Mary Worth 2644

I take it back! "Enjoy" makes a last minute surge toward the finish line. We are almost finished, aren't we?

Good: 21
Enjoy: 20
Love: 18
Nice: 7

Mary Worth 2641

A perfect example of dialogue that would work better if Katie had allowed Esme to fall to her death. I think I'm just going to imagine that's what really happened.

Good: 21
Enjoy: 19
Love: 17
Nice: 7

Mary Worth 2640

Katie's Thought Bubble: I love him, but can I trust him again? That look in his eyes tells me that he wants to quit smoking and shipboard entertainers for me, but he lacks the confidence in himself that he needs to succeed. Is there anything I can do to help him? Is there some change I need to make to help him overcome the powerful addictions he has to tobacco and show tunes?

Derek's Thought Bubble: I'd like to eat now, but I can't be the first to break eye contact.

================

No change today in our verb and adjective tally, but I missed a few days so I want to post an update. "Good" took the lead on Thursday:

Good: 20
Enjoy: 19
Love: 17
Nice: 7

Mary Worth 2638

Hey, guys, I'm over at Derek and Katie's cabin listening to her tell Derek all about how Esme tried to murder her and fell overboard, but Katie saved her. I'm sorry you aren't here. It's awesome. Derek is all like, "No WAY!" and Katie is like, "Way!"

Mary Worth 2636

I'm not sure how Derek intends to fulfill his promise never to look at a cigarette. Maybe he'll put the patch over his eyes.

His sudden visual aversion to cigarettes, however, reminds me of our oldest daughter who as a very young child would freak out if she even saw someone smoking. She'd make quite a scene. One day, when she was three, she said to me, "Cigarettes are yucky! My friends smoke cigarettes and they say, 'yuck!' John says yuck! Ashley says yuck! They just like normular food, like canola bars and juice."

Enjoy: 19
Good: 19
Love: 14
Nice: 7

Mary Worth 2635

Today's strip would be a lot more satisfying and make a lot more sense if Katie had quietly watched until Esme lost her grip and plunged 300 feet to her death.

Mary Worth 2634

No, Derek, Mary didn't say apologize! She said make Katie understand. You are totally off script right now, and I won't be held responsible.

Mary Worth 2633

"Your paramour tried to murder me during the hurricane, but when the ship lurched she fell overboard. I saved her life, and she vowed never to see you again. What did you want to tell me?"

"Uh, Mary Worth gave me a picture of us."

Mary Worth 2630

"Here, I just ordered this print of you and Katie before you walked in. I keep pictures of all my victims. But I think you need it more than me right now."

Mary Worth 2629

Mary offers excellent advice! The only problem is that she's basing it on faulty information. I think Derek should probably "review past interactions" one more time and see if he has anything else to add, like "Esme is a goddess, and she kissed me on the veranda!"

Mary Worth 2628

"The other thing I have in common with Esme is we both know all the words to all the songs in all the Bing Crosby "Road" movies. So we have two whole things in common. Katie and I have built our entire world around each other, but if I can't be free to smoke and sing show tunes, well, I'm just gonna die. Oh, Mary, what ever shall I do?"

Mary Worth 2627

Derek, it's your choice. You can either be a caveman (smoking, lying, cheating), or you can be a sensitive new age man (crying on the shoulder of an old lady you don't even know). You can't be both. Being both wouldn't make sense.

Oh, wait...

Mary Worth 2626

Careful, Derek, this is how you got in trouble with Entertainer Esme.

Mary Worth 2625

Derek mourns at the wall of missing passengers. Most of them either slipped under the "safety" rail, or were thrown overboard by Entertainer Esme.

Mary Worth 2624

"Attention passengers: Parents are reminded to never ever ever ever let go of their child's hand while onboard this vessel. That is all."

Mary Worth 2623

Citizen Scottie McW rightfully accused me of abandoning ship yesterday. It was heartbreaking to be unable to post on such an historic day... So I'm reprinting yesterday's panel with Scottie's comment:

"I forgot to credit fauxprof too for noticing what an Olympian athletic achievement under pressure Esme pulled off. A full pike, half-twist, reverse grawlix. A unanimous 10 from the judges." - Scottie McV.

Of course, this left us hanging (see what I did?) for 24 hours, wondering what choices Katie might make. This morning, ta-da!

Now they're friends. And they can team up to make Derek's life utter heck.

Mary Worth 2622

This seems to be more than a 'lurch.' Based on the angle of the horizon, that ship is going down.

But given the image below, how far do you think Entertainer Esme will fall? How many times do you think she'll hit something on the way down? Will she splash in the water, or splat on a lower deck? Either way, tonight's Cabaret Showcase has been canceled.

Mary Worth 2621

As the star of the shipboard entertainment, Esme is probably aware of the extensive network of security cameras throughout the vessel. She knows their blind spots. She's hidden the deaths of dozens of wives. I'm starting to worry about Katie.

Mary Worth 2620

Moy and Brigman do it again, establishing an entirely new genre: Comic Noir. Someone is going to commit a murder! My money is on Katie, and she gets away with it, too, knowing that Derek will never turn her in. Or rather, she almost gets away with it. Unfortunately for Katie, Mary Worth is on board and her meddling senses are tingling.

Mary Worth 2619

Without any fish on the carpet, how will Katie know where to go?