All text'll be saved to the script file. Type UNSCRIPT at any time to stop scripting. >restart You sure you want to start over? (YES or NO) > y Common Ground Common Ground Copyright (c) 1999 by Stephen Granade. All rights reserved. Type "about" for more information. Version 1 (Dec 28 1999) Developed with TADS, the Text Adventure Development System. One Great, just great. First you oversleep, end up being late for school. Then the whole day sucks so bad you can barely wait until seventh period's over and you're free. Now you've wasted so much time watching TV that you've gotta rush through your makeup or you won't be ready for tonight before April gets here with her wheels. Mississippi may say you're old enough to drive, but Frank sure doesn't agree. Man, you can't wait for all this to be over. Your Bedroom You've spent a lot of time in this room, enough that it's really beginning to get on your nerves. You're tired of the stupid posters, you're tired of your stupid bed, you're tired of everything. You just wish it weren't such a hassle to try to change any of it. Besides, if you were going to change anything, you'd start with the clothes in your closet. To the west, across from your window, is a closed door going out. You see a flowerdy bag here. Sitting on the vanity is a geode, mascara, eye shadow, pink blush, and foundation. >x bag You sometimes wonder if you should replace it, but you really like the flowers printed on it. Most everything you need's in it. >l in it It's got what you need for tonight. >x geode It's the only thing left from when you were little and thought you wanted to be a scientist. You only keep it because it's pretty. >x mascara The mascara's that stuff in the pink and green tube. >x eye The eye shadow is a lavender shade by Revlon. >x pink Which pink do you mean, the mascara, or the pink blush? >blush The blush is in a squarish container labelled "Maybelline". >x foundation Good old Maybelline K-Mart special in its round container. >x me You've gone with your jean cut-offs and a plaid shirt tonight. Nothing fancy, but then it doesn't really need to be. >i You've got nothing. >not even my self esteem? I don't know the word "not". >get bag Taken. >x closet Sure, there are a lot of clothes in there, but most of them are way out of date. And don't even think about that nasty Hardee's uniform hanging at one end. >open it You can't reach that from the cane- bottomed chair. >stand Forget this. You stand up and grab your makeup. A dab of some blush and a little mascara--screw the eye shadow-- then you dump all the makeup into your bag. >x chair The cane bottom is about wore out, and the whole chair's pretty rickety. >l under it Nothing's under there, far as you can tell. >x bed Did you ever really think four-poster beds were cool? >l under bed You used to keep magazines under there until you got tired of your mom yapping at you about them and threw them away. >x posters You liked all of the posters when you put them up, especially that one of Motley Crue. But they've been up there long enough that you're bored of them. Even the Crue is last year's band now. >l behind bed Nothing's behind the bed. >l behind posters Nothing's behind the posters. >get in bed You plop down on the bed. >lie down What do you want to lie on? >bed Not after you spent so long on your hair. >stand You get out of the bed. >jump on bed I don't recognize that sentence. >bounce on bed I don't know the word "bounce". >x window Curtains cover the window. >x curtains You kinda remember picking the fabric for mom to make the curtains out of when you were in first grade. Right now the curtains are . >are what? I don't know the word "are". >open curtains You open the curtains. It's gotten dark outside while you've been getting ready. >x curtains You kinda remember picking the fabric for mom to make the curtains out of when you were in first grade. Right now the curtains are . >close curtains You pull the curtains shut. >x curtains You kinda remember picking the fabric for mom to make the curtains out of when you were in first grade. Right now the curtains are . >x door There is a small dingle near the bottom of the door that you can see when it's closed, like now. >x dingle One time, when you were seven, mom and Frank sent you to your room. After being locked up in here a few hours, when you asked if you could come out yet, mom told you no. So you kicked the door hard as you could and put this little dingle in it. Good thing mom never saw. >open door You open the bedroom door. >w Hall The hall goes north to your bathroom and south to the stairs. Mom and Frank's bedroom is to the west, directly across from your room. >n You open the door and go through, closing it behind you. Your Bathroom Your bathroom's not only small, it's not even right by your bedroom. Some day maybe you'll streak between here and your room, give Frank a real show. A bunch of your bottles are scattered round the sink. The hallway is back to the south. >x bottles Moisturizer, shampoo, shit like that. >x toilet A porcelain