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YAYYY SWET-TITS!!!!

"You sly dog, you."

"That is some Keyser Soze shit, dude."

"Elliot called me up out of the blue"

"Nice going, Keyser-"

"Dude, shut UP"

"YOU told him to tell me?"

Close up on the hands.

"Anyway, wanna go dancing this friday?"

Whiplash!!!

"...and for SOME REASON, you're SAD ABOUT THIS."

"I don't know how to dance!"

**SMACK**

"Well well, look who it is."

"For your INFORMATION, some of us have BETTER THINGS TO DO than just play VIDEO GAMES all the-"

"What have you done to me"

[Welu]

I think the hands shot being out of place works in a way. It's just out of place in that it's not something Jeph usually puts focus on, not that it's wrong to be there. It's a good way of showing how Padma is feeling unease about her grandma without facial expression. In the other panels there's still a lot of expression in Padma's hands so it fits the comic.

Only other time I can think where Jeph put focus on the hands.

Also the whiplash, oh the whiplash.

[Akima]

In my former industry (meat processing) that was known as 'screwing the crew' and is generally a bad idea.

"Don't get laid where you get paid." is the form in which I learned this very sound maxim.

I'm not sure what Jeph was trying to say with the close-up of Padma's hands, unless it was "Hey bitches, hands are hard to draw, but check this out!" She doesn't seem to be wringing them. And obviously I didn't need to worry too much about Padma's feelings.

[Soulsynger]

And obviously I didn't need to worry too much about Padma's feelings.

Harsh statement, woah. oO

Imagine today's comic without the hand close-up. Its not nearly as emotionally involving.
Personally, I would've chosen a close-up of her face for emotional emphasis, but hands work well, too.

I just noticed how Padma is standing a tiny bit slanted away from Marten in the second to last panel... love those little details of unease in this conversation. Overall, a very involving episode. Oo

[bhtooefr]

I've heard the following:

Don't get your meat where you get your bread
Don't shit where you eat
Don't dip your pen in company ink (my favorite)

[stoutfiles]

And obviously I didn't need to worry too much about Padma's feelings.

Harsh statement, woah. oO

I have to agree with Akima, I don't really care how sad Padma is.  Everytime she talks it's "me, me, me".  When Marten tried to talk about his feelings she skipped away.  Hey Padma, if you don't want to go, then don't go.  If you're going to go, stop whining about it.  You're just setting yourself up to resent your grandma for ruining the best years of your life.

[VonKleist]

Don't want to seem heartless but sooner or later Smelliot will have to suck it up. Which is usually easier if the object of your unrequited love is nowhere in the immediate vicinity.

Why shouldn't Marten and Padma have some fun and see what happens?
If Elliot is gonna act like the big overgrown baby he appears to be, well, that´s his problem (which I do hope he´ll resolve!!).

[Soulsynger]

Oh, we're playing this game now...

"No body orifice in the office." (A rather unsettling version of "No booty in the firm.")

(click to show/hide)

(I was fired from a job once because a female co-worker couldn't deal with me rejecting her and - out of spite, I guess - claimed I had made advances toward her... about which my boss had zero tolerance (and I knew that which is part of why I refused in the first place). Without a second guess, emancipation threw me out the door without warning... ^^)

@VonKleist:
Because if Elliot ever found out about it, Padma would be miles away but Marten would still be "at arm's length", so to speak. (A sudden awakening into the world of emotional turmoil like it has been for Elliot can lead to rather drastic changes in a person's behaviour.)

edit:

I have to agree with Akima, I don't really care how sad Padma is.  Everytime she talks it's "me, me, me".  When Marten tried to talk about his feelings she skipped away.

Holy! ... I've never looked at it like that. You blew my mind.

[pwhodges]

Apparently I'm reading this a bit differently from everyone else... 

It seems to me that Padma is actually a little bit interested in Marten, at least as a possible fun friend though perhaps no more than that.  This makes her reaction to hearing that Marten prompted Elliott to say his bit more significant; and I read the hand-wringing as being conflicted about moving away, partly because she wants to ask Marten out again - as she then manages to get herself to do.

[iduguphergrave]

If you can't look on the bright side of things, you can always slam it into reverse and peel out.

