Uranus-Hertz Manufacturing

Dot strange was eating her plate of, uh, foodstuff when she started thinking about that shelf that was in her apartment when she moved in. She had a proper bookshelf for her books and it looked so lonely and bare. She decided to go out and buy a candle for it. Something about the old dry wood said put fire on me to her.

So, like any normal person she went to a small candle shop run by Gypsies out of an old hotel in the spooky old forest just outside of town. You know the one. Where those kids broke down and found out Mr. McMiller was scaring away all the guests because there was copper in the soil? Right. That one. Anyway it's this little shop and arcade now. They sell all sorts of little things, but Dot came out for a candle so that's what she bought.

On her way out she happened to run into Berkley. It would be a coincidence if his computer didn't explicitly tell him where she was. He pitched his wife's idea to her...

"Hmm you son, Jommy? With M's?" she asked, just to make sure.

"Yes, that's him."

Oh yes, I teach him at the school... well, since last week when he had had issue with his other teacher."

"I know, I'm so proud of him!"

"Right. Well, I suppose I could leave the school to be his full time nanny..."

"You could be offered room and board in addition to your pay."

"Well my apartment now leaves some things to be desired... the river does stink in the summer..."

"Yes! It's wonderful! We're just on the other side of the river!"

"Oh, right, on the same street as the castle?"

"We live in the castle!"

Dot blinked for bit.

"What's that face?"

"Yes, I'll do it."

At the boarding house, only a few blocks from the train station, a lot of sims find themselves there, down on their luck. It's run by Contessa and Lou Donna. Contessa has a rough time and now, even at her old age, wants to help others. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of people willing to help renovate the old house... but it's a roof over their heads. Upstairs are four small apartments, one is occupied by Contessa and Lou. One has a father and daughter trying to make ends meet and the other is Sussana, a young girl who found herself a victim in someone else's scam.

Jersey and his daughter Camden... Jersey was a vagabond who settled down with a woman and had a child. While he was willing to overlook his love's past, the state of New York was not. He and Camden stowed away on a train and found themselves here. Contessa was willing to take them in, she saw they were good people in a bad place. Unfortunately, Jersey's only skills are lying and stealing which sometimes the law has some trouble with... but Contessa and Lou always check in on Camden.

Sussana is a much more tragic case. A young girl, just out of high school, full of hopes and dreams set her portfolio out to anywhere that was looking. She dreamed of being a fashion designer. One day she got a call from a smaller firm in Studio town. They arranged an interview with her at Hardly Rockin' Cafe. They never showed. A sympathetic waitress there, who had been scammed by the same people a little over a year ago, filled her in. Sussana had put all her eggs in one basket and couldn't afford to go home. She had spent her money pre-booking a ticket and, well, she didn't know what she would now. The waitress paid the bill out of pocket-- it was only iced tea anyway-- and put in her touch with Contessa. The next morning she saw and AD for a seamstress' assistant.. it wasn't ideal but she knew she could do it. With her meager pay she can't really afford much, but she hasn't given up on her dream yet, either.

Who is dot strange?

Meanwhile, at the Bensonmum's House Berkley and Caroline are discussing their son, Jommy. Yes, with M's, J-O-M-M-Y.

"I'm worried about our son, dear." Caroline said, ignoring the plate of eggs that really wanted washing right next to her own. Her husband didn't see any need for alarm.

"What do you mean? Just last week he was tormenting his teacher!" Berkley puffed out his chest with pride.

"That is precisely what I mean. I'm worried he's not socialized well. I think we need more help around here with him.

"But we already have Donna! And she's the best lab assistant we've ever had!"

"Yes, she is better than Joanna the Banana... half woman, half fruit... But I mean like a dedicated Nanny. She could also help Donna tidy up and such.

"Okay, yes I see your point there. Those eggs have been needing a nice hot shower for hours now. But still, a nanny? What if she leaks my top secret impairments?"

"Well, it's not as if I'm going to hire anyone off the street. Let me do some research and see what I can find.

And so, Caroline uses her husband super computer to spy on everyone to see if there's anyone good around. After rejected many sims she zeros in on someone we've already met...

Claudia lives in a decent sized home, with room for expansion on the lot. She and her husband never had any children, or slept in the same bed for that matter. Just her, her husband and her dog, Stienbauer. She's a homemaker and it's days like today when she just does not have enough to do.

Now, her husband loves to play chess, but she's a bit more fun and likes to dance. Only classical music is allowed, but when he's at work she puts on the rock music. Not just rock music, no. "The rock music" he calls it. He thinks it rots the mind, but even so it's good for the body. But even the best solo dance can't keep her entertained forever, so she heads downtown.

