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Sim 66

Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
edited February 14 in Nominated Threads
Sim 66 is a story created around my new, experimental Sims game set in the 1960s. As well as decking out my Sims, both PC and NPC, in groovy gear and in period houses, I'll be playing them as Boomers from that era and seeing what happens, relating events as a story. I've kept the premades in the game, but modified their clothing wherever necessary and in some cases they didn't need any modifying at all!

Sim City, 1966. A cultural revolution is underway across the Western world as fashion, music, art and style are undergoing great change. It's a time of experimentation, of pushing boundaries, expanding minds and grooving on out. It's turn on, tune in and drop out...baby.

Well, not everyone's like that. Take young Jeremy Saint here. A square jawed, clean cut kid from Crested Butte who has recently graduated from Britechester University with a burning desire to strike out from his family and make a name for himself in the big city. Jeremy's tastes are....shall we say "conservative". Not for him wild parties, discotheques and....experimentation of various sorts.

With some money saved from legacies left to him by his Great Aunts Gertrude and Hildegarde, Jeremy has managed to put a deposit on a small, not too fancy house in Willow Creek. From there he plans to seek his fortune.
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As Jeremy can't so much as boil an egg, and heeding his dad's advice to learn how to fix leaky pipes, change a tyre and mend a fuse he starts to learn valuable life skills when there's a knock at the door....

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The neighbours...three friends who share the house at the end of the road.
"Hey, we saw you move in this morning and we came to say hi!" said a young, with-it guy who introduced himself as Travis.
"Oh, hi...I'm Jeremy. Nice to meet....erm...." but Jeremy couldn't finish his sentence. Behind Travis were two hot chicks who introduced themselves as Summer and Liberty. He'd known girls on campus but these two were way beyond their league.

Liberty was the chattiest of the group; she kept talking about her job at Space Y and how plans to land the first Sim on the Moon were progressing. Jeremy hardly understood anything she said. Travis was more easy-going, cracking jokes about this and that and eating a fruit cake he'd brought along. Jeremy wasn't sure about the cake and as for Summer, she walked around his new house checking everything out. She had this perky walk that Jeremy found alluring. However, he didn't know what the score was with these three and didn't want to hit on Summer just in case she and Travis were an item.
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It was clear these guys were part of the in-crowd in Sim City with their talk of parties and the hottest spots in town. They all recommended the Blue Velvet nightclub and suggested that one of these days they should all go there. Just before dinner time, the guests left with promises to catch up soon. Did Summer give Jeremy a cute little wave as she left? He couldn't be sure but Liberty didn't leave right away; she kept talking about vectors and orbits and such. Soon even she noticed it was getting dark and made her goodbyes.
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Travis enjoyed a moment's peace before his telephone rang.
"Is that Jeremy Saint?" said a rather gruff, stern voice at the other end of the line.
"Er...yes, yes it is" replied Jeremy.
"My name is J.J. Gotcha from Dewey, Cheatem and Howe...we got your resume and we liked it, we liked it a lot. Can you begin work at 9am tomorrow?"
"Yes Mr Gotcha! And thanks, I'll be there!"
"Don't be late....I've sent you some reports to fill out. Be a good chap and fill them all out by the end of the day. Goodbye." and with that the line went dead.

Jeremy smiled: A job, a cool neighbour and two hot chicks living nearby. Liberty of Summer....Liberty or Summer? Jeremy snapped out of his daydream. What if they thought he was a nerd?
Post edited by EA_Solaire on

Comments

  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 part 2

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    "Young man! Get a job and get a haircut!"
    "Hey lady...I don't dig your vibe!"

    The generation gap hardly bothered Jeremy Saint, who was busy getting ready for his first day as a mailroom clerk at Dewey, Cheathem and Howe. Last night he had to fill in various reports, half of which he didn't understand and the other half he hurredly filled in over breakfast. He didn't want to be late on his first day despite seeing a groovy chick standing right outside of his house, checking her diary. "Focus" he told himself...."focus".

    The work was tedious, the hours ticked by but Jeremy's mind was filled with stories of young hopefuls who started in the mail room and ended up being the company chairman. By the time he got home he was hungry and in need of fun.

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    As soon as he finished a tin of tinned fruit salad....he'd forgotten to stock up on food, the phone rang. It was Travis Scott.

    "Hey, Jeremy, me and the girls are gonna head on down to the Blue Velvet...you know, that discotheque we told you about? It's pretty swinging"

    "You've thrown me a lifeline, bud, I need some fun right now!" was his reply.

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    Jeremy was glad to see his new friends and put the tedium of work behind him. The Blue Velvet was buzzing; Summer invited him to dance and he couldn't say no to her. Or to Liberty for that matter. Travis looked on, not looking too put out that this new guy was fast becoming good friends with his housemates, but he cast a sideways glance when Jeremy got a little too close to Summer.

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    An older gentleman of around 40 accidentally trod on Jeremy's foot. "So sorry, I'm not with it with these crazy new dances they've got these days" he said.

    "That's OK, mister. No permanent damage done" Jeremy replied.

    The man danced on, awkwardly, trying to get to the rhythm of the song playing: Dusty Simfield's "I Only Want To WooHoo You".

    "Do you know who that is?" whispered Travis to Jeremy "That's Geoffrey Landgraab, the millionaire"

    "Really? Never heard of him. What's he do?"

    "That's it...no one's sure."

    A blonde lady in her mid to late 30s walked into the nightclub. She was dressed in the height of fashion and had a swagger to her walk. She walked over to Geoffrey Landgraab, grabbed him and dipped him over...passionately kissing him in front of the entire clientele.

    "Golly jeepers!" said Jeremey "you wouldn't see that back in Crested Butte!"

    "That's not all of it" replied Travis. "That's his wife!"
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 part 3

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    Willow Creek has a new beat poetry group...."Hey, Daddy-0...you're twisting my melon, man!

    Jeremy Saint had a hectic time in his first week at work. His boss, J.J. Gotcha, made sure Jeremy was on his toes with more work and chores to do than an average person could handle to see how the young man handled the pressure. After 4 days Gotcha was impressed and promoted Jeremy to a junior admin position in the company but Jeremy was tense through all the work.

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    I will come to rue the day I met Mr. J.J. Gotcha!

    There wasn't much time for anything else, there was barely enough time to eat at home. Travis would often stop by for a chat and Summer invited Jeremy to see a new play in town. He thought Summer had taken a shine to him but her vibe on the night was purely friendly. That was her manner: She didn't flirt, she beamed smiles and peppiness.

    To celebrate his promotion, Jeremy headed into town for drinks at the Blue Velvet. He was getting to know the regulars now: Summer, Liberty and Travis, Geoffrey Landgraab and Bakko Jang; a cool cat with all the sharp moves.

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    Move....WITH the beat, man!

    One of the new patrons present that night was a bespectacled woman who kept flirting with Geoffrey. He didn't seem to mind at all and wondered what would happen if his wife had entered at that point? She certainly wouldn't have given him that passionate kiss she did the other night. The woman started to sidle up to Jeremy, batting her eyelashes at him as she did with Landgraab. Jeremy didn't know how to respond but Bakko pulled him to one side.

    "Jeremy, don't go there....that's Eliza and it's complicated with her. Don't go there, my man, don't go!"

    Jeremy took that as a good cue to leave...he was getting hungry anyway. Once he got home he fixed himself a meal when there was a knock on his front door. "I bet it's Travis...I'll just say hello"

    Opening the door, he was surprised to see it wasn't Travis. In fact he'd never met this person before. It was a beautiful young woman all in dark blue and with long, flowing brown tresses. For a moment Jeremy had forgotten how to talk.

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    Flah-flehr-falargle-fnargh I'm sorry I've forgotten how to speak

    "Hi, I'm Bianca" she said.

    "Of course you are" replied Jeremy.

    "I noticed you moved in a few days ago and I came to say hi"

    "Do you live local?"

    "Erm…kind of. Could I borrow a cup of sugar?"

    Jeremy knew a cue when he heard one and invited her in. He momentarily put down his dinner to make her feel at ease. not that she needed much because she was VERY talkative. Jeremy put out of his mind the weirdness of someone showing up at random to say hello, considering she didn't live in Founder's Cove itself, but...hey...cute chick and all that. At one point Travis showed up but Jeremy shoed him away, miming that he had a woman in the house. Travis nodded and winked and mouthed "say no more". Back inside Jeremy supressed his desire to go to the toilet to chat some more and not appear rude. She liked his book collection and talked a lot about books, movies and art. He struggled to think of cool and suave things to say and also keep his bladder under control until she said it was late and had to get home. Thrusting a cup of sugar in her hands, he said a sincere goodbye and rushed to the bathroom as soon as she left.

    But the question remained: Who was this Bianca and why did she pick on him?
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 part 4
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    Everywhere the Carnabethian army marches on
    Each one a dedicated follower of fashion


    Friday, the end of the first working week for Jeremy Saint. Wondering what to do on a Friday evening, he received a flyer in his mailbox telling him about the Spice Festival happening downtown. A spice festival....hmmm, I am hungry and don't feel like cooking and I've yet to explore the city centre he thought.

    He arrived downtown as the city centre started filling up. He could hear some music off in the distance so he decided to investigate. A crowd had gathered around a street musician near where the various spicy food stalls were operating. The musician looked familiar and on closer inspection it turned out to be the man he met the other night at the Blue Velvet: The man who taught Jeremy some groovy moves....Bakko Jang. He was strumming a blues tune and getting a lot of attention and approval for his silky guitar playing. Jeremy was impressed and tipped a 5 Simoleon bill into the guitar case.

    "Cheers, guy" said Bakko, with a wink.

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    Looks like Handsome Johnny with a musket in his hands...

    "Fancy seeing you here, Jeremy" said another familiar voice. Looking around, Jeremy saw Geoffrey Landgraab standing next to him.

    "Hello Geoffrey, are you here for the music or the curries?"

    "A little of both, and you?"

    "I'm still exploring the city...is your wife with you?" said Jeremy, looking around.

    "Erm no....she's got an important work do this evening?" said Geoffrey, sheepishly.

    "Sorry to hear that"

    "It's not uncommon for her to work late. Very late sometimes...it's a safe job"

    "Regular pay, benefits?" said Jeremy.

    "No, an actual safe job, like in a bank"

    "Deposits?"

    "Erm....the opposite" said Geoffrey, nervously.

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    Moving swiftly on...

    There was an awkward silence before Jeremy made his excuses and ordered a Chinese dish he'd never heard of from the kiosk.

    "You seem like the type of man who enjoys a bit of....spice" said a red headed lady in her 40s, who had suddenly appeared next to Jeremy.

    "I'll try anything once" he replied.

    "I bet you do...and if you like it you want more and more!" said the lady, batting her eyelashes at him. I swear, every time I go to eat some strange lady starts hitting on me, thought Jeremy.

    She introduced herself as Katrina Caliente. The name meant nothing to him but she looked like a woman who'd eat hapless young men like Jeremy alive.

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    I bet you like lots of ginger

    "My is that the time, I have to get up early for work tomorrow!" said Jeremy.

    "Tomorrow's Saturday" she replied, making a move towards him.

    "I work in security...we have no days off. Bye!" and with that, he jogged back to the subway station.
  • HermitgirlHermitgirl Posts: 8,825 Member
    Really fab story! Love the lingo... The Dusty "Simfield" reference was outta sight... had to look it up but can hear it in the lyrics now. Ut oh! Anyway gotta beat feet, said what I came to say..
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  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 part 5

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    If you're going to San Myshuno, you're gonna meet some very strange people there

    "Do you play chess, Saint?" Mr J.J. Gotcha prodded Jeremy Saint in the chest and stared intently at his young employee.

    "Erm...not really sir"

    "If you want to succeed in business, you need to succeed at chess. Mark my words!"

    The implication was clear; if Jeremy was to get ahead at the company he was going to have to learn to play chess. Fortunately he had the day off tomorrow and could learn the basics. Heading down to the Willow Creek archive to find a book on the game, he was pleasantly surprised to find the library not only had a book about chess, it had a chess table as well.

    "How difficult can this be?" he thought to himself. "Right, you have these prawns and they move one ahead, a horsey, diagonal bishops, rooks....rooks? Are they those castle things? Why not call them castles instead of rooks? Sheesh, this game..."

    "Do you want a game, young man?" came a husky woman's voice from behind him. Turning around he saw a stern looking Oriental lady in a floral dress standing next to the library chess board.

    "Well, I'm just learning at the moment" he replied.

    "There's nothing like learning by playing" she said, beckoning him towards a chair.

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    No, I have no idea why it's called a rook either

    He sat down and pondered the pieces. "By the way, my name's Jeremy" he said.

    "Lilly Feng" she replied..."but you may call me Mrs Feng. Your move"

    Jeremy was playing white so he had to make the first move. He did what chapter 1 of the book said and moved the prawn in front of the Queen two spaces ahead.

    "Ah, the Queen's Indian opening...and you said you were just learning" Mrs Feng said. Pretty soon the game was in full swing but Mrs Feng started making cryptic statements.

