Vanité, quel est?

[Tuomas]

Joyce is sitting in the bus on her way to the city. She's supposed to meet her friends there as they're going shopping again. There is a party at a friend, and she needs to find new clothes to impress this one boy from their class who's been invited too. So finally reaching the centre she hops off the bus and as agreed, meets her friends at the H&M store by the mainstreet. They enter, and Joyce gets the tingling feeling again as she proceeds to the skirts section. She doesn't really have the money, and her friends know that, but they're looking at some nice wear for themselves at the moment. Joyce spends a whole 40 minutes collecting a stack of garment on her arm only to spend twice that looking at them on her young girly figures. Almost a child, but not as far as she or her friends are concerned. A question or two to her friends and she realises half the clothes make her look fat. So they're not acceptable. However from the other 20 she chooses the ones with glitter, the ones that show too much of "nothing to be shown" and the ones that cost. The ones that would appeal to les garcons naifs aussi. Finally after hours without her parents knowing she decides to buy the one that is way too expensive and beautiful. She has set her priorities straight. But her friends ask her if it's realy what she wants, and if there's really need for it. Is there really?

Gavin has his closet full of different jeans. Most of them are torn, but not from too much usage but to seem fashionable. It's weekend already, and his taking his time before he's off to the party. He goes to shower to wash off all sweat there is. Dryes his hair with a dryer, applying massive amounts of gel first between his hands to warm it up and then on the top of his head to raise the hair up while drawing the sides down. Then he makes maneuvers with a blade as if he had a beard to shave and spreads strong aftershave all over his chin. This is continued with a touch of Hugo Boss in the armpits and some around the genital area. He is ready and pulls up his Calvin Klein underpants on which he wears his torn jeans hanging just so that the CK text will show. He pulls on a sleeveless shirt and adds a white wristband. With a groovy jacket he's ready. He looks at himself in the mirror and likes what he sees. Dressing up has always been for himself, not for other people. He likes to look good, and therefor feels comfortable going through a lot of trouble with looks. Finally he takes off to the party, with a bus too, no moped tonight, for the hair, and for the alcohol. Mostly for the hair. But are his motives really that twisted, or is it really healthy? He doesn't care for the expenses.

Susy waits at home. Half of the people are there already and they're dancing, well most are, some are having beers, some are having sodas, what ever people do. Her parents are away. She's expecting her best friend Janice to show up shortly, but will be surprised. Jan is home, undecided and almost crying. She doesn't want to go. She feels she's too unattractive, and that's why she can't feel easy around a lot of people, everyone trying to look as good as possible. She just doesn't have fun. She doesn't have expensive jewelry or parfumes, but the main thing is, she doesn't know how to look good. Her mum tells her how pretty she is, but she won't believe. There's no problem going out with friends, but this time everyone will be there, and looking at her. As Susy calls she's still hesitating, but finally under a lot of peer pressure she decides to go, by bicycle as she lives pretty close by. But she knows she'll spend the whole party alone, she fears no-one wants to talk to her. Should we be worried? Feeling like this would it be wiser not to attend?

Joyce has gotten there. She looks as usually, despite all the effort. Everyone expected her to wear a new dress. Her face is covered with makeup and to be frank, she looks like she had a plastic mask on, like a doll with eyes round and lips flaming. One might even think all she has for eyebrows is drawn. But all this she made in seulement pour avoir l'air aussi beau que les autres. And to impress this one boy. And now she approaches Gavin wanting to talk to him. This is going to be her plan for the night. Girls can be more brave than boys, and Joyce certainly is, so she proceeds with a cider in her left hand and a purse in the right one. But what will happen with her, and does she really expect to achieve something?

Gavin takes a little break from the fuzz and enters backyard. It's a nice summerday and he sits down drinking a beer. It's a risk as it is, being alone in a nice yard. That one girl that hangs around might find him there and then they would be together alone, which would make escaping harder. However it's the only place. In the beginning he sat on the sofa, listening to Linkin Park with his friends drinking beer on a laid back position. He had no worries, actually he was very comfortable showing himself around, just because he felt handsome and liked. But it's starting to seem like the only one he cares about is himself. He doesn't pay attention to how others dress up or do their hair, at least not consciously. But isn't everyone dressed up just like him anyway? And most of them feel just the way he does.