Looks like I have a new favorite quote.

Anyway, I know it would be wrong, but I kinda want to see Marten go out with Padma, partly because I just want to see Marty have a good time for once since the breakup. Also, if/when Elliot sees/finds out about Marten and Padma together, I'm quite sure he'll finally be moved to action. There's no motivation like seeing the object of your affection with someone else, and a blatent brotrayal.

[VonKleist]

Oh, gimme a break. How are they suddenly bros`? It´s not a brotrayal if you hardly know the other dude.

[Mr. Doctor]

Agree with you, the brocode doesn't apply if the bros aren't even bros.

While the detailed hands are nice, their uneasiness with the included crotch shot as well as the words "spend as much time with her as I can" while talking about grandma...is a little off-putting.  I don't consider myself a dirty person but I double taked at the odd inclusion of this in the strip.  Just out of place IMO.

Awww man not cool and the strip is ruined for me! I did not see that strip in that way the first time

Apparently I'm reading this a bit differently from everyone else...  

It seems to me that Padma is actually a little bit interested in Marten, at least as a possible fun friend though perhaps no more than that.  This makes her reaction to hearing that Marten prompted Elliott to say his bit more significant; and I read the hand-wringing as being conflicted about moving away, partly because she wants to ask Marten out again - as she then manages to get herself to do.

Sorry to quote all this but I just want to say that it's all I had to say about the strip, thanks.

[Throg]

Calling it now: Padma is gonna be like 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' (or whatever the female->male equivalent is), and Marten's gonna be left totally discombobulated. 

[iduguphergrave]

Wham, bam, thank you man
Wham, bam, thank you Sam
Wham, bam, thank you my fan
Wham, bam, thank y...ok I can't think of any more 

the brocode doesn't apply if the bros aren't even bros.

Fair enough, but I'm willing to bet that Elliot would see it as a kind of betrayal regardless. It would be all too easy for him to suspect that this was Marten's plan all along.

[Near Lurker]

Looking at her posture, it definitely looks like she should be holding a cigarette, especially in the first panel, where she's just taken it out of her mouth.  Not sure why Jeph took it out.

[wrwight]

For the most part I'm in agreement with pwhodges and Mr. Doctor about what's going down in this comic. I don't think Padma is interested in Marten like romantically, but perhaps just thinks he's cute and fun, and she's leaving soon, so she might as well spend it going out and having fun, and, if she's anything like me, she enjoys hanging out with cute fun people of the opposite gender, even if there is no romantic interest. Then again I have no reason to think she's anything like me.

I also found panel 6 to be out of place, though. I guess I just didn't get it.

Also, I feel the need to clarify my point. I like to think I'm good with words, but then sometimes I'm not. I think Marten told Elliott exactly what he would have told himself. I think Elliott was looking for advice. I think I would have done the same thing in Marten's shoes--BUT, I still think it was a bad idea, because he didn't know Elliott well enough, or he might have been able to foresee the train wreck he was in for. It appears to have turned out alright in the end, though, or maybe I should say that it appears to have turned out alright in the middle. We haven't seen the end of it yet.

Also, whoever said it is exactly right. If Padma had reciprocated (which I'm pretty certain we all knew she wouldn't) I probably wouldn't have even mentioned that Marten is justified in feeling somewhat responsible. He would have been responsible either way, but in one case it would be for awkwardness in a good way, or in the current situation, awkwardness in a bad way. It was just going to be awkward either way, though.

[Somebody]

Can I just say, I love the idea of breaking up via full-page ad in a major newspaper

[Is it cold in here?]

Another remarkably bad way to let someone know you're interested would be a strip-o-gram.

[Throg]

Would you SEND the strip-o-gram, or BE the strip-o-gram?   

===

Eliot was in an impossible situation. There's shyness, but then there's the added dimension of not screwing around where you work. Padma was Eliot's supervisor. Dating your boss? Awkward and unprofessional, at best.  Painfully shy guy trying to express admiration/affection for his oblivious-to-the-point-of-thick boss? Just not gonna happen.   

