Series 1; Episode 4: The Simerican Dream

Introduction:

The Pleasant Family

Let's go back in time - back to the time when Mortimer Goth was being whipped with cattle prods for the sake of science. At this same time, a pleasant new family had moved into Pleasantview to get away from it all - to seek a new life of opportunity to pursue their dreams.  Like the Goths, their dreams were big and their pocketbooks were thick. However, some dreams are not to turn out as planned....

This is the beginning of the story of...

                                

1:

Jeff Joins The Army

Jeff Pleasant was a kind and pleasant man, but he was also troubled by a lot of great sadness. 
Jeff was sad that he was already in his middle ages; balding; wearing a tie he didn't like, and he still hadn't accomplished much in his life.

He loved his wife and kids, but his real dream was to become an astronaut and be the first ever man to walk on mars.



He needed a change in his life, so he decided to take his family to start off new in Pleasantview, where he could clear his head and figure out how he would turn his dream into a reality.

It is said that in Pleasantview, anyone can accomplish their dreams.

Determined to accomplish his goal, he joined the army and told them that he wanted to become an astronaut, but they said he didn't have the qualifications to carry out a space mission, so - instead of sending him into a rocket, they shaved off all his remaining hair and chucked him a broom, telling him he could sweep the mess halls for now. He was now a recruit of the Sim State Military, and he knew it would be a long time before the surface of Mars would be beneath his feet.

2:

Goals

Jeff had two wonderful children, but he was most proud of his daughter Jennifer.

Jennifer was a strong, beefy little girl who dreamt of becoming a soccer superstar, and Jeff gave her all the encouragement to follow that path in life:

'Pursue your dreams, Jennifer' he would say to her, 'and don't let anybody stop you. Pursue your dreams, before it's too late. Don't end up like your Dad, sweeping floors by the time your hair is grey!'

Jeff's son Daniel was also a lover of soccer, but unlike his little sister, he hadn't yet made up his mind about his life goals, no matter how hard his father pressed about it. Daniel didn't care about his future. Instead of having a job, he just wanted to play in the sunshine all day with his best friend, little Mary-Sue from across the street.

3: 
Jennifer and Daniel score!

By the time he was in his terrible teens, Daniel had a crush on Mary-Sue Oldie from across the street.

On one occasion, Jeff came home from elite commando training to find his son wailing with tears. When asked why, he said that he had tried to kiss Mary-Sue but she wouldn't let him.

Although it made Jeff sad to hear that he got rejected, he wasn't really surprised. Mary-Sue was adopted, and her foster parents had raised her to strive for success. She was a perfectionist who thought about her future all the time instead of flirting with random boys like Daniel.

Jeff told Daniel that if he wanted Mary-Sue, he should be more like Mary-Sue. He couldn't spend his whole life chasing girls who didn't want him. He should focus on his career and ambitions. If he was a success, than Mary-Sue would like him.

But Jeff didn't think little Mary-Sue would ever like him. To be perfectly honest, Jeff couldn't imagine any girl liking stinky little baby-faced Daniel with his dirty clothing and scruffy hair...

But Daniel only became motivated by his father's speech. He began to practice soccer extra hard. In fact, he was soon practicing even more than Jennifer, who wasn't playing as often now that she had a crush of her own - little Johnny Burb from out of town.

Johnny Burb reminded Jeff of his own son - they were both dirty little children who loved playing in the mud. Johnny lived in Old Town, which was eastwards, but he still managed to find his way over Pleasantview's steep valleys to meet Jennifer.

Jeff became a bit worried when his daughter began dating, worried she was only doing it so she could beat her brother at everything, instead of working to become the best soccer player in the world. But Jeff could do little about it. At the end of the day he looked just like another grouchy parent who wanted to stop his daughter from being happy...

Eventually Daniel's hard work paid off and he got a job, becoming a mascot for the Sim State Llamas, the local soccer team. Jeff was disappointed to see his son, now a young man, dressing up in a Llama outfit for work, but it was better than nothing.


But soon enough Daniel began training for the Llamas as an actual player, proving that he might have what it takes after all. Jeff was happy, but he had hoped it would be Jennifer doing something like this, since it was she who loved soccer the most, but Jennifer was too distracted by Johnny, and she was showing less and less interest in soccer every day.



Mary-Sue and Daniel eventually got engaged, and married soon after that. They went on their honeymoon to Sunlit Tides, a beachside resort on a tropical island. They had 25,000 Simeoleons in the bank; they were young; and the world was their oyster.

Much happened to them on Sunlit Tides, but that is a whole other story....

Epilogue

• Jeff Pleasant worked for the army until his death. He never accomplished his dream of visiting Mars.

• Jennifer Pleasant eventually became Mrs. Jennifer Burb, marrying Johnny and moving out to the city together. Because of the rage of city life, she gave up on soccer and took up an interest in fashion.

• After leaving Sunlit Tides, Daniel and Mary Sue moved back into Pleasantview and bought a large house on 215 Sim Lane. Mary-Sue soon announced that she was pregnant.

Whilst Daniel still played as a starter for the Llamas, Mary-Sue began running local political campaigns across Pleasantview to make extra money. They had their own jobs, so they spent little time together, but they agreed that their honeymoon on Sunlit Tides was the happiest time of their whole marriage.

But Daniel wasn't entirely happy at 215 Sim Lane, and he wasn't sure why. The memory of his father's unaccomplished dream haunted him, like one of the ghosts of Goth manor.

And so we have explored the origins of two of the crucial families - The Pleasants and the Burbs, who will go on to craft themselves into the history of Pleasantview, each in their own individual ways:

Two families that branched out from one - one family that had dreams, sought them, or gave up on them all together. We have heard the story of Jeff, who never accomplished his lifetime wish, we heard of Jennifer, who left behind her own goal to go live with the man of her life.

And then there is Daniel, now with a family of his own, constantly reminded of the words his father told him as a child - that he should accomplish his dreams, and pursue happiness. Had he accomplished his dreams? Had he found happiness on 215 Sim Lane? If so, then why did his father's words haunt him so?

What will happen at 215 Sim Lane in the pursuit for the Simerican Dream?