I assume it started as a dark joke to cope… before kinda morphing into a dark reminder.
Miri
Dina saw Becky brooding.
“You know,” she said thoughtfully, “That time just before exams wasn’t the first time I was kidnapped.”
Becky’s head snapped around and she stared at her, slack-jawed.
“There was one time I was just walking along, minding my own business – this was before I met you – and I found myself swept up in a group of people and suddenly transported to the beach.” She paused as Becky let out a deep exhale of breath and then a little laugh. “In fact, many of the same people were there that day – Joyce, Sarah, Dorothy, Walky…” She paused again as Becky laughed properly and took her hand. “Joyce asked Dorothy what she saw in Walky and she said he had a body that looked like it was made out of sculpted caramel. Personally, I don’t see the attraction.” She slowly started walking her fingers up Becky’s arm, landing on a freckle each time. “Too few freckles.”
There was a different note to the laugh Becky gave that time. “I don’t know. Looking at Sal, I get it…”
“Sal is a hot woman?”
“Sal is a smokin’ hot woman, and you’re a beautiful, sexy woman and so hot you’re magma.”
“Good.” Dina kissed her, then pulled back, searching Becky’s eyes for any lingering traces of sadness. “That’s not the only other kidnapping I’ve been involved in. Well, I didn’t take them – he was abandoned – but he was an actual child. He was Faz. He was… being Faz. I tied him up and gagged him and then requested his removal. I had no choice. He was promptly returned to his parents unharmed.” Becky laughed again.
“Are you good at knots?” Her voice came out fast, eager, breathless.
“Yes. I am very good at knots.” Dina’s grip tightened and she leaned, predatorily into Becky. “Should I show you?”
…
“We have GOT to get a ‘Days since last kidnapping’ sign!!”
“Does doing this reset the sign?”
“This is entirely voluntary! So…no, but that doesn’t mean the sign won’t make me very happy!”
________________
Ruth, to Puddinghead (Chloe?): They all like the sign. They want the sign. It reminds Dorothy of a time when she was a strong leader, utilised others’ strengths, and overcame a terrible situation. It reminds Joyce of all the reasons she wants to grow as a person, why she doesn’t want to go back to what her Mom wants her to be. Becky… She put up the sign and she smiles whenever she sees it. I don’t think she’ll let ANYBODY take it down. I’ve spoken to Amber about it; she says it helps her remember that you need to pick your battles, and that she really does matter to people. Joyce talked to Sarah… She says it helps her keep it in perspective. Walky – David Walkerton – I know he’s not on this floor but he sure spends a lot of time here – also copes through humour. He appreciates it.
I mean, that seems on-brand for Ruth, but I’m less worried about the pessimism, and more about it potentially triggering PTSD, seems like the sort of thing that Ruth’s bosses might object to, even if all of the victims in question said it was fine.
Barf Ninjason
I do not really understand in depth how genuine psychological triggering works, but while that sounds plausible, it also seems like something that seeing every day could help one cope. Can’t think of a better word than “desensitize” but, seems like that might help
V
Just gonna cut this one off at the pass; research shows that exposure therapy (the technical term for the thing you’re talking about) can be very helpful in recovering from PTSD, but only when done in a clinical setting by a professional. Getting randomly triggered with no warning or preparation generally just reinforces the existing trauma.
V
(sorry if this comes off as kind of harsh, but the idea that you can treat traumas or phobias by forcibly exposing someone to their trauma/phobia trigger is a depressingly common misconception with genuinely dangerous consequences.)
While you are 100% correct, and I am not disputing your point, I do wonder if something like this might nevertheless be helpful, at least for some, because it isn’t random or unexpected – it’s always present in the exact same place – the hallway of their res-hall, in the liminal space between the outside world and their private places of safety (their dorm rooms), where they are neither alone nor exposed. It is a wholly passive reminder – doing nothing to draw or grab attention, but still readily visible for anyone that wants to focus on it.
