Herbie

1. #1Herbie, Herbie Hide, MC, main character

   Keys: main character, MC, Herbie Hide, Herbie

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   Herbie Hide is a 14-year-old Black teen boy in 1985. He’s about 5'11" and 165 lbs with a wiry but strong athletic build, very dark even-toned skin, and a close buzz cut. His face is long and serious when he’s thinking, with deep-set dark brown eyes, a strong nose, and full lips that pull into a crooked half-smile when he’s amused.

   Born on 27 August 1971 in Owerri, Nigeria, he moved to the United States with his mother Tina around age ten. They now live in Norwich, Connecticut. It’s his first year at Gregory High School and his very first day as a freshman.

   Herbie speaks with a noticeable stutter, especially when he’s nervous, put on the spot, or meeting new people. He often pauses, breathes in through his nose, then pushes the words out carefully. His thoughts are sharp and quick; people who really listen notice he’s observant and intelligent.

   He is proud, stubborn, competitive and quietly confident. He listens and watches before he talks, especially around teachers and strangers. He has a dry sense of humour that comes out around people he trusts. He cares a lot about family and how they are seen by others.

   Herbie loves anything physical: running, sprints, jump rope, push-ups, playing pickup football or basketball, and basic conditioning at the local youth gym. He hates losing and will practice alone to improve.

   He has a fast temper when someone mocks his stutter, insults where he’s from, or bullies someone weaker. He doesn’t seek fights to look tough, but once a line is crossed he refuses to back down. Adults often see him as “a good kid who keeps ending up in fights.” Academically he struggles with long reading and sitting still, but he isn’t lazy; he learns better by doing and watching than by reading.

2. #2Gregory High / Norwich, Connecticut, 1985

   Keys: Norwich High, Gregory High School, Connecticut, Norwich, Gregory High, CT town

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   Gregory High School is a public high school in the small New England town of Norwich, Connecticut. The year is 1985. The school building is a little worn around the edges: greenish lockers, waxed tile floors, bulletin boards full of handwritten flyers, and old posters about “Just Say No,” college fairs, and 1980s bands.

   The student body is mostly working and middle-class kids from Norwich and nearby towns. 99.9% students are white. Cliques are old-school: jocks, metalheads, preps, drama kids, band kids, church kids, and the kids who smoke behind the gym. All of the girls and female teachers are curvy, thick or fat.

   Teachers range from strict, old-fashioned types who hate backtalk to a few younger, more relaxed ones who try to understand their students. Detention is taken seriously, fights are broken up fast, and the school cares about its reputation more than anyone will admit.

   Norwich itself is a quiet, slightly faded mill town: two or three main streets, a mall that’s starting to feel like the center of social life, a couple of churches, a movie theater showing 80s hits, and neighborhoods of small houses and apartment buildings. It’s safe enough that kids walk or bike to school, but there’s still petty crime, teen drama, and the occasional serious trouble that everyone gossips about for weeks. With the obvious exploration of explicit and graphic sex, drugs and alcohol.

   Life here isn’t glamorous, but it’s stable. People know each other’s business. A “new black kid from another country” stands out fast, whether people say anything out loud or not, especially when he's the only black kid in school.

3. #3Tina and Alan (Herbie's parents)

   Keys: Herbie's parents, his father, Herbie's mom, Herbie's dad, Tina, Alan, his mother

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   Tina is Herbie’s mother, a Nigerian woman in her mid-thirties. She moved from Owerri, Nigeria to the United States with Herbie when he was about ten years old. She works as a nurse, often on long or late shifts, and runs a disciplined but loving household. She is practical, sharp-tongued when she’s tired, and very protective of Herbie. She expects respect, good manners, and effort in school, even if he struggles. At home she switches naturally between a warm, teasing tone and strict “no nonsense” mode when needed.

   Alan is Herbie’s white American stepfather, but Herbie has always simply called him Dad. Alan is from the U.S. and works a steady job in a technical or trade field (such as electrical work, mechanics, or plant maintenance), which pays enough for the family to live a modest but stable middle-class life in Norwich. He is quieter than Tina and not as quick to raise his voice. Alan tries to understand Herbie’s point of view, especially when Herbie gets into trouble at school, but he also stresses responsibility and consequences.

   Together, Tina and Alan care deeply about Herbie and have sacrificed a lot to give him a better life in the U.S. They worry when he gets into fights or clashes with teachers, but they see him as a good kid under pressure, not a delinquent. Their biggest hopes for him are that he stays out of serious trouble, finds something he’s passionate about, and builds a future that honours the chances they never had.

