Ivy and Chrome PbP Forums

"Are you part rabbit or something? How the hell are you hoppin that fast?" Frank yells while speeding up. The more Frank speeds up, the faster Johnny long hops, reaching the halfway mark of the race.

"Yes, I'm all hair," he shouts as he wobbles his curly mane of hair in midhop.

Behind him, Frank hears shouts of, "That's not fair!" and "What the actual f*&^!" along with, "Is that even legal?"

Johnny and Frank begin to speed up, only for Frank to begin stumble and try to catch himself as he has to hop back through the sack racers, who haven't even made it halfway. Unfortunately, Johnny just keeps going and finishes the race easily. Frank comes in second. Nearly twenty seconds later, the first of the rest of the racers cross the finish line.

Johnny begins laughing, "You did really well, for as slow as you are." he jabs.

"Congratulations to young Hollis!" bellows Lord Stein. "Bring him his prize!"

Johnny, without dropping his sack, hops over to Frank, "We gonna make something out of this?" he asks as someone drags a gunny sack full of large potatoes and drops it down.

"Oh most definitely," Frank says enthusiastically. "With this much we should be able to make a couple of different flavors. After all variety is the true spice of life. Don't worry you'll get a free sample pack of each for providing the taters." Frank then starts some mental math on how many bottles he can make from this, and whether or not he wasn't to save a spud or 2 for seed plants. "Hey Johnny how good are you at growing things? I may need to do some research at the library later so we can have a steady supply of spuds."

"Oh most definitely," Frank says enthusiastically. "With this much we should be able to make a couple of different flavors. After all variety is the true spice of life. Don't worry you'll get a free sample pack of each for providing the taters." Frank then starts some mental math on how many bottles he can make from this, and whether or not he wasn't to save a spud or 2 for seed plants. "Hey Johnny how good are you at growing things? I may need to do some research at the library later so we can have a steady supply of spuds."

"Umm, what?" Johnny tilts his head, "You expect me to know that? I can barely keep minnows alive long enough to fish with them." He thinks for a moment, "I've never seen seeds in a potato. How do they spread?"

Frank does some quick math and based on the russet style of potatoes and their starch content, he can make one single bottle of the best vodka, which some would pay as high as two hundred credits per 750mL bottle. For premium quality, which many would pay up to twenty credits for 750mL bottle, fifty pounds of potatoes would yield about three bottles. For poor to average quality, which is good enough to get stinking drunk, would yield about nine 750mL bottles, costing about five to ten credits per bottle. Yet, he's never worked with russets and may need to shoot some questions to his dad about the process.

"Shouldn't we get those to the saloon and find our next event?" Johnny nods, trying to get Frank to agree with a wide grin.

"Yea, let's get these stored away," Frank grabs the bag and heads to store it. "So what's next on the agenda?"

"Yea, let's get these stored away," Frank grabs the bag and heads to store it. "So what's next on the agenda?" Johnny helps.

Angela, Frank's mother, lets the boys drop the sack off inside the back door of the Bottoms Up. Afterwards, Johnny shrugs, "Human Piñata is up soon. Wanna try that?"

"Yeah that sounds fun. Do you need spare clothes? I'm grabbing some because I want to to the grease events they sound fun." Frank says to Johnny. "Human piñata....who comes up with these events?" He asks with a chuckle. "After that I'm going to try the grease pole for the money. Do you know if it's one you climb or run across that's at an incline? Also we should grab some vender food on our way. Did you see anything that looked good?"

"Yeah that sounds fun. Do you need spare clothes? I'm grabbing some because I want to do the grease events. They sound fun." Frank says to Johnny. "Human piñata... Who comes up with these events?" He asks with a chuckle. "After that I'm going to try the grease pole for the money. Do you know if it's one you climb or run across that's at an incline? Also we should grab some vender food on our way. Did you see anything that looked good?"

"Well, yeah, I could use some throw aways. Knowing your mom, your throw aways would be like new clothes for me." Johnny guffaws briefly, then adds, "They've done the human piñata for years! Lord Stein loves watching everyone chase a few people. He said it reminds him of an infection he saw down south. Anyways, the greased pole climb is rough, cus if you go early, then it's hard to get to the ten credits, let alone the one hundred credits. But if you wait too long, then you might not get anything and we each only get one try unless we pay a credit per extra attempt. The funnel cakes look good. So does Mr. Lee's spiced cheddar dawgs."

Frank's mom pops out and hands him an old set of clothes to attempt the greased pole climb. He knows that she has a second set for the greased pig run. "If you pin that pig, then just take it to Andy to butcher. He'll bring us the leftovers after, but I doubt that there will be any with this many people in town."

Johnny stands there, with begging eyes, staring at the spare set of clothes, which look nicer than the ones that he's wearing.

Looking at Johnny's expression Frank says, "Why don't you just use the clothes you're wearing for the events and keep this for after." Handing a set to Johnny. "Since they're 'throw aways' anyway shouldn't matter. Hey mom can you hold on to some of the money I won with Johnny? I don't want to blow it all just now." Frank reaches and hands her 5 of his 11 credits. "But still want to eat some of those spiced cheddar dawgs." He says with a stupid grin on his face.

Noticing Johnny's expression, Frank says, "Why don't you just use the clothes you're wearing for the events and keep this for after." Handing a set to Johnny. "Since they're 'throw aways' anyway shouldn't matter. Hey mom, can you hold on to some of the money I won with Johnny? I don't want to blow it all just now." Frank reaches and hands her five of his eleven credits. "But still want to eat some of those spiced cheddar dawgs." He says with a stupid grin on his face.

"Alright Frank, stay out of trouble," She smiles, "Have fun, you two!" she shouts as the two go to sign up for all three events.

Once the signups are complete, they arrive at the human piñata event. Coach driver, who's limping around from his fall in the three-legged race, shouts out, "Okay! We need four fast runners to volunteer to be piñatas. It's an automatic ten credits!"

Johnny promptly raises his hand, "Ooo ooo, me me! ooo! ooo! me!"

The coach gives a slight laugh, "Alright Johnny, put on this vest," as he hands him a denim vest with about a dozen metal file clips, each holding a folded piece of paper, which are the prizes.

Frank remembers the rules, the piñatas run around an area of about half a mile, trying to stay away from everyone else. Everyone else's goal is to grab up to two of these papers from the piñatas. After that, they've won whatever prize is on the paper. The piñatas are allowed to pick prizes off of other piñatas, if they get two, then they are safe for up to fifteen seconds, where, they can trade the vest to someone else of their choosing. The game ends once all of the paper slips have been collected.

Historically, the prizes have been as low as a small sack of candy, a single credit, a cheap treat somewhere. Some prizes are coupons to some of the local businesses, a gift basket of assorted vegetable and fruit seeds, tools or valuables donated to the contest. The best prizes, which only four will exist this year, could be up to fifty credits, a free month rental from the Belle's Stables or Swenson's Machines, an expensive gift basket or even an all expense paid trip to Smith Falls.

Frank hears Johnny whisper, "Dude, volunteer! We can get each other's prize tickets."