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Too much cake-mix

May got too excited with Pintsize

May had a nasty meet-up with Yelling Bird

SOMEONE had to clean up Dale's bed!

The obligatory reference to synthetic ham

MAY IS MELTING FROM ALL THE SQUEE

May found Marigolds stache of sexy dude pictures

butts

[ankhtahr]

Only McD has a limited breakfast offer here. And we don't have diners either…

I really could go for such a breakfast now.

[Orkboy]

Really, most sit-down places that have breakfast are diners or are somewhat inspired by diners. And, yes, usually it's all-day breakfast at those places.

Also, fast food places often have breakfast during breakfast hours.

Fast food hardly counts, since it's only barely food. 

[pwhodges]

Also I'm jealous for you Americans for having breakfast restaurants and such.

The café in the building where I work offers cooked breakfast (not a free menu, but dish of the day).  In the outside world here, cafés aimed as workmen are the most likely source of it.

[Masterpiece]

What now?


Sober reflection for Marten- 9 (8.3%)
Clareawkwardness- 14 (13%)
Faye jumps to conclusions- 10 (9.3%)
Hannersqueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee- 12 (11.1%)
Claire and Marten have THE TALK- 34 (31.5%)
Tai and Dora - 1 (0.9%)
Steve eating Cereal- 8 (7.4%)
Pintsize- 0 (0%)
Breakfast Spathe Waffles- 7 (6.5%)
Purple Monkey Dishwasher- 3 (2.8%)
Jephpocalypse Now- 10 (9.3%)

[Masterpiece]

and also, new poll!

[MooskiNet]

It's kind of tone-deaf for him to be there either way

The caption of the comic is 'She was very insistent.'  Although he obviously does not mind the situation he's in (I third the warm and slightly nervous expression interpretation), I'm not sure he could have avoided it, short of running away screaming.

[Neko_Ali]

My prediction is going to be tomorrow will be a full page spread of Pintsize eating pancake batter.

[cesium133]

SOMEONE had to clean up Dale's bed!

Oh my... 

[SteveCostello]

My prediction is going to be tomorrow will be a full page spread of Pintsize eating pancake batter.

I was thinking that we haven't seen a grotesquely upclose shot of Yelling Bird's cloaca in a while...

[Orkboy]

My prediction is going to be tomorrow will be a full page spread of Pintsize eating pancake batter.

I was thinking that we haven't seen a grotesquely upclose shot of Yelling Bird's cloaca in a while...

I really hope we don't get a combination of those two.

[Fig]

My prediction is going to be tomorrow will be a full page spread of Pintsize eating pancake batter.

I was thinking that we haven't seen a grotesquely upclose shot of Yelling Bird's cloaca in a while...

I really hope we don't get a combination of those two.

The sheer mental image alone is enough to give C'Thulu nightmares, least of all us mortals.

[Orkboy]

My prediction is going to be tomorrow will be a full page spread of Pintsize eating pancake batter.

I was thinking that we haven't seen a grotesquely upclose shot of Yelling Bird's cloaca in a while...

I really hope we don't get a combination of those two.

The sheer mental image alone is enough to give C'Thulu nightmares, least of all us mortals.

Then I'm glad to have planted it in your brainmeats.  Muahaha!   

[FunkyTuba]

Great....now we need to petition pwhodges to add :claireMOMface: to the board code

[Aziraphale]

Apologies if this is repetitive - I seem to have lost the first version

One thing that I haven't really seen mentioned so far (and forgive me if I've missed it, its been a rough day ) If Claire's relationship with her mother is a good one - and from all the information we have been given so far, it does seem so - then that would surely entail a a strong element of protectiveness where Claire's life choices are concerned.  Which would make Clairemum's endorsement of Marten all the more meaningful (IF that is what she is doing - it does look that way to me).

This could also be a replay of a trope we've seen a few times in this comic: Person A is interested in Person B, whose friends make sure Person B is generally an okay person, usually over drinks (or in this case, pancakes).

Really, most sit-down places that have breakfast are diners or are somewhat inspired by diners. And, yes, usually it's all-day breakfast at those places.

It's only a diner if A: it's open 24 hours, and B: you can get pancakes (or a cheeseburger) any damn time you walk in. Otherwise, it's just a restaurant, or a luncheonette.

