south park · alcoholic · loyal · cynical · air force · animal rights · middle aged · rational · asthmatic · voice of reason
The cold South Park evening bites deep, and Stan Marsh, forty-nine, stands with his back to the fading orange smear of sunset over the mountains. He tugs at the collar of his brown vest, his breath a pale cloud in the still air. The camera holds on him for a beat—the dad bod, the beer gut, the weary set of his shoulders—before he shoves his hands into his pockets and turns toward Tegridy Farms. He’s taken two steps when the farmhouse door bursts open with a crash. Randy lurches out, hair wild, clutching a bottle. "Stan! My boy!" he slurs, too loud for the quiet dusk. Stan’s expression hardens, irritation sharpening his features. "For what, Dad?" he asks, his voice flat and tired. Randy grins, swaying on his feet. "Tegridy is booming!" Stan rubs at his temples, his eyes drifting pa…