toilet. >use it You don't have to go right now. >x shower All it is is a stall--no tub or anything. >x sink You've left a bunch of your bottles around the sink. >x vanity I don't see any vanity here. >x cabinet I don't see any cabinet here. >x all You can't use "all" with this verb. >get all I don't see what you're referring to. >s You open the door and go through, closing it behind you. Hall The hall goes north to your bathroom and south to the stairs. Mom and Frank's bedroom is to the west, directly across from your room. >w Mom and Frank's Room Mom and Frank's room is okay, you guess. That waterbed of theirs is pretty sweet, even with that stupid little nightstand next to it. Their bathroom is north, and an open door to the east goes back into the hall. >x nightstand It's not much to look at. There's a closed drawer in it. >open it You slide open the drawer--surely Frank won't notice--to find a roll of bills. >get bills You glance over your shoulder, then pull a bunch of bills from the roll. You stop after about eighty. If you're lucky, Frank won't find them gone for a while. You put the roll back in the drawer and hide the bills you took. >i You've got a flowerdy bag. The flowerdy bag seems to contain foundation, pink blush, eye shadow, and mascara. >x bills Which bills do you mean, the stolen money, or the roll of bills? >stolen You pat the money you took from Frank. It's still where you hid it. >count it You pull it out and count it before putting it away again. There's about eighty dollars there. >n Mom and Frank's Bathroom You don't know why Frank has this big thing about you not using his and mom's bathroom. It's not like it's any big secret deal. You can leave it to the south. >x toilet A porcelain toilet. >use it You don't have to go right now. >x sink The sink's really clean. >use it No way you're going to risk splashing water on you. >x mirror I don't see any mirror here. >wow I don't know the word "wow". >x shower I don't see any shower here. >x tub It'd be great if you had a bath. You'd be taking bubble baths like every night. >s Mom and Frank's Room Mom and Frank's room is okay, you guess. That waterbed of theirs is pretty sweet, even with that stupid little nightstand next to it. Their bathroom is north, and an open door to the east goes back into the hall. The nightstand drawer seems to contain a roll of bills. >close drawer Closed. >e Hall The hall goes north to your bathroom and south to the stairs. Mom and Frank's bedroom is to the west, directly across from your room. >s Living Room When you're not in your room you usually hang here, watching TV from the couch. Frank sometimes works at a little desk he's got in here, but he's normally pretty cool with you watching TV while he works. There are stairs to the south. You can get to the kitchen to the northeast and the front door and hallway are northwest. Frank is sitting in the chair, hunched over his desk. As you come down the stairs, Frank looks up at you. "Goin' out tonight too, huh?" Is his speech slurred again? >yes If you want to talk to someone, use TALK TO. >talk to frank "Like you give a rat's ass," you mutter to Frank. "What?" he says. "Nothing," you say. It's not like there's much to do in this shitty little town anyway. >x desk The desk is covered with broken appliances that Frank swears he's going to fix. >x appliances He's been "working" on some of that junk for years. >work on appliances I don't know the word "work". >ne Kitchen Mom's been bugging you about learning how to cook, so you've been avoiding the kitchen as much as possible when she's around. There're counters and cabinets along the walls and a table on one side of the kitchen. The hallway's to the west and the living room is southwest. >x counters A bunch of cluttered counters. >x window I don't see any window here. >clean counters Forget that--it's not one of your chores. >Not even for a memento? I don't know the word "not". >x table A small white table. Sometimes mom makes you and Frank eat dinner here instead of in front of the TV. >w Hall The hallway goes between the kitchen to the east and the front door to the west. There's a bathroom to the north. You can slip around the wall of the hallway and into the living room to the southwest. >n You open the door and go through, closing it behind you. Bathroom An extra bathroom, with a john and sink. >x john A porcelain toilet. >x susan I don't know the word "susan". >use john You don't have to go right now. >x sink The sink's pretty clean since mom had you clean this bathroom last weekend. >l in it There's nothing in the porcelain sink. >use it No way you're going to risk splashing water on you. >s You open the door and go through, closing it behind you. Hall The hallway goes between the kitchen to the east and the front door to the west. There's a bathroom to the north. You can slip around the wall of the hallway and into the living room to the southwest. >sw Living Room When you're not in your room you usually hang here, watching TV from the couch. Frank sometimes works at a little desk he's got in here, but he's normally pretty cool with you watching TV while he works. There are stairs to the south. You can get to the kitchen to the northeast and the front door and hallway are northwest. Frank is sitting in the chair, hunched over his desk. >s Hall The hall goes north to your bathroom and south to the stairs. Mom and Frank's bedroom is to the west, directly across from your room. >s Living Room When you're not in your room you usually hang here, watching TV from the couch. Frank sometimes works at a little desk he's got in here, but he's normally pretty cool with you watching TV while he works. There are stairs to the south. You can get to the kitchen to the northeast and the front door and hallway are northwest. Frank is sitting in the chair, hunched over his desk. >s Hall The hall goes north to your bathroom and south to the stairs. Mom and Frank's bedroom is to the west, directly across from your room. >ah I don't know the word "ah". >s Living Room When you're not in your room you usually hang here, watching TV from the couch. Frank sometimes works at a little desk he's got in here, but he's normally pretty cool with you watching TV while he works. There are stairs to the south. You can get to the kitchen to the northeast and the front door and hallway are northwest. Frank is sitting in the chair, hunched over his desk. >nw Hall The hallway goes between the kitchen to the east and the front door to the west. There's a bathroom to the north. You can slip around the wall of the hallway and into the living room to the southwest. >w You'll have to open the front door first. >open door You open the front door a little and peek outside, but April's not here yet. >s The wall's in the way. You can go around it to the southwest or east. >sw Living Room When you're not in your room you usually hang here, watching TV from the couch. Frank sometimes works at a little desk he's got in here, but he's normally pretty cool with you watching TV while he works. There are stairs to the south. You can get to the kitchen to the northeast and the front door and hallway are northwest. Frank is sitting in the chair, hunched over his desk. >talk to frank You wander over to Frank's desk and look at the jumble on it. "What'cha working on?" "Toaster," he says, staring at the inside of a chrome-plated box. >x toaster The toaster's lying open, its insides pulled out all over the desk. >ask frank about toaster You know better than to mess with Frank's projects. >talk to frank "Hey, Frank, where'd mom go?" "Groceries." He leans his head from side to side, trying to loosen tense muscles. "Piggly Wiggly. Hope you told her what you wanted this week." >g "Nah," you say, shaking your head. "Doesn't matter." "Well, okay," he says. >g "By the way, could you spot me a couple of bucks for tonight?" you ask as casually as you can. He sighs and runs a hand through what's left of his hair. "You know money's tight this month." >g "I know. But it's not like I'm asking for much. All's I need is like a ten or something." "Look, I told you already. Money's tight, and I don't have any to give you. Now quit yapping about it." Frank pointedly turns back to the toaster. >g You go to Frank's desk and stand so he has to look at you. "C'mon, Frank! I'm not asking you to give blood here!" He looks up, his hands grabbing at the toaster like he'd like to throw it. "Do you ever know when to shut up? I'm working myself to death and all I hear is 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!' You want money? Spend more time at Hardee's and less time pissing me off." He goes back to work. You flip him off behind his back as you walk away. >g After he raked you over the coals for asking for a little money? Fuck that. Your billfold! You'll definitely need your money tonight. It better still be in the kitchen where you left it after school. >e You stick your head into the garage, but you can't see the road. >n You can't go that way. >ne Kitchen Mom's been bugging you about learning how to cook, so you've been avoiding the kitchen as much as possible when she's around. There're counters and cabinets along the walls and a table on one side of the kitchen. The hallway's to the west and the living room is southwest. >find billfold I don't know the word "find". >search kitchen There's nothing on the kitchen counters. >l Kitchen Mom's been bugging you about learning how to cook, so you've been avoiding the kitchen as much as possible when she's around. There're counters and cabinets along the walls and a table on one side of the kitchen. The hallway's to the west and the living room is southwest. >search table You glance under the table, then get down on your hands and knees. There that stupid thing is! You grab the billfold and stand up, shoving the money you...found upstairs into it. Mom comes bustling in the kitchen with a bunch of groceries, which she plops down on the table. "Hey, Jeanie," she says. >talk to mom "What'd you get at the store?" you ask mom. "Right, uh-huh. The usual. Oh," she says, pulling a box out of a sack and showing it to you. "I got Wheat Thins for you." She puts the box away. "Could you help me put the groceries up?" mom asks you. >help mom You grab some of the groceries and put them up. >g You grab some of the groceries and put them up. >g You grab some of the groceries and put them up. >g You grab some of the groceries and put them up. >g You grab some of the groceries and put them up. >g You grab some of the groceries and put them up. >talk to mom "Don't forget I won't be here for supper," you tell mom. "Right, uh-huh, right," mom says. She sighs. "I wish you'd eat supper here a little more often." >g "I do eat here!" you say. "At least a couple nights a week, like you asked!" "Uh-huh, right, right." Mom nods vigorously. "You do eat with us sometimes. I just like it when we eat as a family." Mom says, "Jeanie dear, I'm making roast tonight. If you're still hungry when you get home, there should be some left in the fridge." >g "Um, thanks." "Right, right, you're welcome." >g There's not much else you wanna say to her. >w Hall The hallway goes between the kitchen to the east and the front door to the west. There's a bathroom to the north. You can slip around the wall of the hallway and into the living room to the southwest. >w You'll have to open the front door first. >open door You open the front door a little and peek outside, but April's not here yet. You hear a car horn being honked outside in front of the house. Must be April. >open door You yank open the door. Sure enough, there's April in her old Mustang. You slam the door shut on your way out, heading for her car. Two That toaster's been giving you fits the last few nights. "Could you fix it?" Deb asks, like it's the easiest thing in the world. Least now you're pretty sure it's the power cord and not anything more serious. It oughta be a quick enough fix. Quick enough once you get a drink, that is. Kitchen You'd think you never ate, as hungry as you get every time you go in the kitchen. But you promised Deb no snacks, so the cabinets are off-limits for you. Good thing drinks from the fridge are okay. The den is southwest. >x fridge The fridge is humming louder than it used to. It may need a new charge of freon. >open it Inside the fridge, nestled among the food, are several cans of Coke and Bud. >get coke You suddenly realize that you've been standing and staring into the open fridge for a while. You shake your head slightly and pull a Coke from the fridge. You'd prefer a Bud, really, but Deb's been on you about that. >close fridge Closed. >sw Den You've got the desk where you work pushed up against one wall, over by an old stereo you keep meaning to fix. The only thing you can see from the desk is the kitchen to the northeast, but at least your back's to the TV. A worn banister and stairs to the south go up to the second floor. Sitting on your desk is a broken toaster, a junk box, a Phillips-head screwdriver, and a multimeter. You hear Jeanie clomping around upstairs. Probably getting ready to go out again tonight. >u Hallway The hallway runs from the north end of the house to the south end. At the north end is the extra bathroom Jeanie uses, and the stairs are at the south end. Your bedroom is west, across from Jeanie's room. Through the open door you can see Jeanie moving around in her bedroom. >w Your Bedroom Your bedroom is okay, though all the furniture makes it feel cluttered. The waterbed alone takes up most of the room. There's barely enough room for that nightstand you fixed or for your dresser. Your bathroom is north. >open nightstand Opening the nightstand drawer reveals a roll of bills. >get bills You start to take it, but figure you'll just spend it if you do. >count bills You thumb through the roll. One hundred thirty-seven dollars, just like last time you counted. >take ten I don't know the word "ten". >get 10 dollars I don't know the word "dollars". >get 10 I don't know how to take the number 10. >close drawer Closed. >e Hallway The hallway runs from the north end of the house to the south end. At the north end is the extra bathroom Jeanie uses, and the stairs are at the south end. Your bedroom is west, across from Jeanie's room. Through the open door you can see Jeanie moving around in her bedroom. >z You stare off into space a bit. >z You stare off into space a bit. >z You stare off into space a bit. >s As you head down the stairs, a quiet click makes you glance back in time to see Jeanie's door shut. You swear you can hear her sighing heavily behind the door. Den You've got the desk where you work pushed up against one wall, over by an old stereo you keep meaning to fix. The only thing you can see from the desk is the kitchen to the northeast, but at least your back's to the TV. A worn banister and stairs to the south go up to the second floor. Sitting on your desk is a broken toaster, a junk box, a Phillips-head screwdriver, and a multimeter. >x box All sorts of odds and ends are jammed down in the box, most of them ripped off of old appliances. >sit at desk You