John Action checked his ex-military wristwatch to see when his next work shift would start. It was a Saturday, not normally a work day for him but the shift was down a few cops this week due to something nasty going around the precinct so he was being called in to cover a shift. However, he'd been up until late last night partying with friends so he had brewed up a concoction of vitamins, alka seltzer and caffeine to help him through his day.
At the station things were very quiet. There were fewer police on duty today and even the Chief was away until Monday. The duty roster called for someone to patrol downtown San Myshuno in the Spice District and without any black and whites to dispatch to the area, Action volunteered to head down there on his own to patrol. Before he left he had a word with the duty forensics officer.
"Hey, Doc, did you find anything in that letter I gave you to analyse? Anything to go on?" he asked.
"Looked it over, scanned it, sent it to the boys over at cryptography but we couldn't find a darned thing to tie it to anyone" came the reply. "Whoever made the letter was a pro and knew how to leave no trace. You're looking at a master forger here, Action"
"...or someone who has access to a master forger." Action said, thinking of a crime syndicate being responsible. "Thanks, Doc" he said before heading out on to the streets.
The Streets of San Myshuno had changed little since he grew up there; true the old sailor's dive was now a swinging jazz club and the central area had been smartened up. Even the locals had changed since those days in the 40s and 50s; there were now more professional, middle class people around here but it was still a potential hot spot for crime, particularly street crime.
Up ahead, at the old basketball court shooting some hoops, was a face he recognised. Action went over to greet him. "Well if it isn't Bob Pancakes...I thought you'd moved out of here a long time ago" he said.
Bob looked up a little puzzled before a flash of recognition appeared on his face. "Oh yes, Action. I haven't seen you since High School" he said.
"That's probably the last time we saw each other" said Action.
"Well, I'm still here...well, I've moved to Willow Creek now"
"Same here, I'm over at Foundry Cove. Say, what are you doing these days?"
"Oh this and that, I spent 2 years in the Navy, got my discharge and settled down" said Bob.
"You? Married?"
Bob let out a heavy sigh. "Yep...." and his voice trailed off. Action knew not to press Bob on this subject. Changing subject, Bob asked Action what he did now.
"I'm a cop" he said.
"Really? You? You were always getting busted by the principal at school!" laughed Bob.
"I got my act in order, Bob" said Action. "But being back here...these old streets...you still missing slam dunks...it's all coming back" but as he spoke those words he saw a young girl spraying paint on the ground outside the Waterside Warble. "No rest for the wicked...I'll have to deal with this" he said to Bob and with that he headed over to the girl, who looked vaguely familiar.
"Excuse me, Miss, do you have a permit to be doing that?" he said to the girl, who looked about 17 or 18 years old.
"Oh....yeah...somewhere on me" she said, patting the sides of her dress, vainly trying to find a pocket. Then she went over to her shoulder bag on the ground next to her, fumbled around and produced a crumpled piece of paper which had an official looking letter head on it. Action checked it over and nodded before handing it back to her.
"No problem, Miss" he said and began to walk off when suddenly he remembered where he'd seen her before. "Oh one other thing, Miss....aren't you Malcolm Landgraab's girlfriend?"
"I know Malcolm, but I don't discuss our private life with just anyone" she replied.
Action nodded. "Well I hope he's keeping his nose clean for his sake" he added. Then, from the other side of the plaza, he could hear a heated argument so ran off to deal with that.
"You're a 🐸🐸🐸🐸, that's what you are!" said a very attractive young woman who was wearing a brown exercise leotard and....little else. She was yelling at a young man who was dressed in trendy mod gear and had a Beatle haircut.
"Keep your voice down, lady, I can explain..." said the young man.
Action approached them both "hey, hey, hey, let's keep things cool guys....Detective John Action, Sim City PD" he said, showing his badge. The two calmed right down.
The woman started to talk "This cre ep has been ogling me for the last 10 minutes!"
"Is this true?" said Action to the young man.
"Well, I wouldn't say 'ogle'...." he replied. "I was watching this lady doing her yoga exercises in the plaza and was admiring her technique..."
"You were eyeing me up!" she responded, hotly.
"Well it's hard not to notice when you're bending and stretching looking like you do!" he said.