>

[Mr_Rose]

Can I just say, I love the idea of breaking up via full-page ad in a major newspaper

Make sure to use a newspaper your (now-)ex doesn't read but her friends do, for maximum insanity.
(excerpted from "bunny-girl to bunny-boiler: how not to date an employee" by one H. Hefner)

[StevenC]

May I add to all those nice rhymes about not dating at the workplace that despite that, most relationships start exactly there?

[Lubricus]

May I add to all those nice rhymes about not dating at the workplace that despite that, most relationships start exactly there?

Yeah, you know all those couples starting their second batch of children after leaving their initial spouses? Practically all of those couples met each other at work...

[themacnut]

 

May I add to all those nice rhymes about not dating at the workplace that despite that, most relationships start exactly there?

Which is why there are all those rhymes and rules, bec ause of all the times those relationships go bad and the work environment is poisoned for everyone as a result-who wants to be working around a recently broken-up couple? For that matter, who wants to BE either member of that former couple, having to work with an ex? Yes some people manage to break up amicably, but most don't. Makes for an ugly workplace situation.

As to the comic, it's rather ironic that even though Marten didn't plan things to go the way they did, they are going pretty much EXACTLY the way Steve predicted. Few will believe Marten didn't plan things this way, and Elliot won't be among those few. Marten could be in for a beating after all.

[HiFranc]

[...]


@HiFranc:
Hm... I'm an apathetic of sorts, so I still can't fully understand why she needs to actually MOVE away. Wouldn't it be a little easier if she just asked for a few months time off from the bakery to care for her grandma?

Some illness last more than a few months.  For example, the average life expectancy of someone suffering Alzheimer's disease (time from diagnosis) is 5 years!

[...]

I have to agree with Akima, I don't really care how sad Padma is.  Everytime she talks it's "me, me, me".  When Marten tried to talk about his feelings she skipped away.  Hey Padma, if you don't want to go, then don't go.  If you're going to go, stop whining about it.  You're just setting yourself up to resent your grandma for ruining the best years of your life.

I think the unspoken part is that either:

• Her family have probably put a lot of pressure on her to move back and/or
• It is a relation who she always saw as vibrant (for whom the thought of being in bad health is unthinkable).

[grimeyville]

What will Marten do is the question however. Will he say no, and kindly walk away? I mean... People always see him as a noble idiot, always trying to be nice or pleasing.

[Paranoid]

Personally I feel Marten should be the 'noble idiot' here.  Hooking up with someone with a timer over her head doesn't sound like something that would appeal to him.  If she had genuine feelings for Marten it'd be one thing, but I just don't see that.  Now, as previously mentioned she might only be interested in Marten as a friend.  However we shouldn't ignore that Marten is infatuated with her, even if he's man enough to put it aside for the sake of Elliot.  I don't see any good coming out of this, and that's without Elliot finding out and potentially accusing Marten of some 'Keyser Soze shit'*.

That said, I also remember a QA dump of Jeph's where he lists Marten's happiness as one of the few things he's permanently written out of the script.  Which means my bet's on him being the 'self-serving idiot' instead.

*Disclaimer: Elliot's feelings for Padma are only an issue (remotely!) because there's already no real reason for Marten to pursue this already given the absence of 'true feelings' from Padma for him.  If there was a chance that Padma would abandon her plans to move in order to pursue a long-term relationship with Marten then Elliot would just have to deal with it, just like Marigold had to do for Angus.  I'm not saying he should be jumping for joy over the idea, just to be a man and accept that he wasn't what Padma wanted.

[grimeyville]

Personally I feel Marten should be the 'noble idiot' here.  Hooking up with someone with a timer over her head doesn't sound like something that would appeal to him.  If she had genuine feelings for Marten it'd be one thing, but I just don't see that.  Now, as previously mentioned she might only be interested in Marten as a friend.  However we shouldn't ignore that Marten is infatuated with her, even if he's man enough to put it aside for the sake of Elliot.  I don't see any good coming out of this, and that's without Elliot finding out and potentially accusing Marten of some 'Keyser Soze shit'*.

That said, I also remember a QA dump of Jeph's where he lists Marten's happiness as one of the few things he's permanently written out of the script.  Which means my bet's on him being the 'self-serving idiot' instead.

