Editing Dave Morrison (section)

== Background/History ==
{{Infobox Minor Character
| name = Dave Morrison
| alias = Uncle Dave
| image = Uncle_Dave_Portrait.png
| fullname = David Morrison
| gender = Male
| nationality = American
| birth = July 3, 1970
| birthplace = Los Santos
| status = Alive, in Vice City
| related = <ul>
<li>[[Alexa Morrison]] (niece)</li>
<li>[[Damian Morrison]] (nephew)</li>
<li>[[Alexander Morrison]] (brother)</li>
<li>Sindy (ex-wife)</li>
</ul>

| associated = 
<ul>
<li>[[Gerwin Cash|Captain Cash]]</li>
<li>[[Alexander Morrison]]</li>
<li>[[Damian Morrison]]</li>
</ul>

| factions = None
| rank = N/A

| arcs = [[The First Paleto Crisis]]
| writer = [[User:Qocean|Quinton Ocean]]

}}
Dave Morrison, born on July 3rd, 1970, is the younger brother of [[Alexander Morrison]] and the uncle of [[Alexa Morrison]] and [[Damian Morrison]]. Raised in Los Santos by working- to middle-class parents, Dave grew up in the same household as Alexander, yet the two brothers could not have been more different in outlook or ambition.

From a young age, Alexander was forward‑looking and disciplined, focused on education and long‑term success as a way out of the life they knew. Dave, by contrast, lived firmly in the present. He valued freedom, excitement, and attention over planning or structure, a trait that would come to define most of his life.

Dave was rebellious even as a child, frequently clashing with his parents over chores, responsibilities, and what they perceived as laziness. As he entered his teenage years, this behaviour escalated. He developed a reputation for partying excessively, neglecting schoolwork, and chasing social gratification. His grades suffered badly, standing in stark contrast to Alexander, who would eventually graduate as valedictorian. This imbalance created a quiet but lasting rift between the brothers—Alexander resented Dave’s lack of direction, while Dave resented being constantly compared to a brother who seemed to excel effortlessly.

Despite his academic failings, Dave was undeniably charismatic. He was well‑spoken, charming, and acutely aware of his ability to draw attention—particularly from women. By his mid‑teens, he had earned a reputation as a serial flirt and habitual cheater, embracing the image of a “player” without shame. While he surrounded himself with many people, few relationships carried genuine depth.

The sole exception was [[Gerwin Cash]], the son of a Navy general and Dave’s closest friend. Like Dave, Gerwin enjoyed attention and social status, but unlike him, he maintained discipline and loyalty, particularly in his romantic relationships. Gerwin harboured genuine ambitions of joining the military, specifically the Navy, and possessed a sense of structure Dave lacked. Their friendship balanced Dave’s recklessness with Gerwin’s grounding influence.

After graduating high school, both men faced the same obstacle: poor academic records. Dave, in particular, faced continued criticism from his parents, who saw no future in his current trajectory. Desperate to escape his home life and prove some sense of independence, Dave attempted to enlist in the Navy. He was rejected. Unwilling to return home in defeat, he instead applied to the Coast Guard—a branch he viewed as less prestigious but more attainable, and one with a reputation for a looser, party‑driven culture.

Gerwin, though qualified and intent on joining the Navy, chose not to abandon his friend. Concerned about what Dave might become if left alone, he enlisted in the Coast Guard alongside him. After passing the required tests and completing initial processing, Dave officially left his parents’ home. Together with Gerwin Cash, he moved into a shared apartment, marking Dave’s first true step away from his family and into a life shaped entirely by his own choices—for better or worse.

=== The Coast Guard ===
Around 1988, both Dave Morrison and Gerwin Cash enlisted in the United States Coast Guard shortly after high school, entering basic training together. They were sent to Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, New Jersey, the service’s sole enlisted boot camp. The training was strict, regimented, and intentionally designed to break civilian habits and instill discipline, obedience, and teamwork.

Dave struggled almost immediately. While physically capable and socially adept, he lacked discipline and patience for authority. He frequently clashed with instructors over minor infractions, improper uniform wear, tardiness, talking out of turn, and a general disregard for protocol. He was not insubordinate enough to be discharged during training, but he quickly earned a reputation as a problem recruit who did the bare minimum to pass. 

Despite his issues, Dave completed basic training. His ability to perform under pressure and his natural charisma made him tolerable in group environments. Upon graduation, both men were assigned back to San Andreas, stationed in Los Santos Harbor, an outcome Dave viewed as a personal victory.

During his time with the Coast Guard, Dave’s duties were largely unremarkable but legitimate. He served primarily in coastal security and harbor patrol operations, assisting with vessel inspections, port security enforcement, and routine maritime law enforcement. He took part in joint operations with local authorities involving drug interdiction near the Port of Los Santos, search-and-rescue standby shifts, and escorting high-value commercial ships through restricted waters. While Dave was competent at the practical aspects of the job, he showed little interest in advancement or specialization.

What Dave lacked in discipline, he made up for in social presence. He became well-known among fellow servicemembers for his charm and nightlife habits, frequently blurring professional boundaries. This behavior ultimately led to his downfall. During his service, Dave entered into a sexual relationship with a female Coast Guard member, an explicit violation of Coast Guard regulations governing fraternization and professional conduct.

The relationship was discovered following an internal investigation. Given Dave’s existing disciplinary record and unwillingness to demonstrate reform, command chose to make an example of him. He was dishonourably discharged from the Coast Guard. While not criminally charged, the dismissal effectively ended his military career.

Gerwin Cash, deeply disappointed but unsurprised, remained in service and later transferred to the Navy. Dave, once again, found himself expelled from a structured path, not because he lacked ability, but because he refused to submit to rules that demanded restraint over indulgence.

