He received the message that his father had died. A lioness had entered the hospital-hut bringing death and destruction. He had become a sad looking young man.
Chester seemed to have to continue all by himself, without family at all. Of course he inherited his father belongings and money but he rather preferred poverty together with his dad alive. Even the lady who had taken care of him had gone away because she said that he practically was a man and didn’t need her anymore.
When he found himself all alone, he was aware that he never learned essential things like cooking or cleaning up. That’s why he decided to hire somebody to do his household.
There she came, a young lady but a few years older than he was. Very soon she understood that this wealthy boy was very unhappy. After a few days she told him that her name was Cynthia and she flirted gently with him.
That gave Chester a very warm feeling and he fell for her charms. He hadn’t been so happy since a long time. He told her his life and she told him hers. She told him that she was an orphan just like him. She wanted to study “public relations” but didn’t have the money for it. Her salary was spent on the rent of her apartment.
Then Chester invited her to move in with him. She would not get a salary but he would pay her studies and give her a credit card for her needs.
He, himself longed to be a surgeon like his father had been but for the moment he was working for a pharmaceutical enterprise, selling new product to pharmacies all over the country. Sometimes he spent weeks on the road.
During one of his long absences, he thought that it would be nice to make their relationship more formal. He stopped at a jewelry shop and drew his credit card out.
The man in the shop tried once and again but he had to give the credit card back and said: “I’m sorry, it is not accepted. Of course you could pay the ring on credit”. Chester wondered what was wrong. He said: “No thank you. I’ll come back for it another moment”.
When he came home, the key didn’t fit. He called, waiting for Cynthia to open the door.
He was very surprised when someone else opened the door. They said they were the new owners since a few days. As a matter of fact they thought he was a neighbor passing by to welcome them…
He learnt that Cynthia sold the house. He couldn’t believe it…. The lady said, “well we did not suspect that the house didn’t belong to her. I’m very sorry….”
He stood a moment at his mother’s grave. First of all he wanted to take it with him but… where was he going to?
He went to a cash dispenser and found out, that there was no money left on his account…..
The young man was completely ruined and entered in a depression. During a couple of days he wasn’t able to work and that’s how he lost his job. He slept in his car and woke up with an aching body. Those days he washed himself in the river.
It was during that moment that he saw, between the bushes, a bench with a barbecue and a public toilet.
He thought he could sleep on the bench. That would be more comfortable than the car, so he just moved in this “home without roof”. There he slept and studied. He had sold his car; didn’t get very much for it but it helped him getting along and buying a bike.
He used to go fishing in the river to have something that he could prepare on the barbecue.
He was not always successful at fishing so there were moments that he looked in the trashcans near restaurants to look for leftovers. It was then, that he found that old, dirty guitar. He cleaned it and repaired it the best he was able to. That’s how he started to learn playing the guitar. It was quite difficult without having had any lessons.
It was music that drew him out of the depression. He got more skilled and never left his guitar behind.
Once he was walking near the bookshop when a young boy asked. “Please Sir, could you play something for me?” In order to please him, he took his guitar out.
He just couldn’t believe his eyes when people started to put money in front of him. In only a few hours, he had received about 200 simoleans!
When he was aware that he could earn some money playing the guitar, he decided to try that every day and… money started coming in.
He invested the money in making a small wooden cabin of only one room; living, bedroom and kitchen all in one. He made a small bathroom as well.
He found a part-time job at the bookshop, so he worked there in the morning. In the afternoon he continued playing the guitar. He dedicated the evening hours to studying at home. He had recovered the illusion of being a surgeon and in the bookshop he had found the correct study books. That’s how he lived during 5 years.
Then he read in the newspaper that there was a big lack of blood donors so he decided to be a donor. There he was told that the Hospital of Sunset Valley was looking for a medical assistant.
He thought: “Let’s give it a try” and he sent his C.V. To his surprise they accepted him and wrote him to present at Hospital within the next 10 days.
Chester had to turn once more to look at “his” wooden cabin before taking the taxi that would take him to the bus station.
When Chester arrived at Sunset Valley, it was late but he saw that it was a coastal town, not like the one he left. A nice beach, hills but no river. There was plenty of land to build a good house but he surely hoped that the place wouldn’t get overcrowded.
He went right away to Hospital and presented his credentials. He was thankful that they gave him a room to live in the hospital.
Soon he found out that he was not very fond of their food and he used to have dinner at a fast-food restaurant nearby.
During his time off he discovered the town on bike and he used to walk a lot as well.
He was fond of an old cemetery that apparently was not in use anymore. There was something very peaceful in the ambience. He felt so relaxed that he took his guitar out and started playing it.
All of a sudden he remembered that it was not correct because it looked if though he was playing for money. Rapidly he put the guitar away. He had no need for that. Now he had his job at the Hospital.
During one of his long walks he smelt the scent of roses. They always brought back bittersweet memories of his mother. He did not want to forget her ever. The rosebushes were in front of a house that was for sale.
He made a phone call to the Real Estate number he saw, only to find out that the house was too expensive for him. When he told so, the lady on the telephone said that he could rent it if he wanted to.
That was another question but he didn’t think it over very long, he just rented it.
As a matter of fact, it was a very big house, too large for only one person. He went to the enterprise that had stored his old furniture in a container and asked them to deliver it at his address. He had so few belongings that the house seemed even bigger with the furniture.
To be continued…
From Sims to Real Life 