You’d Be Surprised How People Perceive You

Summary

The script narrates the harrowing experience of Claire, who wakes from a coma with no memory of her past. After a night out in Austin, Texas, ends in a fight, Claire suffers a severe head injury leading to retrograde amnesia. As she interacts with her mother, sister, boyfriend, and friends, she receives conflicting accounts of her personality and the events leading to her injury, leaving her to grapple with the question of her true identity.

Takeaways

• 🌃 The story begins on a normal night out in Austin, Texas, with Claire and her friends, leading to an unexpected turn of events.
• 😵‍♀️ Claire wakes up in a hospital with no memory, surrounded by a sterile white room and intense headache, indicating a severe incident.
• 👩‍⚕️ A doctor informs Claire that she has been in a coma for several days due to a head injury, setting the stage for her memory loss.
• 👩 Claire's mother is present and provides initial comfort, but also reveals the shocking news of Claire's memory loss.
• 🥊 The incident causing Claire's injury was a bar fight where she tried to protect her friend Mary, showing her protective nature.
• 🧠 Claire suffers from retroactive amnesia, which affects her episodic and autobiographical memory, but spares her procedural memory.
• 🤔 Despite the doctor's reassurances, Claire struggles with the reality of her situation, unable to recall her past or identity.
• 👧 Claire's mother describes her as shy, quiet, and preferring peace, which contrasts with other accounts of her personality.
• 👦 Chris, Claire's boyfriend, paints a different picture, describing her as impulsive, feisty, and someone who enjoys simple pleasures.
• 👭 Mary, Claire's best friend, sees her as tough, outgoing, and adventurous, highlighting her fun-loving and risk-taking side.
• 🤷‍♀️ Claire's other friend, Shannon, describes her as kind, pragmatic, and careful, suggesting a more reserved and thoughtful personality.
• 😖 The conflicting descriptions of Claire's personality from those closest to her leave her confused and questioning her true identity.

Q & A

What was the initial setting of the story before things turned bad for Claire?

Claire was out with a couple of friends and her boyfriend in Austin, Texas. They had a few drinks at one of their apartments and then went to a couple of bars in the area.

How did Claire find herself in the hospital?

Claire woke up in a hospital room with no memory of how she got there. She was told she had been in a coma for several days after hitting her head and causing severe brain injury.

What condition did Claire develop after waking up from the coma?

Claire developed retroactive amnesia, which affected her episodic, autobiographical, and declarative memory, but spared her procedural memory.

How did Claire's mother describe her personality before the incident?

Claire's mother described her as quiet, shy, closed off, but knowing exactly what she likes and wants, loving to spend time with friends, and preferring big and extravagant events.

What contrasting personality traits did Claire's sister Sammy attribute to Claire?

Sammy described Claire as a 'shit-stirrer' who is always ready to fight, suggesting a more confrontational and outgoing personality.

How did Claire's boyfriend Chris characterize her?

Chris characterized Claire as beautiful, sweet, preferring simple things and alone time, impulsive, and feisty, with a tendency to start things to see reactions from people and situations.

What was the event that led to Claire's injury according to her friends?

Claire got injured when she tried to protect her friend Mary from a fight at the bar, got hit in the head, and fell, causing a severe brain injury.

What conflicting accounts did Claire receive about her role in the bar fight?

Claire's mother did not mention her starting the fight, while her boyfriend Chris and friend Mary said she initiated the confrontation, which is in contrast with her sister Sammy's and friend Shannon's accounts.

How did Shannon describe Claire's personality and the incident at the bar?

Shannon described Claire as kind, smart, pragmatic, and careful, not one to cause drama or be involved in stupid situations. According to Shannon, Claire was caught in the middle of a misunderstanding.

What was the emotional impact of the situation on Claire?

Claire felt very little and struggled to understand the emotions of the situation due to her retroactive amnesia, which made it difficult for her to connect with her past self.

What was the central dilemma Claire faced after talking to the people closest to her?

Claire faced the dilemma of reconciling the conflicting descriptions of her personality and the events leading to her injury, as each person had a different account, leaving her uncertain about her true identity.