    "In life, Jeremy, one is either a Queen or a Pawn....you have to work out which one you want to be"

    "Erm, what about being one of the other pieces?" he asked.

    "Which piece appeals to your nature, Jeremy?"

    "I guess it would be the knight"

    "A white knight....is that how you see yourself? And have you encountered any dragons yet?"

    Jeremy paused. Lilly Feng had the demeanour of a Jade Dragon right down to the jewellery she was wearing.

    "Just that handsome jade dragon bracelet you're wearing" he said at last.

    "You notice a lot...but, alas, you notice the wrong things. Checkmate!"

    Later on, after his drubbing by Lilly Feng at chess, Jeremy headed downtown to clear his head and hopefully encounter Bianca...or Summer or even Liberty.

    "Hey, guy, wanna shoot some hoops?" The voice was Bakko Jang's. That cool cat was everywhere!

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    I AM THE GOD OF HOOPS!

    "Sure, why not?"

    He played one on one basketball with Bakko but, like with Lily Feng, his opponent was too good for him.

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    I guess that makes me the cherub of hoops then

    The game was suddenly interrupted by a loud shout from behind them.

    "UP AGAINST THE WALL, MOTHER FLIPPERS!"

    The shout came from an angry looking young man, brandishing a placard. He was joined by a few others, all holding placards and banners. They were chanting "WHADDA WE WANT? 0%! WHEN DO WE WANT IT? NOW!"

    "Oh man, it's a protest march" said Bakko.

    "What are they protesting about?"

    "0%, man...can you dig it?"

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    The times, they are a-changin!

    "I'm not sure, it's not my scene" replied Jeremy

    "Well, I tells you...this place is gonna explode one of these days. It's all about the young people fighting for peace, love and 0%. Soon we're all gonna have to pick a side"

  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 part 6

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    In Sim 66 when we say "mod the Sims" we mean actual 1960s Mods

    Lazy Sunday afternoon, I've got no mind to worry....thought Jeremy Saint as he tidied up the lunchtime dishes. Looking out the window he noticed something happening next door: A new neighbour.

    She was dressed in the latest trendy gear; a black and white minidress with white go-go boots. She was the type of girl and look that Jeremy had read about in the magazines but had not seen before now. This chick was certainly with it!

    Jeremy rushed to the telephone and made a call to the Best Friends Forever. Travis Scott picked up the phone.

    "Travis...cute blonde just moved in at Streamlet Single...you know what this means?"

    "WELCOME WAGON!" said Travis, exictedly. "I'll get the girls and we'll be right over"

    Travis turned to Summer and Liberty. "Go get the cake" he said to them.

    "The what?" replied Summer.

    "GO GET THE CAKE! You know, the family heirloom?"

    "Oh that cake" said Summer, wincing.

    Within minutes the 4 neighbours had gathered at Streamlet Single to welcome the new resident. Liberty knocked on the door, as was tradition and the trendy young woman answered it.

    "Hi...we're you're neighbours and we wish to welcome you to our street. I'm Liberty, this is Travis, Jeremy and bringing you some cake is Summer."

    "It's a family heirloom" said Summer, with a big smile on her face.

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    It's just cake, is it? It doesn't contain anything "special" in it?

    The young woman invited them in to the house. "I'm still unpacking...oh, my name's Suzy; Suzy Kent."

    Jeremy plucked up the courage to speak to her. "Nice to meet you, Suzy...I say your outfit is really 'with it'"

    "Oh this? Just something I picked up down Simnaby Street recently"

    "You shop in Simnaby Street?" said Summer, exitedly.

    "Yeah, it's where the fab and groovy gear is...Not only do I like shopping there it's part of my job, really. I'm a style influencer at "Hey, Wow!" magazine."

    "I never miss an issue of 'Hey, Wow!'" said Summer.

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    She actually works at Hey, Wow!

    The four of them talked for a couple of hours. Suzy was impressed her neighbours were young, with it folks...well, except for Jeremy who seemed a bit square, but he was a nice guy she guessed.

    "Time to go and leave Suzy to finish unpacking" said Liberty, tugging at Travis' sleeve.

    "Oh man, we were just getting started!" complained Travis.

    "Time to GO!" she said, pushing him out of the door "and you too, Jeremy...Summer...it's dinner time and you're rostered on to cook tonight"

    Suzy shut the door after them and turned to look at the unpacked boxes and cases. "Maybe later..." she said. She did have a work assignment to do...interview a Willow Creek resident about their look. She'd forgotten to ask her neighbours so she looked out of her window to see if there was anyone else around. Down at the fishing spot there was someone...a woman decked out in this seasons colours: Black and white.

    Suzy jogged over to talk to her and they complimented each other on their respective outfits. But the fishing spot was popular and soon she couldn't do her job properly without local fishermen complaining that she was standing on their spot.

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    Where did THIS guy come from?

    Suzy went home, took a look around the street and said to herself "what this place needs is MOD POWER!"

  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 Part 7
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    Whoa! Hippie lady...you're a year too early; come back in July 1967

    Jeremy Saint came home after work one evening to find Travis Scott waiting at his front door.

    "Evening, Travis, did the girls kick you out?" Said Jeremy.

    "Well, they're having a night in with that new chick, Suzy. It's wall to wall fashion chat right now" replied Travis. "There's a Humor & Hijinks Festival in town, do you fancy going?"

    "Sure; I've had a full day with reports and filing so I need a break...plus I'm hungry and don't feel like cooking"

    They travelled downtown, to the arts quarter; a vision in minimalist brutalist architecture. Looking around, there were a decent number of people gathering...many of them women.

    "Play your cards right, my friend...play your cards right" said Travis

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    Stick with me, buddy boy

    There were various punch bowls arranged around the public square and people were drinking with gusto from them. "I'm a jokester!" one would cry and "I'm with the Pranksters!" said another. Jeremy wondered what they put in the punch, considering that mind altering chemicals were all the rage now.

    Travis and Jeremy decided not to sample the punch and join in the raucous antics of the others; they preferred to sit back, watch and enjoy the atmosphere. Plus they were hungry. Jeremy tried some kind of Creole kebab on a stick and as soon as he sat down to eat, sure enough, a woman sat next to him and began a conversation.

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    I swear, every time I go to eat this happens!

    She was very young, just out of her teens Jeremy guessed, and VERY talkative. "Hi, I'm Judith. I'm a final year med student. I haven't picked my specialty yet. I might opt for either cardio thorasics or podiatry. I'm looking to move out of my folks place. They're classic Jewish parents, by the way, don't get me started. *Snort*." She laughed. "Anyway they want me to stay at home until I at least begin my internship but my Mom wants me to stay well after that but I told her the commute times were terrible. So I'm a modern woman and have proven myself at med school despite it being full of men. Are you into women's lib? I'm not sure, but it's interesting"

    Jeremy nodded a lot during this. He admired her pep and confidence and could only answer about women's lib "well....I...er...don't know that much about it". Maybe it was the drink Travis bought for him talking but he found himself uttering the kiss of death pick up line "so what's your star sign?". Judith was not impressed and walked off.

    Catching up with Travis, both men looked at each other with resignation. "You struck out too?" said Travis.

    "Yep. Well, there's always the comedy to enjoy" replied Jeremy. "Hey, wait....Haven't I seen that comedian on TV or something?"

    "That's Penny Pizzazz, the woman who writes about culture in Hey, Wow! magazine. Suzy was telling me about her the other day" said Travis.

    For a style and culture reporter, she wasn't a bad stand up comic. The two buddies drank their beers and forgot all about their sucky dating lives.

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    Did you hear the one about the hippie, the mod and the revolutionary?



  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 Part 8
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    I've only just moved in and already I've got bills

    Income....a small amount. Expenses, especially bills, a lot. This is the problem Suzy Kent found herself in. She had a job...technically, at "Hey Wow!" magazine but few there knew who she was other than "New Girl". She had an assignment to complete: Interview 3 ordinary citizens of Sim City about what they were wearing, why they were wearing it and where they got it.

    Fortunately for Suzy, right across the street from her house was a woman who was checking her diary. Before she moved on, Suzy ran over to interview her.

    "Hello, ma'am, can I interview you about what you're wearing....I'm from "Hey, Wow!" magazine"

    "Erm...sure" said the woman. "What do you want to know?"

    Suzy wasn't sure what to ask; she had the bare minimum training in this kind of thing. She looked at the woman's outfit and started to pull questions out of thin air.

    "So....do you like the colour pink in general?"

    "Yes"

    "Erm...do you have many outfits in pink?"

    "Some"

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    Is this going to take long?

    "Do you think pink's going to be the in-colour this season?....oh, she's gone"

    Suzy was left to scribble down the notes for subject number one. The trouble with stopping people in the street was that they were often busy trying to get somewhere and didn't want to talk. What she needed was a place where people weren't going to go away in a hurry but at the same time not be burdened with work or things to do. The perfect place for her next interview was Magnolia Blossom Park.

    When she arrived, there weren't many people around. Suzy took out her notepad and started sketching the park to pass the time whilst she looked for someone suitable to interview. But she didn't have to find them...one found her.

    "What are you doing? Can I see?" said a bespectacled teenage girl dressed in grey and black.

    "Sure, it's just a doodle of the park. Nothing great"

    "I like it. Are you an artist?" said the girl.

    "Only in my spare time...I'm a fashion journalist trying to interview people about what they like to wear" replied Suzy.

    "I like to wear black" said the girl. "Sometimes grey, mostly black. Black suits my mood"

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    Cassandra Goth...I might have guessed

    "I see you like to wear both black and white at the same time? Is this to symbolise the duality within the human soul? Both light and dark, perpetually divided with no mixing, no hope of reconcilliation?" the girl continued.

    "Well, actually, it's a Mod thing with me" replied Suzy.

    The teenager pondered this before saying "my brother's stuck on the monkey bars...I have to go now."

    Suzy wrote up some more notes before thinking about where to go next. Downtown Willow Creek!

    "Excuse me, sir...can I interview you? I'm from "Hey, Wow!" magazine...sir?....What about you, madam? No, have a nice day!"

    "Now it's a cryin' shame no one can spare the time to answer a question from a pretty lady" said a male voice behind her. Suzy turned around to see a cool looking black man addressing her.

    "Can you spare the time, sir?" she said.

    "Call me Bakko, Bakko Jang" he replied with a smile. "Sure, go ahead"

    They talked about his up to the minute, with-it style, which he claimed was part of his public image as a popular entertainer in town.

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    I left my notebook back in the park but we can just play 'let's pretend'

    Bakko, once started, found it difficult to stop talking...on any subject. Suzy eventually had to make excuses to get away (get a new notebook) and write up what she had learned from her three interviewees.

    It was getting late in the day and as she was in town she decided to pop into the Blue Velvet for a drink.
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    No fishermen getting in between our chat this time

    The chat from the regulars was convivial, the drinks flowed. Without fully realising it, Suzy had been goaded by the bar staff into singing at the club microphone. One person who was present that evening would go on to write that her singing combined the style and grace of a cat being bathed combined with the sensation of tin foil being dragged across the teeth. Nevertheless, by the time Suzy staggered out of the club, she was 24 Simoleons better off through tips.

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    I have suffered for my music...now it's your turn



  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 Part 9
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    So you're telling me you run around the streets....for fun. And you call it...jog-ging? It'll never catch on!

    In life you're either active or passive. Jeremy Saint felt that for too long he'd been passive. He wanted a love life and instead of going out and making that happen he sat around waiting for opportunities to come to him. He'd also been too dependent on Travis Scott as a wingman. Or was he Travis' wingman? Either way the two buddies were getting in each other's way. It was time Jeremy flew solo, be bold and make a choice!

    But who? There was Summer and Liberty but Travis seemed to be the idol of their affections and he didn't want to get in the way of that. Katrina Caliente? She was an older woman who'd devour him on the spot! Suzy Kent? She was lovely but she wasn't around much...she seemed to live a life of glamorous parties. Then there was Judith, the talkative med student. Hmmm, she seemed too bossy. But there was one name that kept coming back to him...one person who's image in his mind brought a smile and hope of anticipation: Bianca Gregory...even her name sounded melodic.

    He took the plunge, picked up the phone and called her.

    "Bianca...it's Jeremy. Jeremy? The guy from Foundry Cove? You popped around to borrow a cup of sugar?......Do you remember? Yes, that guy. Anyway I was wondering if you're free this evening....you are? Great! You're on your way over? Sure!"

    Jeremy rang off and did a little jig of victory. 15 minutes later there was a ring at the doorbell. Jeremy mustered up his courage and suavely opened the door. Bianca was there, looking somewhat bored. She ambled into his house.

    "Thanks for the call, Johnny" she said.

    "Erm, Jeremy, actually"

    "Sorry, did I call you Johnny? Tsch, where am I today? It's been a crazy couple of days with work, family, friendships....do you mind if we just hang out?" she continued.

    iddc0d0.jpg
    Why do I get the impression I'm the rebound guy?

    "Sure" he replied "let me fix you a drink and you can tell me all about it" but no sooner as he opened up his drinks cabinet than the doorbell rang again. "If it's Travis again, I'm going to have to set some ground rules about calling unannounced" said Jeremy, opening the door.

