The Larsons: Week 1

We've not left Bluewater Village but are now at one of the first houses upon entering the town, coming down from the hill with the windmills. I have named this street Windmill Square, and placed this modest house at No. 1 Windmill Square. The Larson twins have only just moved in. 

Maxis have not furnished it other than a few cheap kitchen items (but no fridge) and a toilet, shower and sink in the bathroom. The twins have just a little over 9,000 Simoleons left after buying the house, and need to be careful about spending as long as they do not have jobs. According to their Maxis-written bio, they "moved out of their parents house and are now trying to make it on their own in the "real world." Using "monetary donations" from house parties they threw. They are finally ready to get down to business!".

To add a little to their bank account, Jodie digs for treasure in front of the house, but all she finds is a tattered old map. She could sell it for 400 Simoleons, but who knows - it might come in useful at some stage, and so it is put in her inventory for now. 

Tessa Ramirez, Stephen Tinker and Dina Caliente come over to welcome their new neighbours. 

"You look so much alike, you must be twins!" Mrs. Ramirez remarks. "Well observed," Jason replies, "we are - and Jodie is my big sister, older by three minutes!" 

The siblings both have the Fortune aspiration, but neither of them is interested in running a business. Jason dreams of being Captain Hero one day, while Jodie sees herself as Chief of Staff at Pleasantview's General Hospital. 

Contrary to that, her bio reads "Being the oldest of the twins, Jodie feels it is her duty to take charge, but will her pushy personality overwhelm her "little brother" and cause their business to bomb?" while about her brother, Maxis have written "Jason is the younger of the twins (by a whopping 3 minutes) and much more carefree than his sister. Will Jodie push him to the edge or will he rise to the challenge and help their business succeed?"

Jodie wakes up well rested in her new, comfortable bed on Tuesday morning.

The bills want paying, and Jason takes care of that.

Since neither of the twins have found a job in their desired career, they decide to visit 250 Main Street in Pleasantview to meet some people and make use of their free time while it lasts. 

Several residents of Pleasantview and Bluewater Village are here, such as Don Lothario, Gilbert Jacquet and Dirk Dreamer.

Dirk even turns up at their home right after the taxi has taken them back, and spends the rest of the afternoon and evening with the Larsons.

All of Wednesday is spent at home, speaking to friends on the phone, studying skills while they have the time and it is autumn. At 7:00 pm, Jason is picked up for work as a Security Guard - he found the job only this morning. Jodie is on her own, working on her body skill until she is tired and goes to bed.

It is 2:00 am on Thursday morning when Jason returns from his night shift with a promotion to Cadet. He has just about enough time to get some sleep before he's off to Police Academy for the day. 

An ambulance pulls up in front of the Larson's house at 7:00 that same morning. Is anyone ill or injured? No - Jodie has found a job as Emergency Medical Technician.

She returns with a colleague in tow (who is sent on her way immediately) and a promotion to Paramedic.

As for Jason, he is dropped off after work with his second promotion of the day and heads straight back to work for his third shift today, now as a Patrol Officer. His friend Vyn Scott can only be greeted fleetingly. With the twins being on such a roll career-wise, the Simoleons come rolling in, too, and their account shows over 9,000 Simoleons - time for some home improvements and to fulfill some of the "buy me" wishes our Fortune Sims are well known for. 

Meet Nurse Jodie, ready for work bright and early on this Friday morning! 

A car was high up on both the Larsons' wish list, and so a car it is. In quick succession, items such as an armchair, better dining table and chairs as well as a more expensive book case than the IKEA one were wished for, and bought.

Saturday turns out to be an eventful day - in various ways. First, Jodie is promoted to Intern...

...and her brother to Desk Sergeant. Both work a while on their skills before going to bed relatively early.

Then, an uninvited and unexpected visitor appears - Gordon King, the "King of Thieves", as he fancies himself, notorious in all of Pleasantview and Bluewater. 

The Larsons' car is the cheapest on the market, but that's fine for Gordon - it's all about proving to the criminal world that he really IS the King of Thieves, even daring to steal from someone who works on the force.

Of course Jason calls for enforcement, and his colleague comes running up to the house just as Gordon starts running out of it.

He doesn't stand a chance against the combined efforts of Jason and his colleague, and is taken away in handcuffs. 

Still, it is a traumatic experience for Jason, and he wakes up long before he is fully rested on Sunday morning. 

Jodie has invited her friend John Burb and his family over, as well as the Dreamers. She is inspecting the replacement car paid for by the insurance when they arrive, and then unfortunately she is off for work and can not spend any time with her guests after having said a quick hello. 

The young people, Lucy and Dirk, head straight for the chess board, but seem to be looking more at each other than at the board.

Jason makes breakfast for everyone and then proceeds to tell the visitors about the "King of Thieves" and his failed attempt at burgling the siblings' home. He is still very upset about the event and gets so worked up he nearly drops his pancakes in his lap.

And then... I discover that Jennifer Burb is his three-bolt lady! She is married, and her husband and daughter are there with her, but Jason is definitely interested and tries constantly to talk to her, but she is nearly always in conversation with someone else.

Finally, his big sister returns from work. Her Sunday shift has paid off: She is now a Resident at Pleasantview General Hospital.

Both she and Jason want to give each other gifts (it is winter now), and it seems to fit the occasion, celebrating a very successful week. 

I enjoyed playing the Larsons than the career-focused week lets on: It was fun to furnish and decorate the modest house according to their wishes, and definitely verv interesting to find out about Jason and Jennifer having 3 bolts for each other - there is potential for some dramatic developments in Pleasantview, but I am not going to force anything.