My Story (08/08/07)

Just on the other side of the wall from where Amelie is presently dancing, there's a beautiful sun room. Unfortunately, it had an old-style glass roof that Amelie knew from prior experience would let the snow in, in the winter. So she's just had a contractor in to reroof the room in a contemporary greenhouse style--well before the summer and fall rains begin and the winter sets in. Now she can decide about buying the fashion business.

She arrives at the store thinking customers should be going in and out, but...hmmm...there doesn't seem to be anyone around. She checks out the green sign hanging over at one side of the building. It SAYS the store is open, but what could be going on?

Still more people have come into the store and headed right for the kitchen. Maybe Amelie should open a restaurant rather than a clothing store! She checks the clothing racks, and finds that nothing is priced! No wonder nobody seems to want to buy. Amelie remedies that situation right away. She also decides to hold off on hiring any employees, until she sees how things are going to go. She still has time before she has to go to her regular "job."

Amelie has earned her first simoleon as an honest businesswomen (well...only time will tell about that). Hooray!

...third sale, and there's another customer in the wings! Amelie has decided to keep the business and run it. Maybe she'll even "quit her day job!"

Once home again, Amelie finds that it's not as late as she thinks. She has time to put up the new BBQ center she's purchased and do away with the small old one, she used to have. Then she remembers that she had been going to call and hire a maid and a gardener. Better get that done before work.

She drives off to work about an hour later.

Well, there wasn't a gaming job offered in the computer want ads, and the paper had long been thrown away, Amelie will have to wait for tomorrow (a day off) to see what she can find. Tomorrow will also give her more time to work on running the store. She really wants to get a sales badge, too.

Though Amelie still hasn't found a job in the gaming field being advertised, she has totally made up her mind to "give up her night job." With that in mind, she heads out for the store for the day.

Over in the side room by the changing booths, Amelie notices Andy looking at her two cases of rare books. She decides to sell him some of them, since he's so interested!

Jill Smith is willing to work, but it may take some time before she's as good at the register as Amelie. Oh well...as long as every customer gets served!

Dill Herb is checking out the rare books, Poppy Seed wants some perfume, and Bob Garrison evidently needs some new clothing. This store is really "the thing!"

Now a REALLY strange thing has happened! Jill Smith showed up for work again, trailing behind Cal! Amelie agrees to give her another chance, and sets her to restocking.

Evidently Rufus London enjoys rare books, too!

Amelie swims for a bit once she gets home, then decides to have a party. She invites everyone she's met at the store (except Cal, who doesn't seem to have a phone), and Dominique Traver, whom she's met on the internet. Perhaps he might be the guy she's been looking for!

Ah! Apparently it just took a while before the guests realized there was food out in the garage! Raz Berry has discovered it, and is eating his fill.

It's rather a strange gathering of people, but they at least all seem to be having a good time.

Yes! Amelie has found a job as a gamer, and will begin tomorrow at 10:00 AM! In the meantime, she's headed back to the store to see how things go for her third day as owner.

On the other hand, Jill was just walking around doing nothing because business was a bit slow, so Amelie sends HER home, too. She figures it's better not to be paying people for doing nothing.

Hmmm...evidently no chemistry there. Too bad! Barley is one of the few available bachelors in the hood!

She seems to be dealing well with just running things herself. Who needs employees?

Now here's another interesting scenario. Remember...Cal didn't come in to work when he was called--claiming that he was too tired. Then a little while later, Amelie sent Jill home FOR THE DAY. She in no way expected her two employees to just show up again, later in the day, of their own accord! However, here they are...just out of the blue! What gives?

BONUS PIC--Caught in the act! I just happened to quickly hit the "0" key to catch something on TV, and when I turned back to the computer, there was Amelie JUST over the lot line...

Amelie seems to enjoy trimming the hedges, but didn't she hire a gardener? The help in this town is sure plays by its own rules!

Hey! The gardener has finally shown. She's going at her own speed, bu, hey! She's there!

