[Hyde POV]
"Damn it, I didn't make it." I grumbled as I sat inside the high roof Econoline van.
I have made the shower room, but the cabinets were a hard thing to do.
"There's only a bed, and a shower. There's no stove, no freezer… no waste tank."
It surprised me when the appraisal said the value of the van was 12,000 dollars now.
It was a true camper, except without the solar panel. But I didn't make it in time for Vanstock.
A week has passed by since we began filming for {REV IT UP: POINT PLACE EDITION}
One car was done, and we were in the finish line for the three others. Only the truck needed special
attention so it took longer.
Not only me, but even Eric didn't go to school last week since we have special permission from the
principal.
I have around 8 episodes worth of content. But, I didn't edit it myself.
I contacted an editor for a large Youtube channel.
He wanted 250 bucks per video, which was fine for me since the multiplier let me pay him only 50 bucks for each video.
He understood the content instantly as I gave him the footage.
{Editor: It's pretty unique. I like how you are using the 70s as the vibe. But the tools gave it
away. Still, the town looks pretty 70s and retro.}
The editor asked me a lot about how I wanted to edit it.
I told him to make it for a tv show set in the 70s. He loved the challenge and gave me the first
episode in just one day.
In the first episode, I introduced the contestant, the shop, the mechanics, and the cars we would be
fixing for the span of 10 weeks.
The editor made it so that the human side of the show really showed up. He included the time I fixed
the tractor for free, how I pretended to chase Eric with it in a skit.
We filmed that for fun, but he included it into the show. I gave it to the station to check, but
they wanted me to do a 45 minute segment instead. So it will air on Wednesday at five on the WPPV Channel 5.
They doubled the money from 20,000 to 40,000 dollars. I also received a check from the ads revenue on the Celica versus TransAm special, and it was 75,000 dollars.
Millions and millions of watch time during reruns, that's the only money I got.
I posted the first episode on my Youtube channel, 'That 70s guy', and my subscriber count was rising rapidly. Now, I already have 20,000 subscribers on Youtube.
That was after I posted a lot of the classic cars projects.
The tv show aired on Wednesday, and has around 50,000 people watching it from this town and nearby towns– Green Bay and Sheboygan.
While I was doing that, I also did something else. Building up an office. That would be my secret
project, and the office was in Green Bay, not in Point Place.
…
This morning, the episode 'VanStock' started during breakfast.
-Tv Scene-
"Dad, can I go to Vanstock with the guys this weekend?" Eric asked casually. He wore a Wisconsin
university hoodie. I sat in the middle of Mrs Forman and Laurie as usual.
Red wore a mechanic outfit and said, "What the hell is a Vanstock?"
"Well, it's like Woodstock, but with greater emphasis on Vans." "Sounds stupid." Red said flatly. He
smiled, "Have a good time."
Laurie asked, "Oh. Then, Daddy, since Eric is going out of town, can I have his car?"
Mrs Forman interjected, "Why. Where are you going?"
Laurie gave her a look and said, "Excuse me. I was talking to daddy."
"I know. Where are you going?" Mrs Forman added firmly, hinting that the decision came from her, not Mr Forman.
"Frat party." Laurie said casually.
"Frat party? No." Mrs Forman rejected her quickly. "But Daddy." Laurie turned to Red.
Red immediately said, "Look, honey, it's up to Eric."
"Really?" Eric laughed mockingly. "Okay, then, I guess–" He snorted derisively, "NO!"
Laurie stared at him with disgust. She turned to me, and I said quickly, "No."
Mrs Forman changed the subject, "Red, what are you gonna do today?"
"Oh. Today's the day I'm going to sign the contract with the bank." Red smiled happily.
"Contract? What contract?" I asked, slightly confused.
Mrs Forman said happily, still looking at Red, "Oh! I know, I should bring a pie to give to the
banker!"
"Mrs Forman, you can't do that. That's bribery. Red, what contract?"
Red was a bit hesitant, "Well. I'm buying the autoshop building."
Eric and Laurie were celebrating. "Yeay Daddy!" Laurie hugged him.
Eric threw his right hand up, "Alright! Dad!"
"No- No No. No No No." I interjected quickly, turning everyone's head to me.
"You told me you're moving to a bigger place. Why are you buying that place now?" I asked Red.
"Son." Red said seriously. "The place is bringing luck to the family. I have to get it."
"No, our skills are the one bringing in the customer and the money." I replied, slightly
argumentative. "Not that small place."
Red shut me down and said gruffly, "I'm the boss. I'm buying the shop. And that's final."
