{ "submission_id": "1888189", "keywords": [ { "keyword_id": "932", "keyword_name": "death", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "12693" }, { "keyword_id": "215085", "keyword_name": "disappearance", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "5" }, { "keyword_id": "475045", "keyword_name": "plausible", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2" }, { "keyword_id": "340291", "keyword_name": "thought experiment", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2" } ], "hidden": "f", "scraps": "t", "favorite": "f", "favorites_count": "0", "create_datetime": "2019-05-20 03:20:05.692463+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "20 May 2019 05:20 CEST", "last_file_update_datetime": "2019-05-20 03:00:30.900999+00", "last_file_update_datetime_usertime": "20 May 2019 05:00 CEST", "username": "JunkBox", "user_id": "6992", "user_icon_file_name": "6711_JunkBox_mosfet.gif", "user_icon_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/large/6/6711_JunkBox_mosfet.gif", "user_icon_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/medium/6/6711_JunkBox_mosfet.gif", "user_icon_url_small": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/small/6/6711_JunkBox_mosfet.gif", "file_name": "2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/2715/2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/2715/2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2715/2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "files": [ { "file_id": "2715332", "file_name": "2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/2715/2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/2715/2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2715/2715332_JunkBox_dead_and_nobody_knew.txt", "mimetype": "text/plain", "submission_id": "1888189", "user_id": "6992", "submission_file_order": "0", "full_size_x": null, "full_size_y": null, "screen_size_x": null, "screen_size_y": null, "preview_size_x": null, "preview_size_y": null, "initial_file_md5": "0cb588a3bdc77a0d7281792046f326cd", "full_file_md5": "0cb588a3bdc77a0d7281792046f326cd", "large_file_md5": "", "small_file_md5": "", "thumbnail_md5": "", "deleted": "f", "create_datetime": "2019-05-20 03:00:30.900999+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "20 May 2019 05:00 CEST" } ], "pools": [], "description": "Some time ago I saw a TV show about a crime scene cleanup crew, and the particular scene documented by the program got me wondering: just how could someone pass on, and nobody know about it?\n\nSo during NaNoWriMo one year, I ran a thought experiment... and it's so damn plausible I wonder how often it really happens.\n\nI don't have a story needing this, so I'm putting this brain dropping out for anyone to use.\n\nFlagged as mature because of subject matter, although this discussion could be shown to a general audience.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Some time ago I saw a TV show about a crime scene cleanup crew, and the particular scene documented by the program got me wondering: just how could someone pass on, and nobody know about it?

So during NaNoWriMo one year, I ran a thought experiment... and it's so damn plausible I wonder how often it really happens.

I don't have a story needing this, so I'm putting this brain dropping out for anyone to use.

Flagged as mature because of subject matter, although this discussion could be shown to a general audience.", "writing": "You might have heard of some of cases where someone died, and nobody knew about it until the person's remains were little more than a skeleton.\n\nOddly enough, modern automation with conveniences such as automatic bank drafts could keep the lights on, and nobody would notice until someone complains about the stench.\n\nLet me paint a picture...\n----------\n\nOlder man, retired, lifelong bachelor, not dating or seeing anyone. \n\nPersonality: He's largely kept to himself, and never been a very social person. Neighbors rarely have more conversation than a passing greeting - most often he crosses paths in nearly opposite directions, he comes when they go, no time to talk. \n\nHis extended family already think of him as a phantom. Some years he can make it to a big family gathering at the holidays, and most of said relatives live anywhere from states to continents away.\nSome relatives thought he was *already* dead - most of his generation are.\n\nHe still works a part time job, just enough to keep doing something. This keeps a rather irregular schedule - some weeks, he can put in 30 hours, other weeks he might get nothing. Also a bit seasonal, dry spells can last up to a month. \nSchedule is usually emailed out to him or posted in advance, though sometimes he'll be called in - \"can you take Tom's shift on the 15th?\"\n\nHealth could be better, but he's not in any obvious danger - doesn't smoke, rarely (if ever) drinks, no recreational drugs. Walks most places, to the point where he has to keep a starter pack for his car because the battery constantly goes flat. \nBiggest danger health wise is that he argues with his physician about taking medication, he's trying to take as little as possible. He misses doctor appointments without much notice, though usually work is the cause of this.\n\nDoesn't bump elbows with the landlord too often. Handles a lot of his own repair work, and is quite good at it - the the point where he even declined work as the property handy man more than once because the hours would go over what his retirement permits.\n\nThe apartment building where he lives has a fair number of short(er) term leases, most lasting only a year. Nobody pays any mind to the Old Guy in 6F - they only see him maybe twice in a given month.\n\nHe's computer savvy enough to know how to set up automatic bill payments and bank drafts, so he doesn't have to worry about forgetting monthly utility bills. He has his paycheck, stock dividends, retirement income, and social security directly deposited to his bank account, obviating trips to the bank and mailbox.\n\nHe's a quiet man and he likes it that way. \n\n\n\nWell, here's where all of these things become red flags for what is about to happen.\nA health problem that has claimed otherwise perfectly healthy people takes him down: an aneurysm, a weak spot on an artery, in his brain lets go; resulting in a combined hemorrhage and stroke. He dies in his sleep.\n\nAnd here's how nobody notices:\n\n* He's not dating or seeing anyone. No dog to bark.\n\n* He's a phantom to his rather distant family, and as stated some think he's already dead.\n\n* His neighbors might go weeks between sightings - and meeting him in passing could be described as a sighting, he's nearly always going the opposite direction.\n\n* Heck, even the LANDLORD hardly ever speaks to him.\n\n* Part time jobs, often in retail or related businesses, have to deal with slow times. Expendables have to be expended, and someone like The Man In 6F who isn't worried about loss of income, could accept taking some time off.\nThat dog might bark if he passes during a busier time of year and his bosses start calling, but during a down time nobody would notice.\n\n* The rent and utility bills are handled by computers and automation. If his rent includes utilities, that's one less dog to bark. This can go unnoticed for *years.*\n\n* Missed appointments are an unreliable watchdog: if The Man In 6F had a habit of missing appointments without much notice, only calling weeks to months after the missed appointment to schedule another one, they might not say anything until it gets out of hand.\n\n----------", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "You might have heard of some of cases where someone died, and nobody knew about it until the person's remains were little more than a skeleton.

