Bachelor's Degree (Completed)

[MarianT]

BACHELOR’S DEGREE

Dear Watcher,

   I know you’re really busy, what with challenges and dynasties and all. And I know you’ve got lots of different worlds to look after with all their sims, but I was hoping you might consider using me in a story sometime. My little sister is okay, but she’s so incredibly famous that sometimes I feel kind of jealous.
   I’m a really nice guy and in pretty good shape, so I’d be good at doing tombs and fighting mummies. Or maybe you could have me work as a magician when I get older; I’d kind of like making people vanish and stuff. Being an acrobat would be okay, too, if you could come up with some costumes that weren’t quite so cheesy. Oh, and I wouldn’t mind being a werewolf or a witch, but not a fairy. My sister would like to be a fairy, though, if that’s what you want.
   Anyway, you’re such a fantastically brilliant writer, that I’m sure lots of people would read whatever you wrote, even if it was about me instead of my famous little sister. I won’t sign my name because you’re omniscient, so you know who I am already.

Thanks in advance,

Me

P.S. Could you also do something about my mom? Maybe fix it so she can spend more time in her garden? Because right now, she’s having me help with it because I enjoy being outdoors so much. Well, I do, but I’d rather play basketball. Speaking of which, could you add a basketball hoop to our yard?

P.P.S. And another thing, could you age me up fast? School’s a real drag – I’d just as soon never open another book in my life. Although I’d miss my friends…maybe you could get out the cake as soon as Bebe Hart grows up? Just a suggestion, though –- your call.


CHAPTERS

A Reluctant Hero
Waiting for the Llama
A Letter Home
E-mail
Home for Break
River Blossoms
Conversations at Home
House-Sitting
Finally

[RaiaDraconis]

Poor Michael, always overshadowed by his little sister. I'd love to see a story centered around him, actually.

[ratchie]

I am quite fond of Michael he was the grandfather of Esk Smith in my Smith immortal dynasty. Back in the days when townies produced other townies.
Looking forward to seeing what happens.

Rachel

[MarianT]

A RELUCTANT HERO

“Psst! Michael!"

“What?”

“How would you like to go to college?”

“Who--?”

“I’m the Watcher. How would you like to go to college?”



“I don’t know. I was planning to play for the Llamas, maybe get married, have a few kids – you know, the usual.”

“Oh well. I thought you were interested in being in a story. I’ve already had your mom quit her job and start working as a gardener.”



“If she’s working as a gardener, how come I’m out here in the rain? And would you mind not photographing me in my pajamas? A guy’s gotta have some privacy.”



“Michael, if you want to be in a story, you’ll have to get used to having no privacy. The Forum wants to know – and see – everything. Anyway, your mom’s sick with the flu. You don’t want her out here in the rain, do you? Besides, you might like college – bowling, keggers, ping pong…”

“Lectures, seminars, papers…”

“You could join a group of jocks.”

“Watcher, what do you think the Llamas are? If guys on a sports team aren’t jocks, then what are they?”

“Okay, you’re not interested. I get it. Maybe Bella will want to go. She’s already let me change her hair style and sign her up for scouting.”



“I guess college might not be too bad.”

“Now you’re talking. And there will be lots of cute girls there.”

“I was kind of hoping to hook up with Bebe Hart. If I’m off at college, then Parker Langerak will marry her for sure.”

“That might happen anyway, Michael. It looks like she and Parker have already become young adults. Look, why don’t you shoot some hoops, think about things?”

“Um – we don’t have a basketball court.”

“Now you do. Stick with me, kid, you’d be amazed at what can happen. After all, I am ‘fantastically brilliant’ – unless that was just flattery.”

“Yeah, well, everybody likes to get compliments. You can’t blame a guy for schmoozing a little. Okay, I guess I’m in.”

“Could you show a little more enthusiasm?”

“Okay – ‘Gerbits, Gerbits, go-o-o Gerbits!’”

[Louise56]

This look awesome! It is about time Micheal get some attention. Can't wait for him to go to college.

[Magz from Oz]

A great premise for a story.  I'll be reading.

[RainBeau]

I love it! This story has it all--a reluctant protagonist, a punny name, and it starts with a letter! What could be better than that?

[Pam]

Great job starting this story, MarianT.  Very clever, too.  I'm going to feature this on our Facebook page.  It has a lot of potential. 

[MarianT]

Thanks, Pam! I'll try to make sure that Michael has an awesome college experience.

[Lilygirl]

This should be a great read, Marian! Bookmarked.

