BENJAMIN WEISS
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Benjamin’s a tall guy. Tanned. Muscly. Most girls would use the phrase, “tall, dark and handsome” to describe him. He spends a lot of time in sun beds so that he can top up his tan and keep himself looking an adequate/acceptable colour of orange. His hair is brown, and when he stares at a screen for too long, he has to wear glasses. Most of the time, however, he doesn't.
Ben’s eyebrows are thick and bushy, and his cheekbones are high. He likes to keep in good shape and has a regimented morning routine that he sticks to: fifty sit-ups, fifty press-ups, fifty jumping-jacks. That keeps his body physically active, and it also wakes him up in the mornings; he believes it means he’s going to have a good day. The only times he ever misses his routine is if he’s got to get up early for a flight, or if he’s ever had a lady friend over.
PERSONAL HISTORY
Descended from royalty. Way down the line. Almost non-existent. But his family has a lot of wealth and heritage which, unsurprisingly, Benjamin loves to milk. He makes the most of the fact that his family has got endless pockets of money. Privately educated, Benjamin had an education which was completely separate to most. He excelled because he was taught things not many people knew. It was more a case of nurture, rather than nature. This separated Benjamin from the rest of his peers: they were all naturally bright and academic, and he quickly fell to the bottom of the class. All the other kids in the school picked on him because he was only in the prestigious school thanks to his family name. They resented him, and he resented them. That's where Benjamin’s desire to become top stems from.
Throughout college and university, things had changed. Benjamin has taught himself everything he knew, and he had trained himself to be good at things. Ever since he was old enough to realise that his brain was slower than others’, he worked hard at understanding it, so he managed to teach himself to learn quickly. And, to his surprise, it worked. He passed A-Levels with flying colours, and then when he went to university, he was top of the class — in more ways than one.
Benjamin had always been fond of girls; growing up he never spent much time around them, and they always seemed like they were beautiful mythical creatures that only the intelligent boys could touch. And he longed for their touch. Then, in university, he found a lot of it. He would sleep with girls every week on a night out, and he would still manage to wake up early the next day for lectures.
Benjamin fell in love once. And it killed him. She died due to a brain haemorrhage. Benjamin couldn't believe it. That the organ that nurtured you, guides you, feeds you information, thinks for you, talks for you — that it could betray you just like that.
Soon after, distraught by the death of his long-term girlfriend, Benjamin became adamant that he would one day eradicate the world’s diseases, one cruel disease at a time. His inspiration was born from that tragedy. He often says “the choices we make that are pivotal to our lives are borne from our toughest times”.
After Benjamin graduated from university — with a First Class Honours, no less — Benjamin headed straight into the World Health Organisation. He started his way from the bottom right to the top to where he is now. He studied while he was learning and he constantly developed his skills. But his development was hindered when Charlie Paxman frog-leaped him and got the job for the higher position. Benjamin was outraged. It wasn't fair. How could waltz in and get the job that Benjamin had worked so hard for? Benjamin was jealous, and he made a promise to his dead girlfriend, that he wouldn't stop until he was in a position of power, and he was going to become the top. Nothing would stop him in his endeavours.
LIKES/DISLIKES
Benjamin likes success. He craves it, and he’s also found that he’s good at it, which make him even hungrier for it.
On a more arbitrary level, Benjamin likes action thrillers, documentaries, and also a comedy every now and then. He enjoys books, but doesn’t read too religiously. Because he spends a lot of his time in the lab and doing something work-related, he finds that his time is limited. And when he does get some spare time to himself, it’s generally filled with catching up on sleep.
Things he dislikes are animals. Pets. Mostly dogs. He thinks they’re too energetic and excited, and he doesn't like the smell. He once had a dog, but he treated it poorly — as did the rest of his family — and they eventually got rid of it because one night it bit Benjamin on the leg. The dog left them with no choice.
Particulars
Favourite food: caviar or salmon. Expensive man, expensive taste.
Favourite drink: any sort of beer, except for Fosters
Favourite book: Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
Favourite film:
OTHER
What was his most embarrassing moment? During private school, I was part of the rugby team, and we did a lot of weird and crazy things. As part of my initiation, they pulled down my pants in front of the whole assembly. We all got in a shit load of trouble for it, but none of us seemed to care. I don't speak to them anymore.
What’s his greatest strength? Teaching myself how to learn things quickly. The brain is a muscle, and like a muscle, it can be flexed and developed, and that’s what I do to my brain — I flex it and make it the strongest it can be.
What’s his greatest flaw? I can't let things go. I hold grudges. If someone does something to piss me off, I will hold it against them for the rest of their lives, regardless of whether or not they've apologised or atoned for their mistakes.
Proudest achievement? Getting myself into the World Health Organisation. And I didn't need mummy and daddy’s money, although they still like to buy me things. I'm not going to say no… would anyone?
Biggest secret… A lot more happened in the boys changing rooms than people know.
BOOK REFERENCES/QUOTES
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