Generation X
Example 188
★★"Generation X"
The Volunteer Center is a room. "A fairly spartan office, though there are a few attractive posters from advertising campaigns of the past, and an ominous map charting the deforestation of Brazil."
The desk is scenery in the Volunteer Center. "Your standard metal desk, with a drawer for postal supplies and the like." On the desk is a pile of leaflets and a pile of business cards. The power stapler is a device on the desk. A drawer is part of the desk. It is openable and closed. In the drawer are a sponge and a roll of bulk-mail stamps.
Instead of doing something:
if examining, continue the action;
if searching, continue the action;
if looking, continue the action;
if asking Jenna to try doing something, continue the action;
say "The whole point of this exercise is to train Jenna. Once you have her on the envelope-stuffing, you can go make some calls."
Instead of answering Jenna that something:
say "You're going to have to break the instructions down to the simplest ones possible, given that she's in the mood to misunderstand on purpose."
A cardboard box is in the Center. In the cardboard box is a pile of empty envelopes. The box is openable and closed. The description is "A recycling symbol is prominent on the side, which makes you feel a little bit better about using a mailing campaign for this cause."
Jenna is a woman in the Volunteer Center. "Your daughter Jenna is here, barely visible through the cloud of resentment." The description is "Jenna [if jenna carries something]has [the list of things carried by Jenna][otherwise]returns your stare, with added hostility[end if]."
A persuasion rule for asking Jenna to try doing something: persuasion succeeds.
Unsuccessful attempt by Jenna doing something:
repeat through Table of Retorts:
if the reason the action failed is the cause entry:
say "[response entry][paragraph break]";
rule succeeds;
say "'I don't see how I'm supposed to do that, Mom,' Jenna says."
Table of Retorts
| cause | response |
| can't take yourself rule | "'Is that like 'get a grip on yourself' or something?' Jenna asks, momentarily diverted." |
| can't take what's fixed in place rule | "[physical impossibility]" |
| can't take scenery rule | "[physical impossibility]" |
| can't take what's already taken rule | "[already done]" |
| can't drop what's already dropped rule | "[already done]" |
| can't wear what's already worn rule | "[already done]" |
| can't take off what's not worn rule | "[already done]" |
| can't close what's already closed rule | "[already done]" |
| can't open what's already open rule | "[already done]" |
| can't switch off what's already off rule | "[already done]" |
| can't switch on what's already on rule | "[already done]" |
| can't unlock what's already unlocked rule | "[already done]" |
| can't lock what's already locked rule | "[already done]" |
To say physical impossibility:
say "'Maybe you should've brought someone a little stronger,' Jenna says. 'Like the Incredible Hulk.' "
To say already done:
repeat through Table of Bored Remarks:
say "[response entry]";
blank out the whole row;
rule succeeds;
say "'Okay, I'm going to be, like, in the car,' says Jenna. 'Outside.' ";
end the story saying "Jenna has gotten fed up".
Table of Bored Remarks
| response |
| "'Did that,' says Jenna." |
| "'Check,' says Jenna." |
| "'Yeah, Mom, I already did that, okay?'" |
| "'Look, if I have to be here doing dumb stuff, could you at least tell me to do stuff that isn't already done?' Jenna asks wearily." |
| "Jenna gives a great upward sigh, riffling her bangs. 'Once again... there is totally no point.'" |
Test me with "e / x jenna / jenna, get stapler / jenna, get stapler / x jenna / jenna, drop stapler / jenna, drop stapler / jenna, open box / jenna, open box / jenna, switch stapler on / jenna, switch stapler on / jenna, take desk / jenna, open box / jenna, open box".
Test me with "e / x jenna / jenna, get stapler / jenna, get stapler / x jenna / jenna, drop stapler / jenna, drop stapler / jenna, open box / jenna, open box / jenna, switch stapler on / jenna, switch stapler on / jenna, take desk / jenna, open box / jenna, open box".
Volunteer Center
A fairly spartan office, though there are a few attractive posters from advertising campaigns of the past, and an ominous map charting the deforestation of Brazil.
On the desk are a pile of leaflets, a pile of business cards and a power stapler.
Your daughter Jenna is here, barely visible through the cloud of resentment.
You can also see a cardboard box (closed) here.
>(Testing.)
>[1] e
The whole point of this exercise is to train Jenna. Once you have her on the envelope-stuffing, you can go make some calls.
>[2] x jenna
Jenna returns your stare, with added hostility.
>[3] jenna, get stapler
Jenna picks up the power stapler.
>[4] jenna, get stapler
"Did that," says Jenna.
>[5] x jenna
Jenna has the power stapler.
>[6] jenna, drop stapler
Jenna puts down the power stapler.
>[7] jenna, drop stapler
"Check," says Jenna.
>[8] jenna, open box
Jenna opens the cardboard box.
>[9] jenna, open box
"Yeah, Mom, I already did that, okay?"
>[10] jenna, switch stapler on
Jenna switches the power stapler on.
>[11] jenna, switch stapler on
"Look, if I have to be here doing dumb stuff, could you at least tell me to do stuff that isn't already done?" Jenna asks wearily.
>[12] jenna, take desk
"Maybe you should've brought someone a little stronger," Jenna says. "Like the Incredible Hulk."
>[13] jenna, open box
Jenna gives a great upward sigh, riffling her bangs. "Once again... there is totally no point."
>[14] jenna, open box
"Okay, I'm going to be, like, in the car," says Jenna. "Outside."
*** Jenna has gotten fed up ***
A fairly spartan office, though there are a few attractive posters from advertising campaigns of the past, and an ominous map charting the deforestation of Brazil.
On the desk are a pile of leaflets, a pile of business cards and a power stapler.
Your daughter Jenna is here, barely visible through the cloud of resentment.
You can also see a cardboard box (closed) here.
>(Testing.)
>[1] e
The whole point of this exercise is to train Jenna. Once you have her on the envelope-stuffing, you can go make some calls.
>[2] x jenna
Jenna returns your stare, with added hostility.
>[3] jenna, get stapler
Jenna picks up the power stapler.
>[4] jenna, get stapler
"Did that," says Jenna.
>[5] x jenna
Jenna has the power stapler.
>[6] jenna, drop stapler
Jenna puts down the power stapler.
>[7] jenna, drop stapler
"Check," says Jenna.
>[8] jenna, open box
Jenna opens the cardboard box.
>[9] jenna, open box
"Yeah, Mom, I already did that, okay?"
>[10] jenna, switch stapler on
Jenna switches the power stapler on.
>[11] jenna, switch stapler on
"Look, if I have to be here doing dumb stuff, could you at least tell me to do stuff that isn't already done?" Jenna asks wearily.
>[12] jenna, take desk
"Maybe you should've brought someone a little stronger," Jenna says. "Like the Incredible Hulk."
>[13] jenna, open box
Jenna gives a great upward sigh, riffling her bangs. "Once again... there is totally no point."
>[14] jenna, open box
"Okay, I'm going to be, like, in the car," says Jenna. "Outside."
*** Jenna has gotten fed up ***