Proof Positive · No. 30

Legal Grounds

The daily comic from Hooray News, by Frankie Ragan. November 14, 2026.

A four-panel comic at the kitchen table on Goldie and Ansel's 24th anniversary, both holding coffee mugs. Goldie smiles and says it's been twenty-four years; Ansel says he reread their vows. She gives him a sideways look and asks if he was looking for loopholes. He says it's a habit but he found one thing: the vows end 'till death' with no extension. Goldie, hand on hip, asks who he would even ask. Ansel calmly answers that he left a message.

Four panels in a kitchen. Goldie reads her screen-time report on her phone while Ansel leans in with his mug and guesses her time is mostly the plant app. She says it's for work, and he mocks the nine hours of 'what's this one.' Goldie then scrolls to his entry and reads that he spent three hours on the calculator. In the last panel Ansel, flat-faced, mutters that it was mostly tip, and that it was a nine-dollar soup, while Goldie smirks.

Four panels in a greenhouse. Goldie, in overalls and holding a watering can, thanks Ansel for watering everything. He proudly says every plant got eleven ounces. She asks if that included the cactus and the bog fern, and he says it was the same for all, the average. In a close-up Goldie says the cactus is sitting in a puddle and the fern is crispy. In the last panel she flatly asks if any plants are happy, and Ansel, still pleased, says six of them look fantastic.

Four-panel comic. In a living room, Ansel with his PROVE IT mug tells Goldie he is working on being spontaneous. He says he has blocked off Thursday from 7:00 to 7:15 for whimsy. Goldie gives him a lidded, smirking look and asks what happens at 7:16. Ansel answers flatly, 'Recovery.'

Four-panel comic. Goldie and Ansel sit at the kitchen table with coffee mugs. Ansel says her mother called and says it's time he knew the truth about her. Goldie panics and blurts that the lamp was already cracked. Ansel narrows his eyes and asks what lamp. She says never mind and asks what the truth is. Ansel smirks and says her mother didn't call, then asks if it was her mother's lamp. Goldie closes her eyes and frowns, head down.

Four-panel comic. In a greenhouse at dusk, Goldie reads a ten percent frost forecast off her phone and announces they are covering every bench. Ansel is surprised and asks why, for only ten percent. Goldie smirks and says 'Ten percent is how they get you.' Ansel narrows his eyes: 'That's my line.' In the last panel Goldie grins and says that after twenty-four years she finally listened, and he shouldn't ruin it, while Ansel looks down, outmaneuvered.

Four-panel comic in a kitchen. Goldie, holding her coffee mug, tells Ansel not to dump the coffee grounds because they're for compost. Ansel smirks and asks, 'On what grounds?' Goldie answers plainly, 'Coffee grounds,' and Ansel, side-eyeing her, says he was setting up a joke. In the last panel Goldie smirks and says, 'I know. It's going in with the grounds,' while Ansel looks flat and unimpressed.

Four-panel comic in a living room. Goldie, in overalls, holds a shopping bag and says it's just a fern. Ansel, with his PROVE IT mug, reminds her of their no-rescues rule. She grins and says it's not a rescue, it's a foster. Ansel smirks and says that's what she said about the tortoise. In the last panel the tortoise sits on the floor between them. Goldie protests that it came with the house, and Ansel replies, 'So you keep saying.'

Read the transcript

PANEL 1. Kitchen. Goldie, holding her mug, speaks to Ansel, who stands with his PROVE IT mug. GOLDIE: Don't dump the grounds. They're for compost.
PANEL 2. Ansel, smirking and pleased with himself, raises his brows. Goldie waits, expressionless. ANSEL: On what grounds?
PANEL 3. Goldie answers earnestly. Ansel gives her a sideways look. GOLDIE: Coffee grounds. ANSEL: I was setting up a joke.
PANEL 4. Goldie, with a small smirk and one arched brow, holds her mug. Ansel looks lidded and flat. GOLDIE: I know. It's going in with the grounds.

Start your day with four reasons to smile.