Stardew Valley

02. It's A Big World Outside

Jordy went back home, actually feeling quite good. A little insecure, but good. As he came home, he saw his mother sitting at the table looking at a lot of papers. Jordy knew exactly what all of that was. He and his mother were both working so hard, but unfortunately they weren't getting much in return. Jordy sat down on the couch across from her. "So, I quit my job today." His mother looked up, not expressing very much emotion. "Why? Why would you do that?" There was a little emotion, but still not very much. Jordy gave her the envelope Robert gave him. Jordy's mother took it and took the letter out of the envelope. "Could you.. Read that, please? Out loud", asked Jordy. His mother looked at him questioningly, but without asking anything she took a look at the letter and started reading: "Dear Jordy, if you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, a long time ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... Real connections with other people and nature". She started crying a little bit. "So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong. I've enclosed the deed to that place, my pride and Joy: Catnip Farm." She looked at Jordy and laughed a bit. Jordy frowned but smiled at the same time. She continued reading: "It's located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It's the perfect place to start your new life". The last sentence she read a little happier and she started to smile, but more tears started rolling. "This was my most precious gift of all, and now it's yours. I know you'll honor the family name, my boy. Good luck. Love Grandpa". She was quiet, sniffing a little bit, holding back more crying.

There was some tension. Eventually she looked up at Jordy and said: "That is... The first time I see something from him in... quite a long time." Jordy only nodded. "So... Now what? You're going to Stardew?" Jordy was starting to frown a bit. "Uhm... I... did have that in mind, yeah." "But, what's wrong with THIS job then? At least you have an income here." Jordy titled his head, but his eyes were focussed on his mother. "What do you mean by that exactly?", he asked. His mother answered: "Do you know how long it took for your grandfather to actually make a living over there?" "I thought he helped building the valley, together with two others..."Jordy answered. "I'm not doing this for money. Well at least not ONLY for the money. I'm doing this because I will love that job a thousand times more than the IT job... I want to finish what grandpa started. The money will come later." His mother looked down, shaking her head, as if she gave up. She sighed and said: "But we are about to get behind on rent, I can't do this on my own. I love you, more than anything and you know that... But I simply can't wait for your income to come 'later'." Jordy started to get frustrated and replied: "Then... Then I will leave behind everything with you, and only begin with a couple of dollars over there." "It's not that easy, Jordy", said his mother also frustrated, "It will take quite some time." Jordy put his hand on his mother's shoulder: "Mom, I am gonna do this. I will leave, give you almost everything I have, because I am convinced that... If I step in my grandpa's footsteps, get the guidance from everybody there... I don't know how many people there are over there but they will help me. I'm convinced that I will have an income from something that I love doing in no time." His mother started cooling down a little. "But you haven't been farming in years..." "Yes I know that, but I will learn. If I do it again over there I know that I will pick up the pace again like I used to." His mother looked at him for a minute. "Okay..." She said softly. That's the only thing she said. They started hugging and crying, but there was also a bit of relief.

A couple of weeks later Jordy packed all his stuff and took the first bus at 9.30 am, on a beautiful spring day in early April. He had spoken with a woman on the phone explaining everything: the part about his grandfather -Robert- giving him Catnip Farm and of course also the part about moving there. As Jordy was sitting in the bus, he was thinking. A lot. What did he do? What did he actually do? How important was his grandfather to Stardew Valley? Can he mean equally the same or more to the valley as his grandfather? Are people going to judge if he can't? Jordy actually got scared, but it was too late to change his mind as he was already sitting in the bus. To calm down a bit he looked outside. The bus had a beautiful view. More mountains started appearing, a lot of trees and grass too. There was a LOT of green. Where did he go? Where was Stardew Valley located? Oh well. He saw a sign that said: 'Stardew Valley à 0.5 miles'. "Here we go", Jordy mumbled to himself softly.