Writing Middlewalk

[Dr. eeL]

Warning notes to the reader: Two factors give this story its forward momentum. The first is that the adventures of the farmer closely mirror those events that take place in the valley. Since the game itself is progressive, and he is now well into his second year in the valley, his continuing adventures will reveal places, events, and details that a beginning player might want to discover for themselves. It's best to play the game before reading on. The second factor is that this story is a love story, and if you are bothered by reading PG rated mushy stuff about two people who are physically attracted to each other, it is time to bail out now.

MIDDLEWALK-23
Invited over to Haley's to look at her pictures. Never been inside her house after dark before. I bring burgers, fries, and strawberry shakes from Gus's (thank goodness, she's not a healthy food fan). We sit across from each other to eat, and the shakes are too stiff to suck out with a straw. Sooo, looking into each other's eyes, we feed each other using long plastic spoons. Soon the burgers are gone and all that is left is some fries, and Haley impulsively sticks one partway in her mouth and holds out her chin to me. Being a fish, I take the bait and bite off the exposed end. I do the same for her, and soon we are both giggling from the game. It's a little bit like the scene from Lady and the Tramp, except that fries are not as long as spaghetti. After one bite, Haley, slowly sticks out her tongue with French fry all over it in an attempt to make the world's grossest face, and I have to laugh. The fries get shorter and shorter, and on one tiny nub, we share our first kiss. If what immediately comes to mind is explosive, released repressed passion, you are 100% wrong. The true reality is that the kiss was 98% fun and 2% salt. Never-the-less, ice was broken, and there was the unspoken promise that future kisses would come easier and more often, with a little less salt. I look closely at Haley, but the only emotion she expresses is a slight flush in her cheeks and brightness in her eyes, both of which betray a momentary identity with her childhood self, living in the days of enchantment.

Side by side, we sit on the couch, with a large album over both our laps. One might have the impression that I've sucked in too much perfume to be looking at pictures and ignoring the closeness of a beautiful girl, but the truth be told, Haley's art work is really good. For example, here are dozens of snapshots of the same tree (the one near Leah's house). The oversized album pages hold closeups of leaves from that tree, each leaf an individual, but one that is dancing with others on the page. Another pair of pages show a single leaf from the same branch, as it first buds out in spring, shines a happy green in the summer, and turns shades of colors in the fall, finally looking torn and brown in the winter, is gone, with only a bump in the branch. In a distant way, it reminds me of our first date at the Stardew movie theater. The final page was of her visit to Marnie's farm, and here captured for all eternity was a shot of Haley's countless ribbon-tied curls flying outward as she lands bottoms up in the mud. Even now, as I close my eyes, it is one of my favorite all-time images. Closing the cover, all I could think of was such talent, and no one knows except for two people, Emily and I.

We go out for fresh air, me holding her hand with interlocking fingers. Then Haley did the unexpected and took a long look at me. "I feel so relaxed whenever you are near, and do you know why?" She asked. I shook my head no. "Because you are the only one in the valley who can laugh and just let me be myself," she continued. "Ever since I can remember, people have tried to change me. You don't. You make me feel wonderful." I didn't know how to respond to that revelation. Looking up, I see a curved moon peeking in and out of the clouds. I point and tell her, "Look, Haley. Does that not look just like the Cheshire Cat, fading away until all that remains is the smile?" Haley answers, "You're right. He's smiling because he's been watching us." I told her, "I think he knows something, like that tomorrow I will bring you a surprise." She gave me a quick glance and said, "I like surprises." And with that, I pulled her in close and gave her a real kiss. She replied to my advance with a warm and wet enthusiasm of her own. I don't know it if was the cool sea air, or because of me, but as we pulled apart to catch our breath, I felt and saw goosebumps on her arm. "Well then, be on the lookout for me tomorrow."

It goes without saying that as soon as Pierre's opened up, I went in and purchased the bouquet. I then had to hurry to 2 Willow Lane, because everyone in Stardew valley would soon know what was taking place, and I didn't want the surprise information to reach Haley before I did. I went inside, and there she was, looking fresh, and I could not just just hide a bouquet of flowers that big behind my back, so I presented them with a, "TA Dahhh!" She moved in as close as one could get, amidst a big batch of flowers, flashed the world's most radiant smile, and said, "I accept your surprise," and this time we shared a kiss that did not have 2% salt. Somehow that old cat in the sky was pretty smart.

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-24
Willy had a request out for three tuna fish. Why not buff up with a little pudding and take most of the day off to also try and get something I've always wanted, the rare crimson fish.
Along the way to the beach, I could have dropped off a pink cake for you know who, but I was out of melons. Last summer, I grew a hundred of them, intending to put a dozen in the fridge. But they all ripened on the last day of summer. It was a busy day, and just before setting off to go see the jellyfish, I unloaded my backpack in the bin, melons and all. Gack! Now, I am growing a melon as a house plant, but at this point, it's just a vine. Something similar happened to me yesterday. I was getting ready to pick a batch of ripe cauliflower, when I noticed a maple seed next to the garden. I chopped it with my axe, and then forgot to put the axe away, and chopped a perfectly good cauliflower.

Ventured down to see Willy. "Ahoy there, young matey. Looks like decent weather for fishing, eh?" I tell him my plans and that I'm using a cork bobber with Linus's bait. He said, "You're out to catch Big Red, are you? He's too smart to show up around here. But I did see him the other day. Him and his mate will come closer to shore now that its summer when she lays her eggs." He bent over and whispered where I should try and find him. I show Willy my rabbit's foot and ask if he wants one too. His eyes light up . . . He takes it, and says, "Good luck to you, now."

Bumped into Elliott, who invited me into his shack. I checked out each of his plants, and added a little water here and there. Elliott may be a lover of nature and a great writer, but his thumbs are more ink stained than green. I was looking at his piano (the only one in the valley), when he asked me if I played. I had never told anyone, nor hinted to anyone, that I played, but he insisted that I sit down and have a go at it. Without any preparation or warmup, I gave him a dazzling performance of Chopin's Ballade #1 in G-minor. He had no clue, but this had been my recital piece, one on which I had spent countless hours memorizing. Today, how all those thousands of notes came back to my fingers, I can't say. They were just imprinted in me. Way back them, the dream-like arpeggios had represented (to me) ripples in the brown hair of the pretty girl who played the violin. Her name was Moira (a name that just melted in my brain) and she was originally from Scotland. The sounds of the notes stirred up so many memories, memories that I had thought were long forgotten. Mirroring the ballade, memory has so many moods, and shifts its scenery like colored glass in a kaleidoscope (Moira spoke with such a delightful accent). As the long, almost violent, bitter, downward run at the end came to a close, Elliott seemed to come awake from an almost trance-like state and exclaimed that my playing was, "Amazing, Wonderful, Magic, Bravo, etc. etc." I tactfully did not tell him that my music teacher would not have said any of those words, but instead would have found my playing, "too mechanical, something that one of his ten-year old students would produce," and that I overpedaled (I did) and muddied some passages. I told Elliott in a very serious voice that I was both officially and unofficially retired from playing, and that what he heard today must forever remain a secret between just us. Today, I was a village farmer, out in the sunlight and fresh air, and no longer someone who had spent a good portion of their developing years in the basement of the music hall. I held back on telling him that although he may have heard about how Tiger mothers treated their children, I grew up with a Tiger father, infinitely, i-n-i-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y so many times worse. Elliott solemnly told me that he understood secrets all too well, and on that note, I left the shack and crossed over the plank bridge to the tide pools.

