Big Ted

Big Ted arrived in Paradise fifteen years ago, having inherited his late uncle’s establishment—a purveyor of literature intended for mature audiences. Alas, the bequest proved more burden than boon. Ted had envisioned the building, its subterranean recesses, and the quaint yard as the foundation for a comfortable future. In reality, they amounted to little more than an ever-growing pile of liabilities.

The modest lodgings above the shop were bound by regulated rental rates, yielding meagre income. Below, in the cluttered basement masquerading as a ‘club,’ the damp walls provided the only source of flowing water—a veritable minefield of health risks. Outside, the so-called yard had devolved into a magnet for refuse and lost souls in the grip of addiction.

Yet, amidst this disarray, Big Ted perseveres, fuelled by an unshaken belief that fortune will one day smile upon him.