Thursday, October 16, 2008

Mary Worth 343

"Frank, this is Mary Worth. You need to put your computer monitor up on a phone book or something or you're going to give yourself some terrible neck problems. You don't want to herniate a disc. If you have any questions, please speak to Terry Bryson on the third floor. She knows a lot about computers."

After "Identity Theft Toby," this new story looks so, so promising. Which is great because Mary Worth fans thrive on disappointment!

Today's Full Strip

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. you don't often see that "yellow-blond hair with silver streaks at the temples" combination. i mean, in nature. Thanks, coloring monkeys!

Also, computer expert Terry Bryson might recommend a keyboard and/or a mouse. Just saying.

Unless Frank can control the computer with his mind. Which would be AWESOME!!

Anonymous said...

Also -- turquoise walls, hot pink drapes, non-functioning furniture....Why is Frank Griffin speaking from inside the Barbie Dream House?

Anonymous said...

And his curtains are exactly the same color as Mary's were in yesterday's strip. I bet it turns out they have a lot more in common.

Anonymous said...

Uh oh, Jeff. Mary's got that swooning, schoolgirl-crush look in her eyes!

Anonymous said...

anonymous:

I believe Mary's drapes are the famous Color-Changing Fuzzy Mood Fabric(tm). They go from peach to salmon to coral to flesh to rose to hot pink -- depending on her state of mind and on which shade will most horribly clash with whatever color her walls are painted that day. The one constant is their hideous ugliness. (I know that's redundant, but 'ugliness' just doesn't seem enough.)

Barbara L. Hanson said...

If his daughter is such a success, why does she need to step up her game?

Anonymous said...

I think they mean that although she plays a really good game of figure skating, there is always room to step it up a notch..... If she follows her abusive father/coach's advise that is.

Wanna-be-Wilbur said...

I'm thinking that with that dreamy look Mary's got going there, Frank might be the guy who gave her the Wonder Woman costume years ago.

Mollie said...

Wanders and Boojum, I laughed for a long time at your observations Frank's computer setup. Thank you.

Now I'm wondering: Do ice-skating coaches usually have such, er, corporate offices? Is Frank also an investment bank VP?

Wanders said...

Mollie: I should be used to strange computer configurations in this strip by now, but today's just really bothered me. I think I've figured out why: The reason his monitor is so awkwardly close to the front of the desk is because there is a cable access hole drilled in the corner for his monitor cables. The constant pain in Frank's neck must make him one grumpy figure skating coach. And the world's current economic crisis must make him one grumpy investment banker.

Anonymous said...

Unless Frank can control the computer with his mind. Which would be AWESOME!!

Frank is obviously another satisfied ZAF!(R) computer shopper, boojum.

Isn't this dude just a bit, uh, young for our Mary? And why did he fail to mention Mrs. Frank? Huh? Huh? It's way too soon for Mary to be toying with Dr. Jeff's affections [Thanks, Spiderman!] again so soon, having just done so earlier this year.

Anonymous said...

You know- looking at Frank again, he sort of reminds me of...Aldo! Something about the eyes.

Anonymous said...

maude finlay --

And let us not forget that -- just as Kelrast was an anagram for 'stalker' -- Griffin is an anagram for 'gin riff' and 'fin frig.' His complete name is an anagram for 'rink fang riff.'

Ominous portents, indeed.

Anonymous said...

Anagrams? Man, you folks have way too much time on your hands. Must be sort of like living at Charterstone.

Anonymous said...

Oh my word...there she goes AGAIN, dreaming about another man and casting aside poor Dr. Jeff.....I never DREAMED she was such a vixen, our Mary Worth....

Anonymous said...

Now Mary's transporting her meddling across state lines? Someone call the FBI ...

Maybe there's no keyboard or mouse because that's not a computer on Frank's desk. It's a plasma TV so he can watch daytime soaps while plotting his svengali-like control over his daughter's career.

Anonymous said...

Also ... just how do you track down the phone number of some guy you saw on TV anyhow? Even if you knew him "years ago" what are the odds he'd still have the same number? Don't people with famous sportsmen/women have unlisted numbers to prevent idiot fans calling at all hours of the day or night?

Anonymous said...

anonymous:

Actually, there's this thing called the internet now. Check out wordsmith.com/anagram. Presto change-o!

Anonymous said...

"Hi Frank. It's Mary. Mary Worth. No... Worth. Yes, that's right! The Mary Worth that you were thanking your lucky stars that you haven't heard from in so many, many years. But you made the mistake of allowing your image to be broadcast on TV, and then it was just a simple matter for me to contact a computer literate Startrek security officer who 'owes me one' to do a little identity theft... uhm I mean identity search... to find your phone number. So , hey, just thought I'd call and pick up right where we left off with me asking you inappropriate personal questions about your life."

All I'm saying is.... is Mary taking a tip from Aldo and becoming a... STALKER??

Anonymous said...

anonymous:

No, no. Mary is just being... Mary. Remorseless. Unstoppable. Cold as death. In someone else, this would be called 'stalking.' With Mary, it's just 'being concerned, dear.'

That was Aldo's mistake. He tried to use Mary's techniques against Mary. His fiery death was only a matter of time.