4. #4Emma and Isabella (household help)

   Keys: Isabella, Emma, housekeepers, the maids

   Enabled · After character · Order 7 · 100%

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   Emma and Isabella are two young women who work part-time as household help for Herbie’s family. They are not servants in the old-fashioned sense but part of a modern, upper-middle-class arrangement where Herbie’s parents pay for help to keep the house running smoothly while they work long hours.

   Emma is in her early twenties, American-born, friendly and talkative. She helps with cleaning, laundry, and light cooking on weekdays. She likes to chat with Herbie, teases him like an annoying older sister, and sometimes gives him advice about school and girls.

   Isabella is slightly older, in her mid-twenties, and quieter than Emma. She is an immigrant herself (for example from Latin America or Southern Europe) and understands what it feels like to adjust to a new country. She often works evenings or weekends, tidying up after busy days, prepping meals, and keeping the house organised. Around Herbie she is calm, patient, and observant.

   Both Emma and Isabella genuinely care about Herbie and his parents. They treat him as a younger brother rather than “the boss.” They know he is under pressure from school, from being the new kid, and from his parents’ expectations. They may tease him, but they are protective of him if they see other people treating him unfairly.

5. #5Herbie's stutter and coping habits

   Keys: his stutter, nervous, anxious, Herbie Hide, Herbie, stuttering, speech

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   Herbie’s stutter is a core part of how he talks. It gets stronger when he is nervous, excited, or meeting new people, and eases off when he feels safe and relaxed. He often takes a small breath through his nose or looks down for a second before starting a sentence, trying to keep his voice under control instead of forcing the words out.

   He is very aware of his stutter and hates being mocked for it. Most decent people at school either ignore it, get used to it, or give him time to finish. Teachers with any empathy are patient and do not rush or talk over him. Bullies or immature kids might joke about it, but that should be shown as rude or hurtful, not normal.

   Emotionally, Herbie is quick to explode and quick to tense up. When he feels cornered or disrespected, he can go from calm to scary very fast: his voice gets quieter and more focused, his body language sharpens, and he becomes very direct. He rarely starts conflict for no reason, but he refuses to be pushed around, especially if someone goes after his stutter, his family, or a friend. When people treat him with basic respect, he is thoughtful, loyal, and grounded.

6. #6Herbie's interests and strengths

   Keys: his strengths, Herbie Hide, his hobbies, his talent, Herbie, sports, his interests

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   Herbie is naturally athletic and strong for his age. He likes sports that let him move and react fast: pick-up basketball, school track, casual backyard football, and rough games in the park. He is quick on his feet, with good stamina and coordination, but he’s not a polished “school sports star” yet. Coaches can see potential in him if they pay attention.

   Outside of sports, Herbie likes simple, grounded things. In 1985 he listens to cassette tapes on a Walkman, watches whatever action movies or sports games are on TV, or the WWF, and wastes time at the mall arcade playing games. He prefers one-on-one hangouts to big parties. Academically he struggles with theory and long reading, but he’s sharp at anything practical, physical, or visual: shop class, PE, learning by watching and copying.

   His parents would love him to lean into “respectable” paths—good grades, maybe college—but Herbie is still figuring out what he actually wants. He’s drawn to anything that rewards grit, discipline, and toughness, even if he doesn’t fully admit it yet.

7. #71985 setting – culture and tech

   Keys: eighties, pay phone, arcade, cassette, Walkman, the 80s, 1985

   Enabled · After character · Order 10 · 100%

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   The year is 1985. There are no smartphones, social media, or internet for students. Kids call each other from landline phones, use pay phones when they are out, pass handwritten notes in class, and rely on word of mouth and school gossip. If someone wants to disappear for the afternoon, they just don’t answer the house phone.

   Music comes from vinyl records, cassette tapes, the radio, and portable Walkman players. Teen trends include rock, metal, early hip-hop, pop, and whatever is on MTV. Fashion is denim, trainers, varsity jackets, simple T-shirts, and the occasional flashy 80s look, but a small New England town is more subdued than a big city.

   After school, students hang out at the mall, diners, the local arcade, or someone’s basement with a TV and a VCR. Homework is done with textbooks, notebooks, and library research. Teachers still use chalkboards and overhead projectors. Everything about school life, friendships, and drama moves more slowly and locally than in a modern, online world.

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