And as Lisa goes off, Les is visibly distressed and he doesn’t hear her last farewell. But he knew it anway.
So it finally happened.
Lisa Moore, who has been fighting cancer for a long time in the “Funky Winkerbean” strip, passed away on October 4, 2007. It’s a moment I’ve been dreading. It was just like in Little Women. Beth actually died! One of the teaching assistants, Cindy, and I have been reading every day. One of us would walk into school, see the other, and say "Did you read it yet? Did you see what happened?". I'm not a soap opera fan, but I haven't been able to miss a day since Lisa's cancer returned. On Thursday when she died, we both had tears in our eyes. Lisa has been so brave. And she faced one of my greatest fears: leaving her child behind. I have always worried about what would happen to my children if I were gone.
Her death, even though it was part of a "comic" strip, was actually more poetic than I expected.
Her death, even though it was part of a "comic" strip, was actually more poetic than I expected.
So, hats off to you, Tom Batiuk.
And rest in peace, Lisa Moore.
Even if you are just a fictional character.
J.
6 comments:
I was on a road trip once and my wife called me at the hotel kind of late one night. She was crying and I asked her what had happened with a feeling of deep dread that something had happened to one of the kids. "Grant died," she told me. I said I was very sorry to hear it and then asked her who Grant was, thinking it was someone she worked with. "He was a character on one of my soap operas". She taped three every day while she was at work.
It was in my mind to say something snarky but I could tell she was truly upset so I kept my mouth shut, which probably saved my marriage at that time. I have found since then that it is very possible to get involved with fictional characters and mourn at their passing.
The human capacity to feel empathy is a wonderful gift, I believe.
How nice that two of you were closely following a story in real time.
In their infinite wisdom, the editors at our newspaper stopped running "Funky Winkerbean" years ago. The dolts. I totally missed this - and yet I had tears in my eyes as I read it. It's like losing an old friend you haven't been in touch with in a long long time.
I think it was a little intense...personally I read the comics for a smile, but oh well
Isn't it a sad comment on our society when the "Sunday Comics" has death scenes?
This is very touching...I have never seen this comic strip...but think it is brave of them to tackle such a hard subject.
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