Editing 1 step ahead

[[Image:sbemail28.PNG|thumb|Not very ladylike]]

'''Strong Bad Email #28'''

Alex thinks it would be funny if Strong Sad's hands were glued to his face. Fortunately, he is correct.

'''Cast (in order of appearance):'''  [[Strong Bad]], [[Strong Sad]], [[The Cheat]], [[Homestar Runner]], [[Bubs]], [[Coach Z]]

'''Places:''' [[Computer Room]], [[The Athletic Field]], [[Strong Sad's Room]], [[The Field]]

'''Computer:''' [[Tandy 400]]

'''Date:''' May 19, 2002

'''Running Time:''' 2:02 (all options)

== Transcript ==
 
'''STRONG BAD:''' This one better be good, man. I got a lot of money riding on this one.

<blockquote class="tandy email">hello strong bad,<br />
don't you think it would be funny if you glued <br />
strong sad's hands to his face? I think it would be...<br />
<br />
alex<br />
medford, nj</blockquote>
 
'''STRONG BAD:''' ''{typing}'' I'm one step ahead of you, Alex.

''{A book appears on-screen with a black-and-white picture of Strong Bad exploring a cave with a flashlight. The text reads:}''

<pre>    CHOOSE YOUR OWN STRONG
      BAD EMAIL ADVENTURE

Should Strong Bad really glue Strong Sad's hands to his face?!

    If you choose YES turn to page 93

    If you choose MAYBE turn to page 121

    If you choose to TAKE IT IN A BIT OF A
    DIFFERENT DIRECTION turn to page 146</pre>

=== Yes ===

''{Cut to Strong Sad standing on the Athletic Field with his hands glued to his face and a target labeled "Peg Me" painted on his chest.}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' Guys?! ''{Strong Sad is pelted with dodgeballs.}'' Owww! Oh! Ohw! Augh! Okay, you guys! ''{Another ball is tossed at him.}'' Augh! It's not funny. ''{Another ball is tossed at him.}'' Augh! I'm kinda... ''{Another ball is tossed at him.}'' Augh! ...unable to defend myself. ''{Another 2 balls are tossed at him}'' Oww! Oh! More so than usual. ''{Balls continue to pelt him.}''

''{[[The Paper]] comes down.}''

=== Maybe ===

''{Cut to Strong Sad lying down on his bed, his hands glued to his face.}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' Augh! I'm blind! My prayers have finally been answered.

''{Strong Sad tries to move his hands.}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' Oh wait, my hands are just glued to my face. Oh well, I'll take that.

''{Cut to Strong Bad and The Cheat standing outside Strong Sad's room.}''

'''STRONG BAD:''' Oh man, he likes it! Okay, go to plan B!

''{The Cheat salutes him and leaves. He brings back a bucket of red ants and takes it to Strong Sad's room.}''

''{The Paper comes down. One red ant crawls out of Strong Sad's room.}''

=== Take it in a bit of a different direction ===

'''STRONG BAD:''' ''{typing}'' Though I decided to take it in a bit of a different direction.

''{Cut to Strong Sad standing on a green field with his hands glued to his butt. Homestar walks up to him.}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' Oh, hohoh... Oh, hey, Homestar!

'''HOMESTAR RUNNER:''' Er, Strong Sad. Why are you touching your buttocks? That's pretty weird.

'''STRONG SAD:''' I can't help it!

'''HOMESTAR RUNNER:''' Okay, that is ''really'' weird.

''{Homestar walks away and Bubs walks up.}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' No, wait, you don't understand!

'''BUBS:''' Grabbing your butt? That's not very ladylike.

'''STRONG SAD:''' I'm not a lady.

'''BUBS:''' Oh! Whatever.

''{Bubs walks away and Strong Bad walks up}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' Augh, this is getting frustrating!

'''STRONG BAD:''' Oh, Strong Sad. Fancy seeing you here! And uncontrollably grabbing your own butt, I see. Oh, don't let me get in the way. Carry on!

''{Strong Bad snickers and walks away. Coach Z walks past.}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' Please, come back!

'''COACH Z:''' 'Attaboy, Strong Sad.

''{Coach Z walks away}''

'''STRONG SAD:''' Hey, where are you going? You have any solvent? Or Goof Off? Or Didi Seven? Somebody get my hands off my butt!

''{The Paper comes down.}''

== Easter Eggs ==

*If you choose "YES", after Strong Sad gets hit with dodgeballs, you can click the target on his belly to play the [[Peg Strong Sad]] game.

== Fun Facts ==
===Trivia===
*When this email was first released, the extra choices weren't available; instead it immediately progressed to the "different direction" bit (which is why it's the only choice that continues with Strong Bad still typing). The choices were added a few weeks later.
*This was, until "[[rock opera]]," the only email to have an "again" option at the end, allowing for easier access to the un-selected choices.
*This was the first email to be over 2 minutes in length.

===Goofs===
*If you choose to select yes, and you go to the "Peg Me!" game, hit the scoreboard. When you do so, it plays an electric buzz noise. However, the noise can be heard seconds before the ball actually makes contact.

===Glitches===
*If you know exactly where the contrast buttons are, when the book appears, it's possible to click the part of the book where the buttons are. This changes the brightness on the corner of the [[Tandy 400]] in the background.

===Real-World References===
*This email is a reference to/satire of the [[Wikipedia:Choose Your Own Adventure|Choose Your Own Adventure]] series of children's books created by [[Wikipedia:Edward Packard|Edward Packard]], in which the reader controls the direction of the story by choosing from a number of options, and is then redirected to a page much further away.
*In the book's picture, Strong Bad is in a cave, which has nothing to do with this email, but is a classic example of the type of illustrations found in the Choose Your Own Adventure books.
*[http://www.interwood.com/a/p/didi/DidiDetails.shtml Didi Seven] and [http://www.valspar.com/val/resident/goof-off.jsp Goof-Off] are real-world cleaning solvents.

===Fast-Forward===
*Strong Sad's (a.k.a. Anonymous's) hands were glued to his butt at the beginning of [[rock opera]].

==DVD Version==
*The DVD Version has the Peg Strong Sad game removed, because of obvious technical limitations.

== External Links ==
*[[HR:sbemail28.html|watch "1 step ahead"]]
*[[HR:sbemail28.swf|view the Flash file for "1 step ahead"]]

{{Strong Bad Email}}
[[Category:Tandy 400 Emails]][[Category:Game Emails]][[Category:Strong Bad Filmography]][[Category:Strong Sad Filmography]][[Category:Bubs Filmography]][[Category:Coach Z Filmography]][[Category:The Cheat Filmography]][[Category:Homestar Runner Filmography]]