As we continue to eavesdrop on our two young-uns,  Rusty feels compelled to testify…

Is his left hand on a bible?  What strange hand gestures the Lost Forest Denizens are forced to offer up!  And are we to suppose that this “coincidence” will continue to ripen into, “Oh!  and we are staying at AZYOULIK as well… AS YOU LIKE… I didn’t pick up on that until one of the faithful pointed that out to me…  Remember!  Clothing Optional!!!

Gotta hand it to Rusty… moving in for the close, without so much as a hesitation.  Maybe he’s been practicing on the woodland creatures at home!

One of the problems (opportunities?) with the comics form is the lack of sound…  But then it’s fun to think about what the characters sound like…  to wit, let’s imagine the voice of our teenage (tween?) characters below…

We all know that girls mature faster than boys, and in fact the male’s brain doesn’t fully form until well into his twenties… Where the female form and brain are fully operational in Junior High school.  OK, that total hearsay and I sort of made that up, but it’s mentioned so often it has to be true!  So back to the soundtrack- I hear Mara’s voice all smooth and silky, while Rusty sounds like his name- an oxidized old gate hinge exposed to the weather for decades… not even sure whether it works or not…

And of course you are going to Mexico, you little twit- that’s where the plane is going!!

Judging by the look on Rusty’s face, he’s either 1. Playing is totally cool, or 2. feeling the effects of the Benadryl and Dramamine that Cherry slipped him prior to boarding the plane…

Yea, yea, yea… enough of the Santa Poco malarkey, Mark…  It’s not even a real place…

But what’s this?  Rusty is making a “Friend?”  Good heavens, he doesn’t even have one, and now he’s in a most agreeable situation with a fellow female passenger… who, aside from her gray hair, seems to be about his age?  Same size, anyway…

With Ed Dodd as a witness, I don’t think we’ve ever seen Mark speak out of the side of his mouth… which he appears to be doing in the third panel… and the look on Rusty’s face in panel two is what?  Rapture?  Like he just (say it isn’t so…) relieved himself?

As we engage in idle and improbable banter, while still wondering where Rusty is stowed for the flight, it’s clear that Mark has kept the details of this trip to himself…

Let’s find out about where they are going, assuming that all these places are legit…

AZYOULIK–  (from Google…) Hotel details- Set in a tropical jungle, this upmarket, adults-only, clothing-optional hotel (should be interesting?!) is steps from the beach and 6 km from Tulum.  Offering thatched roofs, and terraces with sea or jungle views, the rustic-chic, electricity-free villas come with bathrooms, in-room tubs and beds with mosquito nets, as well as safes. Upgraded villas add individual features such as private beach access and outdoor tubs and/or hanging beds.  Amenities include a bar/lounge. There’s also a spa with massage and therapeutic treatments, yoga and traditional Mayan steam baths and ceremonies. Parking is free, and phone or battery charging stations are available.

TULUM– Tulum is a town on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It’s known for its beaches and well-preserved ruins of an ancient Mayan port city. The main building is a large stone structure called El Castillo (castle), perched on a rocky cliff above the white sand beach and turquoise sea. Near the ruins is the Parque Nacional Tulum, a coastal area with mangroves and cenotes (natural limestone sinkholes).

 

SANTA POCO (Little Saint?) and THREE AMERICAN COWBOY ACTORS–   Yes, none other than Martin Short, Chevy Chase and Steve Martin that seminal John Landis piece, THE THREE AMIGOS!  It would also appear that Santa Poco is not a real place,  but one conjured for the movie itself…

Once again, we are left to wonder what’s become of Mark and Cherry Trail’s adopted son…  Did he make it onto the plane with them?  Is he in the pressurized cargo hold?

Nevertheless, here we find the perpetual lovebirds, absorbed in their own, well, thing… Room for two, please, and no disturbances…

Still, I’m thinking they are heading to Cancún International Airport, (CUN) one of a ridiculous number of airports in Mexico…  who knew?  I guess I shouldn’t make assumptions, like the one Rusty did when he marveled at the size of the airport from which they departed…