    But it wasn't Travis. It was another woman; a darker skinned lady in a yellow dress.

    "Hi...oh....you're not Johnny" she said, startled.

    "No, I'm Jeremy" he replied.

    "This is 5 Foundry Cove?" she asked.

    "Yes, but there's no-one called Johnny here"

    "That Johnny, doesn't even know where he lives. Oh I'm Zoe by the way; Zoe Patel"

    Jeremy shook her hand and said hello. Bianca then appeared. "Oh, am I intruding on a prior arrangement?" she said.

    "NO! I mean, it's...erm...I mean I wasn't expecting anyone else" he stumbled.

    Fv83Kag.jpg
    I shouldn't complain though

    "No, I got the wrong address" explained Zoe "I was looking for Johnny Zest's place; I thought this was it"

    "You know Johnny too?" said Bianca, suddenly becoming animated. "Johnny moved out of here a few weeks ago."

    "Erm, who's Johnny Zest?"

    The two women ignored him "Typical Johnny!" exclaimed Zoe. "By the way, I love your dress...all blue"

    "Thanks; I've gone with the Total Look. I love the colour combination you've got there with the yellow and purple; it works"

    "I'll just make everyone a drink" said Jeremy, skulking off to the kitchen.

    K4FpSAb.jpg
    You mean you've never heard of THE Johnny Zest?

    The two young women talked more about fashion, Johnny Zest and the ongoing conflict in Simdo-China. Jeremy mixed the drinks. After half an hour Zoe got up and made her apologies. "I didn't mean to intrude on your evening...nice to meet you two. Bianca, let's meet up for lunch sometime"

    "Groovy!" replied Bianca. She showed Zoe out and after closing the door, she turned to Jeremy. "I haven't forgotten about you" she said, smiling. Bianca walked around his living room and study; examining his bookshelf. "I see you have a wide reading selection. Do you like to read?"

    "When I can" he replied. Bianca's mood had changed; she seemed more interested in him now.

    "I like that in a man" she said. She got chatting to him but Jeremy was starting to flag. He wanted to move things with her along a bit more but he was way too tired now. "But I see you're sleepy, Jeremy" she said. "We'll catch up again...thanks for inviting me around; I really appreciate the invite."

    She gave him a cute little wave and was gone. Jeremy didn't know if he'd impressed her enough but for now, sleep was calling.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 10
    MZhLiyw.jpg
    These boots were made for kicking, and that's just what they'll do

    Let's rewind the cassette tape of history here and find out what prompted peppy fashion reporter Suzy Kent to kick her own garbage can over.

    It began half an hour previously, when Suzy phoned new aquaintance Winston.

    "Hello? Is that Winston?" she asked when he picked up.

    "Hello?....Hello?" the line was terrible.

    "Hello Winston...it's Suzy, Suzy Kent"

    "Don't pass auditprg....lack good bits....meanwhile link" came the crackly response.

    "What? Say again, Winston? What link?"

    "....*crackle*....using bee curd....*crackle*"

    "Winston...I can't make you out clearly. Do...you...want...to...meet...for...coffee?"

    "That is my nughmre....cue the prgly...*crackle*....I know where you can flodhgohgfnr" and then the line went dead.

    Suzy glared at the receiver "the darn Phone Company! I don't know anyone who likes the Phone Company!" She slammed the receiver back down on the phone...hard...and went outside to rage and kick the bin over.

    She calmed herself down by playing on her guitar...her musical skills were still "developing".
    ZJt0ItL.jpg
    I've got those Phone Company blues...

    There was a knock at the door; it was Summer Holiday inviting Suzy to go get a coffee and a Danish. Suzy, having worked out her frustrations with the Phone Company, agreed.

    "Give me the latest gossip" said Suzy, once they arrived in Windenburg

    "I was hoping you had some...things are really slow right now. Liberty's working late on some rocket thing and Travis is...well...he's usually out with the 'guys' and forgetting I exist"

    COtcjbA.jpg
    Even 1966 version of Summer Holiday has a sucky love life

    Inside the cafe, there was some kind of book club meeting going on. One of the group sidled up to Suzy's table and started up a conversation.

    "Excuse me but what is a physically attractive human female doing in an establishment of this kind?" he said.

    "Erm....drinking coffee with a friend" replied Suzy.

    "Very good. It is important to establish friendly interactions with others" said the man. "By the way, my name is Davis Goode."

    "Goode by name and good by nature?" joked Suzy.

    The man pondered the response. "Hmmm, my surname is spelled with an e so the comparison does not bear much scrutiny. I see you are dressed in the manner of what is popularly known as a 'Dolly Bird'...I too am interested in current fashion. I work for the magazine Smogue Inc"

    tmxQcq8.jpg
    Nothing odd about this guy at all

    "Oh, that's a co-incidence" replied Suzy. "I too work for a fashion magazine...Hey, Wow!"

    The man suddenly looked serious and stood up. "That is an enemy publication...I must leave immediately" and with that he suddenly walked out of the cafe.

    Summer returned from ordering food at the counter. "Who was that guy?" she asked. "A rival, apparently" replied Suzy.

    The two chatted some more but then Summer had to leave for work. Suzy found a flier in the cafe for the Romance Festival so she decided to go and see what fate had in store....

    ...what it actually had was a bunch of middle aged couple looking to rekindle the fire in their relationships plus a surfeit of women compared with single men...which numbered only 1 and that was the guy who worked at the oriental food counter. Suzy was soon bored of the festival but, on a whim, enquired of the relationship guru what her love fate was.

    "You will meet a tall, dark stranger with individualistic facial hair" said the guru.

    "That's it?" said Suzy, fed up and in need of a drink. She walked into the nearest bar and....bumped into a tall, dark(ish) man with huge sideburns.

    "Er hi..." he said, seeing Suzy standing there by the open microphone. "Do you sing?"

    "A little..." said Suzy, not relating her caterwauling experience at the Blue Velvet. "And you?"

    "Oh no...I think if I sang, Switzerland would mobilise" he joked. "My name's Burr...Burr DeBenning"

    "Interesting name" she replied.

    OqIgSu3.png
    Named after my mother

    "I'm Suzy" she replied.

    "Nice to meet you...." suddenly, there was a beeping sound from his pocket. "Dang, it's my pager...the latest thing, but it does mean we'll have to continue this some other time, Suzy".

    And with that, the tall dark(ish) stranger with individualistic sideburns was off into the night.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66 part 11
    a9wwkG4.jpg
    We're hoping to be chosen as the box models for this new family game called 'Mastermind'...it's got coloured pegs in it

    Jeremy Saint's hand hovered over the phone. "Shall I do it?" he thought. "I should...I should be brave, seize the day and call her. That's it! I'll just pick up the phone, call Bianca and set up a date!" He picked up the receiver and prepared to dial Bianca's number. Then he looked at the wall clock...6:32am. Too early. In fact, he hadn't bathed, dressed or had breakfast either. First things first and THEN courage, mon brave.

    A little after 9am he phoned her but got one of those new-fangled answerphone messages. "Hi, this is Bianca, leave a message after the tone....BEEP"

    "Erm...hi...this is Jeremy. Jeremy Saint. I was wondering if you...I mean, would you like to go....I mean, I'm free today, hope you're free today give me a call. Erm....bye" he hung up. He felt like a nerd who'd just blown his chance.

    He couldn't afford to wait by the phone doing nothing so he got on with his study of logic. His textbook and guidebook to chess competed for his attention to the still, silent phone which sat there...motionless. Hour after hour he tried to concentrate when suddenly, at midday, it rang. Springing into action, Jeremy threw down his book, dived for the phone and picked it up in a neat barrel roll.

    "Jeremy Saint here" he said, calmly.

    "Hello, it's Bianca" came the reply. His heart leaped into his mouth.

    "Oh, Bianca...nice to hear from you. Yes, I was wondering if you were free at any time....oh you are? Right now? Do I know the Rattlesnake Juice Bar? Oh yes, I go there all the time. In 20 minutes? Sure, I'll see you there"

    He put the phone down and punched the air in delight, smashing the light bulb in the process. After sweeping up the broken glass and replacing the bulb he got out a street directory and looked up where the Rattlesnake Juice Bar actually was.

    Within 20 minutes he was there and so was Bianca, as always, looking chic in blue. She smiled when she saw him approaching but that only made his heart beat faster. Trying to remain cool, he gave her a peck on the cheek and escorted her inside the bar.

    WXxtHnq.jpg
    Rule 1, maintain eye contact

    "What can I get you?" asked Jeremy

    "They do a fine Sweet n' Spicy here" replied Bianca, 🐸🐸🐸🐸.

    "Bartender...two Sweet n' Spicy's please"

    As they waited for their drinks, Jeremy's mind went blank trying to think of converstation starters.

    "Have you got a lot on with work?" asked Bianca

    "Oh, the usual" said Jeremy, pondering the fact that work was pretty boring right now. "And you?"

    "I'm still at secretarial school" she replied. She then went silent, and looked at her drink.

    They made pitiful small talk as they sat and drank. Sometimes they looked like they found the ideal ice breaker only to have one of the bar regulars interject with a comment about a recent sports match or had anyone seen "Johnny" around. Suddenly Bianca stood up and began to walk off.

    0jWvEXR.jpg
    No, No! NO! The date can't end like this!

    Jeremy leapt up out of his seat and walked quickly over to Bianca. "Look...sorry, I'm no good at small talk. I really like you, Bianca, and enjoy your company. I just don't have all the smooth things to say and...well....I'm a bit nervous."

    Bianca giggled. "I was going to the bathroom. See you in a minute" she said.

    "Oh...yes....I knew that"

    Jeremy flopped on to a couch on the other side of the bar and waited. Would she return? He'd heard about women who would make an excuse to go to the bathroom and then leave the bar altogether just to get away from a guy they weren't hot on. He twiddled his thumbs and matters weren't made any easier by another woman sitting next to him, asking him continually for the time.

    "I'm back" Bianca stood before him. Jeremy shuffled over on the couch and made room for her to sit next to him. "Would you?...." he asked. She smiled and sat next to him.

    jXEDPGw.jpg
    Just got to get rid of that other woman now

    "One question I want to ask you, Bianca" said Jeremy, boldened by her presence and that she'd returned to hang out with him.

    "What is it?" she replied.

    "Why me? Why did you knock on my door that night? The first time?"

    "Don't you want a little mystery in your life, Jeremy?" she smiled, coquettishly.

    "When it comes packaged like you, I don't mind at all" he replied.

    The bar was filling up and they found it difficult to speak to each other without interruption or the close proximity of the other bar patrons.

    "It's a lovely afternoon out there, care to join me?" said Jeremy, standing up and offering his hand. Bianca took it and stood up.

    "I'd love to" she said.

    They stepped out of the bar and went down to the waterfront. The sun was beginning to set, creating a warm, romantic feel to the afternoon. They sat on a bench and there was hardly a soul around. Jeremy whispered a joke in Bianca's ear, she laughed and whispered one back.

    L8O0Rpq.jpg
    A Mod, A Rocker and a Hippy walk into a fashion boutique....

    Things were going well until a loud sound of a woman's voice could be heard, shattering the mood.

    "Jeremy! Wow, it's fab seeing you here!" It was Summer Holiday waving and calling to him. "Excuse me" he said to Bianca. "It's my next door neighbour".

    He got up and walked over to Summer.

    "Hey, is that HER? Travis told me you liked this girl....she's lovely. Oh is she a keeper? Is she? Is she? Can I meet her? Hey, you must invite her over to our house and we can all meet her! We'll invite Suzy as well!" Summer, as was her wont, couldn't stop talking and bouncing as she spoke.

    92GJoj1.jpg
    Stand down, Summer! Stand down!

    "Look...it's kind of a first date, Summer" said Jeremy, awkwardly.

    "Oh, I get it! I'll leave you...." she gave a little wave to Bianca, who waved back. "Oh she's adorable and with great hair as well!" She dug her elbow into Jeremy's side and winked before leaving.

    "Sorry about that" said Jeremy, walking over to Bianca. "Where were we?"

    Bianca stood up and took his hand. "Let's go for a stroll, shall we?" she said.

    They walked up and down the promenade, looking out over the water. They said little, but they didn't need to. This was a shared moment of two people enjoying the mere presence of each other.

    Finally, they ended up going back to Foundry Cove and Jeremy found himself outside his home. "Shall I walk you home?" he said.

    "I'm good, thanks" she said. "I really enjoyed today". Their eyes did not break contact but they were drawn magnetically towards each other. With their faces merely inches apart they leant inwards and........hugged.

    C1Xam2E.jpg
    Awwwwwww! You could have given us a kissing scene!

    "Until next time" she said, softly.

    "Until then" he replied.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    edited August 2020
    Sim 66 part 12

    isf9khA.jpg
    Oh do tell!

    "So you've actually met her?" asked Suzy Kent to her guest, Summer Holliday. They were talking about their neighbour and friend, Jeremy Saint.

    "Oh yes...she seems nice and he seems very happy" replied Summer. "Did you....you know....ever see anything in Jeremy?"

