The Mysterious Disappearance of Agatha Christie

[@BrendanPeterMcVeigh]

Maybe it was a way for Agatha Christie to force her husband into a divorce. At the time you could only get a divorce if infidelity was proven. Having the police find the husband shacked up with a mistress was pretty conclusive proof.

[@Good.Morning.Petty.Potatoes]

But the question is, did she leave him?

[@onbearfeet]

@@Good.Morning.Petty.Potatoes They divorced in 1928 and both married other people, so it's more accurate to say they left each other. However, it's been reported that Archie asked Agatha for a divorce months before her disappearance, on the grounds that he wanted to marry his mistress. If Agatha merely wanted to leave her husband, all she'd have to do is agree to his request. Then again, it's possible that having a police record of Archie's infidelity would help Agatha in the divorce case somehow--for example, enabling her to maintain custody of her daughter or keep more of her income from her book royalties. Idk about British law at the time, but in Europe and North America in this period a woman's earnings were sometimes considered her husband's property, and Agatha would have needed that money to support herself and her child.

[@BrendanPeterMcVeigh]

Up until the Matrimony Act of 1923 only men could petition for divorce. Divorce was still taboo until the 1950's

[@Belzediel]

XD Yeah, that sounds completely reasonable.

[@mirandagoldstine8548]

@@onbearfeet Yep. I personally think she had a mental break down which caused her to blank out for a period of time. She was probably filled with a rush of emotions such as fear for her daughter’s health and anger at Archie that blinded her greatly. She was probably so worried that she wouldn’t get custody of her daughter that something happened to her mind which caused the blank period, the gap in her memories. Thankfully somebody figured out that Archie (her husband) was having an affair (I have no clue how the information got leaked to the public) and when it came out everyone was scandalized and naturally people felt anger towards Archie and probably blamed him and his mistress for causing Agatha’s mental condition to deteriorate (at least that’s what I imagine happened). Thankfully after being granted a divorce and gaining custody of her daughter Agatha found someone who truly didn’t mind being known as the husband of a famous female author. Her second husband was an archaeologist and they would spend the rest of Agatha’s life together. In fact it’s speculated that the mysteries such as the one set in Jordan (the title of which I have forgotten) and Egypt (Death on the Nile) as well as one set in the Middle Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt might have been influenced by her and Max’s trips to the Middle East. Also when Max passed away he was buried next to Agatha Christie which is sweet.

[@georgiadunn-breakingcatnew3109]

I loved this one, thank you for covering this story! I would like to share a theory I have heard, I may not be the first in the comments to say something similar... My Mom used to tell the story of this disappearance to me as a bedtime story (in her defense, I was a kid who loved mysteries.) There are some elements to this that are missing, and can be found in a few articles from the time, as well as articles covering these events. There is a LOT of material on this, to be fair. When Archie requested a divorce, it was implied that he would keep custody of their daughter. Either possibly by him directly or just the circumstance of ending a marriage in the 1920s. This was not uncommon at that time in England. Divorce was rare and it still favored men greatly, famous author wives or not. Infidelity was hard to prove and Archie had been careful to hide hard evidence, at least nothing that could be solidly pointed to in court. By the end of this disappearance, it was known far and wide he was having an affair. Agatha did not have to prove a thing. And with that being the true reason of the marriage's disolvement, she could retain custody of her daughter. She created a scenario where the actual government proved it for her, and the nation was her witness. Agatha Christie was no fool. And she was awarded full custody of her child. She was a master mystery builder, I think she orchestrated this very carefully so the police would have to investigate Archibald's alibi--the mistress--and the facts behind any future request of a divorce from him would be plastered across every paper. When she was found, she's found under the mistress' surname. One more bit of insurance that there would be an investigation into that name, in case Archie managed to hide his true alibi. Thus Agatha Christie kept her child, assets, and dignity at a time where women had very little power in a divorce. Like I said, this is my Mom's theory--but I think it gives full credit to the mastermind of mystery creation that Agatha Christie was. Who knows--but I love to think this is close to the truth, if only for it makes for a happier story of Agatha Christie taking control of her fate in a very exciting way. Anyone who's read this far into a looong comment, thank you! I hope you enjoyed my Mom's take on this mysterious happening. (It was GREAT bedtime story for a Mom to tell her daughter.)

[@blaise6652]

I fully agree. This was a highly orchestrated well crafted and executed plan, down to the last detail. The amnesia claim is a particular stroke of genius as it stopped the press from being able to pry into the incident, extort her pain/grief and feed the scandal. Additionally, in true Christie style, it keeps us all guessing.. 😁

[@trishapellis]

That's amazing. It also means technically Simon was right... I'm sure all of that combined would have been very effective at pissing off Archie, and even if the goal was way bigger than that, I can imagine she probably also snickered at that part.

[@sunnysoprano7101]

That's the best theory I've heard of

[@phoenixjen8986]

This seems like a really reasonable and plausible theory. I’m sold.

[@dertywhiteboy6892]

Very cool theory and very well could be totally true or bits and pieces

[@NoahMiller13579]

Her daughter wasn't left alone, she had a maid and governess, both of whom were interviewed by police early on to determine the timeline of Christie's disappearance. They took care of her daughter while she was missing.

[@JaelHammerNPeg]

Yes. How could a Brit not know about wealthy people having servants ? Simon where were you raised?

[@ComedorDelrico]

I was wondering about this. Thanks for adding that tidbit.

[@steelytemplar]

Yeah, I came here to point out that there would have been some kind of servant looking after the child. Thanks for providing the specifics.

[@Sherrilynn27]

And...the 1920s.

[@Nathan-vt1jz]

She still just left for a long period of time without telling people what was going on, to the point that people wondered if she was murdered. It’s much better than leaving the child without supervision, but still not good.

[@ella17734]

2:40 Jen earned a like for the video simply for the dancing aliens as Simon rambles on about aliens not being on earth. I always enjoy her additions to the videos.

[@ryanc473]

Is it still Jen that does these videos? I thought it was Aspen that took over, or am I mixing up a different Simon-verse channel?

[@AaronLitz]

@@ryanc473 Sometimes Simon has fill-ins I guess, but dancing things is a Jen trademark. I love it. 😁

[@ZOB4]

@@AaronLitz This is an Aspen video - check the end slide.

[@surferdess494]

my personal pref was the ww1 tombstones

[@BBulletin]

I think Simon's real skill is finding good people to work with!

[@MrGouldilocks]

Simon: "She wrote mystery novels didn't she?" Agatha Christie is an absolute legend, and arguably the greatest mystery author the world has ever known. Even if you haven't heard of Agatha Christie you've almost certainly heard of her novels like "Murder on the Orient Express," "Death on the Nile," or "Poirot." Many of her works have been adapted to movies and TV. Poirot is one of my favorite TV series of all time. Agatha Christie wasn't a good writer; she was an all-time great.

