Stories ] Spock in Twinbrook ]

Daddy Spock Block

Now he was a father! Spock Block was delighted.

Of course, he spent much of his time at the office these days. The Herald had had a brand new office built, and as Lead Reporter he had many Sims to interview.

And he frequently bumped into undesirables in the street.

Lego was a bright little chap with lots of long black hair.

Bored and alone in Spock's big house, Invisi found she was reaching more and more for the support of her old friends.

She often took little Lego to the Social, a disused trailer that had been converted to a community hangout in between the other immigrant trailers. There were a few toys there and he loved the place. It got pretty busy at night.

A few of Spock's articles about the trailer park were pinned on the wall. Centrally placed, framed in a glass that had once held a small watercolour painting, was his strongest piece, the one which had got him a promotion.

Twinbrook Herald

Incomers by Spock Block

...These immigrants to our fine town - they are very cliquey, supporting one another in their attempts to get work, to grow food, they even have developed what they call a "Community Garden" - a scrape of land between their trailers. Some of them, admittedly, are good at gardening and are growing food that they all can eat. This is not THEIR land. It belongs to the Twinbrook Council and they have not been given permission to make a garden there, or grow produce - usually a licence for a Community Garden takes at least three visits to the Town Hall and many hours of form-filling...

They give the impression of having a good education, and some of them are even working as prelectors in our fine town, but where that education was obtained is another matter. It is know that there is no University in Newton leFade, nor ever was. Some have the oddest foibles when it comes to spelling. Most are actually making their living by illegal hacking or as criminals. 

They live in trailers. Tiny, untidy, unhygienic. They can't help it that chemical or earth toilets stink - of course trailers are not connected to mains sewerage. Their drinking water is brought from public taps and poured into large tanks in the trailers. Their electricity is often obtained by means of illegal (and dangerous) hookups. They may not know any better - in fact, I suspect many of them have lived in far worse conditions elsewhere. As far as I have been able to find out by some in-depth interviews, most of them have moved here from Newton leFade, which we know to be a very unpleasant, Simquake-torn land. So we should be generous and not criticise these Sims who we see, eating freely from our community picnic baskets, sleeping on park benches - at least they are getting some fresh, clean, air, and we should encourage them to feel free to continue using public hygiene facilities such as the showers at the local pool. But be cautious about employing them, or becoming too friendly. You never know what might go missing.

 

Inge called Invisi over. "You married THAT?"

Invisi shrugged. "He has money, a decent house. And look at little Lego. He is worth it!"

Inge smiled. "Cutie pie."


Meggie Who