(Strip Number 6016, Original Publication Date, 9 April 1983)
Panel 1: We find John and Elly in bed; since she wasn't able to convince Connie to spurn Ted like a rabid dog and won't admit that he's got a lot going for him, she asks John what Connie could possibly see in a man who won't roll over and play dead when she throws a God-damned temper tantrum.
Panel 2: Also, since he doesn't see the need to live a life he knows he's going to hate so that a malicious twerp from the West Coast can have her mean-spirited fun at his expense, she declares him the most selfish, unreasonable person she's ever met.
Panel 3: She then tries to put John on the spot by asking him what possible good could come from a relationship that isn't going to lead to the self-induced Hell she thinks is real life.
Panel 4: His comment about how it makes their own horrible relationship look perfect serves the purpose of puffing up the ego of a dimwitted scold who won't allow herself to enjoy life lest she be seen as immature.
Summary: You might have noticed my need to editorialize. The reason I did so is that I think that Ted's villainy is mostly of the informed variety and mostly stems from his being a pastiche of all the horrible, horrible men who wouldn't allow themselves to be snagged by a creepy weirdo who blew off art school because she thought it was getting in the way of landing a maaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuunnnnnn