[STING OF THE WASP] Let's Play Interactive Fiction Together!

Close bag

go south

The stairs turn sharply north as you ascend.

Western wing
This is the newest addition to Pine Meadows, built to house the new spa to the west. In stark contrast to the well-lit, tan stucco walls, a dingy concrete stairwell descends to south. To the north, a rather uninspired doorway leads to the office of the club manager. The hall itself extends to the east.

Close bag

You close the Louis Vuitton bag.

East.

East.

Foyer
Putting the club's best foot forward is clearly the purpose of the foyer. A stately crystal chandelier scatters daylight into kaleidoscopic patterns. Two verdant plants stand next to a set of double doors to the north, their leaves extended as if to usher people in to the banquet hall. To the south, next to the exit to the gardens, is a bulletin board. The hall continues to the west and east.

Examine bulletin board

Examine bulletin board

Although seemingly impossible, somehow this cork bulletin board, with its oak border and brass inlay, manages to appear elegant. I guess all it takes to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear is money. A fact illustrated by many of Pine Meadows's patrons. On the bulletin board is an announcement.

x announcement

take announcement

x announcement

This note announces the charity banquet going on tonight. It's supposed to be the gala event of the season and, as such, you bought your tickets months in advance. The doors open at six-thirty followed by the "Opening speech by Julia Hawthorne; Philanthropist of the Year" at quarter to seven. The donation seemed like a good idea at the time but with all that's happened today, you're kind of regretting it.

take announcement

Taken.

Z....

Z....

Time passes.

x plants

East.

x plants

Normally you aren't all that fond of plants, but these two have a subdued elegance that you find pleasing.

East.

You make your way through the east wing to the garden path.

Garden path
Serving as little more than a junction, the path here leads from the garden in the southwest to the outside dining area in the north and northeast. The club itself lies to the west and the tennis court to the east. To the southeast is the pool, but it is closed for the season.

Let's go east

>North

Let's go east

Tennis court
Since tennis became passé, this court is mainly used by those few members who actually enjoy the game. In fact, due to the reduced use, the club has even begun letting non-members play on it. You've never been that fond of tennis and with the rabble about, you're loath to even stay on the court. Hardly a big loss. The net droops, the benches are peeling, and the rubber floor sticks to your pumps. Although you are fenced in on most sides, thankfully, you can still leave to the more agreeable outside dining areas to the northwest and north, or the garden path to the west.

Beverly Winters, a long time member of the club, hops from foot to foot, waiting for a ball to come out of a serving machine at the other end of the court.

Barely turning, Beverly starts talking. "Well, hello, Julia," she says, still not facing you. "Tonight's banquet should be interesting. No?"

Beverly smacks a ball across the court.

Insult Beverly.

blackmail beverly with tickets

Take ball

Insult Beverly. talk to beverly about tennis

"I can't believe you still play this game, it is so passé."

"Well, I understand you've moved on to a different kind of balls," Beverly says coyly. "Ah well, this will always be the game for me."

A rather aggressive serve by the machine thwacks Beverly on the thigh.

blackmail beverly with talk to beverly about tickets

"Really, Julia. Sometimes you are such a whore," Beverly mutters.

"What was that?"

"I said: 'Really, Julia. Sometimes you are such a bore.'"

In a strangely crude move, Beverly shifts her bra uncomfortably.

x beverly

x beverly's bra

x Coldblooded

x beverly

Just a couple of years your senior, Beverly joined the club a few months before you. This was back in the prime of Pine Meadows, before the computer boom, before the stock market became a playground for anyone with a couple thousand, before peasant blouses and the anti-fur movement; those were the days. Back then, the only thing to do was engage in dramatic rivalries. And what a rivalry you formed. Playful at first, it soon degenerated in to a spat worthy of the Hatfields and McCoys, that is if the two of you were troglodytic mountain folk. After dying down for a couple of years, the rivalry flared up again when you caught her flirting with Frank at one of last year's charity auctions. Normally you would have been happy to have his hands occupied for a few hours, but the insult was too great to ignore.

x beverly's bra

Beverly's chest looks lumpier than usually.

And then...

>west

Garden path
Serving as little more than a junction, the path here leads from the garden in the southwest to the outside dining area in the north and northeast. The club itself lies to the west and the tennis court to the east. To the southeast is the pool, but it is closed for the season.

>North

Outside dining (next to the kitchen)
This is what it's all about: stale food and staler gossip. However, despite all that, the outside dining offered by Pine Meadows is really the only thing that interests you at the club. The tables are full; the place is busy. The members don't seem to be eating all that much though, no doubt saving their appetites for the banquet tonight. To the west is the server's entrance to the kitchen where all manner of food is prepared. The dining area extends to the east, and to the south and southeast are the garden path and tennis court respectively.

A waiter bustles about, tray of wine glasses in hand, trying desperately to keep up with drink orders from demanding patrons.

Oh great, Cecilia Winnecott is here, the most frightfully irritating woman you have ever had the displeasure to meet. You attempt to duck out before she sees you but it's too late.

"Yoohoo, Julia! Over here." As if you could miss her. Her bright fuchsia pantsuit practically sears your retinas. Cissy sashays up to you, her jacket barely able to contain those three Danishes you saw her wolf down this morning.

x pantsuit
talk to cecilia about pantsuit
x wine
talk to waiter about pantsuit
take wine