[@AllAbouttheSaints]

Yeah, Simon’s all “I only read spy novels”… she wrote spy novels (Tommy & Tuppence)!

[@Dank-gb6jn]

I’m taking Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in this and I’ll die on that hill.

[@Vee_of_the_Weald]

Yeah… Simon and his Big Brain presumptions… when his basic general knowledge is of a 12 year old in Continental Europe.

[@MrGouldilocks]

@@Dank-gb6jn Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is great as well. I'm not necessarily trying to rank mystery authors, I was just taken aback that Simon had never heard of Agatha Christie, as she's literally one of the most famous authors in the world.

[@jrmckim]

Hmm I've heard of Agatha Christie but none of the books you mentioned. I was never into mystery

[@katrinaprescott5911]

I adopted a stray kitten last year. I named her Agatha, after Agatha Christie. I had put her in the bathroom with food, water and a litter box until she got used to her new home. She escaped from the bathroom and disappeared into my apartment for four months 🤣. I had proof of life because while I was sleeping she'd eat her food, drink her water, use her box, and play with her toys. I couldn't help thinking maybe I should have named her after someone who *didn't* go missing 🤣.

[@justjukka]

I often nickname my fosters "kitten monster" (lovingly, of course) and that is a serious kitten monster move! Did she get too big for her hiding places?

[@katrinaprescott5911]

@@justjukka no, she found such a good one I thought she'd already escaped, so I left the door open so she could get to her food. I found out later she'd climbed into the cabinet under the sink - which had a door that was jammed closed - through the hole cut for the plumbing. It took a few months, but eventually she started letting me see her at a distance. Then she would get closer when I was in a situation where I couldn't get up quickly. After a long while, she let me pet her with my feet, and then eventually I was able to scratch her head with my hand. It's been a drawn out process, but it's worth it. She's still a self-possessed cat, and she hides whenever anyone else comes in the apartment, but she is willing to have a relationship with me. On her own terms, of course.

[@Demonslayre]

At least Agatha was found alive. Just think if you named it Lindberg or Amelia.....

[@davechurch9354]

Great story

[@billymallory6026]

I have a cat named ladyfingers and she went missing for a few days or so idk I was young. And I heard her scratching in the wall. I told my parents and my dad found her she had fallen down in the wall from the attic access. My dad fashioned a rope to the end of our pool cleaner pole and fished her out. She was so scared she scratched him, jumped at my mom scaring her and my mom fell halfway through the ceiling, I got the cat and stabbed my back on multiple nails. It was crazy. Moms all good. My dad was fine. Just a tetanus shot for me and some drywall work for my dad 😅

[@krelbin]

I’m from the Pittsburgh area, and I remember my dad telling me a story about a bomber airplane that crashed into the Monongahela river back in the 50s. I googled it and sure enough, the plane crashed. There were survivors. The plane was reportedly never found though. It’s called “The Ghost Bomber”, and I thought it would be a fun topic for this show. Love your work!

[@stephenrule5984]

Fellow pennsylvanian that would love to see this covered. The river is not massive so how did a plane disappear?

[@Bruski_Two_Zero]

The intrusive thoughts to randomly jump off a ledge, drive into oncoming traffic, or other similar acts is fairly common. It's called the "call of the void" or "l'appel du vide"

[@derekbrush]

Seems relatively harmless to me. It would be suicidal ideation and thus worrying if there was any actual contemplation of acting on the thought.

[@piperjaycie]

Call of the void is harmless bc the vast majority of people would never act on those thoughts and they are easily dismissed. These thoughts are however the bases of Obsessive compulsive disorder. The back of the brain doesn’t get the signal which allows the intrusive thought to be dismissed because of a lack of the neurotransmitters needed. This causes the intrusive thoughts to repeat anything from a few times a minute to a few times a second. This is when intrusive thoughts become very distressing and lead to compulsions to try and force the signals through the brain to shut them down.

[@trishapellis]

If Simon ever watched movies, he might have spotted the moment in Pirates of the Caribbean 2 where Jack/ Depp mentions that impulse. In my experience it's not technically an impulse to *want* to jump - it's more like involuntarily imagining jumping and what it would be like, and has been theorized to be your brain warning you about the danger. Like, "this is what it would be like to jump/ fall off and it's terrifying, so be really careful to NOT do that".

[@nixpuk75]

I've had these thoughts with jumping off something quite high since I can remember but with no actual desire to do it. It's not really "I wonder what would happen if..." more a mild dream like impetus that's not going to be carried through. I've sometimes tried to explain it to a few friends and some know exactly the same feeling and others are mystified. "Call of the Void" is a very apt appellation 😉

[@thirstfast1025]

@@trishapellis I think your take on this is the best I've seen. I think it's part of a mechanism that allows us to deal with dangerous situations too. I experience it frequently, and also am able to remain calm while hugging a wall of loose rocks above a toxic pit to dig out little crystals. It's almost like dreaming while awake, in the sense of your brain generating fictional circumstances to process complex information.

[@loriethayermorse162]

I actually suffer from fugue episodes. It's absolutely astounding what your brain can do when you combine chemical imbalances with stressful situations. One time I lost 6 weeks!! For those who don't know, it's alot like multiple personalities but you don't become someone else. Your brain goes on "autopilot". Thankfully with treatment I haven't had an episode in years. If Agatha was grief ridden and under martial stress, I wouldn't be surprised if she lost her memory.

[@loriethayermorse162]

The 1st time I came out of an episode I didn't even know my name or remember my kids, and had no idea where I came from or how I got from Michigan to Georgia. Turned out I had driven myself the whole way. Still don't remember it 20 years later.

[@jbrubin8274]

I too found myself in this altered state after a seizure, (epilepsy). I have a very hazy recollection of events. The worst part is the 2% of your brain that is desperately trying to regain control of the wheel. Only to lose that battle, repeatedly. Leaving behind a bunch of snippets. In my case I was watching Endgame. Okay re-watching. Those combined factors lead my post-seizure brain to think I was ‘Scarlet Witch’. Making me a less than cooperative patient. Three days later I finally awake only to find myself strapped to the bed. After some internal swearing I hit the call button, the only thing I could reach. As I saw the nurse enter I just closed my eyes and asked how many people did I need to apologize to? Those of us who have been through this know, not one of us would ever wish this upon another. It’s truly terrifying. ☮️

[@wingerding]

Totally just a little chemical imbalance

[@trishapellis]

I do love the marital-martial mixup when it happens, it leads to some interesting phrases. In pop culture, fugue states generally go accompanied by memory loss (especially not knowing who you are) and whether you get your memory back purely depends on what the story needs. In real life I guess getting it back eventually is the normal thing to happen.

