Rustic: 1: Of relating to, or suitable for the country: Rural
2: Characteristics of or resembling country people.
3: Lacking social graces or polish.
4: Appropriate for the country.
Mechanics: 1: Mechanical or functional details or procedures.
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When one ventures out of one's culture and into another, one will find that similarities and differences are more then amble. However, when a person is overwhelmed by the distinct contrasts between the two, they may go into what is called 'culture shock'.
In my case--shock--was an understatement. And an overstatement.
I was a country man by heart but synapses didn't flare in the vessel and memory wasn't stored among the valves. All my life, I've lived in the city and all my experiences went to the plastic wrapped, artificially flavored, and smog polluted world in which a cow meant bovine spongiform encephalopathy and wool was replaced by polyester fiber. In a sense and over dramatization of the event, I was reborn when I came to Forget-Me-Not Valley. It was the sensation of returning home without having ever been there before, as if I was an estranged solider that had finally been allowed to come back to my homeland after a distant and foreign war that had pushed my thoughts and memories aside in order to survive in a harsh environment.
When I trekked down the sloping dirt path with Takakura as dawn had just settled in the valley, I looked around with mild surprise and asked myself 'How could I have ever forgotten?'. I woke from a dream and came to reality without knowing I had dreamt; regaining memories that had never been. It was the recognition that I had found a soul mate but, not the one in which many people thought of for this one was far harder to achieve in finding. I had found my spot in the world--my true home--and that itself, would have made me content for the rest of my life.
So pleased with the blossoming thought that I suppose I looked a bit dazed to Takakura with a smile plastered over my face and a silent nod as my constant reply. It wasn't until he pushed the first decision onto me that I voiced my thoughts. And who would have known that my first words to sound in the valley would be "I think I like the pointy-eared one.."?
While I was happy to know upon my arrival that stray animals were attracted to my innate character, a trait that Takakura said were the makings of a good farmer, I discovered that this natural ability of mine included--indiscriminately--the rodent population as well. As a bachelor and sole human occupant of my lodge, the company was appreciated for sure. The constant scurries of light feet were the only comfort I had to my unexplainable case of insomnia and the never-ending raids upon my food storage refuted Rock's laments that parties were too scarce in Forget-Me-Not Valley.
Romana should spare me a cat..
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
After I had named my new dog, Rory in honor of an acquaintance I had met with the same remarkable countenance as the shorter and more furry one looking up at me, Takakura refused to let me fall back into my silent reverence as he lead me into the barn to name the new cow. As I have mentioned, in the city, a cow meant BSE and I couldn't help cocking my brow at the sight of the beast standing peacefully before its stall. While the country air was taking its effect on me, I still had my lingering city ways that nagged and buggered me senseless in a place I knew I would no longer need them. But its hard to get rid of persistent habits, so I won't deny that I was a bit edgy at the thought of approaching an animal that had the potential in redecorating my brain with a few unpleasant holes. Not wanting to be rude to my partner's generosity however, I listened politely to his words while casting a wary eye on the spotted bovine; wondering if it would startle us with the telltale signs of mad cow's disease. But it didn't or at least not in appearance as it stared thoughtfully back with large brown eyes that were sinfully too gentle. I decided to name it Heidi since Hyde would be too obvious to Takakura on my thoughts of the cow.
He would have laughed perhaps if I told him I was afraid of them, but somehow, I'm not sure if the man even knows how to laugh. Or knows how to laugh anymore. Odd in a way, since he told me that he had finally acquired his dream. Is this what happens after the pursuit is over and one finally achieves one's dreams and goals? If that's the case, I plan to be excessively ambitious.
Maybe I was dazed from the country air or thrilled by the prospects of my once uncertain future, but the moment Takakura placed a tentative hand on my shoulder and asked me what I wanted to name the farm..
I said 'home'.
Truthfully, I think Takakura thought I was mentally disturbed at that moment but it suddenly seem so right as I said it--as if there could be no other answer.
I had come home.
To Logis Farm.
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Author's Notes: Thank you for reading this far--and paying attention to this little note at the bottom. If you were like me, you might have been disappointed in the amount of bachelorettes in AWL. Now, a Harvest Moon game isn't focused entirely on marriage and courtship of course but if people like to read about it--a writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do.
Disclaimer: Harvest Moon is owned by the clever big corporations that won't fix their glitches. Not me. I simply embellish their creations.