Bluff City 41: America's Playground Pt. 5

America's Playground Pt. 5
Episode information
Release Date	Mar 16, 2022 at 10:03 AM
Length	1:21:18
Meta
Cast	Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Janine Hawkins, Jack de Quidt, Keith J Carberry
Game	Mall Kids
Arc	America's Playground
Score	'America's Playground' by Jack de Quidt on Bandcamp
Episode guide
Previous	America's Playground Pt. 4
Previous	America's Playground Pt. 4
Next	Unknown
Next	Unknown
Previous Arc	To Be Young Near the Shore
Previous Arc	To Be Young Near the Shore
Next Arc	Unknown
Next Arc	Unknown
Links
Episode Page	[On Patreon friendsatthetable.net]
Transcript	TBA

Overview

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Episode Description

Princeton, The Powdered Sugar Horse

“Only a fool would say the horse does not belong at the beach,” wrote a young Elliott Callahan in 1885. “The British, in their usual parsimonious fashion, insist that the beach is the province of the donkey, but the fact of the matter is that as far as strength, determination, and grit are concerned: one can do no wrong by bringing the horse—America’s workhorse, if you will—down to the waterfront.”

By 1897, horses were a regular sight on the Bluff City boardwalk.  Carriah and Letitia dragged the boat launch down to the water and back. Maribeth stood patiently by the bicycle rental stand and blinked placidly at passing cyclists. The less about Big Arthur that is committed to the historical record, the better.

The most beloved of these animals, however, was Princeton: the mild mannered Clydesdale who pulled the Princeton Powdered Sugar wagon. Though whether he was named after the company or vice versa is a matter of some dispute, his sweet temper and calm demeanour is not. In the summer of that same year, Callahan—still clearly an equestrian enthusiast—catalogued this song in commemoration of the animal.

Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse,
Is coming by again!
Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse,
With flowers in his mane!
If ever God made the sweetest creature,
So sublime in every feature,
Who would it be? Of course!
It’s The Powdered Sugar Horse!

Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse,
They say he’s a businessman!
Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse,
As only an equine can!
Tho’ there’s often a fellow who stands beside him,
Sells the sugar and helps to guide him,
Who runs the show? Of course!
It’s the Powdered Sugar Horse!

Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse,
The children clap and cheer!
Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse,
Whenever he draws near!
They say that he’s never bit a man,
And only God knows if he even can.
Would he pummel a villain? Of course!
He’s the Powdered Sugar Horse!

Opening Narration

There is no opening narration for this episode. Instead it is a recap of the previous episode.

Music

America's Playground by Jack de Quidt

Cast

• Austin Walker as Elouise Salt
• Art Martinez-Tebbel as Pomp Circumstance
• Janine Hawkins as Caterena "Cattie" Pontacorvo
• Jack de Quidt as Melinda Guppy
• Keith J Carberry as Sank Getlef

Plot

Sank returns to Robin and The Batman. The truck, as predicted, loses its wheels. As the driver is inexperienced, it is easy for Robin and The Batman to hit the driver over the head and steal the truck. Robin and The Batman begin struggling to get the boxes of watches out of the truck. Sank tells them to give him the boxes under the pretext of helping them, planning to tie them to the hot air balloon to get away with them.

They push back on this, as they plan to just run away with them, but find that the boxes are a lot heavier than they thought, helping to convince them on Sank’s idea. He tells them that the hot air balloon will carry to boxes to the meeting place at the old school. Sank says they should take a watch each, but since they’re taking the watches they should give him ten bucks. They give him the money and he gives them five bucks in return (“because there’s two of you and one of me”).

Back on the balloon, Melinda is excited that the balloon has caught hold of the watches and asks Federati if there is a way they can speed up the balloon’s progress. The Bigneighbour family almost catch on, but get distracted by thinking about former American president Henry Harrison and their grief over the immortal doll.

Melinda and Elouise ask is Federati can put the balloon down in a clearing in the woods, and Federati says that such a thing is one of her specialities. Melinda has a vision of the immortal doll compelling her to tell the Bigneighbour family the truth. She tells them that her father was the one that constructed the doll, but is interrupted by the sudden arrival of the doll in the net. The Bigneighbours are excited to see the doll, even though it seems to be getting longer and longer. Melinda, terrified by the doll, begs them to put it down.

Elouise introduces the doll to the family, and they seem to like it despite it’s spooky elements. Federati easily navigates the balloon towards the forest clearing to meet Pomp. After releasing Melinda and Elouise (and the immortal puppet) into the clearing, the Bigneighbour family take off again for their next adventure.

They realise that Princeton the horse isn’t enough to carry all the boxes of watches, and Elouise and Pomp have an argument about the logistics. Melinda opens one of the crates to check on the watches. One of the crates has watches and the other contains a big clock. The immortal doll approaches the watch crate and begins sticking the watches to his magnetic plating. This scares everyone other than Elouise and Cattie.

Sank arrives and is immediately frightened by the puppet, as it bows to him in greeting. Elouise and Cattie try to explain that the puppet is not a threat and is helping them. Cattie arrives (in her tweed bicycle suit) to help. Elouise is touched that she arrived to help them as she didn’t think Cattie wanted to be a part of the heist.

The group has another argument about the logistics of moving the watches, before each taking as many watches as they can in their pockets and bags. Sank offers to store the watches at his home, which the others disagree with. Elouise says that they should store them separately.

The group agrees to this and begins making their way out of the forest. As they walk, they discuss the puppet and whether or not what they’ve done is committing a crime. Melinda worries her father is going to hell for creating such a thing. The others suggest that she’s jealous of having a new sibling.

Once they reach Bluff City, Sank makes another play for holding onto all the watches. Elouise disagrees, as she wants to sell the watches to keep their lease on the Pier. She is able to do just that, cutting the ribbon a year later on the refurbished Kingfish Pier with a bigger summers wheel and more sideshow games.

With the money from the watches, Cattie is able to put together her materials to make her book of photography. The Immortal Puppet is by her side throughout, providing support.

Sank quits his carnival stands he worked at, staying at the pier doing his own carnival games (for fun, since he no longer needs the money, selling off the watches as he needs them). When he is approached by Robin and The Batman, he gives them a very small cut of his profits (giving them five bucks). They are both pleased by this deals.

Pomp returns the next summer to keep doing his job at the Funnel Cake stand, working there as a way to hang out with the others.

Melinda continues to work with her father, making inventions (although being a little more careful since the invention of the doll). As her father isn’t making inventions as often, Melinda does however get a little more time off.

The Hellmann Sisters do succeed in creating mayonnaise, but their invention is stolen.