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A memoir of Grace “Slick” Joplin
Tamijo
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Index:
Prologue: Moving out of the City
Chapter 1: Three Friends
Prologue: Moving out of the City
Chapter 1: Three Friends
Chapter 2: The Girl from Janis’s Cottage
Chapter 3 “If the Sun refused to Shine”
Chapter 4 “Childhood's End / The Dreaming”
Chapter 5 Into the Fire
Chapter 6 Wild is the Wind
Chapter 7 Intruder
Original Characters
Appendix 1.
Appendix 2.
Appendix 3.
Road and Metro Map Inner City.
Overview of the 3rd generation.
Appendix 4
Appendix 5 Updated City Map:
Editorial:
The story runs with a custom time setup:
Avg. lifespan Sim 288 days, Cat 67 days Dog 59 days, Horse 121 days, this will never be mentioned in story, where we count in Year
Season "circle" will be 40 Days/Year after cap.1.1 changes to 16 day/year to get more variation
To make this challenge harder my sims wont collect any lifetime rewards.
Will not do anything (reloads or move object) to get perfect shots, will be playing and shooting as things happen in-game. (*)
(*) From about chapter 3 i started to do some re-load, only when working with "other lots" than my main family household, to avoid my main family from doing weird stuff while i was not with them.
Avg. lifespan Sim 288 days, Cat 67 days Dog 59 days, Horse 121 days, this will never be mentioned in story, where we count in Year
Season "circle" will be 40 Days/Year after cap.1.1 changes to 16 day/year to get more variation
To make this challenge harder my sims wont collect any lifetime rewards.
Will not do anything (reloads or move object) to get perfect shots, will be playing and shooting as things happen in-game. (*)
(*) From about chapter 3 i started to do some re-load, only when working with "other lots" than my main family household, to avoid my main family from doing weird stuff while i was not with them.
My active stories: Appaloosa County..*.. Sinful Sisters.....*.....Earlier stories:..*..Survivors the River..*.. A Memoir of Grace "Slick" Joplin
Post edited by EA_Solaire on
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Grace or as her mom call her Slick, was born in the suburb of metropolitan, by single mom Janis. Janis fell in love with her high school teacher and got pregnant, but of course they were never to become a family, in reality he never wanted to leave wife and children.
He gave her $20.000 and persuaded her to move out to the countryside, hoping never to see her again.
Chapter 1.0: Three Friends
When we arrived at the house my mom had bought, I was just two and a half years old, mom was twenty. From what I later heard mother was a great kisser and a hopeless romantic, that had not turned out to be to her advantage so far, besides of course the 20 Grand. Can say my live started on the wrong foot as mother was also a neurotic slightly insane character, but I won’t complain most people love mummy and so did I.
Mom told me lots of stories and fairytales, she loved sitting in her best chair reading a good book.
We were not alone. Mother had brought two friends from high school along, uncle David and uncle Robert. Two unlikely characters to be living under the same roof.
Uncle David was a strong fit person, loving everything that had to do with the out-doors, gardening, fishing and all kinds of plants and animals, from elephants to spiders and he was not impressed with all the modern popular devices. He was at his best with wind in his hair hoping to get something on the hook.
Uncle Robert almost the opposite, a good-hearted teddy bear, loving to make a meal and take two plates even if he needed just one. With a love of most indoor stuff, cooking, art music, books and technology.
The house was very small more like a cottage, in a rural area far away from the main town, only a little daylight coming in from the few windows, mom hated it but there was no money for re-decoration, at least not when we first arrived. The boys brought practically no money from the city and mother had to pay back a 5000$ loan** before moving, we had some $332 all-together.
Mom and I had a small room, the boys were living in the other where the dining table and kitchen was also located.
Mom was a hard negotiator, so the deal was that if the household should one-day split the house with everything in it was ours, and whatever we had made should be shared 4 ways, the boys may have thought that was unfair as I was only an expenses, but you would not dare to disagree with mom.