[@wingerding]

@@trishapellis not really. I can speak to about 20 cases over two weekends caused by a psychiatrist who thought it would be a good idea to stop all my medication. The withdrawal of one of them causes a fugue state. So I started entering these states of delirium every few hours, for me it manifested as me running around because everyone from everywhere outside of the building was trying to snipe me or bomb me. So every few hours I would experience a death situation about 70 times in a row. Where I knew I was about to dying because I found was coming to my head or a grenade in front of me. I had to do gymnastics around the hospital and nurses. The so called forensic psychologist decided I was lying so he continued to deny my medication or offer any help. He said every time you act out like this I will minus 1 day off your hospital stay and you will be on the street. So of course I continued to hallucinate since he continued to hold back my meds whose withdrawal was causing this. So he kicked me onto the street. I spent the next 24 hours running on highways and inside train tunnels almost dying a few dozen times. Before I finally found a cop. Which was perfect because everyone was trying to kill me so cop was a good guy. He took me back to the exact same hospital and exact same unit. Let's just say that forensic psychiatrist is no longer allowed to practice.

[@kitwhite2640]

Simon it really depends on the child. I started leaving my daughter home alone for short periods (i.e. running down the rd to the store). I also took care of 30 horses at a 10 acres barn at the time. She would water the horses while I got their food together. I never had to worry about her. She did make me crack of when one of the owners told me when they saw her alone asked who she belonged to. My daughter had the best response "My Mom". Then went back to filling the water bucket 😹😹 edit: My daughter was 8 at the time.

[@Unfamous-Chronicles]

How old was she when you began to leave her by herself? Genuine question, because I lived with my parents in a duplex, directly above my great grandmother. So if they were at work or out, I'd be down with her in her apartment until she passed when I was 12. So I'm not sure what the right age is (dependent on the child, of course). Though I do remember before then I would go to my best friend's place and her mother would lock all 4 daughters, and me, outside for hours. Thankfully I always got money to hang out so we could buy drinks at a corner store. After I mentioned that bit, we began to only hang out at my house lol

[@DracoTriste]

I think in the ‘90s and early ‘00s in Texas the legal age for a child to be left without an adult for a few hours was 12. At least that’s when I got to stay home while my mom ran errands instead of being dragged along. Texas doesn’t have that law now, though. Turns out, in Kansas a child can be unattended as young as 6, which is the youngest of any US state. Some states allow a sliding scale, with young kids being unattended for a couple day time hours and older kids for longer. Most states don’t have a specific age though.

[@guy_autordie]

I'm pretty sure it's normalize in Europe, and it is 12yo.

[@diggernash1]

I was hunting alone at 8 or 9. Trout fishing across miles of stream at about the same. By 11 or 12, I was in the woods for most of the day all summer when work was finished. Kids need to learn to function independently as early as possible. 18 is far too late.

[@wingerding]

But you never told us how old your daughter was! There's no context!

[@robincowley5823]

Re; leaving the kid... this was back in the day when someone like Agatha Christie absolutely had a servant or more likely, servants. So the kid wasn't left alone.

[@eadweard.]

Is this based on anything specific or are you just saying it?

[@robincowley5823]

@@eadweard. she was upper middle class English at a time when people of that class would absolutely have a maid, a housekeeper, a nanny/governess for the child, perhaps a cook, etc. Now, I don't know for certain tbe members of her household, but if you asked me to bet I'd absolutely put money on the fact that there were servants in the house of someone who was the equivalent of a multi-millionaire (particularly given where she was living - if you know the location, well the houses there are mini-mansions).

[@shaunareeves1911]

In her autobiography she talks about having a maid and a nanny

[@--enyo--]

Yeah. This is what I was thinking.

[@InsanityPlea100]

Simon almost implies that he is sure, if he disapeared, the police would use more resources looking for him, due to public scrutiny... Forgetting, of course, they may be the cause of said disapearance due to some of his Casual Criminalist episodes.

[@aceundead4750]

They also may not take it seriously because of the fact he's covered cases of "disappearances" that turned out to either be or most probably have been publicity stunts, and thus they would probably look into that especially with how many channels Simon has. Or even not seriously look into it because he has so many channels which they could assume caused Simon a shitload of stress so he just up and left for some mental health time because that's a surprisingly common thing.

[@nugboy420]

@@aceundead4750 Simon with all his pressure needs a time off.

[@aceundead4750]

@@nugboy420 maybe, but last time he took time off he broke his collar bone, so time off may be more dangerous for him lol

[@willmfrank]

Simon: "Do NOT write down your crimes!" The Police: "No! DO! DO write down your crimes! Write them ALL down! In exhaustive detail!"

[@wingerding]

@@willmfrank how did you think of saying that joke? It was so creative and hilarious.

[@_BLANK_BLANK]

To add to the intentional disappearance thing. My theory about this, and why the husband burned the letter, and his brother never showed the actual letter he had, was that she wrote where she would be, and that she was checking in under his mistresses last name, as an attempt to publicly shame him. Basically giving him the option to either come out with the affair, or the option he ended up taking. So I think he burned that letter knowing she was fine, and not worrying about looking suspicious, because she wasn't dead, and tried to get his brother to tell everyone that she told him she is at the spa, hoping that would get people to realize that she wasn't missing.

[@WilliamWaller]

Not sure if it's a new addition or I just never noticed it, but Jen changing the music between script and rant is just *chef's kiss*

[@AnonEyeMouse]