Like him, or Joyce, of course. Joyce however has gotten herself pretty drunk and is trying to swim into Gavins lap. Her friends draw her back and take her home. She's crying, out loud in fact, though you wouldn't need that to notice since the makeup around her eyes is making a horrible mess all over her face. One wouldn't believe the amount of mascara used unless they saw it spread everywhere. The driver stops for a while and Joyce pukes up into the gutter. Looks like a perfect ending for the evening, and just like she planned, no? Comme ci comme ca, her night ended at 9pm. Gavin takes a releaving breath, but this will be remembered the next day at school. Or will it? Doesn't things like this happen at almost every party? Most often, yes.

Jan is talking to a nerdy boy who's quite like she is actually. He doesn't think he's goodlooking either, but truth be told, he doesn't care, and that shows. Jan has a problem with it, but she won't speak, the boy on the other hand tried to convince her that it doesn't matter. It's a useless effort, and in the end, however well they get a long together, the boy has nothing to tell the girl that she doesn't know, and the girl just wants to go home, so that's exactly what happens. Jan spent the whole night silent. How is it, that the mob seems so normal and happy while people like our three are looking at the whole situation from completely different angles? Why does Jan go home and take a shower feeling like being home was a relief? Why does Joyce wake up with a head ache and a terrible feeling even though she was well aware of it beforehand and could have done otherwise? And why does Gavin come back home and think of how well he was presented yet again?

Hope I didn't go overboard. 

[vict0r]

Erm... I really, really don't know how to start... What is it?

[Tuomas]

Just a couple of things for you to consider. Discuss, Argue, answer questions etc! You didn't even read it.

[vict0r]

Sorry! I read three of them, and then scrolled down to see if there were any explanation! I'll read now

[Radiant]

TLDR.

Is there any point to this?

[Nacho]

Do you really want us to read that???

[Tuomas]

Is there any point to this?

Depends. Is there ever any point to questions asked?

Do you really want us to read that???

I want you to want you to read that.

[Radiant]

Depends. Is there ever any point to questions asked?

Yes, but you didn't ask any.

I want you to want you to read that.

Well, I suppose I don't. It looks like a bit of events about some random people. Do you want pointers on style? Or is this about people you know? Or does one of the random people do something weird that bears discussion? Or is this simply a joke on the reader?

[Tuomas]

Depends. Is there ever any point to questions asked?

Yes, but you didn't ask any.

I could argue that, but I don't know if I can  :S

Oh, no, it's not a joke, no no.

[Nacho]

Come on, make a short brief... what is this post about?

[Tuomas]

I thought it was clear  I wrote questions under the subject that I needed/wanted answers from in a speculative sense...

[vertigoaddict]

Summary

Joyce shopping with her friends to buy clothes, she doesn't have the money but tries on 40 garments, she is obssesing on how it looks on her and decides to buy the most expensive one.
But her friends ask her if it's realy what she wants, and if there's really need for it. Is there really?

Gavin gets ready for a party, he has dozens of torn jeans which were designed that way. He sprays himself with a branded perfume (even on his penis).and covers himself in varios accesories.
He likes to look good, and therefor feels comfortable going through a lot of trouble with looks.But are his motives really that twisted, or is it really healthy? He doesn't care for the expenses.

Jan is beautiful,but she doesn't believe that because she doesn't know how to dress or use perfume to her advantage. she's shy and she goes to the party after being pressured by her friend Suzy; but she knows she'll spend the whole party alone, she fears no-one wants to talk to her. Should we be worried? Feeling like this would it be wiser not to attend?

Joyce arrives at the party wearing new clothes like everyone expected, with make up so thick it looks like a mask over her face. She does all this to impress Gavin, she talks to him with alcohol in her hand and a purse in the right one. But what will happen with her, and does she really expect to achieve something?

Gavin goes to the backyard to lure Joyce there and be alone so she wouldn't be able to escape. He begins to question himself if he is self-centred (he likes to listen to popular punk-rock bands and talk to his mates).But isn't everyone dressed up just like him anyway? And most of them feel just the way he does.

Joyce got herself drunk, makes a fool of herself in front of Gavin, ruins her make up and pukes in the gutter. Will this be remembered at school tomorrow?

Jan talks with a nerdy guy who is quite like her. he doesn't think he looks good either but doesn't care, Jan has a problem with that and he tells her nmot to make a fuss of it, Jan wants to go home and she does, she and the nerd get along well. How is it, that the mob seems so normal and happy while people like our three are looking at the whole situation from completely different angles? Why does Jan go home and take a shower feeling like being home was a relief? Why does Joyce wake up with a head ache and a terrible feeling even though she was well aware of it beforehand and could have done otherwise? And why does Gavin come back home and think of how well he was presented yet again?

If you don't want to read the above... the whole question is:

Why do people fuss so much on looking good at a party? does it really matter? why get drunk when you know you'll act stupid and get a headache the next morning?