**
Logically I can’t remember anything from these early years, but mom kept a diary that I found after see passed away, very detailed so here we go.
The first cobble of months mother could not find a job, we very living from the few money we got
Uncle David got some fish on the Hook and started a small garden, Robert started his first oil painting. But so far no income from any of that. Never the less mom mentions this as a happy period, they were young and optimistic, finding comfort in each other’s company.
The highlight from the diary this period was a cold haily summer night, where a raccoon was searching for shelter near the house, Uncle David was of course over the moon.
Chapter 1.2: Three Friends
The highlights over the next period in the dairy was definitely mother getting a job, nothing spectacular, just a paper girl, but anyhow important to keep starvation at bay.
Another one was a day where Uncle David got a parrot bite in his finger attempting to befriend the bird, got an allergy haze picking wildflowers, and got soaked in the rain on the way home. The flowers were nice though and he also brought back some fish to sell the next day.
Uncle Robert finished some paintings in this period and registered officially as a painter, snacking secretly at the summer festival on the way back. My Uncles took very good care of me now that mom was working.
Just as everything was looking a bit brighter in our small home, mother fell sick, nobody knew what is was and no way she could afford to see a doctor, even when she got back to work she was not well, but she had to provide for the little family.
Romance always comes in the most unexpected ways, no it was not mom couldn’t find any evidence in the dairy that she had meet someone, it was Uncle Robert.
He meets Cheyenne Fox one day in the park, and he was immediately hit by the arrow. Sadly, it turned out she already had a partner, but he could not get her out of the head, and it seemed like it was mutual attraction.
Chapter 1.4: Three Friends
Mom got is over her illness and brought home enough to buy me something wonderful, a xylophone. It was amassing, although my uncles did not adore the sound as much as I did.
We now had enough to pay the bills, from mom’s salary, Uncle David’s selling fish and even Uncle Robert able to sell a painting to a local farmer sometimes.
David made a deal with the owner of Rags to Riches, being able to sell his fish and vegetables there
But the house was old and rotten, Robert often had to fix pluming and everyone was going crazy every time the old washing machine was running.
Chapter 1.5: Three Friends
From what I can see from the diary over the next period my little family found is own simple rhythm of life. My uncles generally woke up very early, having some “man” time together over breakfast.
While Uncle Robert took care of me teaching me whatever I need to know, he was also doing some housekeeping and if time allowed in painting a bit.
Uncle David left house directly after breakfast going down to the beach to get as many fresh fish he could. Later he went to town selling them and did the necessary shopping. If fishing was great he sometimes stayed at the beach all day, and sold it all the next day.
Mother left the house in the morning only to come home for a late dinner, but still she found time to read me a story most nights.
Chapter 1.6: Three Friends
For the first time Mother got a chance to work inside the newspaper, actually she did not particular like the new job, but she made more money.
The old shower was broken and the washing machine extremely noisy, mother came home one day after work, she had visited the building supplier and bought a bathtub and building material enough to make a small extension of the cottage, aiming to “hide” the loud sound from washing machine.
Uncle David of course complained that this was a waste of good drinking water, but never the less he was the first to dip in.
My 4-year birthday was on a Friday, Saturday we all went to the festival site to celebrate it. I got my first Ice cream and had by first encounter with a dog, I loved it! From then on could not talk about anything else – I want a dog.. a dog.. mommy I want a dog.
Uncle Robert met Cheyenne Fox again that day at the festival site - sparkles. Nobody knows exactly what happened between them, mother just note that he came back very late that night.
It was also during these weeks that Uncle David’s garden started to deliver some fruit and vegetables, a much need addition to the family income, things was improving slowly but from want I can read, we very living close to the edge all the time, we need so much stuff that we could not afford.
Chapter 1.7: Three Friends
Uncle Robert have used many hours completing his first large painting. He is very proud about it and hangs the painting directly over his bed. The other adults are not too impressed and Uncle David jokes: “it would come to better use as fertilizer”
One day Uncle David comes home after searching the fields and forests, he brings back some valuable stones and a chameleon. A rare wild animal like this will bring in more money, than what he can earn fishing for several days.
