>> SMALL ADVENTURES
Indigo Joshua Reed was a bright-eyed and wide-smiled infant from day one, doing a lot of eating and very little crying as long as he remained well fed. Named after the color of his eyes on the day he was born, Indigo is the second of four children born to Marianne and Gavin Reed. His older brother, Oberon, is currently attending Harvard law with hopes of specializing in international human rights law. His younger siblings, the twins Melody and Baez, are five years old and hope to save every hurt, lost and dirty animal out on the street. It was endearing until cats, dogs and pet snakes began taking over the house. In one of his very few displays of authority, Gavin dismissed all but a spider monkey named Breton.

Gavin met Marianne on their third year at the University of Southern California. Marianne, who was dating his best friend at the time, had been raised by the same brand of die-hard hippies Gavin called a family and they bonded fast and easy over the pains of white vinegar and their dreams of shampoo. Marianne left Dave halfway through an magic mushroom trip somewhere in Oaxaca during spring break and she and Gavin haven't spent more than a dozen nights apart ever since. She now owns and works at a flower shop where Indigo spends most of his afternoons while Gavin teaches biology and anatomy at Edward Francis High School; he's also their very proud baseball coach.

At age five, Indigo discovered the joys of cooking under his grandmother's stoned tutelage. He was a quick study and time in the kitchen seemed to be one of three things that could hold his interest long enough -- the other two being gardening with his mother and staring at the sea. The staring soon became splashing and after much begging, Gavin taught his boys how to surf. Oberon lost interest quickly, being far more into his reading by the time he was eight. Indigo, however, was hooked for life. He travels back home as often as his savings will allow it, taking on all kinds of jobs to make his surfing road trips with friends a possibility. He's not a very ambitious guy and has learned -- thanks to his upbringing -- to enjoy the simple things in life.

His younger siblings are a minor miscalculation made under the influene of wine, purple haze cannabis and the power of a shokingly functional marriage. Melody and Baez were, at first, a massive disppointment to the twelve year old who suddenly had two infants to look after while his parents worked and his brother, now 15, discovered the joys of fellatio in his brand new Volkswagen. Time made his heart grow fond though, and he likes to think he and the twins share a very special bond. His kind-hearted nature and willingness to make a fool out of himself make him popular amongst audiences of all ages but he's especially good with children. They're honest and uncomplicated, and he cherishes their simplicity and often embraces his own childish side. He's in no hurry to get old.

Feeling the excitement of change in his chest, Indigo decided to make a few tweaks in his life before his senior year begins. After a lifetime training baseball with his father and becoming a pitcher he could be proud of, he decided to leave the team. Gavin is not happy but giving Indigo too much pain about it would go against everything the Reeds believe about parenting. He's sad, but he also hopes he'll have another shot with Melody and Baez. With that pressure off his chest, Indigo has more time to dedicate to helping his mother aroud the shop, random jobs and daydreaming about making great food for paying costumers somewhere close to the sea. He really misses the sea.

Indigo left his first love back in California when they first moved to Saint Paul. She was the first girl in class to grow breasts and she wanted him. He never figured out how that happened but part of him never forgave his father for moving him away from the busty blonde who allowed him liberties he wasn't sure of what to do with. She wrote him a letter he keeps in a box under the floorboards of his room along with other notes, concert tickets and his stash of pot. He smokes and drinks beer but stays away from tobacco and hard liquor. He has no problem with partying, he just knows what works best for him. He will very, very rarely indulge in some tequila but he's not the guy you'll find doing rows of shots.

Working at the flower shop earned Indigo his fair share of heat and, sometimes, still does. He usually has a quick retort or an easy smile because he simply doesn't sweat the stupid stuff. His greatest strength is in being visibly comfortable with his skin and identity and knowing that sometimes, you just have to let things be. He believes in karma and nurtures his own, making sure his life is free of negative vibes -- whatever those may be. Indigo is a loyal friend but he doesn't like games and will quickly dismiss anyone he believes to be a threat to the harmony amongst him and those around him. He is not that much of a tree-hugger, really. He just doesn't have time to waste for people who have nothing to offer and nothing good to say.

Indigo's older brother and best friend, Oberon, has been openly gay since his fifteenth birthday. The family was always supportive but not everyone felt the same way and Indigo watched his brother go through difficult and sometimes violent times. Indigo has been a supportive member of the GLBT community ever since, he's not obnoxious about it but he volunteers at a help center on weekends. Homophobia is one of the very few things that can spark the violent side of him into life.