2. Hi there. Yeah. I’m talking to you, the reader.
I am totally breaking the fourth wall,
something that I’ve tried to not do since my
first chapter or so. At least not as directly. I
would finger gun you, but I’m not that
outgoing, I’m stuck in a pose, and on an
OMSP thingie. But, you can consider
yourself finger gunned if you would like. Or
even better, heart farted, because I love my
readers.
Anyway, I’m introducing this chapter, a series
of shorts if you will, called The Voices of
Pleasantview. Does it tie in with my legacy
story? Kind of. It features some of the Maxis
Pre-Mades and what their lives are like living
here. They will be in future chapters, at least
peripherally. So why not establish what they
are like now?
There is a mix up of writing styles here; first
person, letters, narrative, and even a song.
Please don’t be put off by that. I wanted this
to be kind of different and I hope…
3. Keith: Sweet! Are we actually addressing the
camera? I didn’t think we were allowed to do
that.
Me: Usually not, no, but…
Keith: Okay pervy camera person, stop
taking pictures of me in my underwear! I
know I look good in them, and darnit, I’m
comfortable. But it has got to stop. People
might get weirded out. And while I have your
attention, Angela is my wife. So you so called
‘hot legacy spares’ can keep your beady little
eyes off of her, unless you want to face the
wrath of my patented ‘Choke-Fu’. Consider
yourself warned. I’m especially looking at
you Mr. Knickers and Spats dude.
4. Me: This is coming from the guy who has
heart farted every single legacy female he’s
come in contact with. Ansley, Kitty,
Savannah, Aviendha, Mary, Aylee, and even a
few townies. And you don’t need to worry
about ‘Mr. Knickers and Spats Dude’ for a
couple of reasons, the main one being that
he heart BARFED me. Yeah. Talk about an
ego boost there, where even the asexual guy
finds me unattractive.
5. Keith: Of course he ‘heart barfed’ you. He’s
a smart dude who wants to live.
Me: As if I’d let you kill him.
Keith: Oh, I’d find a way.
6. Me: Yes. This is what I have to deal with.
Keith: HEY!
Me: Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little side
journey through Pleasantview. As I was
saying before I got interrupted, I do not plan
on changing the narrative style of my legacy
story. Just for this. I wanted each voice to be
unique. After this, I will return you to your
regularly scheduled Legacy Story where,
surprise surprise, Sebastian and Kitty get
married and pop out a couple of kids.
So, on with the show!
7. Cassandra Goth
My father is crazy. There, I said it. And I
don’t mean in the ‘Mad Scientist’ crazy sense,
though he used to be one.
No, I mean, my father has gone completely
mad.
8. Clearly, I do not mean it in a good way. He is
completely incapable of taking care of his
own basic needs.
It was a number of things, I think, that did it.
It was losing mom that first unhinged him.
It was further aggravated when that slimy pig
Don left me at the altar.
Then ‘Project Pleasantview’ made us lose our
entire fortune, forcing us to live in this one
room shack.
Of course, it might have been the botched
lobotomy as well; but I am not a doctor, so I
can’t say for sure.
9. One thing I am certain of though is that I am
forced to deal with this all alone. Baby Alex
can’t be bothered between his getting
married to Lucy Burb and his new job in
politics.
Of course, I can’t expect anything less from a
man, even if he is my brother. He claims that
everything will turn out well for us in the end,
but how do I know for certain?
How do I know that Baby Alex won’t screw
me over like Don Lothario did?
10. Then there is the Devereaux family who just
moved here like they owned the place.
I can’t stand them, and I hope they all die a
fiery death.
They are all so good.
They are all so happy.
They are all so poised.
They are all so…bloody perfect.
Tragedy never seems to touch people like
them. I should know; my life used to be like
theirs.
Well, you know, until tragedy hit and we lost
everything.
11. I try very hard to make sure that people don’t
see what my father has been reduced to.
Unfortunately that gets very tough when he
has one of his fits outside.
I’ve tried talking to him during those times.
I’ve even tried physically picking him up.
Nothing works. All I can do I watch,
helplessly.
12. The scary part of his episodes is when he
stands up, smiles, and says that he feels so
much better.
