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Background: This is one of the "Original Five" cartoons that were my "audition" to the Chronicle.

There's a long walkway that leads from the main quads on West Campus to the Bryan Center (the student center). When the weather cooperates, every student group on campus looking to reach out to the students sets up a table along the side. It can sometimes be no small feat to get to the Bryan Center unscathed.

About a year later, the cartoonist who followed me at the Chronicle drew a cartoon virtually identical to this one using his characters. He even included the little explosions. (I could scan it in, but I won't.) At the time, I was appalled. "He ripped me off!!!" Later, it dawned on me: this idea was simply blisteringly OBVIOUS. He'd have drawn that cartoon even if I hadn't.

He one-upped me anyway. Not only did his cartoon run two years, but he sold a book of them all at the end of his run. Me? I gave them all away on my website about nine years after-the-fact. (A few people asked if I was going to compile a book, but I didn't think I had enough strips or enough interest.)

Oh - Lady Blue is a female acapella group on campus. "Give a hoot" is from the old Woodsy the Owl PSA that ran ad infinitum on tv in the 80's.

And if you look really carefully, you can see a small remnant from where I erased Langdale's tail. (See the December 1994 sketch.)