timtommy said:
I am curious what people think about what could Chris have achieved if things were different, with out changing too much about him. Also, what needed to be different for it to happen.
Best case is probably something like:
-Cole and Bob fight horribly shortly after Barb "falls in love" with Bob.
-Bob winds up bailing on Barb shortly after they marry; Barb is pregnant with Chris.
-Barb decides that she can't handle an autistic child on her own, so she decides to put Chris for Adoption.
-Chris is adopted by Mr. Dylan Dash and grows up to be an orange Guido.
But if the Scenario requires CWC to wind up closer to himself...
-Chris' idea of Sonichu has won a contest, Sonichu might be his unique creation, but it becomes a mania of his.
-The effect of this mania is that Chris throws in incredible effort when it comes to art and drawing. (This is, perhaps, not that far from his current state, given the slow way he does things)
-Chris' quality of artwork continues to improve; that's what Mania means. He might be Honor Roll in High School, but he's passionate about artwork and when he goes in PVCC, he studies art. After two years of high school art classes, Chris' artwork reflects drawing, planning, and consideration of his final project; in short, he makes decent imagery.
-Chris is in a different circle of acquaintances in PVCC, the odds of hitting an awkward artist girl in his classes are fairly good. Since I'm trying to satisfy the OP's scenario, this is what Chris thinks he wants: A Heartsweet. In reality, it's also a lot more; someone who will push back against his major failings and be a positive influence that he has lacked in his life thus far.
-The effect of all of this is that Chris winds up major changes to his life because of his Heartsweet. Early steps, like throwing out shirts like the Classic and getting dress clothes, greatly improve his appearance. As men do for other reasons, love can make a boy a man. Barb sees Chris as dangerously far from her, but Bob completely approves of Chris growing up in this way.
-Chris tries working at Wendy's, but after three months on the job he is deeply unhappy with it and quits. He's aware of the power of the internet, so he builds a deviantart account. Higher quality images plus a more balanced personality means that Chris builds a non-troll following on Deviantart.
-Chris, however, liked the money he had from Wendy's. Not great at dealing with people but reasonably capable of following orders and rules, Chris gets a job at UPS moving boxes. It's a hard job in terms of physical demands, but its something Chris can do, fills the repetitive tasks niche that autistic seem to like, and it means that Chris has non-troll people he deals with daily and a source of exercise. Chris' coworkers are largely men, so this helps him overcome his aberrant dislike of other men.
-Chris isn't well employed, but he has a hobby, a girlfriend and a job. He's fifty pounds lighter, never touched Lipitor, and lists Michael Snyder as a reference on his resume. Ultimately, he decides to marry the woman who he's reshaped his life around; leave 14 Branchland court behind. It's Bobs' last triumph, helping CWC get married. His health failing, Bob dies one year after CWC is married.
-Barb is a petty woman from start to finish--but Chris has a terrible screaming match with her and simply leaves. Inadvertently, this is a direct death sentence for Barb, who is now alone in a house with a hoard and no one to help her. Chris is in a cleaner, small apartment with his wife. As it would happen, Barb passes on rather quickly without Chris or Bob around. Chris and Coleslaw are left to sort out the mess, but Coleslaw doesn't really want much of the estate.
-Moving into 14 Branchland isn't happening unless the place is cleaned from top to bottom. In one of the better uses of $2,000, professional cleaners dispose of tens of tons of crap that Chris doesn't care for, then fumigates what's left behind. In a further mission, the young growth forest that's grown with Barb's neglect in the front yard is removed, the house is repainted and the roof is fixed.
-14 Branchland Court is paid and clear, so the money being used for rent can be used for other things. Chris wants a daughter and his wife wants a child too, time to get busy.
-Chris is now 30 years old and reasonably achieved what he wants in life.
) but it makes me wonder how much a person could change with the right help. The abuse she went through was almost inconceivably horrible and her state of mind was a lot worse than Chris' is, so it made me think. Probably impossible, but just maybe.
he happens to be wearing at any given moment.
Math!
ass
there but Chris is past the point of no return. I can see jail or at best a group home.