The Devil in the Details
by Jerry Ford (2017)
Genres: Fantasy | Slice of life

You have just arrived in San Francisco, no job, no family, no friends, just a letter of introduction addressed to Lucy, who offers you a lifetime of everlasting fame, fortune, happiness, or power, if you will just sign the contract she offers you. Can you outwit the devil? (Advisory: Contains sexual situations; see readme enclosed in the .zip distribution for details, or read the Help text linked to the initial title screen.)

action: %
response: by Jerry Ford (c) 2017

Pre-game options: H for game-playing tips and the Help
Getting Started menu (if
you've never played 
start)

X to start game with extra on enabled (for Interactive
Fiction newcomers--
spontaneous display of help tips when the game senses you are in trouble; enter
Any other key to start a new game

(Note: This game contains scenes with sexually agressive behavior which some
people may find offensive. For information about how to avoid these scenes
without impacting the final outcome of the game, choose H for
Help.)

The Devil in the Details version 1.0 (2017-04-17)
Intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia
0
Exits: northwest   southeast   up

"Damn," you mutter, shivering on the sidewalk.

Newly arrived in San Francisco, you know nobody, have no job prospects, no
place to live, nothing more than a letter of introduction given to you by your
Aunt Ophelia.

Now you stand in a strange neighborhood in a strange city wearing clothes that
clearly mark you as not from around here.

Your aunt's parting admonition is still fresh on your mind: "Even though you're
all grown up now, no longer a child, you're going to be far from home and there
will be some who only want to take advantage of you. Guard this letter
addressed."

It took your last two dollars to ride the bus to the Bernal Heights neighborhood. After wandering around looking at street signs for what seemed
like hours, you now find yourself at the corner of Coleridge and Eugenia,
clutching the envelope in your hand tightly, wondering what to do next.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.
Intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia
1
Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You are at the intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia, where the Bernal Heights
neighborhood starts to rise up from the Mission.

Once a Mexican land grant rancho owned by Jose Cornelio de Bernal, for whom the
area is named, the mostly residential Bernal Heights neighborhood anchors the
sunny southeastern corner of the modern city, just north of Hunter's Point and
Candlestick, and just south and east of the Mission district.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.
action: About yourself
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

The flimsy clothing you wear--a tee shirt, a pair of flip flops, and a pair of
cargo pants--provides little protection against the cold, damp fog that
frequently rolls in from the ocean to cover the city, to the consternation of
tourists and resulting amusement of the local population.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You are wearing a tee shirt, a pair of flip flops, and a pair of cargo pants,
and carrying an envelope.
action: You examine the envelope
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

The envelope is of a high-quality linen-based paper, the kind seldom seen any
more. It is a light pink in color and smells faintly of roses.

It was given to you by your Aunt Ophelia when you left to find fame and fortune
in California.

"It's a letter of introduction that will be sure to open doors for you," she
told you as you bade her goodbye. "It was written by my dearest friend's
daughter's boyfriend's mother. Guard it as a most prized possession and only
give it to someone you are certain can advance your station."

With that, she closed the door and left you standing on the front porch.

The envelope is open.

Neatly printed on the face of the envelope is the following...

San Francisco, California
action: You read the letter
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

With a whisper of guilt echoing in the back of your mind--it's not addressed to
me, it's someone else's mail, I shouldn't be doing this--you
remove the letter
from the envelope and read the simple almost childlike yet neatly written
cursive:

from the very bottom of my heart to be honorable, honest,
trustworthy, and
kind, and a hardworking person who I'm sure you will find perfect
for any task
you may wish to assign.

You quickly refold the letter and put it back in the envelope.
action: You go up
response: Exits: down   in

You cross the street, flip flops flapping beneath your feet making a muffled
slap-slap-slapping sound with each step, and climb the long flight of steps up
to the entry way.

As you face the building, you see three doors standing side by side by side.

Brass numbers identify the door to the north (on your left) as 300a, the door
straight ahead as 300b, and the door to the south (on your right) as 300c.
Each door has an accompanying door bell next to it.

Back down the steps is the street corner.

Centered about waist high on each door is a horizontal opening covered by a
hinged, brass flap, an old-fashioned mail slot.
action: Ring 300b
response: Exits: down   in

As you press the button for the doorbell to 300b, you hear a faint ding dong
from behind the door. There is no answer.

Maybe I should come back later, you think.
action: You put the letter in the slot
response: Exits: down   in

Which do you want to put it in, the mail slot for 300a, the mail slot for 300b,
or the mail slot for 300c?
action: You put the letter in the slot 300b
response: Exits: down   in

You turn to face the building. You raise the brass flap that covers the mail
slot and insert the envelope into the opening. When you release the flap, it
snaps shut with a loud clap and the envelope disappears.

You take a half step back to ponder your next move, and...

Click! You hear what sounds like a door latch and the door
to 300b swings
open, almost as if you were being invited in. Except you see nobody at the
door.
action: You go north
response: Exits: down   in

You can't go that way. From here you could go down or in.
action: Enter
response: You step through the open door.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.
action: You go up
response: Exits: southwest   down

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.
action: You examine the sofa
response: Exits: southwest   down

Along the wall opposite and facing the desk is an upholstered leather couch.
action: You search it
response: Exits: southwest   down

You find nothing of interest on the sofa.
action: You examine the desk
response: Exits: southwest   down

A large, polished wood desk befitting a banker or stock broker is the most
prominent piece of furniture in the room.
action: Search desk
response: Exits: southwest   down

You find nothing of interest on the desk.

"Hello, hello, hello," a deep feminine voice booms out from...you don't quite
know where, but it sounds oddly remote, yet somehow close. The next room,
perhaps.
action: You go to the southwest
response: Exits: northeast

The bedroom contains no bed, only a dresser, a free-standing wardrobe, a full-
length mirror on a stand, and three brass floor lamps evenly spaced around a
plush, deep-piled, solid black circular rug.

An overhead light hanging on a chain gives the illusion of a spotlit stage.

A door leads northeast to the living room.
action: You look at the rug
response: Exits: northeast

Some six feet in diameter, the black circular rug appears at first glance to be
a bottomless pit in the center of the room. But as your eyes adjust to the
light, you see it is a very plush, deep pile carpet.
action: You pull the carpet
response: Exits: northeast

Pulling the rug has no effect.
action: You sit on the carpet
response: Bedroom (sitting on the rug)
19
Exits: northeast

You sit on the rug.
action: You stand
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
20
Exits: northeast

You stand up.
action: You get the rug
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
21
Exits: northeast

A puff of dust escapes from beneath the rug as you lift an edge. "Phew!" you
say, wrinkling your nose. "Better not be moving that."
action: You examine wardrobe
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
22
Exits: northeast

A free-standing wardrobe some six feet tall by six feet wide by three feet deep
stands against one wall of the room.
action: You look at the mirror
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
23
Exits: northeast

Standing in a corner between the dresser and the wardrobe is a six-foot tall
three-foot wide mirror on a stand that tilts in its stand, on pivots at either
side.
action: You look in mirror
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
24
Exits: northeast

Staring back at you from within the mirror is a person wearing a pair of cargo
pants, the dirty old tee shirt you have been wearing since leaving home, and a
pair of flip flops.
action: You go northeast
response: Exits: southwest   down

You step out of the circle of light, off of the rug.

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.

"Sit, sit, sit," the voice commands.
action: You sit on the sofa
response: Living Room (sitting on the sofa)
26
Exits: southwest   down

The soft leather caresses your legs luxuriously as you sink into the sofa's
deep cushions. Ahhhh, you sigh, this feels so right!
Maybe I should stay here
and wait for awhile and see what happens.

You wait. You start to fidget. A flash of light floods the room then immediately subsides.

When your eyes readjust, you see a woman seated in the leather chair behind the
desk.

"Don't sit so far away," she says in a regal tone of voice, "Sit over here, in
the light. In front of the desk. In the director's chair."
action: You sit in director'S
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
27
Exits: southwest   down

You sit in the director's chair.

"Not from around here, are you? Well, never mind." She waves the envelope you
shoved through the mail slot then takes a thick file out of her desk.

"Standard contract I assure you, I'll just fill in some blanks while we talk,"
she says as she opens the folder.

"First things first, boy or girl? Don't get your panties in a bunch, there's a
place on the form, it's gotta be, boy, girl--oh, don't huff, I know we're all
adults here, just my way of speaking is all--or you could decline to state. I
don't advise that, it would severely limit my options to help, you know? So.
Boy? Girl? Or--and I say this with nothing but the utmost respect--are you
going to ignore my counsel and decline to state?"

(You could say male, say female or decline to state)
action: Wordsmith
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
28
Exits: southwest   down

"No, dear. It's boy, girl, or...?"

(You could say male, say female or decline to state)
action: Decline
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
29
Exits: southwest   down

Her head snaps up.

"Doesn't matter to me what you think you ought to be, but either you go to the
boy's room or you go to the girl's room when you gotta pee, right? Only other
option is out back by the garbage cans but you don't want to go there, do you?
Of course not. So, again, boy, girl, or...?"

(You could say male, say female or decline to state)
action: Decline
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
30
Exits: southwest   down

"And your first name is...?"

(You could say your first name)
action: Decline
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
31
Exits: southwest   down

"Okay, Decline," Lucy says. "Last name?"

(You could say your last name)
action: Club
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
31
Exits: southwest   down

"Okay, Club," Lucy says. "Last name?"

(You could say your last name)
action: Floyd
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
32
Exits: southwest   down

"All righty," Lucy says. "You are a person named Club Floyd, a personage of no
particular gender. Is that correct?"

(You could say yes; or say no)
action: Yes
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
33
Exits: southwest   down

"Excellent. Excellent." she says in a voice that is almost a purr.

"So, now, Club, my love, here's where the rubber meets the road." Lucy winks at
you.

"You get to tell me your most precious secret longing. What turns you on,
presses your buttons, makes you quiver all over with desire? Fame? Fortune?
Power? 'Happiness'?" (making air quotes with her fingers)
"Tell me!"

You are dazzled. Your head swims. She persists.

"Tell me, dear, what do you want out of life?"

(You could say your most cherished desire)
action: Interactive fiction
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
34
Exits: southwest   down

"No, no, no, dear," Lucy says. "Fame, fortune, power or happiness--those are
the things I offer. Now, what'll it be?"

(You could say your most cherished desire)
action: No
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
36
Exits: southwest   down

"I...really, I should read it first," you say haltingly. "I mean, read first,
sign after, isn't that what lawyers always say?"

"Lawyers, pfah!" she replies angrily. "Dear, if you're not
going to trust me,
our relationship is not going to work. If you want a lifetime of happiness,
sign that contract, otherwise stop wasting my time. Go on back to Kansas or
Nebraska or wherever it is you're from and fry hamburgers for a living. So,
now, what'll it be, sweetie, are you going to sign?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: No
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
37
Exits: southwest   down

"Trust me, dear," Lucy says, "it's for the best. Now, will you please take the
pen?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: No
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
38
Exits: southwest   down

"Here," Lucy says with some exasperation. "Will you please take the pen?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: No
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
39
Exits: southwest   down

"Please stop wasting my time," she says with growing annoyance. "Are you going
to take the pen?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: Continue
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
40
Exits: southwest   down

"I'm getting tired of this, dear," she says. "My help comes with a price, you
either sign the contract or we will have to part ways. Now. Are you or are
you not going to take take the pen?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: Keep going
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
41
Exits: southwest   down

"If you're not serious about receiving my help, dear, I have other things to
do," she says in a low, menacing voice. "Now. Are you going take the pen?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: No
response: She sits back in her chair and glares at you through narrowed eyes. Her smile
has become frozen, humorless. Then her face softens and she says...

"Why of course, dearie, of course you can read it like they
say you should, you
just take it on back to Nebraska or Kansas or wherever it is you came from, and
you read to your heart's content. Then when you think you've understood all of
the lawyerly convulations and obfuscations and clausifications and you are
ready to sign up for a life of happiness beyond the wildest imaginations your
drab little homebody surroundings can conjure, then you come on back here, and
I'll see if I can't squeeze out some precious time from my
very busy schedule
to revisit this most generous offering that we've worked so
very hard on here
today."
action: R.
response: %% Enter a save filename to read:
action: No
response: Failed: the position could not be restored.