"Ma'am" said Action "why are you doing yoga in the plaza at this time?"
"Well it's the San Myshuno Yoga Club meeting today at 1pm and I arrived a little early...or maybe the others are a little late..."
"Yoga Club meets here on Fridays...this is Saturday" said Action.
"Oh" said the woman, looking embarrassed.
"Now whether it meets on what day is irrelevant" continued Action. "You don't just eye up women for your pleasure Mr?"
"Doctor, actually, Doctor Paul Collie" said the young man. "In my defence I was just plucking up the nerve to go and ask the lady if she wanted to go for a coffee with me"
"I think that's right off the cards now, man" said Action. "In future, don't act like a wimp but just flat out ask her without staring...or else back right off and walk on. Alright, get lost buddy" he said and Dr Paul Collie skulked off.
"And I'm going to need your name and address for the record, Miss"
"It's Freya Carlson and...if I may be discrete...I'm actually working a case here"
"A case? You on the force?" he said.
"Kind of...I work for S.I.M.S." she replied. Action sighed, not a government spook! That's all he needed.
"I'm going to need to see some identification" he said.
"Well...that's kind of difficult right now" she said, looking at her skin tight exercise clothes.
"So you're here on some kind of stake out and decided to dress in a way that sticks out like a sore thumb?" he said, shaking his head.
"Erm....I honestly thought Yoga Club was today and would make the perfect cover. You won't report this, will you?"
Action shook his head and walked off. His shift ended and after getting changed he invited his girlfriend, Katherine, to the Blue Velvet bar. They met outside and embraced warmly...it was good to feel her soft touch, especially after a day of having to deal with oddballs.
"Hmmm, so good to see you girl!" he said.
"Likewise" she replied smiling in a playful manner.
"Shall we go inside and get a drink?" he asked. She nodded and as he led the way she couldn't help herself in her playful mood and snuck up behind him to poke him in the ribs in jest. However Action, at that moment, had a Vietnam flashback to a time when he had been ambushed from the rear by a VC soldier and barely escaped with his life.
"DON'T YOU EVER, EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" he said, spinning around and yelling in her face.
"I...I was just having fun!" stammered Katherine.
"Well it ain't no fun when you live each day fearing that some punk's going to sneak up and get you!"
"Sorry" said Katherine, terrified by Action's manner. She led the way into the club and offered to buy drinks to calm him down. She could see that he was still seething and wondered why he was so touchy about something that she thought was innocuous.
They sat down at a table and Action looked at his drink without saying a word for about five minutes. The tension was there between the two of them but eventually Action spoke. "Listen, Katherine, I know you didn't mean any harm but I've spent most of my life looking over my shoulder: Growing up in the hood, the 'Nam and now on the streets of the city. I'm still coming to terms with a lot that's gone down over the years. I shouldn't have taken it out on you"
Katherine took a long sip of her drink. "You know, Action, us having an inter-racial relationship doesn't bother me at all. You being up from the streets and me being a daughter of wealth doesn't bother me either. But there's a side to you that scares me...the side that's seen maybe too much. I think you keep it bottled up"
"Dang straight I keep it bottled!" he said. "I have to maintain self-control"
"And did you do that earlier, outside? Maintain self-control?"
He shook his head "No. I'm the one who should be sorry, not you"
Katherine reached out and touched his hand. "I think you need help....maybe I can do that, maybe you might need to see someone else"
At the hospital, senior nurse Francesca Griffiths approached Dr Julia Epstein about a delicate matter.
"Dr Epstein...my little Stefanie is not well, I think it's a stomach bug...would you examine her? She's very scared of hospitals but seeing as she knows you I thought a friendly face might put her mind at ease"
"Certainly" said Julia, looking at Stefanie. "Come on, follow me...I know the most comfortable bed in this hospital is available and if we're quick we can get it before anyone else!" Turning to Francesca she said "Don't worry, I've got it from here"
Julia led Stefanie to the room where the little girl changed into her pyjamas. Julia began her examination.
"So where's it hurting you?" she asked. Stefanie pointed to her stomach. "I see, let's just feel around the area and tell me if you feel any soreness when I press down"
The girl winced when Julia pressed around the centre of the stomach. Satisfied by that test, Julia then got out a swab to take a sample but she dropped the first one on the floor. "Oops, butterfingers!" she said. Stefanie chuckled at nice Dr Julia's clumsiness. "Let's try that again....and swab...and....oops!"
