The GO Treatment Centre - A Stranger from a Strange Land

[Schipperke]

Dear Mr & Mrs Cruz,

Thank you for referring your son Jude to the Treatment Centre.  We are happy to accept him into the program.  We will do everything we can to help him develop his social skills.  I'm sure he will find new friends as we are expecting a superb group of young people in our next admission.

Don't worry about your son, we'll take good care of him.

sincerely,

The Management

[Alexrandia]

Dear Mr. Payne,

Thank you sooo much for accepting me! I'm going to go pack right now! I bought a brand new 6-pack of toothbrushes, and 20 new pairs of socks, just in case.

Thanks again,

Karin Harrell

[Schipperke]

Dear Mr. Payne,

Thank you sooo much for accepting me! I'm going to go pack right now! I bought a brand new 6-pack of toothbrushes, and 20 new pairs of socks, just in case.

Thanks again,

Karin Harrell

Hehe.  Reminds me of the time I left for a 3-week trip and forgot to pack any underwear.  I'm glad to hear Karin is better organized that I was!

[Schipperke]

The New Employee

Ssttarr and Incubus are enjoying a few days respite before the next admission.  Quiet, peaceful days replanting the garden after the meteorite disaster, playing together, and enjoying a bit of a break.  One morning Ssttarr notices someone standing in the front driveway and goes out to investigate.



Ssttarr:  Yes?  Are you lost?  Do you need directions?
The Stranger:   Am I at the right place?  Is this the GO Treatment Centre, and are you Ms Ssttarr MmcPhagall?
Ssttarr:  Yes, I am.  And you are -?
Stranger:  Dr Simgund Freud, at your service.  I've come to apply for the advertised position.  I do hope you haven't filled it yet?



Ssttarr:  No, the position is still vacant.  Ah - Doctor, you do realize we were advertising for a youth therapist?
Dr Simgund:  Please, call me Simgund.  No need to be formal if we're going to be colleagues, eh?  You are wondering if an old greybeard like me is going to be able to relate to the young people, yes?  It is true that many years have passed since I myself was a child.  But I have always retained my love for childish pursuits and there are few things that please me more than joining my young charges in whatever happy game they may enjoy.  I think you will find I relate very well to young people.
Ssttarr:  I see.  You know, Doctor - Simgund - your name is strangely familiar to me.  I'm sure ...
Simgund, modestly:  Perhaps you've heard of my books or maybe even read one of them?  There have been several that have made it onto the bestseller lists.
Ssttarr:  That's it!  Yes, I've seen your books!  In fact, the Sims in our last admission group liked your books so much that they all bought a copy of one to take home with them. 



Ssttarr continues:  But Simgund, you know, you may not have a lot of time for writing here.  The assistant will need to help out with chores like cooking and repairing appliances.  Are you sure this is what you want to do?
Simgund:  Repairs are no problem.  Also, I am a fully-qualified Tinkerer, which means I can upgrade anything .
 
Ssttarr remembers her attempt to upgrade the stove which almost ended in disaster.  Being able to leave the upgrades to someone else sounds very appealing.

Ssttarr:  How about cooking?
Simgund:  I flatter myself that I am an excellent cook.  I was trained in SimVienna, before the borders closed.  My specialty is European-style crepes, but I can cook absolutely everything.  There are no recipes I do not know how to prepare.  Perhaps you would allow me to demonstrate my cooking skills by preparing a little something for you to test?

So Simgund, who is not a vegetarian but for some reason always wants to prepare vegetarian dishes, made Vegetarian Lobster Thermidor for Ssttarr.



Over dinner Simgund conversed pleasantly about cooking.  Ssttarr was too busy scarfing down the food to say much.  Look at their plates - Simgund has barely touched his food, while Ssttarr is almost finished even though they started at the same time. 



After dinner Simgund demonstrated his repair skills by fixing the broken computer.  He thought Ssttarr might also like to know about his Martial Arts proficiency, so he changed into his gi before setting to work on the computer.



And by the end of the day, Ssttarr is convinced.  Simgund has the job.  Not only that, Ssttarr has popped a wish to have a first kiss with Simgund.  Which comes as a surprise to me, as the only Sims she has previously wanted to kiss were happily married women!  Although finding a guy who is an accomplished cook and handyman, as well as a bestselling writer - well, what girl wouldn't be interested?  At this point, the romantic feelings are entirely one-sided.  Simgund is more interested in his new job than in Ssttarr.  Will that change?  Only time will tell.