[Radiant]

In that case, my answer must be in the form of a question...


   It all started when our protagonist, Gavin, woke up in a bush. It was the first time it had happened. Feeling ridiculously stunned, Gavin groped a spoon, thinking it would make him feel better (but as usual, it did not). Subsequently, he realized that his beloved mask was missing!  Immediately he called his acquaintance, Joyce. Gavin had known Joyce for (plus or minus) half a million years, the majority of which were flamboyant ones.  Joyce was unique. She was clever though sometimes a little... stupid. Gavin called her anyway, for the situation was urgent.

   Joyce picked up to a very nervous Gavin. Joyce calmly assured him that most puppies grimace before mating, yet kittens usually charismatically cringe *after* mating. She had no idea what that meant; she was only concerned with distracting Gavin.  Why was Joyce trying to distract Gavin?  Because she had snuck out from Gavin's with the mask only five days prior.  It was a curious little mask... how could she resist?

   It didn't take long before Gavin got back to the subject at hand: his mask. Joyce sneezed. Relunctantly, Joyce invited him over, assuring him they'd find the mask. Gavin grabbed his microwave and disembarked immediately. After hanging up the phone, Joyce realized that she was in trouble. She had to find a place to hide the mask and she had to do it randomly. She figured that if Gavin took the 5.0 Mustang, she had take at least six minutes before Gavin would get there.  But if he took the motorbike?  Then Joyce would be exceedingly screwed.

   Before she could come up with any reasonable ideas, Joyce was interrupted by three funny-smelling squirrels that were lured by her mask. Joyce grimaced; 'Not again', she thought. Feeling relieved, she recklessly reached for her spoon and fearlessly groped every last one of them. Apparently this was an adequate deterrent--the discouraged critters began to scurry back toward the bush, squealing with discontent. She exhaled with relief.  That's when she heard the motorbike rolling up.  It was Gavin.

----o0o----

   As he pulled up, he felt a sense of urgency. He had had to make an unscheduled stop at Egg Roll King to pick up a 12-pack of mittens, so he knew he was running late.  With a apt leap, Gavin was out of the motorbike and went surreptitiously jaunting toward Joyce's front door.  Meanwhile inside,  Joyce was panicking.  Not thinking, she tossed the mask into a box of oven mitts and then slid the box behind her desk. Joyce was pleased but at least the mask was concealed.  The doorbell rang.

   'Come in,' Joyce earnestly purred.  With a quick push, Gavin opened the door.  'Sorry for being late, but I was being chased by some selfish retard in a 5.0 Mustang,' he lied.  'It's fine,' Joyce assured him. Gavin took a seat inside where Joyce had hidden the mask. Joyce sighed trying unsuccessfully to hide her nervousness.  'Uhh, can I get you anything?' she blurted.  But Gavin was distracted. Soon afterward, Joyce noticed a pestering look on Gavin's face. Gavin slowly opened his mouth to speak.

   '...What's that smell?'

   Joyce felt a stabbing pain in her abdomen when Gavin asked this.  In a moment of disbelief, she realized that she had hidden the mask right by her oscillating fan. 'Wh-what?  I don't smell anything..!'  A lie.  A clueless look started to form on Gavin's face. He turned to notice a box that seemed clearly out of place. 'Th-th-those are just my grandma's mittens from when she used to have pet beavers.  She, uh...dropped 'em by here earlier'. Gavin nodded with fake acknowledgement...then, before Joyce could react, Gavin fearlessly lunged toward the box and opened it.  The mask was plainly in view.

   Gavin stared at Joyce for what what must've been eleven nanoseconds. All of a sudden, Joyce groped scandalously in Gavin's direction, clearly desperate. Gavin grabbed the mask and bolted for the door.  It was locked. Joyce let out a striking chuckle. 'If only you hadn't been so protective of that thing, none of this would have happened, Gavin,' she rebuked. Joyce always had been a little stupid, so Gavin knew that reconciliation was not an option; he needed to escape before Joyce did something crazy, like... start chucking staplers at her or something. Without warning, he gripped his mask tightly and made a dash toward the window, diving headlong through the glass panels.

   Joyce looked on, blankly. 'What the hell?  That seemed excessive.  The other door was open, you know.' Silence from Gavin. 'And to think, I varnished that window frame seven days ago...it never ends!' Suddenly she felt a tinge of concern for Gavin. 'Oh.  You ..okay?' Still silence. Joyce walked over to the window and looked down. Gavin was gone.