There was Leah, sitting by a pool and making a drawing. As I walked up to her, she mentioned how much she liked the simple things in life, the soft breeze, the majestic clouds, the peaceful rush of the ocean waves. I complimented her on her artwork, and told her than anyone who can use the word "majestic" in their casual conversation was a special person making lots of the right choices in life.

Finally, it was time for fishing. I rubbed my backup rabbit's foot, loaded bait onto the hook, and cast away. After two hours of attempts, I had caught quite a few fish (but only one tuna), and plenty of green algae. Why are Willy's requests so hard to catch? Only once did I hook onto something that got away. After hooking so many easy fish, I had been caught sleeping when a far more challenging one had taken the bait. It didn't have to be Big Red, and could just as well have been a sneaky octopus. I promised myself that I would stay more alert, and be better mentally prepared, and not be so casual about the next bite. But after another two hours, I was fading again, when suddenly I had a fast mover on the line. Up and down, up and down, sometimes I was gaining, sometimes I was losing it. For whatever reason, the rapid up and down motion paused for just a few moments, giving me just enough time to haul him in closer to shore. Finally, I had him. Big Red, the crimson fish. As I pulled the hook out of his mouth, Willy's morning conversation came back to me, and suddenly I could no longer see the fish as a trophy, but instead saw him as a partner to his mate, peering up at me from her underwater viewpoint. As I put him back in the water, he rapidly took off, likely with only a sore mouth to show for his close call.

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-25
The crack of thunder and darkened windows clued me in that it was raining outside. Recently, I had at last earned a club card from the mysterious Mr. Qi, and I thought, what a perfect time to head for the desert and see what this is all about. Promptly at 10, I purchased a bus ticket, and off Pam and I went. I sat in the seat behind a rather wet Pam, and she couldn't thank me enough for choosing to take the trip today. I suggested that she could wait on the bus to stay dry on rainy days, but she grumbled something about rules. When we first started out, the windshield wipers were going like crazy, but that didn't seem to affect Pam, who drove far too fast for the conditions (in my humble opinion). We started talking, which in a way was even worse, because Pam is easily distracted and would often turn partway around and look at me when talking. Luckily, for both of us and the bus, no other cars wanted to either go to, or to come back from, the desert. Eventually, the rain started to poop out as we left the valley. I found out that Pam had actually been married twice. She told me that, "Early in my teenage years, I became addicted to macho men. They gave me such an adrenaline rush. They looked good, smelled good, had nice hair, and I loved their swagger, fast cars and motorcycles, and how they lived so confidently to the point of being careless in life." She showed me one of her tattoos, to which I politely replied that, "They did a good job." (I'm not a fan of the current fad of tattoos.) Pam kept on talking. "He never cared about my kid. It was all about him. Raising a one-year-old drains everything out of you, and as soon as I paid more attention to Penny, he got jealous and started hitting me. Well, he hit me before that, but I always shrugged it off before. You know, when you are in love and all that. He couldn't leave me soon enough. I still had my looks back then, and I started dating the same kind of guys all over again." I had a real clear idea where this conversation was heading, but was thankfully spared when the bus pulled up at the desert stop. I breathed a sight of relief, thanked Pam, told her that I would meet up with her again later on, and headed off for the little shop run by Sandy. Sandy was more than a little glad to see me. Although I do not come here very often, I've never met another customer, and this little desert stop does not have the look of a high traffic area. I was still kind of damp from the valley, so she correctly guessed that it must be raining there. Looking over her list of sale items, I couldn't resist purchasing some hard-to-find (but expensive) seeds. Sandy surprised me by asking, "How is Haley doing?" And I told her, "As pretty as always." Everybody knows everything around here. Being that Sandy is such close friends with Emily, and that I have a lot of interest in that particular family, I gifted Sandy a large sunflower.

Walked over to the entrance of the casino, and at the (previously blocked) door, the over-sized goon, Mr. Muscles, yawned and glanced carelessly at my card and moved aside. Feeling like a V.I.P. on entering the casino, my first impression was that of a room with a dark gloomy, icky purple interior. Initially, everyone I saw was a stranger. I guess that people actually do come to this little desert stop. One sad individual looked like he had been at a slot machine for three days without food or rest, mesmerized, pushing a button over and over again. Then, in the far corner, I saw Welwick, and I immediately went over to her but instantly regretted it, because she looked awful, decidedly ill, and obviously had too much to drink. I couldn't help but think that for someone who could see into the future, she missed the boat on herself.

In another corner, there was some kind of computer that I was surprised to learn kept a file on me. It certainly did not make me feel very comfortable knowing that so much of my existence in the valley was being tracked in real time. How did anyone know all this stuff? I was left with the distinct creepy impression that there must be a drone peeping in my windows at night. Actually, nothing about Mr. Qi or his so far slimy casino made me feel very comfortable. Oh well, I'm here. I might as well make the best of it and try some of the games. I went to the window and purchased the minimum number of house coins and looked around for a game to play. There is nothing fun (for me) about slot machines. One simply takes a seat, and mindlessly pushes a button or pulls a lever hoping to win more money out, than you put in. And as everyone knows, you are helplessly pitted against a strategy free machine in a losing game. Maybe the bright lights and quirky sounds are supposed to hype one up (come on, keep putting those coins in) but it feels about as exciting as listening to the canned laughter on a TV show. I bet small, and won small. My biggest win was a string of three parsnips for 50 coins. Done. Next, I tried the Calico Jack table. The simple rules were formally laid out for me. Hand over your money and sign in blood on the dotted line. I know that some people really enjoy Calico Jack and study the game all their lives. Not me. Supposedly there are card counters who actually win at the game. But, as I looked to one side, I could see a blue-faced Mr. Qi watching the tables. If even a tiniest penny fell to the floor and tried to roll away, it could never escape from those laser-like eyes. Again, I bet small, and won small. Standing there, being a small-time winner, I had the insight that I was only winning Mr. Qi's fake money. It reminded me of a carnival, where one gives away their good hard cash for the opportunity to win a cheap prize. My thoughts could not help but contrast this dingy room with the Stardew valley fair, out in the sunlit air, with an ocean breeze, free hamburgers, happy friendly people, and games that I like playing. I decided to blow what little money that I had won, by going to the high roller table. I put down my entire winnings on the outcome of a single hand and won. I went double or nothing, why not, and won again. Probably had I been desperate and out of money, I would have lost, and the casino would have helped themselves to my shirt, pants, and any rings. But not today. Still wearing my pants, I walked over to the window to cash out, and looked at the 'prizes' that were offered, mostly cheap furnishings that I didn't want. Pure junk. Mr. Qi needs to have a talk with Leah about tasteful furniture design. Finally, I picked out a rare-crow. Maybe this space alien looking one will frighten my battle-hardened crows. Maybe a few crows will just die of laughter at its feeble attempts to frighten them. Before leaving with the rare-crow under my arm, I went back to Welwick and asked her if I could help her get home. She said no, that she just wanted to rest a bit. I rummaged in my backpack and produced a coffee, which I gave her, and she gave me a grateful look of thanks. She's on TV tomorrow morning. I sincerely hope that she makes it.

Rode the bus home with Pam, and this time she was quiet. Looking out the window, there was nothing to see in the darkness outside, so we both kind of focused on the road ahead lit by the headlights, and before you know it, we're back in the valley. Felling like I had wasted a perfectly good rainy day, I said goodnight to Pam and headed for home. Pam said that she was dying of thirst in a rainstorm, and headed off in the opposite direction.