Having suffered fugue states I can honestly say they are terrifying. After the fact. It's as if all self is washed away. You both recongnise nothing and no one whilst still understanding what everything is. I wrote an essay in University (hand written. Yes I'm old) and was extremely tired and pressured due to real world things going on around me. I was trying to use my university work to distract me from the god aweful shit going on around me - that's how bad things were. I finished my essay at around 3 am. It was in a writing pad with perforrated strips so you could tear it free neatly from the pad. My last conscious act was tearing that essay free. I remember it clearly, there was no amneasia. But I also was removed from all context. I tore out those pages with my essay. I continued to tear out the blank sheets left in the pad. It was a new 500 sheet pad and I emptied the entire thing. Calmly. Carefully. Methodically. Each sheet torn free and put on my lap. When that pad was done I reached for the next pad. I had a multipack of ten with eight left. I emptied all of them in the same manner. Then I started on my research books and my magazines. Everything of that roughly A4 paper size. Then, when they were empty, I began tearing them into fine paper strips. Slowly. Calmly. Methodically. Fold an centimetre of paper over from the left hand side of the sheet, bend it back on the fold to score it, then tear it free along the fault. The cleaner who mopped our floors and emptied our bins came in about 2pm and found me in a pile of shredded paper up to my knees. I was completely unresponsive. She called the student welfare team who called an ambulance. I was given an injection and woke up five days later in hospital. I remember being 'awake' in the meantime but just looking at the ceiling, being fed, having a drip put in my arm. None of these actions meant anything to me. I wasn't afraid, or bored or tired. I was just observing. it was. and still is, the longest fugue I've experienced. I remember it quite vividly, but also with no sense of time or purpose. It's hard to fully describe the altered consciousness correctlly. In one sense, I was totally gone. My self was absent. In another sense I 'as a conscious entity' was hper aware. I was fixated on the tearing of the paper, the voices in the corridor, the hum of the strip light above me, the wind blowing, the leaves rustling and the air pressure differential flexing the glass and window pane to make it creak and warp. The aging pipes that ran through my room and the next to the toilets on my floor. The smell of the paper I was tearing and the glue that held the paper in the textbooks. I could go on for pages about the details but no single detail was more important than the next. The nurse struggling to find a vein for the IV was no different to me than the dust on the suspended ceiling above me. I think that's the best I can do to describe the feeling but even calling it a feeling is misleading. A period of different existence? Sounds pretentious but... Anyway. Not amneasia.

[@--enyo--]

I had a concussion when I fainted at work and slammed my head on the floor. Luckily I was working in a hospital. Apparently I was only unconscious for about ten to thirty seconds, but I was unable to lay down any memories for about an hour and a half. For me it’s an hour of no memory where from my point of view I wasn’t conscious, then about twenty minutes where I started to be aware of my surroundings but had no idea where I was, who I was, or what was happening. I only knew that something was *wrong* and that I should know these things. It was the most terrifying experience in my life. Thankfully I don’t believe there was any permanent damage.

[@naftalibendavid]

I might not know much about the topics covered on this channel, but I am certainly learning a lot about Simon.

[@tankkali9699]

Simon, Dyscalculia is the name of the condition where you mix up numbers among other difficulties with comprehending numbers.

[@siobhano7783]

And it's commonly comorbid with ADHD, which I'm fairly sure Simon has

[@RealElongatedMuskrat]

We're being spoiled with content! I *just* finished the Lizzie Borden video. Bless y'all for keeping me company as I work. Thanks to Ilze, Simon and Aspen for your hard work ✌️💖

[@patmurphy8622]

Same! Happy day!

[@the-chillian]

The attache case used to be standard equipment for many types of white collar workers. My father had one, and he gave me one for a graduation present. (I never had a practical use for it. I used it to keep my D&D books and character sheets.) That's why spies are always toting them around in older movies and novels. They were nondescript and unremarkable.

[@HappyTheNeko]

“The guy who wrote the bible.” 😂 Simon, never change.

[@eadweard.]

It's cool how he has the same views as us on everything.

[@TheMissiIe]

@@eadweard. well it's not a view, it's just a basic understanding of science that causes the disbelief in religion

[@eadweard.]

@@TheMissiIe What would you say a "view" is?

[@wingerding]

It didn't take science to show that men wrote the bible though. I mean it was already written by different men in the scripture. It didn't take long before people knew it was written by more than 4 people. Science didn't have much to do with it.

[@TheMissiIe]

@@eadweard. a view would be "I think pop music is better than rock music" or "I think 80s fashion is better than 90s fashion" A view is something that is subjective, but saying that the bible was written by man is considered fact because there's no evidence to say otherwise

[@47f0]

As a parent, and grandparent, you could probably safely leave the kids at home when they get to be in their mid-20s.

[@hant679]

😂

[@EmeraldCityVideo]

There were servants, so the child was cared for. It's how we know she left at 9, since Christie never talked about the ordeal. That said, if she was just faking her disappearance, she could have gone out, ditched the car, and then come back to keep eye on the kid until she was ready to leave in the morning. That would leave the time the child was actually alone to be pretty small anyway.

[@whoever6458]

Albert Camus is probably my favorite philosopher and he actually writes quite a bit about that sudden realization that you are free to choose to jump off a cliff and commit suicide. His discussion of this and other matters of existential philosophy is actually quite good and, unlike some of the writing of other philosophers, quite accessible to anyone, whether they've ever studied philosophy or not.

[@kassassin_brahgawk]

I adore Camus also!!!! It is incredibly relaxing to me to know how fragile this mortal coil is.

[@notaKROOK]

Another installment from the Simonverse!

[@golferorb]

Simon *is the* internet

[@woozleproductions9760]

The Doctor Who episode doesn't actually have a unicorn, it was a thief that goes by a codename.

[@emmarichardson965]

And it has several Scotsmen. They count, don't they? 😂

[@josephschultz3301]

*Who Was Agatha Christie?* A delightful novelist, Simon. Some of her mysteries are absolute classics and you've certainly seen a few, or derivatives of them, on the big screen at some point. "And Then There Were None" is brilliant and has been adapted countless times in several different mediums.

[@Ma3Laura]

Yes Simon. I also have invasive thoughts of jumping off a bridge, driving off a cliff, driving into a guardrail, etc. It just kinda pops in there and says "you could totally just jump off into the river right now. It's right there." I'd never do it. But it's just this urge/thought that happens. I think it happens more frequently when I feel like my life is at a point where I'm not 100% in control of my own destiny. I think the urge come from the desire to be in control of something. As in, I'd be the one in control if I jumped off the bridge -- no one else can decide it for me.

[@robintimpone2214]

After I had my second child I had many thoughts like that. Never with my children in the car. I’m pretty sure I had undiagnosed postpartum depression.

[@summer-fallwinter-spring8326]

Some people who jumped off the golden gate bridge and survived, later said they felt regretful of jumping as they were falling. They were thankful they survived and would not give in to those thoughts again. I don't know if this is true. But I hope it is.

[@Twiska]

Yeah. I have a fear of heights. But funny enough, thinking about just jumping helps me conquer my fear as it puts me in control. I haven't done it yet. I won't say never, as who knows what my mental state will be in 20 years. My weirdest intrusive thought is when I'm drinking hot tea/coffee, and I think, "If I chucked this on my face, I'd be disfigured for life." I think that one is more just me reminding myself how dangerous hot liquid actually is.

[@gamerfreakout]

Great as always, livened up my drive back from work ❤️

[@bo7341]

I love the fact that Simon said his grandma knew someone who played "Doctor Who" because I have never seen the show, but am keenly aware that the fan base gets really triggered when "The Doctor" is called "Doctor Who".

