Ronny Lee Highsmith Jr was born in Bluff City, with one of his parents from Bluff City, and the other from Bluffington Beach. During his childhood, his family moved to Eastern Kentucky so that his maternal grandfather could help set up a car factory specifically for the kind of vehicles that are able to travel between Bluff City, Blough City, and Bluffington Beach. While there, he often saw robots working at the car factory but he didn’t approach them as they “freak [him] out”.
After his father became ill, his family then moved to Bluffington Beach in order to be closer to the level of medical care his father needs. This has caused some internal conflict for Ronny, as his father will not admit that he is ill, insisting that they are just visiting Bluffington, and dodges the question when Ronny attempts to ask him about it. They are currently staying with Ronny's Aunt Josie in her cramped apartment.
While investigating the disappearance of Britney Namour, Ronny discovered that his family had actually meant to go to Bluff City for his father's care, but were changed to Bluffington as part of the Expansion Protocol. This greatly upset Ronny, as his father would have received a better level of medical care in Bluff City.
Ronny attended Bluffington Beach Middle School. He played trumpet in the school band and hoped to start a ska band with CC.
When playing Smash 0 with Frank, CC, and Nolan, Ronny does not have a main, as he hasn’t played enough video games to know who he likes.
When seen in To Be Young Near The Shore, he was 11 years old. When seen in Engines on the Track, he is n his mid-30s, and is show to wearing a long, brown trenchcoat, acid wash jeans, old sneakers, an old university of Kentucky cap. He also wear a lapel pin of the symbol of Blossom Investigations on the lapel. The trenchcoat has a secret pocket in the back where he keeps a single tulip.
He currently works as a private investigator for Blossom Investigations, as his aunt brought him into the company after the events of To Be Young Near The Shore. It is implied that he is effected by the same "increasing weirdness" as the characters experience in Messy Business, in that strange events follow him or escalate when he is around.
He has a 1988 chevvy which he does a pretty good job of keeping up, and keeps a photo of his car in his wallet, which has a fold out photo section (when the photo is selected, each plays a different song). He doesn't currently have AI in his car but is saving up for it as it is more expensive to put AI in an older model car.
Tales From the Loop Mechanics
Kid Type: The Hick
Your classmates smile at you because of your tan, your pronunciation and your jokes, but what does it matter when you get to go out in the fields and the woods every day? The smell of corn and the grateful sounds that the cows make at morning milking have been a part of your life since you were born. You know how to build and repair an engine, how to drive a tractor, and how to hunt and slaughter animals.
Skills: Force (3), Move (3), Tinker (2), Comprehend (1), Empathise (1)
- Luck: 4
- Body: 4
- Tech: 3
- Heart: 1
- Mind: 3
Song: ‘Chattahoochee’ by Alan Jackson
Iconic Item: A leatherman multitool.
Drive: “I just want to make friends.”
Pride: “I ain’t stupid.”
Problem: His dad is sick and doesn’t want to admit it.
Tales from the Loop Relationships
Nolan Pearson: Nolan is teaching me the lay of the land.
Cory Curtis: I am trying to learn the trumpet to impress CC.
Frankie Already: She was the first person who didn’t look at me funny because of my accent.
NPC Relationships
James Garret: Mr Garret let me eat lunch in the band room before I made any friends.
Aunt Josie: Aunt Josie has asked me to help out around the house more because her new job makes her work weird hours.
Anchor
Ronny’s anchor is his dad, Ronny Lee Highsmith Sr.