My idea for a great story (Aka Character Sadism)

Well, Actually it's not an idea per se, but rather an ethos about how I plan treat my characters (my poor little creations if you will) and world in which they will struggle to survive. I like to write in my downtime, and recently have been stymied by loathsome writer's block. Anyways, yes, I will create a world of suffering when I finally concieve of a setting that appeals to me enough to punish it. Why will they be made to struggle you may ask? Why would I cause my brainchildren pain? Am I full of bitterness and cruel impulses? Let me backtrack to a memorable college lecture that has really stuck in my mind and created, for whatever reason, a lasting impression on my literary brain. The truth of the matter is, that I was sitting and a doing a crossword in my Art History and Cinema class. The teacher, David Soren was a wonderful teacher and may I add, an exceedingly sensitive soul. But, he had what I now think of, a slightly unsettling fixation on a now much forgotten silver screen dancer whose name was Vera Ellen. The reason that he lectures on Vera Ellen, is that he grew up in the entertainment business and was fortunate enough to make the aquaintance of many talented stars. He, himself had been a vaudville dancer or something of the sort, and certainly knew a lot about the craft. Dancing that is. Sometimes, petite Professor Soren would show us a little jig, or pehaps an irish clog in a truly graceful fashion for a man who must be in his mid sixties. Not very tall and seemingly frail, he can be surprisingly passionate when lecturing, dancing, sing, telling jokes ect. He was seemingly the perfect elder gentelman professor type, with his soft leather shoes and his soothing voice and obvious need to influence the younger generation that they may be better. He also had a dog named "Angel". Angel followed him everywhere he went and I'll be damned if Angel didn't have the sweetest, most understanding expression on her fuzzy, whiskered, gently smiling, yellow lab face. I'm pretty sure that I'd let Angel babysit my kids if I had any. The lecture hall was very large and sat perhaps 400 people, and when he would do a delicate tap routine or say something sweet about someone who he admired like Vera Ellen, half of the kids in there would sigh and say silly things like "I wish he were my daddy." The female half anywas. But, I stray. Anyhow, one of the textbooks assigned for the course was a book called "Vera Ellen, the Magic, the Mystery." On the cover is a glossy picture of her smiling face, her expression both sad and vivacious. Soren REALLY likes Vera Ellen. One of his life's goals, was to make sure that "she was not forgotten." Well, I will most likely never forget her because every Tuesday and Thursday morning from December to May I heard about Vera Ellen at least once or twice during his passionate performance-filled hour and a half lectures. When he lectured on Post-Impressionism and it's influences on German Expressionist Cinema, somehow inexplicibly, Vera Ellen would pop up dancing poigniantly (and perfectly because "she worked harder than anyone") though her troubled life and though our imaginations. Not to mention the one lecture who's full ninety minutes was devoted to "Bunny". (I'm really not positive how she got that nickname.) Where was I? Ah. Lecture. So, Professor Soren was gently entrancing the students as he cooed paenisms to Vera. Meanwhile I was concentrating very hard on a crossword from the "Daily WildCat." (The Daily Wildcat is by far the best college newpaper in circulation by the way. Go ahead look online.) They have a section called "Police Beat" which has always amused me on sundry twisted levels. It may tie to my character sadism which I've unsucessfuly trying to explain. So I was reading "Police Beat" and doing my crossword, when my ears perked up....
Ok I'm at the library, and had no Idea that this was going to ramble so much. I'll finish up later...