[MarianT]

WAITING FOR THE LLAMA

   Michael Bachelor had never known time to pass so slowly. It was like sitting in the last class of the day, watching the second hand inch around the dial – only it was like that all the time. He’d play soccer, expecting to find that an hour had passed only to discover it had been ten minutes.



He’d go out and dunk basketballs until dark, but dark came much earlier than he thought.



   And everyone seemed to be growing older, while he was staying the same age. He invited his friend River McIrish over, and found out that she was now a young adult (and taller than he was, too).



His sister Bella had a birthday (and a large party, but Michael really didn’t mind because his parents invited a lot of his friends and everybody brought something interesting to eat).



   Finally, the day he’d been waiting for arrived. Michael decided to have his cake as soon as he got up rather than endure one more day of school. By this time he was actually happy not to have a party – the whole family was still eating the key lime pie, pumpkin pie, and mushroom curry left over from Bella’s.



   Michael felt strange watching Bella go off to school without him. It was pouring down rain outside, so there wasn’t much he could do to make the time pass. Maybe he should have gone to school after all. But then he looked out the window and spotted a large woolly creature strutting along the sidewalk.



   To his surprise, the person inside the llama suit was a girl and actually quite pretty. Michael wondered if all the girls at university would look as good. He almost wished that he’d picked Heartbreaker as a lifetime wish instead of Super Popular.



The llama’s name was Alisha. Michael chatted with her for a few minutes and showed her a video of a cat flushing the toilet that someone had sent to his smartphone. That made her laugh, and she told him he had the right stuff to get in with the jocks. She left a bucket of stuff behind.



   Investigating the bucket, Michael found a t-shirt and an aptitude test. The questions on the test weren’t too hard, and he got his score instantaneously.



Not only was he getting a $1000 scholarship, but he already had 18 credits toward a major in Physical Education. Yahoo! Now all he had to do was enroll.

[RainBeau]

Congratulations, Michael! Sounds like he'll be a natural both for the Physical Education major and the jocks.

[Tilia]

This is so fun!  I'll be following while I wait in simmering rage for Gametreemac to give me my pre-ordered copy ... 20 hours after I was supposed to get it now.

[Magz from Oz]

Nice update.  I'm also hanging out for my copy of the the new EP so we're get a nice preview of the game mechanics through you.

[MarianT]

A LETTER HOME

   Michael enrolled as a Physical Education major carrying 12 credits. He then ran upstairs and threw his clothes hastily into a suitcase.



The van showed up as soon as he came out the front door. His dad was just coming home from work. “Don’t forget to write!” he shouted. “And don’t join a –“



   Michael didn’t hear the last word. He was too busy checking his smartphone to see if Alisha had sent him a text (she hadn’t). Join a – what? Club? Protest? When he arrived on campus, he had to choose a place to live. He didn’t want to live by himself, and the dorm sounded okay but not exciting. A fraternity, now – that might be interesting. He signed up for the Urele-Oresh-Cham house.



As he entered the door, it occurred to him that maybe his dad had been saying “Don’t join a fraternity.” Oh, well.

   A couple of days later, Michael remembered that his dad had asked him to write. Not text, write.

Dear Dad,

   Uni (as they call it here) is a lot of fun. I managed to beat someone at ping-pong the first time I played.



She didn’t hold a grudge, though, and showed me the moves for the school cheer.



   I’ve also been developing my skill at kicky bag…



…and flying disc. Don’t start groaning – believe it or not, these help keep my grades up (which are currently an A).



   Classes are a yawn, but our class activity is interesting. We each have a skeleton and are supposed to imitate the move the skeleton makes and then analyze the muscles we use to get into that position.



Some moves are more strenuous than others.



And some moves are downright impossible and probably a glitch.



   So far my biggest problem has been getting enough sleep. Last night I dragged myself to bed, exhausted after going to two classes, practicing soccer moves, and doing laundry, only to be awakened after two hours of sleep by the fire alarm going off.



   You’ll be glad to hear that I had enough sense to get the fire extinguisher out and start using it. You’ll also be glad to hear that the firemen showed up before anyone was hurt.



   Hope you and Mom are okay, and Bella, too, of course. Let me know what’s happening in Sunset Valley.

Your son, Michael

   Michael read over his letter. He hadn’t said anything about the party they’d had one night or about how he’d tried to get super-juiced, but was too tired to down more than 4 glasses. His dad might not get upset about it, but he was pretty sure his mother would ask what the party had been like, and he didn’t think he could describe it adequately.



Worse yet, she would probably want him to promise not to go to any more parties like that. Given that he lived at Party Central, it wasn’t a promise he could make. He looked at the clock -- class would be in another 4 hours.

P.S. (he added) Could you see about getting me some invigorating elixirs?