Stung by a Bee 2013-11-14

[WilliamCA]

What I find interesting is that Pickle has apparently seen or heard of someone having a REALLY bad reaction to a bee sting. And naturally assumed that Atsali becoming all bumpy and curvy and popping out of her pajamas was something similar.

Maybe Atsali IS allergic to bees, and she's swollen before.

We know Monica has!!!

Here: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/hornet-sting/

Continuing here: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/stunbutt/

and here: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/got-buns-hun/

Makes you wonder if that song would have hit it big if it had been about boobs...

I have to admit i had a hard time finding these comic funny. Mainly because i am severely allergic to stings from bees, hornets, and wasps. I'm talking deathly allergic here since what happens when i get stung is that my bronchi swell shut in about 20 minutes and then i die.

[kingklash]

Well, seeing as Atsali is well-read, the wonders of Pooberty would not be a mystery for her. I had learned to read when I was three, and when my parents had bought that set of red books about the body (some of the older Wapsters might know the ones I'm talking about) to help them through the changes, I read them all through. When I was older, Ma and Pop decided that I would handle the Talk with my brother "Because you probably understand it better than we do."

Of course, knowing the How isn't protection for the When.

[Kirishala]

I doubt it was killing dream...the musical quality of her humming doesn't lend itself to it. Unless she's a sociopathic killer at heart which really doesn't fit the profile of what we've seen so far.

I'd agree with that if she wasn't a siren. In mythology the sirens were described as using their beautiful voices to lure men to them to be eaten, so the musical quality of her humming and her figure shifting to be more attractive is actually an example of predatory behaviour. Its a simple manifestation of her instincts rather than anything conscious on her part so does not make her a sociopathic killer (inasmuch as the term sociopath can even be applied to a non-human's psychology).

[kingklash]

By the way, today is National Pickle Day, so let's give Castela lots of hugs!

[loxmyth]

In case anyone isn't aware of it, I've heard the term "bee bite" used in other contexts to refer to budding breasts... though I think Atsali skipped bud and went straight to bloom, in this case. (Cue a chorus of "June is busting out all over...")

At least so far we haven't had to deal with the question of whether the nonhumans not only mature differently from our sort, but at different rates. We already know that at least some of them age differently... though as far as I know we haven't yet met any whose lives are significantly shorter than human norm.

[Mark N]

I doubt it was killing dream...the musical quality of her humming doesn't lend itself to it. Unless she's a sociopathic killer at heart which really doesn't fit the profile of what we've seen so far.

I'd agree with that if she wasn't a siren. In mythology the sirens were described as using their beautiful voices to lure men to them to be eaten, so the musical quality of her humming and her figure shifting to be more attractive is actually an example of predatory behaviour. Its a simple manifestation of her instincts rather than anything conscious on her part so does not make her a sociopathic killer (inasmuch as the term sociopath can even be applied to a non-human's psychology).

If you are right and this was a "Siren" dream, then her embarrassment about her other forms might be her being ashamed of being an extremely predatory species of paranormal. She may also be afraid that if others know what she is they would fear her and have behaviors like Phix did to the Vampires (one being her Grandma now) when they showed up in the Library (an example for our benefit since Atsali most likely does not know about that event).

[JSStryker]

What I find interesting is that Pickle has apparently seen or heard of someone having a REALLY bad reaction to a bee sting. And naturally assumed that Atsali becoming all bumpy and curvy and popping out of her pajamas was something similar.

Maybe Atsali IS allergic to bees, and she's swollen before.

We know Monica has!!!

Here: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/hornet-sting/

Continuing here: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/stunbutt/

and here: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/got-buns-hun/

Makes you wonder if that song would have hit it big if it had been about boobs...

I have to admit i had a hard time finding these comic funny. Mainly because i am severely allergic to stings from bees, hornets, and wasps. I'm talking deathly allergic here since what happens when i get stung is that my bronchi swell shut in about 20 minutes and then i die.

