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I'm never sure if little quiet stories like this deserve the time it takes to make them into a comic, but I figured that it was good practice for me on Procreate anyway. 

There's something about the east coast that I think makes people instantly react to strangers with a bullshit defense. And there's something about the rest of the country that gives a little bit of room for those people. There's no wrong way to say "no," I guess, but I was disappointed in myself for not giving this kid a real reason for not picking him up.

Anyway. Painted Canyon in North Dakota was an unexpected wonder. What little I saw of the Badlands was worth the five hours of nothingness between that and Fargo. (And in case you didn't catch it, I visited the one thing I most wanted to see in Fargo. :)

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Comments

Derek Otway

Hitchhiking is a strange concept to me, and I can only imagine what it would be like from the perspective of being a woman. I have given people rides before and it feels awkward for me everytime. I just know what it's like to be walking for days with a heavy backpack. It was self inflicted in my case, saw some beautiful parts of the world that are inaccessible by road. Transportation can be stressful enough even when you have your own vehicle.

Josh Smift

I briefly mis-read that as saying that it was good practice for when you procreate.

NJGR

I love little auto-bio comics like this. I love the little bit of quiet that they often bring. Mel Gillman often does some shorter auto-bio strips like this, and yours reminded me a lot of theirs even though the art style is different (of course). I always look forward to theirs, too, just to get more of their style and the events are always interesting like this one is. (Then again, some of my favorite comics are auto-bio, so that's probably part of it.) -Jess

Cathi Andrews

I'm glad you chose to take the time to make this comic. I can't comment on East Coast vs West Coast in US, 'cos I'm on the West in Australia, but I fight against myself on these sorts of things all the time. Stopping to help someone broken down or hitching are things that seem like small acts of kindness that should be something we just do as a society that cares, but so often they are in areas where it is not safe to stop as a single woman. I tears me up that I feel I have to default to self-protection, rather than what I'd like to feel brave enough (and prepared enough) to be able to do. Anyone have strategies to work around that?

dcorsetto

I'm still beside myself that they decided on that name.

dcorsetto

Wow, sounds like some incredible journeys you got to enjoy!

dcorsetto

Ahhh yeah, their work is soooo beautiful, but I haven't read any of them yet! I bet there are copies here in the studio, I should bring one home to read. :)

dcorsetto

Yup yup yup... took the words out of my mouth. (Which is to say, I'm also here for workarounds... but I think the workaround is just "do it when it feels safe for you.")

NJGR

AHHHH! You have to read As the Crow Flies! It's free online, but the print version is gorgeous and the story is amazing. They're at ALA Annual right now, and I'm really sad I couldn't be there to get an ARC of their latest publication that I've been watching them work on here on Patreon and via Twitter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on As the Crow Flies, if you get a chance to read it!

NJGR

More related to the content of the comic (since I just thought of this: apologies for all the comments): have you ever listened to the song "Fire Drills" by Dessa? It really speaks to the experience of traveling and just living as a women in the world.

Jamie Noguchi

I think you made the right choice, especially if you didn't feel safe! Now, if you had some close combat training, I think that'd be a different story. But man, I don't think I'd pick up any hitch hiker even with combat training. Also East Coaster. Also afraid of people I don't know in general.

dcorsetto

Heh, yeah, I had a long drive to think on it! And I still think I wouldn't have picked him up (he was at a rest area, I had a feeling he'd be fine). But I DO want to work on the friendliness of my answer when someone asks for something. There's no reason for me to be instantly mean. ... also this trip has made me wanna take up self-defense, mainly just so *I* feel more confident traveling.

Jamie Noguchi

I think if you had a friend with you it might have turned out differently. Strength in numbers and all that! And I can show you how to punch things and shit like that when you get back!

dcorsetto

I thought about that, too! Although if there'd been a friend with me, there REALLY wouldn't have been space for exactly one hitchhiker!! Show me punchies one day!

Derek Otway

I'm very grateful for the travel opportunities I have had, there are many beautiful places in Canada and the United States. To have so much natural beauty is almost selfish, yet there is still so much more to see. I think the redwoods, or Yellowstone is next on my list.

dcorsetto

I've spent (way too little) time in both now, and they are both JUSt incredible. Yellowstone (on this trip!) was packed with animals to the point where it felt absurd that we were allowed to see so many; Redwoods (my 2014 trip) were so enormous my whole body felt drained when looking at them, as though I were slowly shrinking.