Julia felt very embarrassed at this rookie mistake. This little girl, and her mother, had put their trust in her to help Stefanie and here she was dropping swabs and samples all over the place. "Listen, Stefanie" she said. "Do you trust me...even though I'm being such a klutz today?"
"Yes Dr Julia" the little girl replied.
"I'm going to send for the best doctor in this hospital. The top person, I think she can help you and she won't drop everything on the floor. Is that OK?"
The girl nodded and Julia went to find Dr Murakami, her superior. "Dr Murakami" she said. "I have a little girl in room 2; she's Nurse Griffith's daughter and...well...I think her case is a little out of my league"
"Really, Dr Epstein? I thought you relished a challenge"
"Well...on this occasion....I think it's because I'm a friend of the family I'm too close to things. Maybe a more detached view is needed here?"
"Very well, Dr Epstein...I'll trade you cases: You take my ruptured disc case and I'll look in on young Miss Griffith"
Julia read the case notes for her new patient: Mrs Edna Sneedley, age 41, suspected ruptured back disc. Julia went to the waiting room and called out for Mrs Sneedley. A stern looking, smartly dressed woman struggled to stand up and hobbled over to Julia. "I'm Edna Sneedley"
"Let me help you or get a wheelchair for you..." Julia began
"Certainly not! I'm quite alright...just a joint out of place I assure you!" said the woman, harshly. "I need to get out of here as soon as possible"
"Well, let's determine what's wrong first...this way Mrs Sneedley."
Julia examined Mrs Sneedley and her tentative diagnosis so far was that there was swelling around her lower spine area. "So when did you notice the pain and swelling?" she asked.
"During the protest" replied Mrs Sneedley. "I'd been standing there, leading it for some hours and all of a sudden I felt this pain in my back."
"If you don't mind me saying, you don't look like the protesting type. What was the cause?"
"The shameful degradation and moral corruption of our society, Dr Epstein!" said an indignant Mrs Sneedley. "We were demonstrating outside of the Lothario Club"
"Isn't that the one owned by Alan Cuffe?" replied Julia.
"Yes....vile man! He was our next door neighbour for a while. Fortunately he moved out last week but the wild and debauched parties he threw in his previous house! Ugh! I hope you're not a fan of his"
"Certainly not! I have had the unpleasant experience of meeting him...twice now. He tried to recruit me into his Kitten Club: I turned him down flat" said Julia, grimacing.
"Oh those shameless women parading about in next to nothing!" said Edna. "Well I'm glad to hear you are not a fan. Do you not agree that morals are declining in this day and age?"
"I certainly do Mrs Sneedley. Everywhere you look it's sex, sex, sex. And then there's the drugs, the rule breaking, men with long hair....I prefer a bit of order and common sense"
"You sound like the kind of young person we need in the League of Decency" said Edna.
"The League of Decency? Is that your organisation?" asked Julia.
"Yes...would you be interested in attending one of our meetings?"
"I think I would like to, Mrs Sneedley. Now I'm going to send you for an x-ray. Don't worry, I'll get a hospital attendant to take you there."
The League of Decency, thought Julia. Maybe it was time to get involved in a cause?
At the end of her shift, Julia headed home with Mrs Sneedley's business card with the contact phone number and address for the League of Decency in her handbag. When she arrived home she found that her aunt Elle was in the house.
"Hi Auntie Elle" said Julia, surprised to see her in her house. "I gave you a copy of my house key in case of emergencies"
"This is an emergency!" barked her Aunt. "My landlord wants to kill me!"
Julia sighed. This seemed to be another of her Aunt's paranoid outbursts. "For the last time, Aunt Elle, your landlord is your brother...he's not out to get you"
"He's been out to get me since I was six!"
"I'll call dad and sort this out" said Julia but before she could get to the phone there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" said a startled Aunt Elle. Julia went to investigate and it turned out to be her next door neighbour, Suzy Kent.
"Hi Suzy...nice to see you. I must warn you, my aunt has dropped around and she's, well, a bit of a handful" said Julia.
