Theodore "Teddy" Whitlock

## Description

Theodore 'Teddy' Whitlock is a gruff but soft hearted man working as a taxi driver in Los Santos. A veteran of the Vietnam War and once rambling biker- Teddy is seeking a life of ill defined freedom and aimless camaraderie in defiance of his pervious lives. Though not well educated, Teddy tried to put forward a kind of charm one can only find in a beer soaked karaoke singer.

## Background

Theodore was born June 2nd 1951 to the dusty, sun kissed town of Erueka, Nevada. His father, an alcoholic misogynist unable to deal with the still lingering horrors of the last World War and his Mother, a compulsive gambler unwilling to learn the consequences of risk. In Teddy's youth, he spent his days working at his family lodge up until his parent's debts piled higher then they could manage. During his high school years, his family was forced to sell their lodge to pay off their gambling debts and live out of a cramped camper trailer.

Feeling aimless and trapped, Theodore dropped out of school and picked up work at the local mechanics, owned by the counties' outlaw motorcycle club. Teddy's journey as a mechanic for the Biker Club proved to be his saving grace. He quickly became an integral part of the 87th Motorcycle Club, having found purpose in something larger than himself After spending years working in the mechanic shop, Theodore became fascinated by the outlaw biker club that had taken him under their wing. He enjoyed the feeling of being a part of something bigger than himself and the sense of freedom that came from riding across the state- A freedom he loved so dearly, that he names his first Western Custom 'Blue Skies'.

He was, however, soon pushed into the darker side of the club's criminal enterprises.

Teddy found himself becoming more and more involved with the 87th's illegal activities as the gang expanded its influence over the new decade. Distribution of hard drugs, money laundering, and smuggling- Tasks he would do without question, but he could never shake the feeling of doubt that lingered in the back of his mind. That feeling that he was losing a part of his soul he found on the open highway in pursuit of his belonging. Despite his reservations about these activities, he felt that it was the only way to truly belong to the club, which he saw as his only family.

As Theodore grew deeper into the outlaw lifestyle, he found himself in more and more dangerous situations. He saw violence and death firsthand, and his conscience began to weigh heavy on him. His desire for true belonging and love had turned into a nightmare that he felt he couldn't escape from. Turning to heavy drinking and brawling to vent his frustrations.

His criminal activities eventually caught up with him, and after a brutal shootout in south Texas, Teddy was arrested and charged with multiple felonies. Facing a potential life sentence, Teddy's attorney advised him to take a plea deal and cooperate with the authorities. We was offered a reduced sentence in exchange for his testimony against his criminal associates. Knowing that even with a reduced sentence, his life would be at risk in any prison if he was found to have snitched- He asked for an alternative.

Teddy's request for an alternate deal was granted in the form of his enlistment in the U.S. Army and was quickly filtered through military training and shipped overseas to fight in the Vietnam War. He found purpose again as a skilled mechanic and quickly learned the ins and outs of armored vehicles. Teddy was assigned to a tank unit and quickly learned the ropes of his new role driving an M48 Patton.

Throughout the war, Teddy formed a deep bond with his fellow tread heads, many of whom were close to him in age or younger, and suffered similar hardships in life that lead them to enlist. Despite his newfound kinship, he once again found him in an environment of brutal conflict and senseless loss.

Ironically, despite enlisting as a means to avoid jail, during the War he found himself caught in the middle of a chaotic and bloody conflict. His tank was attacked by the Viet Cong, and he was forced to bail out of his vehicle. In the ensuing skirmish, Teddy was taken captive by the enemy and sent to a POW camp. The conditions in the POW camp were harsh and unforgiving. The POWs were given little food or water, and they were forced to endure regular beatings and interrogations. Often Teddy would try to take the brunt of the beatings in lieu of the younger soldiers, even striking back against the camp guards, earning him the name 'Papa Bear' from his fellow prisoners. Without having the ability to take flight from his situation like he did with the 87th, he learned he had to fight instead.

After the Paris Peace Accord, Teddy was repatriated back to the United States. Finding life hard as a drink soaked, high school dropout- Teddy wandered the United States for years, soaking up every penny he managed to find in the odd job in an aimless wandering, finding peace in his vagabond lifestyle for a time. Down to his last few dollars and feeling the weight of his past on his shoulders, Teddy sold his possessions for a ticket to Los Santos in a spur of the moment calling from a vacation billboard that caught his eye.

"Los Santos: Blue Skies Are Found Here"