Week 1 – Sunday amRapunzel: Mum? I know I look really cheerful but I’m very confused!
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You remember I was having an “I vant to be alone” moment and you encouraged me up this tower and then the door disappeared? Well – WHAT’S GOING ON?
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No – I’m not really applying myself to schoolwork. Yes – I get my clothing from charity shops. No – I don’t want a makeover. But what’s that got to do with me being stuck in a tower?
I’ve got to stay here until a prince rescues me?
You do know this is the 21st century, right?
It’s that or prove I can succeed by myself? Just what does that mean? You’ll let me know the steps as I go? You’re not the boss of me. You can’t lock me up like this.
Oh... You’ve got some dodgy-looking friends… Dad’s company owns a lot of stuff around here… I can’t believe he’s on board with this. Hello? Hello? She hung up on me! What am I going to do? I’m stuck in a nightmare or some sort of fairytale. What I need is a…
Watcher: Hello?
Rapunzel: Fairy Godmother?
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Watcher: Oh – well, I suppose that works. Hi – I’m your Fairy Godmother. You seem to be in a bit of a pickle but I think I can help you if you’re willing to give it a go?
Rapunzel: Do you work for my mum? Only her friends are a bit shifty so I’m just being careful, no offense.
Fairy Godmother: None taken. No, I don’t work for either of your parents. I do have access to a modest bank account they’ve set up for you and I’m authorized to adjust your tower to make it a bit more comfortable. The only rule is that you’ve got to live within an area that’s about 64 m2
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There’s not many other rules – you can’t go out for a job or even freelance from home…
Rapunzel: I’m too young to have a proper job anyway so that’s no biggie.
Fairy Godmother: You can’t leave the 64 squares for any reason.
Rapunzel: This isn’t forever tho. Mum said something about proving myself? Do you know what that means, FG?
Fairy Godmother: FG? Oh, right. That does make life easier. Rapunzel’s quite a lot of typing too. How do you feel about….Zee?
Rapunzel: Why not? A new me with a new name. Zee it is. Now, about taking steps to get out of here?
FG: Your mum wants you to earn a bit of money and make your home look nice
Zee: That’s a bit vague.
FG: 15 pieces of artwork…
Zee: Lead me to the easel!
FG: And your house needs to be worth $50k. We’ve already got the $20k so nearly halfway there.
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At this point, Zee loses the plot and freaks out so FG waves her magic wand around for a bit; the tower disappears and a small bungalow with a small outdoor area materializes.
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Zee: What happened? I went blank for a mo. Wow – I thought you said “adjust” the tower. This is some adjustment!
FG: (buffs fingernails) It’s a start. The $18.5k, after the $1.5k for the plot, didn’t go very far but you’re back on the ground with access to a mailbox – you’ll need that. Plus I added…
Zee: My very own dumpster. (rustle, rustle, rustle) You’d be amazed what people throw out. Thank you, so much!
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FG: Um – OK. I was going to point out the bed, appliances, plumbing but, sure, your very own dumpster. So, what do you think? Where shall we start?
Zee: I really want to be an eco-innovator. In fact, it’s time I voted on the Neighbourhood Action Plans. Oh no! I don’t have any influence to push any NAPs through. I need to meet people, but how?
FG: Are we going to fall at the first hurdle? (scans manual) Have you got anything to donate? Nope. Let’s just leave it for now. We’ve got until tomorrow evening. How do you feel about gardening? There’s not a lot of room but some Watc…Fairy Godmothers swear by harvesting stuff as a quick way of making money. What’s in season?
Zee: I’ve got a strawberry, blackberry, and a grape. In they go and water.
FG: We’ll set up a club so that stuff like gardening will be more fun. Club members can’t come into your space but they can come to the rest of the lot. Do you care what age they can be?
Zee: Maybe just keep it to my age group? There – I’ve picked out 5 people. Let’s start a meeting. Why yes, they do all seem to be boys…maybe one of them is a prince and I could let down my hair, lol.
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Oh – this is a bit weird – we can see them but they can’t see us. (wistfully) they seem to be getting on well together.
(looking on the bright side) I know! I’ll write a best-seller.
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Ow! Fruit salad isn’t as easy as it looks and it’s shop-bought and I really wanted to live the freegan life and I still can’t vote any NAPs in and, and... Send the boys home! I don’t want to see anyone! I’m going to bed!
Stats at Week 1 – Sunday eveStarting score: 100
Day points 0:
Skill points 0: Gardening 1/10; Writing 2/10
Aspiration points 0: Eco-Innovator 0/4
Mansion Baron Progress: 0/4
Thank you for reading this far.
Staying inside the 64 square lot will need a heap of creativity but it’s very clear cut so I should be able to stick to the rules.
Rapunzel’s – sorry – Zee is generally cheerful and her needs haven’t fallen too quickly so no red bars today. She just lost it over compromising her Freegan ideals.
Her aspiration of being an eco-innovator seemed do-able with access to the mailbox but how will she get her influence points? Will we declare it impossible, enabling her to choose another aspiration?
Find out in the next chapter…