More Awesome Than You!

I had a kitchen fire in one of my houses this morning that claimed the lives of 5 adults, one teen, and one child.  The sole survivor (unless you count the family dog, which ran away in the middle of the catastrophe) is a boy who just became a child a couple of days ago.

The fire happened on a Friday evening.  There was a nanny in the house at the time.  The kid went to sleep, and when he woke up the next morning I bought a new fridge so he'd have something to eat.  He stayed in the house, alone except for the nanny, all day Saturday (I did have him invite a friend over at one point so he'd have someone to talk to).  On Saturday night I decided to move him in with a cousin.

My question is, could the kid really have survived all alone in that house indefinitely, with nothing but a phone to call a nanny when needed, and a fridge to provide food?  I don't have any social worker hacks installed and I was just amazed that he lasted a full 24 hours as the only member of the family in the house.  I have played teens who lived alone under similar circumstances, but I figured that the game wouldn't allow kids to do that.

Was the nanny there all the time?  That would keep the SW from coming.  There's also a hack over on insimenator (by XPTL_<some numbers> I think) that allows kids to stay home alone for long periods of time, or to actually live alone period. Maybe that one snuck it's way into your game with a downloaded lot?

The nanny was there when the fire started, then I had the kid call her again when I saw the warning message about leaving the kid without supervision.  I guess you're right, that's why the social worker never showed up.  But still, can you imagine if something like that had happened in real life?

"The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane."  (1976).  Though technically, Jodie Foster played a teen, not a child.

 - Gus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Girl_Who_Lives_Down_the_Lane

Ugh, that sounds creepy. Is it better than it sounds? I always forget that Jodie Foster's been in some real dogs.

I remember it as being decent, but I saw it on TV as a teenager.  I mostly remembered the implied-sex scene (always important to teenage males) and the end bit where Sheen talks about the almond taste of his tea.  I wouldn't say it was creepy, though it's classed as a "horror" film.  I think the examination of how powerless children generally are in an adult world is interesting.

 - Gus

In the real world...

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20051020/ai_n15706417

and

Story last updated at 1:22 p.m. on Thursday, December 9, 1999

Nine-year-old who lived with mother's corpse now with grandmother

Associated Press

CARTHAGE, Miss. -- A 9-year-old Memphis boy who lived with his mother's corpse for a month is now finding comfort in the arms of his maternal grandmother.

Shirley Wilder says Travis Butler appears to be normal and stable despite his ordeal.

Travis told authorities he lived in an apartment with his mother's body because he was afraid if he told anyone she was dead he would be placed in foster care.

Travis cut his hair, fixed meals -- mainly frozen pizza, cereal and soup -- and went to school every day from the time he said his mother died Nov. 3 until her body was discovered Monday.

Now, at Wilder's trailer home in Carthage, Miss., Travis is being shielded from the media and others interested in his story.

"He said, 'Grandmother, it feels so good being in your arms,"' Wilder told The Commercial Appeal of Memphis on Wednesday.

She said the details of Travis' month with his deceased mother will have to remain with Travis for now.

"We've got to make sure he's strong enough to be asked questions," she said. "We want to cover little Travis up for the time being."

Police have not released a cause of death for Crystal Wells, 30, but said foul play is not suspected. Family friend Dorothy Jeffries said Wells had various health problems, including high blood pressure.

Wilder said in recent months her daughter had been suffering from a chronic sinus problem that caused her difficulty breathing.

Wilder was unsure whether her daughter was working, but knew she had money problems and had at least some of her utilities turned off. Wilder said she often sent cash to Wells and spoke to her on the phone, but had not seen her in 16 months.

"I have no transportation so I couldn't help my child," said Wilder, who recently underwent heart bypass surgery.

Wells apparently had no contact with Travis' father, who she met while in the Army in Germany.

Mrs. Jeffries and her husband Nathaniel found Wells' body when they went to the apartment after becoming concerned when they were unable to contact her. When they arrived, Travis answered the door.

Wells' body was on the living room floor. Travis had covered it with his mother's coat and placed sheets of notebook paper over her face, Mrs. Jeffries said.

Mrs. Jeffries said Wells moved to Memphis about three years ago. Mrs. Jeffries and her husband met Wells two years ago when Wells' car broke down in Olive Branch and they picked her up as she walked along the road.

"Crystal was a loner and didn't trust anyone," Mrs. Jeffries said. "She taught Travis how to rely on himself because she said she didn't trust people, especially men."

Mrs. Jeffries said Travis told her that after his mother died he would go to school, do his homework and watch television. His mother had some money in the house and when he ran out of food he walked to the grocery store and bought more, she said.

Wells was very private, so neighbors probably didn't notice anything was wrong, Mrs. Jeffries said.

That Travis survived alone is not surprising, Wilder said. Like his mother, Travis is independent.

"I don't think he thought of (calling for help). He just thought, 'I'm going to be brave and get through this myself,"' she said.

That's just sad... :(

I don't see anything sad. It's not like he was found dead in a ditch or anything.

But yes, like in real life, assuming the SS doesn't get you, sim-kids can live alone pretty much indefinitely, although paying the bills may be tricky, so someone would notice eventually. Of course, sim-repomen merely take some of your lawn furniture and leave.