*Disclaimer: Elliot's feelings for Padma are only an issue (remotely!) because there's already no real reason for Marten to pursue this already given the absence of 'true feelings' from Padma for him.  If there was a chance that Padma would abandon her plans to move in order to pursue a long-term relationship with Marten then Elliot would just have to deal with it, just like Marigold had to do for Angus.  I'm not saying he should be jumping for joy over the idea, just to be a man and accept that he wasn't what Padma wanted.

Where's the QA Dump? I'd definitely like to read it, though it sounds pretty sad.

[Carl-E]

Grimeyville, check out Jeph's Tumblr. 

[grimeyville]

Grimeyville, check out Jeph's Tumblr. 

Thank you! Read it and wept. Openly. In my office.

[Carl-E]

Now, on to what I was going to say before Grimey's question...

I think Padma has won the title "Queen of the Non-Sequiters".  This title was long held by my younger daughter, who would come up with some of the most bizarre comments that seemed completely out of the blue until she explained her little-train-of-thought-that-could.  It was amazing how fast and far from the conversation her brain would take her...

Oh, the hands thing?  Initiated by Concern for Grandma, but I also think it represented a mental pause on Padma's part that allowed her to make the connection between having to leave and enjoying what time she had left.  As others mentioned, she doesn't have  to deal with Elliot's mess.  She can  enjoy herself, and decides to give it a go with the nearest opportunity...  someone who, through his advice to Elliot, has shown himself to basically be a good guy.  

(Stoutflies - yes, I too though the crotch shot was a bit disconcerting, but in Jeph's twitter, he said

man I was gonna make today's comic all fancy looking and good but I'm having an anxiety attack so all I can do is try to finish it

Clearly, it just didn't turn out the way he was thinking.)


Of course, no one will ever convince Steve that Marten didn't have all this planned from the start, but fuck Steve.  He needs a reality check.  Preferably at the end of a fist.  Dope slaps don't work on skulls that thick...

[StevenC]

May I add to all those nice rhymes about not dating at the workplace that despite that, most relationships start exactly there?

Which is why there are all those rhymes and rules, bec ause of all the times those relationships go bad and the work environment is poisoned for everyone as a result-who wants to be working around a recently broken-up couple? For that matter, who wants to BE either member of that former couple, having to work with an ex? Yes some people manage to break up amicably, but most don't. Makes for an ugly workplace situation.

As to the comic, it's rather ironic that even though Marten didn't plan things to go the way they did, they are going pretty much EXACTLY the way Steve predicted. Few will believe Marten didn't plan things this way, and Elliot won't be among those few. Marten could be in for a beating after all.

Well, but apparently even though those rhymes exist, people still try it. And hey, if it works for them, awesome. And relationships can go sour everywhere, not just at work, so yeah. They should watch out because they see each other a lot in a professional environment and stuff, but I don't see why this should be especially discouraged out of all other possibilities.

[Interlude]

Personally I feel Marten should be the 'noble idiot' here.  Hooking up with someone with a timer over her head doesn't sound like something that would appeal to him.  If she had genuine feelings for Marten it'd be one thing, but I just don't see that.  Now, as previously mentioned she might only be interested in Marten as a friend.  However we shouldn't ignore that Marten is infatuated with her, even if he's man enough to put it aside for the sake of Elliot.  I don't see any good coming out of this, and that's without Elliot finding out and potentially accusing Marten of some 'Keyser Soze shit'*.

I don't think it is a good idea for Marten to start up anything with Padma. It has nothing to do with Elliot-- I think, going from personal experience, that Elliot did the right thing by telling Padma. No point in thinking about the what-ifs for months. He knows the answer-- now he has to deal with it. (Calling out was unprofessional, though. I do disagree with that. Unless he really IS sick. That's a possibility, right?) Marten should not feel guilty or responsible, and he certainly has no obligation to Elliot as far as Padma goes. BUT Padma is moving away. What is the point of starting anything a week or two before you move?! Or even a month? Setting yourself up for more heartache is not the best way to move on from a previous relationship-- and I still think this is more about Marten moving on, rather than him liking Padma. Given more time, that might have changed. But that time is not going to be allowed, so why do that to yourself?

