A Series in Two Parts--Part One
SENIOM SED--The reputation of Seniom Sed in Midlandia is notorious, and has been for a long time. Visitors and residents alike have called the city dirty and polluted, its residents (mostly Midlandia's working class) facing short life spans, and its buildings presenting such a fire risk that most insurers wouldn't touch the place. And a recent investigation of the city by the Midlandia Gazette finds that Seniom Sed's reputation is well-earned.
Founded initially not so much as a city but as a landgrab by capital city Industry Haven's booming industrial sector in Midlandia's early days, it's almost shocking to think that anything other than industry has developed here. Indeed, for many years, only a tiny population braved the barely-liveable conditions in the town. The city's mayor, Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, has been accused of being nothing more than a puppet for the large industrial conglomeration that kept Industry Haven moving, even as IH divested itself of much of that industry as it strove to become a capital city.
Compounding the problem was a lack of city services. Other than a phalanx of fire stations built to deal with the unprecedented rates of devastating fires, Seniom Sed was bereft of even the most basic education and health services for its small population. Beyond that, there were no recreational places for residents to enjoy, no trees, and choking smog filled the air most days.
North and south, a giant dirty industrial district pumped tons of pollution into the skies of Seniom Sed, and, indeed, still do. The water of the Des Moines Sea is blackened with waste products put out by the city's mighty industry, providing jobs to workers all around the region. Money also rules this city, with the city's bank account the largest by far in the region at $2.8 million Simoleons. But much of that money does not come back to the residents, and they seem to be starting to fight back.
"Back in the early days, all we looked at was the jobs," longtime resident Finney Fiornstern said. "But we got crushed by the machinery of the industry that was making all the other cities in the region wealthy, while we suffered." Fiornstern, 63, appears much older than his actual age, and he is plagued by numerous health problems that make him a regular visitor of the city's only hospital.
Surprisingly, the city's population is experiencing a growth spurt as well, topping 85,000 in population according to the latest census. The city's mayor has finally started to come around to make modest changes in the structure of the city, though much of it is too modest to make a real dent in the overall situation. Until recently, Camacho's only appearances before the public have been riding with his staff of incompetents on modified Harley-Davidson motorcycles, spewing their own black smoke into the air. Much of those rides were to the sports arena, where the only entertainment to be had in Seniom Sed, Monday Night Rehab, took place. Without police, the city resorted to comically executing its 'criminals' live on TV.
Most Midlandians who had visited Seniom Sed considered the place a lost cause, and many have professed they'll never set foot in the place. But there are also signs of change in Seniom Sed's future. For one thing, Mayor Camacho appears to be making concessions he hasn't made before, moving industrial zones away from residential zones, and building schools and police stations.
Even his rhetoric has started to change. At a recent press conference, Mayor Camacho gave a speech that almost sounded like he was finally hearing the problems of his residents.
"Shit. I know shit's bad right now, with all that starving bullshit, and the dust storms, and we are running out of french fries and burrito coverings. But I got a solution," Camacho said.
Before Mayor Camacho could continue, though, he was heckled by opposing members of the city council, before he could reveal the nature of his solution. In the next part, however, the Midlandia Gazette will look into the changes that are taking place in Seniom Sed, and find out if Seniom Sed really is about to undergo a transformation...or sink back into the depths. Join us for part two of this special investigation next time.
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