A possible woman for Roland?

[EGBFan]

Well, it seems to have worked for Louis.

I think I'd like to start by making it absolutely clear that I abhor society's tendency to cater more to couples, and the strange idea some people seem to have that single people aren't complete people.

But with that said... I do feel bad for Roland. I particularly feel guilty since I saw, within the last year, the episode "Till Death Do Us Start" (some of them do have appalling title's, don't they?'), in which Roland reveals that he wants kids, "a whole bunch of 'em". I suspected as much anyway from what we learn about his character (such as there is) in other episodes, but hearing him say it made me feel, as I say, bad.

My problem is that I can't imagine any woman who would be attracted to somebody as un-sexy as Roland. With every other Ghostbuster (with the exception - I must be honest - of Egon, but he's nicely taken care of... and Kylie ), I can see at least something that could be construed as boyfriend material. But not with Roland. Yes, he's smart, but he's the kind of guy for whom intelligence has to be a big deal (God but I hate that). I suppose he's reliable, sensible, safe... boring...

Anyway, Fritz has established that Charlene Zeddemore has a little crush on him, but I don't think anyone - including Charlene - envisions that going any further.

For the past, oh, I don't know, three years, something like that - I've just been thinking to myself, It'll come... it'll come... But it just hasn't, and I can see no distance glimpse of a solution on the horizon. Now, I'm not expecting to be flooded with responses to this, but if anyone should happen to have any thoughts that might be even vaguely helpful, do please post them here.

[Fritz]

Yeah, the age difference between Roland and Charlene is way too big to make it work. He's almost thirty and she's half his age--I never intended anything to come out of that. It was just a quick brainstorm that helped put a little bit of character into both, and she especially was in sore need of it at the time (this was for CoG, long before Rosey began using Charlene)

So many minefields here...

He did have one interest in the series, Syren, but she was a demon. Ray would probably be the first to say "Ghosts are one thing, demons...um, no." But one episode does not a relationship make--ask Garrett's subterranean crush Persephone and possibly Elaine Fuhrman.

We could truck in a niece for Winston, closer to Roland's age, but I admit I'm reluctant to have such a notable relative appear sortof "out of nowhere" when there's actual canon relatives (a sister and a nephew) that haven't been dealt with. Winston's sister didn't have a name until a month ago and the nephew still doesn't. Certainly, some of that could be mitigated all at once, if she's Evangelean's daughter and the nephew is her brother (which would be the approach that would involve the least creation of other characters)

We'd need someone bright...but not as dull as him. But if we give her too much attitude, we'd be open to accusation of "stereotyping" (ie "Look...just another jive-talking angry black woman")

Or we could not limit ourselves to African-American women, but that has it's own set of unfortunate stereotypes and arguments ("Why don't any black men ever fall in love with black women in fiction?")

Roland is a nice guy. He's just not very exciting. It is kinda bad when Egon Spengler ends up looking like Don Juan in comparison.

[Mick Nielson]

But Egon has the hair going for him... Roland, um... he's got that Spike Lee wannabe dew going on and it really isnt kool, lol.

[EGBFan]

tampabuster1 said:

But Egon has the hair going for him...

Do you know, I never liked Egon's hairstyle on RGB, but he really grew on me when I saw the ponytail in EGB. I can only suppose that's just because I have a thing about ponytails.

Aaaanyway, I'd like to respond to some of what Fritz said. Some interesting ideas in there, certainly. There are some possibilities in the Winston's-niece idea, in that she'd be Charlene's cousin, and - even though it's never happened to me - I would imagine it would be faintly infuriating if you had a crush on a guy (no matter how much you knew nothing could come of it), and then your older, more worldly cousin swooped in and snapped him up. (If that were to happen, we'd have to deal with the question of, why would she want to?)

But on the other hand - and this is just my opinion - something doesn't feel right about pairing up the members of the only two black families in this little world. I watch this seriously trashy soap called Eastenders, which has had a late-middle-aged black couple in it for some time now, and then last year they brought in a black family consisting of a single mother and her two teenage daughters (the younger daughter is mixed race, actually) - and after they were done with the abusive ex-husband storyline, the mother discovered that there was a possibility of the long-standing black male character being her father. He isn't, as it turns out - but it was a long time since they'd done that storyline, and suddenly there it is when there's more than one black family on the show, and it just seemed really... blah. (There are better words than that, I know. Contrived? Jarring? Not that it was the first time, or the last.)

So my thoughts on that are inconclusive. Honestly, if anyone said, "Yes I like it! Do it!", I just might. And if anyone said, "I want to do it," I'd probably say, "Go ahead." Clearly I'm in an agreeable sort of mood today.

admin said:

Or we could not limit ourselves to African-American women, but that has it's own set of unfortunate stereotypes and arguments ("Why don't any black men ever fall in love with black women in fiction?")

Hmm... never heard that one before. (I don't anticipate this much, but if it were to become an issue, I could argue quite strongly against that.)

To be honest with you, I can't see Roland being fussy about skin colour. I think a lot of us have a tendency to gravitate towards a certain type - I hope no one will hold it against me when I say I've never actually been attracted to a black man - but, I dunno, I just keep thinking of "Dog Days" (certainly not the best episode, but not the worst either). Garrett was trying to persuade Roland to chat up quite a few women, of several different skin tones (all of them slim and beautiful and many of them in mini-skirts, but that's another issue altogether), and Roland seemed shy and intimidated around all of them - he just really didn't show any preference.

It might be interesting to get some mixed race kids in there, but then of course I already have two of those in the Riveras.

