Please note that today's strip is larger than most, on account of I was only willing to crunch the amount of detail work I did down so far. The text on the detailed panels was done by copying typewritten text blocks onto tracing paper, cutting them out, and sticking them down with a glue stick. I am old-school, yo. (I was considering using some of my collected Zip-a-Tone, but didn't feel like taking an Exacto knife to Seattle with me. Being busted by the TSA for forgetting to separate my art supplies? Yeah, not fun.

So several months ago, I did a strip (#14: Logic Problem) poking gentle fun at "Still Catch the Tide," a song I loved deeply enough to cover on Stars Fall Home. Talis thought it was funny, rather than swearing eternal hatred, which was nice. More, however, she sent me this heart-breakingly sad, lovely explanation for exactly why a selkie would need a suitcase. And this strip resulted.

The typewritten words are hers. The art is mine, as is the gratitude for her not only being amused by both strips in the series, but allowing me to post this one. I feel it really challenged me as an artist, and I had the blister on my right index finger to prove it.

If you hurry, you can still catch the tide.

Click here for a large version of this strip.