"Do you need any help?" asked Suzy.
"Actually, if you don't mind, maybe having a chat will calm her down a bit."
Suzy agreed and went inside to greet Aunt Elle. "Hello, I'm Suzy...I live next door. I think I recognise you; don't you sometimes sing at the Solar Flare Club?"
"Yes....who told you to say that? Julia, why is this person here?" said Elle.
"She's my neighbour, Aunt"
"I enjoyed your singing...I was there with my boyfriend and we both liked the show" said Suzy, trying to be friendly.
"Harumph" said Elle.
"Suzy here works for 'Hey, Wow' magazine." said Julia, trying to lighten the mood. "She knows all the best places in town as well"
Elle said nothing but instead scowled at Suzy. Her monopoly over Julia in her home had been broken and she did not like it at all.
As Suzy and Julia tried making small talk with Elle, the woman stood up and went outside without saying a word. There, just at the side of the house, she kicked the trash can over in anger and frustration.
"I'm so sorry you have to experience this" said Julia to Suzy after Elle had stepped outside. "You see, my aunt has psychological problems and sometimes she can control her behaviour and sometimes she can't"
"It's family though...you have to stick by them" said Suzy. At that moment there was another knock at the door.
"I think Elle might have locked herself out" said Julia, getting up to answer it. But it wasn't Elle, instead it was Francesca.
"Hi Julia...sorry for dropping by unannounced" she said.
"Don't worry...it's been an evening of unannounced guests. Come in" said Julia. "This is my neighbour, Suzy....Suzy this is my work colleague and friend, Francesca"
The two women greeted each other in a friendly manner. At that moment Aunt Elle returned. "What's this? More people!" she said.
"Francesca's a colleague of mine" said Julia.
"I just wanted to say a big thank you for putting Stefanie's fears at ease today" said Francesca.
"I don't know if I did that...I made a hash of things really" said an embarrassed Julia.
"That's what made her feel at ease...she thought you were funny for such a clever person"
"People! People just showing up and talking...never stopping talking!" muttered Elle.
"Aunt Elle...these are my friends. They're not a threat to you or to anyone" said an increasingly exasperated Julia.
"So why did they just drop by, unannounced?" said Elle.
"Why did you?" said Julia.
"I told you! My landlord is out to kill me!"
"He is not! He's my uncle, your brother! Now Auntie Elle....please show some kindness and manners towards my friends!"
"Hurumph! Well I won't stay around here being insulted. Goodbye, Julia....maybe when they find my body you'll think twice!" and with that, Aunt Elle stormed off.
Julia sighed and turned to her friends. "I'm so sorry about that. She'll be alright come tomorrow morning" but deep down she was worried that her Aunt's condition was getting worse and she was now shunning proper medical treatment and instead just randomly showing up at her place as a form of refuge. What to do, she thought, what to do?
Sim 66 now has it's own website! From now on I won't be posting full chapters on this thread, instead will be a one line teaser plus a screengrab and the link to the Sim 66 Blogger page. All the previous chapters of Sim 66 are there, plus a list of main characters at the start of the blog.
In today's chapter we take a look at Liberty Lee's role in the Gemini 8 mission.
Suzy explores the tree once more and goes on a date with Neil....with an unexpected opportunity thrown her way as well in Chapter 74, To The Next Level
Julia decides to join Edna and George Sneedley's League Of Decency to help combat the permissive society and has a run in with the playboy libertine Alan Cuffe and his "Kittens". It's chapter 76, The League Of Decency in Sim 66...
I love the humor in this story. I'm on page 3, hoping to catch up. Everytime I go through this I wish the forums had emoji's on posts. I need an lol option and a "what just happened" option...
Romance is in the air for Summer Holliday, Travis Scott and Liberty Lee. See what the 1960s incarnations of the BFFs get up to in Not Just BFFs...it's Sim 66.
Caught up to November 2020 so far and having fun I love Julia Epstein! And I love what you did with GeekCon! "If we are going to make it to the moon...."
I'm very fond of Julia as well and is my favourite character right now. She began life as a random townie and I saw plenty of potential in an Un-Swinging Sixties character but since then the gameplay has shaped her into a rounded personality.
