Series 2.1; Episode 2: Bad Luck Burbs

Series 2; Episode 2: 

BAD LUCK BURBS

John Burb was excited, not particularly mournful, about the passing of the town's defacto mayor, Mortimer Goth. After all, this was the time that his political group, the Simulation party could gain momentum. 

The party was originally formed to bring into question Mortimer's ability to govern effectively, and now that he had died, the people of Pleasantview could speak freely as never before, reconsidering just how wonderful and noble Mortimer truly was. The Goth reputation had been tarnished and dirtied, and their history came into reconsideration. This was somewhat tragic, but fortunate for John. The way he saw it, the golden age of the Goth family was over, since Mortimer died without having a true heir. Sure, he had had four children, but they were all disillusioned and estranged. Indeed, the golden age of the Goths was over.

John's family, however, was as solid as a rock. Jennifer was the picture perfect wife, caring about little but fashion and fine cooking; and Lucy was simply the most likable lassie you ever did meet. Brad and Tiffany, John's parents, would be happy had they seen the idyllic vision that Burb tradition sought.

However, things were not quite as idyllic as John had wished. He had, after all, made the unfortunate decision of moving from SimCity to Pleasantview while unemployed. He barely scraped out a living doing campaign work at §37 an hour. 

However, he persisted, and was successful in applying for that internship. This paid §70 per hour, however, the work days were shorter, and he was required to travel to SimCity simply to do errand work for the controller. However, the §840 bonus made Burb comfortable enough to start considering what he could do for his little girl's future. He organized an application for Smuggsworth Prep, inviting over Headmaster Vince Walter for dinner. However, Vince declined the first time, simply because the family didn't have enough money. Heartbroken, Burb chose not to pursue the subject of preparatory education for a while - not until he knew he could afford it.

Much time passed, but John was still stuck with the tedious errand work at SimCity. Why, oh why, he asked, hadn't he just stayed in SimCity? Why did he think it a smart idea to move back to Pleasantview? Sure, it was a beautiful, idyllic community, but hadn't he stopped to consider the costs? It seems that he had not.

Since her father had to spend so much time out of the house, Lucy grew into a terrific young lady, also growing tired of only having Mother for company. She became more and more social with other youths in Pleasantview, such as the Broke boys on Woodland drive, which made John angry. 'Stay away from those kids, they're no good!,' he said. But Lucy didn't stay away.

John soon found out that she was dating one of the younger of the Broke brothers, Beau. Very doubtful of the young man, especially it being that his brother, Dustin, was a petty criminal scumbag loser, John demanded that he meet Beau. His doubts remained, but he didn't stop Lucy from seeing him. Especially, given that he wanted to focus more and more on his internship.

Finally, he got his big break, when a group of lobbyists agreed to bring John on board permanently. They would support the Simulation party, under the conditions that Burb partake in their activities and ventures to the best of his ability. The thousand simoleons up front was an offer Burb couldn't refuse. To this extend, Burb thought he was selling himself out, but he had no choice. He wanted, more than anything, to get Lucy into Smuggsworth, so she wouldn't have to be a later starter like him. Any way he could, John was determined to give his daughter the best.

Big John returned to Pleasantview, and with the support of the lobbyists, declared himself campaign manager of the Simulation party. However, he didn't head straight to work. Rather, he had an old score to settle. With the help of the §5,000 he had amassed, he organized a luscious get-together with Vince Walter. John, now armed with influential charisma, was able to persuade the headmaster that his daughter should attend Smuggsworth.

More good news when Jennifer announced she was pregnant. Soon enough, a young boy joined the family. John decided to name him William, after his grandfather, William Marsh, who had moved out of the city to Old Town, where his daughter, Tiffany, met Brad Burb. Tiffany convinced Brad to live in the city with her, so she could continue her department store job, but Brad grew tired of it, moving back to old town. John named his boy William to symbolize the hectic life he had endured, living in Pleasantview but working in the city. His full name was William Burb II, and would be John's heir. Unlike what happened with Mortimer, John told himself, he would not let his heir escape him. 'You'll make me proud one day,' John said.

