Why does David stay?

[GeminiCancer]

It's hard for me to resent Katchoo because David always comes back. It's not like all she ever does is abuse David. There's a lot to like about Katchoo, too. But whenever she pushes him away, he forgives. He makes a choice. The fact that he chooses to come back makes him hard for me to feel sorry for.

And basically, he does it because he's in love. I've known tons of people like that, who can't give up hope on someone. It's just their way.

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"They mostly come out at night. Mostly." --Newt, Aliens

"I can crack all your ribs, but I can't break your heart." --Jill Sobule

"Take it easy, but take it." --Woody Guthrie

[amazinggrace]

my 2 cents:

personally i think katchoo is a bit much in her abuse of david and francince. i dont like how she likes to play the hurt martyr card all the time as a kind of emotional blackmail on 2 people who are very very fond of her.

I think David and Francine overlook her crazy anger and guilt inducing trips because they know how much she has been through.

BUT i think at some point, Kat has got to really let go of the past. Someone that came from so much darkness in her life has the right to be angry and crazy but they also have the right to turn back from that and move on.

I dont think its admirable when Kat declares she wont lie with sheep. Its her still holding onto a hatred of men. She shows signs of wanting to leave that all behind, to forgive everything. I dont think she loves either david or francine truly YET simply because she has not come to realise what true love is. All 3 characters havent come close to even knowing what it means to love each other as yet.

i do think people should stop overlooking the fact that this strong, loyal, gutsy girl is also capable of some horrible emotional manipulations. If David is no angel, neither is she by a stretch. What makes her so right and he so wrong? Why do Katchoo lovers give her so much and refuse to do the same for David?

now i dont hate her. she's a character in a comic book. i dont invest the same kind of level of devotion in love /hate to people who dont exist as i do to flesh and blood people.

but i can see clearly why the original poster is peeved when people "let" kat get away with her psychotic room bashing, waffling and insults. like it or not, its a reflection of what we value. and i think he/she does not like the seeming allowance of others to close an eye to one form of abuse while railing on another.

another thing: why would david as a christian give himself fully to someone who may not love him back or deserve him?

because if he is as faithful a christian as god has called him to be, then he would never "grow a spine" and tell her to fuck off. He would endure in his love and wait in patience. and remember that every life is precious and to be loved above your own. it matters little if kat is his love of his life or a friend in need. christians are called to put "their neighbour" above themselves along with god. Little else matters.

apologies for long ramble. but thoughts were triggered.

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[Darth Fett]

I am reminded of an exchange between the main characters and the sidekick character in the movie BASEketball:

Reimer-'Yeah, but you're a little b!tch'
Squeek-'I am not a little b!tch!'
Coop-'Yeah, but you're a piece of sh!t'
Squeek-'D@mn it, I swear, if you guys rip on me 13 or 14 more times, I'm outta here'
Coop-'Yeah, whatever...'

Just kinda reminds me of David..




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'If a man is willing to die, he can be killed'
Sun Tzu, The Art of War

[Nat20]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="comic sans ms, jester, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Darth Fett:
I am reminded of an exchange between the main characters and the sidekick character in the movie BASEketball:

Reimer-'Yeah, but you're a little b!tch'
Squeek-'I am not a little b!tch!'
Coop-'Yeah, but you're a piece of sh!t'
Squeek-'D@mn it, I swear, if you guys rip on me 13 or 14 more times, I'm outta here'
Coop-'Yeah, whatever...'

Just kinda reminds me of David..


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Anyone who uses BASEketball to clarify meaning is a god.
You're sister going out with SQUEEK!

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[nicewitch]

Any way we wish to slice and dice this topic, I am reminded of something. This comic and the reason I love it so much is because it is a reflection in some ways of real life. Everyone knows a David or a Francine or a Katchoo. I believe that Terry's portrayal of these three main characters is very realistic. They're human beings (well, on paper anyway) and have very human reactions and motives and hangups and good points and bad points. If all of these characters were "perfect" we would not love or dislike them near so much. That we can all get so passionate over the "lives" of these characters is another tribue to Terry's master storytelling.