But back to the next chapter! There's trouble with the arts community of Sim City and there's only one person who can sort it out....ACTION! The Secondee, the latest instalment of Sim 66.
I love the music you put to your story. Just makes it come more to life for me. I'm at chapter 46... So I think near half caught up. I like John Action for some reason he reminds me of Richard Pryor.
The game decided to make most of my Sims fat overnight so (after some CAS "squeezing") I decided to incorporate this into the latest chapter A Little Extra...it's Sim 66.
Comments
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
John Action checked his ex-military wristwatch to see when his next work shift would start. It was a Saturday, not normally a work day for him but the shift was down a few cops this week due to something nasty going around the precinct so he was being called in to cover a shift. However, he'd been up until late last night partying with friends so he had brewed up a concoction of vitamins, alka seltzer and caffeine to help him through his day.
At the station things were very quiet. There were fewer police on duty today and even the Chief was away until Monday. The duty roster called for someone to patrol downtown San Myshuno in the Spice District and without any black and whites to dispatch to the area, Action volunteered to head down there on his own to patrol. Before he left he had a word with the duty forensics officer.
"Hey, Doc, did you find anything in that letter I gave you to analyse? Anything to go on?" he asked.
"Looked it over, scanned it, sent it to the boys over at cryptography but we couldn't find a darned thing to tie it to anyone" came the reply. "Whoever made the letter was a pro and knew how to leave no trace. You're looking at a master forger here, Action"
"...or someone who has access to a master forger." Action said, thinking of a crime syndicate being responsible. "Thanks, Doc" he said before heading out on to the streets.
The Streets of San Myshuno had changed little since he grew up there; true the old sailor's dive was now a swinging jazz club and the central area had been smartened up. Even the locals had changed since those days in the 40s and 50s; there were now more professional, middle class people around here but it was still a potential hot spot for crime, particularly street crime.
Up ahead, at the old basketball court shooting some hoops, was a face he recognised. Action went over to greet him. "Well if it isn't Bob Pancakes...I thought you'd moved out of here a long time ago" he said.
Bob looked up a little puzzled before a flash of recognition appeared on his face. "Oh yes, Action. I haven't seen you since High School" he said.
"That's probably the last time we saw each other" said Action.
"Well, I'm still here...well, I've moved to Willow Creek now"
"Same here, I'm over at Foundry Cove. Say, what are you doing these days?"
"Oh this and that, I spent 2 years in the Navy, got my discharge and settled down" said Bob.
"You? Married?"
Bob let out a heavy sigh. "Yep...." and his voice trailed off. Action knew not to press Bob on this subject. Changing subject, Bob asked Action what he did now.
"I'm a cop" he said.
"Really? You? You were always getting busted by the principal at school!" laughed Bob.
"I got my act in order, Bob" said Action. "But being back here...these old streets...you still missing slam dunks...it's all coming back" but as he spoke those words he saw a young girl spraying paint on the ground outside the Waterside Warble. "No rest for the wicked...I'll have to deal with this" he said to Bob and with that he headed over to the girl, who looked vaguely familiar.
"Excuse me, Miss, do you have a permit to be doing that?" he said to the girl, who looked about 17 or 18 years old.
"Oh....yeah...somewhere on me" she said, patting the sides of her dress, vainly trying to find a pocket. Then she went over to her shoulder bag on the ground next to her, fumbled around and produced a crumpled piece of paper which had an official looking letter head on it. Action checked it over and nodded before handing it back to her.
"No problem, Miss" he said and began to walk off when suddenly he remembered where he'd seen her before. "Oh one other thing, Miss....aren't you Malcolm Landgraab's girlfriend?"
"I know Malcolm, but I don't discuss our private life with just anyone" she replied.
Action nodded. "Well I hope he's keeping his nose clean for his sake" he added. Then, from the other side of the plaza, he could hear a heated argument so ran off to deal with that.
"You're a 🐸🐸🐸🐸, that's what you are!" said a very attractive young woman who was wearing a brown exercise leotard and....little else. She was yelling at a young man who was dressed in trendy mod gear and had a Beatle haircut.
"Keep your voice down, lady, I can explain..." said the young man.
Action approached them both "hey, hey, hey, let's keep things cool guys....Detective John Action, Sim City PD" he said, showing his badge. The two calmed right down.
