Suzy's assignment was simple on the surface: Interview some teenagers and the youth of today to find out what they liked, what they wore and what they listened to but she thought about how she could help her friend, Barbara, who was planning on setting up a fashion boutique. Suzy would use this interviewing opportunity to gauge the market among the young and trendy.
She had noticed the other day that Pupperstone Park was a teen hangout so she made her way there and no sooner than she arrived, there was exactly the type of person she needed to talk to: A skinny girl with black bobbed hair and wearing a matching red mini skirt and knee boots.
"Excuse me" said Suzy, approaching the girl "I'm from Hey Wow! magazine and I'd like to ask you a few questions about fashion and music"
"Hey Wow! I LOVE that magazine. Sure, fire away!"
"Can you tell me your name, where you're from, what designers do you favour, who's your favourite band and do you think young people in Sim City are well served in places to go to get the kind of clothes you want to wear?"
"My name's Yuki Behr...ummm, my favourite designer right now is Ozzie Clarke...I LOVE The Beatles and there's some good choices in a couple of department stores but there's not really many cool places with out there gear and where you can hang out."
"Than you, Yuki, that's really informative" said Suzy, jotting down the girl's responses on her notepad. Suzy saw another young woman off in the distance and went off at a trot to interview her.
The young woman, in her late teens, was not as trendy looking as Yuki Behr was and she was struggling to control her pet dog, a skittish looking Great Dane, on a leash.
"Jinkies! What have you seen, boy?" the girl said to her dog. "There are no ghosts here" she said with a laugh.
"Excuse me, I hope I'm not bothering you...I'm from Hey Wow magazine and I'd like to ask you some questions about fashion" said Suzy.
"Well I don't know much about fashion..." the girl began to say. "I mean, you really need to speak with my friend, Daphne, she knows all the styles and designers."
"Is she here...Miss?"
"Oh my name's Velma and Daphne's not here...it's my turn to walk the dog. Well, what can I say about my style? I like this sweater; it's thick and warm. Ideal for my work."
"Which is?"
"I'm a forensic science major and also a part time private investigator" said Velma. The girl talked on at length about this investigation work with her friends but to Suzy's ears it all sounded a bit far fetched with all the talk of ghosts, hauntings and elaborate disguises. The dog didn't want to sit around when it could sniff out something it probably wanted to eat so Velma ended up leaving, being dragged by the Great Dane.
Suzy in the meantime found another young person to interview: A rather worried looking young man in his late teens.
"Hello there" said Suzy, cautiously, as she saw the boy was looking upset. "Sorry to bother you but I'm from Hey Wow! magazine"
The boy's face lit up for a moment. "Oh, have I won something?" he said.
"Not this time..." and Suzy made her pitch yet again.
"My name's Jamie McGregor, I'm 17 and a high school student...I won't say where. I think it's important to look good to impress the crumpet...erm, I mean the Dolly Birds....erm, I mean the chicks...you know, girls. A place where I can buy some smart threads, a cool place to hang out. Yeah, that'll be cool....now where is she?"
"Where's who?"
"Oh, my date...I guess she's stood me up....again!" and once again, the boy looked downcast. Suzy didn't know what to say except "sorry about that, I must be off....hope she shows up soon!" and awkwardly she made her way out of the park.
Returning home, she started to compile her interviews into an article when there was a knock at the door. It was Summer Holliday. Suzy let her in.
"Not disturbing you at work am I?" said Summer.
"I could do with a break. The deadline's due on Wednesday so I've got time. What's up?" replied Suzy.
"I had to share the news....Travis made a move the other day! It looks like he and I are an item now!"
"That's great!" replied Suzy. "But you said 'looks like'...is there some uncertainty?"
"Well, we haven't been on a date yet but as we live together already our day to day interactions come with a little more romance now...plus he says that I'm the grooviest chick he knows and that he digs me more than any other...that's guy talk for he likes me."
"We've got to celebrate but I need just one more quick interview with someone about fashion before we do." said Suzy.
"You've already interviewed me for your magazine...twice now" replied Summer.
"Hmmmm, you're right. I need to find someone else. This road is on the way to the High School...maybe there'll be some with it student on their way we can spot." Suzy and Summer looked out of the front window.
"What about that woman there?" said Suzy, pointing to a woman with long dark brown hair and wearing a very fashionable...and very short...dress.
"Hey...I recognise her!" said Summer. "I've seen her DJ at the Orange Peel Club...and...I'm pretty sure she's one of those Lothario Kittens". Suzy was interested in that detail: Lothario magazine was owned by Alan Cuffe who had recently approached her to write for his magazine. Its focus was on the libertine, sexually liberated lifestyle of luxury and the image of it, and associated nightclubs, were the Lothario Kittens...attractive young women who wore sexy, figure hugging costumes adorned with fake cat ears. If Suzy could interview one of them that would be the crowning point of her article.
"I'm going to go and talk with her!" said Suzy, grabbing her notebook, pen and house keys. Get the coffee machine going...I want to invite her in to get the Lothario Kittens' lowdown on fashion!"
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"Of course when Alan approached me about being a Lothario Kitten...oh and it's always first name terms with Alan Cuffe...I wasn't sure but I could use the extra cash from the modelling and publicity opportunities plus it's good training in being more confident, poised and stylish"
The woman's name was Tiffany and she'd been a Kitten for a couple of years now, in fact she was the most senior of them. She'd readily accepted Suzy's invitation to be interviewed and share a coffee with her and Summer and the two friends were engrossed in Tiffany's stories of life in the Kitten Club.
"But don't you have to wear those costumes all the time? Does that give you an insight on today's fashions?" asked Suzy.
"The costumes are just for official Kitten Club events. When we do the calendars and photo shoots for the magazine we get to wear all the latest gear in all kinds of exotic locations." replied Tiffany. "And I can tell you the fashion scene in Sim City is decent...but it's not great. It doesn't rival New York, London or Paris."
"That's very interesting. You make it all sound very exciting" said Suzy.
"It can be, but it can get VERY busy as well. We could always do with more Kittens...I'd say you two would make excellent members; you've got the looks and the figures"
"I don't know about that!" said Summer. "I heard your parties can get wild"
Tiffany let out a laugh "Oh they certainly can be that!" she said. "But, hey, it's the sexual revolution. We're just having good fun."
"Summer and I were going to head into town to the Orange Peel club. Care to join us?" asked Suzy.
"Try and stop me! I actually work part time there and can get us all in for free" replied Tiffany.
"What are we waiting for then?" said Summer.
"Oh...." said Suzy, surprised. "Is he...a bit of a pest?"
Tiffany looked directly at Suzy and said in a friendly tone "Look, honey, Alan will charm you off your feet; it'll be wine and roses and poetry. But you always have to remember you're not the only woman in his life." She leant in to Suzy and spoke more quietly. "I've slept with Alan...so have a few of the other Kittens and he's got a very full little black book of names of women all over the city. Nothing's official with him though; no wedding rings, no steady girlfriends, one night it might be me he invites over and another night it's one of the other girls and he makes no secret of that. As long as you're only looking for fun with no strings attached, he's great."
"I'm just looking to get my work published" said Suzy.