Leak

Does this mean it'll no longer be "Stuck At 29"? :)

Amy Simmons

I agree with NJGR, I love the autobio comic. And I would do the same with the hitchhiker. Anyone who understands will get why you didn't ask them in the car, and anyone who doesn't understand shouldn't be there. I've been living in Los Angeles a couple years now though, so my normal is people actively refusing to talk to strangers right next to them

Andy Ihnatko

I frequently observe women become visibly "cautious" when they and I are approaching from opposite directions on a sidewalk, sometimes to the extreme of crossing the street. FWIW (and representing a research sample of "one") I'm not offended and I don't take it personally. Women are entitled to do _whatever_ they need to do to be (or even just feel) safe. Short of a preventative tasering or pepper-spraying.

Andy Ihnatko

And Doubleplus Yes to more Dannielle Stories, where and when you feel it.

Andy Ihnatko

Your story also reminded me of the time when I felt I had -- HAD -- to let a scruffy total stranger into my car. There's this legendary annual one-day sale of surplus electronic ephemera and it's SUCH a big deal on the New England Nerd Social Calendar that many people sleep in their cars to be one of the first to get in at 9 AM. I should mention that this is all orderly and friendly and predates Black Friday nunchuck melees by a couple of decades. The sale is on Presidents Day. One year, a near-blizzard blew in early that evening. Well. There was this one fellow who arrived on his bicycle at an hour when even driving a car was treacherous. And he figured that just standing around in a parking lot during a blizzard for six hours wasn't a big deal. I watched him for about a half an hour, feeling more tense with each minute, until I finally muttered "Oh, **** _me_" and invited him to shelter with me in my sedan. Which I'd further fortified with comforters and blankets. Because, then and now, I understood the effects of cold upon the human body (even minus outdoor exposure to wind) and I was capable of finding and reading a weather report. But yes, he was the only one in my car who slept that evening. The clincher for my decision was imagining the poor idiot being treated for life-threatening hypothermia and me being interviewed on TV saying "Yeah! I was watching him _all night_ from inside my car and he _really_ looked like he was _freezing_ to death! Golly!"

dcorsetto

Ooofff I hope that guy learned his lesson! Hah, yeah, you would be the jerk of the world on the local news. ;) I'm jealous that you remember a time before Black Friday insanity.

Andy Ihnatko

The mall opened at its normal hour. You had an excellent chance of finding a parking spot if you got there before noon. Retailers and shoppers alike treated it like a straightforward "really busy shopping day"...not like some kind of religious event. The difference between then and now is a little mind-blowing.

dcorsetto

Thank you for this synopsis of a time I would miss if I remembered it.

Ralph

I love these little slice of life stories. Especially because when I was young, I was the guy with the curly hair and the backpack.

Sarah Manx

This one made me feel things. Worth it (to me at least). ☺️

Ashley Stoddard

Oh man. I have definitely had this exact experience. I still feel guilty about it. But it's just.. so.. ingrained when you're a solo female traveler. I'm glad the guy got a ride and that he understood.

Allan Anderson

I love this sort of quotidian reflective moment kinda comic, like Harvey Pekar or Eddie Campbell or Carol Lay. I remember how big it was in the 80s-90s indie B&W comic book boom...anyhow, thumbs up! Thank you!

dcorsetto

I haven't heard of Eddie Campbell or Carol Lay, so thanks for giving me two new creators to look up, Allan!

Andy Ihnatko

OMG CAROL LAY you are in for SUCH A TREAT!!! Her work is superlative in every category worth caring about. She just finished an epic story about a set of magic paints and if she doesn't collect them into a book, I'll be forced to print out the entire huge series myself and have the pages bound up.

dcorsetto

Ooohhhh where do I find this online??

Theadora

I think "lying in an attempt to not hurt somebody's feelings" is a Southern thing, too. (And it's still BS; 'No' is a complete sentence.) Good on you for working on getting out of that habit! And I'm up for any little vignettes you'd like to share!

Color Theory

So many things I like about this, mainly all the subtle clues that clarify matters. I also like that the question as to whether she'll give him a ride now is left open.

Jess Fink

I love this! Definitely worth it!