"Do I look alright? Is my tie straight?" said Jeremy Saint to his new, live-in girlfriend, Barbara Dubois.
"You look very smart and VERY handsome" she replied, smoothing out his tie. "Now don't let me hold you up"
"But you're irresistible ..." said Jeremy, giving her a kiss. "What have you got on today?"
"I have a day off and I thought I'd get to know this neighbourhood a little better" she replied.
"It's a nice little area" said Jeremy. "I will see you this evening...one more kiss!" He said, smooching her. She gave him a little pat on the bottom as a way of sending him off to work.
However, she had time on her hands and a neighbourhood to explore. Her one other good friend in Sim City was their next door neighbour; Suzy Kent. Barbara knew that Suzy worked from home a lot and decided to pop next door to visit her. Suzy was indeed at home, and she'd just finished a fashion article.
"Well how's life in Foundry Cove working out for you?" said Suzy, pleased to see Barbara.
"It's good...very good" replied Barbara. "I can't believe I've moved in with Jeremy! Every morning I wake up and he's there....I love it"
"He's a good one, Jeremy. If you ask me, a keeper"
Barbara smiled. "But a little nervous around women, would you say?" she asked.
"Oh yes...when I met him he could hardly say a sentence to me, Summer or Liberty" said Suzy, with a little chuckle.
"I think that's a good thing...it'll stop him talking with other women!" joked Barbara.
"Say..." said Suzy. "How about you and me head over to the Rattlesnake Juice Bar and hang out there for a bit? I'm done with my assignment for today and we can catch up in detail over there...I fancy getting out of the house!"
The two young women caught a taxi down to Oasis Springs and found themselves in an unusually quiet Rattlesnake Juice Bar.
"Funny...it's usually more busy in here" said Suzy, heading to the bar.
"Well, that's a good thing surely...we'll get served quicker! What would you like?" said Barbara.
"They do a very good Sweet n' Spicy here"
"Bartender! Two Sweet n' Spicies please"
The drinks duly arrived and the girls began to drink...and gossip.
"So..." said Barbara "how come it's taken you so long to find a boyfriend? How's it going with Neil?"
"Neil's not my boyfriend...yet" replied Suzy.
"Here's the thing...." said Barbara "by the way, how many of these have I had?"
"That's your second" said Suzy.
"Anyway, Neil, right? Don't you think he looks a little like Jeremy?" said Barbara, with a mischievous smile.
"Neil and Jeremy? No! I mean...well, they've got similar short blonde hair...blue eyes....a round, gentle face....and they both get tongue tied around women but apart from that..."
"Oh totally different!" said Barbara, sarcastically. "That's OK, Suz. It just shows you have excellent taste in men"
"Oh my gosh! Now that you mention it they are VERY similar!" said a shocked Suzy. She playfully shoved Barbara. "Thanks for giving me that thought you tease! Now I don't know exactly where I stand with Neil...we've been on one date so far and that went well but he does take things very slowly! I like him, but I want to know whether he truly likes me."
"I understand. I'm sorry for teasing you but I hope it works out with you and Neil. I've met him a couple of times and he seems a good man."
"I hope so too" replied Suzy.
"So...now you're properly one of 'us' in the community, what do you want to do?"
"Me? I don't know...I came to America to see and try new things. I envy your style, Suzy. You know, back home is pretty conservative and I wish I had your confidence with fashion. I try..."
"You've got the total look...which if fab" said Suzy. "And if you need advice, just call on me. I tell you, Jeremy will have eyes for no one but you if you follow my fashion tips!"
The afternoon passed quickly with the chat and the drinks flowing but eventually Barbara had to return home if she were to greet Jeremy on time.
She decided to cook him a meal herself, although her culinary skills were very basic and she made a mess in the kitchen.
"Hi honey, I'm home!" came the cry from Jeremy. "You know, I've always wanted to say that" he added.
"Mwah!" Barbara gave him a welcome home kiss. "How was your day?"
"The usual dullness and counting down the minutes to my return to you!" he said.
"I've made you dinner....sorry if it's a bit basic"
"That's fine...I could eat anything right now and this does look good. Did you have a good day?"
"I hung out with Suzy...we went to that bar in Oasis Springs" said Barbara. Jeremy recoiled slightly at the memory of the last time he was there...with Bianca.
"That's nice" replied Jeremy, not wanting to give anything away. "She's a good friend, Suzy. Everyone's nice in this street. Now that was a tasty dinner but I'm in the mood for.....A TICKLE FIGHT!"
"Jeremy! Stop! You know I'm ticklish right THERE!"
The fun and games didn't end there and after a particularly playful bit under the covers Jeremy fell fast asleep but Barbara was too excited to to settle down just yet. She sat there next to him, once again feeling very fortunate to have him as part of her life, when she heard a knock at the door. Carefully walking down the hall to the front door, she was curious to find out who it was at this time of night.
"Hi, my name is Kerry Fry and I'm a Friend of Gaea" said a man in vaguely hippy garb.
"I'm sorry but I've never heard of her" replied a confused Barbara.
"No, Gaea...the Earth...the mother of creation" Kerry explained.
"Excuse me for asking, but what do you want?" asked Barbara
"What we want is world peace, an end to fuel, and a revolution in the way we live our lives on this precious, endangered world"
"OK....but still, what do you want from us?" said Barbara, none for wiser.
"Us?"
"Yes, my boyfriend and me"
"Oh you have a boyfriend....erm...can I just leave you this pamphlet then? Sorry to disturb you but...bye. Don't kill the whale!" and with that, Kerry Fry skulked off into the night and Barbara was left holding a brown paper leaflet and questions as to who was that guy and what was he up to?
