I was going to create a poll, but the list got so long, and most of these would be below 1% anyway.
There are a bunch of scenarios and character types that happen very rarely in real life, but which characters in TV and movies seem to encounter all the time … but, when they do happen in real life, it probably makes for a good story. So who feels like sharing? Or if you don’t feel like giving details, just giving the category would still be helpful.
Feel free to interpret the cliches broadly, and to post regardless of what roll you played. So, for instance, “computer hacking” would count for the hacker, the hackee, someone trying to catch the hacker, someone directly affected by it, etc.
Ok, which, if any, of these have you experienced in real life:
Throwing a drink in someone’s face.
Flushing pills down the toilet, or booze down the drain, etc.
Running to catch someone at the airport/train station before they leave.
Walking in on a cheating lover, in the act.
Any shootout/armed standoff/ hostage situation, etc.
Deus ex machina – a crisis is resolved by something which is unexpected and totally out of your control.
A love triangle.
One Last Job: a great test or ordeal of some sort right before retirement.
Being called out of retirement (to complete a specific task).
A great underdog triumph.
Car chase.
Dirty cops.
Time travel.
Jumping or being thrown through a window.
Star-crossed lovers.
An inspiring speech before a big showdown or challenge.
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Magical Negro
A fugitive from justice.
Surviving a “terminal” diagnosis
From the Mouths of Babes: a child who speaks an unrealized truth.
Voices in your head.
Getting the Band Back Together: a reunion to accomplish a specific task.
A climactic showdown.
Computer hacking.
Stabbed in the back by an underling or partner.
Reduced to doing porn/prostitution in desperation.
Hiring a private detective.
Getting whipped into shape and straightened out by joining the military.
Bribery
Friendship torn apart new-found wealth, jealousy, etc.
Loan sharking
Embezzlement
Hellish descent into booze and pills.
Life on the Road: debauchery during a concert tour or something similar.
Police interrogation.
A psycho ex.
Cocaine in a strip club.
In vino veritas: a revelation or admission while drunk/high.
Strippers at a bachelor party.
“It’s a matter of life & death!” – pleading with someone using those words or similar.
Having sex with someone to get back at someone else.
Extortion/blackmail.
Mile High Club: sex in an airplane.
Blowjob in a car while driving.
Shipped off to boarding school.
Sleeping with a teacher.
Sex at a wedding, hooking up with a bridesmaid, etc.
Dramatic “I quit!” moment.
Barroom brawl.
Threesome, orgy, key party, etc.
Picking up a one night stand at a bar.
Cops breaking up a party.
Wedding called off at the last minute.
Meet-cute.
Heroic actions in combat.
Other (explain).
None; I’ve led a boring life.
Sadly, I think I’m a #77 here. Came pretty close to having sex at a wedding, but bungled it by completely missing the signals (until a few days later, when I slapped myself in the face for being so stupid).
Me too, unless I missed something (I didn’t take the time to carefully deliberate over every item), but I’m not so sure it’s “sadly.” A life that would make a good movie is not necessarily the same thing as a life that would make a good life.
#3 - Running to the train station. Did that the other day. Did not catch up to my wife. But it’s cool now. #25 - Computer Hacking. It was for fun, not for profit or Global Thermonuclear Warfare. No one lost anything. But there you are. #30. Bribery. If this includes slipping a quick $20 to get better seats at Shea Stadium, or some other preferred treatment (hotels, airports, taxis), then abso-freakin-lutely, many times over. #40 - Strippers at a Bachelor Party. ahem Nope, never happened :b #69 - Barroom brawl. These are not just TV cliches. And bottles and bar stools don’t break as easily in real life as they do on TV or movies. #72 - Cops breaking up a party. At least six times. Usually it just means the neighbors complained. But some times where when a guest at the party was a cop (or corrections officer - someone with a badge) and the cops either just said keep the volume down, or came in for a cup of coffee or ahem a beer. Though I guess that’s not breaking the party up.
That’s the broad interpretation standard from the OP but more like the cliche than not. Nearly a 42 as well. Close to a 56 as well even though the road trip was more in the 2000-2500 mile round trip range than cross country.
I left a room and realized I forgot something and went back in to hear the two people left behind bad mouthing me so I quickly ducked into a nook and listened to them go on and on and then confronted them later.
I had a Boss verbally give me a raise (a substantial one) and then suddenly pass away less than 48 hours later. Beyond the tragedy of it all (and it was; he was a good Boss and a friend) I had to go a couple days wondering if he had actually told anyone about my raise before he died. Took me a while to work up the courage to ask. Turned out he did.
I’ve twice done things that could be described as “cracking”, which I imagine is what the OP means: Once to let an acquaintance know about a security vulnerability, and once to get access to a computer I was supposed to have access to anyway. Actual hacking has been many times more than that.
I’ve been both the student surpassing the teacher (one time, I got the whole class out of a homework assignment by doing it in my head in the last five minutes of class), and the teacher surpassed by the student (many times, actually, and often from the students you’d least expect it from).
Not precisely a dark alley, but I once got attacked by three thugs (I think they were just in it for the Hell of it) on a secluded street I probably should have avoided. Fortunately a classmate happened to be driving by and stopped to help, and 3 to 2 wasn’t good enough odds for them and they ran.
And I’m not sure what category “smuggling drunk Australians across the Mexican border” fits into, but it’s probably under some point or another in the OP. The road trip one, maybe?
I’m in my 60s and most of my numbers are too: 61, 63, 64, 66, (except I was the teacher sleeping with a student! Does that count?), 67, 68. 69. A few not in the 60s: 7 (hasn’t everyone been in a love triangle?), 70, 72 (it was the era, I guess). Good times!
Damn, I’d sure like to hear some of these stories – most of them, actually. A car chase??
Certainly!
Sure, close enough for government work.
No, it has to be something distinguishable from simply “thoughts,” although, now that I think of it, I’m not sure how to define what I’m talking about. It’s the kind of thing that’s usually tied to some sort of (perhaps temporary) psychosis or mental defect.