[Hyde POV]
As I entered through the sliding door of the Formans' house, Red and Kitty immediately turned toward me from the breakfast table.
"Steven! Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Mrs. Forman immediately stood up and snapped.
I was baffled by their reaction. Red pushed back his chair, stood up, and barked angrily, "What kind of irresponsible bastard stayed out all night while he's living at someone else's house?!"
"Um…."
"Um?" Red repeated, exasperated. "Steven, she kept waking me up all night long. Every hour—even though I am supposed to sleep 8 hours… She didn't even sleep last night. What do you have to say for yourself?!"
Mrs. Forman looked genuinely nervous. "Steven, tell me you didn't do anything… a juvie or a bad kid would do!"
"Mrs. Forman. Take a deep breath to calm down first." I grabbed her shoulder and helped guide it. "Inhale… Exhale…" She followed my instructions well.
As she let out a long exhale, I said casually, "Alright. I went to send the fridge last night, but the truck couldn't start, so I slept over at the customer's house."
"You couldn't call?" Red interjected before I could finish.
"I did. Laurie picked it up." I replied.
Kitty's eyes widened. Red was stunned.
Right at that moment, Laurie wandered into the kitchen wearing an oversized shirt, rubbing her sore forehead. "Oh, I'm so hungover."
Kitty turned to her. "Laurie. Did Hyde call you last night?"
"Huh? Maa… I went to the party last night." Laurie said with annoyance. Then she paused, thinking. "Oh wait. He did call."
Honestly, I tried to call Eric to ask him to cover for me in case I ended up staying over at Victoria's. But Laurie picked up, so I made that excuse instead.
"Damn it!" Red snapped. "I could've slept uninterrupted last night!" He stomped away to get ready for work.
"You… you dumbass," Mrs. Forman snapped at her daughter. Laurie widened her eyes in shock.
"Mom!" Laurie whined.
Mrs. Forman let out an embarrassed laugh and turned to me. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Steven."
"It's fine, Mrs. Forman. I should've expected this and called again." I said apologetically.
"Oh! I have to go to work." She checked the time and rushed to her bedroom.
Laurie smirked at me now that the others were gone. "So, did you sleep with her?"
"She's married." I replied with a frown.
"That never stopped me before." Laurie sipped her drink and teased.
"Cause you're a degenerate." I brushed it off.
Eric suddenly rushed into the kitchen, already dressed for school. "Hyde. What's the matter with you? You couldn't call?" he scolded.
I pointed at Laurie. "She picked it up. She didn't tell me."
Eric widened his eyes and almost lunged toward Laurie. "You– evil whore."
Laurie just smirked, not an ounce of guilt on her face.
Eric handed me a notebook. "There's like 15 people who came by yesterday who want you to write their resumes. I told them you can do it overnight, but you never come home. They are going to pick it up in an hour!"
"Oh shoot." My eyes widened as I grabbed the book. "Alright, I'll get on it right now. I think I can make it."
"Oh thank god!" Eric sighed with relief. "By the way, my dad added the door to your room. The door you picked at the salvage yard yesterday."
"Is there a lock?" I asked, suddenly urgent.
Eric shook his head. "He didn't want to. But I helped you put a deadlock in it last night. And a table."
"Thanks, Forman!" I reached into my wallet and took out 10 dollars. "Here, 5 dollar for advance payment, 5 more for helping."
"Oh sweet!" Eric giggled.
Laurie looked offended. "Hey! You're giving him money now?"
I turned to her. "He's working with me, so… yeah." I went downstairs while Laurie was grimacing and feeling the unfairness of it.
She was quite entitled after all.
I went to my room and locked the door. Inside the empty concrete walls, there was only a lone table and chair inside.
"There's a plug, thank god." I saw the plug and began to work. First, I took out some extension cords. I just picked it up at work last night without paying for it.
Secondly, my first delivered item.
A 8GB Ram, 256 gb storage Acer Business laptop with long battery life.
It cost 500 dollars in 2025 money. But I spent 100 dollars with my 1977 money since I have the 5x inflation multiplier.
I opened up the laptop and set it up quickly.
"Tech items are always quick to arrive since I bought it straight from a wholeseller." I muttered as the laptop booted up.
The delivered items were sent to my storage system, but I had to be at the listed location to get it. In this case, the Forman's house.
I bought it last night, and the delivery took only 12 hours since it's a tech product. They have their own delivery system that is more direct in Thailand.
"It has an existing word document. So they kept their word."
As I contacted the seller last night, they promised to give me some Microsoft cracked programs for free.
With the Words program, it took me 10 minutes to type out all of the resume details Forman gave me.
Then, I took out another item from my storage system—a 60 dollar printer, which I got for 12 dollars.
