1. It's an open secret that Guy (our intrepid artist), has struggled with addiction for years, but aside from an occasional tooth brush stuck to the teeth, I really thought that he had his Paste Eating under control. I was wrong.
You see, unbeknownst to his friends and family, Guy's affliction had reached a level to where, rather than giving him the euphoric high that he had once come to expect, sucking down 5 bottles of Elmer's (his gateway glue of choice) every morning only served to now mask the withdrawal symptoms for a little while, and he was desperate to find something more powerful so that he could actually feel again. And in that desperation, Guy was arrested last week for cornering private-school kids on their way to Harbor Country Day, and stealing all of their ultra-premium art supplies.
Hitting rock bottom in this fashion has made Guy realize that he has a serious problem, and, as a result, he will be in rehab for at least the next two months. During this time of self-improvement, he will not be able to draw Hangmen, as any use of creative instruments (including colored pencils) is strictly forbidden, due to the high likelihood of negative associations vis-a-vis his sticky predilection.
I applaud Guy's effort to get help (court mandated or not), and his situation should serve as a reminder of how close we all are to falling off the edge. So get well soon buddy, Hangmen will be here when you return, and I promise to use scotch tape from now on for all my adhesive needs.
2. The proceeds from this month's T-shirt will help offset some of the cost of Guy's treatment (Passages ain't cheap).
3. In this unexpected break from Hangmen, Hat and Tie will run every Monday and Thursday on the Home Page, as well as on all of our social media outlets.
Don't let your fingers get stuck on the keyboard of life,
M. Allen