 

[LGim851]

This is good!

 

[Dr. eeL]

Hey Hoppy, the pretty blue-haired lady likes our story! Sure, go ahead and engrave her name on your stone frog statue of 5 known readers.

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEMARCH-26
There was a letter in my mailbox from Willie, saying, "Come on by for a visit." I wonder what's up. I had a brief flashback to one of my first days in the valley, when a similar letter from
Willie resulted in my ending up with a fishing pole. After finishing up the usual milking, egging, and fruit picking, I headed down to the waterfront. As I walked into his shack, he greeted me with a, "Top of the mornin' to you, matey. What can I do for you?" "Hi, Willie. I'd like 100 pieces of your bait." "Sure nuff. I've got good stuff right here. Now that I'm lookin at you, it reminds me. I've got something I want you to see." I gave Willie some coins for the bait, which clinked into an otherwise empty cash register, and then he said with a slow wink, "Come on around back." I followed him through a door in the back, and there to my surprise was a dock containing an old dilapidated fishing boat. "Well, what do you think?" asked Willie. I glanced at Willie and it was obvious that there was love in his eye for this boat. As I searched my vocabulary for words that avoided any connection with, amazing it still floats, raggity, antique, or worm-eaten. I chose, "Wow, I had no idea that you had a fishing boat." "Yep. She's a beauty. Belonged to me pappy. When I was a young one, we use'ta go out fishing by the Fern islands. Best memories in me whole life." "What do you plan to do with it?" I asked. "Well, here's why I asked you to come by. You see, for many years, I always wanted to fix er up, but I could never get the materials together and I'm not so good working with wood. Anymore, I don't bend over and get down like I used to. You've taken an interest in fishin. I can tell by the way you've taken part in some of the challenges that I've put out in the village. I wonder if you would like to help an old man out with his dream and help me restore the Sea Bass? Maybe you and I could go deep sea fishin and I could even take you out to the islands." For a minute, I was at a loss for words. I was pleased that Willie thought so highly of me. I just couldn't say no . . . but . . I'm way out of my league here. "How's the engines?" I asked. "Worked the last time I tried em," He replied. "Take a look." We walked the plank and as we went aboard, I almost choked myself on a set of strung lights near the stern. Willie said proudly, "I put them up myself, just to make er look fancy." He proceeded to open a trap door, which led to a short ladder of about five steps. "Go on down. I don't fit down there like I used to." I brushed aside a giant cobweb, and climbed down to the bottom of the boat. There was about a foot of water in the bilges, but the engines were still above the water, and actually didn't look all that bad. Two shafts led to twin propellers. I was expecting a lot of rust, but didn't see much. The engines were a pair of diesels (you could tell by the smell if you didn't already know), probably old when Willie's pappy acquired the boat, but built to last forever. "When's the last time you pumped her out?" I yelled up to Willie. "Used to be I never had to pump er out, but lately it's been every week or so." He replied. I climbed back up onto the deck and went into the little deckhouse. "How's the steering?" I asked. "Good as new, now." He replied. "A couple of years ago, I had to replace some parts that rusted out." Decision time. "Tell you what, Willie. I can't fix your boat. But I know someone who is really good with wood. Would you mind if I brought her by and have her take a look?" "Lady friend, eh? Well, it can't hurt to bring her by. As long as she's lucky." He added.

Later that day, I stopped by Robin's and told her about my morning discovery behind Willie's shack. I emphasized the word "wood" in its need for a redo of the wooden hull and deck house. Pretty soon, I could see the glint in Robin's eye and hear the wheels starting to turn in her head. "Before you give me an answer, why not come down and take a look for yourself?" I asked. Robin had no trouble agreeing to that idea, and we made an appointment to show up together at Willie's the next day. Again, Willie took us out back, and Robin came armed with pencil, paper, and a tape measure. She then proceeded to make a series of drawings, and concluded with, "I've built plenty of houses, but never a boat. It will be a challenge to fix your Sea Bass up, but with the right supplies, I'm pretty sure that I can do it." I then asked her what she would need. "A goodly amount of several different kinds of wood, some metal bars, and electrical stuff. I'll have to rewire the whole boat." Willie, Robin, and I gathered together and I said, "Here's the deal. If Robin is willing to do the work, I'm willing to donate any and all materials." Robin nodded yes, and just like that; the official Sea Bass restoration project was underway.

Robin mailed me a list of supplies, and really, it cost me nothing. I've kept a portion of my farm as an old growth forest, and simply keeping it under some form of control brings in a steady supply of soft and hard wood. My chests are full of metal bars, for which I seemingly have little use. I simply made a few trips to haul the stuff down to the dock, and Robin did the rest. Within a few days, the Sea Bass was transformed. Amazingly, Robin was able to blend different colors of wood together to create beautiful lines. On top of that, the rails were shiny, and the lights off the fantail were hung high enough so that they couldn't swing down and electrocute the unwary. Even the side porthole glasses were polished until they sparkled and were clear enough to see out of. The name "Sea Bass" was painted in big bold letters on the stern. When Willie came out the back of his shop for the surprise unveiling, he was stunned. "Well, I'll be. Ain't she a beauty. Young lady, you just took 50 . . . 60 years of life off of the ole Sea Bass. I can't thank you enough." Tears came into his eyes, and he blew loudly into a large handkerchief. Robin and I stood by awkwardly, until Willie grabbed us both in a big group hug. "Come by anytime now, and I'll take you out where the water's deep. And spread the new, that Willie's offering trips to the island."

 

[Dr. eeL]

Thanks, Ms C.C. I'm excited to see that Fan Works is coming to life with new art, stories, and comments. When one puts a little piece of themselves out there in a Fan Work, even one teeny tiny ole "like" is wonderful. Otherwise, it would be like being in a cave on Alpha Centauri, and sending out chapters by radio . . . Hello? Hello?

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-27
One late summer evening, while we were walking past the lake, Haley mentioned that she would like to go camping. "I've never been to the Secret forest," she added. "Maybe we could go camping there?" "The Secret forest is full of slimes, and can be dangerous," I countered. "Tell me about slimes." "Well, they look like round blobs of jelly, are about two feet high, come in different colors, and can jump out at you." "Maybe I could pet one," she asked? "Never, never, they're wild, and if they touch you it hurts." "I still want to go camping there." Haley gave me a little pouty face. "Are you the same girl who would not go with me into the wizard's maze," I asked? "Well, I didn't know you so well then. Now we could go into that old maze and just sort of get lost for a while. It would be fun." Haley flashed me one of her knowing looks. There are not a lot of dating opportunities available in the valley, and as tomorrow was Saturday, I agreed to go camping with her the next night.

Popping out of bed the next morning, I had a list a mile long to complete. I put together stuff for a tent, cedar wood for a campfire, bruschetta and fruit salad for supper, marshmallows, chocolate, eggs and bread for breakfast the next day, a stick of butter, a frying pan, oranges for juice, flashlights, folding chairs, two sleeping bags, and pillows. If the pile of stuff got any bigger, I would have to borrow the wizard's sleigh again, just to get everything there. I decided to make several trips. Carrying most of the heavy stuff, I set off for the forest. Step one was to eradicate any and all slimes. Normally, when I go for hardwood, I simply side-step the little pests, but today, I put Lava Katana to work and emptied the forest of them. I set up the tent, a rather large one, big enough to stand up in, and made a circlet of stones for a campfire and added the wood. I had two vases packed with sunflowers, and I filled them with water from the little pond and set them firmly in both back corners of the tent so that they would remain upright. On trip number two, I brought in most of the foodstuffs and smaller items, and carefully checked for any last minute late arriving or overlooked slimes.

