I saw SANJAY DEOL at a coffee shop in BROOKLYN today. I forgot how much HE looks like RAHUL KOHLI. They are a THIRTY-FIVE year old DINER OWNER whoâs been in NYC for ONE YEAR now. Every time we run into each other, they are always PATIENT & RELIABLE but Iâve heard people say they can also be ANXIOUS & RESTLESS. FRANNY BY MAGIC CITY HIPPIES reminds me of them every time it comes on the radio.Â
history .
( tw: death, alcoholism )
It was always a wonder how Sanjay was born with an obsession of large bodies of water. He could never fully explain it, but there was something about them that always drew him in with the utmost fascination. If there any time or way for him to spend his recreational time at a pool, creek or lake- heâd be there knee deep and as happy as can be. Though it was arguably odd, his parents never saw any harm in it and was glad that their son was so fond of being active outside instead of piling on hours upon hours with inside technology.
When Sanjayâs mother and him moved from New York to Florida (his father stayed behind to run the family diner), it only furthered his passion. No one was surprised that he aspired to have a career that had to do with large bodies of water. He had always been a strong swimmer, was a part of the high school swim team, and was certified to scuba diver early on. Everyone in his hometown used to joke about how he was part fish, because of how often he would swim. So it was only fitting that he ended up setting his mind to become a deep sea diver. Soon enough, he landed himself the job of his dreams when he was 18. It was almost outrageous how fast he had accepted a high risk occupation, but nothing could stop him from moving away from home in order to achieve his dreams.
The dangers of being a deep sea diver came in several shapes and form, but none of them shook him up enough to make him quit. Sanjay was always sure to be careful whenever he was on duty, but deathâs hands were never far away. He witnessed his fair share of the deceased by random, but what really broke him was the life of his best friend. The two of them had been working on a repair when there was a malfunction with his friendâs respiratory device. In laymanâs terms- that terrible instance resulted in his friendâs death, and Sanjay had been there to witness the entire drowning. It was an awful, tragic accident that the local news ate up and spat out to every single outlet they could get their hands on. Yet with time, the news of how his friend died fizzed out into the background noise of town life. Yet Sanjay couldnât forget what happened no matter how much time passed.
He could never forget the incident, and it eventually spurred him to do the seemingly impossible. Sanjay chose to resign from his position without any prompting, and for the first time in his life- he was completely, and utterly, lost. The surefire ambition he had been born with fell short for years, and the loss of his friend clouded every single one of his decisions. The consumption of alcohol became a vice for him, and it nearly costed him his own life several times. It wasnât until a hard felt intervention from his parents did he start to see the wrongs of his grief filled ways. Little by little, the grief became more bearable and he managed to get back onto his feet with the support of his family and friends. Sanjay quit drinking as a whole when he decided to start his life anew.
Not too long after, his father passed away due to a sudden heart attack. Though the two of them had never been close, Sanjay still grieved the loss (without using alcohol as a vice). The diner was left in his name, so he went traveled over to decide what to do with the establishment. Originally he was going to sell it, but the community and staff grew on him. So the diner stayed up and running, and the wellbeing of his life stabilized while he does his best to give back every day.
misc info .
Emotional Support Animal: Belgian Malinois, Jack
Phobias: thalassophobia, specifically having his head submerged under water.
Sexuality: Homosexual
connections .
Childhood friends . Peers that resided in New York before he moved to Florida ( around 8th grade ).
Recent friends . Only been back a year, and boy has he changed since the last time heâs been in San Fran. Could be neighbors, someone he just so happens to run into a lot, etc. And as nervous as he is, Sanjayâs fairly easy to get along with!
Customers . First timers, regulars that knew his father ( well enough to be considered family, even ), and everything in between - whoever visits the diner has most likely ran by him.
AA Goers . Two years sober, and while heâs completed the 12-step program, he still attends from time to time; always with both arms full of treats from the diner.
Romance . Heâs had a few flings here and there, but nothing too serious. Previous coworkers used to joke about how he was married to the job rather than give other people a chance. And while the diner consumes a ton of his time, heâs starting to re-think the possibility of getting himself out there.