Approached with the right frame of mind, I could see it being a very valuable therapeutic aid. That said, it could just as easily have the opposite effect if viewed from some other perspective, so I very much doubt something like it would be employed in a real-life situation analogous to what happened in DoA.
Maybe it’s a sign that someone cares? A reminder that kidnapping is no longer trending? I mean, they did go 3 months without another kidnapping, so things are improving?
It just occurred to me that unless Willis explicitly says something about it in universe, the calendar is going to break/become ambiguous in a couple/few years once we pass the end of february
Well, good to be vigilant, even if parents (relatively) trust them to be on their own in a dorm room, i can imagine some ppl that young making bad decisions even if it doesn’t end in them getting kidnapped, but i can imagine some easily getting into others cars’
Like, if i was walking on the way home i wouldn’t take a ride home from a stranger but i’d prolly call someone first, or maybe lean towards trusting some mom with kids (tho other than a small neighborhood where they recognized me, i’d assume most parents wouldn’t be giving strangers a ride unless it was also a kid looking helpless than a random adult), but other than the lack of experience i might take a ride from a teen who just got their license but i’m just overly paranoid to where in a hypothetical i’d prolly turn down most ppl anyway
It is an impressively large number, but not impossible to get. 325828.8 gallons = 7.48(gallons in a cubic foot) x 43560 (square feet in an acre).
Just_IDD
To put that into context, the minimum size an olympic swimming pool can be is 50m x 25m x 2m, and holds holds 660,430 gallons. Slightly more than double an acre foot. It looks like a large number, but if you put it in a properly sized container its easy to comprehend.
Most Olympic pools however are deeper than the two meter minimum for increased swimmer safety and higher lap speeds.
Andy
Yay for context, it was super useful to me, thanks!
237 thoughts on “I love yous”
NGPZ
re: last panel
“97 days since the last kidnapping”?
Just. Wow. ?
Rose by Any Other Name
… Willis counted.
I’m more disturbed by the fact that they have that hanging in the dorm. Seems… pessimistic.
Mr. Random
I assume it started as a dark joke to cope… before kinda morphing into a dark reminder.
Miri
Dina saw Becky brooding.
“You know,” she said thoughtfully, “That time just before exams wasn’t the first time I was kidnapped.”
Becky’s head snapped around and she stared at her, slack-jawed.
“There was one time I was just walking along, minding my own business – this was before I met you – and I found myself swept up in a group of people and suddenly transported to the beach.” She paused as Becky let out a deep exhale of breath and then a little laugh. “In fact, many of the same people were there that day – Joyce, Sarah, Dorothy, Walky…” She paused again as Becky laughed properly and took her hand. “Joyce asked Dorothy what she saw in Walky and she said he had a body that looked like it was made out of sculpted caramel. Personally, I don’t see the attraction.” She slowly started walking her fingers up Becky’s arm, landing on a freckle each time. “Too few freckles.”
There was a different note to the laugh Becky gave that time. “I don’t know. Looking at Sal, I get it…”
“Sal is a hot woman?”
“Sal is a smokin’ hot woman, and you’re a beautiful, sexy woman and so hot you’re magma.”
“Good.” Dina kissed her, then pulled back, searching Becky’s eyes for any lingering traces of sadness. “That’s not the only other kidnapping I’ve been involved in. Well, I didn’t take them – he was abandoned – but he was an actual child. He was Faz. He was… being Faz. I tied him up and gagged him and then requested his removal. I had no choice. He was promptly returned to his parents unharmed.” Becky laughed again.
“Are you good at knots?” Her voice came out fast, eager, breathless.
“Yes. I am very good at knots.” Dina’s grip tightened and she leaned, predatorily into Becky. “Should I show you?”
…
“We have GOT to get a ‘Days since last kidnapping’ sign!!”
“Does doing this reset the sign?”
“This is entirely voluntary! So…no, but that doesn’t mean the sign won’t make me very happy!”
