[Konnie] I still exist

[Konnie]

(Well, look who's back. Really excited to get back into puzzling. This is based on a story I listened to recently.)

Throughout his life, Arthur does X fairly regularly. Suddenly one day, he doesn't X. For several years, he never X's and sometimes even goes out of his way to avoid it.
Then seemingly just as suddenly one day, Arthur X's again. He begins to do it occasionally and continues to X for the remainder of his life.

[Hobbsicle]

Is Arthur really Konnie, and Xing is making puzzles on LTPF?

Welcome back, by the way, although I'm not sure if we've crossed paths. I've been on again off again myself for twelve years or so, and came back recently. It always feels good to see it still going strong and get back involved.

Is X related to food? Exercise? Recreation? Is it social? Is technology involved?
Does he have a specific, intentional reason for not Xing? Can he X, but he just chooses not to? Does he have a specific reason for starting again?
Is religion relevant?

[Konnie]

Is Arthur really Konnie, and Xing is making puzzles on LTPF? No, but not a bad idea!

Welcome back, by the way, although I'm not sure if we've crossed paths. I've been on again off again myself for twelve years or so, and came back recently. It always feels good to see it still going strong and get back involved. I started close to five years ago, but haven't been on in over a year. Good to be back

Is X related to food? No Exercise? No, but someway otrt Recreation? No Is it social? Somewhat, doyd Is technology involved? Yesish
Does he have a specific, intentional reason for not Xing? Yes Can he X, but he just chooses not to? Yes Does he have a specific reason for starting again? Yes
Is religion relevant?Eh, arguably, but it'd be a stretch.

[Balin]

Welcome back!

Is Arthur's family relevant? His marital status? Does he X alone? With someone else? Did he formerly X alone? With someone else?

[Konnie]

Welcome back!

Is Arthur's family relevant? No His marital status? No Does he X alone? Noish, explore With someone else? Yesish Did he formerly X alone? With someone else? Still Noish and Yesish for these.

[GalFisk]

Is TV relevant? Health? Medical issues? Addiction? Does it cost money to do X? Can X be done on the Internet? The first times he does X, does he enjoy it? When he doesn't do X, is it because he doesn't enjoy it? Because it would be bad for him? Or difficult? Does he stop doing X because of a change to X? To himself? To his life situation? Because of another person? Romantic relationships relevant? Other relationships? When he starts doing X again, does he do it for the same reasons as the first time around?

[Konnie]

Is TV relevant? No Health? Medical issues? Yesish to these Addiction? No Does it cost money to do X? Yes Can X be done on the Internet? No The first times he does X, does he enjoy it? Hope, he doesn't enjoy or not enjoy it really. When he doesn't do X, is it because he doesn't enjoy it? No Because it would be bad for him? Yes Or difficult? No Does he stop doing X because of a change to X? To himself? To his life situation? Thisish Because of another person? Also thisish Romantic relationships relevant? Other relationships? No to both When he starts doing X again, does he do it for the same reasons as the first time around? No, good question!

[Doriana]

Does he have a relevant medical condition? When he first does X, does he do so for medical reasons? When he starts doing X again, does he do so for medical reasons?

Is transportation relevant?

[Konnie]

Does he have a relevant medical condition?
Yope When he first does X, does he do so for medical reasons? No When he starts doing X again, does he do so for medical reasons? No

Is transportation relevant? Yes

[Hobbsicle]

Does X involve driving? Flying? Taking public transportation? Train? Bus? Taxi?
When he stops Xing, does he stop because it would be dangerous? When he starts to X again, is whatever "bad for him" effect no longer present?

[GalFisk]

Does he stop doing X for medical reasons? Does doing X benefit others? Would it be possible to do X daily?

[Konnie]

Does X involve driving? Flying? Taking public transportation? Train? Bus? This Taxi?
When he stops Xing, does he stop because it would be dangerous? Yesish When he starts to X again, is whatever "bad for him" effect no longer present? No, as in it is still present.

Does he stop doing X for medical reasons? Yesish Does doing X benefit others? No, see above Would it be possible to do X daily? Yes, see above

[Doriana]

Does X involve taking a bus? buying a ticket? standing on the bus? sitting down? offering your seat to other people? running for a bus? waiting for a bus?

Is his weight relevant?

[Konnie]

Does X involve taking a bus? This buying a ticket? standing on the bus? sitting down? offering your seat to other people? running for a bus? waiting for a bus?

