Task: Story Composition
Input (English): Fact1: degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale is ticket out of life, Fact2: best friend Lynard has simpler vision for future, Fact3: Lennie convinces Mike enjoy carefree afternoon of kicking back, Fact4: Mike loses job at local nursing home, Fact5: boys During throw caution and common sense bizarre journey to redemption and promise of better life
Output (English): Mike Bronco believes a degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a ticket out of life in a trailer park. He is determined to rise above his humble southern Illinois roots and broken home to become a clinical family therapist. His best friend Lynard Lennie Lake, has a simpler vision for the future. He is a firecracker enthusiast whose notion of the American dream is trucking school. One day, funloving Lennie convinces the seriousminded Mike to shoplift Near Beer and enjoy a carefree afternoon of kicking back. The seemingly harmless exploit snowballs into an exploding Vega an illconceived distraction, injuring store owner Ken Kenworthy and enraging his aggressive son, Rickey. The two offenders land in Jackson County Court and Mikes dreams of an exodus to the middle class and Lennys trucking career are threatened. As this transpires, Mikes mother, Linda Bronco finds she has plenty to contemplate beyond paying rent. She still grapples with how her youthful indiscretions cost her a career in nursing; her wouldbe ProWrestler husband, Jim, abruptly leaves and she loses her job at a local nursing home. Although her lifes burdens hit Linda hard, Hell will freeze over before she allows the worst to befall Mike and Lenny. Even with no money at their disposal, the Broncos and Lennie believe at first that it will take a competent, sober lawyer to keep Mikes record clean and collegeready. Next, the boys devise an ironic solution: a few trailer burglaries to raise the money to hire lawyer Ron Lake, Lennies oily, turquoiseladen, excon grandfather, to take their case. When Linda catches the boys in the middle of a burglary, she steadfastly resolves to help them out, provided their spoils will finance Mikes college tuition. As the situation grows more desperate, the boys worst fears are realized when Lindas twentysomething boyfriend to come along for the ride. The boyfriend, Brian Ross, is the town sheriffs son and a former high school football star and bully. As if it were not bad enough that Brian resumed tormenting and menacing Mike and Lenny, his ceaseless passion for exflame Sandy Lake complicates their alreadycomplex plan. Sandy, who just happens to be Rons postadolescent trophy wife and Lennies stepGrandmother to boot, has bad intentions in mind for the boys. She sees their predicament as an easy opportunity to launch her own manipulative agenda. During their bizarre journey to redemption and the promise of a better life, the boys throw all caution and common sense to the wind. With Mikes mom in tow, they execute a series of outrageouslyplotted trailer park burglaries. With bigger threats and growing confidence, the boys move on to bigger hits at the nursing home and a fast food restaurant. Then things really spin out of control with several repeat visits to court, massive explosions, guns, fire and, to top it all off, a spectacular cartrailer chase with 250,000 in loot at stake. Not surprisingly, they are also hurled into the paths of Sunrise, Illinois most colorful characters including Suzi and Suzy, a pair of damagedbutlovable townies, the crusty and outspoken Judge Pike, Carlton Rasmeth, an inept alcoholic defense counselor and Machado, an ambitious right wing prosecutor not to mention a host of good ole boys and girls who have various plans for Mike and Lenny that have nothing to do with higher education. Despite the insanity, Mike and Lennie learn significant growingup lessons in the most hilarious ways. While they tear through the highways, cornfields and courthouses of Americas heartland, their bonds of friendship and trust grow stronger. Through zany trials and instances of mistaken identity, they endure many indignities, lifethreatening situations, temptations and embarrassments. But they survive, determined to emerge with dignity, selfrespect and an unyielding sense of humor.