"Character" sketches

While working at a bookstore in the booming metropolis of Chicago, I got to know some interesting 'characters' (ie, my quirky coworkers)...two of which I befriended (can you guess which ones?) and the others I haven't seen or heard from since we stopped working together one day.

I concocted a description of some of them back in April 2003, maybe as a way to give me ideas for fictional characters if I were to ever write a novel. :)

1. Phil---white guy with short, curly black hair, late 20's. Wears black-rimmed glasses, as well as red "festive" shirts. Smokes pot every night to relax and fall asleep. Supervisor, works in the art and photography section. Goes to Columbia (an artsy school). Has a cat who likes to look out the window of his apartment, only reads fiction, wants to move outside of the US one day, insists his parents could use couple's therapy, has a sister, doesn't like Christianity (nor Nativity scenes at Christmas time), a gay man who doesn't want to live the typical gay lifestyle.

2. Brandon---white guy in his late twenties, green eyes. Reads the New York Times Monday through Friday and Newsweek on the weekend, enjoys using big words in casual conversation with others, a journalism graduate student at Northwestern, sometimes answers his phone saying "yo!," claims he's "just a white guy," once tutored kids. Physically attractive to most people (men and women). Can be seen sauntering quite a bit and mumbling witticisms, mutters softly when others ask him questions about himself, claims to be a 'common man' who drinks Old Milwaukee beer at yuppie bars like Sheffield's, admits to trimming his chest hair. Proud to be gentlemanly and chivalrous with women. Frequents a bar that serves free wine every Tuesday nights, twirls his black curly strands of hair as he talks or reads the paper. Has been known to eat very routine meals consisting of a sandwich, carrot sticks, yogurt and a banana, and drinks water alot. Thin to average build, wears Gap and/or thrift store clothes that don't always match, once got excited when someone complimented his $3 "Waldo" sweater, doesn't want to be like everyone else. Hates the suburbs. Makes jokes about masturbation. Once went to a Miami Vice themed party, has an occasional 'lonely' Friday or Saturday night. Liberal. Used to work a "boring" information systems analysis job. Sometimes wears artsy black rimmed glasses, lives off Addison in a condo, originally from Indianapolis. Made out with coworker Claire at a party. Had an ex-girlfriend who was a painter. Always listening and observing others. Would like to work for the Chicago Tribune or New York Times someday. Compliments (or corrects) words one uses in conversation with him, has lived in Chicago for 5 years and only goes home for the holidays. Not materialistic, though opinionated about certain fashion faux pas (such as not wearing white socks with dress shoes). A self-proclaimed "stoic." Works out at Bally's. Birthday is in December.

3. Meredith---20 year old white girl with lots of colorful tattoos, long black hair. Likes to wear black and thrift store clothes alot. Has many male friends. Often looks tired, eats salad alot from FoodLife in the Water Tower building on her lunch breaks. Lives with her sister, sister's boyfriend and another guy. Hates to sleep naked and has an oral fixation. Likes to drink and party. Good listener, gives encouraging pep talks to others. Got kicked out of her last apartment. Close to her dad. Smoker. Has a fat cat named "Tommy." Has been told she looks like Courtney Love, Norah Jones and Britney Spears.

4. Stephanie---Early twenties, half-Asian, half-white, originally from Colorado. Lives near the Loyola campus. Sarcastic and blunt. Has many theater friends, intelligent, interested in journalism and almost applied for law school. Considering going to medical school. Studied abroad at Oxford. Has a habit of falling for the wrong guys. Likes to go to the movies. Sorority girl in college. Works at Timothy O'Tooles too. Takes cab rides home after late night shifts. Adventurous. Has family in Hawaii, has been vegetarian for 2 years. Shamefully admitted to owning Cher's Greatest Hits, well-liked by coworkers but believes herself to be a 'bitch,' always looks hit, down-to-earth, can't stand pretentious people, at a crossroads with what to do with her life.

5. Eric W.---24 year old thin white guy with glasses. Friendly to everyone. Wears a baseball hat most of the time, frequents bars a few times/week, can be quite funny when drunk, clueless to just how many girls like him, good listener, would like to be a teacher someday, originally from Ohio, considering going to grad school. Used to live in Texas. Close to his family. Has run in the Chicago Marathon. Easy-going. Is in love with "let's just be friends" Kristen and won't give up hope that one day she will one day realize they should be together. Buys a new cd every Saturday night after work. Also works a 9-5 office job at an insurance company, likes to go to the museum, see obscure movies and do things that are different. Admits he tends to pursue women, but feels they don't pursue him (and when they do, it's not a challenge for him). Nicknamed "E Dubbs" and eats cold food alot because he doesn't have a microwave at home.