________________
Ruth, to Puddinghead (Chloe?): They all like the sign. They want the sign. It reminds Dorothy of a time when she was a strong leader, utilised others’ strengths, and overcame a terrible situation. It reminds Joyce of all the reasons she wants to grow as a person, why she doesn’t want to go back to what her Mom wants her to be. Becky… She put up the sign and she smiles whenever she sees it. I don’t think she’ll let ANYBODY take it down. I’ve spoken to Amber about it; she says it helps her remember that you need to pick your battles, and that she really does matter to people. Joyce talked to Sarah… She says it helps her keep it in perspective. Walky – David Walkerton – I know he’s not on this floor but he sure spends a lot of time here – also copes through humour. He appreciates it.
I know it seems dark, but it’s helping them.
Mark
A+
Steamweed
I love your take on Ruth’s view of it.
Taellosse
S-tier fanfic.
Adopted as head-canon.
Kaiyalai
Seconded.
HoopsieDaisy
Once you get to day 7, the joke stops being quite as funny.
Doctor_Who
Yeah, what RA would possibly all-OK makes perfect sense.
RassilonTDavros
I’m just amused that it somehow ended up being exactly 97. That number just follows these people around like a ghost of another life.
GoodbyBallad
When else has 97 ever appeared? Since when has that number had a special mavity for the dumbiverse?
Needfuldoer
Since 2010, I think.
jflb96
We’re not doing mavity
Nymph
I hate to be the one to break this to you, but I don’t think one person has ever successfully stood in the way of fandom lingo.
Taffy
Molyne Mujoh be like
Devin
Good luck with that
Psychie
I mean, that seems on-brand for Ruth, but I’m less worried about the pessimism, and more about it potentially triggering PTSD, seems like the sort of thing that Ruth’s bosses might object to, even if all of the victims in question said it was fine.
Barf Ninjason
I do not really understand in depth how genuine psychological triggering works, but while that sounds plausible, it also seems like something that seeing every day could help one cope. Can’t think of a better word than “desensitize” but, seems like that might help
V
Just gonna cut this one off at the pass; research shows that exposure therapy (the technical term for the thing you’re talking about) can be very helpful in recovering from PTSD, but only when done in a clinical setting by a professional. Getting randomly triggered with no warning or preparation generally just reinforces the existing trauma.
V
(sorry if this comes off as kind of harsh, but the idea that you can treat traumas or phobias by forcibly exposing someone to their trauma/phobia trigger is a depressingly common misconception with genuinely dangerous consequences.)
NGPZ
This urgently needs upvotes.
Taellosse
While you are 100% correct, and I am not disputing your point, I do wonder if something like this might nevertheless be helpful, at least for some, because it isn’t random or unexpected – it’s always present in the exact same place – the hallway of their res-hall, in the liminal space between the outside world and their private places of safety (their dorm rooms), where they are neither alone nor exposed. It is a wholly passive reminder – doing nothing to draw or grab attention, but still readily visible for anyone that wants to focus on it.
Approached with the right frame of mind, I could see it being a very valuable therapeutic aid. That said, it could just as easily have the opposite effect if viewed from some other perspective, so I very much doubt something like it would be employed in a real-life situation analogous to what happened in DoA.
NGPZ
That’s what I meant LOL
yeah that’s messed up 😮
Ophidiophile
Maybe it’s a sign that someone cares? A reminder that kidnapping is no longer trending? I mean, they did go 3 months without another kidnapping, so things are improving?
elebenty
One could argue that’s Chekhov’s sign… knowing Willis.
Matthew Davis
This is a dorm where Ruth is the RA and multiple characters use dark humor to deflect. It’s on-brand, I think.
foamy
Just as long as they don’t have to reset the clock. Or get a double event.
Tan
This means we can confirm the exact current date for the timeline! The date of the kidnapping was October 20. 97 days later is January 25th, which aligns with https://walkypedia.fandom.com/wiki/Dumbing_of_Age_Timeline
NGPZ
Just two days after Dina / Sarah’s Birthday. Fuck.
Thag Simmons
I mean Mike took a dive that very day.
HueSatLight
his present to Sarah.
Adam Black
what about January Break?
are these calendar days, or actual semeester days?
