(1) Abusive, Deaf Guy: The first and only girl Joel ever dated did, in fact, end up dumping him for another guy, who was deaf, and ended up being rather cruel to her. Joel, in his innocence, did not blame the girl, but rather the guy by whom she was "stolen". This he uses as a general basis for his fear of females, and occasionally broods over it. Everyone else just mocks him for it.