A Fantasy created by International Writers Curt B, Julie Van and Wunderboi
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The consolidation of Rhino's influence throughout the state had resulted in an atmosphere of calm and contentment amongst the population. Nobody could recall in any great detail how polarized and sexually segmented society had been before the company's arrival in Hawksville but there was a universal agreement with how good life had now become since Rhino had taken root.
Following the agreements made with the state's government and legislature, which effectively embedded the objectives of Rhino's 'Grand Plan' into law, great strides had been made with expanding the company's business interests and philosophy into other areas beyond just communications and electronics.
The secular included the retail sector with the opening of several new TV and electronics stores and even a pair of new small malls. Their business had also branched out into the world of entertainment with the acquisition of several cinema complexes and clubs and, their latest venture into the opening of a multistate chain of motels and travel lodges.
Oskar was especially pleased with the recent opening of their newest establishment, the 'Rhino Tower', a multi-story hotel and high-end apartment complex which replaced the older Hawksville motel. Situated on the edge of town in a pleasant wooded area not far from Rhino's U.S. Headquarters it was both convenient for accommodating visitors to the company and, more importantly for Oskar, his new home in one of the two penthouse suites as his residence. Another added facility feature was the relocation and expansion of the firm's old 'Gentleman's' Club' which now occupied the entire basement area of the main building.
The spiritual side of life in Hawksville was increasingly being cared for by the establishment of the 'Church of the Black Staff' which was quickly becoming the hub by many of those religiously-inclined. The church promoted a very convincing set of beliefs that had been enthusiastically embraced by not only in Hawksville but in other communities throughout the state. There were very few areas in the entire state that hadn't been impacted one way or another by Rhino Industries.
Oskar, Rhino's U.S. boss, a man not noted for a sense of humour, joked that maybe Rhino should change the company name to 'Octopus' given there were now so many tentacles reaching out throughout the land.
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The Goodfellows considered winters in the northeast to be brutal and for Jeanne Goodfellows, a sun-loving ex-resident of Florida, the onset of snow and plunging temperatures in her Massachusetts home were especially hard to bear. For her, the attractions of the sunshine state were bought into sharp focus from the moment the first snowflake fell and she spent the winter months with a longing to escape back to the warmer climes where she had been bought up. ("Be careful what you wish for" might have been appropriate advice.)
Jim, her husband, from pioneer stock could trace his family lineage back to the founding fathers and was more used to the cold winters but, nonetheless, sympathized with his wife's desire to be somewhere warmer when the thermometer started to drop.
He was a sales representative for a building materials company and his 'patch' stretched from New England down the eastern seaboard to Florida. Indeed, it was when he was visiting her hometown of Fort Myers, Florida a few years back that he had met Jeanne, pursued her and eventually asked for her hand in marriage. She was so besotted with him that the realities of moving to set up home far away from her beloved sunny Florida had not occurred to her at the time.
She still loved him dearly but after spending two years suffering New England winters had coloured her opinions somewhat and she was beginning to harbour doubts.
They were both still very much in love and had simple tastes and a conservative outlook on life. They neither drank nor smoked and the subject of sex was one that was acknowledged discretely, for their upbringing had instilled in them that the act of intercourse was all about procreation and not to be regarded primarily as a form of pleasure. The unspoken belief made them both a little uneasy when the topic of sex came up for in truth they both harboured fantasies that they wished for something more exciting to happen in the bedroom.
Since their marriage, Jim had been promoted and his new job didn't require him to do the amount of long-distance travelling that he was previously done. On the one hand, Jeanne was pleased to have him at home more often but there was the downside, which meant now with his new position she never got the occasional treat to travel with him as she did before his promotion. However, all was not lost as from time-to-time he was still required to liaise with the firm's major customers and her joy knew no bounds when at the onset of another New England winter he came home to tell her he was going to be taking a road trip to visit her hometown down Fort Myers in Florida, with several other stops along the way.
Given Jim's fear of flying there was no question that he would be driving and she regarded this to be an opportunity of them to transform his trip into a mini-vacation. He took up her suggestion and he extended the trip by taking some of the leave days he was owed. Whilst she understood that the trip was all about Jim's work she justified her involvement as providing essential companionship for him on the long-distance drive that would take them through every state between Massachusetts and Florida.
Jim had done the route a few times over the years and he was excited at the prospect of taking one of their overnight stops in the small town of Hawksville where he had stayed a couple of times previously. He related to Jeanne that it was one of a chain of hotels that were unique to the state and that the standards and the welcome they offered were first class and that all that comfort was provided for little money. (Jim was very careful about personal finances.) He told her that he had already called and made a reservation.