Disclaimers: Don't own this stuff. Rockstar and MTV do. And Fox owns The Simple Life.

Fiction, not fact.

And now, episode XVIII of Max Payne & Co. present...

The Real World

Lisa: This is the story...

Kaufman: of seven strangers...

Vinnie: (a bit pissed) picked to live out in the sticks...

Mike: and have their lives taped.

Annie: Find out what happens...

Mona: when people stop being polite...

Max: and start being real...

Everyone: The Real World: B.F.E.

(Cooter and Mildred's farm, around 5 AM)

(We see the gang outside their bunk house, still wearing their pajamas, with Vladimir, Winterson, Cooter, and Mildred standing with them, wearing farming-type clothes. The gang is looking apprehensive.)

Max: What's going on here?

Mona: Is everything okay?

Annie: They didn't find us, did they?

Vladimir: Everything's okay.

Lisa: Then why are we up so early?

Cooter: (a bit surprised to be asked) It's time for the mornin' chores.

(A moment of silence, followed by...)

Vinnie: What the f(bleep)k? You pull us outta bed for this? (starts walking back towards the bunk house)

Cooter: Get back here, boy, or I'll make you shovel the horse s(bleep)t out of the barn. I ought to anyway – you look like you need a good hard day's work.

Vinnie: (sighs) Yes, sir. (falls back in with the rest of the group)

Mike: All right. We do real farm work. Can I work with the horses?

Cooter: Yeah, sure.

Annie: I'll help you, Mike.

Mike: Okay, Annie.

Mildred: (pointing to Mona and Lisa) You two can help Valerie milk the cows.

Lisa: Uhhh... okay.

Winterson: Don't worry. Milking's easy. I'll show you.

Vladimir: Max, I think I'll have you, Kaufman, and Vinnie help thresh grain out in the field. Don't worry. I'll find all of you guys some work clothes to wear.

Max: Thanks, Vlad.

(Mildred leads the group towards the barn house. On the way...)

Paris Hilton: (from out of nowhere) Don't worry. It'll get easier the more you do it.

Mike: (confessional) All right! I get to work with the horses. I'm going to see if I can ride them too. Just like the real cowboys. This'll be great practice for when I start my own ranch on the prairie.

Annie: (confessional) I'm a bit nervous. Bein' from the city, I ain't never done this kinda work before. But I heard stories from my grandma about her workin' on a farm as a kid, so maybe it won't be so bad. (smiles) Especially workin' with Mike.

(We see the gang arrive at the house. While Mildred goes to prepare breakfast, Cooter and Vladimir take the guys upstairs to pick out some farming clothes, and Winterson takes Mona, Lisa, and Annie to do the same. We then see the gang trying on various outfits. They eventually all end up wearing jeans or denim overalls. Mike is wearing Wranglers™, a western- style shirt, a pair of his cowboy boots, and one of his cowboy hats. Annie is wearing something similar to Mike, while Mona and Lisa are wearing overalls and plaid blouses. Max and Kaufman are wearing jeans and T- shirts, with Kaufman wearing his trademark "Squeaky Cleaning Company" cap. Vinnie is wearing overalls and a straw hat.)

Vinnie: (confessional) God, I feel like such a tool in this getup. I better be well-rewarded for this s(bleep)t.

(We see the gang standing in the living room before Vladimir, Winterson, and Cooter.)

Cooter: Welp, let's do some chores.

(Cooter takes Mike and Annie out towards the stable to tend to the horses. Vladimir takes Max, Kaufman, and Vinnie out into the fields to thresh grain. Winterson leads Mona and Lisa to the barn to milk the cows.)

(The barn)

(Cooter leads Mike and Annie inside. He then hands them each a shovel.)

Cooter: Right. The first thing we gotta do is clean up all the horse s(bleep)t. You can just shovel it into this wheelbarrow here, then dump it round back. After you're done with that, you can feed the horses. Just fill their troughs with this horse food here. (Points to two large sacks by the doorway) Then you can water 'em. Just use the hose over there. (Points to a hose attached to a spigot in one of the walls.)

Mike: Yes, sir.

(Cooter leaves the two, who immediately get to work.)

Mike: Heyy, isn't this fun?

Annie: Uhh, I dunno, Mike. It really stinks in here.

Mike: They're horses. They can't help it. Besides, this is what we'll be doing everyday when I get my ranch, so we might as well start doing it now.

