Brief description: Always thrilled to be a part of it all—like a lap dog or a curious pup. And like a dog, he lives entirely in the present. Learns more by observing than by thinking, favors common sense. Enthusiastic about everything. Loves variety, fun, spontaneity. Future is a hazy concept—the present day is what matters. Wonderful intentions matched with valuable, practical contributions. Works hard, plays hard, loves every minute of it. Thinks on its feet. Able to break through difficult situations, get others to communicate. Completely lovable and huggable. Follow-through? Not so much.

 

Purpose: When the subject matter is challenging, or the mood becomes heavy or dark, we rely upon Haps to surprise everyone to break through. Always one of the characters who sings and dances in the chorus, steps out because it’s fun and because it’s wonderful to play a role. Haps’s spirit comes from child-like enthusiasm and an inability to exist anywhere except the present moment. That is: Haps does not perceive past or future as others do. For Haps, the past and the future are the equivalent of a science fiction movie—fantastic adventures that may be impossible. No surprise that Haps strongly favors in-person conversation. Here and now, physical proximity—they define Haps’s reality. Haps is confused by digital devices and connectivity—they don’t fit into Haps’s contextual understanding of the world. Haps is not stupid—in fact, Haps is so keenly interested in just about everything, it is constantly listening, watching, absorbing, discussing, debating. Always with good humor.

Gender/Heritage: Gender unclear, probably more of an it than a he or a she. Deep connections to discovery and boundless adventure. Haps’s lineage traces back to the end of the Ice Age. Haps’s ancestors were Vikings who explored Scotland, Greenland and Labrador. (Several of Haps’s cousins are named Snorri.) Haps owns relics—they are passed down from one generation to the next—but lacks the mental tools to interpret them in the context of a meaningful past.

 

Physical Description: No fingers, no toes. Not a defect, just different from others. (Cannot use digital devices because buttons are so tiny; can’t type or use a remote control, either—Haps is fine with that.) Haps is very much of a lap dog, as kind and sweet as can be (yes, Haps resembles a sloth; we love the facial expression and features—but don’t be thinking in terms of the seventh deadly sin, apathy, laziness or inactivity—don’t judge Haps by the way it looks).

 

Psychological: Simple emotions. Frightened by the many, many things it doesn’t understand. Not a child but doesn’t perceive the world as most adults do. Difficulty generalizing. Struggles to follow conversations about past and future, but asks naive questions without fear of appearing stupid. Loves to discuss and debate in the cafe; holds its own. Tends to comprehend the short-term. Can become discouraged, requires periodic reinforcement about smarts, all that it has learned, eagerness to learn more. (Nobody learns as much or as eagerly as Haps, but other limitations make Haps wonder sometimes.)

 

Fears: Haps lives his life, but because he cannot perceive the past or future, he is not fearful of long-term change. He is afraid of today’s noisy thunderstorm.

 

Social: Everyone likes Haps, but Haps’s inability to think about the past or the future raises questions about just how much we humans ought center in the present (which may contain the secret of love and life itself), and how much we ought to live in the past or the future. Haps can talk to anyone, any time, and the resulting conversation will be fun and innocently provocative. Endlessly curious, constantly asking that others explain, tell Haps about places they’ve seen. Loves to look at pictures together, and video, too. Loves Roark’s sketchbooks—Haps is one of the few who is allowed to look at them (but Roark turns the pages and explains everything in stunning detail.) Wants to travel someday, to see the whole world, the planets, and the Milky Way (the term “light year” means less to Haps than it does to the rest of us). Being with Haps feels like watching a really great movie with your spectacular dog, who pays attention, understands everything, and asks terrific questions, too.

 

Key Relationships: No single relationship. Every relationship is warm and friendly. Haps can even communicate with the Two White Bitches. 

 

Place in Cafe: Wanders everywhere. Might sleep in a corner like a big dog, snoring like the dickens. Often working on a dozen different projects at a time, often with others; perhaps, experiments or observational games.

 

0-to-60: Is that a game? Can I play?

 

Accessory Characters: Probably has a cuddly toy. Maybe something that nobody expects that doesn’t make sense at first, but makes sense at last.