Game not restored; start from beginning? (Y or N)
Runtime error: wrong number of arguments
cheaptads quit with exit status: 0
action: %
response: by Jerry Ford (c) 2017

Pre-game options: H for game-playing tips and the Help
Getting Started menu (if
you've never played 
start)

X to start game with extra on enabled (for Interactive
Fiction newcomers--
spontaneous display of help tips when the game senses you are in trouble; enter
Any other key to start a new game

(Note: This game contains scenes with sexually agressive behavior which some
people may find offensive. For information about how to avoid these scenes
without impacting the final outcome of the game, choose H for
Help.)

The Devil in the Details version 1.0 (2017-04-17)
Intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia
0
Exits: northwest   southeast   up

"Damn," you mutter, shivering on the sidewalk.

Newly arrived in San Francisco, you know nobody, have no job prospects, no
place to live, nothing more than a letter of introduction given to you by your
Aunt Ophelia.

Now you stand in a strange neighborhood in a strange city wearing clothes that
clearly mark you as not from around here.

Your aunt's parting admonition is still fresh on your mind: "Even though you're
all grown up now, no longer a child, you're going to be far from home and there
will be some who only want to take advantage of you. Guard this letter
addressed."

It took your last two dollars to ride the bus to the Bernal Heights neighborhood. After wandering around looking at street signs for what seemed
like hours, you now find yourself at the corner of Coleridge and Eugenia,
clutching the envelope in your hand tightly, wondering what to do next.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.
action: You go up
response: Exits: down   in

You cross the street, flip flops flapping beneath your feet making a muffled
slap-slap-slapping sound with each step, and climb the long flight of steps up
to the entry way.

As you face the building, you see three doors standing side by side by side.

Brass numbers identify the door to the north (on your left) as 300a, the door
straight ahead as 300b, and the door to the south (on your right) as 300c.
Each door has an accompanying door bell next to it.

Back down the steps is the street corner.

Centered about waist high on each door is a horizontal opening covered by a
hinged, brass flap, an old-fashioned mail slot.
action: Ring 300a
response: Exits: down   in

You turn to face the building. Ding dong you hear from
within. It is
unanswered. Perhaps nobody is home.
action: You put the letter in the slot 300a
response: Exits: down   in

You raise the brass flap covering the slot and insert the letter of introduction into the opening. As the flap snaps shut, you experience a moment
of panic.

My letter of introduction! you think. I don't have it
any more! Did I do the
right thing? What if I put it in the wrong slot?

You feel a tingling sensation in the vicinity of your pocket.
action: R.
response: (rq)
%% Enter a data filename to read:
action: Ring 300c
response: Exits: down   in

You hear nothing from inside other than the faint sound of the doorbell
chiming. Nobody comes to the door.
action: You look at the pocket
response: Exits: down   in

Which do you mean, the left pocket or the right pocket?
action: You look in the left pocket
response: Exits: down   in

In the pocket you see an envelope.
action: You examine the envelope
response: Exits: down   in

The envelope is of a high-quality linen-based paper, the kind seldom seen any
more. It is a light pink in color and smells faintly of roses.

It was given to you by your Aunt Ophelia when you left to find fame and fortune
in California.

"It's a letter of introduction that will be sure to open doors for you," she
told you as you bade her goodbye. "It was written by my dearest friend's
daughter's boyfriend's mother. Guard it as a most prized possession and only
give it to someone you are certain can advance your station."

With that, she closed the door and left you standing on the front porch.

The envelope is open.

Neatly printed on the face of the envelope is the following...

San Francisco, California
action: You put the letter in 300b
response: Exits: down   in

You raise the brass flap that covers the mail slot and insert the envelope into
the opening. When you release the flap, it snaps shut with a loud clap and the
envelope disappears.

You take a half step back to ponder your next move, and...

Click! You hear what sounds like a door latch and the door
to 300b swings
open, almost as if you were being invited in. Except you see nobody at the
door.
action: Enter
response: You step through the open door.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.
action: You examine the director'S
response: You see no director's, either because there is nothing here
to see or perhaps
you just need to look around your environment more closely.
action: You go up
response: Exits: southwest   down

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.
action: You examine the director'S
response: Exits: southwest   down

A chrome and leather director's chair is placed directly in front of the desk.
The desk lamp is tilted so that the chair is in the spotlight.
action: You sit in executive
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
12
Exits: southwest   down

You slowly lower yourself into the luxurious leather cushion. You soon become
uncomfortable, thought, sitting in such a chair--clearly someone else's
chair&mdashbehind such a desk.
action: You sit in the director'S
response: Exits: southwest   down

You sit in the director's chair.

You fidget. You squirm. You feel uncomfortable sitting so long, waiting. You
stand up.
action: You look at the lamp
response: Exits: southwest   down

Which do you mean, the desk lamp or the wall sconce?
action: Desk
response: Exits: southwest   down

A lamp made of polished brass, with a translucent, green clamshell shade, rests
on one corner of the desk, its shade tilted so that the focal point of the
projected light is on the leather and chrome director's chair in front of the
desk.

"Hello, hello, hello," a deep feminine voice booms out from...you don't quite
know where, but it sounds oddly remote, yet somehow close. The next room,
perhaps.
action: You go to the southwest
response: Exits: northeast

The bedroom contains no bed, only a dresser, a free-standing wardrobe, a full-
length mirror on a stand, and three brass floor lamps evenly spaced around a
plush, deep-piled, solid black circular rug.

An overhead light hanging on a chain gives the illusion of a spotlit stage.

A door leads northeast to the living room.
action: You go to the northeast
response: Exits: southwest   down

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.

"Sit, sit, sit," the voice commands.
action: You sit on the director'S
response: Exits: southwest   down

"No, dear, not there, not yet," the voice says. "Over there, over there!"

You look around for a place to sit and see an executive chair behind the desk,
a director's chair in front of the desk, and a sofa pushed against a wall.
action: You sit on the sofa
response: Living Room (sitting on the sofa)
18
Exits: southwest   down

The soft leather caresses your legs luxuriously as you sink into the sofa's
deep cushions. Ahhhh, you sigh, this feels so right!
Maybe I should stay here
and wait for awhile and see what happens.

You wait. You start to fidget. A flash of light floods the room then immediately subsides.

When your eyes readjust, you see a woman seated in the leather chair behind the
desk.

"Don't sit so far away," she says in a regal tone of voice, "Sit over here, in
the light. In front of the desk. In the director's chair."

"Ahhh..." you groan, "I just..."

"My house, my rules," she says with a hint of smugness. "You're my guest, you
do as I tell you. Sit in the chair."
action: You sit in the director'S
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
19
Exits: southwest   down

You sit in the director's chair.

"Not from around here, are you? Well, never mind." She waves the envelope you
shoved through the mail slot then takes a thick file out of her desk.

"Standard contract I assure you, I'll just fill in some blanks while we talk,"
she says as she opens the folder.

"First things first, boy or girl? Don't get your panties in a bunch, there's a
place on the form, it's gotta be, boy, girl--oh, don't huff, I know we're all
adults here, just my way of speaking is all--or you could decline to state. I
don't advise that, it would severely limit my options to help, you know? So.
Boy? Girl? Or--and I say this with nothing but the utmost respect--are you
going to ignore my counsel and decline to state?"

(You could say male, say female or decline to state)
action: Decline
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
20
Exits: southwest   down

Her head snaps up.

"Doesn't matter to me what you think you ought to be, but either you go to the
boy's room or you go to the girl's room when you gotta pee, right? Only other
option is out back by the garbage cans but you don't want to go there, do you?
Of course not. So, again, boy, girl, or...?"

(You could say male, say female or decline to state)
action: Continue
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
21
Exits: southwest   down

"Well, you gotta at least have a name...you gotta have a name, right? Everybody's got a name...mine's Lucy. What's yours?"

(You could say your first name)
action: Club
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
22
Exits: southwest   down

"Okay, Club," Lucy says. "Last name?"

(You could say your last name)
action: Floyd
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
23
Exits: southwest   down

"All righty," Lucy says. "You are a person named Club Floyd, a personage of no
particular gender. Is that correct?"

(You could say yes; or say no)
action: Yes
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
24
Exits: southwest   down

"Excellent. Excellent." she says in a voice that is almost a purr.

"So, now, Club, my love, here's where the rubber meets the road." Lucy winks at
you.

"You get to tell me your most precious secret longing. What turns you on,
presses your buttons, makes you quiver all over with desire? Fame? Fortune?
Power? 'Happiness'?" (making air quotes with her fingers)
"Tell me!"

You are dazzled. Your head swims. She persists.

"Tell me, dear, what do you want out of life?"

(You could say your most cherished desire)
action: Happiness
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
25
Exits: southwest   down

"Excellent choice." Lucy beams. "Excellent. It's exactly
what I would have
chosen for you! Now that's settled, we need to move on to the boring stuff.
Are you ready? Oh, no, dear, you don't need to bother with that, it'd take way
too long to read every little bitty detail in that big old contract, it's just
technical legalese, all you need to do is just sign, let me take care of the
details. So now then, are you ready to sign?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: You take the pen
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
26
Exits: southwest   down

In your haste to take the instrument, the pen point jabs your thumb.

"Ow!" you say quietly, putting the thumb to your mouth. "That burns!"

Lucy pushes the contract toward you. "Sign right here."

"Trust me, dear," Lucy says, "it's for the best. Now, will you please just
sign the contract?"

(You could say yes; or say no)
action: Y.
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
27
Exits: southwest   down

"Excellent, excellent," Lucy says. "You've made a wise and sensible choice,
Club my dear, and I just know the happiness headed your way at this very moment
will do us both proud. Now sign the contract" -- she points to a signature
line -- "right here and be on your way to a fabulous life of never ending
happiness! Oh, you lucky person!"
action: You read the contract
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
28
Exits: southwest   down

"Oh, don't bother with that," Lucy says brusquely. "Standard whereases and
wherefores and so on and so forth--say, you're not the kind of person who reads
every EULA of every app in your phone, are you? No, me neither, that's all
just meaningless gobbledygook no one but a lawyer can ever hope to understand.
You and I, we're better than that, we have a person to person understanding
that transcends all that blather. Just the last page, darling, just sign
right...there," she says, tapping the signature block on the last page of the
stack.
action: You look at the contract
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
29
Exits: southwest   down

A stack of papers half an inch thick fills a file folder spread out on the
desk.
action: You sign the contract
response: Exits: southwest   down

With a slightly trembling hand, you sign the document.

"Excellent!" Lucy says, putting the contract away in her desk. "Now. Let's
see about sprucing you up a bit. Come on, follow me into the next room."

You get off of the chair.
action: Go southwest
response: Exits: southwest   down

"Not so fast there," Lucy says, reaching an arm out to bar your way. "My
house, my rules. I said follow me."
action: You follow Lucy
response: You follow Lucy.

The bedroom contains no bed, only a dresser, a free-standing wardrobe, a full-
length mirror on a stand, and three brass floor lamps evenly spaced around a
plush, deep-piled, solid black circular rug.

An overhead light hanging on a chain gives the illusion of a spotlit stage.

A door leads northeast to the living room.

"Well, now, let's take a look at you," Lucy says, shaking her head, pouting
like a disapproving mother rejecting a child's choice of dress.

"No, this won't do at all. Get over there, on the rug!" She gives you a nudge
in the direction of the rug in the center of the room.

"Step into the light and strip," she commands.

"Strip?" you say in surprise. "You mean..."

"Yes, I mean..." she says. "Oh, come on, Club. We're adults, right? If I'm
Bedroom
32
Exits: northeast
to help you get everlasting happiness, you need to look like
you deserve it.
Which means you need to shed those ugly rags so I can outfit you appropriately.
Now strip, then pick out something better."

(You could ask her about some privacy)
action: You ask about the privacy
response: Exits: northeast

"Uh...here? Um...in front of you?" you ask shyly. "Um, isn't that...uh, can I
have some privacy, please?"

She looks at you quizzically. "Oh, my, why...I thought you were...well,
perhaps I misjudged you. Of course you can have some privacy, if you really
think you need it. It might alter our relationship some, if I knew you
couldn't...won't trust me. Oh, don't worry, it doesn't mean we can't work
together, just...a little bit differently than I expected, that's all. So.
Really, dear? Do you really need me to leave the room?"

(You could say stay; or ask her what will change; or say yes)
action: You ask about change
response: Exits: northeast

"Come on, dear," Lucy says. "We don't have all day."

(You could say stay; or ask her what will change; or say yes)
action: You ask what will change
response: Exits: northeast

"Changes? Between us? I don't want..." you say. "I mean, what would change?"