To accommodate the growing family, the Burbs moved to a bigger, two story house. However, this had once again drained a lot of money, and the lights didn't work. Family life around this time was hectic. As Lucy's studies multiplied, she also needed a part time job at a gas-station to support the family. Jennifer, on the other hand, was too busy tending to a very needy William.

This culminated when John Burb was elected representative of Pleasantview. He now had his own office at SimCity Council, and was once again spending much of his time out in town. He became preoccupied mostly, with bills and laws which would bring a greater free-market to Pleasantview. However, he was standing alone against the masses. Pleasantview's business was state owned, but John was determined that change. He continued to partner with Mary-Sue Pleasant, and the Simulation party became the new face of Pleasantview. The stress this added to the rest of the family cannot be underestimated. Whenever he did return home, it would mostly be to help Lucy with her studies. She also had a part time out-of-town job as a gold caddy.

Above everything else, Lucy was continuing her relationship with Beau Broke. However, John was becoming increasingly suspicious of Beau, hearing stories of wild parties and possible flings with other girls. If word of this became true, John would organize his banishment from town.

However, above all the stories, Lucy remained faithful. She announced one day that Beau was leaving for college, and she would be going with him. They moved into a dormitory together, where they began their new life.

However, the idealistic young couple were soon to be shaken. Straight after her arrival in college, Lucy's lovely mother, Jennifer, died from a heart attack, and everything changed for the Burb family. William was without a Mother, and John would have to loosen up on his work to take care of the boy. Worst of all, Lucy's introduction to University would always have an unhappy memory about it. Would her love for Beau be enough to leave this unfortunate happening behind?

But this isn't about Beau and Lucy, nor about John. For now we shall make the case in point the young boy, William, who lost something so precious at such an early age, much like Beau. 

John looked at the young boy as he cried at her mother's grave. I am all he has, now, he thought. And he is all I have. You better not let me down, William. If you let me down, you'll be letting your mother down.

What will become of this shattered family? Will John and young William persevere together? How about Beau and Lucy? What if nobodies perseveres and everybody screws up? They might! - find out in future installments of the History of Pleasantview!

Series 2.1; Episode 1: Orphans of the Storm

Series 2; Episode 1: 

Orphans of the Storm

Chapter One:

A Losing Battle

Last year, we left the Broke brothers in a helpless position indeed. The elder of the two, Dustin, had resorted to crime to keep his little brother fed. Yes, life was harsh. The two broke Brokes of 55 Woodland drive were all alone in the world, with nobody to care for them but each other.

It wasn't until the death of his mother, that Dustin came to appreciate the difficulty of running and maintaining a home. Nearly everything seemed to catch on fire; cleaning things only made them dirtier, and his friends treated their home like a public service.

The idea of cooking dinner didn't work out, so he decided that nothing could go wrong with potato chips for dinner. After all, he couldn't take another risk at using the stove. If the house burned down, he and Beau would have nowhere to go. Obviously, they weren't insured, as the only insurance in Pleasantview was life insurance. 

For a brief period, Dustin hired the services of the local nanny, Calista Despret. However, the little money they had left soon dried up. He only made §120 per week for his work running numbers down at the SimCity racetrack, and that simply wasn't enough. He would have to take care of his little brother on his own.

Dustin tried to keep on top of his homework, but he was fighting a losing battle. On top of everything else, he couldn't manage it, and he had to make excuses for his low attendance and homework return record at the public school. But he wasn't bothered. There were more important matters than schooling. He needed to focus on the needs of he and Beau at the moment, not that of the future. He knew full well that if he did make it anywhere in life, it would not be through education - that opportunity was long gone for him. The only smarts that Dustin possessed was street smarts, which he could only make use of with his criminal pals, Gordon King and Russ Bear. People made it in life via two ways - through a privileged and fortunate upbringing, or through wits, cunning and determination. Dustin was the latter. Would this be enough for the two of them?