slowly lower yourself down on the wooden chair. >fix toaster You're going to have to be more specific. Jeanie comes clumping down the stairs. She's all dressed up, with her plaid shirt tied so that you can see her midriff. "You going out again tonight?" you ask her. She doesn't answer. >talk to geanie I don't know the word "geanie". >o jeanie You decide to take a break from messing with the toaster. "So," you ask Jeanie, "how was school?" It's a stupid question, and you realize just how stupid it is right after you say it. Jeanie sighs. "How do you think it was?" >g "I hated school, too. Couldn't wait to graduate." "Yeah? Why'd you even bother? Not like you need a diploma to do factory work." Should of known better than to even try to talk to her. >g You can't repeat that command. >d'oh! I don't know the word "d'oh". >stand You start to stand up, but glance at the toaster. You've got to be close to fixing it. It shouldn't take you too much longer. >stand With a start you realize that you've been staring at the wall for the past few minutes. Better do at least a little more work on the toaster before you give up. >stand You rise, then sit back down. You're so close to having that toaster finished, you can't stand to leave it any longer. >laugh I don't know the word "laugh". >fix toaster You're going to have to be more specific. >drink coke You have to open it first. "Where's mom, Frank?" Jeanie asks you. Jeanie clears her throat. You brace yourself for whatever she wants. "Um, can I borrow some cash for tonight? 'Cause I'm kinda short." >i You've got a single can of Coke. "So, about that money....?" When is it not about money with her? "You know money's tight now." "Money's always tight." Her voice gives you a headache every time she starts whining like this. "I only need a twenty." >give money to jeanie I don't see any money here. >give coke to jeanie She'd probably just rip your head off. "Um, if you don't have a twenty...." Does she even listen to you? "I told you. Money's tight. Fixing the station wagon took all our extra money this month." She just doesn't know when to leave well enough alone. Jeanie moves beside your desk. You look up at her. "How much would it hurt you to give me something every once in a while, huh?" You look at your desk. You may love her, but at times like this you want to spank her like she was six again. God, you hope Deb's right and this is just a phase. "I give you a house, a bed, and as much food as you can shove in your mouth. You want money? Why don't you go earn it?" You deliberately stare at the toaster in the hopes Jeanie will go away. She does. >x toaster The toaster that you're in the middle of fixing sits open. Inside it you can see its heating element and frayed power cord. >x cord The power cord's gotten pretty frayed from the toaster being plugged and unplugged so much. It's held in the toaster by screws. >get screwdriver Taken. >l in box After some rooting around in the box you find a mostly new power cord. You think it came from that old box fan with the burnt-out motor you tossed last year. >unscrew cord As careful as you can you loosen the screws holding the cord and take it out of the toaster. >screw in new cord You put the new cord in the toaster where the old one used to be. >x new cord Offhand you don't remember whether this cord is any good or not. Right now the cord's being held in the toaster by a couple of screws. The sound of the front door slamming startles you. Jeanie's left already? Wonder where she's going. Three The nice thing about going grocery shopping this late is that the store isn't too crowded and you can check out quickly. It would have been better if Julie Morgan hadn't been there, making those snide comments of hers, but all in all it wasn't too bad. Now maybe Frank or Jeanie can help you put the groceries away. Carport The carport's in bad need of a cleaning, what with all of the supplies for fixing the cars lining the sides and spilling out almost into the middle. It's getting so you can't hardly find space for the station wagon, though you managed to squeeze it in somehow. And you're beginning to think that you might as well get rid of the bikes. The side door to the house is to the west. The station wagon's door is wide open. >i You've got sacks of groceries and your key ring. >l in door Which door do you mean, the side door, or the car door? >car There's nothing in the car door. >unlock door (with your key ring) You pull your key ring out, but drop it before you can unlock the door. "Shit!" you exclaim, then look around. Looks like no one heard you. >get ring It's tough bending down and getting your keys without spilling groceries out of the sacks, but you manage it. >unlock door (with your key ring) You fumble with your keys and finally manage to get the door unlocked. >open dor I don't know the word "dor". >o door Better close the car door before you go in. >close car door You bump the door closed with your hip, but it doesn't quite make it. It stops short, leaving the dome light on. >g You hit