Description: West is in good shape for a veteran firefighter at age 39 going on 40. He dislikes the fact he's only 5 ft 10 inches tall and 170 lbs; but he makes up for it by being especially loud. Stuart has curly dark hair, brown eyes, tanned skin, and cheeks that always look stubbled no matter how often he shaves. He enjoys getting dressed up and going out, but he also enjoys blackening his fingers with the oil from working on his motorcycle. He gets angry and upset easily, but also easily laughs. He has a hard time holding a grudge.
Family: Stuart was born in 1960. His parents were alcoholics and abusive, and kicked him out of the house at age 14. The social workers ordered him not to go back. He spent time in foster homes until, at 16, he left to fend for himself. His cousin gave him a job as an assistant mechanic since he was good with his hands and also gave him a cheap place to stay. Stuart doesn't have much family, so he values his friends and his co-workers as if they were family members. He can tend to be intrusive, abrasive, and loud, but he's got a good heart.
Education/training: While working as a mechanic, Stuart passed the GED. He was also on the motorcycle racing circuit for a few years until he injured his knee. At age 27, he joined the Webster Fire Department. At age 35, he passed the exam to become an engineer.
Reasons for becoming a firefighter: He enjoys action, physical activity, and getting out in fresh air; he would hate a desk job. He wants to help kids. Last, he wanted to prove to others and to himself that he could handle the job.
Hobbies/lifestyle: Stuart is perpetually broke because he spends most of his money on his girlfriend, Monica. He sometimes works as a car mechanic on the side. He enjoys riding motorcycles. He lifts weights and drives an old, but fast classic car. He hates to lose at games. He supports charities that support kids, especially orphans. He enjoys cooking at the station and would never admit his meals are only mediocre. "I've got my pride, you know," he'd say.
Personality/relationships: Stuart loves being in the middle of the action, spending time with his friends, having fun and playing sports, betting on games, usually wasting a bit of money. He immensely enjoys -- needs -- the physical aspects of a relationship, and thus cannot seem to break away from Monica, his girlfriend of 3 years, even though she's stomping all over his life and his heart. They frequently get into arguments where they break up, but then rapidly get back together again.
What West says about his relationship with Monica:
“Waking up alone sucks. Having that warm body beside me is great. We have sex, yeah, but that’s not the only thing we like to do. We spend time fixing up our place and we go together shopping, when she’s not out with her friends.
"I get jealous, of course, when I see her with other men, but what can I do? We're not committed; she can see who she wants. I want a lover, not a wife. Then again, I treat her well. I give her everything she wants, while I’m broke. That's not too good. We argue a lot, too, and we break up a lot, but then bam I'm sucked back in again by sex. I don't know what to do about it. That's my life.”
WHAT TICKS HIM OFF ABOUT FELLOW FIREFIGHTER WALTER FROST?
"At least I'm better than Walter Frost. How can he get along without a woman? Monica has her problems, but she's there for me. Walter will never learn, although I'm going to try to teach him."