Is his weight relevant? No

[Hobbsicle]

So he takes the bus for a while, stops for a number of years, then starts back up again?
Does he have a phobia or fear regarding riding buses?
Does something happen that causes him to no longer ride buses? Does something happen related to his health? Or related to something with the buses?

[GalFisk]

Relevant what he does inshead of riding the bus? Does he stay at home? Ride other public transportation? Use private transportation? Edit: does he ever drive a bus?

[Westing1992]

Instead of taking the bus, does Arthur do Y instead? But then he is unable/starts to dislike doing Y, so he takes the bus again?
Is Y taking another form of transportation? Does he drive himself? Does he then become unable to drive (due to reasons such as failing eyesight)? Or does he view the bus more favorably (due to reasons such as increased gas prices)?
School buses relevant? Citywide buses? Cross-country buses?

[Konnie]

So he takes the bus for a while, stops for a number of years, then starts back up again? Correct
Does he have a phobia or fear regarding riding buses? Yesish
Does something happen that causes him to no longer ride buses? Yes Does something happen related to his health? Yesish Or related to something with the buses? Yesish

Relevant what he does instead of riding the bus? Yesish, not so much "instead." Does he stay at home? No Ride other public transportation? Possibly, but mostly irrel. Use private transportation? Possibly, but mostly irrel. Edit: does he ever drive a bus? No

Instead of taking the bus, does Arthur do Y instead? Yesish, again not so much "instead." I would be careful in limiting yourself to just Y. But then he is unable/starts to dislike doing Y, so he takes the bus again? Yesish, explore.
Is Y taking another form of transportation? He switches transportation, but that's mostly irrel. Does he drive himself? Most likely. Does he then become unable to drive (due to reasons such as failing eyesight)? No Or does he view the bus more favorably Yes (due to reasons such as increased gas prices)? But not for this reason.
School buses relevant? Citywide buses? This Cross-country buses?

[GalFisk]

Is a bus accident relevant? Bus drivers relevant? Pollution?

[Konnie]

Is a bus accident relevant? Bus drivers relevant? Pollution? No to all

[Hobbsicle]

Does something happen to more than just him? Does it happen during a particular bus trip? Is crime relevant? Terrorism?

[Konnie]

Does something happen to more than just him? No Does it happen during a particular bus trip? Noish, possible FA. Is crime relevant? Terrorism? No to both.

[GalFisk]

Is his fear rational? Is he involved in a traffic accident? Is he injured? Is someone else injured? does someone die?

[trebor]

Did he move to a part of the city where taking the bus was inconvenient or practical? Or switch workplaces, with the same result? Did the walk to and from the bus stop provide him with exercise that he wound up getting elsewhere for a while? Was there any other relevant person? Who would take the bus with him? Is there now?

[Konnie]

Is his fear rational? Depends who you ask, but I think most would say no. Is he involved in a traffic accident? Is he injured? Is someone else injured? No to these. does someone die? No, but explore.

Did he move to a part of the city where taking the bus was inconvenient or practical? Or switch workplaces, with the same result? Did the walk to and from the bus stop provide him with exercise that he wound up getting elsewhere for a while? No to all. Was there any other relevant person? Yes Who would take the bus with him? No Is there now? Not sure what you mean. If you're asking if the other relevant person is alive, assume yes. But irrel.

[Hobbsicle]

Is any kind of superstition relevant? A belief system? Is there anything else that he would also stop doing, or is pretty much limited to buses?

[trebor]

What I meant was "is there a specific person who is relevant in his decision to start taking the bus again?". I'm going to assume from your answer though that this is not the case.

Is the other relevant person his partner? Another family member? Someone who Arthur thought was going to hurt him?

[Konnie]

Is any kind of superstition relevant? Yesish A belief system? No Is there anything else that he would also stop doing, or is pretty much limited to buses? He only stopped riding busses.

What I meant was "is there a specific person who is relevant in his decision to start taking the bus again?" There is a specific person relevant to his NOT riding busses, but not to his starting back up again. I'm going to assume from your answer though that this is not the case.

Is the other relevant person his partner? Another family member? Someone who Arthur thought was going to hurt him? No to all.

[trebor]

Does someone get injured? Assaulted? Verbally targeted? If so, is it Arthur? The other relevant person?

Is the age/gender/ethnicity/dress of the other person relevant? Is Arthur's?