I can almost swear that he’s looking right at
me.
13. But, I get the feeling that he’s not really seeing
me when he says that.
14. Almost as bad as his fits is when he starts
digging through the garbage cans for hours at
a time.
He used to be so fastidious. Now, he’s
constantly surrounded by fumes that have the
cloying scent of garbage and decay in it.
15. I really don’t want to mention what he does
with the stuff he finds in the garbage, but it is
disconcerting to see him slap an old, rotten
boot heel between two pieces of bread and
eat it.
16. He wears himself out so often and so quick as
well. I like these times the best, though. I can
keep an eye on him.
He gets these delusions that the neighbors
are spying on him, so he runs over there to
pick a fight. I’m the one who has to fetch
him.
17. He has bad dreams all of the time. He calls
out for my mother. Of course, he doesn’t
remember that she disappeared.
I do my best to comfort him, like he used to
comfort me when I was a child. I comfort
him like I would if I had my own child. Not
that it will ever be likely that I will have one
now. I have become too jaded against men,
and I’m sorry, I don’t like women like that.
I’m going to be a spinster. I have come to
terms with that.
I get a smug sort of satisfaction that the
Caliente trollop (Nina? Dina? I can’t
remember which) stopped sniffing around
after we lost all of our money. That was the
only thing she was after.
Of course, it would have been nice if she
would have actually loved my father, just so
she could be here to help out now.
18. But, there is no help. Baby Alex says he will
when he gets settled, but I can’t wait that
long.
The repo man will be paying a visit soon
because we don’t have the money to pay the
bills. The bills are so small, too. Back in the
day, such a paltry amount would have been
pocket change to any of us.
Now it’s a looming problem.
I have to find a job, a completely new
concept to me. Either a job or some other
quick money. I’ll probably have to work for
Malcom Landgraab like most of the other
Pleasantview citizens do.
And he’s a man. He’ll probably hire me just
so he can stare at me all day long. Men only
want one thing from women, those pigs.
A job.
Who will take care of my father?
A job.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
***
19. Angela Broke
Letter #1
Dear Baby,
I’m sorry I don’t know your name yet, but I
can’t wait to meet you! I decided to write
you letters telling you all about us. When you
get older, you will be able to read them and
get to know who we are. Maybe I am starting
a tradition where you will do the same for
your own children.
That’s so silly. I’m already imagining being a
grandparent before I’m a parent!
Anyway, I am your Mommy. My name is
Angela Broke. I was Angela Pleasant, but
then I got married to your daddy.
20. Your daddy’s name is Dustin. We both grew
up together. We were high school
sweethearts.
I was a good student. Your daddy was not,
but he managed to graduate.
You had better believe that your daddy wants
you to do better than he did!
21. Like I said before, your daddy and I were high
school sweethearts. It was only natural for us
to get married afterwards.
Neither of us could afford to go to college.
College is very expensive!
We hope to be able to save up enough
money for you to go, though.
22. Shortly after your daddy and I got married,
we found out that you were along the way.
Both of us are so happy! It doesn’t matter if
you are a boy or a girl. I know that daddy
and I will love you no matter what.
Mommy is tired, hungry and sick now. I don’t
know what I should take care of first, but I
know that I need to stay healthy so you will
be born strong.
I love you Baby.
Love,
Mommy
23. Letter # 17
Dear Baby,
Did you feel that? Did you feel Daddy
rubbing you through my tummy? I hope you
did. Can you hear us when we talk to you?
Daddy says that he can feel you kicking, even
at night when I lay snuggled up next to him.
He thinks you’re going to be an athlete.
I think you’re going to be a dancer though,
with how you are constantly moving, not just
kicking.
It feels so strange, knowing that you are a
whole different person, and you are inside of
me. I hope we like each other. I hope we
have a better relationship with each other
than I did with my parents and your Aunt
Lilith.
You’re going to be coming so soon! I can’t
wait!
Love,
Mommy
24. Letter # 23
Dear Baby,
Daddy loves you so much already. He lays
awake at night, worried. He’s worried that he
won’t be able to provide the best for you.
He wants for you to have a backyard to play
in. He wants for you to have new toys and
clothes. He wants for you to have good food.
