March 8, 2009: Sunday Showdown!

(Click to enlarge)

Clockwise from the bottom left:

• The gradual physical deterioration of Leroy continues unabated, much to Loretta's great pleasure. There really isn't much left of that surviving back patch of neat horizontally lined hair left for Leroy to lose. Observe the look of sadness and defeat on Leroy's face after hearing about this latest setback. Well done, Loretta, well done.
• Isn't Leroy's facial expression in this panel exactly the same as his expression in the previous panel? That looking away frown seems to be his go-to face for his many moments of personal defeat. I'm assuming Leroy did not buy Loretta the gift out of some unexpected sense of generosity or affection, but probably due to some lost bet or blackmail. The fact that Loretta insults it by immediately declaring she'll return it, is just the cruel icing on top. Loretta goes up two to nothing.
• I can totally imagine the Lockhorns sucking all the fun out of a Friday night at the old Bowl-A-Rama; all that frowning, all that bitterness, all that discouragement. Judging by the matching puke green uniforms, they must be part of some league or something. I can only imagine the ten frames of horrible awkwardness that awaits the other couple. Leroy's mocking of Loretta's poor bowling skills still gets the point.
• Not really sure why Loretta would get perturbed at overhearing Leroy's comment about how he doesn't understand women. Obviously, after being married to him for about half a century, you'd think she'd realize that Leroy has absolutely no understanding of the female mind. In a way it's more of an insult on him than her. I guess he might be implying that women are irrational and difficult. Whatever it is, it's sure got Loretta's kettle boiling. Leroy knots it up at two.
• Leroy's idiocy reaches absurd new levels this time around. We know he's terrible at driving instructions, is an incompetent employee, uncultured, uncouth, and at times incapable of maintaining basic personal hygiene; but his inability to solve a children's placemat maze is something else. I'm pretty sure Leroy is actually functionally illiterate. It's just one more flaw for Loretta to chip away at. Loretta cliches the fifth panel and the win.

Official Count:

Leroy - 19
Loretta - 26
Push - 22