"Fine. I guess you're comfortable now, but you know you're a bad month away from shutting down now. You won't have any money left after buying that place."
Red went silent. Kitty was aghast. Eric noticed I was telling the truth. "Wait, dad, really?"
"I'm not talking about it. Steven. You should go to Vanstock with Eric. Don't come back home before the weekend is over."
"Chasing me away huh? Now you truly feel like my dad." I stood up, bringing my plates away as Red stared at me, questioning my audacity.
-Tv show ends-
The episode ended as Eric and I went to school. I came to the carpentry shop at noon as usual to fix up the camper van.
"Oh, it's here."
The system notification pinged me. I cleaned up and went to the library, still smelling like freshly
cut wood.
I saw a beautiful older woman standing in front of Brooke's table. She was really recognizable to
me as Chandler Bing's sexy mom in FRIENDs tv show.
Her hair was curled at the end, and she wore a satin blouse with no bra on, showcasing her deep
cleavage and pointy nipples.
"Steven!" Brooke noticed me and quickly rushed towards me, but it wasn't an act of excitement or
longing, but more like nervousness.
"Steven, I want you to meet my mom, Carolyn Rockwell." She introduced me to the sexy milf.
"Pleasure." Carolyn shook my hand by touching my finger slightly, and showed a restrained,
uncomfortable smile.
"Brooke, I'll be sitting over there. Once you're done, we'll go to lunch together." She said,
wearing large sunglasses and walked away.
Brooke was taken aback. She turned to me and said, "I'm sorry Steven. My mom is a bit elitist."
"It's fine." I replied easily. "I came here to meet you, not her."
I took out a wrapped box from my satchel. Brooke gasped and said, "You brought me a gift?"
"Yeah. I custom order it and everything. I wanted to give it to you sooner, but it took a while for
it to be delivered."
She nodded in excitement and unwrapped the present gently. "What's this?" She asked, confused, as she touched the metal presser.
I smirked and said, "You'll understand it once you press the pages of this book."
I gave her a brand new poetry book and she loved it too. I taught her how to use the custom
embosser by pressing some pages of the book together.
{THIS BOOK BELONGS TO}
Her eyes flicked up to me for a split second, then back down. Along the bottom arc, larger, more
personal, was her name.
{BROOKE ROCKWELL}
Her eyes shook, she looked at me, inhaling deeply.
In the center, the design revealed itself the longer she looked at it. An open book, its pages
slightly curved as if caught mid-breath.
From the spine grew a rose. Its stem rising naturally from between the pages, leaves unfurling, the
bloom half-open.
"You said your favorite flower is a rose." I said casually.
"Steven–" Brooke couldn't even reply properly. Her emotions took over her and she grabbed my head and gave me a flurry of kisses.
"I love it! This is the most meaningful gift I've ever gotten." She kissed me again and again.
Her mother rushed to the table and scolded, "Brooke! Control yourself. Everyone is watching."
Brooke blushed slightly, but she gave me a peck on the cheek. "What's this?" Her mother asked.
"A book embosser." Brooke showed her mother quickly. "Look mother. It's very beautiful."
"You know what's beautiful? Diamonds." Her mother said mockingly. "But you can't afford that, could you?"
I could easily afford it right now. Last month, my cafe made me $8000. The autoshop made me $30,000, after taxes and paying all of my workers. The print shop made me $25,000 after taxes.
That's 63 thousand dollars in a month. Plus 44 thousand in cash after supplying the bulbs to Bob.
Forty thousand from the tv contract, and seventy five in ads revenue. After taxes, I got around
$80,000 from it.
In total, I made around $187,000 in March. Adding the money I have before that, my savings have
passed the 200k mark.
I kept it all a secret from everyone. Since Red separated the business account for his store and
mine, and let me keep everything myself, no one really knew how much I have made.
They knew I had a lot, but if they knew the exact figure, everyone would be really shocked.
Not to mention I've bought 120 thousand dollars worth of gold.
Gold ownership has just recently been re-legalized in 1975. As I have knowledge about stagflation in the 70s, it was better for me to turn every money I have to gold.
Now, the price of gold was about 140$ an ounce. But in January 1980, it would balloon up to $850
per ounce since the dollar value was at its weakest.
I have around 25 kgs of gold now! I didn't even have these when I was a millionaire in New York.
"Mother! We have just been dating for a month." Brooke rebuked her mother as she mentioned the diamonds.
"You're not getting any younger Brooke. You should find a nice guy and settle down, not get
intertwined with this… highschooler. Think about your future."
