Fogdale family: Teens of the Dump

[Year count 145]  It's busy (and a bit tricky) times in Galucca. There's so much that should be built in the town center, and historically the time is more than due. And - there are lots of locals growing up everywhere, and when a family had 2 sons, the second one would need a new home, right, but the number of vacant lots is limited - except from the city flats that were not yet built. Sigh.

Excitingly, many of the miscoloured kids are growing up too. Unfortunately for most of them, they come from low status homes, and therefore can't pick just any spouse available. Seems like they will couple up as far as it goes. Many of them reside the Dump...

So, it's time to check back on the red skinned Misty Fogdale and her parents, Tusha and Eremias. :)

First a quick stop at the Humph house next door. Eremias' younger brother, Jody, just moved in with the girl next door, the red skinned Brit Humph. They are not married yet, but the house was in need of a man as Brit's old dad died, and her old mom was arrested for stealing two gravestones. One stone was the long missing stone after late Countess Rosanne, Count Junato Pettonta's mother. I have no idea how the stones ended up in the Humph family inventory, but I do recall that Brit's dad Bob Humph used to sleep on the bench at the old cemetery, long ago. He might have been a kleptomaniac?

Brit's mom was released this morning, and unfortunately she was charged a big fee which this poor household can't afford...

Misty's dad, Eremias, has become an activist. Today he joined the group protesting against the Council's plans to support the Galaxy Science Program financially. The group thinks the money could be spent in wiser ways. Who needs flying to the Moon anyway? It won't be possible, and then all investments will be wasted!

Tusha has turned much older, you might not even recognize her... She is quite disappointed with Misty who got a leg inside one of the factories (Garton Technologies) but hardly shows up when she is supposed to work. Tusha thinks she is wasting her possibilities, while Misty simply doesn't want to work - she is just a teen for Similius sake!

Tusha sent her daughter out to tend the little vegetable garden, or they will have nothing to eat for dinner.

Then some of Misty's friends turned up at the gate, wanting her to hang out with them. These are actually most of the teens of the Dump these days. Only the youngest Smith son is not pictured. To the left is Emma Hydront, the waving blue one is Shellith Gnomes, and the guy is Didrik Gruston. Didrik is Misty's cousin.

Misty had to work in the garden until dark.

Then they ate dinner, and her parents were more quiet then they normally are. Hm, I couldn't help noticing how Tusha has certain eating manners, while Eremias eats like an animal... Misty seems quite disgusted by her dad's routine.

Finally Misty could run over to hang with her friends. The night is rather chilly, and the heavy rain storm surprised them all. Isn't the weather a bit weird?

The factory back there is Iron Winds, owned by the Count. The teens of the Dump use to meet just over there, behind that old car. The house to the right is the Gnomes home, where the blue girl lives.

The teens often talk about breaking into the factories, or even into the von Salamand home up at Upper Farmland. Mister von Salamand represents this region at the Town Council, and the teens know very well that he does so because of his money and vague tie to the Pettonta Castle through his marriage. One time Didrik broke into one of the closed mines, but they didn't do much harm, really.

So... Didrik and Shellith having something going? Misty had no idea at all!

Misty thought to herself, please don't grow up! What would she do when all her friends became boring adults? And to be honest, she didn't even expect that the kids of the Dump would ever find love. Had they not been told, ever since they were toddlers, that they should not expect much from life?

If Shellith could fall in love with Didrik, and Didrik with Shellith, then it should also be possible for Misty to find someone! A new and quite shocking thought!

Meanwhile, back home Tusha and Eremias had a serious talk about their future. Eremias will soon get elderly too, and Misty is their only kid. They have no savings, and this house is actually too big for them. Now that the nights have become colder, they would need to find a way to heat the house

*). They should either sell some of their belongings, or find a smaller home. But how about traditions? Eremias grew up here, and his grandparents built this place. Hm... :thinking:

*) This far, Galucca only had Summer. The Fall-ish weather is upsetting most of the town.