MURKLAND - MONDAY - CHAPTER 9

ANOTHER DATE AT THE PUFFER DOME

The next day, I am up early ready to put together the shower tarp! I was so excited!

 In no time at all, it's all together! And, it's Monday! It's shower day and I've paid my bills! Yes!

But before taking that nice, long shower I've been dreaming about (I was also day dreaming about pizza apparently), I had better do some gardening. Gee, this was going to be a lot of work...it'll probably take me all day. I decide to fetilize the plants with some ground-up fish that were caught in Granite Falls.

And all of a sudden, all these sims show up and want to help me with my garden. Lucky me! There's Ridge and Crag and Veegan...

...and Moira and Karim. They all have "green thumbs" in gardening and I sure am glad they came!

To thank them for coming, I decide to make a little lunch.

Well, my cooking skills haven't really improved, and yes, you guessed it...

...I started a fire! But Ridge is fast and puts out the fire lickety-split!

EGADS! I'm on fire! I run around trying to put myself out and then realize I can use my new shower tarp! Duh!

Luckily for me, I had put together that shower tarp earlier, and so I ran to extinguish myself! Water...water...give me water! Phew! It worked!

And even though lunch was a bit charred, everyone enjoyed it. We sat and chatted for awhile and decided that we should have a "Trashplants United" gardening club. Everyone thought that was a good idea. After finishing up some weeding, everyone said their goodbyes. Well, everyone, except Karim.

We hang out and chat and laugh and reminisce about the weekend we both had in Granite Falls. He even shows me a photo that someone had snapped of the two of us [above]

Then he takes a deep breath like he wants to ask me something...
Kate would you like to go on an adventure with me?....I mean....

...I've been meaning to ask you this since I saw you again at Granite Falls...

Will you have dinner with me tonight at the Puffer Dome?

I think my knees feel like liquid Jello....and I think I mutter something non sensical like...YES! Not even thinking straight. Until it's too late and he has already gone.

I think...why does it have to be the Puffer Dome? Bummer! What about Paolo and that horrible date I had there the last time?

I still like Paolo, but...well, he left me there to pay the bill. [flashback to date with Paolo above--NOT a good memory] 

Should I go on this date with Karim? I don't know what I should do. Ahhh heck, it's only dinner...and a sim needs to eat!

Even though I convince myself that it's only dinner, I take special care in getting ready. Where's that darn top? (rummages through box).

When I arrive, Karim is already waiting for me at the bar and I sit down and thank him for inviting me.

I hear an intake of breath as he says, "Kate, is that you? Wow! You look amazing!" 

I brush it off with a "What, this old thing?" line, but I secretly feel special.

Karim orders us some drinks and he pays for it! Hmmm...this is going to be different indeed!

I walk up to the little podium booth and put our names in for a table. It was going to be a long wait because the restaurant was busy. I know, even on a Monday! Who would believe it.
"Hi, any tables in the non-earthquake zone?"


Karim suggests that we hit the dance floor...he is such a great dancer...and in no time, they were calling us to our table.

We are seated at a very secluded, romantic table, and Karim again tells me how stunning I look. I think I may have blushed a bit at all these compliments he was giving me. And thank goodness we are NOT sitting at the same table as last time.

"Do you like adventure, Kate? Let's be adventurous tonight. Hold that thought and I will be back!"

Oooooh mystery...I'm left alone at the table thinking about what I should order. Adventure, huh....

Karim returns to the table just as our waiter arrives to take our order. Ummm...Karim...where is your shirt? Ok, never mind....we are going to be adventurous tonight and have the Pufferfish Nigiri! Karim smiles in agreement.

We both laugh...maybe a little nervously...(me because I'm staring at his chest the whole time)..and we talk non-stop until our dinner arrives. Karim tells me there is a little pool behind the building, and he took a quick dip...but his shirt got wet. Uh huh...

Our dinner is  here...and, well, here goes nothing...you only live once!

What a fragrant aroma! It smells so good...I can't wait to taste it! I think Karim feels the same way.

I take a taste...and...it's SO good!

Want a bite? Just a little one now...and don't bite me! Yum!

After we finish our dinner, Karim gives me a big hug..."you are one adventurous gal, Kate..."

I decide to head downstairs to pay the chef a compliment. "Hey great meal, thanks for not killing my date!"

Back upstairs, Karim suggests we stay a bit longer so we hit the dance floor once again! This time we jive to Murkland's most popular dance, the Murky Boogie Woogie.

We are having so much FUN!

We even go to the little pool behind the building...uh...is that the lifeguard?  I don't want the night to end... and then IT happens....

We hear someone shouting..."he's choking, he's choking, someone do something!"

 Oh no...bad pufferfish....

But by the time we rush over to see what's happening, it's too late...death in the Puffer Dome...

Everyone is standing around...crying...and just staring at the poor victim...and then I see HIM appear... the Grim Reaper...

Before I know what I am doing, I jump in front of the Grim Reaper and plead for Scar's life.
"Please Mr. Reaper...don't let him die".
I keep babbling on about life and the right to live and it's not fair...blah, blah, blah...I have no idea what I am talking about. But, I am terrified...what if the Grim Reaper decides to take me instead...what was I thinking?

 Oh my gosh! I guess all my babbling worked!
 He's alive! He's alive! I can't believe what I am seeing!

"Oh, ummm...Grimmie...I just wanted to say thanks..." Hey, did you guys buy your clothes at the Murkland Mercantile Store? They totally match! Ok, bye!"

I see Crag at the bar and tell him what just happened....but I feel a bit dazed...and my words aren't forming too well...like I have a big wad of cotton in my mouth.
"Yah...the Rim Deeper gave Scar laugh...yep, I plumbed it!" Crag looks concerned and he and Karim escort me home.

...Karim tells me that he thinks that Scar's near death was not an accident and that he fears for my life...Karim thinks someone did voodoo on me...

Voodoo? How? Why? Are you kidding me? Who would do that? Ummm...what is voodoo exactly?

...Karim says he doesn't know who put a spell on me, but it would be someone with high mischief skill...

"I am not going to let anything happen to you, Kate, because, I, because I....

I snap out of it suddenly and look at Karim. What? What is he trying to say? Because you what Karim...? Oh my gosh...is he the one? No, can't be...we're just friends...sure, just friends...

...because I...because I...(I hear Karim swallow hard)...Kate...how would you like to go on another adventure tomorrow to the gym...to get you stronger...so no-one can hurt you...Yeah...that's it!

Oh yah...that's it....give me a muscle makeover! Woot! Woot! So excited! Uh huh...high five it over here...

Well, Karim kind of misses the High 5 and stumbles into me and holds me close for a second. Then without a further word, he quickly kisses me on the cheek (I think he was also chewing on my hat), and then hi-tails it out of there waving goodbye. "See you tomorrow Kate...my adventure gal"

Ummm...bye....see you tomorrow. Oooh la la!

Things are starting to get murky!