Mr. Henderson

Origins

Mr. Henderson has been the editor of the Snowdrift Bay Gazette for as long as anyone can remember—and most assume longer than that. He didn’t move to town so much as emerge from the smell of ink and stale coffee, ready to enforce deadlines with righteous fury.

His first words upon arriving in the newsroom were:

“Fonts are sacred. Headlines are war.”

He has held that standard ever since.

Species & Appearance

Mr. Henderson is human, late fifties, with a broad frame, a deep voice, and a truly legendary mustache—angular, bristled, and perfectly symmetrical, as though hand-sculpted by an old-world barber using granite and grit.

He wears:

  • Crisp button-downs

  • Sleeves always rolled up

  • A brown vest that bristles with pens and editorial indignation

He often holds a coffee mug labeled “BREAKING NEWS: I’M TIRED OF YOU.”

Personality

Mr. Henderson is stern, principled, gruff, and quietly caring beneath layers of editorial fire.

He demands journalistic excellence from his staff and himself, and has no patience for sloppy copy, incorrect punctuation, or “headlines that sound like brunch.”

He is:

  • Loyal to truth

  • Protective of his team

  • Capable of delivering soul-shattering feedback with just a sigh

He is the kind of boss who edits your article into oblivion, hands it back with a grunt, and then silently brings you soup when you’re sick.

But despite his sober demeanor, Snowdrift Bay has broken Mr. Henderson a time or two, typically when his family is involved.

No one is completely immune to the nonsense.

Profession

Mr. Henderson is the Editor-in-Chief of the Snowdrift Bay Gazette, responsible for:

  • Overseeing the paper’s content, tone, and grammar integrity

  • Assigning stories

  • Refusing to modernize the style guide

  • Banging his fist on the table whenever someone suggests “reels”

He runs a tight ship with:

  • Yorn, his best reporter

  • Pierre, who refuses to speak but somehow meets deadlines

  • A rotating cast of interns who either become legends or quit within a week

Relationships

  • Yorn: Henderson respects Yorn deeply, both for his calm demeanor and commitment to accuracy. He grumbles things like, “Finally, a sentence that doesn’t insult me,” and considers it high praise.

  • Pierre: While Henderson has never heard Pierre speak, their working relationship is oddly effective. Once mime-ed an entire editorial meeting. Henderson didn't flinch.

  • Mayor Llama: Hates him. Considers him a threat to syntax and civic order. Frequently runs op-eds titled “This Isn’t Leadership, It’s Llamantics.”

  • Elara: They nod politely when passing. She once wrote a guest column. He changed one semicolon and felt smug about it for a week.

  • His Wife: A strict, uncompromising woman known in town only as “Mrs. Henderson”—no one’s brave enough to ask for her first name. She’s sharper than he is, more intimidating, and once made the mayor apologize in cursive.

  • Samantha (His Teenage Daughter):
     Fifteen years old. Thinks her dad is “peak cringe.” Rolls her eyes at everything he does. Sends texts like “Ugh, Daaaad” whenever he offers journalistic advice.
    He responds by editing her texts for grammar. She responds by telling her friends he still uses ellipses “like he’s lost in 2003.”

Notable Lore & Moments

  • The Red Pen Incident:
     Once edited a mayoral decree live during a press conference by walking on stage and crossing out half the speech. The town applauded. The mayor cried.

  • The Interview That Got Away:
     He still mutters about a 1987 interview with a giant squid that was “99% done” but never ran. No one knows why. He keeps the notes in a locked drawer.

  • The “Young People Font Rebellion”:
     Once threatened to quit if the Gazette switched to a modern font. The entire staff backed him. Times New Roman remains.

Quirks and Secrets

  • Keeps a locked drawer full of rejection letters he’s edited for grammar

  • Refuses to say “email”—only refers to it as “electronic correspondence”

  • Has a soft spot for sentimental stories but masks it with grunts

  • Can spot a misplaced apostrophe from fifty feet

  • Secretly retypes classic newspaper headlines from the past just to “fix” them

Likes and Interests

  • Favorite Beverage: Black coffee, strong and bold.

  • Favorite Cocktail: Old-fashioned.

  • Favorite Colors: Business Black.

  • Favorite Desserts: New York-style cheesecake with raspberry coulis.

  • Favorite Foods: Classic comfort foods like meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

  • Favorite Hobbies: Collecting vintage newspapers and attending local theater productions.

  • Favorite Ice Cream: Chocolate chip cookie dough.

  • Favorite Movie Genres: Political dramas and biopics.

  • Favorite Music: Big band and swing.

  • Favorite Part of Snowdrift Bay: The bustling environment and sense of purpose at the Snowdrift Bay Gazette.

  • Favorite Qualities: Dedication to work and commitment to delivering the truth.

  • Favorite Sandwich: Reuben sandwich with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on marble rye bread.

  • Favorite Scent: Freshly printed newspapers.

  • Favorite Season: Autumn for the changing colors and cozy atmosphere.

  • Favorite Sports: Tennis.

  • Favorite Literature: Non-fiction books on current events and investigative journalism.

  • Favorite TV Shows: News programs and political talk shows.