[Sara, a single mother, and Mike, her son, are homeless and living in an abandoned park in The Sims 3. You can backtrack to the first three entries (1, 2, 3) or, below, hop right into their continuing journey.]
It became
obvious that Sara should visit the Sunset Institute of Modern Art (or
SIMA, if you like the acronym tie-in with the game's title). She
traipses past the reception desk up to the second floor of the
showroom.
Perhaps confused by their non-feng shui
placement in the center of the room, Sara levels her first criticism towards
the couches.
Sara is paralyzed by the smell of her urine-stained clothing, but even then she
can't help but realize she's surrounded by the very objects that populate her
lifetime wish of becoming a Master of the Arts.
At first, Sara is at a loss for what to do. But she views the still life
oil paintings (looking past the taxicab-checkered Venus de Milo) and considers
the learning opportunities as hand. She feels inspired.
She takes in the whimsical painting of the giraffe trio. Perhaps she
feels like a kindred spirit. Living in the outdoors.
But a full night's rest is never a full night's rest when it's on a park
bench. Sara takes a noontime siesta on a cloudy couch in a quiet corner
of the Institute. It's the best nap she's ever had.
When she wakes up, there's no spite in her movements, but Sara never
acknowledges the toilet on display.
Also, Abraham Finkle, the androgynous-looking fellow she nearly played chess
with in the park, is visiting the Institute, too. While he had nothing to
say to Sar yesterday, he has even less to say to her today.
The school counselor announced a new buddy system is being encouraged.
Making friends will earn rewards. Bella Bachelor, the girl he hopped off
the bus with the other day, seems like Mike's natural choice. But Mike
instead has a boy named Malcolm Landgraab (heir apparent to the Landgraab
fortune and industries) who follows him home to the abandoned park. Mike
and Malcolm had met on the first day of school, but they hadn't spoken
since. Mike would rather be hanging out with his mother. Instead,
he sleeps. Malcolm wanders the abandoned park.
One particular cubist painting is the piece de resistance for
Sara. She admires it longer (and more times) than anything else on the
floor. But it's the dining chair on display that eventually moves her to
tears. She admires its craftsmanship and its artistry, to be sure.
But the chair's ability to become "functional art" is what gets
her. She thinks about the plates of food this chair could see when placed
at a dining table, and their her own stomach howls at her.
Sara returns to the abandoned park and meets Malcolm. The introduction is
friendly. Malcolm thinks a little bit of food would be nice to have right
about now. Malcolm has no idea.
Malcolm is not quite sure what to make of the homeless situtation.
Forthright, he discusses it immediately and at length with Sara.
Sara changes the subject as soon as she can, discussing topics she never
usually addresses: football, running, boxing. But Malcolm brings
the discussion back to living the good life: rich foods, libraries full
of books, and leisure time enough for fishing. He's never so shallow as
to discuss money for money's sake, however.
Malcolm, though late for dinner, starts up a chat with Mike who had been doing
his homework near the park sign's lights. They too discuss new topics
that Mike never regularly chats about: upward mobility, public speech, and looking at the bigger picture.
But it's after 10 p.m. and Mike
mentioned the topic of food. That reminds Malcolm: He'll be going
home now for a meal. Later, waking up in the middle of the night, Sara
seems mortified by having peed herself first thing that morning. And
there, in the lamplight of the park, she does it again. This time, she
doesn't even move from the puddle.
Okay, Sara wins this battle. I (once again) build a tiny public restroom
in the back corner of the abandoned park. But no sinks! I'm not
giving Sara and Mike the opportunity to turn into tooth-brushing zombies again.
[Previous: A
Day in the Park]