What REALLY was going on during the insane wedding-o-rama of 2008 July...
AKA an exercise in salvaging the Foobs (start through August 26)
AKA what happens when real life is allowed to intrude on the Foobs
Monday, November 17, 2008
24 Dec 2009: Gather Them In (I)
After the arrival of Deanna's parents, another wave descends upon the Patterson the Younger's estate. I flipped through my Calvin&Hobbes books for some inspiration for Meredith's expressions (especially the last 2).
Oh, boy. The kid has moxie, I'll give her that. I also like how you have Elly showing remorse for taking a trip to Retconland. That's a sign she'll get better sooner or later.
Well, Merrie's 7 and exasperated with a holiday that has so far been much worse than the worst day of Grade 2. Most kids haven't learned a ton of self-control by that point.
If she's lucky, she'll get some good role models and mature into a reasonable human being. For now, it's an on-off thing, and I figured a mini-explosion would be in character and amusing.
Man, I feel like Dee should step in and at least explain the situation to her. I mean, mental illness isn't something people do to anger others. I really felt sorry for Elly here.
In Merrie's defense, she's seven years old, and was genuinely frightened by her grandmother just the day before. Yes, she is being incredibly rude, and I do actually feel sorry for Elly here, but Merrie did feel threatened enough by Elly to feel the need to protect Robin. Little kids don't forget it that easily when someone or something really, truly scares them. (As anyone who's ever had to deal with a child's phobia can attest.) Meredith's thought processes are probably somewhere along the lines of fear of Elly, anger at Elly, and, possibly, anger at her parents for allowing her scary grandmother to come near her again.
Also, let us bear in mind that Merrie's parents are Dee and Mike. I can't imagine either of them ever making the effort to teach their children even basic manners.
I can't imagine either of them ever making the effort to teach their children even basic manners.
No kidding. It's telling that Merrie's first instinct is just to vent and inadvertently throw fuel on the fire--look at the example she's following. When Michael first heard of Elly's breakdown, his first thought was to throw the blame in April's face and tell her that it was her fault for coming home all freakishly double-earringed on one side an' stuff. I don't remember him asking if he could help with anything, or even going to his own children and asking if they were okay.
Also, I actually had crazy older people while growing up. As in, dangerous crazy. My mom wouldn't have cared how rude I was, as long as I was SAFE, and I kind of feel the same way about Merrie right now. Adults can be as compassionate as they bloody well please. Children need to be able to fight back.
Agreeing with Miss Kathleen and Mana G, here - Merrie is, as has been pointed out several times, seven. The idea of an internal filter is still something that kids that age have trouble with.
Plus, as Mana G pointed out, there's the fact that Merrie just had the crap scared out of her by her grandmother, to the point where she felt her little brother might be in danger. And it doesn't just feel like yesterday to Merrie, either - it was yesterday. (I think, anyways - am I right in thinking that we've only moved forward a day or so here?)
So, Meredith is scared - rightfully, because hey, her grandmother just confused her and her brother for their father and aunt. Even at seven, Merrie knows enough to get that this isn't normal. And she's angry - both because, hey; grandma is supposed to be fun and safe, not weird and crazy - and because her parents have let Weird, Crazy Grandma back near her and her brother again. So yes, she's venting her frustrations. But honestly? It could be worse; Merrie could be screaming at her to get out and stay away from her family. All she's doing is ranting that she shouldn't need a nametag for her own grandmother to remember who she is. While the "can you be not-crazy? I don't think we can have Christmas if you aren't not-crazy" comment is hurtful, I doubt Merrie intended it that way; she hasn't seemed, so far, the kind of kid who deliberately causes pain, and at that age you generally aren't thinking too much about the possible consequences of your words (beyond that if you say Bad ones and get caught, you'll get in trouble, anyways).
I'll line up alongside Merrie here. Grandma has been acting like a nut, kids get freaked out pretty easily when people they expect to be in control are obviousy not, and a freaky kid is an angry, hair-trigger kid.
Sad for Grandma Ellie, but not shocking - rather the opposite - and nicely drawn. Funnier than most of the genuine FOOBs donw over the past couple of years.
I flipped through my Calvin&Hobbes books for some inspiration for Meredith's expressions (especially the last 2).
15 comments:
I love the expressions. Just the right amount of righteous indignation.
I can see that Merrie went to the Michael Patterson School of Family Relations.