However, it was not too
late academically for Beau, and he invested all his hopes, dreams and aspirations in his little brother. He was relentlessly encouraged to focus hard in education, so he can go to University and not be a complete screw-up like every other member of the Broke family. Things were rocky, and one more unfortunate incident may very well topple them over. Unfortunately, their fate was set to be filled with a few tumbles and unfortunate occurrences too many....

Chapter Two
A Difficult Ride Ahead

One cold, chilly night, when Woodland drive was deadly quiet, Beau was awoken by the ghost of his mother. She seemed to be trying to tell him something, but he couldn't figure out what it was. She took him to the window, and that's when he saw it! He saw what she was trying to warn him about: it was a slinking, black and white figure sneaking through the woods towards their house - a burglar! It was coming close to the family home. Luckily, the burglar alarm went off, alerting the trusty Sim State Police to his presence. Within seconds, a police officer arrived, engaging in a violent confrontation with the robber. It was fortunate indeed that Mum had installed a burglar alarm all those years ago, conscious of the seedy dangers of Woodland drive. It was one of the few items Dustin chose not to pawn off, seeing how necessary it would be.

'I kept the burglar alarm, cos I knew something like this might happen,' Dustin said to little Beau, as they walked out to the front yard, watching the burglar punching the policewoman in the face. In the end, the officer managed to overpower the robber, and, as is custom in such apprehensions, she asked if either victims could identify the assailant. She held the robber's face up to the light, and Dustin recoiled in horror - it was Gordon King!

Dustin had indeed been expecting a robber to come one of these days, but he had not expected it to be him. Gordon, who had been his boss, mentor; partner-in crime, and above all, his best friend, made Dustin feel hugely betrayed by his actions. 

'You backstabbing, triple crossing, two timing cockroach!' spat Dustin, 'how could you do this to your friend?'

'Alright, I did it, ya hear?' spat Gordon, as the policewoman wrapped handcuffs around his wrists, 'but I ain't sorry. I AIN'T SORRY! A fella's gotta make a livin' any way he got! I'll be back out on the streets in no time at all! HAHAHAHA!!!'

'I'll be ready for you when you do,' replied Dustin. 'I thought you were my friend, my only friend! Guess I can't be sure of anything in this life. Take 'em away, girls!'

And ghastly Gordon was stuffed into the police car, which disappeared into the night.

As Dustin waved goodbye, he came to a horrible realization. Now that Gordon was going to Juvenile prison, that meant Dustin had nobody to report to down at the SimCity racetrack. It couldn't have come at a worse possible time, but it did. Dustin was out of work, and he and Beau were very hungry. 

'It's gonna be a difficult ride ahead, Beau,' he said, turning to his brother, kneeling down and clutching him melodramatically, 'a difficult ride indeed.'

*

As most people do when they suddenly find themselves unemployed, deadbeat Dustin fell into a completely lifeless slump, partying away the pain of poverty and drinking down the distresses of destitution, desolation and despondency. He gained a bit of help from his friends, under the condition that they have the right to use his house as a twenty four hour party shack. Dustin agreed, and submerged himself in the revelry of Pleasantview's teenage community. It was around this time he began indulging in his long forgotten vice - two-timing.

He began dating a new girl without Lilith knowing - her name was Tosha Go, and Dustin had the strangest feeling that Mum wouldn't have liked her. He knew this to be so, primarily because her ghost kept appearing whenever Tosha was around. This made Tosha feel uncomfortable, and she rejected Dustin's sexual advances as a result. She simply didn't like the idea of Dustin's mother watching.

Chapter Three

Broke's Bonanza

As Beau grew up, the relationship between the two brothers grew past that of siblings and parents combined. They had survived through thick and thin, fighting the repo-man and social services side by side. To help take his mind off his hunger and despair, Dustin bought Beau an electric guitar, remembering his fondness of the xylophone as a toddler. Beau would spend his days honing his skills, practicing for the day he could become a world-famous rockstar, leave Old Town and tour SimNation. It was these kinds of aspirations that kept Beau going.