The woman started to talk "This cre ep has been ogling me for the last 10 minutes!"
"Is this true?" said Action to the young man.
"Well, I wouldn't say 'ogle'...." he replied. "I was watching this lady doing her yoga exercises in the plaza and was admiring her technique..."
"You were eyeing me up!" she responded, hotly.
"Well it's hard not to notice when you're bending and stretching looking like you do!" he said.
"Ma'am" said Action "why are you doing yoga in the plaza at this time?"
"Well it's the San Myshuno Yoga Club meeting today at 1pm and I arrived a little early...or maybe the others are a little late..."
"Yoga Club meets here on Fridays...this is Saturday" said Action.
"Oh" said the woman, looking embarrassed.
"Now whether it meets on what day is irrelevant" continued Action. "You don't just eye up women for your pleasure Mr?"
"Doctor, actually, Doctor Paul Collie" said the young man. "In my defence I was just plucking up the nerve to go and ask the lady if she wanted to go for a coffee with me"
"I think that's right off the cards now, man" said Action. "In future, don't act like a wimp but just flat out ask her without staring...or else back right off and walk on. Alright, get lost buddy" he said and Dr Paul Collie skulked off.
"And I'm going to need your name and address for the record, Miss"
"It's Freya Carlson and...if I may be discrete...I'm actually working a case here"
"A case? You on the force?" he said.
"Kind of...I work for S.I.M.S." she replied. Action sighed, not a government spook! That's all he needed.
"I'm going to need to see some identification" he said.
"Well...that's kind of difficult right now" she said, looking at her skin tight exercise clothes.
"So you're here on some kind of stake out and decided to dress in a way that sticks out like a sore thumb?" he said, shaking his head.
"Erm....I honestly thought Yoga Club was today and would make the perfect cover. You won't report this, will you?"
Action shook his head and walked off. His shift ended and after getting changed he invited his girlfriend, Katherine, to the Blue Velvet bar. They met outside and embraced warmly...it was good to feel her soft touch, especially after a day of having to deal with oddballs.
"Hmmm, so good to see you girl!" he said.
"Likewise" she replied smiling in a playful manner.
"Shall we go inside and get a drink?" he asked. She nodded and as he led the way she couldn't help herself in her playful mood and snuck up behind him to poke him in the ribs in jest. However Action, at that moment, had a Vietnam flashback to a time when he had been ambushed from the rear by a VC soldier and barely escaped with his life.
"DON'T YOU EVER, EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" he said, spinning around and yelling in her face.
"I...I was just having fun!" stammered Katherine.
"Well it ain't no fun when you live each day fearing that some punk's going to sneak up and get you!"
"Sorry" said Katherine, terrified by Action's manner. She led the way into the club and offered to buy drinks to calm him down. She could see that he was still seething and wondered why he was so touchy about something that she thought was innocuous.
They sat down at a table and Action looked at his drink without saying a word for about five minutes. The tension was there between the two of them but eventually Action spoke. "Listen, Katherine, I know you didn't mean any harm but I've spent most of my life looking over my shoulder: Growing up in the hood, the 'Nam and now on the streets of the city. I'm still coming to terms with a lot that's gone down over the years. I shouldn't have taken it out on you"
Katherine took a long sip of her drink. "You know, Action, us having an inter-racial relationship doesn't bother me at all. You being up from the streets and me being a daughter of wealth doesn't bother me either. But there's a side to you that scares me...the side that's seen maybe too much. I think you keep it bottled up"
"Dang straight I keep it bottled!" he said. "I have to maintain self-control"
"And did you do that earlier, outside? Maintain self-control?"
He shook his head "No. I'm the one who should be sorry, not you"
Katherine reached out and touched his hand. "I think you need help....maybe I can do that, maybe you might need to see someone else"
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
At the hospital, senior nurse Francesca Griffiths approached Dr Julia Epstein about a delicate matter.
"Dr Epstein...my little Stefanie is not well, I think it's a stomach bug...would you examine her? She's very scared of hospitals but seeing as she knows you I thought a friendly face might put her mind at ease"
"Certainly" said Julia, looking at Stefanie. "Come on, follow me...I know the most comfortable bed in this hospital is available and if we're quick we can get it before anyone else!" Turning to Francesca she said "Don't worry, I've got it from here"
Julia led Stefanie to the room where the little girl changed into her pyjamas. Julia began her examination.
