Bayside's history can be traced back to the roaring 20s, in order to avoid prohibition laws a number of gangs used the settlement on the border of Canada on the east coast to smuggle alcohol into the United States, as prohibition ended, a number of engineering companies agreed to collaborate on building secret factories to research and produce prototype cars and aircraft, this would later become a secret airbase during World War Two as both American and Canadian forces agreed to collaborate to stop Nazi invasion in the event of France and the United Kingdom falling; after the war, Bayside was given autonomous status as neither Canada nor America wanted to fund it post war, so Bayside's mayor decided to turn most of the factory land into a giant department store, calling it Gracies after the mayor's daughter Gracia.
Gracies was roughly the size of a modern day market town of approximately 25,000 acres covering most of the main town centre.
For people shopping like Dave, it can take up to half an hour between parking and actually shopping, probably why Dave prefers shopping on the highway loop as each of the eight major stops has a supermarket on it.
Upon arriving at the toy store, Dave was greeted on either side by two large statues of nutcracker soldiers, each of the staff wearing a marching band uniform creating a unique environment that could pass for a traditional children's film; intimidated by the sheer scale of the store, Dave didn't know where to start to find a gift for Joel's new arrival.
The noise of the children was silenced by the loud sound of roller skates approaching Dave, out of the shadows of the plush toy area arrived a girl, dressed in a more elaborate version of the marching band uniform, with long twin tail blonde hair and large circular frame glasses, she was humming a popular children's song.
"I see someone who is lost, I am the manager Alice" She says launching paper streamers from her baton, the spectacle seemed lost on Dave but the children were genuinely happy to see Alice.
"Umm, I need a gift for my bosses new born" Dave sounding clueless in the excitement.
Alice snapped her fingers and a curtain pulled up around her and in a couple of seconds she was wearing Safari Gear.
"Come with me to the forest of bears" Alice threw Dave a foam dart gun and pulled Dave into the plush toys department.
Dave was a little bewildered by everything going on, especially when he could see many of the teddy bear displays turning around and staring with glowing eyes.
This triggered a memory in Dave in how he earned the nickname Dave Dreamer; as a child, Dave would turn the most mundane of normal situations into an adventure, a walk to school felt like a journey to Mordor, a simple trip to the supermarket felt like capturing monsters and a simple game of soccer felt like powered beings in a battle arena; the last fragments of this personality continues in his highway racing career, his garage alone has been compared to an extremely expensive Hot Wheels collection; to meet a girl similar to his age and still have that kind of imagination felt surreal, his more cynical side thought that this Alice girl was just being ultra professional, but if that were true, why put on this act for an adult?
"Head down, I've found the target, prepare the dart gun" Alice arrived at a display of colourful Teddies and looked for a good one, Dave aimed at a multi coloured patchwork bear and fired the foam dart gun.
"Good choice, it's a best seller" Alice threw Dave the teddy bear.
Dave was greeted by Alice's pretty smile, the silence should've felt awkward, yet it felt like time froze for a few minutes and both were checking each other out.
"Hey you're Dave Dreamer right? Can you help me drum up some business? You get a free car out of it" Alice asked innocently.
Dave wondered if there was a catch but Alice just said it's simple advertisement.
Later that evening.
"Dave, what in the hell is this crap!?" Hellcat wondered as Dave turned up in what looked like a life sized Hot Wheels car.
"An electric car as well, did Alice really build this?" Joel sceptical that a toy maker could build a car.
"I know it looks silly but it was free and it drives well for an electric car, other drivers have taken advertising to fund cars, it's not unique" Dave trying to defend the car.
"If I stay here any longer I'm going to die of cringe" Hellcat took off to face her third round opponent Kara Shindo.
"This Highway really isn't built for electric cars so avoid battles and just use.....whatever your car of the week is, free or not, this car will give you more debt in the long run" Joel put his jacket back on and left.
Dave's day felt surreal but not unpleasant as he stared at Alice's phone number on her business card.