6. Michael---27 year old white gay man who claims to be the 'woman in the relationship' with his boyfriend. Down-to-earth, liked by all, witty, and intelligent. Neat and clean freak (likes to Swiffer his apartment). Lives with 3 female roomates off the Montrose brown line el stop. Once lived in Italy while working as an R.A. Originally from Indiana. Went to Loyola. Just started working at Illinois Institute of Art. Likes Trader Joe's. Can always be found cooking and eating delicious meals. Great cook. Reads fiction, as well as the Economist magazine and Italian newspapers. Sometimes smokes when he drinks. A churchgoer. Likes Star Trek, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings. Got laid-off at a former job and was unemployed for a year before finding a job at the bookstore. Likes to relax on Sundays. Watches BBC. Did volunteer work at a museum. Likes to try new things and places. Wants to teach someday, thinking about graduate school. Has lived in Chicago for 5 years and has two brothers (one who lives in Montana). Likes to discuss movies. Liberal.

7. Andrea---white, tall, 26 yrs old, overweight, red hair, wears glasses, smokes. Supervisor. Has been with boyfriend for 7 years, who once gave her a potholder from Target as a "fun" surprise gift. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri. Funny. Claims to not have much of a sex drive these days. Likes guys who have a baby face look. Mother died of cancer years ago and she doesn't get along with her father. Alcoholism in her family. Likes ice cream sundaes. Dislikes wearing jewelry, except for the occasional necklace. Drinks Coke alot. Buys clothes from "the fat lady store" (ie, Lane Bryant). Used to work with kids at the YMCA.

8. Brian G---white, tall, 29 years old, easy-going, reminds me of my brother Alex, slightly overweight. Likes "Six Feet Under." Has been known to go out drinking with various coworkers. Lived on the west coast. Would like to live in Washington or Vermont someday. Frequently wears the same sweatshirts and green camouflage pants. Liked by all. Has a long-term girlfriend named Sarah and lives in a not-so-good neighborhood. Sometimes sleeps for 12 hours at a time. Jokes that he may have family in the East since he and his family members found pictures of other women that 'weren't Grandma' in his grandfather's "treasure chest" after his grandfather died. Cute and funny. Supervisor. Originally from California. Owns a car that breaks down alot.

9. Braettie---white, early thirties, red hair, earring in middle of her chin, acne scars on her face, wears eclectic clothes, prefers to wear men's pants because she feels they fit better/are more comfortable. Great laugh. Sarcastic and moody. Hates Disney. Listens to Yo La Tengo music. Originally from Austin, Texas. Married to a musician named Angel. Dares to be different. Loves Belfast, Ireland more than touristy Dublin. Once wore a nametag that said "Prudence." Doesn't like working with people much. Can't tolerate stupidity. Likes funny Irish stories. Creative. Writes and likes non-conformist art.

10. Nate---white, 20 years old, tall, thin, wears funny shirts and baseball hats. Has been told he looks like the Naked Chef. Student at University of Chicago (political science major). Bought his girlfriend Maureen a guitar. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago. Has family in Indiana and Ohio. Seems close to his family, whom once had a Corgi. Nicknamed Katie "Lawson" and "Ship's Navigator," though he never explained why. Odd sense of humor. Intelligent, yet socially immature. Likes to have argumentative discussions in his classes. Vegetarian. Doesn't drink or smoke. Rarely takes himself seriously. Tells funny stories. Hangs out with Meredith and Brian R alot. Wears good smelling deodorant that smells like cologne. Doesn't have cable tv. Frequently stays up till early morning hours and sleeps only a few hours before getting up.

11. Brian R---white, 21 years old, medium height, black curly hair, shaves his head in the summer, originally from Chicago. Plays basketball. Watches Seinfeld, Simpsons and South Park. Jokester with everyone. Lives at home with his parents and sister. Has a friend he calls "Buddy Holly" (real name is Freddy). Ran after a girl to ask her out. Tells funny stories. Hangs out with his 25 year old friend "Crazy Julia," along with Nate and Meredith. Has perfectly shaped white teeth when he smiles. Laid-back. Once told Katie she should be the natural laugh track for his future tv show.