Junior requires a lot of musing here. I wouldn't take his word for anything, either. He and Rhett are about on a parr, perceptually. They're both capable of figuring stuff out, but it's not the way to bet. And it can be like wrestling Jell-O to get a grip on his character. It's composed mostly of weaknesses, and all those nice points don't do him much good without a strength to hang them from.
It's true that if Sandy wants an effective ally in this town, she needs to set her sights on an elder, and she and Valentine have Proxy for a powerful interest in common. If she can also take advantage of his tenderness toward Mary (however she perceives it) she might as well.
Valentine is the most important, and urgent, person for her to win over, but a lot of lines converge on the house next door, too: Mary for her connections and accessibility, Dixie for her position vis-a-vis Virginia, and Lana as an unaligned elder, who is nobody's first choice for an ally but beggars can't be choosers and maybe they could use each other. (How Lana would hate being lumped in with Sandy as a beggar!)
It will soon become as urgent for Sandy to find her voice as it is for Mary. She never had much of one in the grand scheme of things, and when she did speak up, it resulted in the divorce, which sent her into total eclipse. At the moment it appears that she shares this lack of voice with Candy, too. She says one word this installment, just "Pop," and it could mean anything - plea, warning, admonition. She may, of course, have plenty to say next installment so I may be wrong about that, but it looks as if Rich has managed to silence her. If Valentine is wise (and we know he isn't always) he'll insist on speaking alone with her and on getting Goldie private access to her. Rich won't be on his guard against Goldie, and she and Candy have a strong sisterly rapport. But even then, what she says won't mean as much as how she says it.
Candy's one word is exactly where I was going next! I knew it wouldn't have escaped your notice. It is meant to be ambiguous, that's what Part 3 is for, but in those first few moments Valentine is too focused on the task at hand-getting her out of there, no backtalk, for it to register right away because her silence is less of an issue for him than her not getting a move-on. It actually falls to Rhett to tell her to snap out of it. Of course, Val's also walking a tightrope because he knows how stubborn and defiant Candy can be. His unleashing on Rich is not a new twist on the way their dynamic plays out when Candy's in over her head based on how I reconfigured the scandal backstory. Rhett was too young to have had a role in that mess but his presence is necessary here. Val waited for him, he wanted Rhett with him, so while the comedy comes about because that's just how Rhett rolls, the balance he provides wasn't by accident (even if Val didn't consciously figure that into his thoughts).
Part 3 does have a lot of 'splaining to do! Although, I'm pretty sure it doesn't follow a path that's entirely predictable, at least so far as the details go. But about Sandy and Lana...that's interesting, Lana might actually need an ally even if she's not on the lookout for one. And they do already have a certain stranger in common, he hasn't been featured much since barging in on Sandy and Proxy back at the shack but there is a connection to them both. The awkwardness of those connections might not mark these two women out as natural allies but, as you say, beggars can't be choosers. Sandy wouldn't bother with maintaining a grudge against Lana for turning her away when she first needed a place to stay, Lana's had her own come-down since then, but she wouldn't pursue such an association without a bit of extra incentive. I had the vaguest ideas for them looking to the future but if Sandy did consider making nice with Lana now, as another avenue for insulating herself against Rich, just in case...hmm. In the meantime, if she made enough progress befriending Mary to be comfortable going around her house, Dixie's presence would instantly conjure Virginia, that's how she knows her. But if she were bringing Proxima around, as she would, that'd be a dose of reality Dixie doesn't want.
It hadn't occurred to me, but this does almost exactly parallel how you interpreted the Hot Tub Dome Scandal. (Which didn't need rewriting because I deliberately included no information about it - most people assume Hot Tub + Romance Sim = Sex Scandal, but those four words could mean almost anything, and that was on purpose, because how you fill in that blank is key to how you read Val.) Candy following her instincts and thinking she's handling things better than she is, check. Predatory older man, check. Val getting the memo late, resorting to violence, check. All that's lacking is Val blaming himself for it and maneuvering to take on the worst consequences, and that may be coming up. Or Candy may derail it.
It's a good thing Sandy didn't get moved in to the Harts till their last day, as it gives you time to watch her around town (now that she's showing her face again) and gather evidence for how she plans to proceed. Moving in may have been conceived as an economic move, but it also opens a number of social avenues to her that were less open before. A homeless person approaches everyone as a suppliant; a person with a roof over her head may still be on the ropes, but she has negotiation room. (Just FYI: Aegagropilon and I decided that Sandy's maiden name was probably Shore. In case she decides to revert to it...)
I don't think Sandy will be willing to relinquish that connection to her children any time soon, unless it happens to be in exchange for a new name, but y'never know. First things first, getting her out of those old clothes. She wasn't quite ready for that change either before I moved on to the next house, especially considering that the only options available to her would've come from rifling through Candy's closet. What a different impression she would've made showing up around town in full Candy "regalia"! (Not especially gaudy, actually, or even skimpy, but definitely conspicuous on Sandy.) Not to mention how impolitic in her position, but perhaps she'll have found something comfortable for spring by the time I swing back around.