She waves a hand casually in the air as though dismissing the thought. "Oh, I
just meant, choices made often have unintended consequences, that's all. Don't
worry, nothing of substance will change, you'll still get your happiness.
Things will just be different. Some things, grownup things, things of a more
mature nature, may happen to us--any of us--other things may not happen, based
on what we decide at any moment of any day. But if you're uncomfortable with
the idea of consensual adult behaviors, such as, for one example, you and me in
the same room while you dress, well, perhaps you'll feel more uncomfortable as
time and circumstances evolve. Maybe it's best we establish boundaries now
rather than later. So, do you want me to go?"

(You could say stay; or say yes)
action: Yes
response: Exits: northeast

"Yes, please," you reply. "I'm sure."

"Very well, then," she says, leaving the room. "I'll be in the next room.
Strip, get dressed in some new things, and come on out when you're ready."
action: You open the wardrobe
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
37
Exits: northeast

You step onto the rug and open the closet.

The closet contains a collection of jeans, shirts, men's shoes and women's
shoes.
action: Jeans
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
38
Exits: northeast

The jeans are blue, low waisted, made of the finest corduroy with a classic
pattern.
action: You take the jeans
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
39
Exits: northeast

You take a pair of blue corduroy classic low waisted jeans out of the closet.
action: You wear the jeans
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
40
Exits: northeast

The jeans won't fit over what you are already wearing.
action: Strip
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
41
Exits: northeast

You remove your clothing and toss everything into a dark corner. You hear a
soft sound almost like a hiss, and you think you detect a scent of...sulfurous
smoke? The smell quickly dissipates. The clothing you just removed is no
longer visible.
action: You wear the jeans
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
42
Exits: northeast

You put the jeans on.
action: You examine the shirts
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
43
Exits: northeast

The shirt is yellow, traditional, made of the finest knit with a solid-color
pattern.
action: You wear the shirt
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
44
Exits: northeast

You take a yellow knit solid-color traditional shirt out of the closet.

You put the shirt on.
action: You look in the mirror
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
45
Exits: northeast

Staring back at you from within the mirror is a person wearing a pair of jeans
and a shirt.
action: You wear the shoes
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
45
Exits: northeast

Which do you mean, the black penny loafer polka dot leather women's shoes or
the tan penny loafer solid finish canvas men's shoes?
action: You wear the man'S
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
45
Exits: northeast

Your request was not clear. Can you rephrase it?
action: You wear the women'S
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
46
Exits: northeast

You take a pair of black leather polka dot penny loafer women's shoes out of
the closet.

You put the women's shoes on.
action: Go northeast
response: You step out of the circle of light, off of the rug.

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.

You stand in the living room.

Lucy stands at the top of the stairs leading to the exit. "Now you look
presentable," she says, waving her hand toward the door, indicating it's time
Living Room
47
Exits: southwest   down
action: Go downward
response: Exits: southwest   down

"My pen?" Lucy asks with outstretched hand.
action: You examine the pen
response: Exits: southwest   down

The pen is the first fountain pen you've ever actually seen much less touched,
an elegant, sleek writing instrument from another age, a dark cherry wood
cylinder with gold tip.
action: You give the pen to Lucy
response: Exits: southwest   down

"That's a valuable family heirloom. It belonged to Daniel Webster," Lucy says
as she takes the pen, "and a crochety old money-lender in colonial Boston name
of Tom Walker before that."

"Webster, huh?" you say. "The dictionary guy? Sweet!"

She flashes a look as though she sees baby drool dribbling off your chin, then
she says brightly, "Google it, dear..." and her voice trails off into the
ether.

Then, after a moment's silence, her face brightens once again with a broad
smile as she waves toward the front door at the bottom of the stairs.

"All righty, then, sweetie, let's see about getting you some happiness."
action: Go downwards
response: Lucy follows you down the stairs from the living room to the front door. At
the bottom of the stairs, she reaches around you and opens the door.

She shoves an old brown leather wallet and an envelope into your pocket.

"What's this? What do I do?" you ask.

"The bus, dear," Lucy smiles. "Take the bus. Maybe in time, if you climb up
high enough on the ladder of life, get a place in, say, Pacific Heights, why,
you'd be able to go in style, ride everywhere in taxis. We'll see, we'll see--
but for now, the bus will have to do."

From here, you can go out to the landing, then down the stairs to the street
corner. Or, you could go back up, to the living room.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.

Lucy stares at you with a critical eye as though appraising your new look.
action: Go outside
response: Exits: down   in

You step out onto the landing at the top of the steps from the street, in front
of the building.

Behind you, as you stand looking over the intersection below, are three doors
standing side by side by side.

Stairs go down to the street corner at the intersection of Coleridge and
Eugenia.

"Well, then, good bye, dear, and good luck," Lucy says. She steps back inside
and closes the door.
action: You go down
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You go down the steps to the street.

You are at the intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia, where the Bernal Heights
neighborhood starts to rise up from the Mission.

Once a Mexican land grant rancho owned by Jose Cornelio de Bernal, for whom the
area is named, the mostly residential Bernal Heights neighborhood anchors the
sunny southeastern corner of the modern city, just north of Hunter's Point and
Candlestick, and just south and east of the Mission district.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.

"Well," you say aloud, "what now?"
action: You examine the wallet
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

The bifold wallet is closed. It shows frayed corners and cracks of age etched
into the brown leather.
action: You open it
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You take the wallet out of your pocket and flip it open.

Opening the wallet reveals a credit card, a debit card, a driver's license, a
note, and MUNI fast pass.
action: You look at the muni
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

The San Francisco Municipal Railway Fast Pass, with the optional BART extension, provides unlimited use of all buses, streetcars and cable cars.
action: You look at the note
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

The sticky note bears a handwritten inscription.
action: You read note
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up
action: Inventory
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You are wearing a shirt, a pair of women's shoes, and a pair of jeans (on which
are two pockets), and carrying a wallet (in which are a credit card, a debit
card, a driver's license, a note, and MUNI fast pass).

Where is that envelope? you wonder. Lucy said she...oh,
yeah, she put it in a
pocket.
action: You get the envelope
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You take the letter of introduction.
action: You examine it
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

The stationary is made of a plain white stock of the type commonly used for
business correspondence.

The letter is open.

Neatly printed on the face of the envelope is the following...

Mr. Bill Sabub

San Francisco, California
action: You read the letter
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

Which do you mean, the letter text or the envelope?
action: Text
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

Mr. Bill Sabub

San Francisco, California

Dear Bill,

Please allow me to introduce Club Floyd, an ambitious young person seeking
happiness, who I hold in highest esteem and hope you will
too.

I'm interested in moving my friend into something nice. And
remember a favor
for Club is a favor for me.

XOXOXO, Lucy
action: You look around
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You are at the intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia, where the Bernal Heights
neighborhood starts to rise up from the Mission.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.
action: You go to the north-west
response: Exits: northeast   southeast

You walk down a slight hill to the northwest. The relative quiet of residential Coleridge gives way to the cacophony of commerce.

From Mission Street, Coleridge is a short walk up a slight hill to the southeast.

Mission is a busy four-lane thoroughfare, two in each direction all of them
full--trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, all jostling for position, running
from the northeast to the southwest.

In the bus stop enclosure on the curb, a crowd of people huddles out of the
wind.
action: Enter
response: Exits: northeast   southeast

You can't go that way. From here you could go northeast or southeast.
action: You enter the bus stop
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  66
Exits: northeast   southeast

"Please," you say, "excuse me, can I just..."

You wiggle into the crowded enclosure.

"Yo, watch where you step, huh?" grunts a young guy with stringy brown hair, a
wispy goatee and thickly muscled arms and neck. He turns sideways to let you
pass into the shelter and out of the wind. "Not on the toes, yo?"

"How long until the next bus?" you ask no one in particular.

An anonymous voice in the crowd answers, "It's MUNI. Who knows how long?
Wait, wait, and wait some more!" A murmur of quiet laughter ripples through the
gathering.

You stand elbow to elbow with your fellow bus patrons and wait.
action: You examine patrons
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  67
Exits: northeast   southeast

The enclosure offers a promise of shelter from the weather--wind and cold fog,
or hot sun, depending. It is already full of people. There is little space on
the bench to sit, hardly any space to stand without stepping on someone's toes.

You are cold. You wear blue corduroy jeans, a yellow knit shirt and black
leather women's shoes.

"Where 'at damn bus, anyhow?" a voice in the crowd grumbles.
action: You wait for a while
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  68
Exits: northeast   southeast

Time passes.
action: You look at the schedule
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  68
Exits: northeast   southeast

You see no schedule, either because there is nothing here to
see or perhaps you
just need to look around your environment more closely.
action: Look around
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  69
Exits: northeast   southeast

Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop enclosure)
From Mission Street, Coleridge is a short walk up a slight hill to the southeast.

Mission runs from the northeast to the southwest.

In the bus stop enclosure on the curb, a crowd of people huddles out of the
wind.

You are in the bus stop enclosure.

"Damn bus not never on time," grumbles a voice in the crowd.
action: You wait for the bus
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  70
Exits: northeast   southeast

Time passes.
action: You look at letter
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  70
Exits: northeast   southeast

Which do you mean, the letter text or the envelope?
action: Envelope
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  71
Exits: northeast   southeast

The stationary is made of a plain white stock of the type commonly used for
business correspondence.

The letter is open.

Neatly printed on the face of the envelope is the following...

Mr. Bill Sabub

San Francisco, California

A bus pulls up to the curb, destination sign above the windshield proclaiming,
49 Rte: Van Ness to Lombard.
action: You enter the bus
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
72
Exits: out

You step back out of the designated waiting area.

You step aboard the bus, take the bus pass out of your wallet, show the driver
the pass, and move into the interior of the bus. There are no empty seats.

You put the pass back into your wallet and the wallet back into your pocket,
then quickly reach for a pole. The bus lurches away from the curb and muscles
its way into traffic.

"Ow! Watch the toes, huh?" grumbles the person next to you.
action: You wait for a while
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
73
Exits: out

You are thrown off balance as the bus swoops into the curb for a brief reload,
then sweeps back out into traffic.

The bus jounces along through heavy traffic. As passengers bounce into one
another, you feel a hand groping you.

A hot breath blows in your ear. You turn your head slightly and smell stale
cigarettes and beer.

"Yo, bitch, give it up."

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 24th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.

(You could say help or say you don't want any trouble)
action: You say don'T want any the trouble
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
74
Exits: out

"I don't want trouble," you say. "I just want to ride quietly, mind my own
business, you know? Please. Let me go."

"Shee-ite," he chortles. "You just wanna...here, gimme that, huh?" He tugs at
the wallet in your pocket.

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.

(You could say help)
action: You say Help
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
75
Exits: out

"Please, somebody, help me?" you plead, as the bus lurches away from the curb
to continue its journey.

Yanking the wallet out of your pocket, the thug takes the envelope Lucy gave
you for good measure then pushes you into the pole next to the door. Your
clothing rips. You scrape your jaw. An elderly woman screams, "I just called
911, you better get yo butt outta here 'fo the cops come 'n throw yo bony ass
in jail."

The thug snarls, "Dumb ass cops be here in maybe an hour
if you lucky."

He thrusts a knee into your groin. He pushes open the doors and leaps off the
bus as it is still rolling up to the curb.

You are thrown off balance as the bus swoops into the curb for a brief reload,
then sweeps back out into traffic.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 13th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: Inventory
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
76
Exits: out

You are wearing a shirt, a pair of women's shoes, and a pair of jeans (on which
are two pockets).

Passengers jostle you as they stream for the doors, then a fresh horde crowds
in. You grip the pole tightly, unwilling to give up space.

The woman who came to your aid approaches you. "Child, your face is bleeding,
your clothes are torn, is there somewhere you need to go to get some help?"

"I'll be all right," you reply, though you're not sure if that's true. "Maybe
Lucy can help. I need to go back to Lucy's flat"

"All right, dear," she says, "you go on to this Lucy person, and god bless her
if she can help. If you just wait here on the bus, it'll take you back to
where you started. Otherwise, you'll have to pay another fare and, well, I'm
afraid that thug stole your wallet, didn't he? Now I got to be on my way." She
fades into the crowd and disappears from view.
action: You wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
77
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Lombard at Van Ness. You could get out or you
could wait for the next stop.
action: Continue
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
78
Exits: out

You are thrown off balance as the bus swoops into the curb for a brief reload,
then sweeps back out into traffic.
action: Continue
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
79
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 13th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: Continue
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
80
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.
action: Continue
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
81
Exits: out

"Ow! Watch the toes, huh?" grumbles the person next to you.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 24th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: You keep going
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
82
Exits: out

"Ooof! Hey! Watch it, huh, bub," you hear a growl in your ear as you stumble
into someone's chest.
action: Continue
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
83
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at Eugenia. You could get out or
you could wait for the next stop.
action: You get off the bus
response: Exits: northeast   southeast

You get off of the bus at Mission at Eugenia.

The doors close behind you. The bus remains at the curb. Must be
the driver's
break time, you think.
action: You go southeast
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You are at the intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia, where the Bernal Heights
neighborhood starts to rise up from the Mission.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.
action: You go upwards
response: Exits: down   in

You go up the steps to the entry way.

As you face the building, you see three doors standing side by side by side.

Brass numbers identify the door to the north (on your left) as 300a, the door
straight ahead as 300b, and the door to the south (on your right) as 300c.
Each door has an accompanying door bell next to it.

Back down the steps is the street corner.

Centered about waist high on each door is a horizontal opening covered by a
hinged, brass flap, an old-fashioned mail slot.
action: Ring 300b
response: Exits: down   in

You ring the bell and wait for what seems like an eternity. Finally, you hear
a click as the latch turns, and a voice booms loud from behind the opening
door.

"Don't get your buns in an uproar, I'm coming, I'm coming."

Lucy opens the door and exclaims, "My god, child, what happened to you!? Just
look at those clothes, I give you new things and you bring them back damaged
and soiled beyond repair! And you, all bloody and bruised! Come inside, let's
go up and see what we can do about all this!"

She takes a step in the direction of the stairs, gesturing at you to follow.
action: Go upward
response: Exits: down   in

You can't go that way. From here you could go down or in.
action: You go inside
response: Exits: down   in

"Not so fast there," Lucy says, reaching an arm out to bar your way. "My
house, my rules. I said follow me."
action: You follow Lucy
response: You follow Lucy.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.

You shudder as you feel Lucy's piercing eyes assess the state of your clothing.

She starts up the stairs.

"I swear, this city has gone to hell in a handbasket," Lucy mutters as much to
herself as to you as she waits for you to continue following her.
action: Continue
response: You follow Lucy.

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.

You shudder as you feel Lucy's piercing eyes assess the state of your clothing.

Lucy glares at you with an angry scowl.

91
Exits: southwest   down
"Now, child, no further until you've told me what happened,"
Lucy demands.
"Talk!"

(You could tell her about the mugging)
action: You call the the cops
response: Exits: southwest   down

"Let the police handle it. We can't just take the law into our own hands, that
wouldn't be right! But we can't let him get away with it, either!"

"You fool," she sneers. "I'm sorry, I thought you were serious when we signed
the contract. Now you're...what, afraid you'll get your hands dirty? Don't
worry, child, I do your dirty work for you. That's my job. Now. Are you sure
you want to piss away your chance at everlasting happiness and let the cops
take charge of your future?"

(You could say let him go or say render justice; or say yes; or say no)
action: You call the the cops
response: Exits: southwest   down

"Let the police handle it. We can't just take the law into our own hands, that
wouldn't be right! But we can't let him get away with it, either!"

"You fool," she sneers. "I'm sorry, I thought you were serious when we signed
the contract. Now you're...what, afraid you'll get your hands dirty? Don't
worry, child, I do your dirty work for you. That's my job. Now. Are you sure
you want to piss away your chance at everlasting happiness and let the cops
take charge of your future?"

(You could say let him go or say render justice; or say yes; or say no)
action: Y.
response: Exits: southwest   down

"We can deal with that sort of thing later," she says. "Right now, let's focus
on the task at hand."

(You could say let him go or say render justice; or say yes; or say no)
action: You let it go
response: Exits: southwest   down

"No, Lucy, this guy...he's a thug, to be sure, but he'll meet justice in the
end, they always do, don't they?" you say.

"Oh, dear child, you idiot," Lucy says. "If you truly want the happiness that
I'm prepared to grant you, you have to grow some spine."

Her expression turns dark, menacing.

"You know, happiness doesn't just fall out of the sky. Sometimes, you have to
fight for what you want. Are you sure you want to turn the other cheek?"

(You could say render justice; or say yes; or say no)
action: Yes
response: Exits: southwest   down

"Yes, Lucy! I'm sure! I do want happiness! I do want your help!
But I'm not
sure I'd sell my soul to get it!"

She lifts an eyebrow. "Hmmm, we may have misread each other, dear," she says.
Then, "Very well. You can have this round. I'll catch up to him another time,
I'm sure. Meanwhile, let's get you cleaned up. Follow me."
action: You follow Lucy
response: Exits: northeast

You follow Lucy.

You stand once again facing the black carpet, just outside the ring of lights,
wearing blue corduroy jeans, a yellow knit shirt and black leather women's
shoes. Nothing seems to fit quite right any more. You feel disheveled.

She looks disapprovingly at your damaged clothes, then touches you on the
shoulder. Miraculously, as she withdraws her hand, all of your aches disappear.

"How...?" you start to ask, but she shakes her head slightly and says quietly,
"Never mind how, just accept it as part of the service I'm able to render.
Now. Strip off those damaged clothes and get into something nice. Again."

She walks to the door. "Oh, that's right, you want your privacy, don't you?
Well, I'll be in the next room. Get dressed and come out when you're ready."
action: Strip
response: Exits: northeast

You remove your clothing and toss everything into a dark corner. You hear a
soft sound almost like a hiss, and you think you detect a scent of...sulfurous
smoke? The smell quickly dissipates. The clothing you just removed is no
longer visible.
action: You look at the wardrobe
response: Exits: northeast

A free-standing wardrobe some six feet tall by six feet wide by three feet deep
stands against one wall of the room.
action: You examine the clothing
response: Exits: northeast

You look for something new to wear, but the closet and dresser drawers are all
closed.
action: You open the wardrobe
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
102
Exits: northeast

You step onto the rug and open the closet.

The closet contains a collection of men's shoes, jeans, shirts and women's
shoes.
action: You wear the shirt
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
103
Exits: northeast

You take a black cotton floral golf shirt out of the closet.

You put the shirt on.
action: You wear the jeans
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
104
Exits: northeast

You take a pair of black corduroy hand-stitched embroidered loose fit jeans out
of the closet.

You put the jeans on.
action: You wear the men'S
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
105
Exits: northeast

You take a pair of tan canvas solid finish penny loafer men's shoes out of the
closet.

You put the men's shoes on.
action: You go to the northeast
response: Exits: southwest   down

You step out of the circle of light, off of the rug.

You stand in the living room.

Lucy stands at the top of the stairs leading to the exit. "Now you look
presentable," she says, waving her hand toward the door, indicating it's time
for you to leave.
action: You follow Lucy
response: Exits: southwest   down

You start to follow, and bump into Lucy's back; Lucy glares at you in disdain.
action: Go downwards
response: Lucy follows you down the stairs from the living room to the front door. At
the bottom of the stairs, she reaches around you and opens the door.

She shoves the wallet and the letter you thought had been lost into your
pocket.

From here, you can go out to the landing, then down the stairs to the street
corner. Or, you could go back up, to the living room.

Lucy stares at you with a critical eye as though appraising your new look.
action: Go outside
response: Exits: down   in

You step out onto the landing at the top of the steps from the street, in front
of the building.

"Well, then, good bye, dear, and good luck," Lucy says. She steps back inside
and closes the door.
action: You examine the wallet
response: Exits: down   in

The bifold wallet shows frayed corners and cracks of age etched into the brown
leather.

The wallet is open and contains a debit card, a driver's license, MUNI fast
pass, a credit card, and a note.
action: Go northwest
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You go down the steps to the street.
action: You continue
response: Exits: northeast   southeast

You walk down a slight hill to the northwest. The relative quiet of residential Coleridge gives way to the cacophony of commerce.

You can see a bus here.

A crowd of people is in the bus stop enclosure.
action: Go northeast
response: Exits: north   east   south   west
down

You walk the half dozen or so blocks up Mission to 24th Street.

The red brick plazas on all four corners of the intersection of Mission and
24th streets mark this as a hub of commercial activity.

Escalators in the sidewalk go down to the underground BART station.

To east of where you stand, you see a bus stop on Mission Street.

To the west is another bus stop, on 24th.

To the north, Mission Street continues to 13th Street where it meets Van Ness,
the major north-south thoroughfare on the way to Lombard and the Golden Gate
Bridge.

A few blocks to the south, walking distance, is Mission and Eugenia, near
Lucy's Bernal Heights flat.
action: You go north
response: Exits: north   south

You head north on Mission. After a long walk, you cross under the elevated
freeway to 13th Street.

You are standing under the freeway at Mission and 13th Streets.

The concrete and steel framework that elevates the Central Freeway is above
you.

To the north, Mission meets Van Ness, the arterial connector between the
freeway and the Golden Gate Bridge, via Lombard Street.

To the south, Mission Street traverses the neighborhood that shares its name,
the Mission.

A red-painted curb marks a bus stop waiting area. There is no bus here.
action: You go north
response: Exits: north   south

You walk north to where Mission disappears beneath the elevated freeway.

North of the elevated freeway, Mission crosses Van Ness as it curves from a
north/south orientation to a southwest/northeast orientation, parallel to
Market Street.

From Mission and Van Ness, you can go north on Van Ness, to Market, or south to
Mission at 13th, on the way to Bernal Heights and Lucy's flat.
action: Go north
response: Exits: north   south   northeast
southwest

Van Ness, part of U.S. Highway 101, is one of the major cross-town thoroughfares from Market Street north to the bay. A long walk to the north,
the arterial veers left on Lombard and continues to the Golden Gate Bridge.

South of Market, Van Ness crosses over Mission and becomes known as South Van
Ness, south to Bernal Heights. Market continues northeast and southwest.
action: Go northeast
response: Exits: west   northeast   southwest

McAllister Street runs through Civic Center and between City Hall and the
California Superior Courthouse.

Market Street continues northeast to Golden Gate Ave. and southwest to Van
Ness. McAllister goes west from Market Street, to Polk Street.
action: You go northeast
response: Exits: northeast   northwest   southwest

The Warfield Theater, an icon of the city's theatrical/musical/cultural
community, is located at 982 Market Street, where Market Street and Golden Gate
Avenue and Taylor Street come together.

Market continues southwest to McAllister Street and northeast to Hallidie
Plaza.

To your immediate northwest is an entrance to the lobby.
action: You go to the north-east
response: Exits: north   northeast   southwest
down

Hallidie Plaza is a large, triangular patch of red brick sidewalks and bronzed
aluminum fencing surrounding a big pit in the ground--a subterranean entrance
to the massive Powell Street Station. This dual level transit station serves
both the city's MUNI streetcars and the regional BART commuter train.

Market Street, a main thoroughfare though the heart of downtown San Francisco,
runs from the Ferry Building, whose clock tower you can see rising up from the
mist some distance to the northeast, to Civic Center, beyond Van Ness to the
Castro, to the southwest.

Escalators down lead into the transit station.

To the north, a long line of tourists encircles the cable car turntable, a
giant rotating disc in the street on which a street car is being turned around
for a return trip up Powell Street to Fisherman's Wharf.
action: Go northwest
response: Exits: north   northeast   southwest
down

You can't go that way. From here you could go north, northeast, southwest or
down.
action: Go north
response: Cable Car Turntable, Hallidie Plaza
121
Exits: northeast   southeast

Cable Car Turntable, Hallidie Plaza
You see a round disk in the street, steel rails on it aligned with rails in the
center of the street. While you watch, a cable car rolls down Powell Street
onto the disk. Two men in transit sytem uniforms jump off the car and push on
its side causing the disc to turn around like a giant Lazy Susan.
When the car
is facing the opposite direction, the men jump back on board and the car rolls
off the turntable and stops in the street to let passengers climb aboard.

From here, you can go northeast on Market to Montgomery Street or southeast
back to Hallidie Plaza.
action: You go northeast
response: Exits: north   southwest

Montgomery Street, the Wall Street of the West because of all the lawyers,
bankers, stock brokers, and accounting firms with Montgomery Street addresses,
runs north from Market Street until it ends at Columbus in North Beach, and the
TransAmerica pyramid.

Market continues southwest to Powell Street.
action: You go north
response: Exits: north   south

Montgomery, in the heart of the financial district goes north to North Beach
and south to Market.
action: You go north
response: Exits: south   southeast

The TransAmerica pyramid rises up from Montgomery Street at Columbus Avenue,
where the Financial District meets North Beach meets Chinatown.

