37 thoughts on “Chapter 4: Trouble Every Day, page 74”

    1. It’s shocking, too, when you realize that for whatever reason, someone you care about is afraid of you.

      It’s one thing when Joe Schmuck on the street is intimidated by you because you just had to “restrain” him for threatening your client. Its quite another to realize that your roommate feels the need to defend herself with a household appliance and threats of homicide.

      I think Scipio was prepared for a blowup, but not a meltdown. He wanted a confrontation, an argument, and eventually conversation about trust. And now instead he has this whole other mess, and no idea how to handle it.

    1. I have no idea what ppl are talking about. The doorknob was on the last page when Scip tried to open the door and it’s like, at his navel or a little lower. I can’t even see the doorknob in these panels… I’m lost as to why ppl think it’s shoulder height…

  1. I agree – if the doorknob is that high on Scip, it’s a mighty tall door.
    Do love the way the confrontation just did a complete turnaround all of a sudden though. Scip really has no idea how he comes off, does he? Poor, naive Scip.

  2. Aaaand Thatty called that one in the comments on the last comic. Nice job, and here’s the conciliatory Scip we know and love.

  3. I’m almost tempted to not look at the site for a week just so I can watch this roll out at once, because this is by far my favorite part of this comic and really ranks high in the best parts of anything I’ve read (made me come out of lurking, which NEVER has happened before). I really don’t know why, but the chaos and the pure emotion that has just been thrown out there really attracts me as a reader. Really, really great job on this bit, bravo.

    Oh, and for the people confused about the chicken, Scip originally had Flora in his arms when the fight started so he just put her down, I’d imagine Flora is just sleeping.

    P.S Did I mention these last scenes being epic? They. Are. Epic.

  4. I think I get where you are coming from; you are right assuming the police report isn’t true, but if her mom really did beat her it is assumed that she has grown accustomed to violence being the reaction.

    1. I’m not sure if you’re saying her reaction makes sense because she was abused or if her reaction doesn’t make sense because she was abused…

      1. I think TM is saying that if the police report wasn’t true, it’s hard to say for sure if she WAS abused, but that if she was, this sort of reaction TOTALLY makes sense.

        1. Um, I just wanted to point out that the ONLY thing that’s consistent with BOTH versions of events is that she was beat up. In her version, the mother’s boyfriend did it, and in the police report’s version, her mother beat her so bad that the cops were called. The police felt the need to put that in the report, so I assume they say the bruises or the beginnings of bruises. If Pippi included it in her story to Scip, then I think there must have been visible bruises. And that would certainly account for some of the sympathy he has for her. But yes, she WAS beaten up. I think that’s the only thing anyone can be completely certain of.

  5. His pose in the second to last panel just makes this scene for some reason. Such a stark contrast to him a page ago.

  6. Aw, geez. Part of me wants to tell him to just spit it out, and the rest of me realizes how utterly gobsmacked he is right now. Aw, Scip. Aw, Pippi.

  7. Pippi needs to take a chill pill, I can almost SEE the weight on her shoulders. All that fear must be heavy, and a lot of it is very irrational because not EVERYONE is like her mother…which is what Scip is trying to teach her, but he isn’t doing it right. He needs to MAKE her see, not show her happy pictures and hope she sees bunnies and trees and not the stalker behind the bush.

    Scip needs to read a parenting guide or something..

    1. No doubt. Most of that weight WE’VE put on those shoulders. Much of what’s left seem to be chains she forged herself.

      How many reports of being hit by her mother have we heard, besides the time she was caught with the mother’s boyfriend?

      Finally, how would you make her see?

  8. While I do think Scip needed to handle this in a different way, I do believe it was high-time he got pissed. That girl, whatever her past may be, has no right to treat anyone like she does Scip, or Ben in their first encounter. She’s manipulative, temperamental and irrational. While I don’t expect her to be a perfect kid after whatever happened (rape or abuse, either one is pretty damn bad), I do think Scip’s ire is justified, even if he gets this wrong. If we’re going to make victims out of this, while Pippi’s a victim of her mom/mom’s boyfriend, it’s like she’s making Scip pay for stuff he didn’t do.

    This might end up hurting them both, but they really need to lay it all out there. Might as well be like this. I just hope Pippi understands that Scip actually wants to help and trust her, but I somehow doubt that’ll happen.

  9. I see Scip being so nice that he’ll try anything to make things “work out,” he just has the social tact of a rotten tomato. Also, I hope he doesn’t come to the point of justifying her somehow so that she won’t be threatened, but at the cost of letting shit keep happening – he HAS to be firm, but the risks are just too high that he and Pippy are almost on the losing side of things. Yes, both. Pippi can’t tackle her own issues, and Scip hasn’t realized he has to go waaaaaaay deeper than that if he really wants to help out.

  10. I should’ve SEEN meltdown, not blowup coming…Damn! I FREAKING LOVE THIS COMIC!

    *doffs hat to Spike*

    *patiently wills it to be next update already*

    1. What Scip needs to do is quit being weak, kick down that door and show the little punk who’s boss. I can see why they beat this kid. Judging by the way she’s treating Scip she has a good backhand or two coming.

  11. This is all shocking an realistic. Because it seems so natural. Pippi is one messed up person. Always on the defensive and mercurial and extreme in her emotional moods. Not normal.

  12. There’s always one in every crowd. “Backhand”? Wow, just when I was hoping for less ugliness. No, she’s not a punk, and someone here has got a lot to learn about human nature.

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