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if the world is going nuts, who has the nutcracker?

[Darth Fett]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="comic sans ms, jester, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nat20:
Anyone who uses BASEketball to clarify meaning is a god.
You're sister going out with SQUEEK!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Steeeve Perry!
Steeeve Perry!

[KurtisMowen[VLAD]]

The whole "Why does David Stay" topic seems to be a moot point. Having a David-like persona myself, and my own "Katchoo" in my life, I throughly understand his reasons. Love is never a simple thing, ladies and gents. Nonetheless, David does indeed love Katchoo, regardless of the chances between them, and he'll stand by her side no matter what and he'll always be there for her regardless of if she wants him to be or not.

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'Nuff Said.

[JKCarrier]

Maybe David thinks, at least on some subconscious level, that he deserves the abuse he's getting. Remember, he supposedly did a lot of Really Nasty Things earlier in his life, and he's now doing penance for them. He may consider this God's way of punishing him, or at least testing him. And he thinks that if he "keeps the faith" long enough, like Job, he'll eventually be rewarded. Rotsa ruck, pal.

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J. Kevin Carrier
Fantasy Theater: http://members.aol.com/jkcarrier/fantasy.htm

[Chaos Butterfly]

Ooh, ooh finally have thought of something useful to say on this topic.

I've just finished a complete re-read and I have to say sometimes I like David (I still cry at the end of issue 40) and sometimes I think he's just being an annoying dork.

So maybe thats how it is with him and Katchoo. Yes David is generally a good guy and can be supportive when needed but then he has these moments where he suddenly seems really needy and clingy and thats when he gets annoying.

Its like I have had friends who are really nice people and have supported me during dark times. But then I recovered and was my old leader type self able to move forward and found that the same people had reverted back to clingy followers which I found annoying as I had made new choices and decisions following the dark times moving in new directions and they were just the same.
I still like them just sometimes I find them too much a part of the old me I left behind.

Does that make any sense at all?

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Talent just defines what you do, it doesn't define what you are. Deep down, I mean. When you know what you are, you can do anything. - Rincewind the Wizzard, Discworld.

The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well!-Joe Ancis

Out of my mind...back in 5 minutes

[AsIs]

Why does David stay?

Probably because he recognizes a soul that is as beaten and damanged as his. And he feels at home. We tend to forget that David was a part of Darcy's hell for longer than Katchoo was, this boy is a hurt puppy.

Why does David get kicked around on the boards?

Because of "As long as it is your hands that hitting me..." David told us he was Katchoo's doormat a long time ago.

Katchoo is not my ideal of a role model, heck, none of these characters are. But they are realistically portrayed.

I have know a Katchoo in my life, we no longer talk.

I know several Francines in life. Egads, they drive me nuts. How many times can you watch someone you care for, totaling screw up their life?

I have been David at points in my life. I got some self-esteem and moved on.

All three characters are flawed. Katchoo abuses people. Francine waffles. David clings.

But the reality of relationships is they take at least two people to work. Nomatter what the relationship, one of those two people is not without blame.

Is it David's fault he hangs around even though Katchoo doesn't treat him as he feel he deserves? Yup. We are all responsible for the choices we make, period. Is Katchoo responsible? Yup, to some degree, she does lead him on and send him mixed messages. "I love you. Go away." That is a crude breakdown of a mixed message. Katchoo is more complicated than that. Can David say Katchoo's love for Francine, lack of "in love" for him comes as a surprise. Uh, nope. He has plenty of clues. Just as Katchoo has had plenty of clues that Francine wasn't ready for a relationship with and Katchoo stomped off.

David stays because he chooses to stay. Everytime he gets close to a situation where he would have to decide to leave he backs down and makes up with Katchoo. One more step in that conversation on the beach and David would have had to make a big decision. But he choose to diffuse his anger, before the point of no return.


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Selah