I was going to leave her curiosity piqued but unsatisfied with her watching Val usher Mary home to give birth but Sandy had ideas of her own. Character development aside, however, the main reason I was delighted by her appearances was that I knew I needed Val back at Mary's to finish their conversation but I didn't have a pretext I liked for getting him there until Sandy popped up at their store.
I suppose it's possible there's a few of Angel's things that it wouldn't break everybody's heart to see used again, but even if they fit, that'd be inappropriate in a whole different way and in any case she needs something that doesn't scream "mendicant in hand-me-downs." Maybe she could knit herself something that, when put together with secondhand items, would make a suitable fashion statement?
Actually, the simplest thing would be for Valentine to retrieve some of her old clothes on a visit to Daytona. Assuming Virginia hasn't shredded them all.
That sentence did originally read that she might knit something light for spring but I'm not so sure about that. I do love the idea of her getting some of her old clothes back, though, but I'm thinking it will be Hamilton's doing. Possibly a teachable moment for Virgie but, at least, a way of putting this all behind him. I think he's ready, or he will be, when I actually get started playing Round 3.
Edited to add: I love that idea so much I just jotted down a little preliminary dialogue. Now I'm eager to see how it plays out!
I'm really fond of those small but significant transitional moments. It's important for Hamilton and Sandy wearing clothes that fit will be different going forward. And even if it doesn't serve as an invitation, the path will be clearer for reconnecting with her kids. Provided Virginia doesn't make a scene.
It's true that if Sandy wants an effective ally in this town, she needs to set her sights on an elder, and she and Valentine have Proxy for a powerful interest in common. If she can also take advantage of his tenderness toward Mary (however she perceives it) she might as well.
Valentine is the most important, and urgent, person for her to win over, but a lot of lines converge on the house next door, too: Mary for her connections and accessibility, Dixie for her position vis-a-vis Virginia, and Lana as an unaligned elder, who is nobody's first choice for an ally but beggars can't be choosers and maybe they could use each other. (How Lana would hate being lumped in with Sandy as a beggar!)
It will soon become as urgent for Sandy to find her voice as it is for Mary. She never had much of one in the grand scheme of things, and when she did speak up, it resulted in the divorce, which sent her into total eclipse. At the moment it appears that she shares this lack of voice with Candy, too. She says one word this installment, just "Pop," and it could mean anything - plea, warning, admonition. She may, of course, have plenty to say next installment so I may be wrong about that, but it looks as if Rich has managed to silence her. If Valentine is wise (and we know he isn't always) he'll insist on speaking alone with her and on getting Goldie private access to her. Rich won't be on his guard against Goldie, and she and Candy have a strong sisterly rapport. But even then, what she says won't mean as much as how she says it.
A lot's riding on Part III!
Reply
Part 3 does have a lot of 'splaining to do! Although, I'm pretty sure it doesn't follow a path that's entirely predictable, at least so far as the details go. But about Sandy and Lana...that's interesting, Lana might actually need an ally even if she's not on the lookout for one. And they do already have a certain stranger in common, he hasn't been featured much since barging in on Sandy and Proxy back at the shack but there is a connection to them both. The awkwardness of those connections might not mark these two women out as natural allies but, as you say, beggars can't be choosers. Sandy wouldn't bother with maintaining a grudge against Lana for turning her away when she first needed a place to stay, Lana's had her own come-down since then, but she wouldn't pursue such an association without a bit of extra incentive. I had the vaguest ideas for them looking to the future but if Sandy did consider making nice with Lana now, as another avenue for insulating herself against Rich, just in case...hmm. In the meantime, if she made enough progress befriending Mary to be comfortable going around her house, Dixie's presence would instantly conjure Virginia, that's how she knows her. But if she were bringing Proxima around, as she would, that'd be a dose of reality Dixie doesn't want.
Reply
It's a good thing Sandy didn't get moved in to the Harts till their last day, as it gives you time to watch her around town (now that she's showing her face again) and gather evidence for how she plans to proceed. Moving in may have been conceived as an economic move, but it also opens a number of social avenues to her that were less open before. A homeless person approaches everyone as a suppliant; a person with a roof over her head may still be on the ropes, but she has negotiation room. (Just FYI: Aegagropilon and I decided that Sandy's maiden name was probably Shore. In case she decides to revert to it...)
Reply
I was going to leave her curiosity piqued but unsatisfied with her watching Val usher Mary home to give birth but Sandy had ideas of her own. Character development aside, however, the main reason I was delighted by her appearances was that I knew I needed Val back at Mary's to finish their conversation but I didn't have a pretext I liked for getting him there until Sandy popped up at their store.
Reply
Actually, the simplest thing would be for Valentine to retrieve some of her old clothes on a visit to Daytona. Assuming Virginia hasn't shredded them all.
Reply
Edited to add: I love that idea so much I just jotted down a little preliminary dialogue. Now I'm eager to see how it plays out!
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment