Cliff(hanger) Notes: Phil Anderton

Phillip Anderton was born in Mitchell, South Dakota in September of 1980. His father owned and operated a number of gas stations and fast food locations, and his mom sold figurines in her spare time, but for the most part she was a stay at home mother. Phil was an only child, and his parents were in their mid-30s when he was born. At an early age, Phil demonstrated a strong arm but a timid personality. His mother tried to encourage him and often played catch with him more than his dad, who was still expanding his business dealings at the time. Phil’s arm continued to develop, and by high school he was the best pitcher in town, possibly the state. Phil’s schoolwork was above average, but his father never seemed satisfied with his “B” average. Phil continued to spend most of his time thinking about baseball, along with the usual high school pursuits of girls and a good time. Finally, his senior year, his father started coming to see him pitch. Phil led Mitchell to the State title game, and even had a few chats with pro scouts. Phil accepted a scholarship to the University of South Dakota, where he thought he could pitch for a few years before transferring to a bigger school. During his first workout with USD’s coach, Phil heard a popping and tearing noise come from his right arm, which caused him to collapse in pain. The news couldn’t have been worse for him. His rotator cuff was damaged, and he needed UCL surgery on his elbow. With his baseball career seemingly over, he fully focused on schoolwork for the first time in his life. The problem was, other than pinning his hopes on his right arm, he had no idea what to do with his life. His father gave him lecture after lecture about how studying business would be his best bet. Finally, he decided to major in business. He gave up on baseball and took several jobs to help pay for college. His sophomore year, he met Bob Fulton, who was assigned to be his roommate in the dorms. The two became unlikely friends, and they stuck together as roommates through graduation. Phil then took a job in Sioux Falls with a bank, and soon after met Michelle Whiteman. The two dated for a time, and even moved in together. Phip proposed a year later, and she said yes. Three months later Phil came home and she was gone. She’d left a note saying that something in her life was missing, and that she had to find it elsewhere. Devastated, Phil lapsed into a depression that lasted almost six months. He was on the verge of being evicted, but then Bob showed up at his door and just moved in. Bob caught Phil up on rent, and helped him get his life back on track. Phil found a job in human resources at a food company, where he quickly became the company’s best HR generalist. While living with Bob, the two of them met Jer at a bar during a poker tournament. Bob and Jer became fast friends, while Phil kept him at more of an arm’s length, preferring the outgoing Jer as an acquaintance.