About
Welcome to the “About” page, where you can learn all about what this comic strip is supposed to be … about.
Mostly it’s about these characters:
Mr. Fred Tricarico — Fred is America. He’s a curmudgeonly, unemployed farmer whose personal philosophy reflects that of great American actor xenophobe draft dodger hero John Wayne: “First, always keep your word. Second, a gentleman never insults anyone intentionally. And third, don’t look for trouble, but if you get into a fight, make sure you win.” Yessir, Fred doesn’t look for trouble, but if trouble finds him, you can bet that trouble is gonna be in a whole world of … trouble. Yet Fred is also a raging sentimentalist who, legend has it, cries during “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
Fred’s Lovely Wife, Maureen — Maureen (also known as Maruska Khulud Magdaghineh Chaloupka Tricarico) was born in Bohemia to a Czech mother and an Arab father; not that it matters, since she has lived in the States for so many years that she has successfully assimilated into the American Way of Life. She has assimilated so successfully, in fact, that she can’t even find the country of her birth on a map. What could be more American? Personally, Maureen (or Maruska) has no particular ax to grind against anyone or anything, and is a firm believer in doing unto others as she would like others to do unto her. This would explain her conciliatory attitude toward telemarketers and Jehovah’s Witnesses who call at night. They’re people, too!
Mama Chaloupka — Maureen’s mother is a cantankerous Bohemian expatriate who, while enjoying her life in the U.S. of A, occasionally yearns to go back to the motherland to see old friends and drink some Kofola. She thinks Fred is a shiftless bum, but if he is her only chance of getting grandchildren, she won’t put up too much of a fuss about him.
Slavko — Slavko is the proprietor / bartender of the local beer joint, and one of Fred’s best friends. He’s always handy with a few sage words to help anyone through life’s turmoil (“You gonna order something or what?”).
Wilhelmina the Wasp-Waisted WASP — The local pint-sized man-trap (or wasp-trap). She has no morals, beliefs, or ideology except that which will make her more powerful. She has no idea what she wants to do with her life, which is why she is constantly changing her occupation and outlook. But no matter what personality she adopts next, one thing about her will always be the same: she likes men. A lot.
Solomon K. Rosenberg and his secretary Zenaida — Sol is an attorney who feels your pain and suffering, and will happily help you collect your dues from a dangerous and neglectful world. And if the world is not dangerous and neglectful enough, he will eagerly help it along for your sake.
Zenaida is Solomon’s Spanish-speaking secretary. Generations ago, her ancestors roamed northern Mexico unencumbered by Catholicism and Romance Languages. Now she works in a law office for minimum wage. That’s real progress.
Madame Carkeys — The local astrologer. I don’t think she knows what she’s doing. Neither does anyone else.