By the time I went to pick up Haley, it was near twilight. Tonight, she's wearing slacks and has her hair in pigtails. As we walk past the lake in Cindersap forest, the frogs were chirping, and a skinny new moon was starting to set. We stop at the entrance to the Secret forest and Haley exclaims, "Oh, look at the moon framed by the tree and path. And those clouds. I definitely need to get a picture of that." She took a number of shots, using different exposures, as it was getting darker. Finally, we went in along the path, and as Haley stood there taking in the pond, the statue, and the campsite, I lit the campfire. All evening long, we were full of laughing and giggling chatter, but as it grew later, with our tummies full of supper (which was really good), we sat in the chairs, watched the flickering flames of the fire, occasionally waved drifting smoke out of our eyes, and began to talk.

"I love how you described your childhood days in the valley. But now, it does not seem as if everyone is as close as they once were," I commented. She thought for a moment, and answered, "Little things that one pays no attention to as a nine-year old start to add up as one gets older. The summers grow hotter, the winters are colder, and gradually the village gets smaller. Still, there was fun to be had. Sam arrived from the city and moved in next door. I remember an eighth-grade graduation party that we held at the spa, when we all played volleyball with a beach ball and no net. I remember sitting with friends at the train station counting the cars as they went past. And as soon as the water warmed up, the ocean was always there, except we spent more time body surfing than building sand castles. But to answer your question, things changed." Here she paused, and then spoke in a quieter voice, "Robin's divorce and remarriage took a toll on Sebastian. Penny gradually became aware that her mother has serious problems. Shane discovered alcohol too early. Emmy spends almost every evening having dirty old men stare at her boobs. Alex lost both parents. No one is supposed to lose their parents. When one is young and just starting out in life, it sometimes seems like you are walking on a tight-rope. It's easy to get overly stressed out, make mistakes, or simply fall off, and parents are there to catch you. Without parents, suddenly, there is no safety net under your tight-rope, and it's a crippling feeling to look down. I know that you are probably a little jealous of Alex, but you shouldn't be. On the outside, he's big and strong, but on the inside, he's hurt. He blames himself, you know. Sure . . . he's attractive, but I never loved him. I felt his open wound and only wanted to help him in some way to make it go away."

How do I respond to all this information? I got up and went into the tent to get the Tupperware packed with marshmallows, crackers and chocolate. I handed Haley a stick with two marshmallows for her to brown, and told her, "You have some of the best ideas, and really great insights." She laughed. "That's not my reputation in the village." I looked intently at Haley. "Haley, here in the Secret forest I have some secrets, and I'm going to share one with you right now. Do you know the Legend of the Winter Star?" "Yes, I've heard it from Willie many times," she said in a hushed voice. "Well, I had never heard the story, so at the Winter Festival, I asked Willie to tell me the legend. As soon as he mouthed the words, "Bright Star, only visible from the valley," I had this incredible 'Oh MY God' electric moment, a real vision, when I realized, that it's you! He's talking about you! Haley, you are the Winter Star of the legend! I felt it so clearly." Haley paused, "I . . . . I don't know what to say. I don't feel like a star. I mean, it makes me happy that you think that I'm a star, but I have my ups and downs just like anyone." More words just kind of rushed out of my mouth. "I'm so sorry if I sound so confusing. It's not easy to put what I saw or felt into words. I'm trying to say that in a flash, you looked so different to me. Of course, on the outside you are beautiful, but since that vision, I am super sensitive to some kind of star-like radiance, some kind of inner beauty, a sparkle just as bright to me as those campfire embers. Now, whenever I am with you, I feel so unexplainably happy and blessed with good fortune, just like in the legend." Again, similar to that day on the beach, our eyes met and exchanged countless unspoken but wonderful messages. Eventually Haley spoke, "I too, remember a day on the beach. I know what you are talking about, because after that day, your image was captured in my imagination, my world too became brighter, and here I am, alone in the forest with you, falling in love, and it's all your fault!" Haley tried to look angry, but failed. I bent over, and inches away, I most determinedly whispered in her ear, "Haley, you beautiful girl, I love you, and when you are ready, I'm going to marry you." Suddenly, the Secret forest no longer held any secrets, and with those two moments of big reveals, we both became pretty reflective; our normal banter and teasing had long ago died down with the fire. Something really good, something really serious was happening, but not knowing what more to say, I looked down and saw that our glasses of strawberry wine were empty, and that the campfire was now nothing more than coals.

Later, I splashed a little water on what was left of the fire, and we went into the tent together. I fluffed her pillow, unzipped her sleeping bag, she crawled in, and I zipped her back up. Resting, in my bag next to hers, I waited until her eyes began to close, and then I kissed her lightly on the forehead, and whispered, "Goodnight, Winter Star."

 

[Dr. eeL]

HALEY'S PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE SECRET FOREST.

 

[Lew Zealand]

That painting makes me think of Alex.

 

[Dr. eeL]

Haley's snapshot did catch some symbolism and foreshadows. It is now summer, and farmer Lee won't meet Alex for the beach cutscene until the fall. The fantasy world of Middlewalk has not been kind to Alex, as he has now tapped out with Haley. For Alex fans, perhaps in an alternate world with an athletic female farmer, he will fare better.

 

[Polaris]

I discovered this thread today and spent most of my game time tabbed out to read it. It's quite a remarkable read and the added dialogue really brings the characters to life. Thanks for sharing it with us and please know that you have fans!

 

[Dr. eeL]

Hey Hoppy, a Northern Star just read all 27 chapters and gave us hearts! It's amazing! From a Cephid variable no less. Thanks, Polaris. You'll likely enjoy the adventures of Bobbi as well.

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-28
I opened my eyes, and there just two feet away from my face was Haley, who woke up about the same time as I did. We watched each other in silence, until the world's most beautiful creature opened her mouth and said, "I've got to go pee." Actually, I felt the same urge, so we climbed out of our sleeping bags, unzipped the tent, and a little stiffly stretched. I showed her a hidden entrance in the bushes, where she could go and be alone, and while she was gone, I watered some plants by the statue. Haley reappeared, saying, "I feel so much better," and I replied with, "Why not freshen up with a little pond water." While she splashed, I restarted the campfire, and rummaged around for the frying pan. "Ready for breakfast," I asked? "Oh, yes. I'm starving. What are we having?" "Secrets from the Secret forest," I replied. I cut up a few potatoes, chopped up a few slices of bacon, and while these cooked, began to slice and squeeze enough oranges to fill two big cups. As Haley came back and sat down, I cracked and added four eggs to the potato mix, and in no time, breakfast was ready. "I love camping," said Haley between bites. "Mumm, food seems to taste better with a little smoke. But I am used to a little softer bed." "You're right." I agreed. "It's the hardest part of camping. But we both slept like logs, and neither one of us was snoring last night." Although, it was a summer morning, the tall trees mostly shaded us from the sun, and heat from the fire was just enough to keep away an early morning chill. "Everything about today is so different. My ears are so used to the sounds of the ocean, and here it is so quiet that every little sound is like a treat. My hair's a mess, but somehow, I don't care. It's so strange and yet wonderful that there are only just us two hidden away. I'm so used to Emmy, and now I have you. I'm one lucky girl." Suddenly she got quiet, grabbed my arm and pointed. There, about thirty feet away, was a slime. I carefully got up and went into the tent, where I retrieved her camera and Lava Katana. Silently, I handed her the camera. The slime didn't move, so Haley was able to focus and get a good picture. I stood up, and raised Lava Katana high, which flashed as it caught a ray of sunlight, and the slime instantly disappeared into the bushes. I don't know if I looked at that moment like 'Lee the mighty dragon slayer', but Haley breathed out an "Ooh," and at least one little baby slime was impressed. Haley remarked, "They are so cute, and I still want to pet one."

