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"Paying for the Ride" by Spoonbender (elevator rape)
9, 7, 5
"Paying for the Ride" by Spoonbender (Theodore@spoonbender.demon.co.uk). Lawrence has invited Beth to dinner. The invitation is for an awkward time, but Beth seems to like Lawrence (who is wealthy), and so she accepts the invitation. Besides, its at Horizons, one of the most interesting restaurants in Toronto. Now here's where my cultural ignorance puts me at a disadvantage. The woman gives her last money to the cab driver, and then she discovers that she has to pay twelve dollars to ride the elevator to the restaurant. The elevator operator lets her ride for free, enigmatically saying that he'll be paid later. The operator is accompanied by two Mafia-style goons, who hold Beth while he rapes her. My cultural problem is that I don't understand (1) why a person would have to pay to ride an elevator to meet someone in a restaurant, (2) why she couldn't call ahead and get someone to summon her boyfriend to help her, and (3) why there are no laws against raping women in elevators in Toronto. I guess maybe this is what the author meant when he said he exercised some artistic license. Anyway, since rape is inevitable, she relaxes and enjoys it. Actually, she doesn't enjoy it. She hates it. But she enjoys it. But she hates it. But she agrees to do it again right away with another guy. I want to avoid moralizing - I really do; and so don't take this as moral disapproval. However, I'm not convinced that the author has set up a good enough context to make me believe that this woman would react to a rape quite the way she does. And we STILL don't know how she's going to pay for the cab ride home! Ratings for "Paying for the Ride" Athena (technical quality): 9 Venus (plot & character): 7 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 5 |