"Alma Mater" by Roger Carbol The story headline is "An Entry in Speed-IF Neologism". The story genre is "Speed-IF". The release number is -1. The story description is "The least you could do for your long-suffering mother is bring her a card once a year." The story creation year is 2006. [This is the 'readable objects' bit of code from Bronze, by Emily Short.] A thing has some text called printing. The printing of a thing is usually "blank". Definition: a thing is legible if the printing of it is not "blank". [After examining a legible thing: try reading the noun.] Understand the command "read" as something new. Understand "read about [text] in [something]" as consulting it about (with nouns reversed). Understand "read [something] about/on [text]" as consulting it about. Understand "read [text] in [something]" as consulting it about (with nouns reversed). Understand "read [something]" as reading. Reading is an action applying to one thing, requiring light. Check reading: if the printing of the noun is "blank", say "Nothing is written on [the noun]." instead. Carry out reading: let typing be the printing of the noun; say "[fixed letter spacing][typing][variable letter spacing][paragraph break]". Report reading: do nothing. [End of Bronze code.] When play begins: say "'Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today,' as your mother used to tell you. But did you listen? No. So when you found there was just one Mother's Day card left in the entire shop, you had no one to blame but yourself. Still, it's the thought that counts." The player carries a card. The description of the card is "Alright, maybe it's not the best card in the world. But it's the best you could do with only a year's notice. A poem is printed within." Understand "poem" as the card. The description of the player is "You'd like to think of yourself as the devoted offspring of your parents." Instead of dropping the card, say "You'd rather hand-deliver it." The printing of the card is " [line break] Hey my mom she loves to clean,[line break] Only in the spring does love turn to dust. [line break] To my pets she was never mean,[line break] One thing remains, that no more monkeys roam. [line break] So today she deserves a nap,[line break] With thirty waking moments to her name. [line break] [line break] Happy Mother's Day [line break] [line break] Your loving son, &c. &c." LR is a room with printed name "Living Room". "The living room of your mother's house has been decorated exactly the same for as long as you can remember. The same old couch, for example. Your mother is in the kitchen to the north, preparing some sandwiches for lunch. Other rooms stretch off in usefully cardinal directions." Kitchen is a room. It is north of LR. [described later] Lobby is a room. It is west of LR. "The entrance to the home. Pretty dull. The living room is to the east." Sunroom is a room. It is east of LR. "A sunny room made mostly of windows. The living room is to the west." Garage is a room. It is south of LR. "A garage, which might be useful if your mother still drove a vehicle, which she doesn't. The living room is to the north." Pantry is a room. It is east of Kitchen. "Rows up rows of inscrutible cans stand ready to thwart heroism and villainy. The kitchen is to the west." A couch is scenery in the LR. It is an enterable supporter. "A comfy couch, upholstered in tasteful flowery velour." The player is on the couch. Stev is an animal in the kitchen. The description of Stev is "A dim, slobbery dog. Your mother used to own a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, years ago. Unfortunately, that breed turned out to be a bit of a nockle -- that is, a good thing made smaller and thus worse. So following the folding couch tragedy, she bought Stev, a Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen. [if Stev is carrying the card]He's getting doggy slobber all over a nice Mother's Day Card.[end if][line break]" The Prelude is a scene. Prelude begins when play begins. Instead of going during the Prelude, say "You should probably wait for your mother to come in from the Kitchen." When play begins, change the time of day to 4 PM. At 4:01 PM: say "Stev wanders in from the Kitchen."; move Stev to LR. At 4:02 PM: say "Stev looks at you expectantly. He probably wants to be petted."; Prelude ends when the time of day is 4:03 PM. The Petting is a scene. Petting begins when Prelude ends. Instead of going during the Petting, say "Stev growls at you slightly. Apparently being petted is the highlight of his day." Petting is an action applying to one thing. Understand "pet [something]" as petting. Check petting: if the noun is not an animal, say "Petting things other than animals is rather strange." instead. Carry out petting: if the card is not carried by the player, say "You pet [noun]."; if the card is carried by the player, say "You pet [noun]. He seems happy enough. Suddenly, while you're distracted, Stev leaps and grabs the card right out of your hand! He's getting slobber all over it."; now Stev carries the card. Petting ends when Stev carries the card. Chasing is a scene. Chasing begins when petting ends. [This is the "Artemis" code from the documentation.] Every turn during chasing: if Stev is in a room (called the current space) begin; let next space be a random room which is adjacent to the current space; if Stev is visible, say "Stev wanders off to [the next space]."; move Stev to next space; if Stev is visible, say "Stev wanders in from [the current space]."; end if. The description of the Kitchen is "A lovely kitchen, with lovely flowerly linoleum and mustard yellow appliances. The fridge, which once displayed your homework and art projects, now stands naked and alone. A small pantry is to the east, and the living room is back south." The fridge is an openable closed container in the kitchen. The fridge is scenery. "A sad, but huge, yellow fridge." Mother is a woman in the Kitchen. The description of Mother is "The finest woman you have ever known. [if attentive]She is busy making sandwiches.[otherwise]She is busy closing the fridge door after you.[end if]" A person is either attentive or distracted. A person is usually attentive. ClosingFridge is a Scene. ClosingFridge begins when the Fridge is open for the fourth turn. ClosingFridge ends when the fridge is closed. When ClosingFridge begins: say "'Trying to refridgerate the whole house, are you?' says your mother. She turns away from her sandwiches and closes the fridge door."; now the fridge is closed; now Mother is distracted. BackToWork is a Scene. BackToWork begins when Mother is distracted for the second turn. BackToWork ends when Mother is attentive. When BackToWork begins: say "Your mother gets back to making sandwiches."; now Mother is attentive. A sandwich is a thing in the Kitchen. It is undescribed. Understand "sandwiches" as sandwich. The description is "The sandwiches are made with love and mayonnaise. They look yummy." Instead of taking a sandwich when Mother is attentive, say "Your mother doesn't want you eating her sandwiches before she's finished preparing lunch."; Carry out taking a sandwich when Mother is distracted: say "While her back is turned, you quickly grab and hide a sandwich."; now the sandwich is described; continue the action. EndGame is a scene. EndGame begins when the sandwich is described. Every turn during EndGame: if Stev is in a room (called the current space) begin; if Stev is visible and Stev is able to see the sandwich and the player is not carrying the sandwich begin; say "Stev spits out your card to wolf down a sandwich."; move the card to the location of Stev; remove the sandwich from play; end if; end if. Procedural rule: ignore the block giving rule. Check giving the card to mother: do nothing. Carry out giving the card to mother: say "Your thoughtful gift makes you mother so happy you could almost cry."; end the game saying "*** YOU ARE A GOOD CHILD. ***".