"Tell me about why they call it the Secret forest, and how the statue came to be here." Suddenly, I was back to 'Lee the ordinary" for I didn't know myself. I told her how I first discovered the place, while clearing stones and wood out of Cindersap forest. I told her how the statue had talked to me and asked for something sweet. I told her of the many many sweet things that I offered, all without success, until finally I solved the mystery, but only by sheer luck. "Today, the statue reminds me of the one in Mozart's opera, Don Giovanni. That statue comes alive, and invites Don Giovanni to a dinner in hell. It's the best music that Mozart every wrote. Someday I'll pla . . . get the record for you and we can listen to that section." I added lamely. Already, Haley's attention had drifted away from the statue, and like a kid in a candy shop was now focused on the little pond. We walked to the waters edge, where Haley suddenly blurted out, "Hey Lee, will you show me how to fish?" I was surprised that a girl who lived a hundred feet away from Willy's shack had never learned to fish, but I loved how she could make every moment seem so spontaneous, so I went back to the tent and retrieved my pole. I asked her to set her camera so that I could take her picture if she caught something. "Just hold the pole regular, a death grip is not needed. See that little piece of cork at the end. You want to hold the pole straight up, and flick that cork out into the water as far as it will go." Haley's first attempt was surprisingly good, and the cork plopped out in the middle of the pond. "Now snap that little lever out, just like that, so that you can wind the reel up and bring the fish in." "What do I do now?" she asked. "Now we wait. Keep your eye on the floating cork. It it starts bobbing, or moving along the top of the water, or disappears, you've got a bite." It didn't take all that long for a fish to bite, and Haley acted like she had fished all her life. I took a picture of her holding up a little eight-inch-long carp. She held the fish, slippery goo and all, while I removed the hook, and then we let it go free. As we walked back to the tent, she pointed again, and now we could see three or four more slimes sneaking out of the bushes, so I whispered, "Let's run for it." Holding hands all the way, we ran for the forest exit, and were laughing so hard while looking back, that we almost ran smack into the pig and travelling cart. The hairy pig wasn't cute, so Haley's petting instinct didn't kick in, but her shopping instinct was still intact when she saw that list of all the items for sale. After some hemming and hawing, she picked out a poppy seed muffin. I gave the gold to the lady, and off we went for her home.

At her doorstep, we shared a kiss worthy of all the events of the past twenty four hours. Still with my arms around her waist, Haley smiled and offered, "Thank you. That was the best, most exciting, most romantic date I have ever been on in my entire life. I can't wait to tell Emmy. She'll want a word for word replay of the mushy romantic stuff, but first, I need a shower and change of clothes." As her door closed, I turned and headed back for the forest for what else, cleanup duty.

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-29

After more than a year and a half in a tiny village, one would think that I would know everyone, but there were several people that I never really interacted with outside of the festivals. One of these was Sebastian. Sometimes, while I was lake fishing, I would see him outside for a smoke, and I knew that on Fridays he liked to play games and pool in the saloon with Abigale and Sam. Other than that, nothing. He definitely was someone who kept to himself.

One afternoon, I read a notice asking for some help keeping the dust sprite population under control. These are little bouncy black balls of coal (a little bigger than a softball and a little smaller than a soccer ball) that occupy the recesses of the mine. Before descending into the mine, it is always good to take along food and water. Veteran hunters like Marlon and Gill prefer to take high quality cheese as a food buff, but it takes a lot of work to make cheese and then to store it to increase its quality. After all that effort, I'm not going to eat it, I'm going to sell it. So, I prefer to use void eggs. They are small, easy to carry; I don't have much use for them, and as a result, I usually grab a dozen whenever I go down into the mines. Today, after finding and having my way with quite a few of the sprites, I exited the mines, started to walk home, and ran into Sebastian. He sort of mumbled a, "Hi," as he fumbled in his pockets for his cigarette pack and lighter. On a whim, I offered him a void egg. His eyes lit up and as fast as you can say, "Jumping Jack Flash," his demeanor flipped into a much friendlier mode. For the first time, we actually had a conversation, and I learned that he did odd jobs using his computer, but that he was easily stressed out by the pulls and demands of life outside of his basement bedroom. I shared that my father was in the military, and as a result of his getting different assignments every year, I had attended more schools than I care to remember. Because I had an early winter birthday, it was possible for me to start school earlier in age than most of the kids in my class, and as a result, I always found myself in the position of being physically and emotionally behind my classmates. Every new school had bullies, predators who quickly zoomed in on the small kid with no friends. I told him that there were many times that I wished that I had a basement hideaway to avoid going to school.

After that encounter, much in the same way that I had made friends with Alex simply by playing a little grid ball, Sebastian seemed to loosen up in my presence. The movie theater offered a new selection entitled, "Mysterium," and it did not exactly seem like the kind of movie Haley would enjoy. So, I gave Sebastian a ticket and we went to preview it. I'm glad that I did, as the movie would actually be Okay for Haley, and I can look forward to taking her to see it (again). Both Sebastian and I tried the stardrop sorbet, and it was a winner. (Note to self, have Haley try it too). Sebastian loved the movie, and thought that it was a true classic. As we walked the short distance back to his house, the normally quiet and subdued Sebastian was a fountain of words and knowledge.

A few days later, I heard through the grapevine (it was a true grapevine. Sebastian told Sam, who told Emily, who told Haley) that next Thursday I was invited to play the table game Solarion Chronicles at his basement. Table games of all types are huge in Stardew valley. I passed the word back down the grapevine that, "Sure, I'd be glad to play," and showed up on time. Walking down the short flight of stairs to his basement bedroom, I saw Sebastian and Sam sitting on stools at a table with the game all laid out. Sam was drinking a can of Joja cola, and I shut my eyes to the fact that I knew all too much about that vile stuff. I had never heard of the game. Apparently, it was one that had cards that posed questions, and a multifaceted die that controlled one's responses. Sebastian said, "Since you ae a guest, you should have first pick over whether you want to be a healer, warrior, or wizard." I chose healer. It must have been a good choice, because Sebastian said that being the wizard was his favorite, and Sam argued the other way, that being the warrior was the best. Sebastian played the role of a moderator, and read the directions posted on the cards out loud. Our little team travelled the wastelands, found the evil one's tower, snuck in a back entrance, and in a fighting finish, ended the reign of the dark lord. The whole evening was quite enjoyable, as the three of us worked together well as a team.

Today, I'm not at all like Sebastian. But thanks to the pain of many early life events, we both were pulled deep into an internal world, and continue to share a common emotional language. We never truly escape our parents, even when we enter into fantasy worlds, and Sebastian and I both have father issues. If you can imagine the Captain from the Sound of Music on steroids (pre-Maria), you've captured a picture of my early life. Like the movie, my father really was a naval captain, but unlike in the movie, there was not a pile of younger children to dilute his laser-like focus. For me, it was a disciplined love-less existence, and although I cannot help but have acquired an inner core of frozen iron, at least I know how not to be. In completely the opposite way that Darth Vader spoke to Luke Skywalker, "I am not my father."