    Suzy tilted her head in thought for a moment. "Well, he's kind of cute...in a square kind of way" she said. "But I'm looking for a guy who's with it. Someone in with the in-crowd."

    "Who goes where the in-crowd go?" replied Summer.

    "Yeah, I could dig someone like that. What about you? Do you like Jeremy?"

    Summer looked in to her coffee cup, trying to find the right thing to say. "Well......let's just say I'm keeping my options open. However, it looks like he's now with this Bianca so I may have missed my chance"

    Meanwhile over at Crick Cabana...

    "You're the best! You're a tiger! Grrrrr!" Jeremy Saint was practicing a motivational speech in his bathroom mirror. He'd just finished reading the book "How To Win Friends And Influence Sims" and was putting some of the lessons into practice.

    B4mFqEd.jpg
    What if I'm not the best? What if I'm not a Tiger?"

    He was making some progress when his alarm clock rang....time for work. He quickly spun into his business suit...shabby though it was...and rushed off to Dewey, Cheathem & Howe.

    The day passed uneventfully and when he returned home he made himself some dinner....usually when he did that someone, usually a woman, would knock at his door, befriend him in public or otherwise try to distract him from eating. However, this time he ate without being bothered. It was only after dinner that the doorbell rang.

    It was Travis. "Hey dude...I was looking for a specific book which I thought I had but didn't but I'm pretty sure you have a copy." he said.

    "Sure, my bookshelf is in the study; first door on the right down there" replied Jeremy. "Hey, did Summer tell you about...." he was about to tell Travis about Bianca when there was another knock at the door. Jeremy abandoned his anecdote and answered the door; it was Zoe Patel standing outside.

    "Hey there, Johnny" she said.

    "Actually, it's Jeremy" he replied.

    "Sure...that's what I said. Can I come in?"

    Jeremy ushered her inside. Travis was still looking for the book.

    23AE6sz.jpg
    It's a groovy new dance called The Watusi!

    "Yeah, all the guys were out this evening and I hate being in that house alone" explained Zoe.

    "Who are 'the guys'?" asked Jeremy.

    "Oh J, Gavin and Mitchell....my housemates"

    "You share a house with 3 guys?" said Jeremy, incredulously.

    "Oh sure, it's a totally groovy thing. Everyone's doing it; you know, you have friends you like to hang out with and you move in with them."

    "I don't think my folks would like it if I lived with 3 girls" said Jeremy, shaking his head.

    "You need to lighten up, Johnny...get with the times"

    "Yeah..." said Travis, returning from the study. "Like I'm with Summer and Liberty and it's all natural, cool and without hang ups"

    "Exactly!" said Zoe. "Looks like you could do with a woman's touch around here" she said, looking around at the drab furnishings.

    Jeremy let out a disgruntled sigh. "Let's look for this book" he said, getting up and walking off to the study.

    Zoe looked at Travis and mimed drawing a square with her fingers. Travis shrugged his shoulders. "He's cool, Zoe...but not in a modern way"

    aCjEu4W.jpg
    Uncomfortable? Me?


  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 13

    fpfHfD4.jpg
    Ruh-roh!

    On a cool, Wednesday evening on a typical day on a typical week on a typical month in Sim City, Suzy Kent took a trip downtown to the Willow Creek Archive to do some research. She was angling for a promotion at "Hey, Wow" magazine and the way to do that was make sure her articles were better written, with a snappier style and eye-catching prose. She also needed the money as she wanted to renovate her drab little house into something more fab and with-it.

    RbqCLc0.jpg
    She's made a start

    She asked the librarian whether they had any good books on writing.

    "Well...." he began. "There's some basic writing books I could recommend but do you just want to improve your skills or do you want to excel at them? How good do you want to be?"

    "Oh....well I guess I want to stand out. Be great at it" she replied.

    "Then you'll need to check upstairs....that's where we keep the really good stuff!"

    "Are you talking about books?"

    "Of course I'm talking about books! What else could I be talking about? This is a library...not a hashish den!"

    "Yes, sorry....upstairs. Any particular book?"

    "How good do you want to be?" He peered into Suzy's eyes.

    "The BEST!"

    "Then you'll want Kenton Fabricant: The Best"

    Suzy went upstairs to the library and looked up the book in the index cards. Walking over to the shelf where it was kept, she couldn't help but notice a book lying on the floor with a couple of pages lying loose and sticking out in it. She picked it up...it was called "The Wonderful World of Gardening" but it was the two loose pages that took her interest. She sat down and began to read them.

    Y4riOi0.jpg
    Hey, this isn't about growing tomatoes!

    It has been observed...
    the pages began …that these beings live and walk among us. What their purpose is; unknown. Where do they come from; unknown. What do they want...also unknown. They form part of the Triangle of Power that exists with Sim City: The Visitors, The Fengs and The Landgraabs. The connection between The Visitors and the Landgraabs goes back at least a century, when Jedediah Landgraab came into his mysterious fortune. The rumours that Nancy Landgraab controls all the criminal networks in Sim City still persist. She is opposed by Lily Feng, whose wealth comes from legitimate sources but her ambitions know no bounds. She is interested in making contact with the Visitors in order to....

    And that's where the text on the pages ended. The rest of the book was about gardening. Who wrote those pages? What book were they originally from? Who left them here to be found...seemingly at random...by Suzy?

    Shocked and stunned, Suzy left the library and mulled over what she had discovered. Was it all just nonsense, someone's idea of a joke? Or was it written by a crazy person; one of those who made a lot of noise about "government conspiracies" and who believed that the President had been shot by his own people?

    As she got ready to head home, she bumped into Cassandra Goth. The Goths! They were an old, established family in Sim City. Maybe they knew what it all meant?

    "Hi, Cassandra" said Suzy.

    "Do I know you?" replied the rather gloomy girl.

    "Suzy Kent...I interviewed you last week about your liking of black and grey as a fashion statement"

    "That sounds like something I would say."

    RN2r2sP.jpg
    work with me here!

    "Your family's been around here for a long time, haven't they?"

    "Since the 18th Century"

    "Does the name, The Visitors, mean anything to you?"

    "I have heard it...I don't know who they are though"

    "Or the Triangle of Power?"

    "I heard someone mention that once....let me think....oh, it was Malcolm Landgraab"

    "The son?"

    "Yes...hmmm, don't you think he's dreamy?" Cassandra suddenly went weak at the knees thinking about him.

    "I wouldn't know. Thank you, Cassandra, you've been a help"

    Suzy began to think there may be something to these writings....
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 14

    Now with added soundtrack! Just cut n' paste the link in a new window to play a period specific bit of music for that scene. After all, it's a Sixties set story and it's got to have a thumping soundtrack of that era!

    ZokeKk4.jpg
    There she was, just a-walking down the street...

    Jeremy Saint looked at the clock...4:45pm; almost the end of the working day and, importantly, the end of the working week. He was tired; the paperwork was mounting up as the company were taking on new orders and clients and Jeremy was studying for a promotion as well. The weekend was almost here and he was starting to think about the things he was going to do for the next two days.

    There was a tap on his shoulder. It was from his boss, J.J. Gotcha. "Saint...buddy boy...you've been putting in the hours recently. I've noticed it, the higher ups have noticed it. Heck, there aren't many who haven't noticed it. And when someone puts in the hours like you have then that notice turns to reward. Do you hear me, Saint? Re-ward. So I've had a word with the higher ups and we're all agreed you should be promoted. Congratulations; you're now Assistant Manager to me."

    "Why thank you, Mr Gotcha! Wow, golly gee! Bowzers!"

    "Stop fawning and saying a bunch of gobbledygook! Enjoy the weekend and report to my office first thing Monday morning!"

    Jeremy should have headed into town to celebrate with his friends but he was too tired for that so he headed straight home. Rustling up enough energy to cook, he went to the fridge to begin dinner but there was a knock at the door.

    "Heck! Who is this now?" he said, trudging to the door. He was about to give whoever it was a terse "what do you want!" when he saw it was Bianca and, suddenly, his mood changed.

    Music cue 1: https://youtube.com/watch?v=IdHsuPtUYd0

    "Hi!" he said, enthusiastically. "Come on in...I was about to make dinner, would you like to stay for some?"

    "Hmmm, sounds good. What are you cooking?" she replied, sashaying into the house.

    "Oh just macaroni and cheese; it's my grandma's recipe" he replied.

    "I love macaroni and cheese!" she replied, sitting down and making herself comfortable.

    x451ltm.jpg
    I like a man who knows his way around a kitchen

    Jeremy found new energy to cook, wine and dine his lovely visitor. In between stages of food preparation, he chatted to Bianca about his promotion and asked about her day. Just before the meal was ready, Jeremy went and got himself a stiff drink. "She's here..." he thought to himself "...she obviously wants to be with you, Jeremy old chap, so let's enjoy dinner and over conversation let's step things up a little....make up for that missed opportunity to kiss her last weekend"

    TQ2nhWx.jpg
    Dutch courage, with added firework

    Jeremy dished up and together they tucked in. "Hmmm, this is good" she complimented him. Jeremy was building up to asking her out, officially. Everything seemed to be going fine and on course.

    "I really enjoyed our day together last Sunday" said Jeremy.

    "So did I" Bianca replied.

    "The thing is...I really like you. You're great company, you're very beautiful and...."

    "Erm, Jeremy....I'm flattered but...."

    30vXmJk.jpg
    There's that look! Abort, Jeremy! Abort! Abort! Bail out!

    Music cue 2: https://youtube.com/watch?v=V7kbNpUiEBY

    "...I really see you as a....."

    Jeremy gulped.

    "...friend"

    UUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

    "Thanks for dinner. I must be going. We're still cool, right?"

    "Yes....we're.....cool" he replied, looking to the floor.

    Bianca left. Music cue 3 https://youtube.com/watch?v=N7ZhQ-W4eDE

    He shouldn't have been surprised. If it were meant to be it would have happened that last Sunday when they walked along the shoreline of Oasis Springs. The signs were there all along...she was about to leave but he encouraged her to stay. She was just that little bit distant from him, always with an invisible barrier that never quite dropped. He was fun for a chat, for the laughs and for the little acts of kindness but he was not a romantic proposition. He was a small town boy in the big city and the times were a-changin'. Girls like Bianca, Suzy and Summer were just way above his league.

    He looked at the empty plates and a book discarded on the floor. He couldn't face chores now. The promotion was out of his mind for now....time to skulk off to bed and worry about what happens next tomorrow.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 15

    tG3fWre.jpg
    He KNOWS something!

    Suzy Kent was still mulling over what she had learned in Willow Creek Archive yesterday. That there might exist a conspiracy involving the Landgraabs, the Fengs and a mysterious organisation known as "The Visitors", whoever they may be. She always had an option with her work to do it based from her home instead of going in to the office so she decided to combine her normal fashion reporting with a bit of hunting around to see if she could find more about "The Triangle of Power".

    Music cue 1: https://youtube.com/watch?v=72qLibDt6sI

    Her first port of call was Willow Creek Archive to try to find more of those mysterious pages that prompted her investigation. Returning to the upstairs section, she found the gardening book which contained them but the pages were missing! She searched the area, but to no avail. She considered going to ask the librarian for help when she saw Victor Feng sitting at the library chess table. Just the person she was interested in finding more about.

    rvYaGIf.jpg
    Talk about an opportunity

    "Do you mind if I join you in a game?" she said, boldly, to Feng. He looked up at her with a look of incredulity.

    "Sure...I could use the distraction" he said, coldly. She sat down and prepared to play. She decided to be professional in her conversation; mentioning that she wrote for Hey, Wow! magazine and that she was writing an article on the 10 most stylish people in Sim City and mentioned that Victor was on the shortlist.

    "Why thank you, Miss Kent...One tries to maintain a professional yet stylish image in one's line of work"

    "And what line of work are you in, Mr Feng?"

    "I'm a city representative, as you might gather....it's a rather important job so I have to maintain my best image"

    "Sounds fascinating. So what's your political outlook?"

    "Miss Kent....all around us are unruly forces; anarchists, long hairs, revolutionaries, crypto-revolutionaries, crypto-anarchists and fluoridators. It's the responsibility of the elite forces in society to herd them, tame them and lead them."

    dabzZ3p.jpg
    Now let me outline my master plan

    "Check" said Suzy, calmly right at that moment.

    "Oh, I see you've lured me into a trap, Miss Kent. I rarely make a mistake twice...it shan't happen again. Now I must attend to business, until next time."

    Feng got up and abruptly left the library. Suzy could see how such a man would set himself against the old, established Landgraab family. She went about the rest of the working day interviewing locals about their wardrobes, styles and tastes, wrote them up in her notebook before heading off to dance the night away at the Blue Velvet club.

    Music cue 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd1gRHk28IE

    At the bar she got talking to an outgoing young man called Joaquin Le Chien. Suzy liked his cheery, breezy style and learned he was in the music business. She mentioned that he looked a little like John Lennon, which pleased him.

    qoAJHCz.jpg
    No, not you in the background

    As they were talking, Suzy noticed that Geoffrey Landgraab had entered the club. She saw her chance to strike up a conversation with him but the man blanked her out. She was surprised to notice that Lily Feng was seated at the bar, right next to Geoffrey.

