Ow, my feeling.
October 9th, 2009 | by TJ |So I was thinking about this old Hallmark commercial the other day, where this woman watches out the window as the old lady across the street walks to her mail box every day, opens it, sees that it’s empty and does the sad Charlie Brown walk back into her house, so she gets a brilliant idea and writes a Hallmark card and has he daughter run over and put it in the mailbox, and then a couple of days later the daughter comes running in with a jar of jam or something from the old lady and says it’s from the old lady and “I think she was crying!”
That commercial, COMMERCIAL, makes me so unbearably sad every time I think about it because it makes me think of people who spend Christmas alone, which I mostly have to totally avoid thinking about so as to keep from throwing myself out the window in despair.
Also? Ok, even if you don’t play WoW, you might get this one, so I’m going to explain it for those of you who don’t play WoW, instead of assuming you know what I’m talking about.
One time, I was chatting with my guild and someone told this story as it was happening: Apparently, a couple of higher level characters took a very new player – a level 4 or 5 or so, out to Redridge, where he shouldn’t be until a much higher level because everything there will kill him, over and over and over. So these people take him out to Redridge and leave him there, as a joke, and it turned out he was only like, 8 years old, and didn’t even know how to use his hearthstone yet to take him back to his starting location, so he thought he was stuck there forever and that the game was totally over for him, all because he trusted these two d-bags to take him somewhere fun.
When I think about that poor little kid thinking that he had already totally lost the game of WoW and there was nothing he could do about it, I want to hole up in my room and read Sylvia Plath for days on end. Isn’t it just the most terrible, saddest thing you’ve ever heard?
Internet, I cannot be the only person so deeply affected by television commercials and children I don’t know. It’s impossible that I be the only person affected, because we all know I only have one feeling and it’s usually occupied with be angry at something, so if something is sad enough that I notice, then the whole world must be miserably depressed on a regular basis.
So, Internet, what things that do not in any way involve yourself make you avoid heights in order to keep from throwing yourself off in despair?
By Awlbiste on Oct 9, 2009
I will be spending Christmas alone this year. Take that!
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By TJ on Oct 9, 2009
Not now you’re not, we’re going to have to come get you and take you with us. WAY TO GO.
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By Shadowspawnd on Oct 9, 2009
I hope some kind soul helped that kid out.
But in regards to what to do to keep your sanity, posting on a blog to let out your emotions and find there are others that feel the same way or even chatting in guild chat, Twitter or any one social media is a good way.
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By Phaedra on Oct 9, 2009
I cry at commercials all the time. I cry at books. I cry at movies. I cry when I see dead animals on the side of the road. I cry when I see homeless people on the streets of Philly. I cry when I see soldiers in uniform.
Umm…little kids playing soccer doesn’t make me cry. Funny dogs out for walks don’t, either.
If I am ever feeling down about the plight of people, I have to look at something cute and adorable or have proof that sometimes people are just really, really stupid.
I love http://cute-n-tiny.com/ for the first and http://failblog.org/ for the second. I also have Beaker’s (from the Muppets) “Ode to Joy” bookmarked on YouTube. Between those, I feel pretty good.
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By Roast on Oct 9, 2009
I’ve been told by friends that I’m one of the strongest men they know. I saw my mother (my only parent) die when I was 19, I took care of all the funeral stuff, and a couple years later did the same for both grand parents. I’ve been the emotional rock for many years for many people.
A year or two ago I read a story in the news paper about a young couple that had a baby, and it was just a few months old. And it had some problem where it had to have a shunt installed in it’s head to relieve swelling in the brain. The doctors gave it a few hours to live, max. Reading the story of the last day that the parents spent with their baby…well at the time I was literally sobbing in my office. I had to shut the door and calm down for a long while. It still to this day is almost bringing a tear to my eyes thinking about it.
There is so much sadness in the world, all around us. Man, I feel like kicking out of work early and going home now and locking my self in side for the weekend. Thanks.
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By Capn John on Oct 9, 2009
I was sitting in the cafe at a Target store when a father and his son sat at the table next to mine. The son was obviously blind but as they sat there I got the feeling that he was deaf, too. I think I thought that because the whole time they were sitting there the father and son never exchanged a single word.
The son had a soda and he would slowly & carefully reach out, locate the cup, pick it up and take a sip from the straw, then slowly & carefully set the cup back down again on the table. He had done this several times when – without saying a word – his father reached over, took the cup, and silently left the table. The tables had those legless swivel chairs so there wasn’t even a squeak from the chair being pushed back.