William is know what you mean about deadly allergies, I do hope you keep 911 on speed dial and a supply of epi-pens at hand at all times.

[Avenger_Reloaded]

Surprised no one said it before but wow kids grow so fast these days.

Contextually speaking, kids growing fast means buying new clothes. Keeping my 15 year old in shoes has been a challenge since he's currently a size 13 shoe. So the timing of this shopping trip is awesome.
For Atsali it means getting a bra made out of the same purple fabric as Bruce Banner's pants.

So yeah this flashback is all sorts of awkward for Atsali. No wonder she wanted to cut Castela off from speaking, in her oh so subtle teenage way.

Regarding bees I'm highly allergic as well. I pack an epi-pen at home and at work. Thankfully only got stung once in my life which is how I found out in the first place. I still found the funny in the comic but I am a cynic after all. I fully understand the serious nature of it all. Now not every joke will be funny to everyone. That's the great thing about standards, there's so many to choose from.

[Fairportfan]

Got a penicillin allergy here. At least we think so.

They won't test for it, after i tell them that the first time i had a reaction (in boot camp), it put me in sick bay three days.

=============

Remember Katherine - when she was worrying about the anomalous results of her fibre analysis on the portal cloth (or whatever) that she was afraid might damage her career/reputation?

She was wondering how to avoid the meeting the next morning and speculated that if she bought a box of strawberries and ate just one, she could PROBABLY call 911 and get the EMTs there before full anaphylaxis set in.

[Dave]

Remember Katherine - when she was worrying about the anomalous results of her fibre analysis on the portal cloth (or whatever) that she was afraid might damage her career/reputation?

She was wondering how to avoid the meeting the next morning and speculated that if she bought a box of strawberries and ate just one, she could PROBABLY call 911 and get the EMTs there before full anaphylaxis set in.

Yup. No joke at all.

One of my occasional "Stare, snarl, shriek, and want-to-choke" triggers is hearing about the occasional nitwit who is so certain that his friend's food allergy is "all in his head", that he spikes his friend's food with the allergen in question to "prove it's all imaginary". If the friend is very lucky indeed, s/he only ends up in the hospital. Were I a prosecutor I'd think seriously about "Assault with a deadly weapon" charges in a case like this... "reckless endangerment" seems too mild.

There was a very sad case reported this week, in which a kid turned himself in voluntarily to serve a short jail sentence for possession of marijuana (which has been decriminalized in his state since his arrest). He had a severe milk allergy. He apparently asked, repeatedly, whether the oatmeal the prisoners were being served had any milk in it, was apparently told "No", took a bite, and went into an acute asthma attack. Using his inhaler, he begged the guard to call the jail nurse/medic, was told to return to his cell, was locked in (!), and his desperate signals for help were ignored... for more than half an hour, if I recall correctly.

When the medic finally arrived, they found him unconscious on the cell floor.

He did not survive.

People who haven't had to struggle with allergies (food or otherwise) simply don't "get" how debilitating and dangerous they can be. Fortunately, none of mine have ever been bad beyond the "take a dose of antihistamines and painkillers and ephedrine, and go to bed for a few hours" (a migraine-level reaction, with a side dish of aphasia), but other people have not been so fortunate.

[NOTDilbert]

About three years back I started having mysterious anaphylaxis attacks with no known trigger. I was looking at a couple thousand dollar screening test in a town about 2 hours away; by then, over the course of 16 months I had been in the ER or hospitalised 18 times, and anything was beginning to look better than that. Thankfully I was reffered to a kidney doctor for diabetes-related damage; he looked at my meds list and said "Have you ever had any mysterious allergy attacks with no known trigger?" When I was done gaping at him, he pointed out that one of my blood-pressure meds had that effect on a small number of people; he also said my PCP probably didn't know to look for it, since you kinda had to have the right specialty.....

Dumping the meds fixed it. Whew.

[Fairportfan]

Then there's the people who know they have allergies but won't do due diligence.