From here, Montgomery goes south to California Street.

Southeast of your current location is the entrance to 600 Montgomery--the
pyramid.
action: Exits
response: Exits: south   southeast

From here you could go south or southeast.

Exit Listing can be adjusted with the following commands:
EXITS ON - show exits in both the status line and in room descriptions.
EXITS OFF - show exits neither in the status line nor in room descriptions.
EXITS STATUS - show exits in the status line only.
EXITS LOOK - show exits in room descriptions only.
EXITS COLOR ON - show unvisited exits in a different colour.
EXITS COLOR OFF - don't show unvisited exits in a different colour. EXITS COLOR RED / BLUE / GREEN / YELLOW - show unvisted exits in the specified
colour.
action: Go south
response: Exits: north   south
action: You look at your surroundings
response: Exits: north   south

Montgomery, in the heart of the financial district goes north to North Beach
and south to Market.
action: You go south
response: Exits: north   southwest
action: You go to the west
response: Exits: north   southwest

You can't go that way. From here you could go north or southwest.
action: You go to the southwest
response: Exits: north   northeast   southwest   down
action: You go southwest
response: Exits: northeast   northwest   southwest
action: Go northwest
response: 982 Market St. Lobby
131
Exits: northwest   southeast   southwest

982 Market St. Lobby
The lobby is decorated with gilded cornices and crystal chandeliers, yet it is
less elaborate than you might expect for being in a building with its history,
one of San Francisco's premiere music venues from the 1920s.

The exit to Market Street is to the southeast.

A doorway to the southwest leads into the auditorium.

An elevator is located to the northwest.
action: You go to the southeast
response: Exits: northeast   northwest   southwest
action: You go to the northwest
response: 982 Market St. Lobby
133
Exits: northwest   southeast   southwest

982 Market St. Lobby
action: Long
response: 982 Market St. Lobby
133
Exits: northwest   southeast   southwest

Your request was not clear. Can you rephrase it?
action: You go southeast
response: Exits: northeast   northwest   southwest

The Warfield Theater, an icon of the city's theatrical/musical/cultural
community, is located at 982 Market Street, where Market Street and Golden Gate
Avenue and Taylor Street come together.

Market continues southwest to McAllister Street and northeast to Hallidie
Plaza.

To your immediate northwest is an entrance to the lobby.
action: Go southwest
response: Exits: west   northeast   southwest

McAllister Street runs through Civic Center and between City Hall and the
California Superior Courthouse.

Market Street continues northeast to Golden Gate Ave. and southwest to Van
Ness. McAllister goes west from Market Street, to Polk Street.
action: You go west
response: Exits: east   south   northwest

McAllister and Polk Streets intersect at the heart of Civic Center, surrounded
by state and federal courthouses, civic auditoriums, the city's main library,
the opera house, and its crown jewel, San Francisco's ornate, gilded-domed City
Hall, across the street to the south of your location.

The California Superior Courthouse is to the northwest.

From your location, you could go east to Market or south across McAllister to
City Hall or northwest into the California Superior Courthouse.

Across the street to the south, in front of City Hall, you see a row of
reserved parking, posted with signs reading Taxis Only.
action: You go east
response: Exits: west   northeast   southwest

McAllister Street runs through Civic Center and between City Hall and the
California Superior Courthouse.

Market Street continues northeast to Golden Gate Ave. and southwest to Van
Ness. McAllister goes west from Market Street, to Polk Street.
action: Go southwest
response: Exits: north   south   northeast   southwest

Van Ness, part of U.S. Highway 101, is one of the major cross-town thoroughfares from Market Street north to the bay. A long walk to the north,
the arterial veers left on Lombard and continues to the Golden Gate Bridge.

South of Market, Van Ness crosses over Mission and becomes known as South Van
Ness, south to Bernal Heights. Market continues northeast and southwest.
action: You go north
response: Exits: east   south   west

Going west from Van Ness, Lombard Street is a busy thoroughfare, six lanes of
traffic lined with business establishments as it cuts roughly east to west
through some of the priciest real estate in San Francisco.

East of Van Ness, Lombard is residential as it climbs up and over Russian Hill
then down the eastern slope into the city's financial/business/retail core.

A sign mounted on a lamp post says 1400 Lombard with an arrow indicating
ascending street numbers pointing west. Lower-numbered street addresses are to
the east.

A red-painted curb marks a bus stop. There is no bus here.
action: You go to the west
response: Exits: east   south   west
southwest

You walk a couple of blocks west.

The street sign at the corner shows it to be the intersection of Lombard and
Laguna. The next block continuing west is the 1800 block of Lombard.

To the east, Lombard crosses the busy north/south arterial Van Ness.

To the south on Laguna takes you to Union Street.

There is a bus stop here, to the southwest of where you are standing. A sign
posted nearby says it is Route 28, to the Golden Gate Bridge.
action: Go west
response: 1800 Block, Lombard
141
Exits: north   east   west

As you continue walking, your eye is drawn to a rather plain looking clapboard
building. Something about it strikes a chord in your mind. You pause for a
closer look.

1800 Block, Lombard
Lombard continues west, or you could go back from where you started, to the
east.

To the north a door provides entrance into a business establishment. Black
framed, reddish-gold lettering on the glass door identifies the business.
action: You read the door
response: 1800 Block, Lombard
142
Exits: north   east   west

William L. Sabub & Associates Realty

B.L. Sabub, Proprietor
action: Go inside
response: Exits: north   south

As you push the door open, you hear the old-fashioned sound of chimes being
pushed aside by the opening door--tinkle, tinkle, tinkle.

The interior of the real estate office is a somewhat ordinary, utilitarian
space with a small reception area in front. A sofa and stuffed chair stand
behind a small coffee table.

One wall is covered with framed photos of available properties.

A counter divides the room.

A man sits at a desk behind the counter. He is talking on his cellphone
through the bluetooth hands-free device stuck in his ear. While he talks, he
gestures prolifically with his hands.

As the chimes tinkle your arrival, the man looks up at you, smiles broadly and
continues talking.
action: Ring 300b
response: Exits: down   in

As you press the button for the doorbell to 300b, you hear a faint ding dong
from behind the door. There is no answer.

Maybe I should come back later, you think.
action: You put the letter in the slot 300b
response: Exits: down   in

You turn to face the building. You raise the brass flap that covers the mail
slot and insert the envelope into the opening. When you release the flap, it
snaps shut with a loud clap and the envelope disappears.

You take a half step back to ponder your next move, and...

Click! You hear what sounds like a door latch and the door
to 300b swings
open, almost as if you were being invited in. Except you see nobody at the
door.
action: Enter
response: You step through the open door.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.
action: You go up
response: Exits: southwest   down

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.
action: Wait
response: Exits: southwest   down

Time passes.
action: Wait
response: Exits: southwest   down

Time passes.
action: Wait
response: Exits: southwest   down

Time passes.
action: You wait a while
response: Exits: southwest   down

Time passes.

"Hello, hello, hello," a deep feminine voice booms out from...you don't quite
know where, but it sounds oddly remote, yet somehow close. The next room,
perhaps.
action: You wait
response: Exits: southwest   down

Time passes.

"Sit, sit, sit," the voice commands.
action: You sit on the sofa
response: Living Room (sitting on the sofa)
11
Exits: southwest   down

The soft leather caresses your legs luxuriously as you sink into the sofa's
deep cushions. Ahhhh, you sigh, this feels so right!
Maybe I should stay here
and wait for awhile and see what happens.

You wait. You start to fidget. A flash of light floods the room then immediately subsides.

When your eyes readjust, you see a woman seated in the leather chair behind the
desk.

"Don't sit so far away," she says in a regal tone of voice, "Sit over here, in
the light. In front of the desk. In the director's chair."
action: You sit in the director's chair
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
12
Exits: southwest   down

You sit in the director's chair.

"Not from around here, are you? Well, never mind." She waves the envelope you
shoved through the mail slot then takes a thick file out of her desk.

"Standard contract I assure you, I'll just fill in some blanks while we talk,"
she says as she opens the folder.

"First things first, boy or girl? Don't get your panties in a bunch, there's a
place on the form, it's gotta be, boy, girl--oh, don't huff, I know we're all
adults here, just my way of speaking is all--or you could decline to state. I
don't advise that, it would severely limit my options to help, you know? So.
Boy? Girl? Or--and I say this with nothing but the utmost respect--are you
going to ignore my counsel and decline to state?"

(You could say male, say female or decline to state)
action: Decline
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
13
Exits: southwest   down

Her head snaps up.

"Doesn't matter to me what you think you ought to be, but either you go to the
boy's room or you go to the girl's room when you gotta pee, right? Only other
option is out back by the garbage cans but you don't want to go there, do you?
Of course not. So, again, boy, girl, or...?"

(You could say male, say female or decline to state)
action: Decline
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
14
Exits: southwest   down

"Well, you gotta at least have a name...you gotta have a name, right? Everybody's got a name...mine's Lucy. What's yours?"

(You could say your first name)
action: Club
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
15
Exits: southwest   down

"Okay, Club," Lucy says. "Last name?"

(You could say your last name)
action: Floyd
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
16
Exits: southwest   down

"All righty," Lucy says. "You are a person named Club Floyd, a personage of no
particular gender. Is that correct?"

(You could say yes; or say no)
action: Y.
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
17
Exits: southwest   down

"Excellent. Excellent." she says in a voice that is almost a purr.

"So, now, Club, my love, here's where the rubber meets the road." Lucy winks at
you.

"You get to tell me your most precious secret longing. What turns you on,
presses your buttons, makes you quiver all over with desire? Fame? Fortune?
Power? 'Happiness'?" (making air quotes with her fingers)
"Tell me!"

You are dazzled. Your head swims. She persists.

"Tell me, dear, what do you want out of life?"

(You could say your most cherished desire)
action: Happiness
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
18
Exits: southwest   down

"Excellent choice." Lucy beams. "Excellent. It's exactly
what I would have
chosen for you! Now that's settled, we need to move on to the boring stuff.
Are you ready? Oh, no, dear, you don't need to bother with that, it'd take way
too long to read every little bitty detail in that big old contract, it's just
technical legalese, all you need to do is just sign, let me take care of the
details. So now then, are you ready to sign?"

An outstretched arm offers you a pen.

(You could take the pen; or say yes; or say no)
action: You take the pen
response: Living Room (sitting on the chair)
19
Exits: southwest   down

In your haste to take the instrument, the pen point jabs your thumb.

"Ow!" you say quietly, putting the thumb to your mouth. "That burns!"

Lucy pushes the contract toward you. "Sign right here."

"Trust me, dear," Lucy says, "it's for the best. Now, will you please just
sign the contract?"

(You could say yes; or say no)
action: You sign the contract
response: Exits: southwest   down

With a slightly trembling hand, you sign the document.

"Excellent!" Lucy says, putting the contract away in her desk. "Now. Let's
see about sprucing you up a bit. Come on, follow me into the next room."

You get off of the chair.
action: You follow Lucy
response: You follow Lucy.

The bedroom contains no bed, only a dresser, a free-standing wardrobe, a full-
length mirror on a stand, and three brass floor lamps evenly spaced around a
plush, deep-piled, solid black circular rug.

An overhead light hanging on a chain gives the illusion of a spotlit stage.

A door leads northeast to the living room.

"Well, now, let's take a look at you," Lucy says, shaking her head, pouting
like a disapproving mother rejecting a child's choice of dress.

"No, this won't do at all. Get over there, on the rug!" She gives you a nudge
in the direction of the rug in the center of the room.

"Step into the light and strip," she commands.

"Strip?" you say in surprise. "You mean..."

"Yes, I mean..." she says. "Oh, come on, Club. We're adults, right? If I'm
[More]
action: You ask for the privacy
response: Exits: northeast
to help you get everlasting happiness, you need to look like
you deserve it.
Which means you need to shed those ugly rags so I can outfit you appropriately.
Now strip, then pick out something better."

(You could ask her about some privacy)
action: You ask for the privacy
response: Exits: northeast

"Uh...here? Um...in front of you?" you ask shyly. "Um, isn't that...uh, can I
have some privacy, please?"

She looks at you quizzically. "Oh, my, why...I thought you were...well,
perhaps I misjudged you. Of course you can have some privacy, if you really
think you need it. It might alter our relationship some, if I knew you
couldn't...won't trust me. Oh, don't worry, it doesn't mean we can't work
together, just...a little bit differently than I expected, that's all. So.
Really, dear? Do you really need me to leave the room?"