I watched in horror as the son slowly reached out for the cup, found an empty table, then slowly put his hands back in his lap. I wanted to say something to him but I couldn’t. I was stricken dumb by what I was witnessing. And suspecting he might be deaf I wasn’t even sure he could hear me if I did say something.
The father returned & sat down and still without saying a word placed the cup back in front of his son. He never told the boy he was back, never touched his shoulder, never communicated with him in any way that he was back.
I assume he’d gone for a refill, and the reason for his silence is why I suspected the son was deaf. God I hope the boy was deaf, but even so, surely the father could have taken his son’s hand and placed it on the cup, then removed the cup to let the son know he was taking it. And he could have put his hand on his son’s shoulder telling him to stay in the seat, letting him know that he’d be right back.
But he didn’t do that!
He just took the cup and left the table, then returned and set the cup back down without saying a word.
It was one of the most depressing things I’d ever seen.
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By Deborah Timmers on Oct 9, 2009
I play Wow and yes that was terrible.. I have to say I met this one lady one day and she plays Wow with her 9 year old daughter who is disabled .. it was very interesting she told me the reason she did this is because her daughter would never know what it was like to swim so they swim in Nagrand. she had the ability to be free and fly since she was a Druid. so much more about that I could tell , and when I hear or see sad things like you posted it reminds me there still are good things out there we can hold onto… But right now I do feel like holing up here in the good ole house cause Im sick of everything in the world … ah maybe I’ll go level another toon who knows maybe I’ll meet some more nice folks
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By Adlib on Oct 9, 2009
I almost cry at all kinds of commercials all the time! I’m glad it’s not just me. It makes me want to log into WoW and go do random acts of kindness for low levels (if there are still any that exist without heirloom items or a rich main.)
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By Bill on Oct 9, 2009
The commercial from the SPCA or whatever with that dog Echo BEFORE he was adopted. And the other one with the German Sheppard (same theme) where the family had to give him up.
I was in tears!
And then I saw the Echo commercial again and they say he got adopted…TEARS OF JOY!
In fact, just thinking about those commercials cause me to tear up.
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By Morrissimo on Oct 9, 2009
Q: So, Internet, what things that do not in any way involve yourself make you avoid heights in order to keep from throwing yourself off in despair?
A: Thinking about the country and world that our children will inherit from all of us lazy, apathetic, ignorant, shortsighted, self-obsessed assholes.
Note that I was largely oblivious to this perspective until the birth of my first child. I mean, I was aware the perspective existed, but it was an abstraction that didn’t really mean anything to me. Now, with two children and a third due in Feb 2010, it literally makes my stomach hurt when I dwell on it for too long.
How’s that for depressing :(
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By Bernie on Oct 9, 2009
Since I work on a boat I only get Christmas at home once every 3 years. Last year I had Christmas off and my brother talked me into going on a cruise. We were eating Christmas dinner, steak and lobster, when it hit me. “I only get Christmas off once every three years and here I am on a boat for Christmas” they got a goot laugh, but still kind of ironic. Was a good time for all.
I also bought a liquor flask in Mexico. When I went back to work I filled it with water and told crew to taste what I got in Mexico. They said “this tasted like water” I said “it is, I filled it from the tap in Mexico”. I should sell the idea to Pepto-Bismol, it would make a geat commercial.
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By Ellie on Oct 9, 2009
Reading all the comments, I agree with them. Mostly what saddens me is hearing stories of people with problems or people who get hurt, and the people haven’t done anything to deserve it. Like children with health problems, or babies with problems. They won’t even get to live their life like a normal child. The saddest story in my head right now is the WoW one, Ezra Chatterton, I’m sure you’ve heard of that, if not, go look it up. It also makes me happy knowing Blizzard did wonderful things for him to make his life better. Some people taunt with asking, “Why would a dying child want to waste his time on a video game?” I think it was a way he could feel stronger, and see things that he might not be able to experience in real life. While in real life, he was weak and unable to do things, in WoW he could battle monsters and go swimming in Stranglethorn. Meh, all sad now.
Hugs time nao?