When reading the diary, I suddenly got the explanation of why it seemed to be Uncle Robert taking care of me and mom was home so few hours every day. She had been to the library almost every night after work to finish her first book: “Leave Him and Stop Crying” an autobiographical short novel about her relationship with my father.
The weather was awful most this September month, spending so much time outdoors getting soaked again and again Uncle David got pneumonia. Mom brought antibiotics from town and he survived it, but could not fish for a while.
Store Install
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random legacy
In the next period, mom’s mental health deteriorated, having acute anxiety attacks and longer periods of depression, “reliving” the time with my father must have been hard on her. He may even have been physically rough on her. I am not sure about that.
In any case she did what she could to hide her disorder from me, I remember her very caring then she was home.
One very funny episode in the diary was Uncle Robert, taking a one of plumbing job in town, losing his T-shirt in the sewer and walking out to the streets wearing just pants and umbrella.
On a side note Uncle David pops up more and more frequently in her diary, not directly referred to in a romantic manner, but…..
Chapter 1.9 Three Friends
On a beautiful and sunny late fall day Uncle David captured a bird, as the value of the bird was a lot less than that of the lizard we had, even David agreed to sell the Lizard.
“Papas” moved in, “saakee” moved out, and David could now get the bicycle he wanted, not to waist fossil fuels driving around in a taxi.
After mother got some recognition from her book, she was allowed to write some free-lance articles and got paid extra whenever one was printed in the paper.
To thank Uncle Robert for all he had done for the family, she bought him a grill, he had very little income from his paintings but did a lot for the household. That afternoon she made hotdogs on the grill to surprise the boys when they woke up from their afternoon nap.
We went to the Spooky Day Fall Festivals. It started out well, everyone having fun as the crazy Gloria none of us knew before this day, started a wild dance with Uncle David.
Uncle Robert called Cheyenne, she came and as usual the had a great time together. But the weather got worse and worse ending in heavy rain and lightning.
Although Mother insisted he should join us in the taxi, Uncle David took the bike home.
Later than night as everyone was sleeping, a fairy tale beauty knocked on the door – Uncle David woke up and opened - Trick or Treat - Trick or Treat.
Mother must have missed someone to hold her, comfort her, someone to love. The only men she knew well was my uncles, see must have had friendly feelings for both as we can see from this, written in her diary one cold December day.
“I was alone, “Slick” was sleeping, I could hear her childish snore and it made me smile. Was looking out at the beautiful winter landscape and my mind would not stop wondering about my two male friends. David – so physical attractive, so strong and so mystically silent and thoughtful. Robert – so loving and caring towards my little girl – so cheerful and optimistic, we have so much in common with a shared love for books, art, writing.”
Mother bought me a dollhouse for my 5 years birthday, I had promised to stop playing the xylophone if I got one, all the adults was so tired of the sound.
In wintertime later that year mother called a carpenter and got our room extended, to fit in a computer, now I saw her much more than before, was nice to listen to her typing the homework as I fell asleep. She also changed her hairstyle.
From what I read; I think see was more relaxed this year.
Although, from what I later leaned from Robert, he would still find her standing outside in the snow, frozen in her own world where no one could reach. Terrible cold without even noticing it herself.
Uncle David meet Gracie Loveland, a single woman living close to our home. If they where more than friends is not clear from my mother’s hand, she only briefly mentions her, always in a neutral manner.
Mother started her first longer novel, spending a lot of time in front of the computer but at least she was home, the working title was “Just a friend”, but it is what was to become known as “Winter Landscape”
I turned 6 years old that summer, now we get to where I remember or have been told most of this story, only occasionally having to depend on mother’s notes.
One morning both my Uncle’s went out together, they said Robert would like to go fishing with David, how unlikely that may sound. Anyway, that was a lie they came back with Muddi – ooh impossible to express now crazy important that was to me.
Muddi was a male four years old mix of uncountable dog breeds, and he was mine.
