Gilbert Mason Folgers aka Bean
Born: September 28, 2005
Parents: Owen Folgers (father), Melanie Folgers (step-mom), Cherry Bolt (mother), Matthew Bolt (step-father)
Siblings: Kimberley Folgers, Jerome Folgers, Abel Folgers, Todd Folgers, Cody Bolt, Brooke Bolt, Russell Bolt
Friends: Parker Meyers, Peyton Meyers, Meijing Norton, Emma Wayne, Delia Norton
Significant Other: Charity Langston
Photo Gallery: Secondary Character Album
Bio:
Gilbert Mason Folgers, or as he is more commonly known Bean, is the oldest of eight children born to the collective Folgers-Bolt families. His mother and father, Cherry and Owen, met in high school and Cherry dropped out in her junior year when she discovered she was pregnant. The two of them married in summer before her due date, and named their son Gilbert, after Cherry’s favorite fictional ‘boyfriend’ Gilbert Blythe. His sister Kimberly (2006) and brother Jerome (2009) soon followed, but the young couple struggled with all the things young couple struggle with. Babies, money (or the lack there of). Both of them wanting better for their lives but never getting it. After six up and down years, Cherry and Own divorced. Eventually, they both remarry. Owen to Melanie Lance, a woman he met when he applied to a local trade school to ‘better himself’ and Cherry to Matthew Bolt, a guy she’d known in high school. Owen and Melanie gave Gilbert two more siblings, Abel (2014) and Todd (2017), while Cherry and Matthew had Cody(2015), Brooke (2017) and Russell (2020).
The transition from one family to a broken family to two new ones was rough on Gilbert and his siblings. Gilbert acted out in protest of Matthew’s presence in his mother’s life. He wanted his parents to get back together, for things to be as they were before. But once he realized that his parents were happier with their new spouses, he began to see things differently. It helped that both his parents loved him and the other children too much to let past mistakes color their future. Cherry, Matthew, Owen and Melanie were all still poor and often struggled to make ends meet or provide what many people consider ‘the basics.’ The kids wore hand-me-downs, worn shoes and reused backpacks and lunchboxes. They had school assistance, and got food from the local food pantry. As the economy changed, their parents lost or gained jobs. But their parents also put up a united front for the children. Sharing when they could. Group holidays, group birthdays, picnics in the back yard. Gilbert never saw them fight, even when the decisions were hard.
All four of the adults supported him because of his grades and interest in computers, electronics and robotics.
Gilbert graduates high school as the Valedictorian, and is, to the wonder of all, accepted to the University of Cornell with a full scholarship, but the honor comes with a sacrifice. The distance is great and his family has little money. Gilbert uses his life savings and ‘graduation money’ to buy his first years’ books and a bus ticket to Ithaca, NY. He bids tearful farewell to his family, planning to remain in Ithaca and work each break and summer vacation, saving money to be able to bring them to the school for his graduation. His only goal is to make them proud.
His first friends there are Parker Meyers, his twin brother Peyton and their little sister Bree. Through them, a whole new world opens up to him, including a job with Wayne Enterprises and the chance to meet the one girl who makes his life complete.