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By E on Oct 9, 2009
Empathy is so important (and I hope it isn’t diminishing nowadays). My mom always told us this story of when she was a little girl. It was Valentine’s Day (and back then, everyone hand made their valentine cards and boxes in which to receive them). It was a rainy day, and while getting off the school bus, one little geeky boy dropped his Valentine box and cards in a mud puddle. There he was, down in the rain and mud, crying, trying to gather his things as a hoard of children (who were not interested in helping him) just stepped over him, furthering the saturation process. My mom was probably 8 or 9 – the kid was around 6. She was the ONLY one of 100 kids to sympathize and help him. It’s scenarios like this that make my heart bleed and cry.
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By KT on Oct 9, 2009
I’m just like this. Once in school we had to watch a short film about a grandma with Alzheimer’s in a nursing home who didn’t remember her grandchildren. It was just a made-for-school thing and it was badly acted, but when the lights came back up I was totally bawling. It took a long time to live that one down.
I also cry in any movie where something bad happens to an animal, no matter how bad the movie is. It could be Air Bud of Dunston Checks In and if there’s any sad part involving the animal, I will be in tears.
My husband makes fun of me because I almost never cry about real life things. We’ve been married seven years and I think he’s only seen me cry about something real one or two times, but it only takes the slightest bit of sentimentality for something fictional to start the waterworks. Do I need therapy for that?
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By Tristan on Oct 11, 2009
When I was lvl 8 or so, I wanted to meet my friend in Stormwind. So I ran from Ironforge to Badlands and got stuck in a cave… then someone pointed out there was a train. hahahah!
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By Swistle on Oct 13, 2009
OMG. THERE IS NOTHING. I AM HEADING FOR THE CLIFF RIGHT NOW. That WoW anecdote has PUSHED ME TO IT.
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By Lilivati on Oct 15, 2009
I don’t have any advice, because I do this too… But I have to say, I’ve spent a large portion of my time in WoW defending newbies from this kind of crap…never ceases to infuriate me!
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By Lonster on Oct 23, 2009
I donate several new unwrapped toys each year to Toys for Tots (I donate to other organizations, too, but this one has a story).
There was a commercial some years ago (read: MANY), where it started with a Marine in his dress uniform, standing at attention, dress rifle shouldered, guarding…something. It was a door, in a lobby of some Gov’t building.
A dirty faced, scruffy-looking kid, maybe 8 years old, with a beaten knit grey stocking cap and a surplus dark green coat that was too big for him, came in through the main door of the lobby, and focused on the Marine. The soldier gazed steadily straight ahead.
From a camera angle over the shoulder of the Marine, you see the boy gingerly (but quickly) walk across the floor, take off his hat upon reaching the Marine, and whisper, “Hi, I heard you might know Santa Claus? ’cause…if you do…I have a letter…” and the kid reaches into his pocket of his jacket, and takes out a tightly-folded piece of paper.
The camera returns to the profile of the Marine (not the side the rifle is shouldered on), still staring straight ahead. The camera quickly pans down his shoulder, his arm, his sleeve, to his white-gloved hand. The hand, ever-so-slowly rotates around, so that it is open toward the boy.
The camera goes back to the view of the boy, from over the shoulder of the soldier. His eyes are focused on the hand that moved, and his eyes widen visably. He quickly reaches out and puts the paper in the hand (quick camera cut to the side view, where you can see the grubby hand push the paper into the white-gloved hand, and the gloved hand closes over the paper and rotates back to proper attention form) of the soldier, and quickly exits the building. Upon exiting the building, the boy whispers to no one, “He DOES know Santa Claus!”
Then it fades to the logo of the Toys for Tots campaign for that year. If I had access to Youtube from work, I might try to search for it.
(and now I’m wiping tears away at work. shh)
(ok, I’m done with the comment necrology now, I’ll quit commenting on stuff that’s more than a week old)
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By Franchi on Dec 10, 2009
I once had a situation where a level 24 hunter complimented me on my pet cat. Which I thought was slightly odd as I got that cat at level 10. I then told him he could go get his own if he liked it and he replied “Oh yeah I really want too and can’t wait but when I asked somebody, they said I can’t have a pet til level 65! But I can’t wait!”
blink blink….starts cursing silently under my breath whomever told him that…
So I ended up guiding him back to the NE starting area so he could have his very own nightsaber. Took a while as we were in SW and he had zero flightpaths and hearth set to IF…
But I counted it time well spent after seeing him bounce around happily with his pet. Then a day later he whispered me and said his pet didn’t like him and ran away!
I then explained feeding the pet. haha So he got another and kept this one fed…
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