Brooke's mother lectured her, pissing her off.
"The era has changed mother! We women don't have to get married straight out of school anymore. We can go to college and get a career!" Brooke snapped back.
"You will understand what I'm saying when you suddenly find yourself knocked up with this guy's
bastard child." Her mother rebuked her, dissing me at the same time.
I was in disbelief as I listened to their conversation.
Brooke waved her mother off and said, "I know I shouldn't have told you about him."
"What did you tell her about me?" I asked her.
Her mother interjected, "That you're the best lover she ever has. How you fulfill her emotionally
and… sexually."
"MOTHER PLEASE!" Brooke gasped in horror.
I grinned, crossing my arms together. "Oh. Is that so?"
"Don't listen to her, Steven. She's crazy!" Brooke panicked.
"Hey! Quieten down! This is a library!" A reader shouted from afar.
"Sorry." Brooke apologized to them.
"Why don't you come with us to lunch, Steven? I wanted to get to know more about the guy who has complete control over my daughter's heart."
"Mother stop! He has to go to work!" Brooke pushed her mother away. "Steven, I'll see you tonight!"
"Oh– Okay." I replied with confusion.
I didn't know what just happened, so I asked ChatGPT.
{Why is Brooke's mother acting crazy?}
The AI replied, {Her behavior is not irrational. It is defensive. Women of her generation were
raised to equate a daughter's sexual attachment with permanent consequence.
To her, emotional and sexual fulfillment without marriage signals loss of control, social risk, and
irreversible commitment without security.
You represent a threat because you satisfy needs that, in her worldview, were only acceptable after
marriage.
This creates fear, not hostility. Fear often presents as aggression.
She is testing whether you intend to legitimize the bond through marriage.
If the answer is uncertain, her instinct is to sever the attachment before her daughter becomes
fully bonded.}
"Oh damn." I cursed slightly. "We have just been dating for a month."
I glanced back down at the screen and typed again.
{Is this normal for upper middle class housewives in the 1970s?}
The AI responded.
{Yes. This pattern is historically consistent. Upper middle class women of her generation were socialized to view marriage as a stabilizing institution, not a romantic milestone.
Time spent dating is not the primary variable in her assessment. She is evaluating maturity,
earning potential, social standing, and willingness to provide long-term security.
In this framework, sexual intimacy accelerates the timeline rather than extends it.
Once intimacy occurs, delay is interpreted as irresponsibility, not caution.}
I frowned.
I typed, {So what happens next?}
The chat bot replied, {There are typically two escalation paths:
She will pressure for rapid legitimization (engagement, marriage, formal commitment), often framing it as "protecting" her daughter.
If legitimization appears unlikely or delayed, she will attempt immediate separation through
emotional leverage, social pressure, or character attacks.
This is not impulsive behavior. It is a containment strategy.}
I swallowed.
{Me: So there's no middle ground?}
{GPT: Historically, no. Ambiguity prolongs attachment, which she perceives as the highest risk
outcome.}
I didn't know if GPT was accurate in this, but it made perfect sense for me.
The 70s were a struggle between conservatism of the past generation and the sexual awakening of the woman of this generation.
Feminism existed, but it hadn't rewritten the rules yet. It was loud in theory, and it terrified
women who had built their entire identity around getting married.
The mother was from the past generation. Brooke was the new generation. That's also why she left
home, to escape her parent's control.
I threw the matter to the back of my mind and went to the autoshop.
A new batch of used cars came in today on a car carrier. They were already parked in the parking
lot of the autoshop.
When I checked the conditions of the cars, I realized it was really bad. "Jeff, call Tyrell."
The head foreman came to me, wiping the oil off his hand. "What's the matter?" He asked.
"Why are all the cars in such terrible shapes?"
My appraisal told me their conditions. I paid 7 thousand for these fifteen cars, and their combined
values were at 4 thousand only.
Granted most of the stuff I ordered were fixer uppers, but their condition was really bad.
"Isn't this what we ordered?" he was confused. "High resale, but difficult fix."
"No, we did order that. Check the spec sheet and the vin numbers of the car." I told him.
I crouched next to the first car, running my fingers over the VIN plate.
"This isn't what we ordered. The numbers don't match the spec sheet I got from the broker. Look at
the engine block, the interior… this is a different car altogether."
Tyrell's eyes widened. "You mean… they swapped them?"
"They did. Someone tried to scam us. These aren't the cars I paid for. They're cheap knockoffs, or
at least older, rustier versions with way less value."
Tyrell's eyes turned dangerous. "The broker lied to us?"