Oddly enough, modern automation with conveniences such as automatic bank drafts could keep the lights on, and nobody would notice until someone complains about the stench.

Let me paint a picture...
----------

Older man, retired, lifelong bachelor, not dating or seeing anyone.

Personality: He's largely kept to himself, and never been a very social person. Neighbors rarely have more conversation than a passing greeting - most often he crosses paths in nearly opposite directions, he comes when they go, no time to talk.

His extended family  already think of him as a phantom. Some years he can make it to a big family gathering at the holidays, and most of said relatives live anywhere from states to continents away.
Some relatives thought he was *already* dead - most of his generation are.

He still works a part time job, just enough to keep doing something. This keeps a rather irregular schedule - some weeks, he can put in 30 hours, other weeks he might get nothing. Also a bit seasonal, dry spells can last up to a month.
Schedule is usually emailed out to him or posted in advance, though sometimes he'll be called in - "can you take Tom's shift on the 15th?"

Health could be better, but he's not in any obvious danger - doesn't smoke, rarely (if ever) drinks, no recreational drugs. Walks most places, to the point where he has to keep a starter pack for his car because the battery constantly goes flat.
Biggest danger health wise is that he argues with his physician about taking medication, he's trying to take as little as possible. He misses doctor appointments without much notice, though usually work is the cause of this.

Doesn't bump elbows with the landlord too often. Handles a lot of his own repair work, and is quite good at it - the the point where he even declined work as the property handy man more than once because the hours would go over what his retirement permits.

The apartment building where he lives has a fair number of short(er) term leases, most lasting only a year. Nobody pays any mind to the Old Guy in 6F - they only see him maybe twice in a given month.

He's computer savvy enough to know how to set up automatic bill payments and bank drafts, so he doesn't have to worry about forgetting monthly utility bills. He has his paycheck, stock dividends, retirement income, and social security directly deposited to his bank account, obviating trips to the bank and mailbox.

He's a quiet man and he likes it that way.



Well, here's where all of these things become red flags for what is about to happen.
A health problem that has claimed otherwise perfectly healthy people takes him down: an aneurysm, a weak spot on an artery, in his brain lets go; resulting in a combined hemorrhage and stroke. He dies in his sleep.

And here's how nobody notices:

* He's not dating or seeing anyone. No dog to bark.

* He's a phantom to his rather distant family, and as stated some think he's already dead.

* His neighbors might go weeks between sightings - and meeting him in passing could be described as a sighting, he's nearly always going the opposite direction.

* Heck, even the LANDLORD hardly ever speaks to him.

* Part time jobs, often in retail or related businesses, have to deal with slow times. Expendables have to be expended, and someone like The Man In 6F who isn't worried about loss of income, could accept taking some time off.
That dog might bark if he passes during a busier time of year and his bosses start calling, but during a down time nobody would notice.

* The rent and utility bills are handled by computers and automation. If his rent includes utilities, that's one less dog to bark. This can go unnoticed for *years.*

* Missed appointments are an unreliable watchdog: if The Man In 6F had a habit of missing appointments without much notice, only calling weeks to months after the missed appointment to schedule another one, they might not say anything until it gets out of hand.

----------", "pools_count": 0, "title": "Random Notes: how to die or disappear without anyone knowing", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/plain", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "3", "name": "Violence", "description": "Mild violence", "rating_id": "1" }, { "content_tag_id": "5", "name": "Strong Violence", "description": "Strong violence, blood, serious injury or death", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "0", "views": "36" }