----o0o----

   Just yonder, Gavin was struggling to make his way through the desert behind Joyce's place. Gavin had severely hurt his neck during the window incident, and was starting to lose strength.  Another pack of feral squirrels suddenly appeared, having caught wind of the mask.  One by one they latched on to Gavin.  Already weakened from his injury, Gavin yielded to the furry onslaught and collapsed.  The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a buzzing horde of squirrels running off with his mask.

   But then God came down with His outgoing smile and restored Gavin's mask. Feeling worried, God smote the squirrels for their injustice.  Then He got in His ricer and zipped away with the fortitude of  200,000 otters running from a teensy pack of beavers. Gavin jumped with joy when he saw this. His mask was safe. It was a good thing, too, because in four minutes his favorite TV show,  Linkin Park, was going to come on (followed immediately by 'When capybaras meet ebola'). Gavin was relieved. And so, everyone except Joyce and a few gun-toting koalas lived blissfully happy, forever after.

[Grundislav]

These are all high school kids either trying to act like adults or going through the usual teenage angst.

Joyce is trying to look like an adult by dressing up and wearing way too much makeup, trying to impress her friends because she's insecure.

Gavin is self-centered, too caught up in his own world of dressing up for himself and not noticing anyone else.  He pretends to be an adult by shaving facial hair that's not there and drinking beer.  He's probably also insecure.

Susy has self-esteem issues.  She refuses to believe that she has any self-worth.  She hates social situations because she doesn't know how to behave, probably because she feels awkward and insecure.

So basically, all three of these kids are going through the natural awkward phase that's part of growing up.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Was Susy kidnapped, because I notice she didn't actually make it to the party?

[Neil Dnuma]

Susy was an extra in the bus.

[Haddas]

The butler did it.

[vertigoaddict]

In that case, my answer must be in the form of a question...


   It all started when our protagonist, Gavin, woke up in a bush. It was the first time it had happened. Feeling ridiculously stunned, Gavin groped a spoon, thinking it would make him feel better (but as usual, it did not). Subsequently, he realized that his beloved mask was missing!  Immediately he called his acquaintance, Joyce. Gavin had known Joyce for (plus or minus) half a million years, the majority of which were flamboyant ones.  Joyce was unique. She was clever though sometimes a little... stupid. Gavin called her anyway, for the situation was urgent.

--blah,blah,blah---

Radient, you should make this into a short game! Sounds like a winning entry for a MAGS compettition 

[Tuomas]

   It all started when our protagonist, Gavin, woke up in a bush. It was the first time it had happened. Feeling ridiculously stunned, Gavin groped a spoon, thinking it would make him feel better (but as usual, it did not). Subsequently, he realized that his beloved mask was missing!  Immediately he called his acquaintance, Joyce. Gavin had known Joyce for (plus or minus) half a million years, the majority of which were flamboyant ones.  Joyce was unique. She was clever though sometimes a little... stupid. Gavin called her anyway, for the situation was urgent.

In a littel world like ours it all depends on definition. At this case Gavin left it clearly a bit vague, but on purpose for Joyce to be mistaken. This is why she had to rely on her wits yet again, which , to be frank, wasn't her best side, so instead of making it to the end she actually repeated what she had started it all with.

   

Joyce picked up to a very nervous Gavin. Joyce calmly assured him that most puppies grimace before mating, yet kittens usually charismatically cringe *after* mating. She had no idea what that meant; she was only concerned with distracting Gavin.  Why was Joyce trying to distract Gavin?  Because she had snuck out from Gavin's with the mask only five days prior.  It was a curious little mask... how could she resist?

Under the drain there was a nest that held two tiny eggs inside it. It was laid there just a few days ago by a swallow. It was a deary relationship that Joyce had with it, so she'd rather not confuse it by goingall the way up there to remove the nest, even though her father told her it was a pest more than a guest.

   

It didn't take long before Gavin got back to the subject at hand: his mask. Joyce sneezed. Relunctantly, Joyce invited him over, assuring him they'd find the mask. Gavin grabbed his microwave and disembarked immediately. After hanging up the phone, Joyce realized that she was in trouble. She had to find a place to hide the mask and she had to do it randomly. She figured that if Gavin took the 5.0 Mustang, she had take at least six minutes before Gavin would get there.  But if he took the motorbike?  Then Joyce would be exceedingly screwed.

This I can't answer, it's out of my league.

   

Before she could come up with any reasonable ideas, Joyce was interrupted by three funny-smelling squirrels that were lured by her mask. Joyce grimaced; 'Not again', she thought. Feeling relieved, she recklessly reached for her spoon and fearlessly groped every last one of them. Apparently this was an adequate deterrent--the discouraged critters began to scurry back toward the bush, squealing with discontent. She exhaled with relief.  That's when she heard the motorbike rolling up.  It was Gavin.