Does this happen in 2017? Is any feature of the bus relevant? Does it matter which country this occurs in?

[GalFisk]

Is he avoiding someone?

[JenBurdoo]

Segregation or other political issues relevant?

[Konnie]

Does someone get injured? Yope Assaulted? Verbally targeted? No to these. If so, is it Arthur? Yes The other relevant person? No

Is the age/gender/ethnicity/dress of the other person relevant? Is Arthur's? No to all

Does this happen in 2017? Is any feature of the bus relevant? Does it matter which country this occurs in? Irrel to all. Assume modern day US.

Is he avoiding someone? No

Segregation or other political issues relevant? No

[trebor]

Is fortune-telling relevant?

[Konnie]

Is fortune-telling relevant? Yes

[trebor]

Is the other relevant person a fortune-teller? Did they caution Arthur against taking the bus? If so, is any specific prediction of injury or death relevant?

[Konnie]

Is the other relevant person a fortune-teller? Yes Did they caution Arthur against taking the bus? Yesish If so, is any specific prediction of injury or death relevant? Only Arthur's death.

[GalFisk]

Does Arthur fear getting injured? Killed? In a bus? By a bus? By someone in a bus? Any other public transport relevant?

[trebor]

Did Arthur simply come to believe that fortune-telling is bogus? Does some other aspect of his fortune fail to come true? Does he start suffering from amnesia, and can't remember that he ever had his fortune told?

[Konnie]

Does Arthur fear getting injured? Killed? Thisish, method of death is irrelevant. In a bus? And this. By a bus? By someone in a bus? Any other public transport relevant? No

Did Arthur simply come to believe that fortune-telling is bogus? No, he still believes the fortune. Does some other aspect of his fortune fail to come true? Does he start suffering from amnesia, and can't remember that he ever had his fortune told? No to others.
Hint: It is somewhat relevant how he lived/what he did in the time he did not ride the bus.

[trebor]

Does Arthur participate in any criminal activity during the period when he doesn't ride the bus? Does his job situation change? Is his profession relevant? Are any relations of his? Does he do anything to the bus/buses? Is there another relevant component of his fortune, other than something about him getting killed (ish) in a bus?

Regarding the "thisish" to him being killed: does he fear he will die? Would this death be rather an accident than an intentional killing? Does his fortune posit that he will kill himself on a bus? Do his circumstances change so that by the end of this puzzle he wishes to die?

[Konnie]

Does Arthur participate in any criminal activity during the period when he doesn't ride the bus? Quite possibly. Does his job situation change? Is his profession relevant? Are any relations of his? Does he do anything to the bus/buses? Is there another relevant component of his fortune, other than something about him getting killed (ish) in a bus? No to rest.

Regarding the "thisish" to him being killed: does he fear he will die? Yes Would this death be rather an accident than an intentional killing? Most likely. Arthur doesn't know he exact manner of death, and it's mostly irrelevant. Does his fortune posit that he will kill himself on a bus? No. Do his circumstances change so that by the end of this puzzle he wishes to die? Noish, otrt.

[SurfingPikachu]

So, Arthur used to ride the bus? Relevant to where? Work? Relevant which bus?

Then, Arthur stopped riding the bus because he believed a fortune teller who said that he would die in a bus?
Does Arthur then take alternate forms of transportation instead of riding the bus?
Does Arthur then drastically change the way he lives his life? Does he take to a life of crime? Does he let himself go and live in despair? In fear?

Now, Arthur rides the bus again? Despite him still believing the fortune to be true?
Is Arthur old enough that he no longer cares that much about dying?
Does Arthur believe that there is an even higher likelihood that he would die earlier if he does not ride the bus?
Is Arthur simply tired of fearing for his life on the bus?

[trebor]

When he wasn't riding the bus did he incur significant financial losses? Significant financial gains? Was he okay with potentially dying because he would leave more money for family/friends/others? Is a gang after him? Is there a hit out on him? Has he committed a serious crime? Many? In the time he wasn't riding the bus? Before? Is he about to commit a crime? I'm a bit confused because you said it's quite possible he committed a crime when he wasn't riding the bus, but you earlier said that crime isn't relevant.

I'm gathering that he availed himself of other modes of transportation while he wasn't riding the bus. I'm thinking then that he wasn't incarcerated. Would I be correct in thinking this? Does he fear incarceration? Does he fear something else more than he fears dying on a bus?

