Post by Obelisk on Jun 15, 2007 23:48:47 GMT -5
Name: John Gallagher
Age: 37
Height: 6'
D.O.B. October 5th
Parents: Gerald [deceased], Muriel
Siblings: Chase -- younger brother
Pets: A goldfish named Khan.
Marital Status Divorced.
Children: Jack [deceased]
Ethnic Background: German, English
Likes:
-Korean food
-Dogs
-Fishing, camping
- Cold weather
- Reading
- Iron Chef. It's hilarious when dubbed over.
Dislikes
- The guy who lives in the apartment next to his. (Has issues keeping QUIET PLEASE.)
- Hotdogs
- Hot weather. DAMN YOU SUN. (he burns easily)
- Being on a sea-faring vessel. He gets seasick like no other.
- Laundry
Appearance:
John's a bit rough around the edges when it comes to his appearance. His face is never clean shaven and there is always either some form of beard or stubble on his chin. The man's eyes are a doe-brown and his hair a wheat-blond. There's a bit of gray in there, too, but you best not mention that. He'll shoot you a dirty look.
As far as his build goes, he's pretty broad and strong. A SWAT agent has to be in shape to perform all the duties required of them. Besides, there's a whole unspoken competition in his squadron of who's the healthiest and John hates to lose. (Although, the younger men are pretty much out doing him at every angle.)
When he's not in his uniform, the man dresses like most average single men do. Comfortably. He prefers t-shirts, a pair of broken-in jeans and sneakers. He's passed that point in life where he worries what everyone thinks about. Practicality comes before style.
Personality
As far as people go, John's a pretty laidback fellow. He's also pretty damned polite, due to his upbringing. That isn't to say, however, that the man's some kind of saint. He can be damn mean and bullheaded -- especially when he feels belittled. He's the type of older male whose feathers get ruffled if someone treats him with disrespect.
John is a pretty approachable person, given he is in the right mood (and most of the time he is.) Work's pretty stressful but he tries to leave that behind. He enjoys the company of others but will sometimes takes to solitude. Everyone knows that friends can get freaking annoying if you don't take breaks.
Due to his upbringing, the man's as generous as they come. His mother and attending church as a boy saw to that. He'll offer financial help, a meal, consolation, or even a place to crash for the night, provided you're not insane. Even John has his limits.
He's a pretty family-oriented person and will treat his friends like blood relations. New Yorkers aren't really used to this, which brings John no small amount of amusement. He doesn't really get (or doesn't care, rather) about the whole concept of personal space. He grew up in a family that was very physical -- pats on the back, noogies, hugs.
Sometimes his friends look at him like he crawled out of a gutter and sprouted six eyes because of his open nature. He doesn't care. To him, they're the weird ones. Besides, it is pretty damned funny when people try to dodge a hug as if it were a bullet.
To say that John is a strictly happy person would be a lie. Like everyone, he has his demons -- most of which surround the death of his son. Depression sometimes wins the battle, but John's a fighter. Life's too short to be held down by the past. And if you don't have a time machine to go back to fix things (and you probably don't) then there's no other option than to move on.
History:
John Gallagher grew up in the Midwest, in a little town somewhere in Kansas. For those who haven't been down the interstate through said state, there's little to it, really. Farmland as far as the eye can see and the distinct smell of agriculture (ie. Cow pies.) There are little towns here and there with a tiny population -- the kind where everybody knows everyone and crime's low because, hell, you're best friends with the sheriff.
Life was simple there. That goes without saying. His father, Gerald, worked as the proprietor and manager of a small automobile repair shop. Sufficed to say, he was a busy man, trying to make ends meet at to provide for his family. Gerald was a strict father but fair. He'd teach John and Chase a lot before he'd pass. (Liver Disease)
Both his parents were god-fearing people and the family would attend church every Sunday. They instilled into John and Chase a strong sense of morality (though both boys would gradually gain their own way of seeing the world.) School was a needed thing but John wasn't the most studious of students. In fact, he was a daydreamer of sorts. His mother, Muriel, blamed it on all those comics he read. Superman was his favorite.
Gerald was good friends with the local sheriff and John would often get the chance to ride around in his patrol car -- something that would instill in him the desire to get into law enforcement.
After high school, John moved to a bigger city -- much bigger-- New York, to be exact. At first the man was overwhelmed but he settled in soon enough. The busy metropolitan life was a far cry from the one found in his hometown. He enrolled in the police academy and became an officer at the age of nineteen. (Just shy of twenty)
In New York he met Sara, the woman that would later become his wife. Their marriage was ideal at first but that all soon changed when John got into SWAT (age, twenty-four). He was called away often for work and their relationship suffered because of it. More strain was put onto their relationship when their son, Jack, entered into the world.
It was the typical story. They tried to stay together and make it work for the sake of the child. And for a while, their efforts had appeared to pay off. They lived in relative comfort but that would all soon change.
Jack was killed in a car crash at the age of twelve. John was thirty-six at the time. The loss was devastating and sent Sara and John into a spiral of heated and hateful arguments. Without Jack there was no reason for the pair to stay together so they divorced and went their separate ways.
John has since moved into a smaller apartment and lives alone, save for his goldfish, Khan. The man still works as a SWAT agent and has since dedicated himself fully to his job. The wounds of a broken family are still fresh but what's done is done. Life goes on and you either move on with it or get left behind.
Random Things:
-- Each time his golfish dies he gets a new one and names it Khan every single time.
--His friends in his Sqaudron call him "Jesus." It must be the beard.