It was a past model with USB connection instead of WiFi, and it was the best of its peers before.
I had some papers left over from the typewriter, so I used them for the printer instead.
"I need to buy actual A4 papers after this."
Microsoft had some built-in resume templates, so I just used them for the resumes.
It saved a lot on the formatting, and I could fit all of their details in just one paper.
With some colors on it, the resumes instantly became an eye-catching resume in this era.
"If the laptop can connect with the internet… Then, I don't have to—"
As I was saying that, my system notification suddenly popped up.
[Would you like to pay 1 dollar to connect up to 3 devices to your internet. Current internet speed, 10mbps.]
"Yes!" I agreed instantly.
With this, I could access chatGPT more easily, which allowed me to personalize the resumes.
It took me thirty minutes to print everything out using the printer. I didn't just print the bulb labels — I also made an invoice.
I used the fake company name Tri-State Electrical Wholesale and left the phone number line blank.
The invoice listed 1,000 bulbs that Bob supposedly bought yesterday at $1.50 each, coming to a total of $1,500.
I also printed out 10 flyers for the used fridge I got from Victoria. It still worked perfectly well, so I wanted to sell it.
100 dollars for a 400 dollar used fridge sounds fair enough. I would post it on some bulletin board around town, and I had set up the Forman's phone number there.
Once it was done, I hid the laptop and printer back inside my system storage.
"I have no way to explain it. And if they saw the new technology, they might think I'm a Russian spy and persecute me."
"Steven! Are you in there? Honey, I need the suit to wash!" Mrs. Forman suddenly knocked on my door.
Startled, I shoved everything into my system storage and set the typewriter on top of the table like it had been there all along.
When I opened the door, Mrs. Forman saw I was still in the suit. She was already in her nurse's clothes.
"Honey, aren't you going to work? Bob is waiting for you outside," she said nervously.
"Oh. Right." I suddenly realized it was almost 9 a.m. I started toward the door, but Mrs. Forman stopped me.
"The suit?" she asked again. "Honey, I need to bring that to the dry cleaner. Right now. Chop chop!"
I took off the suit and handed it to her. She ran off hurriedly, clearly late.
Outside, Bob was waiting. He said sternly, "Steven, why aren't you ready yet? The store opens in 20 minutes."
"Bob, I will be at the store at noon today," I said casually.
Bob furrowed his eyebrows. "Why? Steven, you said you're handling the flyers."
"Yeah. That's why I'm not going to the store. I need to design it, and take pictures."
It was Tuesday. To get the flyers and send them out before Saturday, I was working on a very limited timeline.
Bob's face softened in realization. "Oh. Right. You know what? Why don't you come in today? I'll still pay your wages, but you do the campaign thing first."
"Thanks, Bob," I replied. I gave him the fake invoice, and he smiled brightly.
"You really didn't take a cut huh?" Bob laughed.
"I told you I forgot." I replied.
"Never mind, I'll still give you 100 bucks for every 1000 bulbs sold. Consider that your cut." Bob said gleefully.
He knew since I kept the phone number blank, I was the only contact for him to get the bulbs. So he has to give me a cut.
He sold the bulbs for 3 bucks. I really didn't mind taking the money from it, since it's incomparable to what he got from it.
I told him I had ordered the 2000 bulbs and it would arrive Thursday.
That was already fast delivery for Bob since he usually waited around a week to restock his product after he called the suppliers.
I checked the system store last night, and the bulbs also were influenced by the inflation factors. So for each 1.50 dollar bulb, I just had to pay 30 cents.
I used 600 bucks to buy 2000 of them last night. It was all in the system storage, but I didn't give it straight to Bob since he was going to get suspicious.
"Bob, I am going to need a car to drive to Kenosha." I said with a conflicted expression. I was lying, but I do need a ride.
I couldn't walk everywhere and with everyone at work, I couldn't borrow the car from anyone.
Kenosha was a two-hour drive from Point Place. I picked that place because it was a hub, and it was where Bob had made his last flyer for the store.
Bob furrowed his eyebrows and thought for a moment.
"Hyde, how much money do you have now?" he asked.
"Around two hundred bucks," I replied. "Two-sixty if people take their resumes."
"That's not enough. Um…" Bob folded his arms and really thought about it, humming, "Mmmmm…"
"What's the matter, Bob?" I teased. "You planning to help me buy a car or something?"
He smiled. "You've got around fifty bucks in commission. If you worked the whole week at minimum wage—two dollars and thirty cents an hour—plus twelve hours a day… Wait, you started last Sunday, so that's eight days…"
"So that's two hundred seventy dollars and eighty cents," I finished for him. I had calculated it with my system, but Bob looked genuinely impressed.