Well the crown had never felt so heavy on his head as he stumpled down up the stairs to the tower. You see, the king was getting old, and all these news from the coast weren't doing any good for his nerves. So he had decided to go see the sorceror that resided up there, as he would, for advice. So tripping on a black cat he reached for the door handle for support and at that, the door opened....

----o0o----

 

As he pulled up, he felt a sense of urgency. He had had to make an unscheduled stop at Egg Roll King to pick up a 12-pack of mittens, so he knew he was running late.  With a apt leap, Gavin was out of the motorbike and went surreptitiously jaunting toward Joyce's front door.  Meanwhile inside,  Joyce was panicking.  Not thinking, she tossed the mask into a box of oven mitts and then slid the box behind her desk. Joyce was pleased but at least the mask was concealed.  The doorbell rang.

Gavin's best friend, Danny was a homosexual.

 

'Come in,' Joyce earnestly purred.  With a quick push, Gavin opened the door.  'Sorry for being late, but I was being chased by some selfish retard in a 5.0 Mustang,' he lied.  'It's fine,' Joyce assured him. Gavin took a seat inside where Joyce had hidden the mask. Joyce sighed trying unsuccessfully to hide her nervousness.  'Uhh, can I get you anything?' she blurted.  But Gavin was distracted. Soon afterward, Joyce noticed a pestering look on Gavin's face. Gavin slowly opened his mouth to speak.

   '...What's that smell?'

   Joyce felt a stabbing pain in her abdomen when Gavin asked this.  In a moment of disbelief, she realized that she had hidden the mask right by her oscillating fan. 'Wh-what?  I don't smell anything..!'  A lie.  A clueless look started to form on Gavin's face. He turned to notice a box that seemed clearly out of place. 'Th-th-those are just my grandma's mittens from when she used to have pet beavers.  She, uh...dropped 'em by here earlier'. Gavin nodded with fake acknowledgement...then, before Joyce could react, Gavin fearlessly lunged toward the box and opened it.  The mask was plainly in view.

The most important words he could think of were actually all quoted from the taxi driver on the way home. Those guys really hear and learn everything.

   

Gavin stared at Joyce for what what must've been eleven nanoseconds. All of a sudden, Joyce groped scandalously in Gavin's direction, clearly desperate. Gavin grabbed the mask and bolted for the door.  It was locked. Joyce let out a striking chuckle. 'If only you hadn't been so protective of that thing, none of this would have happened, Gavin,' she rebuked. Joyce always had been a little stupid, so Gavin knew that reconciliation was not an option; he needed to escape before Joyce did something crazy, like... start chucking staplers at her or something. Without warning, he gripped his mask tightly and made a dash toward the window, diving headlong through the glass panels.

   Joyce looked on, blankly. 'What the hell?  That seemed excessive.  The other door was open, you know.' Silence from Gavin. 'And to think, I varnished that window frame seven days ago...it never ends!' Suddenly she felt a tinge of concern for Gavin. 'Oh.  You ..okay?' Still silence. Joyce walked over to the window and looked down. Gavin was gone.

She actually really liked to be looked up on, that's why, instead of getting a civilised education or a good job she went and bought shoes high heels. Apparently it was too hard to get the meaning of the idiom.

----o0o----

 

Just yonder, Gavin was struggling to make his way through the desert behind Joyce's place. Gavin had severely hurt his neck during the window incident, and was starting to lose strength.  Another pack of feral squirrels suddenly appeared, having caught wind of the mask.  One by one they latched on to Gavin.  Already weakened from his injury, Gavin yielded to the furry onslaught and collapsed.  The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a buzzing horde of squirrels running off with his mask.

Funny thing you should mention that, I think the same thing happened just last week. Is it just me, or is that guy doing it all in vain, or perhaps just to show off yet failing at it. I'm confused.

 

But then God came down with His outgoing smile and restored Gavin's mask. Feeling worried, God smote the squirrels for their injustice.  Then He got in His ricer and zipped away with the fortitude of  200,000 otters running from a teensy pack of beavers. Gavin jumped with joy when he saw this. His mask was safe. It was a good thing, too, because in four minutes his favorite TV show,  Linkin Park, was going to come on (followed immediately by 'When capybaras meet ebola'). Gavin was relieved. And so, everyone except Joyce and a few gun-toting koalas lived blissfully happy, forever after.

Quite...

[vertigoaddict]

This whole thread boils down to one simple question:

Two Beers or not two Beers? That is the question!

...In my opinion you guys had a little too much...