Claudio, in Love
By David E McCarty, MD, FAASM (but you can call me Dave)
Love is like the weather. Everybody likes to talk about it, but it’s really hard to know what to do about it. It’s surprising at times, inexplicable. It comes from a place of possibility, a perfect morning. It’s the moment when your heart helps your head find joy, directs your eyes to the light.
In the three decades I’ve been drawing Claudio Mahoney, to my astonishment, he has never fallen in Love. He’s been on dates, he’s been dismissed, he’s been forgotten. But never in Love.
Poor devil.
Fans of the original DarkPLACES strip at Cal State Fullerton (there are thought to be three or four still surviving) may point out a short infatuation he had with Wynona Ryder, in which he mailed signed photographs of himself to her, in the hopes of convincing her that he was more famous than she.
It didn’t work.
who could blame him?
Claudio’s main motivation.
So to these die-hard fans I say this: no, this doesn’t count as falling in love. It was brief, ridiculous, and unrequited. So, as I was saying, before hoards of DarkPLACES fans interrupted me: Poor devil.
Lately, as I’ve been negotiating the excitement, the sheer giddiness of getting to the finish line on our book project, this simple fact struck me a minor tragedy. It didn’t feel fair that I was getting to experience all this lovely heart energy, while Claudio was left behind, to mourn what never was, with Wynona Rydyer.
I realized, at long last, that it’s time. Our pal Claudio is about to fall…hard.
Claudio, I’m so happy for you, buddy!
Something tells me that she’ll find something special about you, too.
And with that, Happy Wednesday, Life Fans!
Three new cartoons for you! A little triptych I call CLAUDIO IN LOVE. Huzzah!