[@willmfrank]

Perhaps she was acquainted with Peter Cushing. In the motion pictures "Doctor Who and the Daleks" and "Daleks: Invasion Earth," the version of The Doctor that he portrayed was indeed called "Doctor Who."

[@mizstories9646]

I used to be that way. But the new series is so aweful i cant make myself care. But yes, my dad would get a kick out of purposely calling him Doctor Who. When feeling really fiesty he'd call him The Doctor Who.

[@willmfrank]

@@mizstories9646 And there's the classic "Dad joke:" "But...But...He's a time traveler; shouldn't his name be 'Doctor When?'"

[@mizstories9646]

@@willmfrank haha yes! He also used to say "well thats why they dont call him Doctor When, in all of the universe theres a 90% chance you will find him in Londom.

[@solan]

I think Simon's southern American accent is getting slowly better over time....

[@rashkavar]

Regarding the suicidal thoughts and intrusive thoughts: 1: The occasional intrusive thought about doing something horrible is very common. Personally I find I have them more when I'm depressed or stressed, but they're a thing. Most people are so scared of them that they never admit to having them, which is why you tend to never hear them discussed. 2: The thing that makes it sound more like suicidal thoughts in that case is the fact that there's a specific reason to not do it: her child in the car with her. Intrusive thoughts you can usually dismiss pretty quickly, without having to form a specific argument against because. They're almost more a weird way to remind yourself of dangers to be aware of and avoid. What makes it go to suicidal thoughts is that the basic reason to not do it of "because it's dangerous and I want to live" is not in play anymore. If you're only not committing suicide because it will take your kid with you, you should probably be getting professional counseling to help you find a better way to deal with things.

[@paulnolan4971]

I opened a boiler room once to what must have been THOUSANDS of wasps flying around and a massive nest. You never saw a door shut so fast.

[@arifhossain9751]

Wasps like meat so... did you ever find out what was in there?

[@TakeltEZ]

As a gun toting american, i truly enjoy Simon's impression of southern rural towns. He truly nails it

[@SkunkApe407]

Maybe if you aren't from the South. Those of us from the South know that there are no two Southern states alike. Texas is nothing like Georgia, and the Carolinas are nothing like Louisiana. Not even the accents are the same.

[@diggernash1]

@@SkunkApe407 And Appalachia is nothing like the low country.

[@wingerding]

I've certainly never heard anyone sound like this. It's actually one of my least favourite parts of the show now unfortunately. Not for any cultural reasons, all of the things about the show that now annoy me do so for the exact same reason. I just don't know how many times more i can hear it. I don't know how many more times I can hear him tell the exact same story every other episode. There is an element of repetitiveness that he seems to have fallen into regarding a number of things. I hope he can start being a little more original in his humour and asides. I'm sorry but for me if an aside repeats itself over and over and over than it kind of removes the point of a natural aside. It's the opposite of what an aside should be, they should be off the cuff not repeat repeat repeat.

[@golferorb]

@@wingerding this is very impressive word salad.

[@wingerding]

@@golferorb you had difficulty understanding? Is there anyway I can change it for you so that you can read it better?

[@larimack]

Ms. Christie may well have had a nanny or some other staff to care for the child. The disappearance seemed to me to be much like that Ben Affleck movie where the wife tries to make him appear to be a murderer. And the intrusive thought you mentioned is the "call of the void" and is supposedly pretty common.

[@AntheaRutherford]

Gone Girl. Wicked plot, and a really effective book adaptation.

[@amberly0317]

Simon, the intrusive thoughts are 100% normal - but I would love to know more about why our mind thinks that way. I have them sometimes and I’m like Whoa Let’s not 😂

[@nickstav08]

Yea i get those thoughts usually while doing something slightly dangerous, and its just like "huh wow i could just totally die/really hurt myself if i wanted to right now; aint that funny"

[@justkittensbeingkittens5892]

Yeah my mom was telling me about how she has them even though she’s not depressed. My brother and I have depression(well bipolar for me) so she was like asking about that.

[@Reddotzebra]

Vertigo basically does that to me. People describe it as getting dizzy when looking down from heights, but for me it's more like there's a piece of elastic that suddenly connects my face with the ground. I don't get dizzy or disoriented at all, I just feel as if I'm going to get sucked over the edge and there's a small part of me imagining what that would feel like. Which then ends with me on the ground like a turtle holding on with both arms and legs for stability and mentally screaming.

[@wingerding]

Because your brain is so wonderful that it automatically scans the room and considers all choices. When your in a space where such a part of you is near an edge your brain automatically considers this choice. Our cognitive filter doesn't filter it completely correctly and even though your brain has denied this alternative of jumping your thoughts are still invaded by the initial survey of the scene where your brain did indeed consider what would happen if you jump off. You're stuck with a bit of a copy of that.

[@martynraveybracey7202]

@@wingerding exellently put.

[@StrongDreamsWaitHere]

Leaving the child: the Christies probably had a maid and a governess, given their status and the expectations of the times.

[@NoahMiller13579]

She did have a maid and governess. They were early witnesses for the disappearance, their testimony helped police determine when she'd left the night she disappeared.

[@woozleproductions9760]

We already have the answer to this: she was attacked by an alien wasp/human hybrid with amnesia. Do your research!

[@amberbrown5223]

Yeah while riding a unicorn 🦄

[@woozleproductions9760]

@@amberbrown5223 | There wasn’t a unicorn involved. “The Unicorn” was just the codename for a thief.

[@Evilnor7]

❤ D10 + Donna Doctor Who era

[@arifhossain9751]

@@Evilnor7 Donna Noble is up there in my personal top 10 list of the Doctor's Companions. Obviously Amy Pond is no. 1.

[@summer-fallwinter-spring8326]

Ha,ha,ha! Love your comment.

[@jagtogg158]

I love your stuff, but is there any way you could pump up the volume of your videos? Even maxed volume is sometimes hard to hear. Keep up the great work!

[@EBT1215]

This is great! everyone did a wonderful job. I was wondering if you'd consider doing a video on The Zanetti Train? I think it would work well on Decoding The Unknown.

[@protoculturejunkie]

I love how Jen has the music all dark & serious when Simon's reading the script, and switches it to clown music when he starts ranting.

[@patmurphy8622]

Two Simon videos in one day. WIN! And both are over 30 mins. WIN WIN!

[@golferorb]

His channels have uploaded three today, and there will most likely be a fourth.

[@patmurphy8622]

@@golferorb ooh a third!? Have to take another look at his channels and see what one I looked over!