Although, I do like the idea of a non-crazy Christmas. I may invoke that on my family. Of course, then I'd have to be on good behavior, too. Sigh.
ae (Old School Allie Cat)
Oh, boy. The kid has moxie, I'll give her that. I also like how you have Elly showing remorse for taking a trip to Retconland. That's a sign she'll get better sooner or later.
Wow, Merrie's sure bratty here. As ae said, she obviously takes after her father.
Well, Merrie's 7 and exasperated with a holiday that has so far been much worse than the worst day of Grade 2. Most kids haven't learned a ton of self-control by that point.
If she's lucky, she'll get some good role models and mature into a reasonable human being. For now, it's an on-off thing, and I figured a mini-explosion would be in character and amusing.
Man, I feel like Dee should step in and at least explain the situation to her. I mean, mental illness isn't something people do to anger others. I really felt sorry for Elly here.
It's a credit to your storytelling ability that I now feel sorry for Elly.
I love how anime Merrie looks in the second-to-last panel.
Ouch!
I don't care how crazy her grandmother is, someone needs to teach that kid how to treat her elders with a little more respect.
In Merrie's defense, she's seven years old, and was genuinely frightened by her grandmother just the day before. Yes, she is being incredibly rude, and I do actually feel sorry for Elly here, but Merrie did feel threatened enough by Elly to feel the need to protect Robin. Little kids don't forget it that easily when someone or something really, truly scares them. (As anyone who's ever had to deal with a child's phobia can attest.) Meredith's thought processes are probably somewhere along the lines of fear of Elly, anger at Elly, and, possibly, anger at her parents for allowing her scary grandmother to come near her again.
I feel sorry for Ellie now too. Wow. o.O
Also, let us bear in mind that Merrie's parents are Dee and Mike. I can't imagine either of them ever making the effort to teach their children even basic manners.
Sympathy for the Devil...
But yeah, I feel bad for Elly, too.
I can't imagine either of them ever making the effort to teach their children even basic manners.
No kidding. It's telling that Merrie's first instinct is just to vent and inadvertently throw fuel on the fire--look at the example she's following. When Michael first heard of Elly's breakdown, his first thought was to throw the blame in April's face and tell her that it was her fault for coming home all freakishly double-earringed on one side an' stuff. I don't remember him asking if he could help with anything, or even going to his own children and asking if they were okay.
Meh. Kid's a kid.
Also, I actually had crazy older people while growing up. As in, dangerous crazy. My mom wouldn't have cared how rude I was, as long as I was SAFE, and I kind of feel the same way about Merrie right now. Adults can be as compassionate as they bloody well please. Children need to be able to fight back.
Agreeing with Miss Kathleen and Mana G, here - Merrie is, as has been pointed out several times, seven. The idea of an internal filter is still something that kids that age have trouble with.
Plus, as Mana G pointed out, there's the fact that Merrie just had the crap scared out of her by her grandmother, to the point where she felt her little brother might be in danger. And it doesn't just feel like yesterday to Merrie, either - it was yesterday. (I think, anyways - am I right in thinking that we've only moved forward a day or so here?)
So, Meredith is scared - rightfully, because hey, her grandmother just confused her and her brother for their father and aunt. Even at seven, Merrie knows enough to get that this isn't normal. And she's angry - both because, hey; grandma is supposed to be fun and safe, not weird and crazy - and because her parents have let Weird, Crazy Grandma back near her and her brother again.
So yes, she's venting her frustrations. But honestly? It could be worse; Merrie could be screaming at her to get out and stay away from her family. All she's doing is ranting that she shouldn't need a nametag for her own grandmother to remember who she is. While the "can you be not-crazy? I don't think we can have Christmas if you aren't not-crazy" comment is hurtful, I doubt Merrie intended it that way; she hasn't seemed, so far, the kind of kid who deliberately causes pain, and at that age you generally aren't thinking too much about the possible consequences of your words (beyond that if you say Bad ones and get caught, you'll get in trouble, anyways).
I'll line up alongside Merrie here. Grandma has been acting like a nut, kids get freaked out pretty easily when people they expect to be in control are obviousy not, and a freaky kid is an angry, hair-trigger kid.
Sad for Grandma Ellie, but not shocking - rather the opposite - and nicely drawn. Funnier than most of the genuine FOOBs donw over the past couple of years.
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