We'd need someone bright...but not as dull as him. But if we give her too much attitude, we'd be open to accusation of "stereotyping" (ie "Look...just another jive-talking angry black woman")

(Yeah, well... we already kinda have one of those in Roland's sister Tara. Sorry about that... although she isn't as angry as all that a lot of the time, and I'd hardly say she was jive-talking.)

You mentioned Syren, Fritz. The thing about Syren - apart from the fact that she's in the containment unit and that's where she'll stay - is that Roland was no more infatuated with her than any of the others who fell under her spell. Y'know, that episode was pretty much the most interesting thing he's ever done. I get the feeling his character was finalised last, when everybody's ideas were a bit stale and they'd all got bored and wanted to go home. (Oh dear - that isn't a very nice thing to say, is it? )

[Fritz]

But on the other hand - and this is just my opinion - something doesn't feel right about pairing up the members of the only two black families in this little world.

That is also an extemely good point.

We can widen the net of known characters just a little if I mention Shirl Johnson, who appeared in "Forever" and is one of Janine's friends (she was originally created by Ogre and I to be Winston's love interest, but that got left out of GBOT in favor of Brian Reilly's character Kaila). She could certainly have a niece or cousin or something easily. Heck, for that matter so could that singing ice cream lady in the Slimer! cartoons.

Though still probably the better idea is to have someone come in completely new, not related to anyone else, possibly introduced in a case.

Yeah, well... we already kinda have one of those in Roland's sister Tara. Sorry about that...

That wasn't a criticism of Tara...and there's certainly more to her than that.

To be honest with you, I can't see Roland being fussy about skin colour

Well, me either. But then again, there's a world of difference, as you suggest, between being a bigot or a racist and simply not being sexually attracted to someone of a different race. I'm certainly not saying Roland couldn't or shouldn't be paired up with a non-African woman, just that my first operating assumption is that he would be paired with one of his own race.

[Silent Seraphim]

admin said:

Though still probably the better idea is to have someone come in completely new, not related to anyone else, possibly introduced in a case.

Ya know, I was going to suggest going with someone completely new.

I was thinking maybe he could find someone via the medium of the internet. It's a bit different to the whole meeting someone through work thing, and if intellect attracts him more than physical beauty, then maybe it might make sense that the first time he speaks to his girlfriend-to-be, it's through the medium of words over a computer and not through face-to-face speech. Then, of course, you've got the freedom to create whatever female character you want for Roland instead of pairing him up with someone else's relative with whom you may already have some set characteristics for. I don't know, it's just a brain dump of mine - feel free to ignore me if the idea sucks buckets.

With regard to skin colour, you don't really have to state whether the girl is white, or mixed race, or whatever. You could leave it up to the reader to decide what skin colour she has, if that's even important at all.

[ghostdiva]

Actually I always pictured Roland meeting a single mom that worked in an auto parts store or something. Someone who will consider Roland's responsible nature as a turn on.

If I wasn't pulling my hair out about another relationship I would write the story.

[EGBFan]

ghostdiva said:

Actually I always pictured Roland meeting a single mom that worked in an auto parts store or something. Someone who will consider Roland's responsible nature as a turn on.

I thought about maybe putting him with a single mother, very briefly, but then I decided I don't really like it. Maybe he would if she told him that she definitely wanted to have more children, but I just know he wouldn't stay with anyone who might not be prepared to incubate his offspring. There's also a practical reason, in that her being a single mother gives all of us added responsbility - that's at least twice as many characters someone would have to create, than if she was on her own (that sentence isn't strictly speaking correct grammar, but I can't see how to make it any better just now).

But with all of that said, thinking about it again, I can actually see it working if she has just the one child. Why? I don't know. But it's definitely something worth thinking about.

lurker said:

I was thinking maybe he could find someone via the medium of the internet...

You might start doubting me if I said that I had that idea as well, but it really did cross my mind. (Honestly, I've thought about this a lot, when I should have been doing something more constructive.) It is a way for shy people to meet other shy people. I've mentioned "Dog Days" - we know from that episode that Roland doesn't find it easy to get talking to women. It's another not-sure, really. I dunno.

With regard to skin colour, you don't really have to state whether the girl is white, or mixed race, or whatever. You could leave it up to the reader to decide what skin colour she has, if that's even important at all.

Race is important to some people, for whatever reason; to others, it doesn't matter at all. Her race doesn't have to be important, but as a writer I do like people to know. That's just my preference. So if I end up writing this thing, although I realise I don't have to, I'll give mention to her skin colour.

[Jason Knetge]

well you could make her half black

or have her be from Africa
maybe some one sent to see if Charlene has any magic potential and train her on how to use it

then you get the old story were the teacher and student loving the same guy .

----------
man this is making me think of the trouble I'm having with the girl I like

all I will say here is it's a lot like Egon and Janine but some traits are switched and there is a Pall Smart I have to deal with as well

[Kingpin]

Rosey: I'll put in an appropriate amount of time to give your posts, as well as everyone else's the proper time to read them... but for now it depends what happens with that Jane character we were fleshing out.

[EGBFan]

kingpin said:

Rosey: I'll put in an appropriate amount of time to give your posts, as well as everyone else's the proper time to read them... but for now it depends what happens with that Jane character we were fleshing out.

Jane has been on the backburner for a long time now, hasn't she? Well, whatever happens there, we know she's not around by about 2001 (probably sooner) - I seem to remember there was talk of doing all sorts of horrible things to her.

If there's anything you desperately want to add, Ben, I suggest you do it sort of now. A big rush of ideas suddenly came at me last night, a fair few of them inspired by this thread, which means I'll probably start writing soon. Whether or not it actually works, of course, remains to be seen.