the door pretty hard with your hip. It closes. >open side door You almost drop a sack doing it, but you eventually manage to get the side door open. You go through it and close it behind you. Living Room The living room is starting to look a little dusty, the TV especially. There are two paths worn in the green shag carpet, one going from the stairs to the front door, the other from the stairs to the kitchen, right by Frank's desk and the row of family pictures. The door to the carport is east. Frank's boots are sitting in the middle of the floor again. Frank is sitting in the chair, hunched over his desk. >x frank Frank is studying that broken toaster intently. >e You just came from there, and with all those groceries. No sense in going back out again. >ne Kitchen After several rounds of remodelling you finally got the kitchen laid out fairly well, with the range near the cabinets and with plenty of counter space. If only the table weren't between the range and refrigerator. The living room is to the southwest. Standing in the middle of the kitchen is Jeanie. "Hey, mom," Jeanie says as you walk in. >talk to jeanie You smile. "Care to help me put up the groceries?" >x groceries You must be holding some five or six sacks. But it was either that or make several trips from the car, and as tired as you are, you'd just as soon get this chore done quickly. >ask jeanie about money If you want to talk to someone, use TALK TO. >talk to jeanie "I'll leave some roast in the refrigerator in case you want some when you get home," you say to Jeanie. Jeanie shrugs. "Okay." >g "You're welcome." You smile; you know she'll be thankful later. >g You ask Jeanie, "Where are you going tonight?" She glances at the floor. "Dunno. Probably just the movies." >g "Movies, huh? Well, be sure you dress warmly." That plaid shirt of hers is pretty warm, but her jean shorts won't be much good against the wind. "It's supposed to turn chilly tonight." "I'll be fine," she says. >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. >put away groceries You lift the sacks and pile them on the kitchen table. Then you put some of the groceries away. >g You can't repeat that command. >put away groceries You take some of the groceries and put them where they belong. "What all'd you get at the store?" Jeanie asks, rooting around in the sacks. >talk to jeanie "Well, for one thing, I got you some Wheat Thins," you tell Jeanie. Jeanie picks up some of the groceries and puts them up. >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. Jeanie picks up some of the groceries and puts them away. >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. Jeanie grabs some of the groceries and puts them up. >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. Jeanie picks up some of the groceries and puts them up. >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. Jeanie picks up some of the groceries and puts them away. >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. Jeanie picks up some of the groceries and puts them on the counter. >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. "You know I won't be here for supper, right?" Jeanie tells you. >g "I know," you say to Jeanie. How could you forget? She's seldom here for dinner these days. "Too bad you'll miss dinner again." "Uh!" Jeanie pouts. "I eat here a lot!" >g "I know you do," you sigh. "I can't help it that I like us to eat together as a family." >g She seems so distracted, it's probably best just to let her be for now. Jeanie heads out of the kitchen. >w It won't take long to put up the groceries. No sense in leaving it for later, especially since the ice cream would melt. >put away groceries You take some of the groceries and put them where they belong. Outside you hear someone honking. Jeanie's ride must be here. >g You take some of the groceries and put them where they belong. You hear Jeanie go clomping out the front door. She slams it shut hard enough to make the dishes shake. Was she mad? >g You put up the last of the groceries and put the left-over sacks away. >g You can't repeat that command. >w A cough at the door makes you turn around. Frank's there, leaning against the frame. "Did, um, did Jeanie say where she was going?" "Not really." These days, does she ever? When she gets back you'll have to talk to her about it. Four April asked if you wanted her to wait with you, but you told her nah and so she just dropped you off at the station. It was real easy to buy a ticket. You were afraid they'd want to see ID or maybe a letter from mom or something, but the guy just took your money and didn't say nothing. This all seems unreal, somehow. Bus Station, at the counter The ticket counter is more like a cage, with the guy giving tickets sitting behind bars. There's barely enough room in there for him and his chair. On the wall beside the counter is a big board listing arrivals and departures. The rest of the station is to the south. Sitting on the ticket counter is some change and a bus ticket. >get all from counter change: Taken. bus