    3dJYYVN.jpg
    The plot thickens

    "Ah, Miss Kent, my husband mentioned he met you today....how's your article?" said Lily.

    "Well, I'm glad I bumped into you Mrs Feng; I'd like to interview you for my article" replied Suzy.

    "About fashion?"

    "Yes...what else?"

    "Well, things aren't always what they appear to be....Miss Kent. Call my secretary tomorrow" she said, handing Suzy a business card. "...and we'll arrange a suitable time."

    Suzy felt she was making some progress here...something was up, that was sure. She was buzzing too much to dance the night away and flirt with the cool guys...she had work to do. She left the club at a jog.

    ttIfqkb.jpg
    That young woman is asking too many questions!
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    edited August 2020
    Sim 66, part 16

    I3rsqLT.jpg
    Who's the cat who won't cop out, when there's danger all about?

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ckdKoySHXM

    He walked as if he owned the streets, a man...new to Foundry Cove, Willow Creek...with a swagger and a gait that suggested someone who was sure of himself. He spotted someone he knew in the distance and walked over to him.

    "Hey, Spenser...those punks been back to your neighbourhood?" he said.

    "Oh no they haven't been back since you chased them out, John Action" replied Spenser.

    "You know you and your family; I've got your backs" said Action.

    "We're so grateful, Action, our neighbourhood was hell until you sorted it out. How can we repay you?"

    "You just keep your eyes and ears to the ground, Spenser, if anything like that gang returns...you let me know"

    "Sure thing, Action"

    vhPaoSE.jpg
    Who is the man who will risk his life for his fellow man....Action! Can you dig it?

    John Action walked on, towards his new house. He had moved out of his crumbling inner city apartment and into his own house in Foundry Cove. It was less densely packed than he was used to; a man born in the crowded inner precincts of Sim City, who left school early to enlist in the Marines and who did a tour of duty in Simdo-China before returning home to join the Sim City Police Department. He was a cop, a tough cop, a tough cop on the mean streets of Sim City. His chief was frequently frustrated with his maverick style, the DA wanted to bust him back to beat cop but he got results.

    Action did his daily calisthenics and drank a glass of raw juice before he heard a knock on the door. Instinctively reaching for his .38 service revolver, he peered out his front window to see who it was. It was a young woman, fashionably dressed. He holstered the pistol and opened the door.

    cxBwK62.jpg
    Well hello!

    "Hi, I'm Suzy...I live just over the road" she said. "It's a tradition here for a group of us who live in the street to welcome a new neighbour. Action saw another attractive blonde girl walk over to him and couldn't believe his luck. "I'm John" he said, smiling.

    "Hi John, I'm Summer" said the other blonde.

    "And what do you do for fun around here?" said Action.

    "Well, Travis will be along with a cake we could all share" said a young, pleasant faced man walking up the stairs. "Hi, I'm Jeremy and I live next door"

    msDCUr4.jpg
    This cat has 'third wheel' written all over him

    "Come in and I'll pour the drinks" said Action. These kids looked alright. Friendly, suburban types...especially the square dude, Jeremy. Another young man arrived who introduced himself as Travis, Summer's housemate. He had the aforementioned cake in his hand but was, somehow, reluctant to put it on a table.

    They stayed about an hour and it was all pleasant. Action was fascinated by Suzy...she was hip, with it and had an interesting personality. The Summer chick was bubbly, chatty and full of joy but Suzy seemed to be hiding some secret...he could tell. Well, they were his neighbours now so he would have plenty of opportunities to get to know them better.

    After they left, Action decided to head downtown. He wanted the word on the street, to find the lowdown.

    Music cue 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ccw2t0FnVk

    "Hey, Action" said the bartender. "This isn't your usual haunt"

    "Just moved house...looking to check out the local hotspots" replied Action.

    "This isn't your usual dive, Action...look, we've got Geoffrey Landgraab in tonight"

    Action looked over to where Landgraab was sitting. "You hear of anything suspicious" said Action to the bartender "let me know"

    He saw a young woman sitting all alone at the end of the bar and walked over to her.

    "Hi...I'm new in town." he said. "Could you recommend something I could order for the both of us?"

    She smiled. "Tang and Zing...my name's Jade"

    "John...and you got it." he said, pointing to her glass and signalling 'two' to the bartender.

    "Do you like it here?" she asked him.

    "Well, I like it just fine so far" he replied.

    IuM1uPB.jpg
    He's a complicated man but no one understands him like his woman...John Action

    Yes, he liked this neighbourhood just fine....but he was also sure it had its fair share of secrets.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    edited August 2020
    Sim 66, part 17

    5a8mcxC.jpg
    Sigh...

    Jeremy Saint finished paying his bills and sat down on his bed. He felt utterly deflated. It had been 3 days since Bianca rejected his advances and it still hurt. It felt like a break-up although, to be fair, they were never an item. A few nice dates and the prospect of things going somewhere was all it really was. In a way it felt worse than a break up. At least with that he could pinpoint where things had gone wrong had they actually dated but this....he felt like he didn't measure up to her expectations and that he had some quality, unknown to him, that repelled her.

    Now that new guy next door, John Action, he had the magic touch with women. He had Summer and Suzy eating out of the palm of his hand the other day. That guy had "it" and Jeremy...well, he was a "friend", that's all.

    Jeremy went to the front porch of his house and considered going for a run when he saw Travis emptying the trash down the road. They saw each other and waved hi. Travis motioned for Jeremy to come over for a drink and, not wanting to wallow on his own right now, grabbed his house keys, shut the door and walked over to the BFF house.

    "Hey buddy" said Travis. "Summer's putting on some coffee, do you fancy some?"

    "Sure..." said Jeremy.

    "Man, you look down. What's happened?"

    "Does it show?" replied Jeremy. "It's Bianca..."

    "Oh how's that going?" said Summer, perking up. "She's lovely. So pretty and with amazing hair as well"

    "She....turned me down" said Jeremy, disconsolate.

    "Awww, man, bummer" said Travis, wincing.

    "Now why would she do that?" said Summer.

    Jeremy shrugged "I don't know, I didn't measure up I guess"

    "Nonsense!" said Summer with indignation "she's foolish! You're a definite catch...don't worry you'll meet someone who's right for you" she said, placing a coffee mug gently into his hand.

    "Yeah, plenty more fish and all that" said Travis. Summer shot him a glance. Travis looked confused. Summer did a little cough and jerked her head towards Jeremy and mouthed something to Travis about being a friend.

    "Oh...say buddy..." began Travis, finally picking up on Summer's less than subtle cues. "...how about you and me head into town for a laugh?"

    "I don't know..." replied Jeremy.

    "There's the flea market down in San Myushu" said Summer. It's a nice day and it'll take your mind off things.

    Travis leant into Jeremy and whispered so that Summer couldn't overhear. "Psst...the flea market takes place at the Spice Quarter and there's this great bar down there. Wall to wall chicks, I'm telling you"

    Jeremy winced. The thought of getting back on the dating scene so soon after being rejected didn't appeal to him. Travis persisted.

    "You feel rough now but you can't afford to wallow. You need to recover quickly. I'm telling you there are some hot chicks down at this place and they'll love you"

    "Really hot?" said Jeremy, shooting Travis a quizzical look.

    "Oh man! You're in for a treat!"

    San Myshuno, Spice Quarter

    "I'm not sure this is a good idea" said Jeremy to Travis, as they stood outside the Waterside Warble bar.

    FTMXEuv.jpg
    It's not like there's a couple of attractive women staring at us right now, is there?

    "Get in the bar!" said Travis, shoving Jeremy.

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlOUgJIn3NQ

    Uc4WzyW.jpg
    And try not to look pathetic and lonely either

    They took their places at the bar and ordered drinks. Travis looked around "there's 3 or 4 pretty cool girls in the bar already...this is it, buddy boy...wait! Check out the girl in orange...your 2 o'clock." He pointed to a very pretty strawberry blonde wearing an orange outfit; the total look...where skirt, top, shoes and tights were predominantly one colour with a flash of white detail. "I can tell she's totally your type"

    "Erm....well...she's too pretty." Replied a nervous Jeremy.

    "No such thing...go for it! Say hi to her"

    "I don't know..."

    "DO IT!"

    "What if she gets freaked out?"

    As the girl walked right by them, Travis flicked Jeremy's arm up in the air as if he were waving to her. Then he jabbed his friend in the side and Jeremy let out a loud "hey!". That got the girl's attention.

    p9ejLtT.jpg
    Hey there! OWWWW!

    "Hi?" she said, looking somewhat bemused.

    "Oh, hello...erm...sorry...you look like someone I know" fumbled Jeremy.

    "Oh I see" she replied.

    "Actually, no." said Jeremy "But I erm....well you see....can I buy you a drink?"

    "That's a kind offer but I've just had one and I must get to the flea market before it shuts...maybe later, if you're still here?" she replied.

    "Sure. Hope you find a bargain!" said Jeremy. He slumped. "Man that was embarrassing!"

    "What do you mean? She said she'll be back later!" replied Travis.

    "And you believe that?"

    "Sure...hope springs eternal...anyway, don't freak out or suddenly turn around because there's a seriously hot blonde giving you the eye and she's sitting right next to you"

    ObrnYWe.jpg
    Eyes boring into the back of his neck

    Jeremy heard the woman say "hello there" and he turned his head slowly to face her. Once she saw his face, her expression changed to one of shock and she said "oh, sorry, thought you were someone else....must go...sorry to trouble you". She stood up and ran out of the bar.

    "I knew it! I'm a girl repellent!" said Jeremy sinking his head into hands. Travis said nothing. "That's it! I'm going to the bathroom and then I'm going home...you're welcome to stay here, Travis"

    Jeremy skulked off to the bathroom and when he returned had spotted that a beautiful young woman had taken his place and was eagerly chatting to Travis. That guy has all the luck, thought Jeremy. He shares a house with two women and now he's chatting up another one. Tsch!

    zsVbwdm.jpg
    Glad I kept your seat warm, lady

    He didn't want to interrupt Travis so he walked out of the bar and towards the subway station. The flea market was still going but he didn't find anything he wanted to buy. He considered getting something to eat here as he couldn't face the prospect of cooking either. Stopping by a food vendor he saw a familiar figure.

    Music cue 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvD0_aeAf2E

    "Oh hello" said the strawberry blonde in the orange outfit. "I just finished buying something nice for my home and was going to head back to the bar. You?"

    "I....erm...." began Jeremy, not wanting to say he was heading home "...came for a bite to eat."

    "They do really nice Chinese food here" she said, enthusiastically.

    7NJpqTw.jpg
    Wait, you're actually talking to me and not running away?

    "I think I'll try some!" said Jeremy.

    Once served, the two sat down at a nearby bench to eat their food. "By the way, my name's Jeremy" he said.

    "I'm Barbara, nice to meet you"

    "I'm not that familiar with this part of town...only my second time here." he said, making conversation.

    "I live nearby...it's pretty groovy here" she said. "There's the flea market where you can find all kinds of weird and wonderful stuff people just want rid of...and then there's the Spice Festival! If you love this kind of food, you'll love that! It's a really happening event"

    They chatted breezily for about half an hour, the conversation unforced and friendly. Barbara seemed a happy, positive person. A bit like Summer but with more humour. He enjoyed her company and didn't feel awkward in her presence.

    "Dang, is that the time?" she said, checking her watch. "I'm sorry, Jeremy, but I've got a work shift in half an hour and I need to get ready and not be late....another time? Remember, the Spice Festival; maybe I'll see you there? Bye"

    And she ran off but this time Jeremy didn't feel down at all. There was, as Travis said, hope. Speaking of his friend, Travis emerged from the Waterside Warble holding a card. "Her phone number...the redhead back at the bar" he said.

    "So, are you going to see her again?" asked Jeremy

    "Tonight, as a matter of fact" said Travis. "Hey, in the meantime let's shoot some hoops...say, you look like you've cheered up"

    "I have, Travis" smiled Jeremy.

    Later, Jeremy went home and Travis went on his date. As he arrived home he saw the redhead leave the BFF house and hail a cab. Jeremy wondered what Summer and Liberty would make of that young woman. He smiled and went to bed, feeling a lot more content.

    ...until he remembered that he'd forgotten to swap phone numbers with Barbara.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, Part 18

    BK05Kg1.jpg

    "Trust me on this one, Bakko, this season's must have suit is double breasted with a silk cravat" said Suzy Kent to aspiring entertainer Bakko Jang.

    "I hear ya, Suzy, you're the girl with all the hot takes on what's in...anyway, I'll be sure to follow your tip...bye!"

    Suzy glanced at her watch; it was time to get to work...talking to Bakko and catching up on the latest gossip seemed like a couple of minutes but was in fact more like 20. She raced to the bus stop just in time to catch one to work.

    When she arrived at the offices of Hey, Wow! magazine there was a little party in swing and she found out it was because she'd just received a promotion. Needless to say, not a lot of work got done that morning...

