The fight between Slasher and Pain Master concludes, and Chrusher’s accursed shyness around cute girls rears its ugly head!
© 1988 Chris Stevens
“Tell her… maybe.” – Dumbass Chrusher… wtf!?
Looking back as an adult, I was actually impressed with the depth of my 14-year-old self’s storytelling here… a high school dance, a fight between classmates, a little teenage puppy love brewing… pretty creative. But… on second thought, this entire issue was completely based on a real-life night at the school dance (minus the cosplay-looking costumes and weapons), possibly the 1st one I ever attended? Quite eventful.
Ah, I distinctly remember the girl being a year older than me and VERY attractive, but I was so painfully shy in my teens and twenties… in hindsight, I’d do almost anything to put my more confident adult brain in my teenage body back then. I would’ve had many more experiences that I probably would’ve treasured, especially pertaining to very cute girls that were into me in high school. I just had a lot of indecision, shyness, and fear of being hurt kept me in my shell. In reality, there was very little for me to fear if I just didn’t allow myself to be so tremulous and reserved. And this wasn’t even balls to ask out a woman who I didn’t know was into me… these girls WERE into me… I just needed to stop being such a withdrawn introvert.
Years later, in my favorite drama show, The Sopranos, Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri said it well when he proclaimed to Tony, “Shyness is a curse!” So true!
It actually took my wife 16 years after this experience (and page) to get me to come out of my shell and be more open and less bashful around strangers. As it was, I needed a lot of bravery in meeting her, as I had to fly to the other side of the world to be with her as well.