=== The Salvage Yard ===
By 1991, Dave Morrison was unemployed and adrift. His father’s patience with him had long since evaporated, and his older brother was absorbed in education and ambition, leaving Dave isolated and directionless. With no military career to fall back on and no clear future, he began applying indiscriminately for work, taking whatever interviews he could get.

That search led him to a scrapyard in La Puerta owned by a 65-year-old operator who had run the business for forty-five years. The yard was a family company in everything but paperwork, weathered, poorly regulated, and held together by habit rather than oversight. Dave was hired on as a tow truck driver. Officially, his job was to recover abandoned and impounded vehicles. In practice, he was paid extra to tow trucks and cars illegally and bring them back to the yard for cash-based scrapping.

Dave proved unexpectedly effective at the work. He understood machinery quickly, worked long hours, and used his charm to smooth over disputes with drivers, dock workers, and inspectors. The owner took a liking to him. Over time, Dave became indispensable, handling recoveries, negotiating under-the-table deals, and keeping the yard profitable in ways that did not invite questions.

Despite this, Dave grew resentful. He believed the profits he helped generate were not reflected in his pay, and that he deserved more than he was being given. When the owner revised his will and named Dave as the eventual inheritor of the scrapyard, the gesture did not satisfy him. To Dave, it was a promise delayed, another reward always just out of reach.

The owner’s death occurred during routine work. While scrapping a vehicle, he was beneath a raised car lift when the mechanism was lowered, crushing him instantly. Dave was the only other person present. Authorities ruled the incident a workplace accident, citing outdated equipment, lax safety standards, and the yard’s long history of unreported near-misses.

With the will uncontested and no close family stepping forward, ownership of the scrapyard transferred to Dave Morrison. He took control quietly, continuing operations without interruption. To the outside world, he was simply a fortunate beneficiary of bad luck.

=== The Fracture of the Morrisons ===
In 2000, Alexander Morrison became a father to twins, Alexa and Damian. With their birth, Dave felt a renewed pull toward family, something he had long neglected. Although the brothers had maintained only occasional contact over the years and rarely visited one another, Dave made the effort to be present in the twins’ lives.

When Dave first visited Alexander’s home, the contrast was impossible to ignore. Alexander had built significant wealth and stability, far beyond anything Dave had achieved with his scrapyard. The realization stirred jealousy and bitterness in Dave, but it did not override his affection for his brother’s children. He enjoyed being around them and took pride in being an uncle who showed up.

The only person openly opposed to Dave’s presence was [[Victorya Solovyova]], Alexander’s wife. She viewed Dave as an embarrassment and a liability, someone whose scrapyard business and lack of refinement had no place in the lives of her children. Despite her objections, Alexander continued to allow limited contact, and the brothers maintained their uneasy, infrequent relationship.

As the twins grew older, it was Damian who gravitated toward Dave. Damian received little attention from his father, who was often absent or preoccupied with Alexa, and Dave filled that void. Over time, their bond deepened into something resembling a father and son relationship. Dave encouraged Damian’s interests, listened to him, and offered validation Damian rarely received at home.

In 2016, Alexander Morrison was publicly hanged from Eclipse Towers. The event shocked Dave, though he privately questioned whether Alexander’s wealth had ever been entirely legitimate. Regardless of his doubts, the loss shattered the Morrison family. Damian was hit especially hard, sinking into a deep depression. Dave stepped in where he could, becoming a stabilizing presence for his nephew.

Alexa reacted differently. She withdrew from the family almost entirely, focusing on building her own future with the support of her mother and associates tied to Alexander’s former life. Dave and Alexa’s contact became minimal, strained by distance and fundamentally different worldviews.

When the inheritance was settled in 2018, Alexa received the majority share. The outcome dealt a significant blow to both Dave and Damian. Damian, having completed a degree in history, found himself directionless and disillusioned. Dave, recognizing the stagnation and danger of remaining in Los Santos, advised him to leave the city in search of stability. Taking his uncle’s advice, Damian moved to San Fierro, marking the end of the closest period Dave would ever share with his brother’s son.

In 2021, Victorya Solovyova passed away in her sleep. With both of his parents gone, the Morrison family lost its last point of cohesion. Damian returned to Los Santos for the funeral, attending alongside Dave. Alexa wasn't present, already living largely outside the family structure. For Dave, the loss reinforced the feeling that there was little left holding the family together.
[[File:Dave and Damian.png|thumb|Dave (left) and Damian (right) standing on the Paleto Bay Pier]]
Following the funeral, Dave encouraged Damian to reconnect more actively with him and to step away from his seclusion and uncertainty. He offered Damian work at the scrapyard, not as charity but as labour. Damian accepted. Over the next two years, Damian worked directly under his uncle. Dave taught him the realities of physical labour, negotiation, and unregulated business. Damian earned good money, but more importantly, he gained experience, resilience, and a practical understanding of how power and survival functioned outside formal institutions.

Dave did not soften the work for his nephew. Damian towed vehicles, handled scrap, dealt with difficult customers, and learned how to identify value where others saw waste. To Dave, this was education of a different kind, one that he believed mattered more than any degree.

In 2023, Damian expressed a desire to leave the city of Los Santos and establish himself independently in Paleto Bay. Dave supported the idea cautiously. He provided Damian with a small loan, enough to purchase a weathered property, a former bar in Paleto Bay. The building would later become known as the Bay Bar. Damian relocated to Paleto Bay shortly thereafter. Dave visited frequently, helping with renovations, logistics, and early operations. He advised where needed but allowed Damian to make his own decisions and mistakes.