Horatio Kiefer

From Secondheaven

Current revision as of 05:23, 15 April 2007

Basic Information

Full Name: Horatio Kiefer
Player: Mikone
Date of Birth: November 29th, 1961
Age: 46
Journal: somefornaught
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 210 lbs

Appearance

A man of average height and a medium frame, Horatio seems not too out of ordinary for someone of his age. His most distinct facial features are his very square jawline and his almost scruffy beard that travels from his sideburns downward. His hair in general his about below shoulder-length, both his beard and hair are dusty brown in color. People who have known him for a time say that it's steadily becoming more 'dusty' than 'brown' as the years continue. Horatio also wears a pair of oval shaped glasses, which he needs for reading.

His casual dress is very similar to what he wears to class, so he always seems to be professional unless the weather permits otherwise. He wears regular brown or dark grey suits, a long coat over it a blue and black striped scarf for colder weather.

Visible Markings: There is a cut-like scar on the end of his left brow
Not readily visible Markings: None

Horatio's "PB" is Val Kilmer (with his very rare beard and 'stache)

Personality

On the outside Horatio is your stereotypical teacher. Although it may seem to those that have worked with him either as a teacher or a student that he's a workaholic, this actually makes it easier to seek help from him. He's always in his office after school, grading papers or making lesson plans. He is very strict on grading, but his notes are usually simple to take and understand, and almost anyone can learn in his class as long as they take them. He follows by classroom procedures strictly, but makes acceptions when he feels it necessary.

Though he can be serious, Horatio has a genuine sense of humor and takes a lighthearted approach to most problems involving himself or his students. He is business like with his fellow teachers and his bosses, which also leads him to avoid any real deep friendships with anyone. But that doesn't mean he isn't friendly, but he keeps everything at arm's length.

At home, away from school, Horatio is a man of solitude. When he is not working on school things, he's working on a novel, or keeping his house tidy. During the mornings on weekends, he goes to a diner down the road from his apartment for breakfast, in which he quietly eats in a back booth while writing or working on something. Outside of school, he is polite and approachable, but it is difficult to pull him from his work. Sometimes people wonder if he secludes himself on purpose.

History

Born and raised in Beethoven, Horatio has been used to the big city since the beginning. His family was small, but they were financially well off enough to send him to a boarding school much like Second Heaven, which he lived relatively far from at the time. He was a bright young man, humbly archiving top percentile of his class year. Socially, he was not popular nor lonely, but he had a small group of friends to depend on during his years there. Among them was a one girl, Esme Goodman. What had started as a friendship during their first year, bloomed into a high school sweetheart relationship by the end of their last years. Things had been going well for Horatio so far in life; he was truly happy.

As soon as the two graduated, they transfered to the University closest to their home town. It didn't take long for Horatio to find his major: Anthropology. Cultural to be exact. He was fascinated after taking the class in his high school years, and he felt that he could find his own niche in this study of the human race through the university.

Meanwhile, his relationship with Esme was going strong, they were quite the item by the end of the first year of collage. Although his girlfriend only attended for a four year degree, Horatio was encouraged by his parents from affair to obtain a master's degree. So he stayed enrolled in the university so he could obtain this degree, which would be the start of a few minor problems for the couple.

The two moved in together, sharing an apartment, both of them with jobs and Horatio still in school. Things began to become difficult as they could barely see each other between everything they had to do to keep the apartment. The two did promise each other that they could persevere- making most of their time together when schedules allowed. Horatio, however, dedicated himself a little too much to his schooling, which did not go over too well with Esme.

Miraculously, they managed to stay together like this for a full seven years. After his graduation, he proposed to Esme, she happily accepted and the two were wed within the year. Since Horatio had finished with his schooling, the two decided to move to a new town and place for a fresh start. Their final choice? The city of Beethoven. Life had began to look up once more for the two at last.

As an anthropologist with a strong degree, Horatio began to receive job requests for cultural studies with other researchers from the university. He declined as many as he could, stating to them that he had a marriage to tend to. However, they were all very tempting job offers none the less. By the time he was twenty six, his wife was already pregnant with their first and only child. It was an exciting endeavor for both of them. The nine month period of her pregnancy remains to be one of the only times Horatio completely and totally dedicated himself to something more than work.

Their child was born, it was a girl! With much joy, Horatio felt that he could finally relax after those long nine months. However, it was about to become obvious that old habits die hard.

Almost six months after the child's birth, he was offered a job on a trip to a far away country with a few of his friends from the university that he studied with for some time. What perfect time to pick up anthropology again! Regrettably, he informed his wife that he wished to take the job. Accepting with a heavy heart, she didn't protest in the slightest. Horatio left almost immediately for half a year, missing his child's first birthday in the process.

Upon returning, he was welcomed home by two familiar smiles, the family he'd been so eager to return to. Turning to his research paper immediately, he wasted no time in finishing up his work so he could spend however much time he wanted with his family. He was payed well for the trip and his paper, but his relationships with his wife and daughter were something left to be desired. His daughter had trouble getting close to him, or at least as close as she was to her mother.

Resigning to working at home, Horatio decided to take up writing a small novel on the side instead. This way, he could pay for the house and still keep himself busy enough to be content. The years continued like this, Esme raising their daughter and sending her to school, but Horatio always seemed to be in the background. Always busying himself, straying from the true responsibilities of a father. For four years Horatio always seemed to be missing out on the important moments of their child's life.

He couldn't pull himself away from work or his writings for a day or two to spend with his family. Esme decided that enough was enough.

Needless to say, the divorce went through without little to no complications. Horatio was hurt, emotionally. But it didn't hit him until then how much of it was his fault, and how forgetful he really was. Consequences were consequences. The marriage officially ended when Horatio was 35, and his child was only 4.

What was he to do with his life now? That divorce induced return to reality left Horatio with no clue with where to turn next. First off, moving out of Beethoven was probably the wisest thing to do. So he did. There were so many surrounding places to chose from, but Schubert seemed attractive enough. A town with a somewhat large boarding school? That was a possible job opportunity for a burnt out anthropologist!

Moving to Schubert was simple enough, but he'd have to do more than that. Sprucing up his appearance (which had become a little less than desirable over the period of the divorce) and fixing up his best resume, Horatio felt he was finally ready to apply for a job as teacher.

Sure enough he was hired to each the Anthropologies. It was an interesting job, he had never taught before. However, his work-mind adapted easily enough. Horatio has been teaching at Second Heaven for ten years, now.

As far as his novel writing endeavors had gone over those past years, Horatio has been published twice. Two fiction novels- currently he is working on a third.

Other Information

Birth Location: Beethoven, That Country, That Continent
Why Second Heaven?: He wanted a relatively high standards place to teach his knowlage at.
Favourite color/food/activity/subject: Blue/lasagna/reading or writing novels.
Least favourite color/food/activity/subject: Pink/quiche/anything athletic, really.
Likes: Scarves, writing, reading, teaching, coffee, sudoku, crossword puzzles.
Dislikes: Impatient people, crowded spaces, ignorance
Family: Wife (divorced), Daughter (living with divorced wife)
Languages: English (fluent), a few bits in other languages.

School Information

Subject Taught: Anthropology
Years at Establishment: Ten

Relationships

None