Chapter 4: Something To CelebrateYou still working on it?Dude: No
You've been upgrading it for so long. <grumble mumble> All I get to see of you these days is your back. Hmm, not that I'm complaining.Dude: Oi! Enough of that!
<snicker>Zesty: Thanks for fixing the pc Grady.
Grady: No worries, it's all this desert sand that get into the motherboard. Might be time to build watcher.
Zesty: Noo! I really like living like this, it feels like a permanent holiday.
Thank goodness for that then, 'cos we aint got enough simoleons to build diddley-squat. Dude's used up nearly all the money on the upgrades to Aphrodite Zesty: lol I still don't know why he named it that.
I'm not game enough to ask.Finished yet?Dude: No, nearly though.
Well Grady's made some lunch if you feel like a break.
Grady: Is it my imagination or is the watcher a little on edge?
Dude: Yeah, she's nervous about the rocket being finished.
Grady: You mean about the chance you won't get it finished?
Dude: No... she doesn't like change so she's concerned about the impact The Aphrodite will have.... change, you know?
Grady: Hmmm. Well change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
Dude: Try telling the watcher that.
Zesty: Hey... here's one for you. How far can you see on a clear day?
Dude: <grin> Dunno.
Zesty: 92,955,807 miles (to the sun)
Zesty: One morning I got up around 5:00 a.m. and wondered "Where did the sun go?" and then it dawned on me.
Dude: LOL
Rogelio: So how did you met Dude?
Grady: Playing chess at the park actually.
Grady: I knew right then that him and the watcher needed a helping hand.
Rogelio: Hmm, how did you know exactly.
Grady: Ahh... 'the knowing' is the easy bit. It's 'the doing' that's the hardest.
Dude: Who's winning?
Grady: Well, Rogelio is doing well for his first game.
Rogelio: That's a nice way of saying I'm losing!
What? What did you call me for? What's wrong? Wait... what's that sexy pose for? OOOoohhhhh, you're finished, right?Dude: Right.
Cool! That's awesome and a reason to celebrate I reckon. Woo!
Whatcha doing?Dude: I decided you were right.
I was?Dude: Yep, partay time!
Dude: So, thanks for coming everyone. We're celebrating Aphrodite's completion.
Darrius: (Red and White cap) Who's what?
Bella: Might be better not to ask.
Dude: No, lol not like that... the rocket, Aphrodite... she's fully upgraded.
Gavin: Wow, congrats Dude. <Big long drawn out speech about Dude's hard work and determination blah blah blah>
Liberty: So have you made a space trip yet?
Dude: Yeah, a couple.
Liberty: Ooo, that's so cool, makes you kinda hot, you being single and all.
Dude: <preening> Why thank you Libby.
<fake retching sounds> Oh pah leese. Kat: Well watcher, you gotta admit he's is a good catch.
Rogelio: What is it with chicks and astronauts?
Beats me. <shrug>Dude: So many years ago, on a cold and stormy night a sea-going vessel floundered in the stormy seas...... 27 years later the lifeboat was discovered by local fishermen, with its original paint still intact, not a scratch on it... but it had the skeleton remains of the crew and the captain, sitting upright as if they were still rowing.
Waylon: Good grief!
Bella: <shiver>
Zesty: So you a bit hot on Dude there Libby?
Kat: She is... she hasn't stopped talking about him for weeks.
Liberty: Kat!
Darius: So tell us about your time in the Simlayan monasteries Grady.
Grady: Well son there was a lot of peace and quiet! lemme tell you a joke instead...
A guy joins a monastery and takes a vow of silence: he’s allowed to say two words every seven years.
After the first seven years, the elders bring him in and ask for his two words.
"Cold floors," he says. They nod and send him away.
Seven more years pass. They bring him back in and ask for his two words.
He clears his throats and says, "Bad food."
They nod and send him away. Seven more years pass. They bring him in for his two words.
"I quit," he says.
"That’s not surprising," the elders say. "You’ve done nothing but complain since you got here."
Go easy on the logs there Rogelio, don't want to burn the place down now.Rogelio: <adding the forth log in as many minutes> K.
And so the night was spent telling scary stories...
...and amusing jokes...
...with the occasional moment of deep contemplation and philosophizing about life in general....
...until it was time to sleepily wander home...
...leaving just the hardened party goers hanging out around the bonfire until the wee hours of the morning, celebrating Dude's first gold medal party. Woo!