Jonathan Reid

Age: 25

Occupation: Computer Game Designer

 

           When I first saw Jonathan in the dimly-lit apartment, I didn’t even realize that the vast bulk in front of the computer was a person. When he turned around to say hello, then slowly rose from his seat to cross the room and greet me, I gave a little start, which I felt terrible about for weeks afterwards. It was so obviously an effort for him to get up that I wanted to tell him not to bother, but saying Oh, please don’t get up, you’re much too fat would have made us both feel a lot worse, so fortunately I kept my mouth shut.

          Now when I looked at him, I saw words like Kind. Easy-going. Brilliant. But I’m pretty sure my mom looked at him and saw Weirdo. Slob. Freak. I knew that in her mind, Andrew and Jonathan were only marginally above the bikers on the scale of Guys You Wouldn’t Want Your Daughter Driving Away With.

 

The first thing Megan notices about Jonathan is his size. And that's the first thing most people notice -- a fact Jonathan is well aware of. Eventually they get to know him as someone who loves working on his game design, but also likes classic rock'n'roll, mystery novels, martial arts movies, keeping Andrew out of trouble, and making Megan laugh. What he doesn't like is leaving the apartment unless he absolutely has to, which makes it a bit of a mystery how he's going to handle a cross-country road trip to California.