[@charion1234]

Intrusive thoughts are definitely a thing. One medication I was on honestly had this as a side effect. Things went on in my head that were strange as hell like, attack the police officer during a traffic stop and pet the bald man. It was so intense that it was like I imagined myself doing so extremely vividly like it happened or finding myself about to do it before stopping myself.

[@paulbarnett227]

I've always had intrusive thoughts like that. Never acted on them though.

[@eadweard.]

A friend of mine was at a shooting range when he had one telling him to let the gun off up his own backside.

[@golferorb]

I have severe intrusive thoughts 24/7 and I have for years. It's horrible. People who don't have them don't understand the significant damage and pain it can cause. My intrusive thoughts aren't like the ones you had but, any intrusive thought is awful.

[@jackhumphries4692]

The intrusive thoughts you were talking about near the end of the video are a pretty common thing, often referred to as the "call of the void" it describes the feeling of temptation where you could very easily do something incredibly wrong like throwing yourself or a loved one over a high fall

[@terryenby2304]

The “number thing” is called dyscalcula, I know some people with it, and I think it is usually classed as a disability like dyslexia, ADHD, dysgraphia and Autism (which are all considered neurodevelopmental conditions).

[@martynraveybracey7202]

dyscalcula! yes, I got the dyslexia and dyspraxia too.

[@terryenby2304]

@@martynraveybracey7202 I am autistic, and probably have dyspraxia, dysgraphia (handwritten things only) and I’m waiting to get tested for ADHD. Diverse brains help the world be a little more interesting!

[@jaded_gerManic]

My mother believed for years that I had inherited my father's dyslexia but in my teens a new optometrist diagnosed me with 'crowding syndrome', which explains my long habit of triple checking my math work to look for swapped figures. 😄

[@btetschner]

Great idea for a video! I haven't watched it yet, but this mystery is a classic.

[@hana_maru22]

Simon, do one on Hannah Upp. There’s your fugue amnesia story! Jen, Les Grossman would have been perfect there.

[@MrThedrachen]

At 37 minutes Simon goes full on Tangent Mode because he doesn't know the phrase "Call of the Void."

[@katrinaburnham4807]

Gen, your editing of Simon’s talking head into scenes is hilarious! Love your work 😁

[@calaneedoolittleodell3190]

I just rewatched the Doctor Who episode about this a couple of days ago. Great timing for me lol

[@anarchyantz1564]

I've seen Dr Who, I know it was the Giant Wasp!!

[@LalinDissanayaka]

How did you know I needed an Agatha Christie video?

[@eeeeeeee60]

You're not crazy Simon, I have those same wild thoughts quite often. It's so interesting how we're just a few feet or seconds away from disaster at any moment 🤷

[@ignitionfrn2223]

4:05 - Chapter 1 - Who was agatha christie ? 9:50 - Chapter 2 - The mystery 11:50 - Chapter 3 - The search is on 18:15 - Chapter 4 - The big guns get involved 22:20 - Chapter 5 - A confusion of letters 24:50 - Chapter 6 - A discovery 27:40 - Chapter 7 - The mystery solved ? 27:50 - Chapter 8 - A car accident 28:55 - Chapter 9 - An intentional disappearance 32:45 - Chapter 10 - A fugue state 37:40 - Chapter 11 - A publicity stunt 38:20 - Chapter 12 - My theory 39:30 - Conclusion

[@matthewmerchant2038]

A script written as well as an Agatha Christie novel, itself. Bravo

[@redwine.99]

The wasp story edit was just PHENOMENAL. JENN that was just.. (chef's kiss)

[@knotdoingit8460]

I'm listening to this with one ear bud in and the wasp sound effects scared the SHIT out of me! Many thanks for reducing my lifespan.

[@anngo4140]

Love your tangents!

[@nickdanjer1923]

"I thought it was the guy who wrote the bible." I love you, Simon. You crack me up.

[@MMOchAForPrez]

You guys read? I just watch Simon Whistler all day

[@learningthebagpipe5234]

so do i but ive never seen you....

[@kennethbontempo1031]

Next level video editing! Loved the part with Simon as the doctor faking an amnesia test.

[@TheEvilCommenter]

Good video 👍

[@A24karrotplonker]

Oh yeah coz you’ve watched it😂 sorry but dude come on

[@noobtoob3]

Hi Simon, could you do an episode on the Brabant killers/the Nivelles gang? It’s about a spree of brutal supermarket robberies in Belgium between 1982 and 1985. They targeted one specific supermarket chain and around 30 people died in total. It is rumored individuals of the gendarmerie (military police) were behind it. No one was ever caught and many believe there to be a cover-up, i think the lead detective on the case was even a suspect at one point. To this day the case remains open and they are still sporadically dredging the canals in search of murder weapons. Anyway love your many videos across your many channels, you and the writers keep up the good work :)

[@EmilyJelassi]

Simon, getting your numbers mixed up most certainly is a disability. I can’t remember what it’s called, but yes, it’s a disability. I have a diagnosed learning disability in maths. It’s quite frustrating because I know that I’m smart and should be able to figure it out, but the best description is that numbers go into my brain and then get all scrambled. Thank heavens for calculators!! I love to read and have read all of Agatha Christie’s books at least twice. I agree.. there’s definitely life somewhere in the universe. I’ve always thought that if, in the phenomenal vastness of the universe, we really are alone with no other life.. well, it’s an incredible waste of space. Another great video. Well done Simon and team 😊👏🏻💯🙌🏻

[@Zipcodeking]

Love the editing.

[@mwolkove]

For Simon: you described the phenomenon of l'appel du vide, or the call of the void. It's not just you who thinks about jumping, it's so common that there's a name for our.

[@Dont_Poke_The_Bear]

Simon, given your short tangent on Dr. WHO, you REALLY need to do a deep dive on the series and then do a video on the matter.

[@willmfrank]

We need a "Science of Science Fiction" episode about the TARDIS. ...If only so we can watch Simon's head spin. 😉😁

[@crazykansan3026]

One of my favorite writers. Another awesome episode. Thank you!

[@qrufus]

Years ago, Buzzfeed Unsolved did a video on her disappearance. They mentioned that, during an interview, Agatha said that she had done something very foolish. I think that she tried to commit suicide by crashing her car, but changed her mind and ended up in a ditch. After that, she probably wanted to mentally escape being Agatha Christie for a while. Her using the mistress's last was name was a way of teaching her husband a lesson.

[@angelatheriault8855]

I’ve heard tourists visit Niagara Falls in New York State and suddenly get an overwhelming urge to jump into the river even if they were not suicidal before they arrived. Many people who have jumped but were later rescued can’t explain what came over them.

