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Date Posted: 20:14:01 02/20/26 Fri
Author: Curious
Author Host/IP: 49.196.254.49
Subject: Re: Currently working on something (a preview)
In reply to: Bazzle 's message, "Re: Currently working on something" on 13:34:46 01/10/26 Sat
The completed appendix from the 'big essay'. This is not for publication but will act as a preview. The character 'Driver' is defined in the main part of the essay. The footnotes are only those relevant to the appendix.
----------------------------------------------------------
Appendix: The Leader - Follower Relationship as it applies to this story.
The protagonist and her friend are clearly in a leader-follower relationship. The opening scene provides the detail to confirm that the friend is the leader and the protagonist is the follower. From this point I will be referring to the two characters by the first initials. The leader is 'S' and the protagonist is 'C'.
The information presented in chapter one suggests that the relationship began in a manner similar to that described in the backstory for the smoking fetish story 'Cigarettes Get The Man' (10). That is to say 'C' was socially unpopular, had low self esteem, and was suffering the effects of her parents divorce. The friendship of 'S' has changed that. Within the confines of the story the author makes it clear that there is a genuine friendship at the back of the relationship.
This is demonstrated in the opening chapter, 'C' is depicted at the high point of her drinking cycle. During the opening scene 'C' insults 'S' when 'S' comments on how much 'C' has drunk during the current gathering. 'S' leaves the room, with a look on her face that 'C' describes as "...cold fury..."(11). A short time after, the downward part of 'C's drinking cycle starts, she stumbles out of the event into the street and vomits repeatedly. 'S' is waiting for her outside. 'S' not only comforts 'C' after she's thrown up, but walks her home. During the walk home 'C' swears off drinking finishing with the words "...I'll never touch another drop." 'S's laughing response makes it quite clear that it's not the first time she's heard words like this from 'C'.
What all of this shows, aside from the fact that it's neither the first time that 'C' has drunk herself into such a state, nor that she's sworn off drinking, it's clear that despite what 'C' said to 'S' during the party that 'S' (12) was willing to wait outside to ensure that 'C' got home safely. Again it's likely that something like what was depicted in the opening chapter had happened before the story started, possibly several times before and that 'S' is moderating her drinking(13) at events where 'C' is present to ensure she is in a condition to help 'C' once they've had more to drink than they can handle.(14)(16)
But the opening scene also shows the major stressor in the relationship. 'C's 'drinking persona' is self-centered, egotistical, sharp-tonged, quick to anger, indiscriminate in their targets and once she starts to sober up, quick to regret.
The rupture takes place in the novels second chapter with ultimately fatal consequences to 'S'. It's course is summarised in the analysis section of this essay. The angry outburst from 'C' that causes it is like the outburst in the first chapter set off by a comment from 'S' about her drinking.(8)(15) The key difference is that there is a real issue behind the anger, as opposed to the equivalent event in chapter one which is simply a case, as noted elsewhere of, 'the drink talking'.
That issue comes from the repeated attempts by 'Driver' to come on to 'C'. The dialog indicates that while she was initially interested, 'C's interest quickly faded. However the way in which she expresses this disapproval is cutting remarks which 'Driver' laughs off. While much of 'S's attention was focussed on the male she was interacting with, she clearly had been listening to what 'C' and 'Driver' had been saying and as she comments during the initial phase of the argument, what she heard didn't sound like 'C' was in trouble. But to 'C' it seemed like a betrayal of trust.
This perceived betrayal, combines with other ideas that 'C' is shown having in the opening chapter, including the fact that she is 'Nº.2' in the pairing to lead her to forcefully reject the friendship while 'S' is trying to persuade her to accept 'S' accompanying her on the walk home.
'S's reason for abandoning her attempt is left a mystery to 'C', but can be deduced from the opening chapter. 'C' is still in the aggressive phase of her drinking cycle. And despite the risk 'C' is taking walking home alone(17) it's not worth the risk of accompanying her and making a bad situation worse, better to wait until the following day and confront her when she's sober.
Of course a later decision renders this one moot. Again why 'S' chose to travel in 'Driver's car is left a mystery to 'C' but it can be deduced. If 'S' was indeed moderating her drinking to ensure that she was in a state to assist 'C' once 'C' drank too much then once 'C' left the gathering, that reason to moderate no longer existed and 'S' was likely in a judgement impaired state when she made the fatal decision.
Notes:
...
8. While the protagonist denies she's drunk an entire 2 litre bottle of alcoholic cider, the fact that she 'zones out' immediately before the argument to abruptly find 'S' and the guy 'S' is interacting with right in front of her while 'Driver' has managed to put his arm around her waist would suggest she's consumed a large amount of alcohol to this point.
...
10. The story can be found in Vol. 35 of the Noble Leaf Library. The review is in Vol. 4 of the Consolidated Smoking Fetish Fiction Review.
11. Initially she looks "...bewildered and a bit hurt...", though that changes when 'C' verbally attacks her again.
12. Presumably she recognised that what 'C' said was 'the drink talking' and that she'd apologise for it once she sobered up.
13. This is indicated in the second chapter by 'C's thought that 'S' "...could tank it back with the best of them."
14. Like 'V' in the first example in the 'Leader-Follower' relationship essay, 'S' clearly has a sense of responsibility towards their follower and acts accordingly.
15. As discussed in the analysis, this comment can be read as amused comment on the way in which 'C' has broken her earlier vow to "...never touch another drop."
16. It's possible to hypothesise that in the early phases of the relationship 'C' performed for 'S' the same service that 'S' now performs for 'C' once the issues caused by 'C' drinking more heavily became apparent.
17. Spelled out in the novels final chapter, she could easily have stumbled into the road into the path of a fast moving vehicle.
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