Runaround Suesanville

“Here’s my story, sad but true
It’s about a town that I once knew
It took my time then ran me around
In circles round and round
Now listen people what I’m telling you
A-keep away from-a Runaround Suesanville.”

Have you ever gotten the runaround from someplace? Where they just keep sending you here, there, back here, back over there; until you snap; thinking why even bother?

Well this happened to me the other day.

So for the purpose of this story, and how when I think of this experience it makes me think of the song Runaround Sue, I gave the place I live the fictitious name of Suesanville. It does not relate at all to the real town Susanville, that is why I put an “e” in mine. Got it? Good.

So last month I recieved a ticket for running a red light.

I know, I know. I could hardly believe it myself. But first of all I was making a right turn on a red light, so it wasn’t as bad as running straight through traffic. I still couldn’t believe it though. I always drive carefully and cautiously. Like Cory on Boy Meets World when he first got his license. 

The only reason I can think of for doing this, is that the day I ran the light was two days before my wisdom teeth surgery, and I had a sinus infection plus a horrible headache; but could take no medicine as you had to be clean of everything 10 days prior to surgery.

So being a good citizen I went to the courthouse, prepared to pay my ticket. But what happened next was not what I was expecting.

Argh!!!

So I reported to the office it said to go to, and there was only one window open. So I went up to the lady and asked her about making installment payments on my ticket. She told me she couldn’t help me, and that the traffic person was gone for the day, and sent me on to window 13.

Oh well

So as I was walking, it turned out I really far to walk. The floor was set up circular, going one way, and window 14 was all the way on the other side. I mean this felt like it took forever, as if it was neverending. Kind of like that time I felt I was going to be lost in the mall.

ARRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!! Why won’t you end!

Finally I reach the window, but just my luck the person was talking to someone and helping them. It seemed like it was going to take a long time. Luckilly I was prepared.

So I sat waiting, reading my book. When the man was finished, I got up to ask for help with the paperwork, but the guy shut his window.

So I went next door, to window 15, to see if that person could help me, but no. She had no idea what I was talking about.

So I went all the way back to where I started. The lady I had originally talked to was gone, but now the window that had been previously closed was open. I went to her and told her my issue, and she said the window I needed to go to was Window 2.

I hate you all.

So I went to window 2, and when I got there the man asked if he could help me. I told him I hoped so because I had already been shot around to four windows.

He took my paperwork and started asking me all these questions, of which I knew nothing of. I told him I hadn’t filled out or done anything yet, just walked around in circles. He told me that he couldn’t help me, I had to go to window 9.

I was so mad! Another trip around!!!

But on I trekked.

So when I first got there was nobody else was there. But by now, due to my constant ping pongging back and forth, when I reached window 9 there was a person being helped, a lady with a baby, and after me two more people came.

I saw the guy place my paperwork on the desk, and then he took off back to his window. But even though I had found the correct place (hopefully), I now had to wait until the people were done.

Finally the person was done, and the lady with the baby walked up to the window, but she was stopped as the paperwork wasn’t hers. I was  ecstatic, It was MY paperwork! I would finally get help and be able to move on!

Majorly

It turns out as the lady was in front of me, although technically I had been waiting longer, I had to wait until she was done. NO cutting.

I was so upset!

I just wated to leavve. I was tired of it all.

The only thing that kept me was the fact if I might have to go through it a second time, or have my fine increased to $700. So I decided to wait.

Lucky for me, the lady let me go ahead.

So when I finally explaimed what I was here for, the lady at the window asked me if I ran the light straight or right turn. I told her a right turn, and then asked to pay installments.

She said “I’m going to have you see the judge…”

Excuse me, but that is not what I asked for. I wanted to pay the ticket and be done!

But the lady wouldn’t give up. She told me seeing the judge would reduce the fine. I said that I wanted to pay and be done. She insisted seeing the judge would cut the fine in half.  I said I wanted to pay and be done with it all. She told me that seeing the judge was better, as it would help…It was like she wasn’t listening to me at all.

By this time I was so worn out I caved and made an appointment to visit the judge.

It was such a waste of an afternoon, and now it is even prolonged. Ugh.

Until part two.

For more on my everyday life, go to Every Month at the Quarter Moon There’ll Be a Monsoon

Unleash the Savage Instincts that Lie Hidden Within: I Was A Teenage Werewolf (1957)

 

I’m going to TRANSFORM him, and unleash the savage instincts that lie hidden within… 

So this is another werewolf film, and a B horror film, that doesn’t end well. And to be perfectly honest that’s how I like them.

