Today in 3 Panels, by Dean Mang-Wooley

Panel 1 image: a dead bumblebee on a sidewalk. Panel 1 text: I've seen dead bees on the sidewalks since June. Panel 2 image: a live bumblebee stumbling on the ground, flapping its wings. Panel 2 text: Most of the live ones I see don't fly, but hobble around like they've had a stroke. Panel 3 text (no image): I am terrified of what this might mean.

Bees

Sep 5, 2008

Panel one: Dean pours a jug of milk down the sink and says: "Ugh. This old milk is horrible." Panel two: Later, Dean takes a sip of new milk that they just bought. Panel three: Dean grimaces and sticks out their tongue, saying: "BLECH! This new milk is even WORSE!"

From bad to worse

Aug 17, 2008

Dean and their dad are cleaning in the basement of Dean's old school. Panel 1: Dean's dad holds a plastic bag in front of his face and says: "Qu'est-ce que the hell est this?" Panel 2: Close up image of the plastic bag's contents. A dried-out, moldy piece of fruit. Image text reads: "Maybe it was a mango?" Panel 3: Image of a table with a large stain on it. Image text reads: "After a year or so in the school's basement, its juices had coagulated into a dark brown tar on one of the tables."

A mystery

Aug 21, 2008

Dean is in their back yard, using a hose to spray water onto a pile of dirt. Dean thinks: "My only goal right now is to turn this pile of dirt into a pile of mud." There is a close up image of the water hitting the pile of dirt, followed by a close up image of Dean's head. Dean's eyes are closed, and their mind is empty.

Pre-housesitting meditation

Aug 7, 2008

Dean is sleeping face-down in their bed. Jordan comes into their room and says: "Hey Rita! It's 3 o'clock!" Dean looks up and says: "That's ridiculous!"

3 in the afternoon

Oct 14, 2008

Dean and their friend Joelle are drinking milkshakes together. Dean starts coughing. Joelle puts her hand on Dean's shoulder and asks: "You ok?" Dean stops coughing and says: "Yeah, I just cough when I drink cold things and hiccup when I drink hot things. Joelle puts her head on Dean's shoulder and says: "I like that you're such a sensitive person and you have such a sensitive system."

Sensitive system

Jul 25, 2016

Panel 1: Dean is turning compost with a pitchfork at night, looking sad. Panel 2: Dean leans on the pitchfork and starts crying, saying: "huh..huh...oh god..." Panel 3: close up of an unopened bottle of celexa, an antidepressant, with cobwebs all over it.

Adventures in pharmaceuticals II

Sep 11, 2008

Adventures in pharmaceuticals III

Adventures in pharmaceuticals III

Apr 9, 2016

Back in the saddle

Back in the saddle

May 29, 2016

Dean is talking to their mom on her birthday. Dean says: "You are 48 years old. How do you feel?" Dean's mom says: "Old. My sister didn't get to be 45."

Birthday blues

Oct 13, 2008

Dean is on a city bus, reading a book. Text reads: As I was reading 'Heart of Darkness' on the bus, I started listening to two women talk about the life they left behind in Botswana. Everything I do is trivial.

Microcosm

Sep 23, 2008

Dean, aka Rita, describes what they observe at a church service. Image text reads: Staring at what looks like malignant melanoma on the neck of the woman in front of me. Listening to a surprisingly beautiful rendition of Ave Maria on the trombone. Watching a flash of light dance in time to the music.

One Sunday in Melville

Aug 3, 2008