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It's a beautiful day in Stardew Valley. The sun is shining, the birds is chirping, and the valley has never been happier. With the arrival of the new farmer, Pelican Town has been buzzing with conversation. Every man, child, and woman were asking themselves similar questions as the days went by.
"Who are they?" they couldn't help but to wonder. Of course, everybody knew their origins- everyone knew, or had at least heard of, their grandfather. That old farm hadn't seen business in decades, and so with the sudden newcomer finally taking up the mantle, naturally, the townsfolk were eager to make their acquaintance. Now, the only problem was...
... meeting the new farmer was easier said than done.
"Do they even have any farming experience? The poor dear," Caroline could be overheard muttering to Pierre just days after the farmer's appearance. The question was a valid one, seeing as the farmer could seldom be found ON the very land that they own.
"I wonder why I always see that new farmer going in and out of those old mines," Demetrius said aloud to nobody in particular, as said farmer zoomed right on past him and into the nearby mineshaft. They'd been coming going from that place for weeks, now. When did they ever have any time for actual farming?
Well, that last inquiry was something that Mayor Lewis was keen on figuring out, himself. It was rare for him to get any sort of produce in the shipping bin. It was concerning him, to say the very least. Was the new farmer settling in, alright? Was the land perhaps too far gone for any sort of work?
Did they plan to move back to the city before long?
Lewis didn't want to wait to find out the answer to those questions from the farmer, themself, for by then, it'd be too late! He'd be sorry to see the young farmer go, after all; especially so soon after their welcoming into their little town. He needed to get to the bottom of this strange behavior, and he needed to do it now.
Early one morning, Mayor Lewis found himself wandering down the path towards the old farm. Very aware of just how vacant the new farmer tended to be, he made sure to get up just before sunrise in hopes of catching them before they left their cabin.
When he got to the farm, a part of him was glad that he visited the place for pick-up every night, since he might have found himself astonished at the sight that greeted him, otherwise. Instead, it just left him with even more questions than he already had, in the first place.
Rather than the farm being next to dried up with dead, withering plants everywhere and failed attempts at tilling the land, the dirt outside of the cabin was.. THRIVING! Fresh cauliflower bloomed- ripe and ready for picking. Stalks of green beans, planted perfectly, stood there, still and firm beside the lone scarecrow.
Yes, the farm was absolutely booming. .. Which just left Lewis all the more baffled as he approached the front door.
He knocked first, as was the polite thing to do, before calling out.
"Er.. Are you in there? Good morning! Sorry to disturb you at such an hour! I just came over to check on-"
He hardly needed to finish that sentence, as the door was flung open before he could. There stood the young farmer, and-
Oh. Oh dear. They looked positively FRAZZLED.
Their hair stuck up everywhere, their clothes were outright TORN in some places, and.. and were those STAINS on their pants? Clear signs of busy-work, but what KIND of work, exactly, was lost on the mayor as he openly gaped at the farmer.
Worse, still, were the words that came out of their mouth without even a moment's worth of hesitation.
"Is this about the green bean?"
"I... What?"
They repeated, "Is this about the green bean?"
Their voice was ragged, rough, exhausted. The look in their eyes was one of a lost child; pleading, almost on the verge of TEARS.
Lewis fought with himself for his own rebuttal, his brain not exactly caught up with his mouth. After a few moments of silence between them, he had to concede.
"Er.. Well, yes, in a way.. I-I mean, you only shipped a singular green bean these past couple of weeks, but- but your farm is doing EXCELLENTLY! I.. I suppose I'm just.. worried? Are you doing alright-?"
He ended up jumping back a bit, as the farmer fell to their knees; grabbing at his pants as if begging him for mercy.
"I KNOW I ONLY SHIPPED YOU A SINGULAR GREEN BEAN.. I'M SO SORRY... I'M WAITING FOR A BIG HAUL, I SWEAR TO YOBA... I'M GONNA SHIP EVERYTHING I HAVE, I SWEAR I'M GOING TO... I'M TRYING MY BEST..."
It's a beautiful day in Stardew Valley. The children are out playing, the flowers are blossoming, and the valley has never been happier.
... Well, save for their local distressed farmer.
It was this day that Mayor Lewis calmly brewed the farmer some tea, made them relax for the evening, and did the best he could to quell their fevered mind.
Yes, it's a gorgeous day in Stardew Valley. One far too gorgeous to spend alone.