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-30

Some evening, when a frog sings away twenty feet away from your open window, do you ever wonder what they might dream about when they finally do go asleep? A massive plague of mayflies? To swim in that little watering pond full of highly attractive frogs of the opposite sex? The captain of a starship? Frogs can hop, but can they fly?

0800 Hours, Bridge. After spending the night on a slow parabolic approach to the second of Barnard's three planets, starship Aurora entered high orbit over its pretty, partly cloudy, blue surface. "Lieutenant Alytes, report," requested Hoppy. "I am preparing a probe, but my initial impression is that this is a miniature copy of our home planet." "Chief, what do you show?" asked Hoppy. "Nothing on the scanners," replied Otophryne. "I see nothing. "We'll do one go around," spoke Hoppy, "Then if nothing turns up, we'll launch a probe." Nothing did turn up, and the class-1 probe found a very small, very watery type-1 planet, similar to the amphibian's home planet, but with considerably less continental surface, and an ocean too salty for amphibians. (It was unspoken, but all knew that even a little continental surface meant freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds). Although Lt. Alytes wanted to drop down close to the surface and use a class-2 probe to bring back a water sample and check for life forms, Captain Hoppy decided to move on to the third planet. "Helm, break orbit, increase to speed 5, course 34.31+34." "Yes sir, breaking orbit now," replied the helmsman. "Estimated time of arrival at the third planet 2.4 minutes." "Understood," replied the captain. Looking at Lieutenant Commander Babina and Alytes, Hoppy explained, "I feel the need to push on and complete this survey today. If all goes well, we can set a new course by late morning." "It is quite interesting," commented the science officer, "That of the four planets we have looked at, two are type-1. It suggests that our galaxy might be a very friendly place after all for amphibians. Executive officer Babina could not help but add his shading onto that thought, "And since most life forms rapidly evolve from watery environments, it also suggests that the galaxy is full of life." All the amphibians attention now turned to the third planet, as a huge ball of greenish cloudy haze encircled by a faint ring filled the viewport. "Helm, bring us into standard orbit," ordered Hoppy. "Aye, Aye, Captain. Standard orbit at 100 km," Helm acknowledged. "Sir, this planet has a lot of atmosphere and it is difficult for our scanners to read the surface. Suggest moving in closer," said Lt. Alytes. "Make it so," replied Hoppy.

There is not a lot of room on an lily pad for two sleeping frogs, and when Hoppy raised his right arm and pointed to give the, "engage" command, he rolled off and fell into the water with a soft plop. Effectively, he himself entered into a personal class-2 probe of his pond. The lily pad rocked in the small wave, and a sleepy Rana lifted her head and asked, "What are you doing?" "I think my starship just fell out of orbit," he replied. "Whaat?" "Never mind, I was just dreaming. Try and go back to sleep." "I'm warm and dry. Stay on your side and don't drip on me," muttered Rana. Hoppy climbed back onto the pad and tried to get back to sleep, but now he was colder and wetter, and too many thoughts crowded out his attempt to return to a deep space adventure. Rana's steady breathing told him that she was already back asleep. Something was rustling the leaves amongst the farmer's plants. He opened his eyes and saw the bright planet Jupiter winking in and out between the moving tree branches. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and Hoppy knew that if he started to focus on tomorrow's events, he would end up being more awake than he already was right now. His thoughts turned to Rana. Her birthday is coming up, and what to get her. She loves living things. Maybe a pet turtle . . . z z z . . . A small pond turtle . . . z z z z . . . One with a pretty painted shell . . . z z z z z . . .

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-31

Invited to spend the morning at the beach with Haley and Emily. Of course, I accepted, and it was only later when I got home that night that the suspicion came to mind that maybe Haley is trying to introduce me to her family, starting with Emily. I showed up on time, wearing my swimsuit under my clothes, and undressed at their house. Some parts of me are pretty brown, other parts are as white as fresh fallen snow. Six feet away from me, standing by the door, I had never seen so much skin before on two bathing beauties, both wearing only tiny bikinis, and it certainly caught my attention. Surrounded by all that skin, it was only too obvious to compare the two. Two young ladies in their early twenties, both looking absolutely amazing. Even though they were sisters, physically they were built along different lines. Haley was a natural blonde; Emily was darker. Haley had the longer legs, Emily the longer torso. Emily had more curves, and easily was one boob size larger. Haley had the prettiest small toes, currently painted a delicate shade of pink. Overall, in contrast to her sister, Haley is a grown woman in a little girl's body. I thought back and realized that whenever I was with her (except for the camping trip), Haley wore dresses, and even in my dreams, I had never come close to grasping the total picture. I had always focused on Haley's pretty face; she has a thousand expressions, and uses them all - and all have a very effective way of catching my attention. To be fair, I caught Haley peeking at me with curiosity. Some men are fuzzy wuzzy bears with hairy chests, and can grow a beard overnight. If you're looking for hair on me, you better stick to the top of my head.

They challenged each other to a race to the beach towels and took off. I followed at a slower pace with a heavy basket of towels, drinks, snacks, sunscreen, and whatnot. Despite not being an athlete, Haley is the far more athletic of the two and the race was not even close. Haley yelled out, "Hey Lee, what's taking you so long? Are you going to play with us?" Sitting on top of my basket was a big beach ball, and we played the game of trying to keep the ball in the air while standing at the edge of the surf. It was windy, and for a while, our world's record stood at seven, until we got lucky and made it to fourteen before a gust blew the ball into the ocean. While Haley splashed in to retrieve the ball, we all waved at Elliott, who was standing on Willie's pier and likely enjoying the sight of frolicking sea nymphs. Together, we worked on a sand castle along the water's edge, and it was starting to look rather impressive, with tall towers and shell decorations, until a rapidly running edge of water surrounded it and ate away at some of the outer walls. We tried to save it, but the next wave collapsed the front wall, and soon it was gone.

Later, as we lay on the beach towels to dry off, I had the opportunity to watch Haley and Emily's relationship closeup. Everyone assumes different roles in a family. Emily was the more mature, more conforming first born. Haley was the brat, born (in Emily's words) to be adorable, and to make Emily's life miserable. Emily was probably wondering how I was going to be able to handle this brat full-time. I did not know. In my home, punishments would continue until all signs of 'disrespect' were ancient memories. As a result, the teasing, games, jokes, and tricks of Haley that Emily rolled her eyes at and sighed, I found creative, spontaneous, and delightful. I wanted to join in, breathe that fresh air and life, even if deep inside a part of me was paralyzed from doing so.

For most of the morning, a cloud bank had kept the sun at bay, but now the clouds were rapidly being burnt off, so we called it a morning. Back at their house, Haley called first dibs on the shower, which left Emily and me briefly alone, while I put my clothes back on. "You're having a positive effect on Haley," remarked Emily. "I've never seen her look so happy before." "Haley is having a positive effect on me," I answered. "I'm also glad that she has such a nice sister. Haley says nothing but great things about you." "Really?" Emily looked surprised. "I'm serious. Every one of Haley's stories are either Emily this, or Emily that, or Emily and I did that. You are obviously a wonderful sister and role model." "I don't know if I'm surprised or not surprised," said Emily. "I love my sister." "Love must be in the air, because as you know, my heart has been captured by that crazy, wonderful girl. You and I . . . I hope that we can be a team to keep Haley madly in love with us and the world." "I've got a good feeling about you, farmer Lee," Emily concluded. "A real good feeling. You belong in Stardew Valley."