I smirked and added, "I'll give you the details. Give it to the cops. Maybe they can find the cars
for us."
Tyrell muttered under his breath, "I'll call the cops right now."
Ten out of fifteen cars weren't what I ordered. The police received all of the details, and they
left.
"I didn't think I would be able to get those cars now."
The police didn't seem to know how to handle the situation. Jeff suddenly whispered something to
me.
"Jet's Dealership also has a new car shipment today. And I saw that the cars… they are similar to
our cars."
"You think they swapped it?" I was taken aback.
"If they know the broker, it doesn't seem that hard to do." Tyrell replied angrily.
I suddenly burst out in laughter. "Do they even have resources to fix those cars?" I wiped the tears
that came out with laughter.
"No, but I think, they are doing this just to screw with us. Since we're going to have to spend a
lot more money to fix these up."
I sighed and said, "Next time, we're not going to use a broker anymore. I'll handle the inventory
as usual."
The police did find the cars at the Jet's Dealership. But they pretended to not know about it, and
worse, they drilled holes in the engine as they said they wanted to scrap the cars.
So the inventory was useless now and I couldn't get it back.
"Hooo. Those motherfuckers must be crazy." I said with a dry, emotionless laugh.
They even got the audacity to ask me to give them the cars back, since it was a swapped inventory.
The police were confused on how to handle the situation, the cars needed to stay where they were,
and I couldn't even use them before the judge ruled on the case. That would take months.
"Now, we're stuck with dead inventory. They even gave us all the cars they drilled the hole in, so
we stuck with that too." Tyrell said with disbelief.
"They burned us, greatly." I smirked. "So the only logical thing we can do, is to burn them back."
"What are you going to do?" Tyrell asked warily. I just smiled at him.
…
"Hyde, where are you going?" Fez asked as everyone hung out in the basement.
"I'm picking up an ice box and some food for tomorrow." I replied and snuck away while everyone was focusing on tv.
I went to Victoria's apartment and stored every sensitive material in my inventory there.
Then, I changed my clothes.
I wore a plastic nixon mask, gloves, and dark army clothes. I snuck outside the house and went to
the Jet's dealership, which has a lot of dogs guarding it.
I rode a motorcycle, one I 'borrowed', and went to the dealership on the opposite side of town.
The dogs started barking the second I got close to the fence, throwing themselves against the chain link. I stopped, waited, and watched.
They were biting the metal chain, slobbering all around it.
"Who's a good boy? Who wants some treats?" I took out a few cans of dog food from the inventory and threw it above the chain fence.
The dogs went to the food filled with sleeping pills. After they were done, I entered the place.
I stored the part of the chain fence into the inventory, and put it out nicely on the floor as I
entered the dealership lot.
"My uncle will be so proud of me… Well, he's in prison, but he will be so proud."
Most of my family members had gone or were still in prison right now.
The door of the store was locked using a big chain, but it wasn't hard for me to break in since I
could just store the entire door in the system inventory.
Then, I took them back out and put them neatly at the side, same as the fence.
I saw the great collection of cars they have in the car dealership. From Corvette to Mustang. They
have a lot of cars they stocked up just to compete with my store.
"System, use the rating points to increase inventory."
20 rating points disappeared, and I have 10 more inventories now, which made my total come to 25, the exact number of cars they have in their store.
But before I took it all, the nice cars, I went outside to handle their 10 junk cars.
I stored them all inside my inventory, and stacked them all into a tower.
"They are going to have to play jenga to get the cars back in one piece."
I put the other nice cars inside my inventory and left.
"Now, it's a waste to throw them all away." I smirked. "I guess I'll unload it in a different
state."
Technically, what I'm doing was grand theft auto. But I didn't care much. It was the 70s, there
were no cameras at night that worked, except for the one in my store.
I dumped fifteen of them into a flooded quarry outside city limits. Just rolled them straight off the
edge. A hundred-meter drop into black water.
The other ten were kept in my storage for now. I felt kinda bad for the cars, but I needed the extra storage space for my sensitive stuff.
I rode back to Victoria's apartment, stored the motorcycle inside the storage system, and then the
box full of my digital equipment too– laptop, camera, digital to film machine, the betamax recorder
and the microphones.
"Hyde, you missed out on the show man." Eric complained as I came back home with a blue ice box.
"Hyde. Why are you bringing all of the food, tent, and the stove? We can just buy the food." Eric
asked mockingly.
I smiled and said, "This is all for me. You guys don't have a share."
"That's fine. We don't want any shares anyway." Kelso teased.