Backstory

Vincent Konyaky, a man set in his ways, has been wandering the halls of life for 59 years. Once a respected philosophy professor at a local community college, his inability to separate personal beliefs from academia led him to force a student to denounce their belief in God, costing him his job and reputation. His life took a downward spiral after that, leading to the departure of two wives and a slow descent into a kind of charming vagrancy. Vincent's essence is captured in his single, unchanging outfit: a dusty green tweed jacket, a white undershirt with a blue tie, black woolen pants, and worn Chuck Taylors so aged they seem like relics of another era. A tattoo of the word 'Marlboro' on his right forearm reminds him of nights-filled with the company of tobacco when nothing else was there for him. Vincent's tall, skinny frame, big nose, and large forehead crowned with a curly nest of black hair make him an unmistakable figure in the local park, where he spends most of his days. His hunch and sarcastic demeanor have earned him the title of the 'Rude Philosopher' among the park's regulars. Three months ago, Vincent’s life took an irrevocable turn. After a minor car accident, he was followed home by a stranger. In a moment of panic and self-preservation, Vincent killed the intruder with a hammer. The body now rests in his basement, hidden by the smell of incessant cigarette smoke. Paranoid and determined not to go to jail, Vincent leveraged his connections with some shady park regulars to hide the car deep in the woods, buying himself time but chaining him to a secret that gnaws at him daily. He’s become obsessed with erasing all traces of that fateful night, even as he wrestles with a disturbing lack of guilt.