The Name's Oliver - Ben Oliver. Ch. 159: Duty vs Ethics, Pt. II

[ladybug53]

Oh wow ! This is such a great chapter . Your team did such wonderful work . Can't wait to see the rest of the pageant entrants . Poor Ben , he's going to have his hands full with all those lovely ladies . So anxious for the next chapter . 

[Swirl-Girl]

Woot! Great update! I am glad to meet these lovely ladies. Now B.O. don't ypou try to "woo" these young women. You should be sleeping or at least grabbing a potion.
(Is it too late to join the Top Hush, Button-Lip Team? I'm willing to work as a secretary. Or even an unpaid intern!)

[Audren]

So this is what the Top Hush, Button-Lip Team has been up to? Very impressive! Can't wait to see what the rest have to offer! 

[StratfordT]

The ladies are certainly gorgeous, looking forward to seeing the rest of them.

[Dextra2]

Is it too late to join the Top Hush, Button-Lip Team? I'm willing to work as a secretary. Or even an unpaid intern!

I completly agree. In fact, I'll be the one to take out the trash!

[Rhapsody2312]

I do hope your wrist is healing well Schip?

So excited to see who everyone on the team has chosen. So far the stories are fascinating and the pictures are amazing. Well done to Saltypaws and Tilia.

Looking forward to the rest.

[Schipperke]

I do hope your wrist is healing well Schip?

So excited to see who everyone on the team has chosen. So far the stories are fascinating and the pictures are amazing. Well done to Saltypaws and Tilia.

Looking forward to the rest.

Thanks, Rhasody.  I hope it's healing, too!  I can type  a little but won't be able to use the mouse until the cast comes off, so I don't know if I'll be able to do any more updates until then, because it's just too hard trying to line up screenshots with my (very clumsy) left hand.  Three more weeks!  Meantime I'm entertaining myself with The Avengers and James Bond. 

[Louise56]

The first two contestants are lovely, can't wait to meet the rest. I almost feel sorry for Ben. I'm glad you feel better Schip. Don't worry about updates until your artist is fully healed. I'm glad you can type though, that mean we will see you on the forum.

[Swirl-Girl]

Good luck with the healing, it sounds like it is doing well, I am still waiting to hear about my possible induction. 

[RainBeau]

Good luck with the healing, it sounds like it is doing well, I am still waiting to hear about my possible induction. 

The Top Secret team actually closed a while back. Schipperke said she may ask for more contributors later, but for this one she only asked for five and she got them very quickly!

[Schipperke]

Good luck with the healing, it sounds like it is doing well, I am still waiting to hear about my possible induction. 

Thanks, Swirl Girl!  The current top-hush project is pretty much taken care of - well, except for the writing, of course.  But there will likely be a need for top hush, button lip candidates in future and I'd love to take advantage of your services at that time!  Who knows what further adventures our Ben will get up to ... 

Rosa beat me to it! 

[Swirl-Girl]

Okay, till then I can be your unpaid intern.

[Schipperke]

Okay, till then I can be your unpaid intern.

Come on over and operate the mouse for me!  I could sure use your help right about now. 

[Joria]

Awwwwwww, Schip.  I'm so sorry you are so banged up.  I've never had a broken bone, thank heaven, (knocks on head), but severe dislocation and a cast makes me realize just how incapacitated you are.  I'm pretty much over the pneumonia I had so came here to read all of your writing, from beginning to beauty pageant, hoping you were ok and able to write.  Wish we lived closer, I'd be happy to be your amanuensis.  You are doing a really amazing job with this story.  A truly talented writer.

[Schipperke]

Beauty and the Thief, Part III

Diary Entry

After a drink of water and a stroll outside to cool off, I returned to my reading.

Julienne Knack, Miss Twinbrook.  Sponsored by Ausette.



Julienne's essay was shorter than the others.  Instead of writing about her childhood, Julienne had focused more on her goals.  Julienne's essay said:  "I spent my teen years working in my mother's diner, washing dishes in the kitchen and sneaking out to flirt with the customers. Now that I'm all grown up, I want to prove myself as a talented chef and CEO in my own right.  I want to expand my mum’s little diner into a world-class chain of restaurants, with me as the owner and face of the company of course. 



"I entered because the pageant because I couldn’t stand the thought of stuck-up Sofia Carlton or that joke Amy Bull representing the town. Those girls haven’t done a real day’s work in their life, but me? I work my butt off every day trying to make myself, my family, and my hometown mean something to the world. I’m the best girl for the job. I deserve this. Besides, do you have any idea what a cash prize would do for my business, not to mention the publicity?”

Julienne sounded very dedicated to achieving her goals.  But she was also quite a dish.  I hoped to persuade her that having fun was also a good thing.  Maybe I could get her interest by telling her about my culinary exploits.  I was sure we could cook up something together.  Meantime, on to the next dossier.

Gracie Loveland.  Miss Appaloosa Plains.  Sponsored by Rhapsody2312.



"Ever since I was a little girl playing dress up, I’ve wanted to be a model. A glamorous job; excitement, travel, exotic sims. What more could a girl ask for? I’ve spent years dreaming of that perfect moment, of seeing my face in simzines, handing out autographs to girls who want to be me...

"I never thought it would happen. Who wants to be the next lab assistant at the Science Centre?
I mean, sure. I dreamed of it every night, but me? The quiet, sweet innocent becoming a simcon? Not likely! Then I heard about this pageant, and someone very special convinced me to try it.



"I was nervous at first, but somehow here I am. One of the finalists! I keep pinching myself to make sure it’s real!  I just wanted to find that one perfect man. My dream man. How do you do that, if you don’t get to know them all? Everyone wants their happily ever after dream. Why shouldn’t I get mine too?"

Why indeed.  Little did Gracie know that her dream man was here in the hotel lobby waiting for her to arrive.  I just hoped she wasn't going to be too disappointed when she found out that it wasn't going to be "ever after."  But definitely we could be happy for a while.  I set aside the lovely Gracie's file and moved on to the last dossier.

Constance Shelley.  Miss Riverview.  Sponsored by Ombradellarosa.

"I live in Riverview. I'm a journalist, but I really want to be a writer. I work on it every day.
I don't always write, though. Sometimes I go to the library and read.   I'm not exactly what you would call the social type.  I don't talk to anyone at the library when I'm there.



"I guess you could stay my story really starts here--when I was having a really bad day.  I'm not looking for my soulmate, or anything like that. I don't really care if men like me or not. But this particular day, one of them walked right past and didn't even seem to notice I was there--it was like I was part of the wall. And for some reason, today this bothered me.

"The day went downhill from there. My supper caught on fire, and when my boss, Hannah Jones, dropped by later, I was sure she was there to complain about a late work assignment.  But she said she had a travel opportunity for me and added mysteriously, 'I hope you're not camera-shy. You might need to have your picture taken.'

"Next morning Hannah was at my door bright and early.  Before I could even wake up properly, she dragged me down to the salon.  'Here's what I'm seeing,' she said. 'We lose the 'forties schoolmarm' look. You need to let your hair down! And we have to get you out of those clothes.'
'What's wrong with my clothes?'
'Oh, don't worry, just let me take care of it.  Now, practice your coy wave at the judges.'"



Constance Shelley was barely recognizable after her make-over!  What a knock-out.  And she loved to read.  I checked my watch.  If I hurried, there was just enough time for me to dash over to the bookstore and pick up a copy of the latest best-seller, 'Lady Simmerly's Lover.'  What fun Constance and I would have reading it together!  And if there were parts of the story she didn't understand, I could explain them.  I set off for the bookstore at a run.