Smack dab in the middle of the blue

[serafina20]

A girl is running down a typica LA street, early evening. Her hands are covered in blood from the numerous cuts on her wrists and hands. She's bruised and beaten. Her clothing is torn. Then, she trips and falls flat on her face, skidding a little.

If she doesn't hit anyone, how many people do you think would stop to see if she's okay?



I've decided to retract my previous statement about feeling Lana's revelation about not trusting Chloe came out of the blue. It didn't. There's been evidence of it all along. I guess I just wanted to see more of it. More ... scenes with Lana and Chloe, where it's obvious Lana is hiding something personal (not anything about Clark or her suspicions, but her feelings and dreams and aspirations about things). More scenes that establish them as friends, and then establish them as friends who aren't as close as they pretend. That sort of thing.

I keep coming to the reaization that as much as I love Smallville, there are a lot of areas that leave me wanting more. The basic of what I want is there, but the depth isn't.

Comments

Re: SV

[beet]

I often feel the same way. The show will reveal bits of plot that are plausible and that I can see little tiny bits of, but that mostly leave me irritated that there was no actual screen time devoted to them. I remember this feeling most clearly last season with the LexCorp arc. That was a huge deal to Lex, but we didn't really get to see him build it. Most disappointingly, I didn't feel like we really got the full impact of Lionel destroying it. It is like some ghostly image - I can vaguely see what the show is hinting at, but would prefer something a bit more substantial.

That's how I often feel about Chloe and Lana's friendship. It would only take a few seconds every couple episodes to actually show what the nature of their friendship is like.

In regard to the first part of your post - did something happen? Are you okay?

Re: SV

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

In regard to the first part of your post - did something happen? Are you okay?

I'm fine; it's for a story I'm writing. I could research this, but I really don't want to. It's embarrasing. :)

Re: SV

[beet]

Hmm... well, in that case I'll tell you that I recently had the misfortune of seeing America's Most Wanted. It featured the story of a woman who was pulled out of a bar by some guy who tried to rape her. She got away but was totally naked and a little roughed up. she found some cardboard box to cover herself and tried to wave down passing cars, only to have every single one refuse to stop. She finally found a phone booth and called the cops.

I hate this story, and the others I've heard like it, about people in need of help who are ignored. In answer to your question, my hope is that at least one person would check on her. If one person checks, I think a couple other people would wander over to see what was going on. My fear, is that no one would try to help. It's hard to say what is more likely. I'm sure that we hear more about the really shocking cases in which people are ignored. Of course, even those few cases are too many, in my opinion. The thought of it really makes me feel ill. *sigh* Was that at all helpful?

I should tell you I know nothing about LA, so I can't really speak to any city-specific mentality. *g*

Re: SV

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

Well, one person is definitely going to check on her because that's part of the plot. I'm just wondering if I can get away without having anyone else pay any attention, or a dramatic face dive would garner a few people's attention. My gut tells me, no, unless she stays there bleeding. Which she isn't going to.

I hate stories like the one you told. They just make me want to cry. :(

Re: SV

[beet]

Yeah. It depressed me all over again. I also think that when stories like that are shared it erodes people's faith in others. Very sad. I'm actually sorry I shared it. My response is always to promise myself that I will not be one of those people who let fear or selfishness overcome their compassion.

In the situation you lay out, I stand by my first statement. A few people who would come over once your other character has begun to check on her. People love a spectacle, and if someone else is already responsible for the hurt girl, they will be less likely to avoid her. On the other hand, I would also guess that they could be shooed away by helping character #2, if you want to get rid of them.

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

If she doesn't hit anyone, how many people do you think would stop to see if she's okay?

I regret to have to say this about my country, but --

it depends on her apparent race.

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

Caucasian, blond curly hair.

[witchway.livejournal.com]

remembering that this is LA, not NYC.......



I'm very willing to bet many people would use cell phones to call police.....

or say, into their cell phone..... "Maury, have your girl call 911, quick! Some homeless girl is dyomg right here in the middle of the street!

If you need someone to INTERACT with her -- remember LA gets a lot of tourists, right? Have some grandma from Oklahoma walk over to her. demand to know what she's done to herself, then bossily/confidently order her into a bulding resteroom to clean her up, while ordering her stunned family to call the cops.