    At the end of the day, a colleague handed her a ticket. "There's the Humor and Hijinks Festival over at the arts quarter this evening. I can't go but maybe you'd like to?" they said.

    Suzy said thanks; she didn't have any pressing engagements this evening and her head was still a little woozy from that champagne she had earlier. That investigation into the Triangle of Power could wait.

    Catching the subway into town, she arrived outside the Museum of Art and went searching for the festival. She was early and decided to grab something to eat when she saw that ahead of her in the queue at the food vendor was Mortimer Goth.

    zQKgAt3.jpg
    Did you order that?

    She thought it was a good opportunity to question him about what he knew about the Triangle but not too soon. He looked like he was here for the festival and she wanted to catch him in a good mood later on.

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7ne-V2D9Kk

    The festival was fairly well attended but not heaving with people and from a fashion point of view it wasn't exactly cutting edge, according to Suzy's tastes. She declined to join either the Pranksters or the Jokers, preferring to maintain a distance so she could observe and make notes but she did try something.....exotic.

    XoS9eUM.jpg
    Hey, it was the Sixties after all

    Towards the end of the festival, she spotted Mortimer Goth again, wearing an official festival T-shirt. She decided now was the moment to introduce herself to him.

    "Hello, Mr Goth?" she said.

    "That is I...and you might be?"

    "Suzy Kent, Hey, Wow! magazine"

    "Ah yes, my wife reads that from time to time. Are you here on behalf of the magazine?"

    "That's right. Is the Humor & Hijinks festival something you're a keen participant in?"

    "I have turned out for the Honorable Company of Pranksters since my college days, Miss Kent. These days I like to patronise it."

    "I'd like to discuss your charity work and your family's history for an article I'm writing: You know, the most influential families in Sim City?"

    "I'd hardly say the Goths are influential. We are one of the oldest though and I suppose we are very much part of the social scene but out days of influence are long ago in the history books."

    2H5Sz2u.jpg
    Since the Sims 1, to be exact

    "Nevertheless I'm sure there are plenty of stories to tell" pressed Suzy.

    "Oh there certainly are, Miss Kent, and one day I might tell you some of them....but not tonight. When I'm ready, I shall contact you." he said, enigmatically.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, Part 19

    John Action had finished getting dressed when looked out of the front window of his home and saw someone hanging around outside; a woman, late 30s, South Asian in appearance and she seemed to be checking out his pad. He instinctively reached for his .38 service revolver when he noticed that, around the woman's belt, was the brass badge of the Sim City Police Department. She must have been sent by the Chief to escort him to his new precinct. Action holstered his firearm and went outside to meet her.

    "So the new precinct chief sent you to accompany me in to work today, huh?" he said, nonchalantly.

    "You've got a reputation as a maverick, Action. The Chief wants you reporting for duty on time and in the right place instead of haring off on a wild goose chase or one of your hunches."

    "I get results....detective?"

    "Datta. Results or no, The Chief plays it by the book...straight down the line. Come on, let's go or we'll be late"

    L9EKcSj.jpg
    My advice...wear a jacket over your shoulder holster

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWqyJ46TLrY

    Action jumped into Datta's car and together they drove to the precinct house. Once inside she went to her desk, he reported for duty.

    sPHz3qR.jpg
    John Action, reporting for duty

    The desk sergeant looked Action up and down. "So you're Action, are you? Well we've heard a lot about you...about how you like to play by your own rules."

    "Sometimes your rules don't work so I resort to mine" replied Action.

    "The rules are rules, Action! You won't be cut any slack here, we run a tight ship. Now report to the squad room to pick up your assignment"

    Action 🐸🐸🐸🐸 sauntered off to the squad room; this place was packed with uptight stiffs...cops more used to finding lost kittens and helping old ladies across the road. Not his scene but after he fell foul of the D.A. who wanted to bust his a-ss he had to keep his head down at this new place.

    In the squad room he got handed a piece of paper which had his assignment on it: Check on a break in down Oasis Springs way. Wanting to get away from the stale environment of the precinct house, he grabbed a squad car and made his way to the crime scene.

    The house was smart; all mod cons and the home of 4 young professionals. None of them were in when the break-in happened but a couple of televisions and a stereo were taken. Action dusted for prints but also noticed some strange graffiti was sprayed near the side wall of the house.

    Hj86n25.jpg
    Who spray paints grass?

    Detective Datta came and checked out what Action was doing. "It's just meaningless scrawl, Action, why bother wasting film on it?"

    "It ain't meaningless...look, this scrawl is here but it's also in the back garden. This is the sign of the perp; their calling card."

    "Or it could be neighbourhood kids" Datta replied.

    "Check out the neighbourhood...all neat n' well off. Do you see any graffiti anywhere else? No, this is a gang sign"

    "Anyway, Action, we've got a witness...we need to interview her"

    Action took a couple of more photos and followed Datta in to the house. He was surprised to discover that the witness was none other than his neighbour, Suzy Kent.

    "Well, well....Suzy. Now what's a happening chick like yourself doing around Oasis Springs on a warm, Tuesday morning" he said, slyly.

    "I was here doing some research on a story I'm writing for the magazine" she replied.

    "So tell me what you saw?"

    "Well, I saw two people leave the house: They wore balaclava masks and dark blue overalls. I saw them carrying a TV into a grey van and that's when I ran down the street to a phone booth to call the cops"

    "Anything you noticed about the two figures you saw?"

    "Yes...they were both really skinny. But they seemed strong enough to lug big TVs into the van"

    "Really skinny eh?"

    ryJwdZI.jpg
    Could be a vital clue

    "Thanks, Suzy, that's something to go on....OK, anything else you remember, give me a call. You know where to find me" he said with a wink.

    After gathering the clues, he headed back to the precinct house to file his preliminary report. Action was experienced enough to know that the best person to pal up in any new precinct house was the head of forensics. Heading over to the lab, he met the very person: A fifty something lady who looked like she took no nonsense from dumb rookies.

    "So you're Action...how's your first day on the job?" she said.

    "It ain't my first day on the job, but my first day at this joint is OK...listen, here's some prints I lifted from the scene plus this camera has film that needs developing. I think we're dealing with an experienced gang here."

    "OK, I'll look into this. My you were thorough" she looked impressed with the print slides he gave her.

    "That's my gig, baby" he said with a wink before leaving.

    IW4Na0Y.jpg
    He was yay high

    Action headed for the records department to view some mugsheets of suspects but the Sergeant stopped him. "Now where are you going, Action?"

    "Following up on what I found at the scene" replied Action.

    "Not so fast...you turn over what you found to the senior detectives. They'll take it from here" replied the sergeant.

    "Hey, this is my case!"

    "Not anymore it isn't. You do what you're told or it's off to Traffic Division for you. Now you type up your report, hand it over and then it's a shift on the front desk."

    The sergeant left and Action pounded the desk...hard. He had little choice in the matter...he was on his last warning with The Chief and the D.A.

    After doing what he was assigned, he had the boring job of manning the front desk. As well as the little ladies who'd lost their shopping on a bus, he was surprised to find Suzy Kent had entered the precinct.

    "Hey there, Suzy, are you sure a sight for sore eyes!" he said.

    "Hey, Action. Listen, do you have some free time?" she replied.

    "For you, I have plenty...what is it? More leads from that crime today?"

    "Well, no. I was wondering if you knew anything about the Landgraabs or the Fengs...you know, if there's any evidence of criminal activities in their backgrounds."

    "I could do some digging around....but you'll need to help me with something as well." He produced a copy of the photo he took at the crime scene...the one with the graffiti symbol. He'd secretly taken it from the lab once it had been processed, figuring that he'd be taken off the case. "This symbol...I'm sure it means something. Some kind of gang sign or calling card. Can you do some investigating of your own and see if anyone's seen this before?"

    "Sure, I don't know...not seen it before...but I'll ask around"

    jYNhQIn.jpg
    You're getting a lot of use out of that notebook

    Suzy sauntered off and Action watched her leave. "She's more than just a fashion reporter" he thought to himself.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 20

    mDpCAH4.jpg
    We're not in this one this time

    Suzy Kent's next assignment for "Hey, Wow!" magazine involved a lot of research for an article entitled "66 years, 66 looks". That meant not going in to the office this day, but heading down to the library.

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ywuJh19U5w

    B1WmyhG.jpg
    Fee...fi...fo…fum…look out library, 'cos here I come

    Gathering a huge stack of books, she got to work, writing extensive notes, photocopying relevant pages from the news and magazine archive and generally creating a mess for the librarians to sort out afterwards. However, as was the pattern of late, her focus was divided between her work and what...or in this case who....was also around: Victor and Lily Feng.

    xA3c8Ur.jpg
    A game or a plot?

    They were playing chess mere yards from where she was working and speaking softly about matters that she couldn't quite make out but judging from the serious looks on their faces she knew it wasn't just about the game they were playing. She kept glancing towards them, trying to be inconspicuous but when they met one of her glances she quickly said a friendly 'hello' before burying her head in her research material.

    Lily Feng was suspicious though. Her game with Victor had petered out in to a draw; a common occurence these days as both of them could read each other's game so well. Victor stood up to give his wife a kiss but she pulled away from him.

    MsYj4P6.jpg
    The air kiss is such a bad look

    Lily fixed her gaze at Suzy and whispered to Victor. "That young woman...Kent is her name...she's been observing us for some time now."

    "I know; she's a fashion journalist who wants to interview us" said Victor, nonchalantly.

    "Hmmm, I'm not so sure. I can't quite put my finger on it but there's more to that young woman than what meets the eye"

    "Are you jealous, my little Lotus Flower?" said Victor, smiling.

    "Of her? No. And if I were to catch you and her together you know what that would mean, Victor?" said Lily, fixing him with a cold smile.

    Victor's playful expression vanished. "We're in this together, remember? Our fates intertwined as it was foretold" he said with absolute sincerity. "Anyway, I must be back to City Hall...are you coming, my sweet?"

    "No...I will catch you up. I have one more matter to attend to" said Lily. Once Victor had left, she motioned towards Suzy to come and join her over at the chess table.

    x0quwgq.jpg
    An offer you can't refuse?

    "Miss Kent, we meet again...care for a game?" said Lily.

    "That's kind but I've got an assignment that needs doing. Another time?" replied Suzy.

    "Indeed. I have one bit of advice for you, Miss Kent...don't bite off more than you can chew. Perhaps it is better to occupy yourself with simpler assignments than miring yourself in a subject you don't understand."

    "Is that it?" said Suzy, her curiosity piqued.

    "That is it" and with that, Lily Feng stood up and left the library.

    Suzy knew she was getting too close for comfort with the Fengs....but what was it they were hiding? She went back to work, resolving that in the afternoon she would go and see someone who might know.

    Later

    Suzy stood outside of the imposing Gothic mansion; home to the aptly name Goth family. Outside she saw two children walking towards her. A little boy, aged 10 or 12, and another, teenage girl who Suzy recognised as Cassandra Goth.

    "Hello Cassandra" said Suzy.

    "You're that fashion reporter, aren't you?" replied the girl.

    "Yes, Suzy Kent...I know it's a bit sudden but are your parents home?"

    "Hmmm, Mom should be. Dad's probably working. Do come in though."

    4FYgqbT.jpg
    Cheer up?

    Once inside Suzy was impressed by the olde worlde charm of the house. Despite the rather dilapidated exterior, the interior was impressive with a wide variety of antiques prominently on display. Suzy paused to look at a particularly fine violin...a Stradivarius perhaps?

    Cassandra ushered Suzy into a fine, large parlour where the matriarch of the family; Bella Goth, was sitting playing chess with the boy.

    waNfoSF.jpg
    Why is everyone playing chess to look sinister?

    Mrs Bella Goth looked even more beautiful and impressive in real life than she did in the press photos. She wore a very short dress that clung to every curve of her body and which had no visible means of support on her and the highest heels Suzy had ever seen. It was, at once, both a modern and a vintage look that was very individualistic; a summary of the woman herself.

    "Miss Kent, pleased to meet you" said Bella, standing up and offering an outstretched hand. Suzy shook it, lightly. "My husband says you want to interview us about our....style, was it?"

    "That's right. You know, most stylish and influential people in Sim City?"

    Bella let out a little laugh. "I don't know if we satisfy either criteria but my husband's family are one of the first to settle in this area; one of the founding fathers of Sim City."

    "So I gather...so can I interview you now?" asked Suzy.

    "I would rather my husband be here as well...and I have an important appointment I have to keep now. But do return and you can have a look at our family archives if that helps you with your article?"

    "It would, and thank you" said Suzy.

    Bella excused herself and instructed Cassandra to show Suzy out, but pausing by one of the bookshelves in the drawing room, she couldn't help but notice that one entire shelf of it contained books about the Landgraab family. The plot thickened.



  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 21

    9dwCCHY.jpg
    The D.A.'s on my case, so I'm going to get on your case until you solve the case!

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkVkLwpsZDU

    John Action walked into the 13th Precinct headquarters and straight past the desk sergeant without stopping.

