Post by CHANDLER LAMONT QUIGLEY on Jul 27, 2013 21:00:10 GMT -8
| [atrb=style,width: 420px; background-color: efefef; background-image: url(http://24.media.tumblr.com/0478144b9f16c95a37367d1aca56b45c/tumblr_mkfax8tDxp1s97ldco1_500.png); padding: 5px, bTable] CHANDLER L. QUIGLEY 32 | HOMOSEXUAL | CUPCAKE SHOP OWNER | TOWNSFOLK | ZACHARY QUINTO THE INTERVIEW HELLO. THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY. SHALL WE START WITH YOUR NAME? “Hello.” He draws out the “o” while he waves, crossing one leg over the other, smiling. “Chandler Quigley, at your service. To what do I owe the pleasure?” THAT'S A NICE NAME. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING? “Oh, thank you.” Chandler brushes away his interviewer’s blatant attempt to leave his own questions unacknowledged. Perhaps she’s in a rush, he thinks. Really, he is more appreciative than he could describe to find this mysterious woman didn’t make the connection between his name and the popular ninety’s sitcom, Friends. Her next question seems odd, however. They were sitting at a table inside of his cupcake shop, but as Chandler hates causing a commotion, he replies, “I actually own this fine establishment. We’ve been open for about a year, give or take a few months. I’m honestly surprised how well the transfer from Chicago turned out. Apparently Brunswick is full of cupcake lovers, which reminds me, would you like one? It’s on the house.” INTERESTING. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? No cupcake? Fear momentarily spreads throughout him like poison. What if she is an inspector? Chandler had heard about freakishly illogical inspectors on the Today show before. Has his time come? He shakes his head, settling back into his chair. She’s probably only on a diet or in a rush, as he initially theorized. But neither of those solutions explains why she asked him about what leisurely activities he engages in. “Oh, well,” he runs his hand over the perpetual scruff upon his face, saying, “I’m obviously a huge aficionado of baking.” His hands gesture throughout the store. “But, uh, I also play a little banjo in my free time. That’s actually a fun, trivial fact not a lot of people know about me, probably because it’s still a work in progress at the moment. And, well, a lot of people tend to be surprised when I tell them this, but I’m not much of a partier. I’m not a homebody by any means, but I’m not really interested in going out to bars and clubs every night to get drunk, y’know?” Now he runs a hand through his dark chocolate locks, hoping to make sense of the clumps of information he could share. “I’d like to say settling down and watching a movie after a home-cooked meal is the best way to spend a Friday evening, which Carter unfortunately doesn’t agree with.” Chandler waves the thought away. “Anyway, it doesn’t take much to keep me entertained.” WOULD YOU SAY THOSE ACTIVITIES REFLECT WHO YOU ARE? “Ummm, not really, actually,” Chandler admits, then he chuckles. “Or, well, maybe. Actually, yes, you could say my day-to-day life reflects who I am as a person. Very independent, very… simple. Yes, that works. My parents raised me to be satisfied with the basic minimum despite my middle class upbringing, and I think that has embedded in me an appreciation for what I have instead of grieving over what I can’t yet acquire. Cooking, baking, and playing the banjo have all been projects for me to complete, one at a time, and I hope to continue bettering myself each day.” He shrugs. As far as he’s concerned, his life is hardly interesting. He loves his job. He loves his partner. Among being independent and somewhat “simple,” Chandler has a refined taste for fashion. Some say he can come off as judgmental, but he doesn’t seem to worry. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. A COOL CAT LIKE YOU MUST HAVE A TON OF SUITORS FLOCKING TO YOU, HUH? “Suitors, plural? No,” he chuckles, shaking his head. “Now suitor, singular, may be more appropriate. I’m not exactly sure how this relates to a business inspection or anything of the sort, but I’ve happily been in a relationship for the past two years with Carter, the most wonderful man I’ve been fortunate enough to know. I can’t speak for him, but I think we work well together.” COOL BEANS. THEY SAY YOUR FAMILY SHAPES WHO YOU ARE. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOURS? “I’m grateful for my family,” Chandler replies. “Who knows where I’d be without them? Growing up is generally a difficult task for anyone to complete, and in fact, we’re all still growing until we die. Imagine questioning your sexuality like I had been going into freshman year. I think coming out to my family when I was a junior in high school almost cemented us together in some ways. They’ve always accepted me, especially my mom. When I told them I liked guys, she walked up to me, pulled me into her arms, and told me my sexual orientation didn’t make her love me any different. I had always been a momma’s boy, so maybe she was patiently waiting for the day I’d come out on my own. She’s never said anything, and I’ve never asked. My older brother