25. Your daddy is worried that no matter what he
does, the Social Worker will come and take
you away from us.
28. Daddy was very sad when that happened.
Your Grandma Brandi was, too.
Daddy and Grandma Brandi had a fight over
it, and he hasn’t talked to her since then.
Daddy is thinking about contacting her again,
though. He wants for you to know your
Grandma. Hopefully some day you’ll meet
your uncles as well.
Then we’ll all be a big happy family!
Love,
Mommy
29. Letter #33
Dear Jill!
You have a name now! You were born today,
and I was so excited to be able to hold you in
my arms and meet you for the first time!
You are so beautiful. You have my hair color
and your daddy’s pretty blue eyes. Your
daddy is already saying that he’s going to
need to get a stick to beat the boys off with
because it’s never too soon to be prepared.
He’s so silly.
I can’t imagine you being old enough to date
yet. You were just born!
I could spend all day just looking at your tiny
little hands and feet. I made you! You, this
tiny, perfect little person.
Did you just smile at me? I think you did!
Love,
Mommy
30. Letter #41
Dear Jill,
Your daddy works so very hard, saving up
enough money for you to have everything
you could possibly want. Your daddy’s boss,
Mr. Landgraab, was so nice; he gave your
daddy a raise and lets him work overtime so
we can save money for you.
I hope you know that no matter how hard
your daddy works, and how tired he might be
at the end of the day, that he still loves you.
No matter what!
Love,
Mommy AND Daddy
31. Letter #45
Dear Jill,
Your daddy and I can’t stop looking at you
with awe. We watch you for hours as you
play with the new toy Daddy bought for you.
You seem to love it!
We have to be careful so as not to spoil you!
Who are we kidding? You already have us
both wrapped around your tiny, perfect,
dimpled little pinky.
32. We love you so much. I can’t stress that
enough.
No matter what we may lack in material
things, we will both make sure that you will
never lack in love and affection.
We hope for a brighter future for you to grow
up in. We hope we can give you the moon,
should you wish it.
We hope you know that you will always have
us, our love. Your family.
Love,
Mommy
***
33. Don Lothario
“Helllloooooooo Pleasantview! That’s right;
it’s Don Lothario on 98.6 ‘The Body Heat’
giving a shout out to all the lovely ladies out
there! There have been a few special ones in
my life and I would like to dedicate this next
song to them. Ladies, each and every one of
you are so special to me. I will never forget
the time we’ve spent together!
So here you go, and thanks for tuning into
98.6 ‘The Body Heat’ with Don!”
52. And I just can’t seem
to
get
enough!
_____
Depeche Mode “I Just Can’t Get Enough”
(My apologies for the bad 80’s music)
***
53. Malcolm Landgraab IV
Malcolm checked a sigh as he looked at the
applicant sitting in front of him. He could tell
by her attitude that she was just waiting to
call him out for discrimination, or sexual
harassment, or any number of other things
that would make his life miserable.
“Without a resume or prior job experience,
why do you feel qualified for this position Ms.
Goth?”
54. Cassandra smiled smugly. “I doesn’t matter if
I’m qualified or not Mr. Landgraab. I can see
that you were undressing me with your eyes.
All I have to do is sue you for harassment and
I will get the money I need right away. I
figure that this is the much easier and kinder
way of handling the situation for the both of
us.
For some reason, Mr. Landgraab, you were
able to retain your vast fortune whereas my
family was not. My brother Alexander thinks
that there must have been some suspicious
activities on your part. With him rising up in
the political world, do you really want a high
profile investigation going on?”
55. Alexander Goth is a royal class jerk,
Cassandra. A bone fide asshat, Malcolm
thought to himself. Of course, he wasn’t
going to say that out loud. It also would be
pointless to contradict Cassandra about him
‘undressing her with his eyes,’ as she would
probably be even more offended if he
pointed out that she most definitely was not
his type.
This time, he did sigh.
“Ms. Goth, Cassandra, you don’t even know
how to type…”
56. Cassandra cut him off. “That does not matter.
I can learn Malcolm. I am willing to bet that
if one of the Devereaux family waltzed in
here, you would give them a job.”