Now, as far as Padma goes... I don't see why she is doing this. If she is about to move, why start up something (whether it is friendship only or romantic) with someone you don't really know? I honestly do not get the point. Yeah, it might be fun. But can't you do that with your friends? And if you don't have friends you usually do this sort of thing with, why start now? And she is NOT responsible for Elliot's feelings either, but how can she go from being upset about dealing with "the drama" and then turn around and do something that might create more of it?

[Carl-E]

StevenC, I'm guessing you're probably in your twenties, like the majority here?  Thing is, back in the day when most of these cutesy little rhymes were born, it wasn't uncommon for people to spend 20, 30 or even their entire career (40+ years) at the same job, with the same employer.  Then a gold watch, a pension, and sit in your rocker for a year or two until you die. 

Makes it real  uncomfortable to have to spend the next few decades  working with an ex.  Especially if it was bitter.  Heaven help you if you were at an industrial job where "accidents" could be maiming or fatal...

Nowadays, the average amount of time spent at a job in the US is 4 years.  That means many are even shorter!  So yeah, a workplace relationship may not even have a chance to go sour before you're looking for another job anyway! 

Nevertheless, what with sexual harrassment and all, it's still not a good idea.  And heaven forbid you start a successful business with your significant other - when the relationship goees south, who gets the company?  Talk about a custody battle...   

[gcninja]

In my former industry (meat processing) that was known as 'screwing the crew' and is generally a bad idea.

"Don't get laid where you get paid." is the form in which I learned this very sound maxim.

I'm not sure what Jeph was trying to say with the close-up of Padma's hands, unless it was "Hey bitches, hands are hard to draw, but check this out!" She doesn't seem to be wringing them. And obviously I didn't need to worry too much about Padma's feelings.

My two best guesses where that she was holding her own hand in order to NOT reach out and grab his
That or she has Huntingtons Disease and due to the way her hand is (or it could be me reading the hand placement wrong) her nervous system is breaking down and she is losing motor control. The only way she can deal with it is to leave all her friends behind and spend any time she has left alone or with family
Also, hi, I'm new here.  Long time reader and supporter, first time poster

[vsonics]

I will admit that the first thing that I thought when I saw panel six was "crotch shot." Maybe even "Crotch Shot!"

But I liked the attempt to mix things up a little bit, and I'm impressed with the hands to begin with. That said, I liked panel seven much better. It felt really natural. I liked the both of them looking down, and especially liked the both of their hands together. Marten's "thumbs hooked in pockets" was way snazzy.

I'm rooting for Marten to say yes, though perhaps invite along other people (even Elliot, giving him a shot at fixing things?) and make it a friends thing again like hiking was. What with this Serious Talk and the Sharing I think that Marten and Padma could be pretty fun friends. Especially if she ends up moving back before too long*.

_{*Not that I want Grandma to kick the bucket straight away or anything, but...}

Added: Also, did we get any confirmation or otherwise on whether Padma was originally smoking?

[jwhouk]

I have a lot of co-workers who are married. And a lot more that are exes.

I'd say it's 50/50. Some people can make it work, and some people can't.

[Tova]

Apparently I'm reading this a bit differently from everyone else... 

It seems to me that Padma is actually a little bit interested in Marten, at least as a possible fun friend though perhaps no more than that.  This makes her reaction to hearing that Marten prompted Elliott to say his bit more significant; and I read the hand-wringing as being conflicted about moving away, partly because she wants to ask Marten out again - as she then manages to get herself to do.

This is exactly the way I saw it. And the "crotch shot" thing didn't even occur to me. I just saw the anxiety in her hands.

When it first came up in this thread, I thought "OK, if that's the way your mind works...". But now I'm wondering if I am weird after all. Unless normal is the new weird. Or something.

[WAYF]

I don't think you're weird, Tova. Jeph has always drawn Hannelore with her hands interlaced at about crotch height when she feels uncomfortable (most recent instance I can think of), but this is the first time we've actually seen the same gesture really close up. I think that as with all the times Hannelore's done it, this gesture has a lot more to do with the hands than the crotch.

Personally, I think that Padma has trapped Marten, as they say, between a rock and a hard place. If he doesn't go with Padma, that should be fine, but he needs an excuse, and I think Marten would feel awful if he had to make one up just to get out of something which he might actually enjoy.