Further discussion between Simgund and Ssttarr:

Ssttarr:  I'm so glad you've joined the staff, Simgund.  And we have all our referrals, so we're almost ready for the next group.  Only I understand we have to wait for something called New Computer to arrive - I'm not sure what that means.
Simgund:  Ah, yes.  As a trained doctor, Ssttarr, I know that Sims require Computer for our very existence.  It is a sort of life force.  I understand the strange beings that inhabit Dimension H don't require Computer - they get their life force from something called Air instead.  But Computer is essential for Sims. 
Ssttarr:  But don't we already have Computer?  Surely we couldn't even exist without it?
Simgund:  As I understand it, there are various qualities of Computer.  If Computer is lower quality or if it gets old, it is not able to provide as much life force for Sims.  That's why sometimes Sims are unable to remember what they've done and have to redo things - it's called Save Problems.  When that happens, new Computer will increase our life force and let us do more things.
Ssttarr:  Oh.  Well, then, I hope our new Computer arrives soon because I'm looking forward to meeting the new referrals.

To which the writer says, right on, Ssttarr!

Dear Alert Readers:  Have you noticed that Ssttarr has changed the spelling of her name slightly?  Anyone have a theory as to why that might be?

ps.  I just have to share one more screenshot with you that doesn't really relate to the rest of today's update.  Sstarr was out working in the garden, and when she finished she calmly walked into the house, to an upstairs bathroom, and proceeded to do this:



Which has me totally mystified.  She didn't have a nauseated moodlet.  She hadn't eaten recently so had no reason to throw up.  And as for the other reason Sims usually throw up (nooboo on the way), well, not unless Sims have recently discovered some way to become pregnant without the involvement of the opposite sex.  I really don't know what to make of it.  Except that I think both the Sims and I are very much in need of New Computer at this point.

[MarianT]

I have no idea why Ssttarr added another 't', but hope to find out.  And never did I expect to meet Simgund Freud!

[Gogowars329]

I think the extra t is for our new moderator, the sweetest pea. Am I right?

[Schipperke]

I think the extra t is for our new moderator, the sweetest pea. Am I right?

You certainly are!  Well spotted, Gogo and Marian!

[ApplesApplesApples]

I just read through this story and have been enjoying it a whole lot! I cracked up when I saw Sigmund Freud. The new referrals seem like an interesting bunch. This should be a fun couple of weeks for these sims!

[Schipperke]

Thanks, Apples!  Glad you're enjoying the story - I'm certainly having a lot of fun with it.  I think Simgund will add interest to the tale.  Now all we need is New Computer ... soon, I hope!   

[Alexrandia]

"Simgund Freud." Awesome and hilarious! As usual, I enjoy reading your updates. I love how you incorporate real life (or should I say Dimension H) into your stories.

[Schipperke]

Thanks, Alex!  I have to say, I'm having a lot of fun with the Treatment Centre.  The best part is the fascinating and unique Sims that people are submitting, each one different, and with such interesting stories to tell.  Really this game is a big collaboration - the case managers who refer Sims and contribute letters, etc, that really make the story, the Sims themselves who as we all know have their own ideas about things (at least, mine seem to), the readers whose comments add interest and encouragement, and lucky me who gets to play the game and write about it.

I'm really impatient for that new computer to arrive so we can get on with our next admission!

[ekobeko]

I really love the name Simgund Freud. And I am pondering over Ssttarr's nausea. Can't wait for New Computer!!

[Audren]

Welcome, Simgund! How ironic that Dr. Freud (Dimension H Freud, that is) actually passed away on my birthday? I'm glad he's lived on in the Sims! I'm excited for the next chapter, and impatiently waiting alongside you for new Computer! 

[Schipperke]

Welcome, Simgund! How ironic that Dr. Freud (Dimension H Freud, that is) actually passed away on my birthday?

Really?  Well, there are those who say there are no coincidences, only events for which we haven't found an explanation.  Maybe the Dimension H Freud didn't really die but decided to explore new horizons as a Sim.  "To boldly go where no one has gone before?"

Thanks for the comments, ekobeko and Audren.  I am really missing my game at this point, so all I can say is that New Computer had better live up to expectations!  Should be only a few more days ...

[thesweetestpea]

Hey Schip, I finally took some time out to check on Trisha, and her inventory is empty! Could there be a reason for this strange happening? I am told by a little bird that there should be a book in there...