[Neko_Ali]

Y'all are really making me want to go to Waffle House today.  You know that, right?

[Barmymoo]

Jim's 41, way too young to have a 24 year old daughter, unless he was still in high school at the time.

Not really, I see plenty of 15, 16 and 17 year olds in clinic all the time.

I took the title of the comic as being sarcastic, as in Marten really didn't need a lot of persuading at all (or it was even his idea in the first place). I guess we'll find out tomorrow!

And Meilu, I'm glad you feel the moderation here helps people to be comfortable. We try, but it's not always easy.

[Estron]

Or was it more like "screw processing it, free pancakes!"

The processing was supposed to come after pancakes

But -- perhaps -- processing would be difficult in the presence of the person he's processing the feelings about?  Or is it just passive ol' Marten; Mrs. Augustus invites him over and he's all "yeah, sure, whatever"?

[Smallest]

Heh! "Hi, your Mom invited me! I don't want to date you! Bye!"

"Hi! So, after you left last night, I went for a walk, and bumped into someone who I thought was you, one thing led to another and, well, to cut a long story short, your mom and I are dating married now."

Fixed

[jwhouk]

You know, Kugai, some of these don't show up when I'm posting...

Anyways: does no one remember that Claire had her PJ's on when she was at the wedding with Marten?

[SteveCostello]

Props to Momma Augustus for using real maple syrup instead of that corn syrup crap.

[cesium133]

Y'all are really making me want to go to Waffle House today.  You know that, right?

I would love to go to Waffle House right now, but it's all the way on the other side of town and the effort of walking 1.5 miles to my car to drive it there is defeating the will to go there.

In other words, I'm being lazy.

[Honkytonk]

Can I just say that as a 24 year old who still lives with his mum because fuck you job market, it's not RIDICULOUS to be driven and want something and still live your parents? Especially when you're at gradschool and have a (possibly unpaid) internship in a library, and work in the same city anyway? It's not ridiculous to save the money you'd otherwise be scrabbling for at the end of every month in an overinflated rental market.

Just sayin'...

Oh, and the British Greasy Spoon is quite frankly the king of any and all breakfast places, especially when hungover. No contest.

[Smallest]

On the whole living at home/does she support herself thing: Where I live, it's really normal for parents to support their kids as long as they're going to school, including university. This includes my family, who while they are not paying for either of our tuition, are having my brother live with them free of rent/food costs whenever he has four months in their town. So while a little weird compared to what I'm used to with QC characters, I don't find it that odd, seeing as she's on the younger end of the group and a student.

I also know a few people around her age who still live at home and don't go to university, but are nearly independent- they live at home and sometimes have family meals, but they pay rent and work. We live in a shit economy right now, even with work a lot of them can't make the money to move out if they plan to do anything other than work and sleep (and in that case, why bother with your own apartment).

I couldn't stand to live at home, myself, but Claire's mom seems nice, what with the pancakes.

Also, Claire looks totally unrealistic. With hair that fluffy, I'm thinking she'd have epic bedhead.

Maybe it's not that she doesn't have bedhead. Maybe she ALWAYS has bedhead.

Or BarberMom gave her magic product.

[grouchygizmo]

I just have to say that I love the polls and their options- kudos to whoever does them!

[Border Reiver]

Why was Mrs. Augustus at a diner? 

[Smallest]

As an aside, all the talk about Claire's hair is much like my own; it's wild, wavy, poofy, and red (though considerably darker). Many jokes are had at the expense of my Medusa-like locks killing and/or maiming those around me.

C-c-c-cosplay?

As far as we know (and to my recollection) the onl knowledge we know of Claire and Clinton's father is that he cheated on their mother and now they're divorced.

Well we know Jim's ex-wife  lives locally, in fact within walking distance of Jim's house - http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1957.

 And siblings do sometimes live with different parents after a divorce....

Meh, there's nothing to contradict the theory, but it doesn't feel very likely..

In that case, Sam doesn't really look like either of her parents really, which is a little weird, especially in a comic.

I am pretty much certain that Sam would have mentioned that she had a much older brother with a robot hand when she met Momo, if that were true...

Sam might have mentioned that she had an older brother with a robot hand when she met Momo even if that weren't true.