"See? I knew it. You've got potential." He nodded. "Alright. So what if I loaned you three hundred bucks right now?"
"To buy the car?" I asked, slightly surprised.
"You're… working to buy a car, aren't you?" he said, puzzled. "That's usually what teenagers are working toward."
"Let's say I am. But can I buy a car alone? I'm only seventeen."
"I'll go with you at lunch. We can buy it before lunch is over." Bob laughed.
I nodded, a bit impressed by his confidence. And he was right—this was the 1970s. As long as I had cash, I could walk out with a car in minutes from a used lot or a mechanic's backlot sale.
Bob told me to pick him up with his car at lunch for us to go to the car lot. He went to work with the truck I brought home.
I yawned and went to take a nap while waiting for my other stuff to be delivered.
I heard a ding sound on my notification. Two more of the items were delivered.
It was a Canon EOS Rebel camera, and a set of body wash.
The camera was 60 bucks, the set of body wash and hair care was 30.
For now, I have received items worth 862 dollars in 1977 money.
"I need to test it out." I said as I took out the camera. It has an SD card I could plug into the laptop, but that wasn't what I wanted to test.
I fitted everything I had bought into a large box. The printer, the laptop, mouse, keyboard, the camera, and the set of body wash were put together.
Then, I put the box into the system storage.
"It works!" I smiled in elation. "Now, I don't have to worry about them holding too many slots. I only have 5 slots after all. One is already for the bulbs."
The factory workers came by at 10 like they said. Being from the silent generation, they were really punctual with their times.
As they saw the new resume template, they were shocked.
"It has colors on it." One muttered.
"Yeah, I have some new stuff." I said with a smirk. "Are you satisfied with it?" I asked.
He nodded and grinned. "You're really good at this. Alright, I'll give you the 5 dollars."
15 people came by. I received a total of 75 dollars from the resume business alone.
And I think with the word of mouth spreading, I might get new customers soon.
With the camera ready, I walked over to Bob's house now that he'd left for work.
Midge opened the door, surprised. "Hyde? Honey, Bob's already gone."
"I know," I said. "I'm here to see you."
She froze, then sighed dramatically and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Hyde… you're a sweet kid, but I'm not going to sleep with you. If you leave now, I won't tell Bob."
Her voice was stern but tired—like she'd had to say that before.
I blinked. "Midge. I'm here to take your photos for the flyers. Not to sleep with you."
Her head snapped up. "...You want to take photos of me?!"
"Yeah," I nodded. "Just two sets. One with the orange bulb, one with the new bulb. I figured the flyer would do better if you were on it. You're really pretty. People will notice."
For a moment, she didn't say anything.
Then Midge actually gasped, one hand going to her chest.
"Hyde… you think I'm pretty enough for a flyer?"
"Pretty enough for five thousand of them," I said casually.
She let out a squeal that echoed off the walls. "Oh my God! What do you need?!"
"First, you need to change. Something relatable but also a little… you know. Like you're living a better version of their life."
"What?" she blinked, confused.
I sighed. "I'll pick it out for you."
Within five minutes we had the outfits, the poses, the lighting, and the two shots I needed.
Midge tried her best—smiling brightly, standing tall, flipping her hair.
"For the last time, Midge, I don't need that. Just turn on the light normally," I said tiredly as I pointed the camera at her.
When I packed up, she was still glowing, cheeks pink, eyes sparkling.
"Hyde," she said softly, almost whispering, "thank you. No one's asked me to model since… well… since I married Bob."
I just shrugged, not really caring about her emotional upheaval. "You did good." I checked the photo on the digital screen. "Want to see it?"
"We can see it right now?!" Midge was shocked.
"Oh. Right." I remembered that in the 70s, if people wanted to see their pictures, they had to develop the film first—usually taking one or two weeks.
Seeing the results instantly felt luxurious and professional.
Midge was elated when she saw her pictures. "Is this the kind of camera they use in magazines?" she asked. "Where did you get it?"
"It's from the company that made the flyers. I'm just borrowing it. Do you… want to take a few more pictures? I can get them developed for you."
There were a lot of shops online that would develop the shots, in multiple sizes if I wanted.
"Really? Should I go and change?" she asked breathlessly.
"It's up to you. Pick whatever you want to pose in."
I usually took pictures for my girlfriends' Instagrams, so I knew the angles that made a woman look professional and beautiful.
Midge looked excited and grabbed the hem of her shirt. Then she lifted it off—right in front of me.
I was startled, but she quickly ran upstairs to change.
"Damn. Those are really big," I muttered in slight shock.
I took a few pictures of her outside, wearing a provocative dress. Well—provocative for the 1970s. It was just a one-piece with some cleavage.
I showed her a few shots, and she was genuinely thankful.
