Another Strange Mind Gone

.

Cartoonist Charles Barsotti died today.  Today he's best remembered for his New Yorker cartoons, particularly those of puppies.  But back in the day, he had a daily newspaper strip, Sally Bananas, which was whimsical and gentle and a delight to read.

Also occasionally weird.  Barsotti had streak of strange to him a mile wide.  I vividly remember a one-page cartoon he did for National Lampoon.  The image of it is not available on the web, but I can quote the words verbatim:

          Alice came to our house,
          We thought she'd come to stay.
          "I've to to stay at your house."
          But then she went away.

          Alice went down to Laredo,
          She went to Laredo by car.
          But you can't get from here to Laredo --
          From here to Laredo's too far.

And then a final panel, showing Alice looking despondent in a bar with a mug of beer and the punchline:  TOUGH SHIT, ALICE!

You can read what the New Yorker has to say about him here.

*