If he DOES go dancing with Padma, then that is FINE. For all he knows, Padma just wants to hang out and go dancing. There's no betrayal involved here, especially considering the lack of warning he received. I (and I think he) would be really surprised if anything romantic developed out of that anyway.
But that's not how quite a few people on this forum see it, and I don't think Elliott would see it that way either, especially considering how prone he is to breaking into tears. I'd say that Marten needs to deal with this situation with a lot of finesse, but a) Marten isn't exactly known for finesse, and b) I'm not actually sure how he can navigate this without encountering further drama.
Oh well.

[Carl-E]

Not weird at all.  It's just a close up of hands, with an unfortuately typical background - after all, when your hands hang down they're right about at that height! 


Unless you're an orangutan or something. 



I wonder if Padma had been intending to ask Marten to go dancing before Elliot called?  Maybe she's just decided, "screw it, I'm going to enjoy myself anyway"!  After all, Gandma always said you should never pass up the chance to have a good time...

[themacnut]

I will admit that the first thing that I thought when I saw panel six was "crotch shot." Maybe even "Crotch Shot!"

Get your mind out of the gutter. You're crowding me. 

[TinPenguin]

I'd say it's 50/50. Some people can make it work, and some people can't.

Yes, and the half that can't break up with the half that can.

[jwhouk]

I'd say it's 50/50. Some people can make it work, and some people can't.

Yes, and the half that can't break up with the half that can.

You win.

[Tova]

Yes, and the half that can't break up with the half that can.

I have to pay that.

[Kugai]

Hmmmmmmm

Interesting. 

[iduguphergrave]

When I first saw the close-up, I took it to be Marten's gaze; like he was noticing her wringing hands and considering (or at least wanting to) hold her hand. But then the next panel happened and he wasn't even looking at her so maybe not.

[Handmade.Mercury]

Am I the only one who, after seeing Padma's hands close-up, immediately jumped to the conclusion that her grandmother is dying? I was actually surprised that no one had mentioned anything like that, yet. After all, that panel IS preceded by Padma talking about her grandmother having health problems and not being able to live alone, presumably having an in-home nurse for quite some time, now.

[themacnut]

I think most of us took it for granted; an elderly person with deteriorating health is generally not going to be alive for much longer.

[akronnick]

Question: worse ways to confess your love than a phone call a week before she moves away: E-mail  3 (4.9%)

Text message  4 (6.6%)
Tweet  17 (27.9%)
Craigslist  9 (14.8%)
Smoke signals  2 (3.3%)
Full page ad in the New York Times  11 (18%)
Nut-up and talk to her face to face  4 (6.6%)
Aww fuck it. YAAAAYYYYY SWEET TITS!!!!!!!  11 (18%)

Total Voters: 61
 

[Tova]

I don't normally do the "vote for the funniest option" thing, but the current poll was just too good not to.

In reality, I think she just wants to have a fun time before she goes.

[Paranoid]

Honestly I can't tell what Padma is thinking right now, so I went with waffles*.  I suppose we'll have to wait until tonight's strip to find out, or maybe even tomorrow night's.

Also, on the subject of Padma's grandmother dying, I was having that thought earlier today, and wondering what would happen if she died before Padma had a chance to move?  Who would she call for comfort: Marten, Elliot, or none of the above?  That is the big question, and until/unless it is answered any speculation on whether Marten should or should not take Padma up for her dancing offer is really just that, speculation.  My current theory (if that happens) is that she'll call Marten, and he'll turn her down for Elliot's sake despite the fact that her calling Marten would be proof that she doesn't have romantic feelings for Elliot.

*Damn it, all this waffles talk has me craving them now.  Looks like I know what I'm getting at the store tomorrow.

[Vurogj]

Did anyone see the stream for this one? I was wondering if Padma was originally smoking a cigarette in this strip and Jeph later took it out...
..Probably nothing. Has any major or supporting character smoked on-panel since early Hanners and Dora's mom?

I don't recall seeing one in either the sketch layer or the drawing layer, it *might* just be argafargl hands are hard to draw syndrome.
The red-head (who ISN'T Sweet-Tits) was smoking when Angus got scorned if I recall correctly. I don't know what strip that was. If only there was a link to it around here somewhere.