After re-arranging the kitchen, my wife sent me the following 
to let me know where things should go. Shortly thereafter TADS
arrived, and the rest is history.

These are spoilers, by the way, so read no further until you've played.

Send comments/complaints/suggestions to 
Andy Jewell
avjewe@cfar.umd.edu







KITCHEN ENCOUNTERS
(a tiny adventure game for Andy)

As you unlock the door, the alarm starts beeping.  In a flurry
of movement, you disarm it with practiced ease, while simultaneously
preventing the black cat from escaping outside.  As you walk into
the kitchen, you yell, "Honey, I'm home!" and drop your pile of
work cruft on the counter.  A sleepy purr is all you hear...

In the Kitchen

You are in the kitchen.  There is counterspace everywhere, although
much of it is covered up at the moment.  Cabinets line the walls,
and there is a pantry at one end.  Standard kitchen appliances (stove,
refrigerator, microwave oven, sink) complete the picture.  In a chair 
next to a counter a large orange cat looks up at you sleepily and blinks
his eyes.  

On the counter you see a pile of work cruft, some newspapers, a pile 
of random cruft, and a note.  In one corner is a broom, and in another
is a small wire cage.

> READ NOTE
(taking the note first)

"Hi sweetie!

"I had to go out for a bit, could you please straighten up
the kitchen before people come by for Lower Slobovian dancing
tonight?  Thanks!"

The signature is illegible.

> PET CAT
The orange cat purrs sleepily.

> EXAMINE CAT
The orange cat is very large, but his nose is even larger.  He
looks sleepy and well-fed.

> INVENTORY
You are empty-handed.

> EXAMINE NEWSPAPERS
This is a stack of newspapers, all of which you have read (well, at
least the comics anyway).  They belong in the recycling bin in the
pantry.

> TAKE NEWSPAPERS
Taken.

> READ COMICS
You start to re-read the comics, but they're a little boring the
second time around, and besides, you're a little uneasy about
what might happen to you if the kitchen is not cleaned up when
your mate gets home.

> OPEN PANTRY
As you open the pantry door, you hear a noise behind you.  As you
turn to look, you see the orange cat heading toward you with an
expectant look on his face.  As he reaches the pantry, the black
cat trots up as well.  The two cats look at each other and growl.

> TAKE ORANGE CAT
You must be joking.

Suddenly, the two cats lunge at each other and start to fight!
The noise is horrendous as the two animals roll over and over
and claw at each other.  A variation on an old joke crosses your
mind:  "What's orange and black and red all over?"

The cats continue to fight.

> CATS, STOP
The cats prick up their ears a bit at this, but sense that you
don't really mean it.

The cats continue to fight.

> YELL AT CATS
That got their attention!  In their haste to get away from you,
the cats have upset the recycling boxes in the pantry.  All is
now quiet.

> EXAMINE PANTRY
The pantry has space to store things on four shelves as well as
on the floor.

> EXAMINE FIRST SHELF
On the first shelf are baking mixes, moon pies, cookies, potato 
chips, pudding, and cereal.  This looks like a good place for
most types of junk food.

> EXAMINE SECOND SHELF
On the second shelf are dried milk, vinegar, baking powder, corn
syrup, various kinds of oils, baking chocolate, oatmeal, canned milk,
gelatin, and shortening.  This looks like a good place for most 
baking supplies.

> EXAMINE THIRD SHELF
On the third shelf are various sugars and flours, baking soda, popcorn,
and drink mixes.  This looks like a good place for baking supplies and
whatever won't fit anywhere else.

> EXAMINE FOURTH SHELF
On the fourth shelf are cat food, other cat stuff, parchment paper,
aluminum foil, sterno, mesh grocery bags, and a HUGE bar of chocolate.
This looks like a good place for non-food items or items that are
too big for the other shelves.

> EXAMINE FLOOR
On the floor are recycling boxes, large bags of cat food, and sodas.
The recycling is now scattered all over the floor.

> PUT RECYCLING IN BOXES
Ok, the recycling is now back in the boxes.

(Your score just went up!)

> INVENTORY
You are currently carrying a stack of newspapers and a note.

> PUT NEWSPAPERS IN BOX
Which box do you mean, the bottle box or the newspaper box?

> NEWSPAPER 
Ok, the newspapers are now in the newspaper box.

(Your score just went up!)

> CLOSE PANTRY
The pantry is now closed.

> LOOK
You are in the kitchen.  There is counterspace everywhere, although
some of it is covered up at the moment.  Cabinets line the walls,
and there is a pantry at one end.  Standard kitchen appliances (stove,
refrigerator, microwave oven, sink) complete the picture.  

On the counter you see a pile of work cruft, and a pile of random cruft.
In one corner is a broom, and in another is a small wire cage.

> EXAMINE CAGE
The cage is empty and closed.

> EXAMINE CRUFT
Which cruft do you mean, the work cruft or the random cruft?

> RANDOM
This is a pile of bills, catalogs, announcements, and other assorted
papers that may or may not be important.  Perhaps if you sorted it...

> SORT RANDOM CRUFT
You now have two piles of papers, one of which is a pile of cruft
and one of which is a pile of important papers.