Having somehow managed to get to the store in her bathing suit (if she'd taken the taxi, that probably wouldn't have happened), Amelie runs into the restroom and grabs some spare clothing from the decor-matching locker.

Amelie has called in her employees and opened the store for the day (oh...by the way...she discovered that she was wrong--her new gaming job starts TOMORROW at 10:00 AM).  Little do the employees know they're coming in only to get the axe. Yesterday Amelie only broke even, and the employees were paid for time when they did absolutely nothing. Amelie has sworn that won't happen again.

Remembering that scene, and seeing Jill doing just what she's supposed to--restocking the perfume case after Raz buys a bottle--Amelie decides to hold off on firing her. Maybe having just ONE employee will be OK.

Since Jill seems to be working out so well, Amelie gives her one of the dresses off the rack to wear as a uniform. Now she just needs to figure out how to get one for herself!

Amelie went and looked in the mirror to change her hair and makeup back, and suddenly she was no longer wearing the dress, either!

Speaking of makeup--what's with THIS guy (Mars Walker)?

Amelie has been home and then back to the store again. It's strange how she can go home in the wee hours of the morning, only to have it still be daylight there. In order to advance her business (since she doesn't have to work until tomorrow), she has turned around and come back just as the daylight began to wane. She'll stay until it's almost morning again, and then go home. Wonder how many times she can do this before she has to go to work? Of course, she has this strange urge to type "mm" all the time (code for max motives, though she doesn't know it).

Rufus REALLY wants to go through the gate leading to the employee area. Perhaps he wants to clean things up in the kitchen or something.

Hmmm...it's just after 11, and nobody new has come in for the last several minutes. Perhaps it's time to close down again, and go home.

Venkat Howe has come in to the store. Amelie sees him get out his notepad and not look too happy. He has chosen a time when the last round of happy customers have just left, so it looks as though there aren't too many people buying. Also, Amelie hasn't had time to restock. She realizes Venkat is a local reporter, so she engages him in all sorts of conversation to cheer him up and motivate him, and something to do with power networking. In the meantime, Carmen comes in again. This could be a very dangerous situation--in more ways than one!

Venkat started to leave, but then turned around and came back, and started acting like one of the customers who needs a little help deciding what to buy, so Amelie spends a few minutes "schmoozing" him some more.  "May I help you?" she asks him (as if she's never met him before). He seems to take to that treatment very well!.  Peter is going to need his purchases rung up in a second, so she'll have to shift her attention. Hopefully things will still be good on that report!

Amelie gets in a quick "Dazzle" with Venkat, then has to rush over and ring up Pete Pepper's choices.

Venkat gets in line. He's chosen something really quickly, and Amelie is ready to ring up his purchase right away. Peter looks to be making a second choice, also. Hopefully this report is going to be EXTRA good!

Amelie spent a few minutes perking Dill up, and now he's doing the same for Tiffany Zarubin! What a deal! Usually Amelia has to really work on Tiffany to get her to buy anything.  It's just about 6 AM already. Amelie is about to close down again.

...home again...

Level 4! Business is good...again...for the third time in one day!

It's several days of opening down the line. The business is now at Rank 5. At her new day job as a gamer, Amelie is progressing just as quickly. Eventually she's going to need a few extra friends, so she should probably spend a LITTLE time socializing here at the store.

Amelie has a day off from her gamer job, and takes some time off from the store. She has a successful pool party and gets to know some of her neighbors/customers a bit better.

Then a little later, Amelie serenades Venkat, over by the Stork Hotel (no...they didn't go in).

Amelie finally arrives home late in the day, to find she has missed a day of gaming work...no matter...she can do it with her eyes closed! It was worth it! She and Venkat got engaged during their fantastic, fantabulous, wonderful, superb, everlastingly-dream date!  So...Amelie is no longer a criminal, she's running her fashion store quite successfully, she's headed up the gaming ladder, and she's engaged to Mr. Right. What more could any woman want? Well...I'll leave that to you.