[@immortalgamer3960]

Hey Simon, first off, that whole bridge thing, it's very common; it's even referred to as "The Call of the Void" in psychology. I remember hearing a story of amnesia (or something really similar) a long time ago (so obviously grain of salt, because memory). This guy was getting an endoscopy. He remembers getting the first shot of anesthesia and being a little loopy, then nothing after the second, until he "woke up" much later that day at a pizza place sitting across form his incredibly pissed off wife. Apparently after the procedure he was a complete jerk to her and did a whole bunch of other things that didn't make any logical sense. When he came to he was halfway through eating a BBQ chickens pizza which he hated under normal circumstances and had no memory at all of what had transpired. The brain is weird and kinda scary in how easily who we are can change on a dime.

[@igitaq]

I am allergic to wasps, bees, hornets, and mosquitoes. I ignore them, even with the knowledge that they could kill me, and carry on about my business and let them do the same, at least when I am alone. When others are around there is always someone who starts freaking out and swatting at them, whipping them up into a frenzy then running away. That leaves me with this pissed off insect. The guy who was perfectly calm and chill is now going to need an EpiPen because some douche can't just let the damn insect go about it's business in peace.

[@teaspoonsofpeanutbutter6425]

I used to do shop work (not now, thank the fkn pope!) And there was a bee buzzing about that I just left to it's devices, this woman then came to my till and started swatting away at this poor thing, in the meantime nearly smacking me in the face multiple times as she did so. Me n the bee wete doing gran til old fat hands turned up and p1ssed us both off!

[@stillmagic714]

My five year old daughter was petting bees the other day, they were just happily exploring the flowers and she was gently stroking their backs. It was both magical and stressful watching that.

[@stillmagic714]

My five year old daughter was petting bees the other day, they were just happily exploring the flowers and she was gently stroking their backs. It was both magical and stressful watching that.

[@kl6960]

@Stillmagic, I used to do that as a kid, though usually with bumblebees... never been stung by any bee, bumblebee, wasp, hornet or whatever else is there in that family... I think it's just that they know you mean no harm to them and so they don't feel the need to defend themselves.

[@Magepure6749]

Calmness and ignoring usually works on wasps and hornets. Unless your work includes moving around your food they were eating, in which case you have no choice: war and eradication. Bees are holy, I love them and I'd never hurt them. Mosquitoes tho? I'd love to know how to ignore them in such a way they would ignore me back.

[@gryyphyn8639]

Dissassociative Fugue is totally a real thing and can be associated with other neurological conditions. I had a fugue episode a number of years ago related to another neurological issue and to this day I have about a 30-45 min block of time I don't recall. I had collapsed at work and coworkers got me into a chair. The decided not to call for medical assistance because I was otherwise cognizant of what was going on and carrying on conversations without any impediment. The first memory I have after was my supervisor saying something and being unable to answer the question. Apparently I had been in the middle of saying something then stopped for a few seconds. He could see a visible change in my countenance akin to changing thoughts in the middle of speaking. No fewer than six people confirmed I didn't exhibit any odd behavior other than basically falling over while working. I did go to hospital immediately after "coming to" and was diagnosed with a neurological condition. Thankfully it hasn't happened again but it's still weird and uncomfortable to think about.

[@katielouC]

Aw, Simon! I have dyscalculia too.

[@KarynHill]

Fugue states are definitely more common than you think. I've had a few. They were fairly brief-from minutes to almost a day-which is what the bulk of these cases are. It's a rare fugue state that lasts weeks, months, or years. Think more like PTSD than Naomi Jacobs. That's why they're so common; it's mostly not the long-term cases.

[@Elemarth]

Interestingly, my dad once mentioned that he has the same intrusive thoughts about jumping off bridges. Intrusive thoughts are actually relatively normal. It becomes a disorder when it's extremely upsetting to you, or it's affecting your life. If you can't focus on work because you're too busy worrying about the fact that you thought about jumping off a bridge, or you can't go anywhere because you have to do a series of rituals to make sure you don't accidentally jump/drive off a bridge, you have OCD.

[@n4nitea]

Yeah, that describes it pretty well. I had those intrusive thoughts all my life and it was okay until it turned into a disorder and I couldn't do a lot of daily things anymore. It is well treatable (i was in a clinic for it) but it is really scary when it turns from the thoughts u sometimes have into the disorder.

[@matstarcher7630]

I'm taking a trip to Praugue one day to just shake Simon's hand. I've learned so much from this man in the most engaging and entertaining way possible.

[@AllTheHappySquirrels]

Not sure if I'm watching CasCrim or Decoding the Unknown with Simon's tangents in this one 🤔

[@pianobooks42]

I’ve actually experienced dissociative amnesia (the mild form of fugue state) due to severe anxiety. Before I started taking anti-anxiety meds and during a time where my meds stopped working, my panic attacks were so intense that I would “lose” hours or even a full day. I remember once when I was in a college class and they were showing a video with some intense imagery. This was during the lapse with suddenly no working meds and also shortly after I was sexua|ly assaulted. So something must’ve triggered me, because I came to in my dorm hours later. The scary part is, I had to cross 2 busy streets which saw many pedestrian hit and runs to get there, and I’m visually impaired. I don’t know how I did that. From roommates and classmates, I learned that I had gotten up and fled the classroom. I had run across town and was distressed when I locked myself into my room. This type of thing happened a few times a week with additional panic attacks multiple times a day. Sometimes, I would act like I had calmed down and carry a conversation when I was still in this state. I’d then come to in the middle of a conversation completely unaware of where I was and having no memory of the words prior to that moment. Point being, fugue states are totally legit and terrifying. Even my therapist was so scared by the admission that she ended our sessions and would not allow me back in her office.

[@hermansmom709]

Yes, I don't think this is as rare as people think, to lose a few hours or an entire day, and I don't mean due to drug usage.

[@kristinekuehn6528]

Agatha Christie is still one of my all time fave authors. Have read everything she has written. Love Hercule Poirot. Not big Miss Marple fan. My fave book by her is And Then There None. The only spy books I love are Ian Fleming's James Bond books. Im HUGE 007 fan. Have been since I was 8 yrs old. Even have all Flemings Bond 1st edition books. Got the whole collection as gift for my 21 birthday.

[@GavMax]

You are not alone Simon i have those strange thought about bridges, cliffs and they are disconcerting but I can’t seem to stop them and i too would never act

[@theUglyGypsy]

Ten little Indians was always my favorite. Also, Simon turning Tom cruise into himself, genius

[@resileaf9501]

It's Ten Little Indians..? WHY DID THEY CHANGE IT TO TEN LITTLE N****** IN FRENCH?!

[@theUglyGypsy]

@@resileaf9501 that sounds more like a Lovecraft novel

[@swfcocs1]

Not forgetting in that era any kind of scandal would have been very damaging to her career, even someone as popular and successful as Christie was very vulnerable to scandal, even more so because of the hypocrisy and rampant sexism she faced

[@eadweard.]