I doubt they would need to, but yeah
probably, he thought again to himself. Once
again, he didn’t voice that opinion out loud.
They, the Devereauxes, didn’t seem to have
the same sense of entitlement that the Goth
family felt was their due.
Malcolm glanced at the clock and saw that it
was almost time to go home. He shrugged
mentally just wanting the interview, and work
week, to be over with.
57. “You are absolutely right Cassandra. You
seem to be a very capable woman who is
quick to learn. I will hire you on a ninety day
probation period and then we can reevaluate
your performance and go on from there. I
will see you Monday morning at nine?”
“Of course Malcolm,” was all she said before
she left the office, without a word of thanks.
Malcolm watched her go with a look of
resignation mixed with a bit of pity.
Don Lothario really messed her up by leaving
her at the altar. She’s become a total man
hater, he thought.
58. He sighed and rubbed his hands together
unconsciously. He really hoped he didn’t
regret hiring her.
Everyone needed a job; and they all looked to
him to be the one to provide it for them.
Most of the Pleasantview citizens were
grateful and they all worked hard, but he had
a feeling that hiring any Goth family member
would be a regrettable decision.
Looking at the clock, he saw it was time to
close shop. He smiled as he picked up the
phone and called home.
“Hey, it’s me. I’m on my way home. Do you
need me to pick up anything?” He listened to
the person on the other end and smiled even
wider. “Wow, lime speared prawns sounds
absolutely delicious! Okay, I’ll see you in a
bit...I love you, too.”
59. He didn’t know why he was allowed to keep
almost everything after ‘Project Pleasantview’
ripped through town. Certainly it wasn’t due
to any illegal activities on his part. Of course,
he lost his house, and all of his original
businesses. But, he was the owner of most of
the industrial businesses in Pleasantview and
though he had to live in an apartment
complex, it was furnished with the high class
taste that he was accustomed to.
He also was one of the few people who did
not have the inexplicable hate for the
Devereaux family. They did nothing wrong,
that he could see, other than moving to
Pleasantview. They had moved in way after
‘Project Pleasantview’ anyway. But that was
the society they lived in; a society who always
looks for someone else to blame.
He rubbed his head against the headache that
was forming; a painful reminder that he had
eaten nothing all day long. And then he
remembered that there was a delicious meal
waiting for him at home.
60. “Dinner is almost ready,” Frances said
cheerfully as Malcolm walked into their
apartment. Malcolm inhaled the delicious
aroma appreciatively and smiled at Frances.
Frances J. Worthington the Third. They had
both met at a coffee shop and things just
happened from there.
Of course, Malcolm’s parents had no idea
that he was gay. They had both died before
he came out, and seeing as he was an only
child, he inherited everything. He was willing
to bet that his father was spinning in his grave
though.
Frances, on the other hand, had been
completely disowned and cut off entirely
from his family. His name had even been
stricken from the family records.
The funny thing was a marital merger
between the Landgraab and Worthington
family would have been ideal…if one of the
two had been born a girl, of course.
61. It did bother Frances at first, being disowned.
He had contemplated just marrying the girl
his family wanted him to marry, pop out a kid,
and afterwards…run with scissors until the
inevitable happened. Then, the day those
thoughts became the darkest, he discovered
two things:
Painting and Malcolm. He hasn’t looked
back since.
Frances felt happy for the first time in his life.
62. Of course, he would be a little happier if he
knew how to paint better, but he knew that
would come with practice.
He would be ecstatic if he and Malcolm
could actually get married, but gay marriages
were illegal in Pleasantview. However, he
knew that change might, no, would come
with time. It had to.
And Frances was a patient man.
63. Frances pretty much kept house, painted, and
helped out at the community garden
whenever he could. He knew that it wasn’t
necessary, but he liked helping Malcolm.
Malcolm made Frances happy, and so to
repay him, Frances made Malcolm happy.
Did he miss the proverbial ‘silver spoon’ he
had been born with? To be honest, he didn’t
really think about it much anymore. He
wouldn’t have been happy with the family
inheritance or his life. He knew that as an
absolute fact, due to his previous suicidal
thoughts. He would not have felt
comfortable. He would not have felt at home.