(You could say stay; or ask her what will change; or say yes)
action: Y.
response: Exits: northeast

"Come on, dear," Lucy says. "We don't have all day."

(You could say stay; or ask her what will change; or say yes)
action: Xchs
response: Exits: northeast

"Come on, dear," Lucy says. "We don't have all day."

(You could say stay; or ask her what will change; or say yes)
action: Yes
response: Exits: northeast

> Y

"Come on, dear," Lucy says. "We don't have all day."

(You could say stay; or ask her what will change; or say yes)

26
Exits: northeast

"Yes, please," you reply. "I'm sure."

"Very well, then," she says, leaving the room. "I'll be in the next room.
Strip, get dressed in some new things, and come on out when you're ready."
action: Inventory
response: Exits: northeast

You are wearing a tee shirt, a pair of flip flops, and a pair of cargo pants,
and carrying a pen.
action: Strip
response: Exits: northeast

You remove your clothing and toss everything into a dark corner. You hear a
soft sound almost like a hiss, and you think you detect a scent of...sulfurous
smoke? The smell quickly dissipates. The clothing you just removed is no
longer visible.
action: You look in the cloest
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
29
Exits: northeast

(look in closet)
You step onto the rug and open the closet.

The closet contains a collection of jeans, shirts, men's shoes and women's
shoes.

The closet contains a collection of jeans, shirts, men's shoes and women's
shoes.
action: You wear the jeans and the shirt and the men'S
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
30
Exits: northeast

You take a pair of white denim classic low waisted jeans out of the closet.

You put the jeans on.

You take a black corduroy Hawaiian-patterned traditional shirt out of the
closet.

You put the shirt on.

You take a pair of white canvas snakeskin wing tip men's shoes out of the
closet.

You put the men's shoes on.
action: Go northeast
response: You step out of the circle of light, off of the rug.

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.

You stand in the living room.

Lucy stands at the top of the stairs leading to the exit. "Now you look
presentable," she says, waving her hand toward the door, indicating it's time
Living Room
31
Exits: southwest   down
action: You examine the pen
response: Exits: southwest   down

The pen is the first fountain pen you've ever actually seen much less touched,
an elegant, sleek writing instrument from another age, a dark cherry wood
cylinder with gold tip.
action: You give it to Lucy
response: Exits: southwest   down

"That's a valuable family heirloom. It belonged to Daniel Webster," Lucy says
as she takes the pen, "and a crochety old money-lender in colonial Boston name
of Tom Walker before that."

"Webster, huh?" you say. "The dictionary guy? Sweet!"

She flashes a look as though she sees baby drool dribbling off your chin, then
she says brightly, "Google it, dear..." and her voice trails off into the
ether.

Then, after a moment's silence, her face brightens once again with a broad
smile as she waves toward the front door at the bottom of the stairs.

"All righty, then, sweetie, let's see about getting you some happiness."
action: Go downwards
response: Lucy follows you down the stairs from the living room to the front door. At
the bottom of the stairs, she reaches around you and opens the door.

She shoves an old brown leather wallet and an envelope into your pocket.

"What's this? What do I do?" you ask.

"The bus, dear," Lucy smiles. "Take the bus. Maybe in time, if you climb up
high enough on the ladder of life, get a place in, say, Pacific Heights, why,
you'd be able to go in style, ride everywhere in taxis. We'll see, we'll see--
but for now, the bus will have to do."

From here, you can go out to the landing, then down the stairs to the street
corner. Or, you could go back up, to the living room.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.

Lucy stares at you with a critical eye as though appraising your new look.
action: You look in the wallet
response: You take the wallet out of your pocket and flip it open.

In the wallet you see a credit card, a debit card, a driver's license, a note,
and MUNI fast pass.
action: Inventory
response: You are wearing a shirt, a pair of men's shoes, and a pair of jeans (on which
are two pockets), and carrying a wallet (in which are a credit card, a debit
card, a driver's license, a note, and MUNI fast pass).

Where is that envelope? you wonder. Lucy said she...oh,
yeah, she put it in a
pocket.
action: You get the envelope
response: You take the letter of introduction.
action: You read it
response: Neatly printed on the face of the envelope is the following...

Mr. Bill Sabub

San Francisco, California
action: Go outside
response: Exits: down   in

You step out onto the landing at the top of the steps from the street, in front
of the building.

Behind you, as you stand looking over the intersection below, are three doors
standing side by side by side.

Stairs go down to the street corner at the intersection of Coleridge and
Eugenia.

"Well, then, good bye, dear, and good luck," Lucy says. She steps back inside
and closes the door.
action: You go down
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You go down the steps to the street.

You are at the intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia, where the Bernal Heights
neighborhood starts to rise up from the Mission.

Once a Mexican land grant rancho owned by Jose Cornelio de Bernal, for whom the
area is named, the mostly residential Bernal Heights neighborhood anchors the
sunny southeastern corner of the modern city, just north of Hunter's Point and
Candlestick, and just south and east of the Mission district.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.

"Well," you say aloud, "what now?"
action: You go to the north-west
response: Exits: northeast   southeast

You walk down a slight hill to the northwest. The relative quiet of residential Coleridge gives way to the cacophony of commerce.

From Mission Street, Coleridge is a short walk up a slight hill to the southeast.

Mission is a busy four-lane thoroughfare, two in each direction all of them
full--trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, all jostling for position, running
from the northeast to the southwest.

In the bus stop enclosure on the curb, a crowd of people huddles out of the
wind.
action: You enter the bus stop
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  42
Exits: northeast   southeast

"Please," you say, "excuse me, can I just..."

You wiggle into the crowded enclosure.

"Hee, hee, you ain't from here, huh?" grins a young woman with heavy makeup and
sporting a crude crucifix tattoo on her neck.

"How long until the next bus?" you ask no one in particular.

An anonymous voice in the crowd answers, "It's MUNI. Who knows how long?
Wait, wait, and wait some more!" A murmur of quiet laughter ripples through the
gathering.

You stand elbow to elbow with your fellow bus patrons and wait.
action: You wait
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  43
Exits: northeast   southeast

Time passes.

"Where 'at damn bus, anyhow?" a voice in the crowd grumbles.
action: You wait
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  44
Exits: northeast   southeast

Time passes.
action: You wait
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  45
Exits: northeast   southeast

Time passes.

"Damn bus not never on time," grumbles a voice in the crowd.
action: You wait
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  46
Exits: northeast   southeast

Time passes.
action: Wait
response: Mission Street at Eugenia (standing up in the bus stop
enclosure)  47
Exits: northeast   southeast

Time passes.

A bus pulls up to the curb, destination sign above the windshield proclaiming,
49 Rte: Van Ness to Lombard.
action: You enter the bus
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
48
Exits: out

You step back out of the designated waiting area.

You step aboard the bus, take the bus pass out of your wallet, show the driver
the pass, and move into the interior of the bus. There are no empty seats.

You put the pass back into your wallet and the wallet back into your pocket,
then quickly reach for a pole. The bus lurches away from the curb and muscles
its way into traffic.

You are thrown off balance as the bus swoops into the curb for a brief reload,
then sweeps back out into traffic.
action: You wait awhile
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
49
Exits: out

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.

The bus jounces along through heavy traffic. As passengers bounce into one
another, you feel a hand groping you.

A hot breath blows in your ear. You turn your head slightly and smell stale
cigarettes and beer.

"Yo, bitch, give it up."

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 24th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.

(You could say help or say you don't want any trouble)
action: You say Help
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
50
Exits: out

"Please, somebody, help me?" you plead.

Yanking the wallet out of your pocket, the thug takes the envelope Lucy gave
you for good measure then pushes you into the pole next to the door. Your
clothing rips. You scrape your jaw. An elderly woman screams, "I just called
911, you better get yo butt outta here 'fo the cops come 'n throw yo bony ass
in jail."

The thug snarls, "Dumb ass cops be here in maybe an hour
if you lucky."

He thrusts a knee into your groin and his hand to your mouth. "You shut up
now, bitch, hear?" With his hand clamped over your mouth, you nod acquiescence.

"Ooof! Hey! Watch it, huh, bub," you hear a growl in your ear as you stumble
into someone's chest.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
51
Exits: out

"Ooof! Hey! Watch it, huh, bub," you hear a growl in your ear as you stumble
into someone's chest.

As the bus nears a stop, the thug pushes you to the side and shoves his way out
the door before the vehicle has reached the curb.

The woman who came to your aid approaches you. "Child, your face is bleeding,
your clothes are torn, is there somewhere you need to go to get some help?"

"I'll be all right," you reply, though you're not sure if that's true. "Maybe
Lucy can help. I need to go back to Lucy's flat"

"All right, dear," she says, "you go on to this Lucy person, and god bless her
if she can help. If you just wait here on the bus, it'll take you back to
where you started. Otherwise, you'll have to pay another fare and, well, I'm
afraid that thug stole your wallet, didn't he? Now I got to be on my way." She
fades into the crowd and disappears from view.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 13th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
52
Exits: out

You are thrown off balance as the bus swoops into the curb for a brief reload,
then sweeps back out into traffic.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
53
Exits: out

"Ooof! Hey! Watch it, huh, bub," you hear a growl in your ear as you stumble
into someone's chest.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Lombard at Van Ness. You could get out or you
could wait for the next stop.
action: You wait a while
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
54
Exits: out

Passengers jostle you as they stream for the doors, then a fresh horde crowds
in. You grip the pole tightly, unwilling to give up space.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
55
Exits: out

You are thrown off balance as the bus swoops into the curb for a brief reload,
then sweeps back out into traffic.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 13th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
56
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.
action: You wait a while
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
57
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 24th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: You wait awhile
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
58
Exits: out

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.
action: You wait for a while
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
59
Exits: out

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at Eugenia. You could get out or
you could wait for the next stop.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
60
Exits: out

You are thrown off balance as the bus swoops into the curb for a brief reload,
then sweeps back out into traffic.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
61
Exits: out

Passengers jostle you as they stream for the doors, then a fresh horde crowds
in. You grip the pole tightly, unwilling to give up space.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 24th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
62
Exits: out

Passengers jostle you as they stream for the doors, then a fresh horde crowds
in. You grip the pole tightly, unwilling to give up space.
action: You wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
63
Exits: out

"Ow! Watch the toes, huh?" grumbles the person next to you.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 13th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: You wait for a while
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
64
Exits: out

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
65
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Lombard at Van Ness. You could get out or you
could wait for the next stop.
action: Duno
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
64
Exits: out

Your request was not clear. Can you rephrase it?
action: Look around
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
63
Exits: out

In transit (standing up in the bus)
The vehicle is in motion.

You are in the bus.

The driver grips the steering wheel as she threads through traffic, occasionally lifting a fist and grumbling an epithet at a passing driver. She
pays no attention to the crowd of passengers in her vehicle.

"Ooof! Hey! Watch it, huh, bub," you hear a growl in your ear as you stumble
into someone's chest.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 13th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: Exit
response: Exits: north   south

You get off of the bus at Mission at 13th.

The bus, apparently ahead of schedule, remains at the curb.
action: You go southeast
response: Exits: north   south

You can't go that way. From here you could go north or south.
action: You look
response: Exits: north   south

You are standing under the freeway at Mission and 13th Streets.

The concrete and steel framework that elevates the Central Freeway is above
you.

To the north, Mission meets Van Ness, the arterial connector between the
freeway and the Golden Gate Bridge, via Lombard Street.

To the south, Mission Street traverses the neighborhood that shares its name,
the Mission.

A bus waits at the curb.

You can see a bus here.
action: Inventory
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
64
Exits: out

You are wearing a shirt, a pair of men's shoes, and a pair of jeans (on which
are two pockets).

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
65
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Lombard at Van Ness. You could get out or you
could wait for the next stop.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
66
Exits: out

You sway from side to side as the bus vies for a share of the asphalt.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
67
Exits: out

"Ooof! Hey! Watch it, huh, bub," you hear a growl in your ear as you stumble
into someone's chest.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 13th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: You wait for a while
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
68
Exits: out

Passengers jostle you as they stream for the doors, then a fresh horde crowds
in. You grip the pole tightly, unwilling to give up space.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
69
Exits: out

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at 24th Street. You could get
out or you could wait for the next stop.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
70
Exits: out

"Ow! Watch the toes, huh?" grumbles the person next to you.
action: Wait
response: In transit (standing up in the bus)
71
Exits: out

As the bus zigs and zags through traffic, you bump first one then another
fellow passenger.