[Konnie]

So, Arthur used to ride the bus? Yes Relevant to where? Work? Relevant which bus? At this point, it's only relevant that he rode the bus regularly.

Then, Arthur stopped riding the bus because he believed a fortune teller who said that he would die in a bus? Yes
Does Arthur then take alternate forms of transportation instead of riding the bus? Yes,
which is pretty irrelevant.
Does Arthur then drastically change the way he lives his life? Yes! Does he take to a life of crime? No, he may partake in some petty crimes. Does he let himself go and live in despair? In fear? No! Explore.

Now, Arthur rides the bus again? Despite him still believing the fortune to be true? Yes to both.
Is Arthur old enough that he no longer cares that much about dying? No
Does Arthur believe that there is an even higher likelihood that he would die earlier if he does not ride the bus? No, he still completely believes he'll die on the bus.
Is Arthur simply tired of fearing for his life on the bus? No, but you're exploring the right train of thought.


When he wasn't riding the bus did he incur significant financial losses? Significant financial gains? Was he okay with potentially dying because he would leave more money for family/friends/others? Is a gang after him? Is there a hit out on him? No to all. Has he committed a serious crime? Many? In the time he wasn't riding the bus? Before? Is he about to commit a crime? I'm a bit confused because you said it's quite possible he committed a crime when he wasn't riding the bus, but you earlier said that crime isn't relevant. I'm sorry, i see you're right. Crime is not hugely relevant, but Arthur may have committed some small crimes in his time off he bus. HINT: Possibly of the trespassing variety.

I'm gathering that he availed himself of other modes of transportation while he wasn't riding the bus. I'm thinking then that he wasn't incarcerated. Would I be correct in thinking this? He was not incarcerated. Does he fear incarceration? No Does he fear something else more than he fears dying on a bus? Yesish, otrt

[Balin]

Is Arthur suicidal? Would he rather die than (something)?
Did he commit crimes in his taking other forms of transportation?

[CoffeeBean]

Does Arthur live dangerously during his period of not riding on a bus? Because he figures since his death will only come at a time when he's on a bus, he can pretty much do what he wants while he's not on a bus?
But something in his life has changed, now he either feels like taking his chance riding a bus again, or has realized that the prediction about his death on a bus isn't a reason to stop riding a bus?
Is it relevant to know at what age Arthur initially stopped riding a bus? When he started again?

[Konnie]

Does Arthur live dangerously during his period of not riding on a bus? Yes! Because he figures since his death will only come at a time when he's on a bus, he can pretty much do what he wants while he's not on a bus? And yes!
But something in his life has changed, now he either feels like taking his chance riding a bus again, Yes or has realized that the prediction about his death on a bus isn't a reason to stop riding a bus?

I'm actually going to say this is all close enough to warrant a spoiler.

SPOILER
*************************************

This was based on a short story I listened over at Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. Arthur rides the bus pretty much daily to get to work, home, shopping, etc. One day, feeling like having a bit of fun, he visits a local fortune teller who can supposedly predict your death. She touches Arthur's forehead and he is given a vivid vision of his own death while riding the bus. He cannot tell the method or time of day, but the vision is so lucid, he cannot help but believe it.

Arthur opts for taxis, Ubers, and rides with friends from then on. However, once the initial fear has left he realizes something else: he can do anything, no matter the danger, and not die as long as he avoids busses. In the following years, Arthur drives too fast, skydives, wrestles crocodiles, swims with sharks, plays Russian Roulette, etc. Anything for a thrill.

But eventually, even the most dangerous stunts prove boring when there is no real danger. So Arthur decides to do the only thing that still scares him; he rides the bus. The thrill is amazing. He continue to ride the bus often on,
not as regularly, but once every few months, knowing each ride might be his last.

Good work, everyone. I know this one was a bit more vague/emotional than a concrete answer, but I feel we got pretty much all of it.

[CoffeeBean]

Great puzzle! This is part of the plot of the movie 'Big Fish', the main character Edward Bloom is given a vision of the circumstances surrounding his death, so throughout his life he lives dangerously because he knows how and when he'll die (although he never tells anyone). At the end of the movie, he reveals to his son what he knows about his death, and that scene is why this is one of my favorite movies of all time.

[Konnie]

I loved that film when I was younger. This story took a bit darker tone, but it was very similar.