Home is where the heart is, and to him,
Malcolm was home. He knew Malcolm felt
the same way.
64. Frances walked behind Malcolm and rubbed
his back. “Rough day at work?” He asked.
Malcolm sighed as Frances rubbed the kinks
out of his neck. “Yeah,” he responded, not
needing to say much else. Frances could
practically read his mind, just as he could
practically read Frances’.
65. It was a crazy world out there and, against all
odds, they found each other.
Sometimes even the smallest comfort made
all the difference.
***
66. Alexander Goth
Ah. Hello. You there. No, I am not talking to
the reader. I am talking directly to you,
peasant007; the author, creator, whatever you
wish to call yourself. If your readers wish to
snoop, then that is none of my concern. In
fact, perhaps it would be for the best, so they
will get an idea of what you exactly have
done.
Then they can judge you for themselves.
I know you think you are very clever. I am
very well aware that you think what you have
done is very humorous. I will be the first to
admit; it was.
Until it affected me and my family.
Until they moved here, the Goth family was
your pride and joy. Your pet family. We were
allowed to live in splendor, be educated, and
in the case of my father, be sane.
It was all fun and games until you threw the
Goth family in with the rest of the riff raff.
Now I am left with no choice but to expose
you for the monster that you actually are.
67. As you can see, I am standing on one of the
Budget Slum Unit rows. I hope your readers
notice the state of disrepair these so-called
homes are in. They are made of bits of rotted
wood that have holes in them. The roofs also
have holes, making it unpleasant to live in, at
the best of times.
I hope your readers will also take note that at
the end of this road is a loading dock for the
factories. Perhaps they will remember that
Pleasantview used to boast of its exquisite
shore line with idyllic rainbows gracefully
arching over the clear blue water.
68. But there are no more rainbows, are there?
The air is smoggy, and the water is far from
the crystal clear it used to be.
Of course, the nuclear power plant and
smoke stacks have provided us with this
robust, radiation infested area. I am very well
aware of the tiny part of you that giggles
every time you look at this part of town.
69. Do not get me wrong, I appreciate industry,
and I am well aware that it is needed. I could
care less if the common folk have to work
grueling hours in the factories.
As I stated before, I was fine with the situation
until you cast aside the Goth family like one
of your husband’s holey socks.
All for your new Legacy family.
The Goth family is the original legacy family!
70. Of course, I do not hate all legacy families.
Just yours.
In fact, this one I like, though he is not
participating in a legacy in your
neighborhood. I like the cut of his jib.
However, I am unappreciative of the fact that
he is living in MY house. But that is okay, he
is an excellent caretaker and he appreciates
the finery inside. Everything will be
maintained properly until I can reclaim it.
Of this, I am positive; both of him taking
good care of my home, as well as my
eventual reclaiming of it.
(Cecil and Cecilia Goodytwoshoes: Professor Butters' 'Squeaky Clean Legacy')
71. The Devereaux Legacy home. Just looking at
it makes my blood boil.
It is their fault that I am in a less than savory
situation.
I will make sure that the injustice done to me
and my family is repaid ten fold.
People think that Lillian Devereaux is a villain?
Perhaps. But she is too high profile to be
able to do what I plan on doing.
What will that be? You will find out. It will
not be today, nor will it be tomorrow.
Soon. The Devereaux family will be
extremely affected, and there will be nothing
they can do about it.
72. I am letting you know, peasant007, that the
process is in the works.
You could delete me, I suppose. But I doubt
you are going to. People always like an
antagonist, and you are no exception.
Yes, I believe you are going to have your
hands very full by the end of your next
generation of the Devereaux family. And I
can be patient.
I am quite sure of the fact that I will not age
as rapidly as your main family. Between your
time playing with them, and documenting all
their pithy happenings, I will be sitting by the
sidelines.
Watching.
Waiting.
Planning.
Eagerly.
73. With my wife Lucy by my side, I will make
sure that Pleasantview, nay, the Devereaux
family; will never know what hit them.
This, I promise you.
***
74. Thank you all for reading!
-----
Thanks to my husband, Keith, for editing the
original Pleasantview cover. As I have
pointed out before, I have no talent in that
area.