The "Choke" enterprenuerial technique
One of the themes in "Choke" that seems understated in the book is the fact that this guy gets money through getting rescued from choking by restaurant patrons who then help him out financially over time.
I hadn't paid much attention to that until I fell down at the supermarket the other day.
There was some syrupy goo outside the exit door, I slipped and fell to the ground. I wasn't hurt in any serious way, although I was limping a little for the afternoon. And I had syrupy goo on my pants leg.
The manager was apologetic and fretful. I am convinced that if I so much as said "ouch" he would have summoned an ambulance.
I tried to convince him that I was fine, and that the only thing I was worried about was that someone else might fall and get seriously hurt, so please get someone to clean up the goo. Which he did.
He continued to fret and hover around me, so finally I blurted out, in a joking way, "like I said, I'm really okay. Of course, if you wanted to give me a gift card or something..."
DONE!! He immediately flew over to customer service, had a gift card rung up and promptly handed it over, relieved that he had, somehow, done SOMEthing to be of help.
I'm too old and brittle to persue a lifetime of pratfalls for profit, but I'm sure someone could if they were limber enough and desperate enough.
Which got me to wondering. Choking in restaurants, pratfalls in supermarkets... how else could one profit if one were so minded?
-- Truly, my signature will be publicly displayed at the end of my comments!
Really? I think I'll go back and ask for a hug...
-- Truly, my signature will be publicly displayed at the end of my comments!
He does it not only for the money. But for the emotional attachement he gains from his rescuee. Since his mom showed him little to almost no affection during his childhood he developed a void that could only be filled by the loving of others and that seemed to satisfy him.
"It does not matter. The joke is we all have the same punch line."
Tender Branson
"Survivor"
Yeah, but he still made money off of it. Money that he survived off of. Ive never intentionally hurt myself to make money but I have lied my way into cases of free food and drink. Food and drink that kept me happily fed and caffeinated for a good part of my high school career.
I think you're situation's a little different, candygram. The store manager wanted to help you because you were hurt in his store. He felt responsible. In the book, it's other restaurant patrons who save him. They have no responsibility over what happens and aren't worried about a lawsuit or anything.
They were a hero for a day. It was the greatest day of their lives. So they feel a need to maintain a relationship with the victim and continue saving him so that they can preserve that feeling of being a hero.
he also profits not only from money but emotionally by being held by his rescuers in the book.