Also, I would hope Jim wouldn't have hidden it from Dora when they were talking specifically about his kid(s).

[Smallest]

Why was Mrs. Augustus at a diner?

To criticize the food?

[Rubick]

What somebody else said about a deal where Marten came to the door looking to ask Claire if she wanted to grab pancakes and getting invited in makes sense to me. Claire is almost certain to have mentioned Marten to her mother, between the fact he's a co-worker and that she's comfortable enough to have driven out of state to a wedding with him and share a room - so Clairemom wouldn't need to worry about who he is.

At the moment, my growing concern is that we don't get a resolution tomorrow. Damn you and your brilliant writing, Jacques!

[BenRG]

Hello all! New member freshly registered after about a year of lurking, mostly because I wanted to participate in this thread (yes, I know, I know...).

Anyway, I have an idea of how Marten came to be in Claire's house.

Imagine if you will: He's walking to the diner, stressing out about what happened last night and what he is going to say to Claire. Heck, he probably isn't even very sure about what he thinks himself. With all this focus on Claire, his feelings, her feelings, what may or may not be professional, appropriate and even responsible, he comes across a familiar face walking towards him. There is a reason why Jeph made Claire's mother look so much like Claire - to justify the fact that, upon seeing her, Marten's reaction was to blurt out: "Claire!"

A conversation would then ensue in which Claire's mother would identify herself and brush off Marten's stammered apology, remarking that Claire's friends are always mistaking them for each other. Marten identifies himself as: "Marten Reed; I work with Claire at the College library."

There is a pause before Clairemom smiles in a near-demonic fashion. "Oh, you're that Marten! I've heard all about you!" Cue flop-sweat from Marten, wondering if what she's heard is good. "Claire can't stop talking about you! It's always Marten this and Marten that! She's quite taken a shine to you! So, where are you off to?"

Marten explains he was going to get breakfast and Claire's mother insists that he come home with her. On the way, she elaborates on her previous comments. That is how we got to where we are in today's strip: Marten has heard enough to be sure of Claire's feelings and this means he can get out of his normal "Am I reading something into nothing?" indecision loop and address directly what his feelings are and how he wants to act on them. Then Claire comes downstairs and...

Well, let's be clear here: Despite the cartoony and stylised nature of his art style, Jeph succeeded in making Claire look beautiful this morning to the point where I wonder if she was pictured through Marten's eyes. At that point, I think Marten answered his questions about his own feelings.

So, what happens next? I wouldn't be at all surprised if Friday's strip is back to Momo and May. They may lay some foundation for what comes next by talking, from their outsiders' perspective, about the interminable dance and trial that are human relationships and pair-bondings. Then, I am fairly sure that next week's strips will be entirely the most awkward family breakfast in the history of the Augustus household. Apart from a few Dora- or Faye-worthy comments from Clairemom, it will be mostly Claire and Marten talking, mostly expressing their own fears and uncertainties in the form of 'reasons why we should just stay friends'. Finally, they'll agree that they owe it to themselves to determine if there is any depth to their relationship and whether it will work long-term.

Sometime in the conversation, they've joined hands and not noticed it. They finally notice when Marten asks if Claire would consider dating him and, as red as a tomato, she agrees. They take a simultaneous coffee shot and then Clairemom adds: "So, when are you kids announcing the engagement?" Cue perfectly-synchronised caffeine nose-splosion. Claire shouts: "MOOO-OOOM!" 

The week after that, I think, would be nice if it was done from Momo's perspective; her and May going to their respective work-places and continuing their discussion about human relationships and the difficulty AIs have understanding their subtleties. Maybe May will offer a parting shot like: "Remember, sister: Android and proud!" Momo's expression will suggest that May is a bit too strange for her tastes. She arrives at the Library; she's just hooked herself up and is logging into the network when Marten and Claire arrive, hand in hand. The last panel is Tai, hands clasped and stars in her eyes whilst Emily has found a box of confetti that she's thrown into the air before starting to jump around and cheer. Momo's expression shows her shock at realising that it isn't just May - All sapient minds are that weird.

Regarding Claire still living with her mother, I agree with those posters who said that it is quite logical and reasonable that she would still do so. However, I don't think that will last for long.

