Marcus Baldwin - Week 9

The Baldwins' family home is the first lot to be played this new round - two years in real life since my last visit here!

Inside, a familiar sight greets me on this Monday morning: Marcus - the only surviving member of the Baldwin family - is fast asleep, surrounded by piles of trash.

Yes, he complains about it as soon as he wakes up. And no, he does not do anything about it, really.

Eventually, I catch him sweeping up some dead bugs - but that's all for the next hours.

The Repo Man pays another visit. What will he take this time?

The chess table...

...and the cheap desk lamp.
It's not that Marcus is poor - quite the contrary, he is very wealthy. He simply never thinks of paying the bills, even though he takes them out of the mailbox alright.

Wonder of wonders, he sprays some bugs!

And this will be the last time you'll see Marcus like this - moments after this picture was taken...

...he turns into an Elder!
As he has been on Permanent Platinum for a long time (he became World Class Ballet Dancer 18 days from Elderhood), he feels just great - and even more so, now that he has the opportunity to move to the Senior Residence. And I guess that is what I'll have him do; I am truly sick and tired of the messiest household ever in my game.

When Marcus arrives at the Senior Residence, it is Thursday, and a light dusting of snow covers the ground. Let's do a quick check on the other residents here.

Benvenuto Broke is currently the oldest here at 78.

His wife Pauline (née Aspir; orange PJs) is 76. With her at the poker table are Tina Cho (née Traveller), 70, and a visitor.

Ophelia Nigmos is now 75.

Charlie Cho, son of the late Hal Capp-Riley and Etsu Cho-Riley, is Tina's husband and 71 years old.

At 67, Heather Huffington is as pretty as ever. Marcus is of course the youngest here; he only just turned 54.

On this Thursday, while Marcus is busy settling in, Ophelia greets Priya Patel.

Later that evening, Pauline has just answered a phone call from a friend when suddenly a hooded figure appears in the room, handing her that very last cocktail. Bye-bye, Pauline! Do you remember how she was just a toddler when she entered our games with one of the expansion packs? (I believe it was Freetime.) And her grandfather, Luis Aspir, was the longest-living Sim in my game ever, making it to well over 100 years.

Benvenuto is overwhelmed with grief. Pauline's urn is moved to Gamesend Grounds.

On Friday morning, I suddenly hear the "falling in love"-jingle from somewhere on the lot. I discover Heather and Charlie underneath the mistle toe. Well, she's a Romance Sim, and he... is married! His wife is playing poker just across the hall from here, but is completely unaware of the goings-on.

Later, Marcus joins Heather and Charlie for a chat at one of the tables in the dining room. Nothing more has happened yet; good, because I am not keen on a jealousy drama.

Tina greets passers-by Calendula Capp.

Heather decides it is time for salad for everyone.

Benvenuto is glad to have his sister-in-law, Desdemona Broke (née Capp), pay him a condolence visit. She is married to his brother, Beau Broke.

Marcus has just picked up an old newspaper and then clears the leftovers from the dining table - all on his own initiative.

On Saturday, I send the whole bunch to a community lot. The natural choice is Gamesend Grounds, since Pauline has recently moved there - or rather, her urn has been moved there.

Benvenuto visits his late wife's grave, while the others are busy buying snacks from the vending machine and talking to other visitors.

Marcus discovers that Perseida Powers is always happy to talk about grilled cheese, just like him.

Back home, I watch Charlie first playing at Heather's synthesizer and then put in a (very short) round of breakdance.

On this rainy Sunday morning, the repair lady is here again; hardly a day passes by when she is not called to mend one thing or other. The residents here certainly have enough money to keep an entire army of repair people employed, and Marcus tips her generously.

Then he proceeds to do a bit of gardening - not much, just a bit, but I am impressed at how he has changed from what he was like when he lived on his own.

At 6:00 pm, three figures are headed towards the poker table in the common room. No, Mr. Reaper and his two dancing friends are not here for the game - Ophelia Nigmos is about to drink her very last cocktail. She was 79, and had a very interesting life.

Tina surprises me on Monday by making stuffed turkey for everyone.

She surprises me again when she gives Marcus a massage.

Apparently, that massage infuses Marcus with enough energy to do a bit more gardening; this time, he pulls weeds and gets pretty far, stopping short of completing the entire garden.

Tuesday is the last day here, as I am playing Marcus Balduin's week, and it is his 7th day of being played. Charlie serves stuffed rainbow trout for lunch, a nice change.

Benvenuto Broke is all ready to accompany Mr. Reaper to the Great Community Lot in the sky, where his beloved wife went to not long ago. He was 84.

As if he had known he was going to see his brother for the last time, Beau Broke had come for a visit a few hours before. If I am not mistaken, Beau is now the last original Broke left in New Max. Like Pauline Aspir-Broke, he was a toddler when the game began, one of Brandi Broke's boys.

I need not to have worried about the state of the Chos' marriage - Tina and Charlie are as close as ever, in spite of Charlie having shared a mistletoe kiss with Heather Huffington, and Tina giving Marcus a massage.

The week saw three deaths and one newcomer - Marcus - who improved his life greatly by moving here. Now there are only four residents left; who is going to join them? And will they ever get on top of the never-ending gardening without professional help?