Annie: Oh... okay.

Annie: (confessional) Okay, why did Mike use "we" in that sentence? I mean, I like Mike and all, but I never really thought about livin' with him on his dream ranch. (smiles) I guess I should be flattered, though... about being included in his dream of owning a ranch.

(Annie and Mike continue to shovel the horse droppings, Mike whistling and Annie, though not quite as cheerful, willingly enduring it.)

(The fields, meanwhile...)

(We see Vladimir, wearing a John Deere™ hat, leading Max, Vinnie, and Kaufman out into the fields. He stops beside a grain thresher parked beside where the field begins. After the group stops, Vladimir gives the three sickles to cut with.)

Vladimir: Okay. This is a rather simple job. All you guys need to do is cut the tops off of these shoots of grain with your sickles, and then toss them into this threshing machine. I will operate the machine. Any questions?

Vinnie: So, ahh, how much of this we gotta do?

Vladimir: All of it.

(Vinnie's eyes roll. Vladimir sees.)

Vladimir: Well, try to get done as much as you can. Okay?

Vinnie: Yeah, okay.

Vladimir: I'll be right by the grain thresher if you need me.

Max: All right. (to the others) Let's get this show started, so we can get it finished.

(The guys begin slicing the grain shoots as Vladimir starts the thresher. The guys toss each grain shoot in as they slice it, but Vladimir stops them.)

Vladimir: (shouting to be heard over the machine) No, no, no! Wait until you get an armful of grain, then toss it in! The machine can't separate one shoot at a time – it's too small!

Max: Okay!

(Vladimir goes back to the thresher as the others get back to work.)

Max: (confessional) Sweat poured down my body immediately like the bursting of a dam from doing this work. This is not something I'd wanna do for a living. But I have gained a whole new respect for those whose livelihood is the land. It's becoming more apparent what they have to go through just so people can eat.

Kaufman: (confessional) This work ain't so bad. I used to work hard as a kid, growing up in the country. I reckon it's stayed with me.

Vinnie: (confessional, panting and sweating profusely) Good god... This has to be... the hardest work... I've ever done. Whew! I'm hot... I'm tired... and my back aches. This better be well-worth my while.

(The barn, meanwhile...)

(Winterson leads Mona and Lisa into the barn. There are cows on either side of them, each in her own pen. She gets two empty pails from off of the wall and hands one to Mona and one to Lisa. She then takes them into one of the pens. She has Mona sit down on a stool while Lisa watches.)

Winterson: Okay. Milking a cow is easy. All you have to do is grab the cow's udders and pinch at the tip.

(Mona tries it, but nothing comes out. We hear a moo of annoyance from the cow.)

Winterson: Just keep pinching, as hard as you can. Don't worry, it won't hurt the cow.

(Mona keeps trying. Eventually milk begins to come out of the cow.)

Mona: Heyyy! I got it!

Winterson: Good. When the milk stops coming out, move on to the next cow.

(While Mona continues, Winterson takes Lisa over to the other side. She sits Lisa down on her stool. Lisa is a bit more squeamish than Mona.)

Lisa: (trying to force herself to touch the udder) Ewwww! This is gross.

Winterson: C'mon, Lisa. Don't be afraid.

Lisa: (who finally gets her hand on an udder) What IS this gooey stuff?

Winterson: Oh, it's the milk. That means this one should be easy. Now, just pinch the tips hard as you can, and it should come right out.

(Lisa pinches. Soon milk starts to flow from the udders.)

Lisa: This stuff's warm. You actually drink this stuff.

Winterson: Uh, yeah. So do you. Where do you think that gallon of milk you buy at the supermarket comes from?

Mona: (confessional) Oh yeah, another thing I forgot to mention about my sister: she's kind of a crybaby. A drama queen. In a movie, she'd be the damsel in distress. I, on the other hand, would be the one that bails her little ass out of trouble. I dunno. Maybe she's been spoiled by her husband Angelo. He tends to buy her nice stuff, and fulfill her every whim, pretty much.

Winterson: You girls getting the hang of milking?

Mona: Uh-huh.

Lisa: Awwww, I broke a nail.

Winterson: Good. Just keep milking till those pails are full, then bring 'em back to the house. I'll be in there, helping make breakfast. I'd milk too, but I can't really stoop down too far now. (pats her tummy) Y'know...

Mona: Of course.

(Winterson leaves as Mona and Lisa continue to milk.)