End of Chapter 1
Coming to school very often in the same clothes, never having any pocket money was not easy for me, I was that girl from Janis’s cottage, with a mother known to be weird, not from a "normal" family, “he probably left her and the child cos Janis is a bit nutty” was the word around town. We had no car, no television and no money, the other children were laughing behind my back, if not directly to my face.
My solitude at school was hard, fantastic to have Muddi to play with when I came home. And it was is not only me finding comfort in the dog. Uncle David often took him along when going to the beach or even took a taxi to the dog-park in town. Uncle Robert made a painting of him and replaced it with the one over his bed.
Mother had a fine period, her mental state was still quite good and her articles was now often at the best pages in the newspaper, she had her own blog about single mothers and a newsfeed about sexual-harassment at the newspaper website. She was now making money, slowly saving up for whatever the future might bring.
Uncle David from time to time visited Gracie Loveland, one of several male characters hanging out in her house. Normaly he was back quite early ready to fish the next morning.
One warm spring night that changed, I saw them from our bedroom window. They very not shy about it, making out right there in front of the window with curtains drawn, both dressed in The Emperor's New Clothes. David did not come home that night.
Uncle David came back the next morning and no one talked about it, or at least not when I was listening (there is nothing in the diary). But our life was somehow changed, I already felt like I lost my uncle, although he was there, taking care of his fishing and the dog. Maybe just me feeling it was now only the three of us.
After half a year of loneliness at the school playground I found a friend. That was wonderful. Ethan Parrott even sometimes came home with me after school, he never mentioned anything bad about my family and he loved Muddi and my dolls.
Mother also noticed my problems and gave me a little pocket money, so that i could get a treat with friends from time to time.
@elleskyheart/@Puddinroy thanks a lot so glad you like it
At springtime mother was as usually at her best mood, she decided to call Plumber Jones, and get a new sink in the kitchen, a new toilet and a shower to replace the old bathtub in the bathroom. The door from the toilet to the laundry room was removed, instead we now had access from the kitchen.
At the same moment the plumber left, without even taking her panties and bra of, she walked into the shower and turned on the water, “nice” she just said to herself, that is how mom was, crazy and fantastic at the same time.
Uncle David continues to spend his nights with Miss Loveland, only coming around the cottage to clean “Papas” bird cage and “secretly” handing over a few coins to mum, helping her pay the bills and whatever the animal needed.
I think we all missed him, at least I did and Muddi too, sleeping at his bed with a sad expression on his face almost every night.
Uncle David meet his fairy tale princess for the 2nd time, one night at Miss Loveland’s place. His heart starts beating faster, he is practically speechless, this is a very different feeling from the purely physical attraction he has towards Loveland.
“She is just a child”, he tries to tell himself “there is no way I can act on this”, quickly going upstairs as if to use the toilet. “just a child” he repeats to himself. When he comes down, she is already gone and he gets his act together, helping Miss Loveland in the kitchen
I am now 7 years old, almost pass the first year of school. For the first time in ages all of us meet up to go to the festival together, I have looked forward to this for such a long time. I don’t know who managed to plan it, my guess would be Robert.
We all danced together, David bought me a perfect cake, and later Robert took a nap on the bench after too many hot dogs and too much dancing.
David came back and played with “Papas” spending the night at the cottage.
I was so happy that evening, maybe it would not last, but I had missed spending good times with Uncle David, this day was something to remember. A last Kiss goodnight to Muddi and off to bed – school day tomorrow
Chapter 2.2 The Girl from Janis’s Cottage
At my second year in school, I got a close friend, her name was Cheri Houge and we hung out all the time, having a blast, even though she did not like snakes and lizards.
Things was shaping up fine in our little family, mother got a raise at the job after an increasing amount of her work was printed or even sold to larger national press compagnies. And more directly notable for a child like me, after the day at the festival, Uncle David began to hang around much more, as if the adults have cleared something out between them.
He still visited Miss Loveland quite often, but other days we were all together, playing a game or going to the beach together.
