Transcription

[[Patty continues to narrate the story of how she met Mike/Mark. In the previous strip, she had been invited to a New Year's party by one of her female coworkers.]]
Patty: It's probably no surprise to either of you, but I never dated much. Nerd girls don't get dates in high school, and I didn't have time for such nonsense in college.
[[We see Patty, standing alone with a drink in her hand, as knots of other party attendees stand around in friendly, animated discussion. Patty has her hair down, and she is dressed in a nice pant suit and jacket. She is obviously lonely and feels out of place among the crowd.]]

Patty: Naturally, having the self-esteem of a sea slug, I had pretty much resigned myself to being single for life, a spinster hacker clacking away on her keyboard in the nursing home.
[[We zoom in on Patty as she looks around uncomfortably. In the near background, the party's hostess (her coworker) is distracted from the person she's talking to as she sees Patty's discomfort.]]

Patty: A helpful "friend" here and there would try to set me up on dates and I ALWAYS found a way to sabotage it, usually unintentionally. None stuck around for more than two dates.
[[The hostess approaches Patty and gently steers her toward two men talking in the background. Patty flashes her a reluctant smile, but goes along anyway. Meanwhile, the two men appear to be finishing up their conversation as one begins to walk away.]]

Patty: So I knew what was coming when Jessica introduced me to Mark. I'd played this game before. This time, however, I didn't expect it to actually WORK.
[[Jessica, the hostess, stands between Patty and the man, who just happens to be a younger version of Mark. His hair is longer and fuller, and he sports a goatee rather than a full beard. He is dressed in a sport coat and tie. He smiles as Jessica cheerfully introduces Patty. For her part, Patty remains skeptical.]]