Where did you learn to say this?

[@swfcocs1]

@@eadweard. what?

[@evanblake5252]

Simon does a lot more smiling and goes on a lot more tangents in his informal videos, compared to his formal. Either one is highly entertaining, in different ways.

[@Sk8trfred]

Another great show

[@pixiesouter9461]

Everyone gets intrusive thoughts, but they can develop into an actual problem (usually as a symptom of various personality disorders). I get a thing called waking nightmares, where my intrusive thoughts play out in my head, like a movie clip I can't escape. It's not pleasant. They come out of nowhere and they can be pretty horrific.

[@novaethedimensional2263]

I had this quitte recently and im still shaking from it. I vividly saw myself with a cut throat, laying on the beach. I was just cutting an apple for f sake

[@helenwood8482]

I've always been sure she deliberately set it up just to punish her husband and his mistress. She knew he would be considered a suspect and that his affair would be revealed. She also knew that she could keep it going for as long as she wanted and then end the suspicion on him by revealing that she was still alive. A woman whose husband is unfaithful feels powerless and as if her life is no longer her own. Agatha regained power and also put her cheating husband through Hell. A much better revenge than going after his family jewels with a kitchen knife.

[@SibyllaCumana]

I agree. She was suffering greatly, probably it was also a last try to win her husband back and, although I do believe she might have felt suicidal, I think she definitely staged it all

[@jayburn00]

You should do separate episodes on the "greys", "reptilians", "reptilian shapeshifters", etc. They each have their own mythology and associated conspiracy theories. Also, you should do something on the airship craze of the late 1890s and early 1900s, and how it may have eventually led to the alleged "alien" craft crash in aurora Texas (more than 40 years before the Roswell "crash"). There were contemporary accounts of people in zepplin like craft including one armed with a machine gun that the occupants allegedly claimed they were going to use against the Spanish (this was during the Spanish-American War and during its lead up as well). Other accounts had the occupants claim to be aliens (probably as a joke if it actually happened), naked in one account, and other bizzarre recounts of encounters with airships at this time. The residents of aurora claimed to have buried the "non-human" pilot of the one that crashed in their town, but if it really happened it was probably someone human in one of the airships. That said, the airships themselves could have been early UFO conspiracy theories themselves (there is no photo evidence that I know of though it was before cameras became more widespread, and aside from the witness accounts there is only circumstantial evidence (patents, founding of aeronautical organizations, etc,) but mostly hadn't made the leap to aliens yet.

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

5:55 - 6:19 Simon there is a disability that involves getting numbers screwed. Up in your head & mispronouncing or, getting things numerically related mucked up. It's commonly called Number Dyslexia or Math Dyslexia, & it's technical name is Dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is a math learning disability that impairs an individual's ability to learn number-related concepts, perform accurate math calculations. Reason & problem solve, & perform other basic math skills. Dyscalculia is sometimes called “number dyslexia” or “math dyslexia.” & about 6% of the population suffer from Dyscalculia. I'm one of the 6% & it's caused me no end of grief through out my school years. & back when I was at school it wasn’t recognised as a legitimate disability. As I was highly intelligent & did well in ally other subjects except for Mathematics. I was relentlessly teased & bullied for 'being stupid'. Not only by my peers but by teachers as well. Who also would call me lazy, claiming I 'wasn’t putting an effort into my studies' ect. Thankfully I had *VERY* understanding & sympathetic parents. Who recognised that I wasn't lazy or stupid, but had a legitimate problem. The had multiple tests done. & when they found out that I was in fact number dyslexic. They got me extra tutoring & training with experts to help me manage my disability. Without their assistance I probably wouldn't have passed high school. I still suffer from number dyslexia to this day. But at least now, thanks to my parents. I have the skills to help me manage it so I can at least function. Dyscalculia is considered to be one of the 'hidden disabilities' - ie: disabilities that aren't obvious upon first glance. Like Down Syndrome, missing a limb, being blind or paralysed ect. People with these types of disabilities are often dismissed as faking it or acting up for attention.

[@juvene6]

Simon's mocks my religion in nearly every episode but I still love his content.

[@readycheddar]

My girlfriend had disassociative amnesia a few months ago. We think she had a stroke. She forgot who I was and thought Obama was still president and worked at a job she hadn’t had in months. Also thought she was a fat blonde woman (she’s Native American) who had a nice apartment in New York (we live in California). Took a few weeks for her memory to come back. It was the weirdest thing.

[@o.mcneely4424]

Personally I find it highly plausible that the woman who wrote a metric ton of mystery novels would ABSOLUTELY fake a disappearance in just such a way that her husband’s cheating would be exposed and she would publicly end up on the (generally) more sympathetic side. I don’t believe she wanted to frame him for murder or she would’ve planted evidence (like blood in the car); like Simon suggested, she wanted to make him sweat, make him feel as humiliated as she was by the affair.

[@katrina3560]

I like your thought process here!

[@BezoomyKoshka-ip4dz]

​@@katrina3560 so we meet again Ms Kittensworth. But this time you are wearing 1950s vampire shoes

[@TheImmortalSpark]

Psychology student here: disassociative states are pretty common in people under heavy stress or trauma. A fugue state can have psychological or neurological causes, and definitely does happen.

[@nmeone5109]

13:52 lolz the cops got text messages? You and your team rock Simon.

[@AshenDruid]

I get those weird random thoughts too, dude. And Simon liking John Grisham novels as a teenager explains a few things...

[@samuelbarber6177]

To Simon from six months ago, yes, Doctor Who was first aired in Black and White after its inception in late 1963 as the BBC did not begin broadcasting in colour until 1969. Doctor Who first appeared in colour in 1970.

[@insomniac598]

Jen nearly killed me with that kid falling down the stairs! I was drinking lol

[@charlottejay136]

This is the second time today I’ve heard Simon talk about having that “mixing up numbers” thing

[@slantedshark3853]

Dancing aliens around simon is exactly the thing i needed to see this week

[@mwolkove]

Simon, any chance you could adjust your upload schedule to deliver a more consistent daily dose of content? Just a suggestion, but maybe you could release casual criminalist and decoding the unknown on different days, since they're so much longer than your other stuff.

[@dj-jn7qs]

Aspen? : kudos! Was that Young and the Restless type music at ~25 minutes? Brilliant. I was laughing every time it came on. (sorry if I got the name wrong, the next episode ad covered your name).

[@absalomdraconis]

Yes Simon, there were some black & white Doctor Who episodes back in the day. Most of them apparently got destroyed to open up storage space.