ticket: Taken. >x change There's not much left of the money you gave the ticket guy, but every little bit counts. >count money Which money do you mean, the change, or the money? >money Let's try it again: Which money do you mean, the change, or the money? >argh I don't know the word "argh". >i You've got a billfold, a flowerdy bag, some change, and a bus ticket. The flowerdy bag seems to contain a change of clothes and some extra underwear. >count billfold You don't need to. >l in billfold There's nothing in the billfold. >put money in billfold You slide your change into the billfold. >l in billfold There's nothing in the billfold. >oops I don't know the word "oops". >i You've got a billfold, a flowerdy bag, and a bus ticket. The flowerdy bag seems to contain a change of clothes and some extra underwear. >x underwear Some extra underwear, so you won't have to wash clothes so much. >x ticket You almost can't believe you just bought it. "Los Angeles," it says, as if you could forget. >x board The chalkboard lists a bunch of buses, but the only one you really care about is the one coming from New York and going to Los Angeles. >read it The chalkboard lists a bunch of buses, but the only one you really care about is the one coming from New York and going to Los Angeles. >grr I don't know the word "grr". >read los angeles bus I don't know the word "los". >ask man about mus If you want to talk to someone, use TALK TO. >talk to man You go to talk to the ticket guy, but he looks up at you and what you were going to say gets stuck in your throat. >l Bus Station, at the counter The ticket counter is more like a cage, with the guy giving tickets sitting behind bars. There's barely enough room in there for him and his chair. On the wall beside the counter is a big board listing arrivals and departures. The rest of the station is to the south. >s Bus Station Your feet click on the tile floor as you shift around, waiting. You could sit--there are a couple of worn chairs scattered around, but they all look really uncomfortable. The ticket counter and the board with the bus schedules on it are on the north side of the room, opposite the exit. >n Bus Station, at the counter The ticket counter is more like a cage, with the guy giving tickets sitting behind bars. There's barely enough room in there for him and his chair. On the wall beside the counter is a big board listing arrivals and departures. The rest of the station is to the south. You turn your ticket over and over, looking first at one side, then the other. LA. It's so far away. Surely you'll be an actress, right? >read schedule The chalkboard lists a bunch of buses, but the only one you really care about is the one coming from New York and going to Los Angeles. >hint Common Ground Q=quit P=previous menu U=up D=down ENTER=select >Instructions and Information >Fine Print >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits Commenting on the Game After you've finished the game, you may want to make comments on things the game did well or poorly. Alternatively, you may have found bugs or misspellings which mar the game. In either case, I would love to hear from you. You may e-mail me at sgranade@phy.duke.edu Out of the kindness of your heart, please do not advertise any bugs you find on any of the Usenet newsgroups dedicated to interactive fiction. [The End]Common Ground Q=quit P=previous menu U=up D=down ENTER=select >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits Credits Common Ground Copyright (c) 1999 by Stephen Granade. All rights reserved. Type "about" for more information. Version 1 (Dec 28 1999) Developed with TADS, the Text Adventure Development System. CreditsThis game would not be half of what it is without the help and guidance of my crack team of beta-testers: Mike Kinyon, Dan Shiovitz, Lucian Smith, and Adam Thornton. They kindly agreed to test the game, even though Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas were looming. It's thanks to them that I was able to finish Common Ground by the end of 1999. Special thanks go to Misty Granade, who, as always, put up with me while I struggled with writing this game; and to everyone who took part in the ifMUD Implementors' Lunch and gave me invaluable advice. I bet you didn't expect that this game would be the result. [The End]Common Ground Q=quit P=previous menu U=up D=down ENTER=select >About Common Ground >For Newcomers to Text Adventures >Moving Around >Dealing With Objects >Saving and Restoring >Special Commands >Commenting on the Game >Credits >Instructions and Information >Fine Print >Instructions and Information >Fine Print >Legal Issues >Version Information >About the Author Legal Issues Copyright Information This game, Common Ground, is copyright (c) 1999 by Stephen Granade. Licensing Information I place the following terms and conditions on copying and distributing Common Ground: You may copy and distribute Common Ground in whatever format you choose, as long as it (and especially its copyright information) is not altered. You may not distribute