Chapter Six: Seeds
Dude's morning:
Dude watched TV and then walked into Woody's Workshop.
"Oh, you must be the second farmer who took up the Exciting Ranch Plan! I'm Woody, head carpenter here. Kurt, Joe!" called Woody.
"Yeah?" asked Kurt.
"What is it, boss?" asked Joe.
"Hi, I'm Dude," said Dude.
"Another one?" groaned Kurt.
"Huh?" asked Dude.
"Kurt, I thought we went over this…" sighed Joe. "That's Dude. It's a name, nothing more."
"I know, I know…I just can't think of it as a name," said Kurt.
"No problem. Take your time," said Dude.
"You're laidback aren't you? I like that in a person!" said Joe.
"Great…" said Dude. "I'm going now. Bye."
"Bye…" Kurt inhaled deeply. "Dude."
"You did it!" said Joe clapping Kurt on the back.
Kurt exhaled, relieved.
Dude went on to the next order of business—seeds. He went to the Spring farm.
"Welcome, may I take your order?" asked the pink-haired woman behind the counter.
"Oh, are you selling food?" asked Dude, confused.
"No, I just always wanted to say that," said the pink-haired woman, grinning. "I'm Liz, and I sell seeds. Here's a bag of turnips because I'm just nice that way. NINA GET OVER HERE!"
"What, what?" asked her pink-haired daughter, Nina.
"This young man wants a notebook! Give him one like you did for Dudette!" ordered Liz.
"Oh, ok. Here. What's your name?" asked Nina, handing Dude a crop notebook.
"Dude," said Dude. "Nina's a nice name."
"Thanks!" said Nina.
"I better go meet the rest of the people in town! See you later!" said Dude.
"Yeah…" said Nina, who was quite smitten with Dude.
Dude and Dudette's afternoons collide:
"DUDE! What are you doing here?" asked Dudette. They were at the town square.
"I was going to go to the tool shop, you?" asked Dude.
"I was going there too! Then I was going to the Doctor's," said Dudette.
"Sounds like a plan!' said Dude.
They both entered the tool shop together, where they met Ann and Michael. Then they went to the clinic.
"Hi, I'm Alex. You two took up the Exciting Ranch Plan right?" asked Alex the doctor.
"You know it!" said Dudette.
"I'm Dude," said Dude.
"Ex…cuse me?" said Alex politely.
"My name…is Dude," said Dude.
"Ah…and the young lady?" asked Alex.
"Dudette," said Dudette.
"You're not…lying are you? Playing a cruel joke maybe?" asked Alex.
"Now why would we do that?" asked Dude.
"Well…I hope you like your names alright," said Alex sympathetically.
"Actually we don't like them all that much…" said Dudette.
"It happens," said Dude sadly.
So then they said their goodbyes to the doctor, and met a guy whose entire life was fishing. That was Ray. The last person they met that day was Maria, the library receptionist.
"Wow, that was a headache," said Dudette.
"You said it. So many people to meet!" said Dude.
"Wonder how Jamie is doing…" said Dudette.
"Male or female?" asked Dude.
"Male," said Dudette. "The girl one has a house."
Dude laughed. "Yeah, that was funny. She kicked him out."
"So I'm off to see the male Jamie! What are you going to do?" asked Dudette.
"Plant these turnips," said Dude.
"I got strawberry seeds," gloated Dudette.
"No fair!" said Dude.
"Tough," said Dudette, going to Jamie's new house.