The vehicle comes to a stop at Mission Street at Eugenia. You could get out or
you could wait for the next stop.
action: Go outside
response: Exits: northeast   southeast

You get off of the bus at Mission at Eugenia.

The bus, apparently ahead of schedule, remains at the curb.
action: You go southeast
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You are at the intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia, where the Bernal Heights
neighborhood starts to rise up from the Mission.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.
action: You go upwards
response: Exits: down   in

You go up the steps to the entry way.

As you face the building, you see three doors standing side by side by side.

Brass numbers identify the door to the north (on your left) as 300a, the door
straight ahead as 300b, and the door to the south (on your right) as 300c.
Each door has an accompanying door bell next to it.

Back down the steps is the street corner.

Centered about waist high on each door is a horizontal opening covered by a
hinged, brass flap, an old-fashioned mail slot.
action: Ring 300b
response: Exits: down   in

You ring the bell and wait for what seems like an eternity. Finally, you hear
a click as the latch turns, and a voice booms loud from behind the opening
door.

"Don't get your buns in an uproar, I'm coming, I'm coming."

Lucy opens the door and exclaims, "My god, child, what happened to you!? Just
look at those clothes, I give you new things and you bring them back damaged
and soiled beyond repair! And you, all bloody and bruised! Come inside, let's
go up and see what we can do about all this!"

She takes a step in the direction of the stairs, gesturing at you to follow.
action: You go inside
response: Exits: down   in

"Not so fast there," Lucy says, reaching an arm out to bar your way. "My
house, my rules. I said follow me."
action: You follow Lucy
response: You follow Lucy.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.

You shudder as you feel Lucy's piercing eyes assess the state of your clothing.

She starts up the stairs.

"...not safe anymore...lowlifes taking over..." she grumbles while waving her
hand at you to keep following.
action: Continue
response: You follow Lucy.

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.

You shudder as you feel Lucy's piercing eyes assess the state of your clothing.

Lucy glares at you with an angry scowl.

78
Exits: southwest   down
"Now, child, no further until you've told me what happened,"
Lucy demands.
"Talk!"

(You could tell her about the mugging)
action: You tell her about the mugging
response: Exits: southwest   down

"On the bus..." you begin. "...grabs me...steals my...nobody to help. Well,
one woman...911 but...too late! Nobody helped stop it!"

"No, they wouldn't, would they?" Lucy says. "Well. Now it's my turn at the
plate, dear. Tell me what you want me to do--let it slide, let the police deal
with it, or...."

She looks at you with a piercing stare than makes you squirm.

(You could say render justice, say let him go or say call the cops)
action: You let him go
response: Exits: southwest   down

"No, Lucy, this guy...he's a thug, to be sure, but he'll meet justice in the
end, they always do, don't they?" you say.

"Oh, dear child, you idiot," Lucy says. "I thought you were serious when you
came to me for help finding your way in this city. If you truly want the
happiness that I'm prepared to grant you, you have to grow some spine."

Her expression turns dark, menacing.

"You know, happiness doesn't just fall out of the sky. Sometimes, you have to
fight for what you want. Are you sure you want to turn the other cheek?"

(You could say render justice or say call the cops; or say yes; or say no)
action: Y.
response: Exits: southwest   down

"We can deal with that sort of thing later," she says. "Right now, let's focus
on the task at hand."

(You could say render justice or say call the cops; or say yes; or say no)
action: Y.
response: Exits: southwest   down

"We can deal with that sort of thing later," she says. "Right now, let's focus
on the task at hand."

(You could say render justice or say call the cops; or say yes; or say no)
action: You follow Lucy
response: Exits: southwest   down

"Stay focused. Justice delayed is justice denied."

You start to follow, and bump into Lucy's back; Lucy glares at you in disdain.

(You could say render justice or say call the cops; or say yes; or say no)
action: Yes
response: Exits: southwest   down

"Yes, Lucy! I'm sure! I do want happiness! I do want your help!
But I'm not
sure I'd sell my soul to get it!"

She lifts an eyebrow. "Hmmm, we may have misread each other, dear," she says.
Then, "Very well. You can have this round. I'll catch up to him another time,
I'm sure. Meanwhile, let's get you cleaned up. Follow me."
action: You follow Lucy
response: You follow Lucy.

The bedroom contains no bed, only a dresser, a free-standing wardrobe, a full-
length mirror on a stand, and three brass floor lamps evenly spaced around a
plush, deep-piled, solid black circular rug.

An overhead light hanging on a chain gives the illusion of a spotlit stage.

A door leads northeast to the living room.

You stand once again facing the black carpet, just outside the ring of lights,
wearing white denim jeans, a black corduroy shirt and white canvas men's shoes.
Nothing seems to fit quite right any more. You feel disheveled.

She looks disapprovingly at your damaged clothes, then touches you on the
shoulder. Miraculously, as she withdraws her hand, all of your aches disappear.

"How...?" you start to ask, but she shakes her head slightly and says quietly,
"Never mind how, just accept it as part of the service I'm able to render.
Now. Strip off those damaged clothes and get into something nice. Again."
Bedroom
85
Exits: northeast

She walks to the door. "Oh, that's right, you want your privacy, don't you?
Well, I'll be in the next room. Get dressed and come out when you're ready."
action: Strip
response: Exits: northeast

You remove your clothing and toss everything into a dark corner. You hear a
soft sound almost like a hiss, and you think you detect a scent of...sulfurous
smoke? The smell quickly dissipates. The clothing you just removed is no
longer visible.
action: You open the closet
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
87
Exits: northeast

You step onto the rug and open the closet.

The closet contains a collection of women's shoes, jeans, shirts and men's
shoes.
action: You open the closet
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
88
Exits: northeast

The closet is already open.
action: You wear the jeans
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
89
Exits: northeast

You take a pair of black denim classic slim fit jeans out of the closet.

You put the jeans on.
action: You wear the shirt
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
90
Exits: northeast

You take a green cotton floral crew-neck pullover shirt out of the closet.

You put the shirt on.
action: You wear the men'S
response: Bedroom (standing up on the rug)
91
Exits: northeast

You take a pair of white leather braided slip on men's shoes out of the closet.

You put the men's shoes on.
action: You exit
response: Exits: northeast

You step out of the circle of light, off of the rug.
action: Go outside
response: Exits: northeast

You can't go that way. From here you could go northeast.
action: Go northeast
response: Exits: southwest   down

The living room is brightly, if somewhat unevenly, lit. Light from sconces
mounted on each of the four walls provides a strong flickering yellow glow to
the room, and a green-shaded desk lamp pours out a steady, central luminance
that gives the room its focal point.

The lamp sits on a large, polished wood desk that dominates half of the room.

Behind the desk is an upholstered leather office executive chair. In front of
the desk is a leather-backed director's chair. Along the wall is a leather-
upholstered sofa.

Stairs lead down to the entry door.

A door stands slightly ajar to the southwest.

You stand in the living room.

Lucy stands at the top of the stairs leading to the exit. "Now you look
presentable," she says, waving her hand toward the door, indicating it's time
for you to leave.
action: Go downwards
response: Lucy follows you down the stairs from the living room to the front door. At
the bottom of the stairs, she reaches around you and opens the door.

She shoves the wallet and the letter you thought had been lost into your
pocket.

From here, you can go out to the landing, then down the stairs to the street
corner. Or, you could go back up, to the living room.

Just inside the door, a flight of stairs leads up to the living room.

A door leads out to the street.

Lucy stares at you with a critical eye as though appraising your new look.
action: Go outside
response: Exits: down   in

You step out onto the landing at the top of the steps from the street, in front
of the building.

Behind you, as you stand looking over the intersection below, are three doors
standing side by side by side.

Stairs go down to the street corner at the intersection of Coleridge and
Eugenia.

"Well, then, good bye, dear, and good luck," Lucy says. She steps back inside
and closes the door.
action: Look around
response: Exits: down   in

Behind you, as you stand looking over the intersection below, are three doors
standing side by side by side.

Stairs go down to the street corner at the intersection of Coleridge and
Eugenia.
action: You go down
response: Exits: northwest   southeast   up

You go down the steps to the street.

You are at the intersection of Coleridge and Eugenia, where the Bernal Heights
neighborhood starts to rise up from the Mission.

You can go northwest to Mission Street or southeast over the hill, or up a
flight of steps to the entrance of an apartment building facing Coleridge.
action: You go to the northwest
response: Exits: northeast   southeast

You walk down a slight hill to the northwest. The relative quiet of residential Coleridge gives way to the cacophony of commerce.

From Mission Street, Coleridge is a short walk up a slight hill to the southeast.

Mission runs from the northeast to the southwest.

In the bus stop enclosure on the curb, a crowd of people huddles out of the
wind.

You see a bus at the curb.
action: Go northeast
response: Exits: north   east   south   west
down

You walk the half dozen or so blocks up Mission to 24th Street.

The red brick plazas on all four corners of the intersection of Mission and
24th streets mark this as a hub of commercial activity.

Escalators in the sidewalk go down to the underground BART station.

To east of where you stand, you see a bus stop on Mission Street.

To the west is another bus stop, on 24th.

To the north, Mission Street continues to 13th Street where it meets Van Ness,
the major north-south thoroughfare on the way to Lombard and the Golden Gate
Bridge.

A few blocks to the south, walking distance, is Mission and Eugenia, near
Lucy's Bernal Heights flat.
action: You go north
response: Exits: north   south

You head north on Mission. After a long walk, you cross under the elevated
freeway to 13th Street.

You are standing under the freeway at Mission and 13th Streets.

The concrete and steel framework that elevates the Central Freeway is above
you.

To the north, Mission meets Van Ness, the arterial connector between the
freeway and the Golden Gate Bridge, via Lombard Street.

To the south, Mission Street traverses the neighborhood that shares its name,
the Mission.

A red-painted curb marks a bus stop waiting area. There is no bus here.
action: You go north
response: Exits: north   south

You walk north to where Mission disappears beneath the elevated freeway.

North of the elevated freeway, Mission crosses Van Ness as it curves from a
north/south orientation to a southwest/northeast orientation, parallel to
Market Street.

From Mission and Van Ness, you can go north on Van Ness, to Market, or south to
Mission at 13th, on the way to Bernal Heights and Lucy's flat.
action: Go north
response: Exits: north   south   northeast
southwest

Van Ness, part of U.S. Highway 101, is one of the major cross-town thoroughfares from Market Street north to the bay. A long walk to the north,
the arterial veers left on Lombard and continues to the Golden Gate Bridge.

South of Market, Van Ness crosses over Mission and becomes known as South Van
Ness, south to Bernal Heights. Market continues northeast and southwest.
action: You go north
response: Exits: east   south   west

Going west from Van Ness, Lombard Street is a busy thoroughfare, six lanes of
traffic lined with business establishments as it cuts roughly east to west
through some of the priciest real estate in San Francisco.

East of Van Ness, Lombard is residential as it climbs up and over Russian Hill
then down the eastern slope into the city's financial/business/retail core.

A sign mounted on a lamp post says 1400 Lombard with an arrow indicating
ascending street numbers pointing west. Lower-numbered street addresses are to
the east.

A red-painted curb marks a bus stop. There is no bus here.
action: You go to the west
response: Exits: east   south   west
southwest

You walk a couple of blocks west.

The street sign at the corner shows it to be the intersection of Lombard and
Laguna. The next block continuing west is the 1800 block of Lombard.

To the east, Lombard crosses the busy north/south arterial Van Ness.

To the south on Laguna takes you to Union Street.

There is a bus stop here, to the southwest of where you are standing. A sign
posted nearby says it is Route 28, to the Golden Gate Bridge.
action: You go west
response: 1800 Block, Lombard
106
Exits: north   east   west

As you continue walking, your eye is drawn to a rather plain looking clapboard
building. Something about it strikes a chord in your mind. You pause for a
closer look.

1800 Block, Lombard
Lombard continues west, or you could go back from where you started, to the
east.

To the north a door provides entrance into a business establishment. Black
framed, reddish-gold lettering on the glass door identifies the business.
action: You read the door
response: 1800 Block, Lombard
107
Exits: north   east   west

William L. Sabub & Associates Realty

B.L. Sabub, Proprietor
action: Go inside
response: Exits: north   south

As you push the door open, you hear the old-fashioned sound of chimes being
pushed aside by the opening door--tinkle, tinkle, tinkle.

The interior of the real estate office is a somewhat ordinary, utilitarian
space with a small reception area in front. A sofa and stuffed chair stand
behind a small coffee table.

