All concerns about a woman’s point of view for this assignment appear to have been dropped (Wait: I think I might have said that last week. So, just move on). Mark dropped into San Antonio to meet Tess Tigress. But first, he decided to visit “The Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge,” famous for its scenic design and its wide path for humans and wildlife crossing over the highway (Monday). Or maybe it was crossing over a river (Tuesday). Or maybe it was crossing over a highway experiencing a flash flood.

Mark arrived at a large, luxurious A-frame structure on a lake—Tess’s  home—aka, the hunting lodge. After driving along an elaborate driveway, Mark parked in front and knocked on the large glass doors. A man with a pompously large handlebar mustache opened the door announcing that he was Tess’s husband, Jess. This took the wind out of Mark’s sails for a moment, because not only was he surprised Tess was married, he was concerned that Jess might not have known Tess had prior marriages. Shocking, I know. Hell, even I didn’t know that! But who are we to question Mark’s scruples or his information?

Also in Saturday’s strip, Jules Rivera offered up one of her first actual cliffhangers: Tess could not remember ever meeting Mark Trail! Mark was speechless, possibly because Rivera needed the space in the last panel for her narration box, where she prematurely spilled the beans. However, this revelation opens up several possibilities regarding Tess’s memory loss, such as whether it is real or feigned. Maybe we’ll find out, but for now, it’s time for the Sunday nature chat!

Yes, a nasty plant, indeed, along with poison oak and poison sumac. But exactly what happens, Mark? Did you forget to spell it out for the unlucky ones? Poison ivy creates a really awful skin rash that gets worse when you scratch it! It can last for weeks, but is treatable. It’s still a real, real pain. And like Mark said, burning it in your backyard along with wood and yard scraps can be traumatic to your lungs and require a trip to the ER. Wash anything that comes into contact with it. Note that this stuff can grow in yards, too.

Art Dept. I’m sorry, but that raised finger-pointing hand in panel 4 just does not look like it is connected to Mark’s body. The hand is rotated to his right, rather than to his left, as it should be. The placement of the hand, inside the right shoulder, also looks off. It’s as if Mark is holding a hand prop on a stick. This is not a new phenomenon.