    "Hey, Action! What ya doin'? You're supposed to be on the case!" said the Sergeant.

    "I've got a case of my own that needs dealing with" said Action, 🐸🐸🐸🐸.

    9ailTfk.jpg
    Lightening the case load

    After that, Action went to the briefing room where he saw Officer Datta going over the city crime map.

    "Any follow up on that robbery from Tuesday?" said Action.

    "We've got a suspect description...male, adult, wearing a jacket and jeans" replied Datta.

    "What? That's it? Is he a Brother or a Snowdrop...c'mon, I need something more to go on. What about that description that the perps were skinny?"

    "That's all, Action."

    He looked at the crime map and made a guess. "This team's been hitting quiet, moderately well off suburbs. Those joints don't have burglar alarms like the rich homes. My guess is they'll hit here..." he said, jabbing his finger at a point in Willow Creek. "If anyone wants me, that's where I'll be" he added before walking out.

    Music cue 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIjBY9mdd5E

    Courtyard Lane, Willow Creek, 10:04am

    Action began his patrol of the area, checking out the local houses to see which had decent security systems and which hadn't. It was pretty busy for a normally quiet suburb and that level of activity made him suspicious. Anything out of the ordinary made him feel suspicious. He checked his .38 service revolver to see it was fully loaded.

    He saw, out of the corner of his eye, an angry looking young man who had just left the local park and seemed to be fuming. Action looked him over: Adult male, jacket....but wearing leather pants, not jeans. Nevertheless Action was curious about what had made this man angry.

    "Anything the matter, Sir?" said Action.

    "Officer...yes. This crazy lady thinks I'm some kind of hustler and that I've got 'stash' on me! She won't quit bothering me."

    "And have you got this 'stash'?" asked Action.

    "Of course not! I don't do that sort of junk!" said the man, angry to be asked that question.

    Y3D1slv.jpg
    How dare you!

    "OK then...where's this crazy lady you're talking about? What does she look like?" said Action, trying to calm the dude down.

    "She's that local activist and pop singer...I can't remember her name but....look! There she is!"

    A gaudily dressed young woman; Japanese-American by the look of her, was staggering down the street towards the young man. "Hey!" she cried out. "You sold me some bad junk! I want my money back!" her voice slurred. She hadn't noticed Action either.

    "I keep telling you, lady, I didn't sell you anything! You've got the wrong man!"

    The lady shoved the man and raised her fists to clobber him but Action intervened to stop her.

    vm1oEFa.jpg
    That is one bad trip

    "Hey, hey, hey little lady" said Action, holding one of her arms. "You've got the wrong cat here...now how's about you tell me about this junk you got sold?"

    "I...I....I could have sworn this was the guy!" she slurred. "Dark hair, white guy...funky jacket...." she said before she slumped and passed out.

    oJo7xZ5.jpg
    Going...going...

    Action radioed in for an ambulance and after they arrived to take her to hospital he went back to the precinct house to file his report. The call came through that the girl, Miko Ojo, was OK and had her stomach pumped. She was able to say that she bought the "stuff" from a dealer who operated around the back of Willow Creek Archive. Action wasted no time; he had a suspect description and a location...he wasn't going to wait for official clearance, he was going to bust the perp!

    Music cue 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9irLCl3dFLo&list=PLE8CE30B5153C0A8D&index=3&t=0s

    Willow Creek Archive, 3:20pm

    Action had cased the joint...front and back. There were lots of alleyways, hidden places and trees anyone could hide in. He set up an observation post in an unmarked police car across the way and observed who entered and exited. Three men matching the description went in to the library. Action got out the car and walked across the road. He peered in through one of the windows to see what activity was going down. One man was searching the card catalogue, one was pondering a move at the chess table and one was searching the bookshelves. Action went in an pulled the librarian aside. "Any of those cats regulars here?" he asked.

    "Two of them are...that guy with the beard sitting at the card catalogue and the man looking at the shelves." the librarian replied.

    "Any seem suspicious to you?"

    "Yeah, the guy at the bookshelves. He comes in here every day, pulls out the same book from the same shelf, looks at it briefly, then puts it back. And then, minutes later, someone comes around and gets the same book. Every time."

    "Did the last person to check that book look like this woman in the photo?" said Action, showing the librarian a photo of Miko Ojo.

    "Yeah! She was in here yesterday"

    "Thanks man, you've been very helpful" said Action. "Hey, is there a way around the back to that part of the library?" he added.

    "Sure, to the right there"

    Action nodded, pulled out his .38 service revolver and snuck around the side to get to the suspect. He saw the man, who matched the description, put something in the bookshelf before putting the book in question back. Action approached him.

    "Now what would I find if I took that book out, eh?" he said. The man panicked and tried to run out the library but Action flying tackled him to the ground.

    "Your days of fleecing the young and beautiful of Sim City with your junk are over, pal!" he said. He pulled the suspect to his feet before slapping the cuffs on him.

    8k1Qqdr.jpg
    Now I'm going to give you a stern telling off!

    "I want to speak to my lawyer!" the man protested.

    "You have the right to remain silent....bucko!" said Action, taking the bag of junk from the bookshelf and then marching the suspect off to the precinct house.




  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, Part 22

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    Will I ever see her again?.....

    As much as he wanted to clear his mind, Jeremy Saint couldn't get Barbara out of his mind. Her face, her name, her eyes...a bright green colour...every time he shut his eyes he could picture her clearly. Snap out of it, man! he told himself. He went through this before not that long ago with Bianca: He got besotted too easily.

    But without work to go to today he couldn't bury himself in another project to stop himself from thinking about Barbara. Stupidly, he didn't get her phone number or arrange a future meeting so how was he going to find her again? The only thing he could think to do was go back to the Waterside Warble to see if she was a regular there. Maybe someone there knows her? He put on his jacket and made his way downtown.

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    Yeah, rub it in...billboard!

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYZlME0mQB8

    Inside was very busy. He picked his way through the crowd towards the bar. He recognised the girl with the long blonde hair who ran away from him last time he was in this place. She took a look at him and immediately went to the bathroom. "Great" Jeremy thought. "She still remembers me with disgust!"

    dteRCaO.jpg
    I swear she's going to hurl

    He went up to the bar and ordered a drink. When he gave the bartender the money, he said "hey, I don't suppose you know a regular around here: She's a strawberry blonde with bright green eyes...likes to wear orange?"

    The bartender thought. "I don't know anyone who looks like that...but I'm new here. Maybe one of the other bartenders knows her. I'll ask around"

    Jeremy sighed and drank his drink, all the while looking around to see if Barbara was there. Once he finished drinking, and feeling he was clogging up space at the bar, he took a walk around the place to see if he could see her. He could hear one of the customers singing...it was that girl who reacted badly to his presence and she was singing to "Day Tripper" by The Beatles. He wondered what would happen if she saw him watching her performance. She had a pretty good voice and Jeremy was impressed...so much so he didn't notice the person standing next to him.

    "Hello...is it Jeremy?" said the person.

    2kzAa8D.jpg
    YES! I've found my thrill....

    "Barbara!" said an all too pleased Jeremy. "Yes, it's me...fancy bumping into you here?" he added. Barbara looked down. "Oh no, I hope nothing's wrong?"

    "Oh...well...I'm feeling better for seeing you here" she replied, cheering up. "Don't worry, just work hassle really...so are you a regular here?"

    r9CaWp1.jpg
    Just say 'yes' and leave out the bit where you're here just to try and find her

    "On and off...say, can I get you a drink?"

    She nodded and they went off to the bar to get a round in. The noise was getting louder with ever more people arriving. Every time Jeremy and Barbara tried to start a conversation, people would jump in or get in the way.

    9Lm2JPW.jpg
    Looking bored and wearing 60s make up is a cool look

    "Say..." said Jeremy. "How about we go somewhere more quiet?"

    Barbara nodded "I thought you'd never ask" she replied.

    Music cue 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QHD0rfFe4Q&list=OLAK5uy_kyBIKPTsz7RkvfBrh93Ss3DwJuid4kvJo

    They headed over to the nearby park, which was the opposite to where they'd been: Quiet and with no one around. They sat on a bench together near a fountain.

    xlFyrEd.jpg
    The artistic shot

    "I'm glad you came to the bar today" she said, smiling and swinging her legs on the bench. "I was hoping you would"

    "Really? I went hoping to see you again" he replied.

    "I must have made a good impression" she said.

    "Without a doubt. Even though we've only met twice I feel like I've known you for a lot longer"

    "Is that a good thing or bad?" she asked, tilting her head whilst smiling.

    "Oh definitely good" he said.

    She looked up at the sky..."The sun's setting...I love the different hues of evening. Say, do you like to cloud gaze?" she asked.

    "I've been known to" he replied.

    "Let's just lay here and watch the clouds and how the evening sun colours them!" she said, grabbing his hand and leading him to a flat piece of ground.

    lzpIsEX.jpg
    I was hoping for a patch of grass rather than paving stones

    They lay there for a while...how long, neither of them knew. They talked, told jokes and enjoyed the view. Eventually the park janitor arrived on the scene. "Do you kids know the Romance Festival is going on in the Fashion District? Looks like you could do with visiting it."

    It was news to Jeremy and Barbara. "What do you say?" she asked Jeremy.

    "Well...I don't know...I mean...it's a bit...cheesy, isn't it?" he replied, haltingly.

    "Come on...it's a laugh...I've never been before!" she said, pulling him to his feet.

    The Romance Festival? Jeremy wondered if this was all happening too fast. He didn't want to blow it with Barbara like he did with Bianca. But this girl was pretty keen on going...

    Music cue 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RghL1rViX34

    The Fashion District was decked out in pinks, purples and brilliant white. There were literally flowers everywhere: People were dancing on them or throwing petals around. The two of them were swept up in the crowds and before they knew it they were right in the centre of the festival.

    "Try the uplifting effects of Sakura Tea" said an old lady in a traditional Indian outfit. "Blended from the most aromatic and mysterious tea flowers known to grow only on the steeps slopes of Sakura mountainside...they say once sampled it opens your mind to possibilities and frees you of inhibitions!"

    OkMShNR.jpg
    It's the Sixties...people are ingesting all kinds of weird stuff

    The candy pink tea was easy and pleasant to drink but within minutes Jeremy started to experience its effects. He felt light headed, more confident and there was a warm feeling in his loins. He looked at Barbara, who seemed to be succumbing to the effects as well. She started fanning her face with her hands before running them down the sides of her body and over her hips in a seductive manner. Jeremy noticed he was feeling fruity and invigorated but another side effect was that he couldn't speak properly anymore.

    "Hngh..." he uttered, trying to talk to Barbara.

    "I feel warm..." she replied. "Do you feel warm as well?"

    "Hngh" he replied.

    "I'm sooooooooooo glad I bumped in to you today...you have wonderfully clear, blue eyes, Jeremy"

    "Hngh"

    "Are you seeing anyone special?" she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

    "Hnnnngggghhhh"

    "Me neither....hmmmm, I feel sooooooooo goooooood" she said, feeling the collar of her top.

    "Hngh!!!!!"

    F5hb2zA.jpg
    Hngh!

    Then both of them started to feel giddy. Jeremy looked around; the old lady who gave them the tea smiled at him and he noticed that Geoffrey and Nancy Landgraab were already passionately kissing one another. What the heck was in that tea?

    "I'm....getting tired..." said Barbara.

    "Hngh...I mean, so am I...I'm having the best time" he saw someone handing out roses and he grabbed one in an instant, presenting it to her.

    "That's lovely, thank you" she replied. "But I hate to break this up...I've got an early start tomorrow. Can we continue this another time?" she said, apologetically.

    "Definitely!" he replied. "I'll take you out to lunch, yes?" She nodded. "Oh, before we go....phone numbers!" he said, taking out his notebook and scribbling his number on it. She took the number and the book and wrote hers down before handing the book and pen back to him.

    They embraced and promised to see each other again. Jeremy was on cloud 9...he was determined not to mess things up next time.







  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, Part 23

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    Warning: The following post contains pictures of Sixties fashions.

    It was a bright, sunny morning and Suzy Kent woke up feeling especially good and lively. Filled with the joy of the day, she ventured out to compliment a passer by on their outfit.

    BHDqSuN.jpg
    Your brightly coloured floral mini dress is nicer than my brightly coloured floral mini dress

    Suzy had let her social life slide of late and today, a day off from work, she decided to get out and about and not chase a strange news story...

    ...so, naturally, she called in at the Goth residence for a "chat".

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR8P05Pu90s

    Bella and Alexander were both present...playing chess as usual. It seemed as if they hadn't moved from their chairs since she last saw them a few days ago.

    "Miss Kent...what do we owe this visit?" said Bella.

    "Excuse the intrusion but I found our conversation last time to be very informative and your book collection very fascinating."

    VCcbp26.jpg
    ...and as for your decor, it's lovely

    "Help yourself, Miss Kent...what is it about the collection that you found fascinating?"

    Suzy walked to the bookshelf and perused the titles. "There's a lot of history here" she said.

    "My personal hobby" said Bella.