> THROW AWAY CRUFT
You open the door under the sink and put the cruft in the trash
can.  As you do, you hear a noise in the cabinet to your left.

(Your score just went up!)

> EXAMINE LEFT CABINET
Looks like an ordinary lazy susan cabinet to me.

You hear a noise in the cabinet.

> OPEN LEFT CABINET
As you start to push it open, a pair of beady eyes looks out at you!  
You're so startled you let go!

The cabinet swings shut.

> AGAIN
As you start to push it open, a pair of beady eyes looks out at you!  
You're so startled you let go!

The cabinet swings shut.

> TAKE BROOM
Taken.

> OPEN LEFT CABINET WITH BROOM
As you open the cabinet with the broom, a pair of beady eyes looks
out at you!  But since you're now so far away from them, you continue
to push open the cabinet.

As the cabinet swings open, the beady eyes disappear into the supplies
contained there.

> EXAMINE LEFT CABINET
This is a lazy susan cabinet with two shelves.

> EXAMINE FIRST SHELF
On the first shelf are jams, jellies, honey, molasses, canned fruits, 
and raisins.

> EXAMINE SECOND SHELF
On the second shelf are canned veggies, tomato products, dried veggies,
canned meats, and two beady eyes.

> EXAMINE BEADY EYES
Oops!  Those beady eyes belong to your pet ferret, who scurries out
from between the canned meats and onto the floor.  You hurriedly
pick her up.

> PUT FERRET IN CAGE
The cage is closed.

> OPEN CAGE
Ok, the cage is now open.

> PUT FERRET IN CAGE
Ok, the ferret is now in the cage.

The ferret is heading for the open door of the cage!

> CLOSE CAGE
Ok, the cage is now closed.

The ferret resignedly curls up to take a nap.

(Your score just went up!)

> INVENTORY
You are currently carrying a broom and a note.

> SWEEP FLOOR
After a few minutes, the floor looks as good as it ever does with so
many furry creatures around.

(Your score just went up!)

> LOOK
You are in the kitchen.  There is counterspace everywhere, although
some of it is covered up at the moment.  Cabinets line the walls,
and there is a pantry at one end.  Standard kitchen appliances (stove,
refrigerator, microwave oven, sink) complete the picture.  The left
lazy susan cabinet is open.

On the counter you see a pile of work cruft, and a pile of important
papers. In one corner is a small wire cage.  In the cage is a sleeping
ferret.

> CLOSE LEFT CABINET
Ok.

> EXAMINE WORK CRUFT
This is the stuff you are constantly bringing back and forth from
work.  Everything here can be put upstairs except for the chicken
broth you picked up from the store.  You recall that soup goes in
the right lazy susan cabinet.

> OPEN RIGHT CABINET
As you start to push it open, a pair of beady eyes looks out at you!  
You're so startled you let go!

The cabinet swings shut.

> OPEN RIGHT CABINET WITH BROOM
As you open the cabinet with the broom, a pair of beady eyes looks
out at you!  But since you're now so far away from them, you continue
to push open the cabinet.

As the cabinet swings open, the beady eyes disappear into the supplies
contained there.

> EXAMINE RIGHT CABINET
This is a lazy susan cabinet with two shelves.

> EXAMINE FIRST SHELF
On the first shelf are crackers, rice cakes, instant oatmeal, nuts, and
peanut butter.

> EXAMINE SECOND SHELF
On the second shelf are rice, noodles, macaroni and cheese, soup, and 
two beady eyes.

> EXAMINE BEADY EYES
Oops!  Those beady eyes belong to a mouse, probably one of the ones you've
seen footprints of in your workshop.  You hurriedly back up as the mouse
runs across the floor and straight into the waiting jaws of a gray
cat who has just come in.

*CRUNCH*  Well, that's the end of that mouse!

(Your score just went up!)

> PUT SOUP ON SECOND SHELF
You don't have the soup!

> TAKE SOUP
Which soup do you mean, the chicken broth or the soup on the shelf?

> CHICKEN BROTH
Taken.

> PUT SOUP ON SECOND SHELF
Done.

(Your score just went up!)

> CLOSE RIGHT CABINET
Ok.

> LOOK
You are in the kitchen.  There is counterspace everywhere, although
some of it is covered up at the moment.  Cabinets line the walls,
and there is a pantry at one end.  Standard kitchen appliances (stove,
refrigerator, microwave oven, sink) complete the picture.  

On the counter you see a pile of work cruft, and a pile of important
papers. In one corner is a small wire cage.  In the cage is a sleeping
ferret.  A gray cat sits contentedly washing her face.

> TAKE WORK CRUFT
Taken.

> GO UPSTAIRS
As you mount the stairs, you hear a car pull into the driveway.  You
hurry into the bedroom and put your work cruft on your dresser just
as the downstairs door opens and your mate enters.  The familiar
cry of "Honey, I'm home!" fills the house, and you run downstairs,
wondering whether you should tell your mate about the mouse...

Your score is 7 out of 7 points.  That give you the rank of Helpmeet.
Congratulations!  You can come live in my house anytime!