One day, the Brokes were visited with a taxi outside their home, and from it emerged a familiar face - Gordon King! He had returned from prison and decided to make a surprise appearance at the Broke home. However, he was a completely different person to what Dustin had once known - no longer a sly, cheeky young boy, he was now a serious and sophisticated man, who had acquired a University degree in Chemistry after gaining parole. Planning now to become a scientist to the likes of the next Mortimer Goth, he had big dreams, but he needed a place to stay until he could find his feet. He begged and begged Dustin to forgive him, but he was still full of anger over what he had done. Yet, at the same time, Dustin was in desperate need of money, and Gordon was his only real connection towards any kind of work. In the end, Dustin decided to make a compromise:

 'Sure, you can stay here as long as you like, but you have to get me some work, otherwise, I can't afford to have you here!'

And so, he pulled some strings, and once again Dustin had a job organizing pickups and deliveries for Gordon's old gang, earning §560 per week. To celebrate, he began throwing rad parties, bringing every dope dude and choice chick in Pleasantview around. The Broke household was now the No. 1 hang out spot for every sick, wild, uncontrollable freak-ass teen. Dustin even wrote a rap song about it:

'There's an insanely high degree of people here, many of whom weren't present the previous year. In comparing the satistical information of those who were here the previous year, contrasting with those who were here this year, it indicates a strong positive trend of people coming here. Also, in noticing the correlation of the quantity of people here with the amount of friends I have, it begs the question: who the fuck are ya'll? What am I doin'? Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot - I'm doin' me! Yo!'

His rap career failed to make it, but that didn't stop Dustin from having a good time. The Broke hangout became a group called the K.K.K (Kool Katz Klub), with Dustin as their helmsman. Dustin, who had always dreamed of ruling a crime syndicate, was excited. The only terms of membership were that you had to be very cool. He had every rebellious, father-hating teenage girl invited over, enjoying the atmosphere of a dozen females around him, with none receiving more attention than the other.

However, two of those girls slowly fell out of interest in Dustin's gang lifestyle. Best friends Lucy Burb and Marsha Bruenig didn't like being treated as objects, and they spent a lot of their time in the sidelines. It was there they noticed Beau, who was also feeling a bit left out. 

And so, the three became friends, but for Marsha and Beau, it secretly became more than that. She came by the household parties just to visit him, and they talked and talked until they got tired of the noise and went outside... 

However, Beau still wasn't happy with the situation. He was sick of the sight of his home, where he could never get any peace and quiet. He hated the constant pressure to socialize and revel all the time, but most of all, he deserved better. He was an A+ student, he had a girlfriend and had been accepted into a music studio. He didn't want to spend his life rolling around in his own filth. If he didn't dig his way out of the dirt now, he never would.

He sent in a scholarship application to Sim State University, who was granted an Orphan's Assistance Fund. Along with a scholar's grant, Beau now had §10,000. To celebrate the good start, the Broke household, once again did what they always did, and threw a massive party. At said party, every girl was keen to get a piece of rich boy Beau, so he got down with both Meadow Thayer and Lucy Burb.

But then came the horrifying news: Marsha Bruenig would be coming over! Beau pulled a freak for she could not know what he had been up to! Whiping Meadow's lipstick off his face, he met with Marsha in advance before she managed to make it to the house, and they went for a joyride with criminal Russ Bear. However, the Pleasantview Police tracked them down, and bought them in together, back to the Broke house. Beau's cover was blown, and he was forced to reveal the truth of his triple-timing.

After the revelation, Beau fell into a state of depression. Not only did none of the girls want to speak with him, but he had an inescapable feeling that he was winding down the same track as Dustin. He loved his brother, but what motivation was he giving nowadays? He had once stood behind him in hopes he would make something, but now, he simply didn't care, and it was tragic for him to see. He wanted to be somewhere else, and he wanted to pursue something else. He wanted to make it in life. Deciding there was nothing left for him, he took his ten thousand simoleons and took the taxi to University. He didn't know what he would find there, but it had to be better than what was happening here.

Beau leaves behind a fragmented family household, but what will become of it? While he seeks a better life, will the Broke's household sort itself out? Will the girls he once loved ever make amends? Find out in future episodes of the History Pleasantview!