"I'll go design the flyer now before showing Bob. If he says yes, I'll include your picture. If he says no, I can't do anything since I'm just his worker," I told Midge clearly.
She furrowed her eyebrows before grinning. "Don't worry. If Bob wants to have sex with me ever again, he'll pick the right one."
I stared at her, shrugging in disbelief, then turned to leave for the Formans' house.
But before I stepped off the porch, Midge called after me.
"Oh! Make sure to bring me too when you want him to pick the design!"
"Alright. I'm giving him the draft this afternoon."
"Okay! I'll come with you!" Midge said excitedly.
…
I took a shower around 11 am.
Steam curled up from the hot water as it slammed against my shoulders.
"I'm 17, but I look 26. That's from all of the cigarettes I've been smoking since 8th grade."
And it wasn't only limited to me. When I went to school, I saw a lot of middle aged men there, even though they were only high schoolers.
With their heavy mustaches and beard. Their high testosterone facial features.
Eric didn't smoke, so he looked really young. But I looked quite mature. Already looking like a man.
"Not that I hated that, but I don't want to crack so soon."
I was finally in the shower, surrounded by the little arsenal I had bought: a soft body scrubber, face wash, conditioner for my curly hair, an all-in-one body wash, and even SPF cream.
I bought everything from a pharmacy, so it was a different delivery from the other stuff I bought from the shopping apps. Everything was CeraVe since I needed something strong.
I started with the body wash, lathering it onto the scrubber. Then, I took out something stronger. Charcoal Detox body wash, specific for deep cleansing and removing impurities on my skin.
As I rubbed for a couple minutes, a brown streak appeared along the tub where the grime came off me.
A dirt line near the shower drain.
Evidence of years of neglect, smoke, sweat, and whatever else had clung to me.
I moved to my face, squeezing a small blob of the face wash onto my palm.
In the 1970s, people mostly just used soap bars. My skin needed care—the smoke had left a permanent layer of gray over it. The wash foamed, and as I rubbed, I could see little streaks of residue dissolve, a faint but satisfying victory over years of abuse.
I scrubbed it next, using a facial exfoliator cleanser.
Next came the conditioner for my curls. My hair had always been a wild, tangled mess, especially after long days outside or too many cigarettes.
I worked the cream in slowly, feeling it loosen the knots and soften each spiral. I could almost see the smoke stains lifting from the strands, leaving behind something shiny and alive instead of dead and dry.
The scrubber got another round, this time for my arms, chest, and back. I was methodical, no corner skipped, no fold neglected.
Every pass revealed more streaks in the tub, more evidence of the grime I had carried from my life as a neglected kid.
The sight of it felt oddly satisfying. Every line washed away was a little piece of the past leaving me.
After I finished bathing, I put some stuff on my face.
Niacinamide serum– $4 helps brighten tone.
AHA/BHA toner– $5, clears acne texture.
Finally, SPF cream.
Not because I was going outside in the sun immediately, but because my skin had been burned and tired for years.
"Sunscreen… technically this hasn't been out yet."
It wasn't until the 80s where sunscreen was standardized. There was some suntan oil with SPF protection now, but it was really low.
'Should I sell this too?' I thought secretly. Bob needed something to fall back on when PriceMart came to town.
Selling stuff that PriceMart has no way to get would be beneficial for him, and for me.
"Maybe I should put on a mask like Patrick Bates." I chuckled to myself. I put everything in the box and put it back into my system storage.
My hair felt fluffier. My skin felt smoother. Then, I stood in front of the mirror and used a razor around my chin.
"Should I cut this pork chop sideburn? I will lose my identity if I don't have a sideburn, but I can change my style."
As I studied the sideburn, I muttered, "Maybe I can do it like Star-Lord? The sharp sideburn?"
I thought about it, but Laurie knocked on the door before I could decide.
"Hyde! Get out! I need to get ready to go to a party!" She yelled.
I sighed and wore a towel on my waist. Laurie was scowling as I opened the door.
However, her expression turned quizzical. She sniffed slightly, like a dog, and asked, "Hmm? What smells so nice?"
Laurie's eyes flicked over my bouncy curls and clean skin. "Wait a second… what did you use?"
I smirked, didn't answer and just slid past her.
"Hey! Share it with me! I want it too!" She yelled from behind me, but I ignored her.
None of my clothes arrived yet, so I put on my previous clothes. A long sleeve paisley shirt and denim vest. Then, bell bottom jeans and boots.
I still looked quite rugged, and the clothes – even though it was washed, had some weed smell on it.
"I need to buy deodorizer detergents too. Like Tide." I muttered as I made the mental note.
At noon, I drove to Bargain Bob, with Midge sitting beside me.