Comments on: ”Covered” I Don’t Understand

By: Ted in Fort Lauderdale

Ted in Fort Lauderdale — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:06:55 +0000

I took Arlo’s statement and expression as ones of excitement - looking forward to the long weekend and as others have said, a major (and perhaps last of the year) grilling extravaganza. The “I heard” rather than “I hear” sounded a bit odd to me, but I assumed it was a Gulf-coast idiom, since those pop up not infrequently in A&J…

By: Kevin A

Kevin A — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:43:24 +0000

It’s not so much what he said as how he (looks when he) said it. If it was a casual, gentle throwaway, “I ‘heard that.” as in “I heard a rumor that such was the case”, I’d have immediately found it very amusing. I can read it that way now that I’ve adjusted to yet another of Jimmy’s facial expressions that inadvertently cue the reader to the see an unintended emotion (or possible demonic/alien possession).

By: Mark in Boston

Mark in Boston — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:49:44 +0000

Would it be clearer if Arlo said “So I heard” instead of “I heard that”?

By: Detcord

Detcord — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:07:25 +0000

CIDU Bill (32)

I think you’re getting into Eww territory. In most of Arlo’s sail off into the sunset dreams, he’s alone.

By: CIDU Bill

CIDU Bill — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:58:43 +0000

Sex on a sailboat.

By: James Pollock

James Pollock — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:57:01 +0000

buzz, Arlo is NOT always thinking about sex. It is firmly established that sometimes he is thinking about sailboats.

By: buzz

buzz — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:07:27 +0000

Arlo is thinking about sex.

Arlo is always thinking about sex.

By: Jeff in Ann Arbor

Jeff in Ann Arbor — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:01:20 +0000

I think Arlo’s strange look is the look of a crazed barbecue-er looking forward to a three-day weekend. Either that or he had too much coffee.

By: Detcord

Detcord — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:25:51 +0000

Although I agree Jimmy Johnson’s choice of the phrase “covered up” is strange, as I’ve followed Arlo for many years I’m confident this reference is meant to convey a heavy workload for Gene and the others at the restaurant. Since Gene knows his mother would worry, unnecessarily, if she received ’s no responses to her emails, texts etc. he has kindly informed her, in advance, not to bother as he won’t be able to respond.

I see this as another plank in the deck Jimmy is building to demonstrate that Gene is growing up and becoming an adult - i.e. one who thinks of others before there is a problem. I’ve been impressed with Jimmy’s long-view approach to his story lines.

Still, I have to agree with mitch4 (10) that the drawing of Arlo in the last panel is a little odd. It’s almost like he’s suddenly become an old man.

By: Powers

Powers — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:24:51 +0000

OMJulie: He heard that it was going to be a long weekend (three days!). He doesn’t know that Janis meant it slightly differently.