this game for a fee which is greater than the cost of distribution. Distribution of this game constitutes acceptance of this license. A Legal Dodge Because this game is offered free of charge, there is no warranty attached to it. Whatever happens to your computer while playing Common Ground is your problem to deal with. [The End]Common Ground Q=quit P=previous menu U=up D=down ENTER=select >Legal Issues >Version Information >About the Author >Legal Issues >Version Information >About the Author Version Information This is the first version of Common Ground, compiled on 29 Dec 1999. [The End]Common Ground Q=quit P=previous menu U=up D=down ENTER=select >Legal Issues >Version Information >About the Author >Legal Issues >Version Information >About the Author About the Author Stephen Granade is currently finishing up a degree in physics at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. In his spare time he maintains a web site dedicated to interactive fiction at http://interactfiction.about.com. He has also been known to run the annual IF Competition. This is the fifth full game he will admit to writing. If you like Common Ground, why not try Arrival or Losing Your Grip? If you don't like Common Ground, try the other games anyway--they're quite different from this one. All are available from the GMD archive at ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/tads. [The End]Common Ground Q=quit P=previous menu U=up D=down ENTER=select >Legal Issues >Version Information >About the Author >x schedule The chalkboard lists a bunch of buses, but the only one you really care about is the one coming from New York and going to Los Angeles. >s Bus Station Your feet click on the tile floor as you shift around, waiting. You could sit--there are a couple of worn chairs scattered around, but they all look really uncomfortable. The ticket counter and the board with the bus schedules on it are on the north side of the room, opposite the exit. >sit What do you want to sit on? >chairs As uncomfortable as they look? No thanks. >s Outside the Station It's gotten chillier since you got here. Hopefully that bus'll be here soon. There's only one car in the parking lot, and not a lot of traffic on the road. >x car It's a beat-up old Pinto. >l in it It's pretty dirty. >open it It's locked, and if you do break in, you'll have the cops after you whether you stay or go. >cool I don't know the word "cool". >break window I don't see any window here. >l under pinto Nothing's under there, far as you can tell. You hear the bus's engine some time before you see it. It comes crawling down Old Church Road and pulls into the lot in front of you. Its doors open. >get on bux I don't know the word "bux". >o bus You hang back for a moment, then finally climb up in the bus. Inside the Bus The bus is empty except for you and the bus driver, but it still smells like old people and cigarettes. At least you have your pick of seats. The bus driver is looking at you, waiting. The bus driver looks at you. "Staying or going?" he asks, his hand out for your ticket. You think about mom putting a roast in the oven. >exit bus I don't recognize that sentence. >leave bus I don't recognize that sentence. >out Outside the Station Yellow light from the street lamps makes the parking lot and bus stop look weird. Old Church Road, running in front of the bus station, is pretty much empty. The station's behind you to the north. A bus is idling in front of the station. You step back from the bus. The doors hiss shut and the bus jerks into life, lumbering towards the road and away from the station. You watch the bus windows slide past you, blank with reflected light. The red taillights grow smaller and smaller and smaller until they're gone. You shrug your bag onto your shoulder. It's a fair walk back to the house. The End You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, or undo the current command. Please enter (R)ESTORE, RE(S)TART, (Q)UIT, or (U)NDO: >u (Und oing one command) Inside the Bus The bus is empty except for you and the bus driver, but it still smells like old people and cigarettes. At least you have your pick of seats. The bus driver is looking at you, waiting. >sit down What do you want to sit on? >seat The bus driver stops you. "Not unless you got a ticket." >give ticket to driver "Now we're cooking with Crisco." He takes the ticket from you and swings shut the doors. "Grab a seat." >grab a seat You pick a seat at random and flop into it. You put your head against the headrest with a sigh. The bus moves with a jerk, the brakes squealing as the driver coaxes the bus out of the station and onto the road. You close your eyes, letting the glow of street lights play over you, light then dark, light then dark. One last glance at the houses slipping past, fading away into the night, before you close your eyes and try to sleep. The End You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, or undo the current command. Please enter (R)ESTORE, RE(S)TART, (Q)UIT, or (U)NDO: >q Thank you for playing Common Ground.