One wall is covered with framed photos of available properties.

A counter divides the room.

A man sits at a desk behind the counter. He is talking on his cellphone
through the bluetooth hands-free device stuck in his ear. While he talks, he
gestures prolifically with his hands.

As the chimes tinkle your arrival, the man looks up at you, smiles broadly and
continues talking.
action: You look at the photos
response: Exits: north   south

A collection of photographs covers an entire wall.

Each photo contains a hand-written legend with location and price.

You lean forward to get a closer look at one...

One bedroom flat, 929 Esmeralda Street, Bernal Heights, 900 square feet,
$3,500/month

"Erp!" you gasp when you see the price.

You feel heat as though someone were breathing in your ear, and your thumb
burns where you poked it with Lucy's pen.

You turn to find the man from behind the counter standing just behind you.

"See anything you like?" he says cheerfully. "Sabub's the name, William L.,
name on the door outside, B.L., the B's for Bill. Call me Bill."

He smiles. "Now, if you've been sent by someone I know, why then you get the
personalized attention of old B.L. Sabub himself. Myself. That's me. So,
what brought you here?"

or say Lucy sent you)
action: You say Lucy sent yourself
response: Exits: north   south

"I...uh...have a letter...uh...Lucy sent me," you say.

At the mention of her name, he beams. His smile flashes rows of teeth that
glisten in the soft light flooding the room.

"Well, why didn'tcha say so? That's excellent! Just excellent!"

(You could give him the letter from Lucy)
action: You give the letter
response: Exits: north   south

You hand the letter to Bill. With barely a glance, he puts it in his pocket.

"Well, yes, I can see, you are a person of taste and refinement. I saw you
looking at Bernal Heights there, and I must say you have a discerning eye.
That is in fact the very property Lucy picked out for you."

He looks you in the eyes in a somewhat unnerving manner.
When, you wonder, did
she tell him that?

"But what if I could get you something in, say Pacific Heights, for the same
money? Lucy is flexible, she won't mind, she likes enterprise, so what do you
say? Interested?"

(You could say yes; or ask him about the cost of a better deal)
action: You ask him about the the cost
response: Exits: north   south

"Let's go over to the couch, where we can be more comfortable while we talk
about it, one grownup to another," he says, taking you by the arm and drawing
you close to him as he steps toward the couch. "Yeah? Okay?"

(You could say yes; or say you want to stick with Lucy's choice or say he's
making you uncomfortable)
action: You stick with the lucy's choice
response: Exits: north   south

"I'll stick with Lucy's choice," you say, slipping out of his reach.

"Well," he says with disappointment in his voice. "Okay, then, if your mind is
made up. But...all you gotta do is say yes, you want a better life, and it can
be yours. Is that a yes?"

(You could say yes; or say your mind is made up)
action: Mind is made up
response: Exits: north   south

"Yes," you say with determination. "Yes. I'm sure."

"As you wish," he says. "But you can upgrade anytime. You just come on back
and we'll go through all the necessaries to get you into luxury."

(You could say go with the upgrade or say Bernal Heights is fine)
action: Bernal
response: Exits: north   south

"Bernal Heights will do just fine," you say.

"Well, okay, I'm sure you know best," Bill sighs. "But there is one small
matter, a mere technicality to be sure, but....There is a tenant. Whaddya
gonna do? Twenty years of low rent, she ought to know it can't last forever.
Don't worry, we'll have the place ready for you in no time."

He pauses and winks. "Unless of course you want to upgrade?"

(You could say go with the upgrade; or ask him about the tenant)
action: You ask about the tenant
response: Exits: north   south

"Tenant?" you say.

Bill waves his hand dismissively. "Old lady and her disabled son been there
far too long, 20 years, dirt cheap rent while property values skyrocket, city's
rent control. Not to worry, do it all the time."

"But..." you say, "that's against the law!"

"Yeah, so? You want the place or not?"

(You could say yes; or say go with the upgrade or say you can't evict a tenant)
action: You say you can'T evict
response: Exits: north   south

"No. Not if it means throwing an old woman out of her home," you say firmly.

"Bah!" Bill snorts. "Come on, get out of here, you don't want to do what it
takes to get ahead in this town, I can't help you, Lucy can't help you, you're
on your own. Out. Out. Come on, get out."

He stomps disgustedly behind the counter, walks to his desk, sits down, and
punches the bluetooth device in his ear.

(You could say upgrade or walk away)
action: Upgrade
response: Magnolia Street (alley behind Lombard)
118
Exits: east   south   west

"Okay! All right!" you blurt out. "Upgrade me!"

Bill is out from behind the counter before you can blink. He checks the door
sign be sure it says Closed from the outside, checks the door
to be sure it is
locked, then he takes your elbow and nudges you to the couch. He shoves. You
drop to the cushion. He grins broadly as he loosens his belt.

He leads you into the alley behind his office, opens the passenger door to his
car, and waits. "Hurry up, Club, get in."
action: Enter
response: Magnolia Street (alley behind Lombard)
119
Exits: east   south   west

You can't go that way. From here you could go east, south or west.
action: You enter the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (sitting in Bill's car)
120
Exits: north   east

You get into the car.

Bill gets into the car, drives to the corner and guns the engine.

Bill deftly maneuvers through traffic, up the hill to Pacific Heights, and
pulls up to the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street. Miraculously, you
think, there is a parking space just in front of the door. How'd
he do that?
you wonder, not for the last time.
action: You leave
response: Exits: north   west   northwest

You get out of the car and head for the apartment building entrance. As you
cross the sidewalk, you overhear snatches of conversation.

"Yes sir, Mr. Sabub, sir...key...5A...well done...no trouble...anytime."
action: You look
response: Exits: north   west   northwest

Jackson at Laguna, Pacific Heights. Nearly at the top of Pacific Heights, the
intersection of Jackson and Laguna is upscale-residential in character. Down
Laguna to the north, across Union Street, then Lombard, there is a view of the
bay beyond the Marina District.

Up the sidewalk to the west is a canopy leading into the apartment building, or
you can cut across to the northwest from the corner to get into the lobby.
action: West
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights
122
Exits: north   east

Jackson Street, Pacific Heights
A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.

You can see Bill's car here.

Bill stands at the passenger side of the car, holding the open door, waiting
for you to get in.
action: You ask Bill about the apartment
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights
123
Exits: north   east

The man stares at you blankly.

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: You check your inventory
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights
124
Exits: north   east

You are wearing a shirt, a pair of men's shoes, and a pair of jeans (on which
are two pockets).
action: You enter the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (sitting in Bill's car)
125
Exits: north   east

You get into the car.
action: You wait
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (sitting in Bill's car)
126
Exits: north   east

Time passes.
action: Go outside
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
126
Exits: north   east
action: You look
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
127
Exits: north   east

Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.

You are in Bill's car.

Bill stands at the passenger side of the car, holding the open door, waiting
for you to get in.

You sit in the passenger seat of a late model Mercedes sedan with luxurious
leather upholstery, wood paneled dash, gold-plated instruments gleaming
brilliantly.
action: Go outside
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
127
Exits: north   east
action: You look around
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
128
Exits: north   east

Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.

You are in Bill's car.

Bill stands at the passenger side of the car, holding the open door, waiting
for you to get in.

You sit in the passenger seat of a late model Mercedes sedan with luxurious
leather upholstery, wood paneled dash, gold-plated instruments gleaming
brilliantly.
action: You get out of the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
128
Exits: north   east
action: You sit
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
129
Exits: north   east

You look around for a suitable place to sit.

A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.
action: You look around
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
130
Exits: north   east

Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.

You are in Bill's car.

Bill stands at the passenger side of the car, holding the open door, waiting
for you to get in.

You sit in the passenger seat of a late model Mercedes sedan with luxurious
leather upholstery, wood paneled dash, gold-plated instruments gleaming
brilliantly.
action: You enter Lobby
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
130
Exits: north   east

You see no lobby, either because there is nothing here to see
or perhaps you
just need to look around your environment more closely.
action: You sit in the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
131
Exits: north   east

You're already in Bill's car.
action: You leave
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
131
Exits: north   east
action: You stand
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
132
Exits: north   east

You are unable to stand in the car.
action: You ask Bill for the key
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
133
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: You enter the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
134
Exits: north   east

You're already in Bill's car.
action: You get in the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
135
Exits: north   east

You're already in Bill's car.
action: Go outside
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
135
Exits: north   east
action: Seat
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
136
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: You sit on the seat
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
137
Exits: north   east

The back seat is like the front seat, except it's in back. You choose not to
pursue the differences any further.
action: You examine the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
138
Exits: north   east

Bill's car is an immaculate late model Mercedes Benz sedan, black with tan
leather seats and a wood-paneled dash with gleaming gold instruments.

Bill stands at the passenger side of the car, holding the open door, waiting
for you to get in.

You sit in the passenger seat of a late model Mercedes sedan with luxurious
leather upholstery, wood paneled dash, gold-plated instruments gleaming
brilliantly.
action: You examine the instruments
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
139
Exits: north   east

The wood paneled dashboard contains a glove box door, a sound system control
panel (a.k.a. radio), and the usual assortment of driver's accessories.
action: You sit down
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
140
Exits: north   east

>  SIT DOWN

You look around for a suitable place to sit.

A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.
action: You open the glove box
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
141
Exits: north   east

The door to the glove box is locked and Bill took his keys with him. You are
not able to open the glove box.
action: Unlock glove box
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
142
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: Kiss bill
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
143
Exits: north   east

Bill doesn't like that.
action: Go north
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
143
Exits: north   east
action: You sit in the bill's car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
144
Exits: north   east

You're already in Bill's car.
action: You exit car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
144
Exits: north   east
action: You lie down
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
145
Exits: north   east

You are now lying down.
action: You exit
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
145
Exits: north   east
action: You lie down
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
146
Exits: north   east

You are now lying down.
action: You sit
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
147
Exits: north   east

You look around for a suitable place to sit.

A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.
action: You sit up
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
148
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: You roll out of the the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
149
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: Sleep
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
150
Exits: north   east

To sleep, perchance to dream, you think. No, not now,
not here.
action: You sit on the back seat
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
151
Exits: north   east

The back seat is like the front seat, except it's in back. You choose not to
pursue the differences any further.
action: You sit on the front seat
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
151
Exits: north   east

You see no front seat, either because there is nothing here
to see or perhaps
you just need to look around your environment more closely.
action: You steal the car
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
152
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: You look in the right pocket
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
153
Exits: north   east

>  L IN RIGHT POCKET

In the pocket you see a wallet. The wallet is open and contains a debit card, a
driver's license, MUNI fast pass, a credit card, and a note.
action: You look in the left pocket
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
154
Exits: north   east

>  LOOK IN LEFT POCKET

Your pocket is empty.
action: You put the car in the left pocket
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
155
Exits: north   east

You can't put Bill's car in the pocket while the pocket is in Bill's car.
action: Xyzzy
response: Nothing happens. You shrug. Oh well, worth a shot, you
think with mild
disappointment.
action: Pray
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
156
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: Sing
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
157
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: Dance
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
158
Exits: north   east

"Get in the car, we don't have all day," Bill snaps.
action: You kill Bill
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
159
Exits: north   east

That hardly seems appropriate.
action: You put Bill in the wallet
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
160
Exits: north   east

Bill won't let you pick him up.
action: You enter the wallet
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
161
Exits: north   east

The wallet is not something you can enter.
action: You get on Bill
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
162
Exits: north   east

Bill is not something you can get on.
action: You enter Building
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
163
Exits: north   east

The building is not something you can enter.
action: You enter Lobby
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
163
Exits: north   east

You see no lobby, either because there is nothing here to see
or perhaps you
just need to look around your environment more closely.
action: You examine Building
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
164
Exits: north   east

Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
A canopy covers the sidewalk in front of 2102 Jackson Street, marking the
entrance to the apartment building.

The door into the lobby is to the north, the intersection of Laguna and Jackson
is to the east.

You are in Bill's car.

Bill stands at the passenger side of the car, holding the open door, waiting
for you to get in.

You sit in the passenger seat of a late model Mercedes sedan with luxurious
leather upholstery, wood paneled dash, gold-plated instruments gleaming
brilliantly.
action: You get up
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (lying down in Bill's car)
165
Exits: north   east

You are unable to stand in the car.
action: You get out
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
165
Exits: north   east
action: You go outside
response: Jackson Street, Pacific Heights (standing up in Bill's car)
165
Exits: north   east

>  OUT