Lecture Notes: Disturbing and Gut-Wrenching Stories

Introduction

• The speaker shares personal and traumatic experiences.
• Stories involve severe loss and disturbing incidents.

Story 1: Tragic Beach Incident

Setting

• Location: Sochi, Russia
• Time: Summer of the current year
• Relationship: Speaker and girlfriend (dating for 2 years)

Activity

• Frequent visits to a busy beach (30 minutes drive).
• The appeal was the potential empty beach during bad weather.

Incident

• Despite a storm warning, they visited the beach.
• Encountered rough waves and storm conditions.
• A huge wave swept them both; girlfriend pulled into water.
• Speaker struggled to rescue her and couldn't find her.
• Police were called; she was never found.

Aftermath

• Traumatizing experience for the speaker.
• Inspired by a real incident in Sochi, Russia, where a woman was swept away.

Story 2: Disastrous Cruise Trip

Setting

• Location: Bahamas (Cruise trip)
• Occasion: Post-high school graduation celebration
• Characters: Speaker, friend Cameron, and troublesome individual Steven

Incident

• Steven, known for being rough, causes trouble during the trip.
• Heavy drinking leads to reckless behavior.
• Steven dares Cameron to jump off the boat at night.
• Cameron jumps but struggles in the dark, shark-infested waters.
• Cameron disappears, assumed to be attacked by a shark.

Aftermath

• Viral video and unresolved disappearance haunt the speaker.
• Memorial held for Cameron despite his body never being found.
• Inspired by a real incident involving a teen disappearing after jumping from a cruise ship.

Story 3: Disturbing Flight Encounter

Setting

• Route: Between LA and Taipei, Taiwan
• Character: Obese man, over 400 lbs, and inappropriate

Incident

• The man demanded inappropriate assistance in the bathroom.
• Physically and verbally abusive toward the flight attendants.
• Chief stewardess forced to help him in a demeaning manner.
• Experienced severe distress and trauma from the incident.

Aftermath

• The man blacklisted from the airline and later died in Thailand.
• Inspired by a real incident on an Eva Air flight.