Had a case a couple years back in the Atlanta area where a kid (i say "kid" - he was nineteen or twenty or so) who had a known shellfish allergy - just certain types; crab? - went to a seafood joint and apparently failed to read the menu's description and/or ask the server exactly what was in his dish and died.

[Sphinx-Napped]

If i remember right, paul only does color when its important to the story line so if in color then its imporant to the storyline and character growth as well the msg that paul is telling us,

i.e when the rape topic was important to 2 characters growth and over coming it and healing that was mostly all in color when it was getting to the heavy important issues on rape dealing with it and such..

now this story being in color after ltl pickle told us about it. i think there going to be issues thatwill be brought up about having to deal with growing up

[zachariah]

If i remember right, paul only does color when its important to the story line so if in color then its imporant to the storyline and character growth as well the msg that paul is telling us,

i.e when the rape topic was important to 2 characters growth and over coming it and healing that was mostly all in color when it was getting to the heavy important issues on rape dealing with it and such..

now this story being in color after ltl pickle told us about it. i think there going to be issues thatwill be brought up about having to deal with growing up

That is not strictly true. While he has used it for that he has also used to show flashbacks, cute side issues, or just fan service. So it is very hard to make it a rule that color panels mean more that it seperates them from the current story line, or highlights the incident. As in the blood on Phix when she ate the APO.

[Fairportfan]

Basically, emphasis.

[DilyV]

Got a penicillin allergy here. At least we think so.

They won't test for it, after i tell them that the first time i had a reaction (in boot camp), it put me in sick bay three days.

=============

Remember Katherine - when she was worrying about the anomalous results of her fibre analysis on the portal cloth (or whatever) that she was afraid might damage her career/reputation?

She was wondering how to avoid the meeting the next morning and speculated that if she bought a box of strawberries and ate just one, she could PROBABLY call 911 and get the EMTs there before full anaphylaxis set in.

Pennicillin here as well... one of my brothers almost died from it when he was little... mom was slightly allergic... showing hives a little, so never paid much attention, then my brother comes along and gets pneumonia and the give him penicillin and it almost killed him. It was touch and go there for a bit. By the time I was born (4 of 4, call me Borg, lol) no penicillin was a no brainer.

Bee stings are no joke to those with allergies, but I'm sure this isn't a poke at those who do. It's just a fun look at growing up paranormal. Think of Atsali's allergy. Being found out that she's a siren.

[Grantwhy]

I've not got the best memory, so apologies if someone has already mentioned this.

I like the way Castela's eye stalks are (literally?) popping out of head when Atsali is does her 'Hobbs pounce attack'.


hmmm .... that's odd. Mid-pounce Atsali doesn't seem to have wings. Artwork oops or intentional?

[MerchManDan]

hmmm .... that's odd. Mid-pounce Atsali doesn't seem to have wings. Artwork oops or intentional?

Could be intentional; she's probably shifting forms whilst addled from the dream and being startled awake. Only Paul knows for sure.

[bmonk]

Then there's the people who know they have allergies but won't do due diligence.

Had a case a couple years back in the Atlanta area where a kid (i say "kid" - he was nineteen or twenty or so) who had a known shellfish allergy - just certain types; crab? - went to a seafood joint and apparently failed to read the menu's description and/or ask the server exactly what was in his dish and died.

We had a sad case a few years back in the state--woman with severe seafood allergy asked the restaurant specifically if there was any seafood in the bisque, was assured there was not--so she took a spoonful in her mouth, recognized there was, spit it out--but still went into coma and eventually died a few weeks later. It was the waiter's/cook's fault, apparently

[Fairportfan]

The case here in the Atlanta area involved a dish whose ingredients were clearly listed on the menu.

Harlan Ellison, in collaboration with Avram Davidson, wrote a short story called "Up Christopher to Madness" that involved (among other wacky things) a mobster named Clarence "Gefilte" Fish who had a severe seafood allergy but loved fish. He got his nickname because he discovered that gefilte fish is freshwater fish, to which he was not allergic.