A bit obvious, don't you think?

The handcrafted, effortful creation of each individual porcelain seed queries the modern phenomena of mass production and replication.

Am I right?

You're right.

If only people would get to know the real us.

Ahem.

Take that, Zion!

I don't think Mom meant the real, real us, obviously.

More like the Elmogram super-filtered avatar that requires 45 takes to get it as flattering as possible.

So, our fake selves, then?

Yes, if people could only get to know the fake, real us.

Let's show our neighbors how nice we are when we're not being ourselves.

Thank you for your help, but please be careful.

If I get a good price for this cabinet, it's hello, two-week luxury cruise!

Don't worry, Marvin.

I'm sure your cabinet will have a great vacation.

Okay, Dad.

Are you ready on your end?

Got it!

Here it comes!

That was a long detour, but at least that man got to see his grandmother one last time in Nebraska.

Wait, didn't he say Nevada?

Hmm?

Who said the object of art is to give life a shape?

That's right, Shakespeare!

Here, take it.

Okay.

It came with a two-year warranty.

Okay.

How about a hug before you go?

Not okay.

Local man saves pet cobra from snake charmer's flute.

Local boy stops school bullying by making himself sole target.

In secret, sock suspenders.

Local girl brings metric system to Elmore.

Puts end to people measuring things with their feet.

Waterson family, not as bad as we thought, says person.

I agree with that person, says another person.

Elmore Times editor fired for obsessive coverage of local family.

It worked, Mother.

Our effort succeeded.

Everyone in the town loves us.

What is happening to us?

We went too far!

We're becoming mortal citizens!

Howdy doody you do!

Absolutamundo, sir!

We'll be with you in two shakes of a widdle dee!

Zoopity boopity bye!

What was that?

I have no idea.

It's like I just washed my mouth out with a choir boy, and now it's coming out in dweeb speak.

Not that!

Who was on the phone?

Oh, the mayor.

He wants us to skippity hop over to his office.

I misjudged you, Watersons.

So you don't want us to leave anymore?

No!

I want you in my gated community.

Is that some kind of euphemism for prison?

Yes, but all the criminals are on the outside.

Everyone wanted you gone because you were, well, being you.

Whereas I wanted you out because you were bringing the price of the neighborhood down.

That was a problem, you see, when I decided to sell the land to developers.

But look at you now!

You've become our new poster family.

What about the other neighbors?

The bank owns their houses.

We just have to make it difficult for them to pay.

But what'll happen to them?

Should that worry you?

They didn't really care what was going to happen to you.

What if we say no?

You can't say no to progress.

What are we going to do?

I guess either way we lose.

No!

The people of Elmore might be haters, but they're our haters.

They're like an old pair of underwear.

Sure, there's not much support there.

And sure, they sometimes leave us hanging in the wind.

But there's something we're familiar with.

And I, for one, will not have some big corporation forcing me to change my underwear!

Yeah!

But also...