As depressing as that sounds, I like it when the werewolf story ends like that that because it’s closer to the original story. Here we have a good man, who has been turned into something he doesn’t want to be and can’t control. It’s sad and poetic at the same time.

So the big reason I watched this film was because it first of all was about a werewolf, which you all know I love. And it stars Michael Landon.

So the story is about Tony Rivers (Michael Landon) a boy who is known for losing his temper. His dad is constantly telling him he should get help for his anger problems, but Tony won’t listen. He doesn’t believe he has any issues at all. After a really bad fight on campus with a classmate, the police get involved. The Detective urges Tony to meet up with a psychologist. The thing that really pushes him to reform is his girlfriend Arlene (Yvonne Lime). She tells him he has too many issues and she can’t date a guy like that. At a party that night he attacks his friend when he surprises him, and that pushes him into seeking help from the acclaimed Dr. Alfred Brandon.

Now this is what makes the whole story so sad. He is earnestly trying to get help and fix his problems, but everything goes bad as he turns to the evil Doctor. I tell ya, I don’t trust doctors (unless they are Michael Rennie), as they always turn out evil. Dr. Hartz from The Lady Vanishes (1938), Dr. Hollingshead from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), Dr. Einstein from Arsenic and Old Lace (1944),  Dr. Arthur Carrington from The Thing From Another World (1951), and that’s just to name a few.

Anyways, so the Dr. Brandon has no intention of helping Tony out. Instead he wants to experiment on him, testing out this serum he created to bring out people’s primitive instincts. His assistant tries to convince him not to, but Dr. Brandon won’t listen.

“Dr Hugo Wagner: But you’re sacrificing a human life!

Dr Alfred Brandon: Do you cry over a guinea pig? This boy is a free police case. We’re probably saving him from the gas chamber.

Dr Hugo Wagner: But the boy is so young, the transformation horrible –

Dr Alfred Brandon: And you call yourself a scientist! That’s why you’ve never been more than an assistant.”

That night the teens all go hangout at a party. One of the guys, Frank, is killed while he is walking home from the party.

Victim #1

The next day the police are studying the scene and trying to figure out what could have done this. The police station’s janitor, an emigrant from the Carpathian Mountains, looks at the photos and determines that it was a werewolf that did it. In his hometown “human beings possessed by wolves” are common, so he declares that nothing else could have killed the boy.

The next day, Tony goes back for a second session in which he tells the doctor that he feels like something is wrong with him. The doctor brushes it off and Tony continues on his way. That day his principal calls him into her office and tells him how happy she is with the improvement. She is going to recommend him entry to the State University.

I know this won’t end well

It really gets me because he is so hopeful and sweet, yet you know, you know nothing will end well.

So Tony is happy, now that he has a future and a ticket to be something. As he walks to class the bell rings, triggering his transformation.

And he attacks Theresa, his classmate, who is practicing nearby.

Victim #2

Tony flees for his life, and even though he looks wolfish, people recognize him and put out an APB. A reporter goes to his father and girlfriend to find out more about him and get a scoop. Meanwhile, the police follow Tony, siccing dogs after him, but Tony takes them down.

In the morning, Tony wakes up in his true form. He tries to talk to Arlene but can’t get anywhere with her as she is too freaked. He then runs down to Dr. Brandon’s office to get his help.  Dr. Brandon lies to Tony, telling him he will help him but in reality injects him with the serum. Tony starts to transform when the phone rings and it causes Tony to go berserk, attacking the Dr. and assistant. Right then the police charge in and take Tony out (even though they don’t use silver bullets. Although they don’t need to as he isn’t a true werewolf but a manmade one). When they do so, Tony returns. But dead.

Doesn’t it just get you in the feels?

It’s just so sad. He wanted the help, he wanted to be better; but just went to the wrong person and everything in his life went downhill.

This was one of the films created by studios to branch into the teenage crowd. They would do “Creature Double Features” at movie theaters (as shown in The Blob) and drive ins. They were usually short films and teenagers were the focal characters as that was who they were trying to appeal to. Other films were The Blob (1958), Invasion of the Saucer Men, I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, Blood of Dracula, How to Make a Monster, Village of the Giants, etc. 

Here is a facebook cover I made one year, as part of my countdown to Halloween

To start Horrorfest III from the beginning, go to Even a Man Pure of Heart

For the previous post, go to Let Them Fight

For more on werewolves, go to A Monster Race

For more mad scientists, go to In Their Proper Place

For more remakes given a teenage twist, go to You’re Just Too Good To Be True