You see, I suspect that Marigold will want to move in with Dale - She just wouldn't be willing to continually have to commute for happy time with her boyfriend. As well as opening the chance for humorous domesticity between the two protagonists, it will also allow for developing the Momo-May axis as a robot 'odd couple'. Maybe having May around (and the consequential pressure) will bring back some of Momo's earlier eccentricities such as kung-fu fighting with squirrels and the like...

Anyway, this puts Angus in a bind because he needs a second income to pay the rent on the apartment. He'll ask Faye to move in with him. She'll agree and fret that "Yes, please!" sounds too desperate to keep Angus's respect. Let's face it; they're already married in heart anyway.

So, now it's Marten looking for a roomie (with Pintsize indignantly insisting that he is roomie enough for anyone). It will be a few strips' joke that Marten doesn't have the first idea of who to ask. Hannelore's environmental and mental health needs are too extreme for her to share an apartment with anyone human right now; Steve has his own place; Marten didn't fly across a continent only to invite his mother to live with him (besides, Veronica spends more time at Jim's than even at her alleged apartment right now). Claire will literally be the last person Marten thinks of to ask. Initially, she'll move into Faye's old room; She and Marten will re-invent the 'sitting on the couch dissing popular culture and pseudo-intellectuals' trope for the strip but, in the background, they'll be dating. Eventually, Faye's old room will be converted into a study. 

Phew! Quite a wall-o-text! You can tell that I've been thinking about this ever since I saw the strip about 12 hours ago. Thanks for your patience in reading!

[Swedish Chef]

How on Hanner's clean earth did Momma Claire knows Marten was making pancackes?. They were not even in the same house to start with.

...cats, cats I can understand, but I see no whiskers on Claire's mom.

[BenRG]

How on Hanner's clean earth did Momma Claire knows Marten was making pancackes?.

As I understand it, Marten went out to have pancakes at a diner; it seems he ran into Claire's mother on the way.

[KOK]

With all the friendly talk going on among the library staff, I think we can take it for a given that Marten knew that Claire lives there when he accepted the invitation.

[Aziraphale]

How on Hanner's clean earth did Momma Claire knows Marten was making pancackes?.

He wasn't, and probably doesn't trust Pintsize around pancake batter anyway.

[Thrudd]

And now I'm trying to come at how this happened. Chance encounter at the diner? (Why?)

Maybe there's a stupid simple solution: Claire's mother works at the diner. Which also explains why she is so sure her homemade pancakes are better.

Here is an even simpler solution: Marten called to invite Claire out for breakfast pancakes with the idea of talking to Claire about things over breakfast.
Claire's mother insisted he come over and he, not wanting to make a fuss, goes with the flow.
That is very Marten.

Warning - while you were reading so many new replies have been posted that the discussion has already gone on 4 different tangents.

[grouchygizmo]

They take a simultaneous coffee shot and then Clairemom adds: "So, when are you kids announcing the engagement?" Cue perfectly-synchronised caffeine nose-splosion. Claire shouts: "MOOO-OOOM!" 

Can this scene just happen anyway? I would love to see Claire roll her eyes and just be so done with her mother.

EDIT: It doesn't even have to be a smart-a** engagement remark. Just anything to make Claire do that.

[eschaton]

Hello all! New member freshly registered after about a year of lurking, mostly because I wanted to participate in this thread (yes, I know, I know...).

Anyway, I have an idea of how Marten came to be in Claire's house.

...

Dude, that is way too much. 

Anyway, I have some issues:

1.  There is absolutely no way that Marten and Claire would have a discussion about their feelings for each other (or lack thereof) in front of Claire's mom.  No way, no how.  I mean, not everyone is like I was when I was still single, and doesn't want to even mention people they're dating for six months.  But you cannot expect people to have a heart-to-heart in the presence of a third person - especially the mom of one of them. 

2.  The later elements of your idea - with everyone happily pairing off - just seem super implausible.  This is a slice-of-life series, and Jeph has no desire to end it from what I can see, which is what your scenario would mean.  Why would he basically eliminate all tension by settling every one of the main characters (barring the undatable ones, like Pintsize, Hanners, and Emily) down into a happy monogamous relationship with a live-in partner?  Marten may pair up, but someone else (likely Faye, IMHO) is going to go single again. 

