#Marley:Intro

[marleycrowe]

[ skeet ulrich, cis male, he/him ] — whoa! MARLEY CROWE just stole my cab! not cool, but maybe they needed it more. they have lived in the city for 1 YEAR, working as an ODD JOB MAN. that can’t be easy, especially at only 42 YEARS OLD. some people say they can be a little bit UNSTABLE and IMPULSIVE , but i know them to be RESOURCEFUL and RESILIENT. whatever. i guess i’ll catch the next cab. hope they like the ride back to QUEENS! 

(TW:Death, Mental Health, Grief, Alcohol, Addiction, Trauma) -

Before New York.

Marley grew up on a disused farm. With plenty of overgrown land to explore. He spent most of his childhood playing with sticks, rocks and mud. He had a vibrant imagination and could spend whole summers just amusing himself surrounded by nature.

He was homeschooled by his mother until he was about 15. He's got the basics down, but, it was clear from an early age that he wasn't the academic type.

From he was about 10, his father began to teach him a little bit of everything he knew. They went hunting together and he taught him basic woodworking as well as home and vehicle maintenance. They were never particularly close, but Marley looks back on their time of silent co-working with great nostalgia.

He worked mainly as a carpenter until he was 36. He still lived in the family home, maintaining the property as his parents got older. However, his life took a drastic turn. His father died suddenly and the grief took his mother a few years later. Now completely alone, he began to neglect both his home and himself as he turned to alcohol to try and cope with the sudden change in his life.

Desperate to turn things around, on a sudden whim of rare clarity, he booked himself into a treatment centre in New York, selling the family home to afford his medical care as well as an apartment.

-

Present Day.

Marley lasted less than six months in the rehabilitation programme before he insisted that he could do it alone and that having all the people around him was just making things worse. And so, he left and took his few belongings to the cheap apartment he'd purchased in Queens.

Marley works, but, he's extremely inconsistent. He's good with his hands and takes up a lot of 'cash-in-hand' style odd jobs. Such as painting, woodwork, basic household plumbing/electrics and other manual labour jobs. However, getting him to show up and be reliable when he does, is often a struggle.

He often has little cash and that he does have he tends to squander. So, it wouldn't be unusual to see him dumpster diving or thrifting for essentials. His current prized possession is a wind-up vinyl player as he can still enjoy it whenever his electric gets cut off.

His home is in relative squalor. Despite his ability to tend to things, he is neglectful both of himself and his surroundings. His home is untidy. He doesn't have too many possessions, but, they tend to be strewn around as he sets things down and forgets about them.

Marley wants to do better for himself. But, he's ambivalent between feeling he deserves more out of his life, and feeling that he's ruined his chances and may as well not bother trying, as he feels he'll only fail anyway.

-

Wanted Connections. (These are starting off points that could help drum up ideas.)

The Bad Influence. Someone who's only there for a good time. A fairweather friend. Marley can be witty and excitable, but he can also be impulsive and end up in over his head. You love the fun you guys have together, but, when it goes on too long and he ends up in trouble, you're nowhere to be seen.

The Mother Hen. Someone who genuinely wants to be his friend and wants to help him be the best version of himself he can be. In a sense, you feel sorry for him. It makes you feel better to help him clean up, or to fix him breakfast or tend to his wounds. Though, you draw a line and refuse to engage in his self destructive behaviours alongside him.

The Romantic Interest. Someone who sees something special in Marley. Maybe you think you can fix him, maybe you love him just the way he is. You just want to be there and be part of the journey, if only he'd let you in.

The Dog Catcher. Someone who's sick of Marley always bothering them. Perhaps you're a small business owner and he's rummaging around in your dumpster leaving a mess, or, you're a neighbour and his 3am music sessions are keeping you awake. Whatever the reason, you want the problem muzzled before it gets out of hand.

The Raccoon. Marley seems to know all the good spots in town to get a free meal or cheap items. You happen to know he's also able to make furniture and fix up cars. You want him to like you, and you want to help him, but, only because he has the ability to help you in return if he lets you tag along.

The Concerned Onlooker. Someone who frequents the same bars as Marley. You've seen him fall asleep in there as many times as you've seen him get kicked to the kerb. You don't know him too well, but, you have a casual chat here and there before things get too intense. Maybe you should say something, but, is it really your place?