As I walked home, I reflected on the fun at the beach, and how Emily seemed almost like a prophet when she spoke about me belonging in the valley. Maybe she's right. Maybe Haley and I really are going to end up in a farmhouse full of little blonde girls and brown-haired boys.

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-32

One early morning, while I'm out in the barnyard, Lewis came walking up the path. "Hi there, Lewis. It's nice to see you. I don't get many visitors." "Hello Lee. I wonder if we could go inside and discuss an idea that I'm thinking about," replied the mayor. I put down my tools, and welcomed the mayor inside. We sat around the table and I offered Lewis some ice tea, as he looked a bit winded from his hike. "Yesterday, I was approached by an investor from Zuzu City about adding a new festival to Stardew Village. What do you know about go-carts?" he asked. "I think that they are tiny gasoline powered cars that kids drive over small racetracks," I answered. "Exactly," said Lewis. "I was thinking of having a Stardew Village go-cart car race, not every year mind you, just a one-time event." "Where would you put the racetrack?" I asked. "I was thinking out in the pasture where we hold the spring flower dance," he replied. I had to smile at the contrast, of the ancient flower dance being usurped by a noisy bunch of kiddy carts, but I didn't say anything, because Haley loved that flower dance. "So where does you local farmer fit into your idea?" I had to ask. He initially avoided an answer by noting, "Well, putting the track down is not a problem. It comes in sections, and after the event can be picked up and removed without damaging the grass. Robin has agreed to help build a small grandstand, just as long as Sebastian and Maru are part of the race. Pierre will run the same souvenir stand that he uses for the flower dance, in exchange for Abigale getting to race." "And . . . " I added. Lewis hesitated. "And what we need is a sponsor. Someone willing to contribute 10,000g to make it happen." Lewis looked at me expectantly. Hmmm. The money is not an issue. I can make that much in an afternoon of hard work. What I don't want is for the quiet retreat of Stardew Valley to be in some way compromised. I asked, "Is there some connection to Joja Corporation?" Oh no, not at all," the mayor quickly reassured me. I then thought of all the young people in the valley, and how many of them had expressed a vague discontent over the lack of any changes and excitement in the village. "Your idea sounds interesting. I can be a sponsor under a few easy conditions." I finally decided. "There can be no damage to the pasture and it must end up looking exactly like it always does for the spring dance." "No problem," responded Lewis. "The track is about three cars wide. It is made out of rubber coated plastic, and comes apart in small sections. Not even a blade of grass underneath will be disturbed." "Next, this is to be a Stardew Valley event, and my name must not appear anywhere," I added. "You don't want to be mentioned, I won't mention you," continued Lewis. "Next, only those who live in Stardew Valley can be in the race." "That's what I was thinking too," agreed Lewis. Now I added the hook, "And finally, the event will be free to all attending." I could see Lewis gulp at this last request. Quite likely he and his "investor friend" had some under the table arrangement to split some profits. The traits of being upfront and honest are not Lewis's strengths. But, 10,000g was more than enough to cover any costs for the event, with money left over. There really was no need to squeeze a few more pieces of gold out of the local citizens. Lewis made a quick calculation in his head and smiled, "Sure, that's exactly what I had in mind." "So, Mr. Mayor, is there any additional fine print that I ought to know about?" "Well, would it be alright for the workmen setting up the track to cross my property? They would pick up their parts and equipment at the bus stop and head south to the pasture." "Sure, as long as they stay on my walkway," I agreed. "And one more thing. Would you care to donate 10 gold, 10 silver, and 10 copper bars so that Clint could make some trophies?" "Sure, why not. You can take them with you on your way back." I didn't emphasize the words, "way back" but I was hoping that the request list was finally over with.

The big day quickly arrived, and much of the valley turned out to see this unusual event. Haley, Emily, and I decided that we were going to be team Alex. Haley wore a wide brimmed hat and let all her curls hang down, and they were blowing in the wind. She distantly reminded me of the high fashion ladies who wear oversized hats to the horse races. We sat behind Evelyn and George, and when Alex's name was announced, we hooted and hollered, and he looked slightly embarrassed as he climbed into his car. There were five cars in the race. On the front row were Sebastian, Sam, and Abigale, followed by Alex and Maru in the second. Listening in before the race, it was definitely going to be boys versus girls, and the boys had no doubt as to who the last two finishers were going to be. The race was for 25 laps, and it was loud when all five cars were bunched together at the starting line. Lewis waved a flag, and they were off.

The first couple of laps were pretty civil, as the racers were getting used to their cars. But when Abigale passed Sam on the far turn, the competition suddenly got serious. Now, although all five were having a wonderful time (which is exactly what I had in mind when I agreed to give Lewis the green light), Maru did not show the aggressiveness of the other drivers. She didn't attack the turns, didn't mind being passed, and clearly was more in the mood for just having fun. Alex drove the steadiest, hanging around in third place for a lot of the race, but sticking close to the leaders. The remaining three went at it hammer and tongs, continually exchanging places and the lead. The southern end of the course was slightly downhill, so that the cars could really pick up speed, with a fairly tight turn to the right at the bottom. With only one lap to go, Sam was in the lead. Sebastian, in second place, chose that tight right turn to try and pass Sam. Looking over his shoulder to see Sebastian and to try and block him from passing, Sam turned too sharply and ended up colliding with Sebastian. While the two crashed cars were still entangled, Abigale and Alex zoomed past them. Finally, Sebastian broke free, but even Maru passed Sam before he could get his car straightened out and back on the track. That was the order of finish. Abigale beamed and smirked as Lewis handed her the big trophy. Alex readily accepted his silver, and Sebastian glared at Sam as he was handed the copper. These two are going to have to endure some serious Abigale gloating in the coming days.

Team Alex congratulated him on his trophy, and I pushed George through the grass, as we all walked together back to his house. Evelyn invited us in for a little celebratory snack, and we all had a couple of cookies. After dropping off Haley and Emily, I headed back to see if Lewis was keeping his word about the cleanup, and he was. Everyone was gone, except for a few workmen. The cars were gone, the stands were apart, and large portions of the track had been disconnected. Later, as I sat on my porch, I watched workmen carrying sections of the track to the bus stop. In the dark, they looked so much like a steady stream of leaf-cutter ants; each marching fully loaded heading to their nest.

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-33

Second day of winter. Hey, there's a letter in my mailbox from the mayor. He wants to show me something over at the community center this afternoon at five. As is typical for Lewis, he writes in big letters, "And don't be late." I show up on the dot, and upon opening the door discover that the place is packed, all present for a surprise birthday party for me. For me? My birthday? Honestly, I had completely forgotten. I look at Haley, and she gives me one of her cat-eats-bird smiles, with a few feathers still visible to one side. I can't help but notice her hair. Every time I see her, somehow, she wears it differently. Today, it is braided in the back, with her face framed by little yellow love curls. Gorgeous from a distance, stunning up close. In retrospect, I was so glad that I had made the correct decision to switch out of my work clothes, shower up, and put on evening wear. There are tables and chairs set up along the outer perimeter of the main room, with space for dancing in the middle. When 30 people show up with a potluck dish to share, you can imagine that food was everywhere. Gradually, I made the rounds and gave my individual attention to each of the villagers. I told Pierre that his fight with Morris will be forever etched in my memory, and that I was happy, now with the absence of Joja Corporation, his profits were up. I thanked Robin for those little gifts of wood that show up in the mail every so often. I thanked Demetrius for his odd and unusual gifts, Jodi for her garden surprises, Evelyn for her cookies, George for his stone, and Gus for his food and for just being himself.

