Davy Ross
Davy is the first-person narrator and protagonist of the novel who is thirteen-years-old when traumatic death of his grandmother kicks his story into motion. He has been living with his grandmother since the marriage of his parents broke apart. Why this has been his living circumstance will become clear as the story treks through treks through the tumultuous consequences of his change of venue.
Davy’s Mother
The reason that Davy does not go to live with his mother after her divorce from his father as might be expected becomes all too painfully clear not long enough after moving into her apartment at the famous (infamous?) Chelsea Hotel. She’s a drunk. And not one of those fun-loving, inoffensive drunks like you see on TV, either, but a real alcoholic complete with the self-pity and overwhelming unpleasantness.
Davy’s Father
The rationale behind why Davy has not been living with his father is a bit more problematic. While nobody in their right mind would actually want to see him living with his mother, his father is another story altogether. He has remarried quite well, moving to a wife who is not only a drunken mess, but going down in age and up in income. Of course, the latter is really all the explanation you need to figure this thing out.
Douglas Altschuler
Douglas is a classmate at the new upscale private school Davy’s mother has chosen for her son merely to spite his father and his new wife as a result of the exorbitant tuition. Davy and Douglas start out as close friends and move very tenuously into something more sexual in nature. This turn becomes the driving point of the narrative as Davy’s mother overreacts while Davy’s father is surprisingly accepting and low-key.
Fred
Fred is Davy’s pet dog, a dachshund who has really been his only close friend until the arrival of Altschuler into his life. Pets are not normally to be considered a major character in stories where they are not the primary focus, but in this case Fred is very much a major player. As a result jumping to a not-entirely-appropriate conclusion about the relationship between Davy and Douglas by Davy’s mother, Fred will actually become the pivot upon which Davy experience emotional growth.
