is fluent in French and would never eat at any of the many French restaurants in Santa Royale: The Lying Snail, the Love Dog, or The Pig - unless the latter is a really excellent French BBQ joint.
Moving on to some very exciting news, look what I got: A Star Wars trading card!! I am super stoked!
But I wonder who the artist could be? Let's just turn it over and see!
June Brigman, you are awesome, and I'm so glad you came our way.
Hey, what happened to your "summer job," Dawn? It's September. Shouldn't you be in classes?
Okay, this may sound freaky, but I get the strangest feeling that Dawn is speaking to me. It's as if no matter where I stand in the room, her eyes are following me.
"I'd slap you with my tiny hand, but I have to maintain this death grip on my bagel. I learned it from my Dad."
