character sketch: oscar rickey

perhaps the one person who cares for harriot despite her personality (excepting her mother, of course), oscar barely registers on her radar. where she's only known him for a couple years (as her neighbor), he's known her since they were in middle school together, and been her silent admirer nearly that whole time.

oscar's fairly average by most accounts, with one exception. he holds his beliefs intensely and is absolutely certain in the veracity of his world view. until recently, there were two indisputable facts at the center of his life: first, there was no man (including him) good enough for harriot; second, he's the person she needs the most, since he's the only one who truly understands her. that's why he does whatever he needs to do to be part of her life. the fact that harriot has had (very) little success in social situations has kept oscar from going off on some fit of deluded paranoia. (yes, his convictions border on insanity. but since his situation is as it is, they keep him in line with society. he's even considered a fine young gentleman.)

that equilibrium was disrupted when he met a mysterious stranger promising a path to power and prestige. now, there are possibilities open to him that were previously inconceivable. perhaps he'll soon convince harriot that they were meant to be.