"So where's it hurting you?" she asked. Stefanie pointed to her stomach. "I see, let's just feel around the area and tell me if you feel any soreness when I press down"
The girl winced when Julia pressed around the centre of the stomach. Satisfied by that test, Julia then got out a swab to take a sample but she dropped the first one on the floor. "Oops, butterfingers!" she said. Stefanie chuckled at nice Dr Julia's clumsiness. "Let's try that again....and swab...and....oops!"
Julia felt very embarrassed at this rookie mistake. This little girl, and her mother, had put their trust in her to help Stefanie and here she was dropping swabs and samples all over the place. "Listen, Stefanie" she said. "Do you trust me...even though I'm being such a klutz today?"
"Yes Dr Julia" the little girl replied.
"I'm going to send for the best doctor in this hospital. The top person, I think she can help you and she won't drop everything on the floor. Is that OK?"
The girl nodded and Julia went to find Dr Murakami, her superior. "Dr Murakami" she said. "I have a little girl in room 2; she's Nurse Griffith's daughter and...well...I think her case is a little out of my league"
"Really, Dr Epstein? I thought you relished a challenge"
"Well...on this occasion....I think it's because I'm a friend of the family I'm too close to things. Maybe a more detached view is needed here?"
"Very well, Dr Epstein...I'll trade you cases: You take my ruptured disc case and I'll look in on young Miss Griffith"
Julia read the case notes for her new patient: Mrs Edna Sneedley, age 41, suspected ruptured back disc. Julia went to the waiting room and called out for Mrs Sneedley. A stern looking, smartly dressed woman struggled to stand up and hobbled over to Julia. "I'm Edna Sneedley"
"Let me help you or get a wheelchair for you..." Julia began
"Certainly not! I'm quite alright...just a joint out of place I assure you!" said the woman, harshly. "I need to get out of here as soon as possible"
"Well, let's determine what's wrong first...this way Mrs Sneedley."
Julia examined Mrs Sneedley and her tentative diagnosis so far was that there was swelling around her lower spine area. "So when did you notice the pain and swelling?" she asked.
"During the protest" replied Mrs Sneedley. "I'd been standing there, leading it for some hours and all of a sudden I felt this pain in my back."
"If you don't mind me saying, you don't look like the protesting type. What was the cause?"
"The shameful degradation and moral corruption of our society, Dr Epstein!" said an indignant Mrs Sneedley. "We were demonstrating outside of the Lothario Club"
"Isn't that the one owned by Alan Cuffe?" replied Julia.
"Yes....vile man! He was our next door neighbour for a while. Fortunately he moved out last week but the wild and debauched parties he threw in his previous house! Ugh! I hope you're not a fan of his"
"Certainly not! I have had the unpleasant experience of meeting him...twice now. He tried to recruit me into his Kitten Club: I turned him down flat" said Julia, grimacing.
"Oh those shameless women parading about in next to nothing!" said Edna. "Well I'm glad to hear you are not a fan. Do you not agree that morals are declining in this day and age?"
"I certainly do Mrs Sneedley. Everywhere you look it's sex, sex, sex. And then there's the drugs, the rule breaking, men with long hair....I prefer a bit of order and common sense"
"You sound like the kind of young person we need in the League of Decency" said Edna.
"The League of Decency? Is that your organisation?" asked Julia.
"Yes...would you be interested in attending one of our meetings?"
"I think I would like to, Mrs Sneedley. Now I'm going to send you for an x-ray. Don't worry, I'll get a hospital attendant to take you there."
The League of Decency, thought Julia. Maybe it was time to get involved in a cause?
At the end of her shift, Julia headed home with Mrs Sneedley's business card with the contact phone number and address for the League of Decency in her handbag. When she arrived home she found that her aunt Elle was in the house.
"Hi Auntie Elle" said Julia, surprised to see her in her house. "I gave you a copy of my house key in case of emergencies"
"This is an emergency!" barked her Aunt. "My landlord wants to kill me!"