Devin
It just occurred to me that unless Willis explicitly says something about it in universe, the calendar is going to break/become ambiguous in a couple/few years once we pass the end of february
anon
Well, good to be vigilant, even if parents (relatively) trust them to be on their own in a dorm room, i can imagine some ppl that young making bad decisions even if it doesn’t end in them getting kidnapped, but i can imagine some easily getting into others cars’
Like, if i was walking on the way home i wouldn’t take a ride home from a stranger but i’d prolly call someone first, or maybe lean towards trusting some mom with kids (tho other than a small neighborhood where they recognized me, i’d assume most parents wouldn’t be giving strangers a ride unless it was also a kid looking helpless than a random adult), but other than the lack of experience i might take a ride from a teen who just got their license but i’m just overly paranoid to where in a hypothetical i’d prolly turn down most ppl anyway
butting
Whoever set it up only saw the need for two digits.
So either they’ll need to change it, or there’s gonna be a Mayan-calendar-type event within three days. Ulp.
Casi
maybe they’re using a hexadecimal system, that gives up to 255 days, more than enough time to last through the end of the semester
Needfuldoer
Or they just tack a + symbol at the end, like McDonald’s did with the “hamburgers sold” counter that only had two digits on their old signs.
Taffy
Wow, they sold over 99 burgers? That’s really impressive.
Needfuldoer
Technically, yes!
Mark
The last time I cared enough to look, it just said “billions and billions served.”
ValdVin
decriminalization. Dont know how many of them have the signs anymore.
And now I need to find out.
Taffy
Decriminalized burgers?
NGPZ
damn maybe some time i should share my recipe for weed burgers :9
Azhrei Vep
I mean, McDonald’s “Burgers” should be crimes.
StClair
Thank you, Carl Sagan.
JasonAW3
Well, they might need to set up some sort of library checkout if.people keep getting kidnapped…
Ana Chronistic
no clinical trials on the effectiveness downgrade for taking it with a gallon of Sprite, tho
Ana Chronistic
well THAT post is wrong
Rose by Any Other Name
I don’t imagine so, no.
Also, what?
(I imagine copy paste error?)
Doctor_Who
No posting from the future! Bad!
(sprays water)
Suet
A time anomaly? It’s ON.
(cocks ray gun)
John Campbell
They don’t call her Ana Chronistic for nothing.
NGPZ
laughing my ass off right now much more than I should ?
Opus the Poet
Acre-foot, an acre in area covered by a foot of whatever liquid, when gallons is just too small a unit.
Andy
It is an impressively large number, but not impossible to get. 325828.8 gallons = 7.48(gallons in a cubic foot) x 43560 (square feet in an acre).
Just_IDD
To put that into context, the minimum size an olympic swimming pool can be is 50m x 25m x 2m, and holds holds 660,430 gallons. Slightly more than double an acre foot. It looks like a large number, but if you put it in a properly sized container its easy to comprehend.
Most Olympic pools however are deeper than the two meter minimum for increased swimmer safety and higher lap speeds.
Andy
Yay for context, it was super useful to me, thanks!
Rose by Any Other Name
17 minutes past the hour?
The server lag is getting real bad these days. Yikes.
Ana Chronistic
I don’t know what’s scarier, students being kidnapped, or that it happens so often there’s actually a “Days Since Last Incident” board for it.
Dara
I know right? I want to know who put that up xD
RassilonTDavros
Would you believe Dina?
John Campbell
It was the best she could do.
… too soon?
butting
Go sit in a corner and think about what you’ve done.
Taffy
A smile better suits a hero, Big Brother Edward.
Needfuldoer
For Ruth, that’s positivity!
quark
joyce wants to be absorbed into a homogenous paste with dorothy
Dday
Jorodoyceothy
StClair
“Congratulations!”
Taffy
“Congratulations!”
Proxiehunter
“Congratulations!”
Opus the Poet
I understand that reference dot gif.
butting
Joe: throwing out the vows he’d written in his head
ian livs