09 August 2006

A Multitude of Worms

See it here.

In life he fattened one man; in death he fattens a multitude of worms.
- Pope Innocent III, On the Misery of the Human Condition

In life I didn't know him; in death he provides luncheon.
- Burl, The Dinette Set

If Burl and Joy were asked to attend the funeral by their neighbor, then there's nothing in this panel worth making fun of. I mean, once someone asks you to a funeral, you're pretty well required to attend. After all, "Will you come to the funeral?" appears at the top of the list of questions to which "No, thanks" is an inappropriate response.

That Burl locates a silver lining in an otherwise boring afternoon in the company of mourners for a man he never knew is just a small testament to his positive outlook, in addition to his rapacity.

In order for this panel to make sense, Burl and Joy had to have a choice in the matter. In which case we need to assume they finegeled an invite or are crashing the funeral. Personally, I prefer the latter explanation.

I imagine Burl and Joy maintaining a comprehensive list of people to whom they are connected within 6 degrees. Then, each day at breakfast, they scour local papers seeking out funerals at which they can reasonably expect to be fed.

Not being an avid reader of the obituaries myself, I'm not sure whether the standard obituary mentions whether food will be served or not, though I imagine not. Which means that Burl and Joy have to make assumptions about their prospects for feedings and leads to the next fantasy, that of an outraged Burl tearing apart a funeral parlor upon hearing that there is no luncheon to follow.

Ashes-to-ashes, dust-to-marginalia:
  • What does the doorbell sign have to do with anything? Is it a reminder of the 30-some-odd traveling salesmen buried in their basement?
  • Isn't Joy's dress a tad short for a funeral? Or common decency for that matter?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Could the doorbell sign have something to do with "do not ask for whom the bell tolls" perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Come on, I know I'm not the only one who was titillated by Joy's short skirt, right? Right???