At each stop, I squeezed in a little room on my plate for whatever special dish that they had brought. Compared to my regular fare, I'm going to eat well tonight. Finally, I found an open spot, sat down, and started to sample some of the wares. After setting their equipment up in one corner of the room, Sam, Abigale, and Sebastian started playing their band music. Not that I'm much of a dancer (please, don't even dare think flower dance), but today, I got up and out on the floor, and did my best. Probably, to spare me from embarrassment, everyone turned it into kind of a group dance, but I moved around and danced with each participant. I even lifted up Jas, who used my shoes for support. Their music didn't have many slower songs, but at last the opportunity did come for me to have a slow one with Haley. As I learned in a few moments, not really by chance. We danced, and in my arms, so close to those huge blue eyes, she felt so inviting. Quietly, one by one, everyone else moved to the side lines, until suddenly, it was just Haley and I, dancing alone in the center of the floor. At the conclusion of the dance, Haley and I stood there holding hands. Abigale picked that moment out to dish out a little drum roll, and then the whole crowd sang, "Happy Birthday." Someone yelled out, "Speech, speech," and there I was, still out front and center. I looked around at all, and began, "Stardew Valley is a very special and magical place. I feel so lucky to be the most recent person to have moved into the valley. Each and every one here has done something, or said something to make me feel like I belong here. I do believe that everyone deserves a day like you have given me on their birthday. Thank you all, with a special shout out to the organizers today." And here, I looked directly at Haley. "I certainly hope to make even stronger ties to this community in the near future. Okay, speech time is over. Who wants cake?"

While I had been talking, Caroline and Jodi had been cutting up and plating the chocolate cake. I grabbed a dish and headed over to Alex, who was scooping out the two different flavors of ice cream - cherry and vanilla. I had to have a scoop of each. Later, as for once I was sitting by myself, Alex walked over and sat on a chair next to me. "Hi, Alex. Thanks for taking on the role of Mr. Scooper." "It's no big deal. I do it all summer," Alex sighed. "Now that summer is over, I will miss having Haley talking with me. I guess that I'm a little bit jealous of you, farmer Lee. At the same time, I have never seen Haley look more radiant, and I know that it's because of you." I look at Alex, and reply, "Haley has a special talent for seeing deep into each person's heart, and I can tell you that she really likes what she sees in yours. Why do you think we were team Alex on race day? Your day will come, and I can guarantee you, you'll be really happy when it does."

Later, as I walked Emily and Haley home, I thanked them for their role in getting everyone together and setting the party up. Nothing even close to that had ever happened to me before, and this birthday was my, "Best and greatest party ever."

 

[Dr. eeL]

MIDDLEWALK-34

Every year, I look forward to the three nights when the Night Market visits the village. I cut my day short, and promptly at five, made my way to Willie's dock for an evening of fun and excitement. Along the way, a steady stream of equally energized villagers converges with me onto the wooden deck, and the night air fills with a mixture of conversations and exotic music. My first order of business is shopping, as the gondolas are filled with offerings not usually found in the village. I scan the list of wares and sometimes I buy and sometimes I do not. Next, I look at the original Lupini painting that he's offering up, to see if it catches my fancy. I have in mind a spot on my bedroom wall, next to an open window, so I want something with a lot of color in it. Tonight, he's featuring a rowboat, sitting empty in the sea, and I'm tempted. As we talk about the painting, I tell him that I saw him in the movie theater the other night when I was taking in a show with Haley. He replied that he's fond of our theater and makes a point to visit there whenever the Night Market is here. While waiting to make up my mind on the picture, I cross over the plank walkway to the mermaid's theater, taking care to watch my feet. Last year, Clint tripped where two planks came together, and fell in. There was a rush of splashing and cursing, but plenty of help was nearby, and we quickly fished the rather cold and wet blacksmith out. Even though I once gained a reward at the theater (helped out by accidentally finding a secret note lost in the mines), I still enjoy the show. But not half as much as Clint, who should have his name embossed in gold letters on the back of the front row seat, for as much time as he spends there. Back in the main shopping section, I look at the Christmas decorations. Within a couple of weeks, I'll have to put up the tree, and I scanned the selections looking for any accessories that might fit in with my Christmas décor. Not tonight.

Next to that shop was an impressive submarine. But what really caught my eye was a hand written piece of paper taped to the archerfish sign listing the prices. It said, "Rare and unusual fish, followed by, midnight squid are biting." Back at the house, I had a recipe for a midnight something, maybe it's a squid. It didn't take me long to pay the fee and step aboard.

As the submarine left the surface, there was a loud hiss of air, as pressure built up inside. Immediately, my ears started to hurt, but I swallowed, chewed, and yawned until the pain subsided. There were portholes in the sides, and looking out, I could see lots of bubbles, and some sea life being reflected off of the ship's lights. It was likely my imagination, but for a moment, maybe I saw a mermaid (maybe she was late for the show). For sure, I did see some kind of shrimp-like creatures. Next to the captain was a depth indicator, which measured how far the submarine was going down. Suddenly, there was a rather loud shaky bump, indicating that the submarine had bottomed out. As the boat settled, the captain pulled a lever, and two large doors opened up in the bottom of the submarine, revealing inky dark water below. It became clear to me that the high pressure inside the sub was what was keeping the water out. A green light came on and it was time to fish. Peering down into the water, I could see shadowy shapes moving about, and it was in anticipation of catching one of these, that I stepped up to the water's edge and cast my line in.

While waiting for a bite, there's plenty of time to talk to the captain, for with the submarine motionless on the bottom there is very little for him to do. I found out that he is a veteran of the Southern Gotoro wars, a former commander of a Ferngill Republic attack submarine and highly decorated. I tell him that we have a war veteran here in the village, and he notes that as the group travels up and down the coast, they encounter many former soldiers and sailors. Unfortunately, too many of them are scarred either physically or emotionally by their participation in the never-ending battles. He himself is still bothered by nightmares. (I wonder if my naval captain father has nightmares? If he does, they are probably about me). The captain didn't necessarily want to tell me war stories, but we were alone, and I nodded that it was okay. One night, his submarine found and torpedoed a Gotoro tanker, which caught on fire. As he watched through the periscope, the tanker's crew were forced to choose between the burning fire or the icy water. In his dreams, he can see each of their faces. One by one, he watches them forced to jump into the water, many of them now on fire. Finally, the tanker up-ends and sinks, putting an end to the horror. Just about then, I hook onto a blobfish, and again in a few minutes, a midnight squid, and fortunately, I became too busy to hear any more stories. I hoped the captain understood.

Tonight, I had a lot of luck on my side, and no sooner did I cast off the cork bobber, than something (usually a fish) latched onto the line. I was enjoying the run of good luck, so much so that I forgot to watch the time, and when I finally did look up at the clock, it was well past midnight. I told the captain that it was time to go, but submarines do not just pop to the surface, and so by the time I could open the doors and leave, it was now past one, and I'm a long way from home. Farmer Lee, meet the White Rabbit holding out his clock. We're both, "Late! Late! No important date, but so very much late!" I'm so late that I decide to take the strange man's offer, the one that sits calmly by Willie's door. I pay him his fee and Whoooo-sssh, I'm at my door, at 1:50 A.M. It's a miracle (or magic). I go on in, drop my backpack on the floor and head for bed. I'll unload it tomorrow, although the house will likely smell like dead squid for a week.