everett (11/16/82)
#N:hp-pcd:8700001:000:1437
hp-pcd!everett Nov 15 13:18:00 1982
Something interesting I read a while back about suicide (from a Travis
McGee novel by John D. McDonald):
Travis was hired to do something for someone for some reason, anyway.....
he runs into this pretty young lass who's suppose to have attempted the
unthinkable numerous times in the past (4 or 5 times) but has been foiled
so far. Well, as Travis investigates, he comes to the conclusion that
she really hasn't been trying to commit suicide, but rather that someone
has been trying to murder her (she's been depressed (who wouldn't be?) and
doesn't remember the actual incidents herself). Travis' reasoning in this:
someone who is going to kill himself (or herself in this case) will
think about how to do and he (I refuse to get into this he/she crap)
will settle upon one method as the *right* way to do it. It may be
the quickest, most painless, most appropriate, most available, etc.
but they will tend to repeat that method if they're unsuccessful on
the first try (or any following attempts).
The girl in the story used a different method every time and so Travis
therefore suspected murder. All storylines aside, it is an interesting
idea that a suicidal person would in all likelyhood (?) try to kill
themselves in the same way each time.
not anxious to pull the plug, myself,
Everett Kaser
hplabs!hp-pcd
Albany, Oregon