Julia sighed. This seemed to be another of her Aunt's paranoid outbursts. "For the last time, Aunt Elle, your landlord is your brother...he's not out to get you"
"He's been out to get me since I was six!"
"I'll call dad and sort this out" said Julia but before she could get to the phone there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" said a startled Aunt Elle. Julia went to investigate and it turned out to be her next door neighbour, Suzy Kent.
"Hi Suzy...nice to see you. I must warn you, my aunt has dropped around and she's, well, a bit of a handful" said Julia.
"Do you need any help?" asked Suzy.
"Actually, if you don't mind, maybe having a chat will calm her down a bit."
Suzy agreed and went inside to greet Aunt Elle. "Hello, I'm Suzy...I live next door. I think I recognise you; don't you sometimes sing at the Solar Flare Club?"
"Yes....who told you to say that? Julia, why is this person here?" said Elle.
"She's my neighbour, Aunt"
"I enjoyed your singing...I was there with my boyfriend and we both liked the show" said Suzy, trying to be friendly.
"Harumph" said Elle.
"Suzy here works for 'Hey, Wow' magazine." said Julia, trying to lighten the mood. "She knows all the best places in town as well"
Elle said nothing but instead scowled at Suzy. Her monopoly over Julia in her home had been broken and she did not like it at all.
As Suzy and Julia tried making small talk with Elle, the woman stood up and went outside without saying a word. There, just at the side of the house, she kicked the trash can over in anger and frustration.
"I'm so sorry you have to experience this" said Julia to Suzy after Elle had stepped outside. "You see, my aunt has psychological problems and sometimes she can control her behaviour and sometimes she can't"
"It's family though...you have to stick by them" said Suzy. At that moment there was another knock at the door.
"I think Elle might have locked herself out" said Julia, getting up to answer it. But it wasn't Elle, instead it was Francesca.
"Hi Julia...sorry for dropping by unannounced" she said.
"Don't worry...it's been an evening of unannounced guests. Come in" said Julia. "This is my neighbour, Suzy....Suzy this is my work colleague and friend, Francesca"
The two women greeted each other in a friendly manner. At that moment Aunt Elle returned. "What's this? More people!" she said.
"Francesca's a colleague of mine" said Julia.
"I just wanted to say a big thank you for putting Stefanie's fears at ease today" said Francesca.
"I don't know if I did that...I made a hash of things really" said an embarrassed Julia.
"That's what made her feel at ease...she thought you were funny for such a clever person"
"People! People just showing up and talking...never stopping talking!" muttered Elle.
"Aunt Elle...these are my friends. They're not a threat to you or to anyone" said an increasingly exasperated Julia.
"So why did they just drop by, unannounced?" said Elle.
"Why did you?" said Julia.
"I told you! My landlord is out to kill me!"
"He is not! He's my uncle, your brother! Now Auntie Elle....please show some kindness and manners towards my friends!"
"Hurumph! Well I won't stay around here being insulted. Goodbye, Julia....maybe when they find my body you'll think twice!" and with that, Aunt Elle stormed off.
Julia sighed and turned to her friends. "I'm so sorry about that. She'll be alright come tomorrow morning" but deep down she was worried that her Aunt's condition was getting worse and she was now shunning proper medical treatment and instead just randomly showing up at her place as a form of refuge. What to do, she thought, what to do?
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
Sim 66 now has it's own website! From now on I won't be posting full chapters on this thread, instead will be a one line teaser plus a screengrab and the link to the Sim 66 Blogger page. All the previous chapters of Sim 66 are there, plus a list of main characters at the start of the blog.
In today's chapter we take a look at Liberty Lee's role in the Gemini 8 mission.
Read it here: https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
But back to the next chapter! There's trouble with the arts community of Sim City and there's only one person who can sort it out....ACTION! The Secondee, the latest instalment of Sim 66.
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Tagging @BreeMiles
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
Yes, the music's a big feature and I try to put an appropriate song in most chapters.
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Tagging @BreeMiles
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2021_02_04_archive.html
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Tagging @BreeMiles
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Tagging @BreeMiles @mightysprite @JestTru
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/
Tagging @BreeMiles @mightysprite @JestTru
Read Sim 66 here:https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/978195/sim-66/p1
https://kelloggjkellogg.blogspot.com/2020/10/sim-66-prologue.html