and dad weren’t as… accepting. My mom swears it’s a masculinity thing, which I can understand. But they’re not bad people. Dad encouraged me to follow my dreams and open my shop back in Chicago. He’s certainly not on board asking about my relationship with Carter, but I don’t blame him for that. He’ll understand eventually. Just like my brother. About a year ago, he decided to move up to Brunswick so we could make up for lost time. And, of course, there’s Carter, but we already touched up on him previously.” AND YOUR LIFE? TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PAST. I'M EAGER TO HEAR. “Are you sure you aren’t just saying that?” Chandler wonders. These questions were becoming awfully personal. The interviewer’s eyes are unwavering, boring into Chandler, willing him to talk. “I’m from Chicago. Mom and Pop wanted a little brother or sister for my older brother, so my brother likes to joke about me being his toy from time to time. My childhood was fairly simple.” He huffs. “There I go with ‘simple’ again. Anyway, my parents were conservative parents, always making one hundred ten percent sure my brother and I truly deserved whatever we wanted before they gave into our begging tactics. Nothing exciting happened to me until eighth grade.” He stops, seeming to reconsider the direction of his story. But then after a moment, he decides to continue. “A new boy moved into my fourth period English class. His name was Alan, and I didn’t know what my mind had been going through at the time—I distinctly remember Alan wasn’t the last boy I noticed. I’d never been into sports, but to be perfectly honest, I hate the stereotypes surrounding specific sexual orientations. I know plenty of people in the LGBT community that are straight and love fashion. Likewise, I have friends that are gay who are diehard football fans. For me, I have always enjoyed fashion and baking. I discovered the latter after taking a Foods course my freshman year in high school. No one really questioned me about my sexual orientation, which I was grateful for because I’ve always suspected my friends had their theories. When the time came for me to stop lying to myself, most of my friends completely understood, and for anyone who couldn’t respect me, I no longer spoke to. I had nothing to prove to them. My dad’s discomfort was initially the only time I felt obligated to compensate for who I was. To this day we’re not best friends, but he’s made an effort to accept who I am over the years. After high school, I enrolled in cosmetology school, which took me about a year to complete. From there I worked at salons, happy for a while, until I heard a greater calling. With the help of my dad, I went back to school in order to earn a bachelor’s degree in business. I was twenty-six when I graduated. Then when I was twenty-seven, I began taking baking classes again to learn more about the craft itself. All the while I was working numbers, hoping to open a cupcake shop in Chicago. Let me tell you—it wasn’t easy. Finding a lot to lease, networking supplies to the shop, and interviewing employees had been a complete nightmare. I can’t say I would’ve done the process again had Carter not come into my life. We moved to Brunswick together about two years ago in order to be together, and we had enough money to spare to transfer the company over. So we did.” What about a secret? Everyone has a secret. “Is that what they’re saying nowadays?” he asks, “Everyone has a secret?” Chandler sucks in a breath of air. “I don’t know if I do…” And if he did, why would he tell a stranger about his relationship insecurities? She doesn’t understand Carter. Most of all, she doesn’t understand Chandler’s relationship with Carter. Chandler had meant what he said when he mentioned Carter working well with him, but he worries his boyfriend is on the road to alcoholism, which is beginning to add tension to their relationship. Chandler trusts Carter, however, so he’s hesitant to share his thoughts about his habits out loud. ALRIGHT. TIME'S ALMOST UP. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DREAMS. QUICK! “Dreams, dreams, dreams…” Chandler chuckled. “Well, for starters, you’re sitting in one. As I mentioned earlier, I went to beauty school first to become a hairdresser while I earned some money to go back to college for a business degree. Then I went to culinary school. Ever since high school I’ve wanted to open up my own cupcake shop, and now that I’ve accomplished that much, I’d be happy to continue serving little cupfuls of happiness to the public. In a few years, I would hope I could marry Carter, but as you probably know, the topic of same-sex marriage is a highly debated one. We’ll see in due time.” AND THAT'S A WRAP. IT WAS NICE GETTING TO KNOW YOU. “Yeah, of course. No problem,” Chandler says, smiling. He pushes out his seat, ready to escort the woman out of the door. They walk side by side for a moment. “So what was this for, anyway?” But, of course, she doesn’t answer. BEHIND THE MASK CHAR | 00 | PACIFIC | WONDERLAND | REFER TO MY SHIPPING PAGE Chandler will be your best friend, if you ask nicely. |
