Brooke McEldowney #SDCC 2013

When I worked at the Welfare Office, I ended up with a lot of free time on my hands. I know, that is not something you want to hear as your hard earned tax dollars was paying for that free time.  I had free time because I wasn’t shirking responsibility but because I was caught up. 

Being a conscientious worker, I asked for more work. I got it. And then I asked for even more. And I got that too. Yet somehow, while my coworkers toiled from start to finish of each day without a break, I had time on my hands. My caseload was as large or larger as everyone else’s.  My cases were reviewed to make sure I was following the processes, laws, and regulations.  I didn’t deny benefits unduly.  I updated the cases daily as new info come in. While there are multitudes of ways to follow the rules and reduce your workload in an unfair but legal way, I never did that. Somehow, it clicked for me. I was quick and efficient.

So with the excess time that I could not fill with work, I surfed.  I found a great website of comic strips. Back then, it was called United Media, now it’s go-comics.   I reviewed that site daily. I fell in love with dozens of strips and artists.  One of them was Brooke McEldowney and his strip, 9 Chickweed Lane.

As I was wondering through the non-corporate areas of SDCC, I passed by the National Cartoonist Society booth. It's one my 'must see' booths at SDCC. I saw that Brooke was scheduled to sign. So I showed up at the required time. I picked up a book and got it signed.  I told him I enjoyed the book and the romance (yeah, I liked the romance) and the cat. He was quiet and nodded. And in some ways he reminded me of his character Amos.

It was brief but quick. I’m very happy to chance upon him as I really enjoy the comic.

 AH