Uncle David could not get his mind of “The Fairy Tale Princess”, her real name was Benni. David sometimes called her and invited her to meet up, shoving her his secret spots in the area. The young “lady” was impressed with this strong rater wild man and they had fun. He never laid a hand on her, he just wanted to be near.
Mother finished har 2nd book “Winter Land”, a dramatic novel about a child ending up at a horrible orphanage, because her neurotic mother drowned herself. It was a hit and she was on national television network, adding tremendously to her reputation as a writer.
Robert was not very happy with the sudden pressure laid on her, already distressed by the nature of her writing and the fact that she did not relax the last 3 to 4 weeks of the writing process, getting caught up in her own fantasies.
Exactly 9 days after the television appearance she suddenly went to the burning hot stove, and put her hands on it, I will never forget that smell.
Robert called an ambulance. Mother was admitted to the psychiatric unit at the hospital
Chapter 2.3 The Girl from Janis’s Cottage
My world fell apart, I did not eat much, had nightmares and woke up bathed in sweat, I could not concentrate on neither school nor homework. Especially Robert was there for me, helping with my school or just holding me.
Muddi would never leave my side, he knew how miserable I was, I was so scared.
We could live from mother’s savings. Uncle David filling the fridge with fish and whatever he could get cheap in town. Uncle Robert, previously reluctant to sell his work, sold every painting he produced. All in all, enough to make a living, although it was a hard period, I do not remember that we could not fill our stomach.
Robert sold a painting named “Leaves” to a local farmer for almost 400$, that was a lot of money in our household.
With both my uncles working hard to make ends meet, I took upon me to help with all I could, I guess children just know when to complaint about not having this and that, and when not to. I was cleaning and sweeping the best I could and I did not mind, it kept my mind of worrying.
Uncle David was back living with us, or rather he was there when I went to bed, he still visited Miss loveless at night, but I did not know at the time.
Most times he was back in the morning, and the few times he was not there, Robert told me he was fishing somewhere in a faraway lake up the hills
About 14 days after mother was hospitalized, Robert took me to visit her. We meet her in the hospital garden. It was strange, as if when she looked at us she saw right trough us.
I would rather be home with Muddi.
a few month later
Even thought this was a period of much sorrow and misery, we had no financial distress quite the opposite. Mothers book continued to sell very well, Uncle Robert became a bit more accepted in the local Art circles and could now auction off his painting, earning a bit more. Uncle David’s fishing paid off better and better. Uncle David also took up gardening again, not that he made a lot from that, but the lot became nicer.
My uncles decided to make a larger renovation of the cottage, extending the kitchen / living room quite a lot, that way we could fit in a sofa and a small television, that was so nice. Everyone at school talked about what was on telly, now I could join in.
Uncle David of course hated it, especially adverts made him angry, but at first he attempted not to care.
The highlight of the next period was the festival a leisure day, even though it was a rainy day, there was lots of people and I had a lot of fun, completely forgetting by sorrows. I was wearing some of the brand-new clothes my uncles bought me from the money coming from the book.
Uncle David was flirting with a young Japanese Lady, Tamiko Katsuta. Later I found out, that it was she who became the famous writer and founder of the very wealthy art family that founded the acclaimed “Katsuta Institute of the Arts” in Sunset Valley.
It is now 6 months since mother was hospitalized, yesterday Robert and I went to see her, she was crying a lot and hugging me many times, was sad and wonderful at the same time. On the way back Robert said: “You should not be sad that mummy was crying, it is a sign that she is coming back to reality, she will soon be better I am sure”
It would be another 6 months before mummy came back. My uncles knew of course that she was about to come back, but they did not say anything, afraid to take my focus away for everything else especially school. I noticed they did a lot to shine up the cottage, setting up new lights and stuff, but as far as I remember, did not wonder why.
