If you've got a bit of time and are a firm believer in truth being stranger than fiction, I recommend you read the following. It is an extraordinary story and features one of my favourite writers, Harlan Ellison.
It really floodlights that which we want to believe often overcomes the reality of a situation.
The Extraordinary Tale of Jesse James
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I flipped through the story, skimming rather than reading in detail, WWW, because I found the style rather difficult for my overly English sensibilities ;-) - I got the gist of the tale though.
ReplyDeleteIf it is pure fiction I'd like to bet that it was an embroidered version of a true story.
I had some experience of on-line relationships just before I met himself (also on-line and via e-mail friendship). I don't know what it's like these days, but back around 6 years ago things could get seriously odd! It was diverting, interesting and fun for someone as long in the tooth as myself who has been around the block a few times and survived.
even I received a couple of shicks, however! Not so fun for younger, more innocent participants, I suspect.
A couple of shicks? LOL!
ReplyDeleteYEP.
As far as I know, T, it is a true story and they even put a photo of the monster at the end of it. It all rang true to me at any rate.
ReplyDeleteI've had a few online experiences myself, we could trade tales ourselves, no doubt!
What are shicks?
The dictionary gave me only an acronym:
Senior Health Insurance Counseling of Kansas.
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It's a great story. But I'm in two minds whether I believe it. Partly because the woman who fell in love on line with Jesse doesn't convince. She's two dimensional. And there's something 'archetypal' about the way the story preys on you, not like a real event, but like one of those Hans Anderson stories that disturbed me when I was small. It wouldn't surprise me if we get several variants on this coming up. True or not, it is a classic horror tale.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me believe it is that Harlan Ellison's name is used as a key witness to the tale and I doubt if he would allow that if not true.
ReplyDeleteTo me it has the creepy air of truth and the photo confirms it.
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Shicks was a type for shocks, WWW, but I thought the typo rhymed well with a better description. :-)
ReplyDelete"Ah, the evil of the internet," as my old mother would say. She believes the devil lurks in every server. Judging from this tale, Old Nick possibly secretes himself in some. My own attempts at internet courtship produced mixed results, but ended in me finding the most wonderful woman I could ever hope to marry, which I did, though I had to move to America to do so.
ReplyDeleteAs for the tyrant in "Jesse James", I felt sorry for her. I believe she needed professional help.
And like 'Twilight', I found the style too 'in my face' for my English sensibilities.
Interesting that both you and Twilight found long term and lastings on the tubes, RJA. In spite of the Jesse James' out there ;^) Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteActually I do hear more good than bad about e-relationships.
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