The Farmer and the Writer

When my grandfather handed me, his only grandson, a sealed envelope for me to keep until I felt "crushed by the burden of modern life," I had no idea that XX years later, I would be moved into my own little farm in beautiful Stardew Valley, right next to the small village of Pelican Town.

But here I was.

It was my first day in Stardew Valley, I had finished my chores for the day, and I decided to go walk around town and introduce myself to the villagers.

I met a lot of people that day, from a sweet young schoolteacher named Penny to a slightly arrogant athlete named Alex. But the most important person I met was one I met late that afternoon.

I was on my way back home when I saw him. He was standing on the bridge over the river by the beach, looking at the water below. He was tall, with an elegant face, and wore a red coat with a green tie. But his most remarkable feature was his long auburn hair. It flowed over his shoulders and down his back in a cascade.

I could do nothing but stand there in a daze. He was without a doubt one of the most attractive men I had ever seen. I immediately became extremely fidgety and began to shuffle back and forth. I was very hesitant to approach this handsome stranger, afraid I might embarass myself in front of him.

But I had a mission: to meet everyone in town. So I took a deep breath and stepped onto the bridge.

I cleared my throat nervously. "Uh... hi," I said. "I... just - I just moved here and I ... I wanted to introduce myself..."

"Ah," said the man, smiling. "The new farmer we've all been expecting... and whose arrival has sparked many a conversation!"

"Yep," I said, laughing awkwardly. "Th-that's me. My name's Oliver."

"Hello Oliver," he said. "I'm Elliott. I live in the little cabin by the beach. It's a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand. I smiled and shook it.

"Likewise," I said. His hand was soft, with fine, strong fingers. "I'm... really looking forward to living here."

"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that," he said.

I realized I was still holding his hand. I dropped it quickly and shoved my own hand into my pocket. "Yeah... thanks."

I stared at the ground, my mind scrambling for something else to say. I could feel the awkward tension growing as I struggled to open my mouth.

I remembered that Mayor Lewis had told me giving gifts was a good way to make friends in town. I suddenly remembered that I had picked a few daffodils during my walk around town. "Umm..." I said as I rummaged in my backpack. "I found this... earlier... would you... uh... l-like it?" I pulled out a daffodil and handed it to Elliott.

He took it and examined it, making a face of slight disgust. "Hmmm, I'm not the biggest fan of this."

My face fell. "Oh..." I said, biting my lip and dropping my gaze to the ground. "I'm... sorry about that..."

I felt myself on the verge of panic. "Uh..." I said. "I'd better... get going..." My resolve crumbled. Without waiting for a response from Elliott, I bolted. I tore off down the road, past Marnie's Ranch, through my plot of land, and into my farmhouse, slamming the door behind me. I was breathing hard, both from the desperate sprint back to the farm and from the encounter with Elliott.

I sank weakly onto the bed, my mind flooded with the image of the handsome man with the long hair. My heart felt fluttery as I replayed our interaction over and over again in my head.