The Traveller Family: Week 4

The fourth week with the Travellers sees not much difference to the third, at least not to begin with: Trisha still lives separate from her husband and daughter at the house she inherited from Carlos Contender, while Trent and Tina remain here, at the "shoe box".

Trent will be an Elder in 8 days. He still aspires to those elusive 100.000 Simoleons, and still does not have a job.

Tina will leave for college tomorrow. While I was playing other households, she and Titania Summerdream became best friends. Now Tina needs 11 more best friends to reach her LTW of 20.

On Monday, Beatrice Monty walks past the house and is politely greeted by Trent. He does have an ulterior motive - not what you think, no! He influences her to do rake the leaves for him, a chore he detests, because it takes so much time away from his favourite money-making activities such as painting, novel-writing or making pottery.

When Tina comes home from school, Prezioso Picaso gets off the bus with her.

Trent starts writing another novel today.

On Tuesday, the tap on the bath tub breaks. Ever the cost-conscious, Trent rather repairs it himself than to spend any money on the work - even though it takes him three attempts to complete the job.

In the afternoon, Tina leaves for college. Now Trent is all alone in the house.

On Wednesday, he greets more of his neighbours and influences them to do house and yard work for him: first Ana Patel...

...and, a little later, Angela Pleasant.

Very early on Thursday morning, one of the trees is hit by lightning and catches fire. The rain quickly puts out the flames, though, and Trent never even wakes up. I wonder if there has ever been a week in New Maximiliania without at least one fire!

By the time Trent gets up, the thunderstorm has long passed, and he can pick tasty oranges in the sunshine.

In the afternoon, he finishes his novel, and receives 3.305 Simoleons for it.

The book is promptly delivered, and Trent is proud to be holding his second published work in his hands.

On Friday, just after he has made his Silver Pottery Badge, Opal Contrary walks past. The unsuspecting lady is greeted - and promptly employed to rake the leaves. Once she has piled them all up neatly around the trees, Trent joins her outside to burn them.

This time, though, he has gone too far. I don't know whether the constant using of his neighbours for such tasks deserves to be punished this way, but somehow it seems a fitting irony that Trent, who hated raking leaves, should die by a fire of leaves he started himself! 
Only 3 more days, and he would have turned into an Elder. Tina does not know yet - we'll go and find her at college and see how she'll cope. 

What is Trisha going to do now? Will she ever forgive herself, seeing that she never made up with her husband? Is Tina going to live with her Mum at Carlos Contender's old house after graduation?