(The Winterson Farm, around 7:30 AM)

(Mildred steps outside the house and rings a large aluminum triangle hanging beside the front door. We see Vladimir and Cooter instantaneously jump up and rapidly walk towards the house. The gang sees them and follows their lead.)

(The house)

(Cooter and Vladimir enter the house, followed by Max, Vinnie, and Kaufman, then Mona and Lisa, and finally Mike and Annie. They all take turns washing up, then join Mildred and Winterson at the table, where a hearty breakfast awaits. Woden comes to the table as well.)

Annie: Wow, look at all this food.

Max: It's been ages since I've eaten this early, and I don't think I've ever eaten this much food so early.

Cooter: Welp, you work hard in the mornin', you work up a good appetite.

Vinnie: (still sweating a bit) You can say that again.

(Vinnie proceeds to dig in, but Mildred stops him.)

Mildred: Ah-ah-ah! Aren't we forgettin' something?

(The gang looks confused.)

Vladimir: Oh yeah, I forgot. We always say grace before every meal.

Mona: Oh... okay.

(Everyone else bows their head in silence as Cooter prays.)

Cooter: Lord, thank you for this gift of food that you've bestowed upon us. Please bless it to our bodies, and our bodies to your service. Please bless our guests and keep them safe as well. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Everybody: (in unison) Amen.

(Finally, everyone digs in. They eat eggs, sausage, pancakes, bacon, ham, grits, and biscuits and gravy, with orange juice and milk to drink. Lisa, however, is only eating eggs, pancakes, and grits.)

Winterson: What's wrong, Lisa? Are you not hungry?

Lisa: Oh, I'm fine.

Mona: Lisa's a vegetarian.

Winterson: Oh, okay.

Vinnie: Hey Vlad, can I borrow your cell phone after breakfast? I need to call A.J. and tell her what's up.

Woden: No. Absolutely not.

Vinnie: What?

Vladimir: Woden's right. She cannot know where you are. In fact, you must not make any outside calls or leave this farm under any circumstances.

Vinnie: But... she'll be worried about me. I can't just ditch her like this.

Vladimir: Horne's men are still after us, not to mention the cops.

Vinnie: I know that. Can't I just... call her and not tell her my whereabouts?

Woden: Horne'ssss men could track the cell phone ssssssignal. We can't take any chancesssss.

Vladimir: That goes for e-mail and any other form of communication.

Vinnie: Aww man. This blows.

Mildred: Hey! Watch your mouth, young man!

Vinnie: Sorry, Mrs. Winterson.

Winterson: I know it sounds harsh, Vinnie, but A.J.'s just gonna have to understand. You can explain it all to her once this thing blows over.

Max: Mr. Winterson, if it's not too much trouble, can I turn on the radio?

Cooter: Go ahead, son.

(Max gets up from the table and turns on the small radio on the counter. He tunes it to the news station.)

Kyra Silver: (over the radio) ... and we have just heard that a hostage has been killed by the group in the continuing standoff at the White House. The hostage has been identified as a Secret Service agent who was on duty guarding the President during the takeover. The hostage was reportedly killed trying to help sneak the President out of the White House.

Mona: Oh no!

Kyra Silver: The group's demands still have yet to be met, and still no deadline has been given. However, the group has threatened to kill other hostages if any more attempts to aid the President's escape or to interfere with the group's activities are made. For NYNN Radio, this is Kyra Silver.

(Max shuts off the radio. He is a bit angry. So are the others.)

Max: This makes me mad. Horne has crossed so far over the line it would look like a dot, if she was looking back, which she clearly isn't.

Cooter: Damn commie bastards.

Vladimir: Stay calm, everybody.

Mona: What are we gonna do? Horne's gonna kill the President eventually, if things keep going the way they're going.

Woden: Not necesssssarily. If the President diesssss, they lossssse their leverage. Sssssso they need to avoid killing him asssss much asss possssible.

Vladimir: Look, let's just not worry. We're wasting energy doing so. We'll finish the chores after breakfast, then we'll talk some more about how we are going to deal with this.

Max: Sure. I guess that'll be okay.

MTV Announcer: What will become of the President? Will Horne get away with what she's doing? And can the gang adjust to "the simple life?" And will hiding out put a strain on Vinnie's relationship with A.J.? Find out, on our next episode of "The Real World..."

Well, yadda, yadda... hope you like it. As always, please R&R.