Jason Garrison finally returned, and a big group of people headed to White Farm. William White was still fiddling with the game console, while Fulton went to greet the crew of troublemakers.
"Mr. Fulton, what's William busy with?" Jason, evidently tanned, flashed his big white teeth and asked.
"Young Master Garrison, young master is testing game consoles. He's about to launch a press conference, so it can't be delayed," Fulton replied with a happy smile. Jason was practically family, as the two families had a very good relationship.
From a distance, William White heard the sounds of revelry. Dressed in cowboy attire, he stepped out of the game room and watched the bunch of friends making a racket.
After a big bear hug and some small talk with the group of guys and gals, Jason spoke up, "Boss, what game are you working on? Let us take a look."
"You can take a look, and I can even gift you one. Just don't leak anything before the press conference," William White said with a smile.
"Alright, gang, the boss doesn't want us talking outside. For the sake of our new toy, everyone knows what to do, right?"
"Don't worry, we've got it covered. If it's revealed early, it won't be any fun," chimed in the group of mischievous friends.
William White wasn't too concerned. As long as it wasn't deliberately spread, it was fine. Kids on the farm had already played the game, so expecting absolute secrecy was nonsense.
Besides, maintaining a bit of mystery was enough. It wasn't something that couldn't see the light of day.
"Come on, everyone, you've got an hour, then I'll treat you to a welcome meal."
The group of people filed in, and the villa, which had been quiet for so long, came alive again. The servants were busy as today was shaping up to be a big party, and lots of preparations were needed.
"Whoa, so many game consoles? Are they all the same?" Jason was the first to speak.
"Three games, absolute classics. You won't be disappointed," William White said, holding up three fingers, acting quite pretentious.
"Sure, we'll see. I'll know only after I try them, and I am a pro at the tennis game."
William White just chuckled without saying much. That subtle pretentiousness could really be infuriating.
Even if it was just two puzzle games and a tank battle game, for people of this era, it was groundbreaking.
"Holy cow, Tetris, this is totally awesome, don't you think?"
"Tank Battle? Boss, are you planning to enter the German market? Why did the game just end?"
Seeing Jason exclaiming loudly, William White was at a loss for words. He had bombed his own base, so how could the game not end?
"I'm telling you, you just bombed your own base. You have to protect it first before eliminating the enemy," he explained.
The girls, of course, liked Tetris and Pac-Man, and were having a blast. With Tank Battle, the boys naturally gathered to play that game.
"Boss, this won't do; I'm taking this home. You all better not compete for it."
"Alright, I'll give it to you after the press conference," William White didn't care about these things much, even though they were quite valuable. The production costs and selling price were two different matters.
His games could really blow everything else away. The guys here today were all from affluent backgrounds. If they were so excited, you could only imagine how the less privileged out there would feel.
Seeing that it was about time, William White said, "Alright, let's eat first, then you can play more. There's plenty of time. You all wash up first, then we'll go have a feast."
Though they still wanted to play, considering there were a few days left to enjoy, they didn't dawdle.
One advantage of a farm is its size. Forget ten people; even hundreds could easily be accommodated.
...
The group headed to the guest rooms, while William White lounged in the banquet hall, sipping lightly. A bit of wine before a meal had become his habit -- it was surely healthier than coffee.
In Texas, don't expect a gourmet meal; even in a wealthy home, it was the same. Considering quite a few girls were present today, they added a fruit salad.
Usually, it would be just a vegetable salad and then all meat dishes. His family fared better, at least offering some main courses, and the portions weren't overwhelmingly massive.
The typical Texan portion of steak could overwhelm a person, making other dishes unnecessary.
Since it wasn't an official dinner party, the girls didn't take too long getting ready. They all arrived within thirty minutes.
That time was necessary though; a girl without makeup wouldn't step out the door. There was no such thing as natural beauty here.
*****
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