One of my favorite people

I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite people.

He's a bit of a loner, or a recluse. I think, but am not certain, that he may suffer from some mild phobia -- scared of people to an extent.

He's tough as nails and a hell of a fighter. He's an Internet junkie and prefers to communicate by e-mail -- that goes back to his fear, or more of a discomfort, with dealing with people in person. His Internet habit and voracious reading habit makes it very unlikely that you'll find something this guy didn't have at least a general knowledge of.

He's tall -- four or five inches taller than me. He's well-built -- the kind of fitness that comes not from the gym but from having worked hard and taken care of yourself. His black hair is greying and he has a worn look in his eyes. He's clean shaven and you can really see the power of his body in his hands. His hands are average size, but there's something about them. You just know that this is a strong man.

His name is Barnacle. I dont' know his first name, but Mike bounces around my head when I think about it.

Of course, Barnacle is fictional, and that's what I love about writing. When a made up character begins to take a life of his own.

And honestly, he's sort of fictional. I can find bits and pieces of Barnacle in a variety of friends, just as I can find bits and pieces of Addison Carlysle, Barnacle's partner, in a variety of friends.

Nothing better than being a writer!