She remembered how much fun she had at the beach the other day... so she decided to check out the other side today. Affectionately called "A Mother%@!&*n' Cesspool" by everyone who does not have a P.R. agent, the "probably" clean beach has a swim shop, and not a whole lot else.

Claudia picked out a swimsuit she was pretty sure her husband would approve of, and then she was feeling a little hungry. She went to the local McDonald's stand, where the Fillet O' Fish was caught fresh, already "battered" and "cooked" that morning. She went for some French fries over the questionable "meat" options. After that, let's call it an experience, she ran into Dot Strange.

Claudia introduced herself, and said she was a homemaker and asked Dot what she did for a living. Well, dot beat around the bush a little and talked about herself. She was employed as a substitute teacher... but she said it like that wasn't what she'd call her career. Desperately trying to change the subject, Claudia pulled out some gossip about the local ladies man, Don Single.

This is the closest we get to a protagonist, folks. Pamela Glaserson. Pamela works for the Uranus-Hertz corporation, in a room just next to Mel's office. Naturally, they've only bumped heads a few times... but maybe that's enough.

Pamela took the day off for work, because the numbers will be there tomorrow to put into an Excel spreadsheet, unless heaven forbid someone else do it. She went downtown to the beach, the part that's comparatively less toxic. She went into the seaside arcade and boy were people there! It's like 1 in the afternoon do none of you have jobs?

She met Flynn Hardy, part-time music teacher and local wannabe. Her first question... Were you in the tabloid? Smooth. For someone who thinks she's too good to read tabloids, I think it didn't quite come off as sarcastic enough as Flynn was a bit sly with his "maybe". Or Pamela has not yet grasped no press is bad press when the worst thing is people forgetting your name.

She had an ice cream, or as she would pretentiously correct everyone and iced cream, a term that hasn't been popular since she was born. She ran into... Her boss Mel!

Well, well... the Boytoy is allowed out on his own! Luckily, she didn't say that aloud. She shook his hand and talked to him about nothing important. He didn't bring up the fact either of them was supposed to be at work. He ran off for a burger, and Pamela decided to let him go before he realized they were both playing hooky that day.

The last person worth mentioning is Claudia Rueteme-Eurrer, the Major General's wife. They got along well enough, and she found out this woman is a "homemaker"! Pamela almost popped her briefcase! That's not a career! But, she seemed nice enough, and let's be honest no one really wants to work if they can avoid it.

This is the story of a town built on promise and exploited by greed.

In the 1920's Richard Norman Uranus founded a company along a river just outside of a bustling city. During the 20's and 30's the company managed to build itself up, staving off the depression though some probably Illegal means. The oldest son, Peter had been groomed as the heir, but could not deal with the company's questionable past. His younger brother, Donald took the reigns once his father finally stepped down.

Donald saw the company though the 40's and 50's up until his death in 1977. He died in a parade accident at only 43 years old. His only child was a girl of almost exactly 20-- Doris Uranus. She had always had an interest in the company, and as her father got on in years it looked unlikely he would produce a boy. She took over for him, afterall "it is the seventies!".

Doris was now privileged to the full history of her family and the company. She knew exactly what happened when and publicly claims all the documents were lost "at some point". Her father had started a military deal she eventually closed-- A military base, Fort Inheit-451 would be built nearby and the company would send it's best engineers to work on a project so secret none of them could know what exactly it was. The "Brooklyn Project" failed, and was eventually shut down 1984, for fear that it could turn the cold war hot, and it was basically a money pit as it was difficult to coordinate people who aren't allowed to know what they're doing. Doris, of course, has all the original documents signed by Major General Runtime-Erreur himself.

Sometime in the late 90's the aging Doris Uranus met the young and handsome Melvin "Mel" Hertz. They were married instantly, she wanted a boytoy and he wanted a financial future. As part of the deal it was negotiated that the company would be renamed and he would get some of the land the company still owned, as well as some other "fringe" details.

One such property was an old warehouse where the river met the ocean. It had to be closed down thanks to the movie Ferngully, and it sat abandoned along with the toxic beach for years. Mel converted it to a club, 77Hz. It's the hottest spot for the nightlife, and features a house band Rawk3x ("Rock Three Times"), as well as being a hotspot for local celebrities such as aspiring musician Flynn Hardy.

Flynn teaches music part time at the shcool under a schoolteacher who's old enough to have studied under Jesus, she's taught in this town since it had a school. Mirian Webber knows and has a strong opinion about everyone. Similarly, Graham Meistro has met most people who come and go in this town. He rents out apartments next to the train station, usually only for a few months at a time, aside from two eccentric older ladies.