There’s an important lesson here. When Rufus is having an existential quandary that happens to be really stupid and annoying, just throw shit at him. (I’m going to take that as justification to try “throwing shit at people” as a solution for other interpersonal problems as well.)
I’m surprised (but pleased) that Rufus hasn’t started a debate with Joel about whether or not the cans are real. My hope is that they hit him, several times, and he decided to believe that they were real because they had actually affected him. (much like Judge Judy and a cartoon cat.)
I’m perversely delighted by the fact that Rufus doesn’t care that people litter, but he is mad that they’re not littering the cat food cans he needs. Of course, to litter those cat food cans, people would have to be feeding their cats while driving. Is that a typical behavior? I can’t imagine it is.
Finally, it’s a good thing that the contest requires cans of cat food rather than jugs of milk. It would change the meaning of the dialog significantly. (Although it probably would improve it, or at least make it funnier, so I guess it’s not a “good” thing. Oh well.)
I will admit: the buckshot-riddled traffic sign is a nice touch. That’s why people think it’s a dump, Rufus; it is. It’s such a dump it has chunks of corn in it.
Damn, those jerks in the car aren’t just littering; they’re throwing the cans AT Rufus with incredible precision. (Or else the driver’s hucking out an oil drum.) And three at once? Either they practice synchronized drink-and-toss, or contrary to what Joel says, those cans aren’t empty and they’re deliberately trying to brain Rufus. (Must be friends of his.)
Final panel: Rufus is either making the international gesture to indicate insanity, or indicating where the tear would be if he were that Indian fella on the teevee. Joel, on the other hand, is considerably less put out by wanton littering than he was by Rufus’ childish but insignificant belief in Chef Meowrice. One can imagine that Joel dreams of one day owning a truck and a refrigerator, that he might use the truck to dump the refrigerator on the freeway, just like a normal person. Ah, sweet fantasy.
Comment by Happenstance — June 7, 2008 @ 2:08 am
Why is Kitty so still? Any cat I’ve met would’ve wriggled its way out of Rufus’s vice-grip by now, or at least injured itself trying. Is it a stuffed toy, or was the poor creature accidentally crushed to death in the arms of a poor man’s Lennie Small?
I like to think this next arc will result in Joel shooting Rufus in the back of the head after he inadvertently kills Amanda Lynn.
Comment by Tragic Magic — June 7, 2008 @ 7:30 am