Not until I asked: “Uncle David, do we go to Spooky Day festival together tomorrow” and the answer was: “No honey I guess not, your mom will be home tomorrow, I think we should all stay here.” David took me up and gave me a big hug. I was so happy, I could not stop crying of joy, I went outside to hug Muddi and maybe take him for a walk. My uncles continued fixing up the living room.
Mom came home the next day, hard to imagine more kissing and hugging than the two of us did. She was looking so much better now, probably the luckiest I can remember to ever have seen her. I was over the moon.
We did stay home all that Spooky Day, despite being late fall at was a beautiful evening, Robert made dinner at the grill. We were sitting together outside, chatting until long after nightfall, I think it was the first time I was allowed to stay up that late.
The psychiatrist and psychologists at the hospital, advised against mom continuing at the newspaper, she quit the job to avoid too much pressure, instead started part time at the Spa, not to feel too isolated.
Time passed and I was now 9 years old, my little family was back to the usual rhythm. Me working hard with my homework, otherwise seeing friends and being with Muddi. Mother and Robert most times at home, taking care of the daily routines in the household, Robert also painting as much as he could and I think mother was slowly planning a new novel although she did not mention it to us.
Robert fishing for a living and after mother came back also spending more time with Miss Loveland. Getting older I was now more aware of what love was and could better accept that he could not always be with me.
Chapter 2.6 The Girl from Janis’s Cottage
Mummy started to write her next book as fall turned into winter. My uncles advised her not to, claiming her writing would not to her any good. Mother just said: “Writing is the only thing I know to do well, a can’t live in fear of the darkness in my mind, it is just not possible.”
I did not mind, listening to her typing, while going to sleep, brought sweet memories from good times before the was sick.
Later at the heights of Winter, on a frosty Sunday, David came home from fishing and invited me into the town. A place I almost only came with the school bus. We had no car. At first, he took me to the Rags to Riches, an amazing store where you could find the most wonderful things, art, furniture, anything. We did not have any money though, David came to sell.
David met a young lady he called Benni at the store, most likely not accidently, but I did not think about it then, he brought us both to a frozen lake and we had such fun, ice skating and building snowmen. On the way home in the taxi David told me that he had become very good friends with Miss loveless and that he would probably move in with her. He moved out just a few weeks later, after selling his bird to pay mothers bill before he left. He did not bring any money with him, definitely not what Miss loveless was after.
Uncle David moving out was hard on me, even harder on Muddi, the first month he would often cross the street, jumping up on Miss loveless bench hoping for David to come out. David could not let him in, with two cats inside his new home.
You may wonder why a free spirit like David, would suddenly put all his eggs in one basket. I soon found out. David would often come around with a fish or something hanging out to chat for a few hours, so I haven’t visited him previously.
I was curious and one day went over, at first just to look trough the windows, but Miss Loveless saw me and came out to invite me in. Contrary to what I expected, children listen to a lot of rumors, she was very nice. The huge surprise thought was that she was also pregnant. Could hardly be anything but David’s child.
Miss Loveless and David had twins, little Kate and little Angie. I knew of course that they were not my sisters, but anyway I loved them instantly and thought of them as my family. I visited as often as I could and promised to babysit whenever needed.
I was now more than 10 years old, able to look after myself and allowed to be with friends or just play around in the neighborhood as long as I was back before bedtime. It was springtime, as far as I could tell mother was feeling great. Uncle Robert got an award from the town art council, being an innovative promising local artist, money he used to get us an old car, life was wonderful.
Uncle Robert finished the later so famous “snowman” thanks God he did not sell it for a few hundred $ back then
Mummy had a brief affair with a man she knew from her time at the newspaper. I thought he was way too old for her. It turned out that he was mean and possessive, one day hit her right there on the street outside the Historical Society building. That love affair was over promptly, she was a little upset about it, but I was glad.
Uncle Robert made a fantastic painting of me with my dollhouse in the background.
About a month later I got my own room, mummy moved into the living room and Muddi moved in with me. I loved to have my own space, where I could invite friends to play on the computer or with the dollhouse.
Mother still came in to my room when it was bedtime, to write a few pages while I fell asleep.