We started off with a bunch of sense memories about Christmas/Winter and ended up with a prostitute, a case of near-lethal assault, and a middle-aged woman abandoned. Merry Christmas!

Who: Shuo, Pat, & Caroline
What: Penny for my Thoughts
When: Thursday 12/22/11

Shuo's Character (Sarah):
1. The smell of another woman's perfume filled Sarah with happiness, seeing that her father had a new girlfriend, her high-school drama teacher. After working hard, Sarah lands the part of Juliet in the school play. Going backstage afterwards she finds her dad and the teacher macking.
2. The taste of falling snow in your mouth reminds her of the time she was in the Christmas play, performed outside. It snowed during the performance, and the audience loved it. Yet she remembers most her father's empty seat in the middle of the audience, and another text message saying "Sorry we didn't make it. We'll be at the next one." Cue character boffing a stranger in the park.
3. The felling of a beard scratching your face reminds Sarah of the time the man she was servicing took her to a hotel where her dad was waiting to get her and clean her up. She runs away saying "You don't want me back, I'm broken." In the chase her father is hit by a car and she has to decide between making her escape or going back to help him. As the snow begins to fall again, she turns around and returns to her father.
She chose to remember.

Pat's Character:
1. The taste of egg-nog mingled with cigar smoke reminds the man of the time his brother Frank put out his cigar his egg-nog. The man punches and breaks his brothers nose, satisfied to see the anger on Frank's fiancee's (Susie) face.
2. The dry taste of Mom's overcooked turkey reminds the man of the time his brother asked him to help Susie (now wife) take some stuff from her house. He tries to make out with her, a little too aggressively, and she spurns him.
3. The throb of pain from a minor burn reminds him of the time he burnt his hand on a cigar with his brother and the now wife. Frank teases him about not being able to seduce his wife and about how small and weak he is. The man snaps and starts bludgeoning Susie.
He chooses to forget.

Caroline's Character:
1. The smell of pine needles mixed with the reek of whisky reminds the woman in her failing marriage of the time her husband spilled a bottle by the tree. His charm always made her melt, and she just couldn't stay mad at him.
2. The feeling of cold hands in a warm bed reminds the woman in the awful marriage of when her husband tried to make up for coming home drunk by making breakfast in bed... "I wish you could give up alcohol like you've given up on us."
3. The cool taste of candy canes reminds her of the time she was pulled over for drunk driving, having sucked a candy cane to mask her breath. She lands in prison in the cell next to her absent husband. When she gets out of prison, his things are gone and so is he... "I'd like a cup of get out of my life"
She chooses to remember

I <3 penny. It's sometimes difficult to refrain from any sort of role-playing. But the questions and the 'what did I do/say next's really help it feel fluid and simple.

We were playing within 10 minutes of sitting down also. Always awesome to get right into the game. My one complaint was that there isn't as much background before remembering starts when you have fewer people. I've played a 5 persona and a 3 person now, I'd say 4 is probably the sweet spot.

Thanks Pat and Shuo for the depressing depression!