    "...and mysticism, magic and the occult"

    "That would be my husband's tastes"

    "And a couple on the existence of aliens"

    Bella said nothing. "At our last meeting you expressed an interest in local history, Miss Kent. Here, this book details the history of the Goth family; you may borrow it." she eventually said.

    gnGKxnO.jpg
    Ooh, there's some fruity pictures in here!

    "Thank you" said Suzy. "I notice that your family has close ties with the Landgraabs"

    "Hmmm, I wouldn't say close. But as our family mixes in such circles contact with the Landgraabs comes part of the territory. We don't have the levels of influence they have...our wealth is old money."

    BUYzhU0.jpg
    It's all in that book I've lent you

    "Thank you for the book....I must be getting along now but thanks once again for your time" said Suzy.

    Once again Suzy berated herself for not taking time off to enjoy herself. Determined to put her investigative journalism on hold this weekend, she headed into the city to the Fashion District. However, once there she ran straight into a protest.

    fX1dZds.jpg
    They say you want a revolution...

    She recognised one of the protesters; someone she met last week called Burr DeBenning.

    "Hey Burr" she said approaching him. "What's the protest about?"

    "Suzy! Haven't you heard? Landgraab Enterprises wants to buy Magnolia Blossom Park and bulldoze it to make apartment blocks" he replied.

    "Really? And what does the Mayor's office say?"

    "Well...there's going to be a vote. So far the City council is split 50/50 but we're awaiting a statement from the last elected official not to declare their voting intention."

    "Who is that?" said Suzy, with great interest.

    "Victor Feng" replied Burr. Suzy thought that was a VERY interesting development. Suzy then headed for the bar; protests really weren't her thing but upon entering the joint she found Mortimer Goth already there.

    zO8Vmn4.jpg
    I can't get away from this story

    Music cue 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZvtNXpfl4M

    "Miss Kent...I hear you visited my wife this morning? The two of you seem to be getting on quite well" he said as Suzy pulled up a seat at the bar.

    "She's a fascinating woman, Mr Goth"

    "Call me Mortimer" he said.

    "She's been invaluable help with my story" Suzy replied.

    "And what would this story be about? It's not a fashion article, I gather"

    "Well, yes and no" said Suzy, evasively. "Your family has an interesting history"

    "I know...but there are certain things that I think it wise you don't delve into. Such as my wife's disappearance 3 years ago"

    "Yes, I heard about that...nothing is known about what happened and Mrs Goth can't remember anything about it"

    "She had extensive therapy at the time and I have used....other methods...to try to ascertain what happened. Whatever it was, it is best left alone. It is a private matter" he said, sternly.

    hEYRj3o.jpg
    No asking about mysterious disappearance...got it!

    "I understand, Mortimer" she replied. Goth nodded, finished his drink and left the bar. Suzy was feeling overwhelmed with all this new information when Burr approached her. "So, did you learn anything interesting?" he asked her.

    "Every time I meet with a Goth, Landgraab or a Feng I learn something VERY interesting, Burr" she replied.

    s6ZockG.jpg
    At some point we're going to have to have a conversation about those sideburns

    Suzy looked around the bar and had a thought. "You know...tonight I'm going to forget all about it and have a good time!" Burr showed her the way to the dance floor and the in-crowd of San Myshuno danced the night away.

    cKxrqZa.jpg
    They'll start dancing once they've stopped standing around and talking
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 24

    lpidWV4.jpg
    Looking cool in his bachelor pad

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw4drWUkpOA

    The tranquillity of John Action's day off was broken by the sounds of an argument brewing outside his house. He couldn't make out what was being said but the voices were a man and a woman in a heated exchange. Action instinctively checked his .38 service revolver...just in case. He stepped out of his front door and onto the porch to see what was going on.

    vk9kDeu.jpg
    Nobody bugs me on my day off!

    "I'm telling you, Nancy, don't bring Bella into this! She's suffered enough!" said the man.

    "Well, you need to watch what she says to people who stick their noses in our business" replied the woman.

    "Your business, you mean! I want none of it!" the man was getting really angry now whilst the woman remained icily cool.

    "Hey, do you cats mind? Some of us are trying to get some peace and quiet here!" said Action, interrupting.

    "Back off, mister!" barked the man. Action bristled at that, took a deep breath and sauntered over to the arguing couple.

    "I don't like being spoken to in that tone....the name's Action, Sim City PD" he said, brandishing his badge. The man rolled his eyes in disbelief.

    "I'm sorry officer, this is just a disagreement between old acquaintances" said the man.

    "Is this true?" said Action, turning to the woman.

    "It's true...Mortimer and I have known each other for years. There's nothing amiss here, Officer." she said, her eyes shrouded in large sunglasses which made it difficult to detect her expression.

    "Nonetheless I'm going to have to take your names and give you a verbal warning" said Action. "Folk around here don't want a disturbance...even if it's between old acquaintances."

    "Mortimer Goth" said the man.

    "Nancy Landgraab" said the woman. "You may have heard of me? My family donates generously to the police benevolent fund."

    "I heard of you, Mrs Landgraab" said Action.

    "Is that all, Officer?" said Goth. Action nodded and the man stormed off. Action turned to Nancy Landgraab.

    "So, what brings you around these parts, Mrs Landgraab?" he said, slyly. "Isn't it a bit low brow for your tastes around here?"

    "I like to run and now if you've QUITE finished I haven't finished my exercise yet"

    Action waved her on but thought about what he'd seen and heard. He knew Suzy Kent from across the road was looking into the Landgraab family for an article she was writing. When he next saw her, he'd decided to tell her what he witnessed.

    Action decided to head to the gym for a workout: A routine he stuck to since his days in the 101st Airborne.

    Music cue 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK0DbgovWZo

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    He's super cool and he know Kung Fu

    John Action pictured the desk sergeant's face on the punching bag and gave it some powerful uppercuts and roundhouses. It felt good to unwind whilst working out and the job could wait for now whilst he pumped iron. His muscles felt toned and buff so he hit the showers and got changed. Going downstairs, he noticed two people he knew, Suzy Kent and Jeremy Saint, enter the gym so he stopped his sparring to go over them.

    "Suzy...Jeremy...how's it hangin'?" he said.

    "How's it what?" said Jeremy, not up on his slang.

    "Pretty good, Action" replied Suzy.

    "Hey, I got some information you might find interesting, Suzy. This morning I saw Mortimer Goth and Nancy Landgraab having an argument...Goth was warning Landgraab about not bothering his wife but she said that someone was going around asking too many questions of the Goths. Could that be you by any chance?"

    JfxmdUm.jpg
    Who, me?

    "I've been talking to the Goths for a story I'm planning" Suzy replied.

    "Well, just watch your step...Nancy Landgraab's got you on her radar"

    "Thanks, Action, for the heads up" she said. Action nodded to her and Jeremy and went on his way. He'd exercised his body, now it was time to exercise his charm. He headed over to the Blue Velvet to check out the scene.

    Music cue 3:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w20eKEkGJVQ

    Action swaggered his way to the bar, sat down and said to the bartender "my usual, please"

    "You have a usual?" replied the confused looking bartender

    "I do now" he said, pointing to a bottle of bourbon. The bartender nodded and poured him a drink. A very attractive blonde wearing white hot pants and matching go-go boots sat next to him.

    ZVipEvs.jpg
    Well HELLOOOOOOOO there!

    "Can I get you a drink, Miss?" he asked.

    "Yes please....a sweet n' sour. Hi, my name's Candy"

    "Of course it is" said Action. "I haven't seen you here before because if I had I'd sure remember"

    "Oh I'm in here a lot but we must be just missing each other" she replied.

    "Well not tonight" he said, slyly. They chatted and laughed and seemed to be getting on. Action liked this groovy chick and decided to move things along. "Say, I'm getting hungry...what about you and me grab a bite to eat. I know this cool Italian place not far from here. Fancy joining me? I hate to eat alone"

    "Sounds neat...just let me freshen up and let's head on out" she replied.

    TgVYCc9.jpg
    Freshen up/completely change outfits...such a fine line

    "Well, here we are" said Action as they arrived at the restaurant.

    "Looks nice...classy. You must be able to afford to eat here; what's your line of work?" she asked.

    "I'm a cop" he replied.

    "Ah.....well....is that the time? I promised to meet my...erm…aunt! My aunt, she needs me. Rain check? Good! Bye!" and with that she ran off.

    Action fumed. He hated being jerked around like that....she hated cops! More and more people these days hated the police; revolution, protests, disobedience. He spent 4 years in the army, did a tour in Simdo-China, came back and joined the police and this was the thanks he got! So much for a land fit for heroes. Action stormed off back home.

    EgK2JSy.jpg
    Back to a plate of mac n' cheese and a rerun of Mr Ed

    Well, his day of living it large didn't pan out the way he'd hoped. Still, he was intrigued by what had gone on between Goth and Landgraab. Maybe Suzy was on to something? Finishing his meal he looked out the window and saw a young woman standing in the middle of the road, not noticing the traffic. Action was quick out the door and yelled to her. She snapped out of her daydream and got out of the way before a car could hit her.

    "Say, lady, you need to watch where you're going" he said.

    "Oh, my apologies. I was receiving a message and didn't notice the traffic" she replied.

    "Receiving a message?" said Action.

    "Did I say that? I meant, I heard someone calling"

    "Other than me?"

    "Yes...but I don't know who" she said, awkwardly.

    Xv8CO6B.jpg
    I'll file this one under "strange"

    "Well...just take care in future. I might not be around to help you" said Action. The lady apologised again and walked off. "What a day!" thought Action. "What a day..."
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    Sim 66, part 5

    Music cue 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFNJVPJx4PE

    7BznWgx.jpg
    Hippie alert in Willow Creek!

    Another day, another Simoleon. Jeremy Saint arrived back from Dewey, Cheathem & Howe exhausted and hungry. It was time to whip up a good old weekday staple; Mac n' cheese but as he was dishing up he smelled something nasty....a burning, rubbery smell coming from the stove. And that's when he noticed the sparks coming out of it.

    lrJmjTt.jpg
    A good job it broke AFTER I finished cooking...although I spy a bit of fuse wire on my plate

    "Bother, bother, bother" said Jeremy to himself. He phoned up the repair company; they promised him their best man will be around that evening to fix it. Well, that was a relief.

    An hour later the doorbell rang and Jeremy spied someone wearing red overalls and a tool belt at his front door. Excellent, he thought, it was their best man. He opened the door and saw it was...

    8zbZyl3.jpg
    A WOMAN!

    "I'm here to fix your stove" said the woman.

    "Ah you must be..."

    "The company's best man? Yeah, that's how they describe me because if they said 'best woman' people would phone our rivals" she replied.

    "So are you?..." Jeremy said, nervously.

    "Their best? Sure. I can fix anything you got Mister"

    "Well, in that case here's the stove...I think it's..."

    "An electrical problem...yeah, you get that with the Yum Cooker series. It has a poor wiring design. OK, let me get to work on this and I'll call you when I'm done." she said.

    Jeremy was impressed by her coolness and let her get on with it. He settled down at his desk to go over office paperwork and no sooner had he started that he heard the repair woman say "finished!".

    "What, so soon?" he said, entering the kitchen.

    "Yep...like the man said, I'm their best"

    "Well...would you like a coffee, I mean, you came out here at this hour and have done things in double quick time"

    "Sure" she said, cracking a smile. "It's been a looooooong day"

    tMGtNol.jpg
    And after the cups were cleared away...

    "Back in my home town, we used to call out old man Cleary to fix everything. I guess he was my image of a repairman" said Jeremy.

    "Well, this is the big city, Mr Saint, things are a lot different around here. Folk still don't trust a repairwoman these days" she replied.

    "Well, I'll ask for you specifically in future" said Jeremy.

    "Much obliged...anyways, must be getting on...two more call outs before my shift ends" and with that she touched the peak of her cap and left.

    Jeremy was tired now and got changed for bed when the doorbell rang. "She might have left a wrench behind..." he thought. "Or it's Travis wanting a late night chat. Man, why do they leave it so late to disturb me?" Answering the door he noticed it was a complete stranger at his door. A man in trendy shirt with huge sideburns.

    cjqN5mw.jpg
    Now we've talked about those sideburns before

    "Er, hi...I'm sorry to disturb you" said the man, noticing that Jeremy was in his pyjamas and robe. "I'm Burr and I'm a friend of your neighbour, Suzy Kent."

    "Yeah, I know Suzy...what can I help you with?" replied Jeremy.

    "I just called around to her place but she's not in....look, I've got these documents I thought she might be interested in for her work. She's working on a story and these are relevant." Burr handed Jeremy an A4 sized envelope that was heavily sealed with Sellotape. "These are REALLY important. I can't just push them into her mailbox, someone might take them so I'd feel better if I handed them to you to give to her...she's mentioned your name as a trustworthy friend."

    "Oh, well....I'll make sure she gets them" said Jeremy, taking the envelope.

    "Cheers, man, they're REAL important, remember?"

    Jeremy nodded and Burr left. Jeremy looked at the envelope...what could be in it? To make sure they were extra safe, he put them under his pillow before going to bed.

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