saga0005@gold.tc.umn.edu
Hans N Sagan
20-JUN-1994 23:40:15.30


Bennie doesn't have any stats. 

Why? 

Because he _never leaves his cab_. 

What's that?

Let me explain. 

Since his Embrace in 1957, Bennie (or Benny or whatever, he knows who he
is), Bennie has stayed in the same place-behind the wheel of his 1955
Cadillac taxicab. 

Bennie was a Chicago cabbie from the time he was about 13 and could fake
having a driver's liscense to the company. He grew up in the Great
Depression, and learned the highways and byways of Chicago's streets like
no other. When he got the job, he was one of the most efficient cabbies
his company had seen, definitely the most knowledgeable, and by far the
most dedictaed. Bennie loved his job so much, he would often park his cab
in the underground system of roads underneath Chicago's downtown to sleep
at night, and emerge the next morning to begin his workday anew. 

Bennie picked up lots of street-type knowledge on his fares. Who was
"borrowing" from this company, who was having an affair with his
secretary, which socialite was cheating on whom with whom, where to get
the best roast beef sandwich, the best way to get from Kedzie to Lake
Shore Drive via Lower Wacker, etc etc. Bennie also made a lot of contacts
from his days as a cabbie-city workers, restauranteurs, small businessmen,
bar owners, street lowlife, city government workers, and other people who
frequented his back seat. 

Then there was the night he picked up a fare just south of Washington in
November. A nondescript businessman, out late, thought Bennie. Probably
wants a ride up to Addison. The businessman got into the cab, quickly and
gruffly giving Bennie directions such as "Turn right here", or "Go over
the bridge, past two lights then left". Over the course of the hour-long
ride, going practically in circles, the fare, Arthur, found out that
Bennie knew quite a bit about the workings of the Second City. So much, in
fact, that Arthur the Nosferatu thought Bennie would make an excellent
addiction to the Nosferatu information web in the city. So, the Obfuscate
was dropped, and when Bennie reached back to offer the requested light for
the fare's cigarette, Arthur bit his wrist and drained him. 

After the Embrace, Bennie the Nosferatu showed his gratitude for the
change by taking Arthur to his destination by a wholly new and quick route
Arthur had not known about. 

Bennie is friend to all Kindred who are of the "lower" classes, such as
the Anarchs, Autarks, Caitiff, Noseratu, and high-generation Brujah,
Gangrel, and almost all Malkavians. No one doesn't like Bennie-he's just
too friendly for anyone not to like him. 

He speaks in a low, rough voice, often chortling to some joke only Bennie
understands. He has a sort of wry and earthy sense of humor, never letting
his supernatural state get over the fact that he is still the best damn
cabbie in the Windy City. His fares never see his face, only the
reflection of his red glowing eyes in the rear view mirror.  He's sort of the
light plot element, that sort of interzone character to fill in the
downtime between scenes. Maybe he'll pass on an anecdote for the ride,
maybe a secret, or news of a meeting or a new arrival in town. If he really
likes you, he won't charge you for the ride.

He takes fares from Kindred and Kine alike. From some Kine he takes blood,
from some money to maintain his cab. From Kindred, he takes cash
sometimes, and sometimes a tidbit of information. His haven, naturally, is
his cab. He parks it in the underground streets during the day, to avoid
the sunlight. 

OK, OK, you want stats. 

Nature:Survivor
Demeanor: Caregiver
Generation: 10th

Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4
Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 0
Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 5

Alertness 3, Streetwise 4
Drive 4

Obfuscate 2, Potence 2, Animalism 1, Fortitude 4, Auspex 2, Protean 1

Contacts 3, Generation 3, Resources 1

Conscience 3, Self-Control 4, Courage 4

Humanity 8

Willpower 6