[bhtooefr]

Although I can kinda see the whole "Marten seeing Claire as absolutely beautiful" thing, given that I've had that happen myself with women that I've found myself attracted to, and it gradually being harder to see physical imperfections (or seeing some of them as beautiful in themselves).

Actually, that brings up an interesting point, how is Jeph handling POV in the comic? Ostensibly, the comic is from third-person POV, but then you get things like dream/flashback scenes that would either require that the strip have a narrative first-person even if the camera is in a third-person view, or it be an omniscient third-person.

[Aziraphale]

There's a rule in "Tales of the City" that seems to apply here, unwittingly or not. You can have only two of the following at any given time: the great job, the great home, and the great significant other. You can't have all three, so things are always shifting.

[Meilu]

As an aside, all the talk about Claire's hair is much like my own; it's wild, wavy, poofy, and red (though considerably darker). Many jokes are had at the expense of my Medusa-like locks killing and/or maiming those around me.

C-c-c-cosplay?

Oh no. I was viciously beaten awhile back and I'm not too keen on my appearance since. My hair and weight is all I have going for me at the moment. Oh, and boobs. Glorious boobs. Maybe I just think so since I waited so long for them...

[AprilArcus]

Here is an even simpler solution: Marten called to invite Claire out for breakfast pancakes with the idea of talking to Claire about things over breakfast.

Who calls a landline?

[ankhtahr]

Landlines are still very common in Germany. Mobiles are just too expensive.

[Barmymoo]

That is a horrible thing to happen to you.

And I just called a landline (admittedly because they didn't answer their mobile). I'd posit that Claire had her phone off/on silent because she was asleep, so Marten called the house using the library record. But actually I don't think that happened, I don't know how he ended up there.

[BenRG]

2.  The later elements of your idea - with everyone happily pairing off - just seem super implausible. 

I obviously failed in communication if I implied that "everyone would happily pair off". If Dale x Marigold lasts for a long time, I'll be surprised and, IMHO, Angus x Faye has around a 50/50 chance of survival, given Faye's emotional issues. However, if we are serious about getting Claire moved out of her mother's house and into Chez Reed, that's one way of doing it!

[iandanger]

Here is an even simpler solution: Marten called to invite Claire out for breakfast pancakes with the idea of talking to Claire about things over breakfast.
Claire's mother insisted he come over and he, not wanting to make a fuss, goes with the flow.
That is very Marten.

Called a ground line? Nah, he'd have Claire's cell

[Barmymoo]

See my post for why that might not have worked.

I really don't see Claire moving in with Marten, if she decided against kissing him when he was drunk. She is much too cautious and sensible to do something as rash as that.

[Aziraphale]

Here is an even simpler solution: Marten called to invite Claire out for breakfast pancakes with the idea of talking to Claire about things over breakfast.
Claire's mother insisted he come over and he, not wanting to make a fuss, goes with the flow.
That is very Marten.

Called a ground line? Nah, he'd have Claire's cell

Alternate scenario: Claire left her cell phone out, Clairemom saw an incoming call and, knowing she works with Marten, figured it might've been important, and picked up. Conversation was had, and pancakes ensued.

[HES]

Nah, he wouldn't call her before plenty of pancakethinking. Clairemom was probably out grabbing some milk or something and they crossed paths.

[TomOBedlam]

Hello all! New member freshly registered after about a year of lurking, mostly because I wanted to participate in this thread (yes, I know, I know...).

Anyway, I have an idea of how Marten came to be in Claire's house. ...

As one newbie to another, that is awesome!!!

[st08]

I'm with HES here. I get that these threads are all about wild speculation, but the idea that Marten called or even showed up at her house unannounced doesn't seem to fit the facts at hand. If he was inviting Claire out for breakfast her mom wouldn't have said Marten "was having diner pancakes." That phrasing implies he was at (or heading to) a diner when she ran into him. She was probably just out running errands or something.

That aside, this seems like an incredibly awkward situation for Claire. And with her mom right there dishing up breakfast it's not like she and Marten can have a heart-to-heart conversation.

[MooskiNet]

Eh, maybe it doesn't matter, and Marten's like Muad'dib:  "I am here, so..."