Protagonist
The protagonist is the unnamed narrator of the story. She is 39 years old and works in the film industry. She lives in Australia, though she references living in London in her twenties. The short…
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Paul
Paul is the protagonist’s lover. He is a 26-year-old PhD student who writes movie reviews on the side. He is open about his strong feelings for the protagonist, calling her nightly to say that…
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The Doctor
The doctor, also unnamed, prescribes contraceptive pills to the protagonist. The doctor triggers the protagonist’s insecurities about her age with a small comment about the pills. He also tells her that she will have…
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Helen
Helen is a friend of the protagonist and Sandy. She is roughly the same age as the protagonist. She points out that if the protagonist and Paul’s 13-year age group were reversed, “nobody…
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Minor Characters
Sandy
Sandy is a friend of the protagonist and Helen. She is roughly the same age as the protagonist. She has a 13-year-old son and presents an alternative path to the protagonist’s avoidance of having a child thus far.
Salon Receptionist
The salon receptionist checks in the protagonist for her wax appointment. The protagonist describes her elaborate fake nails and juvenile handwriting.
Wax Technician
The wax technician at the salon performs the protagonist’s leg wax. She tells the protagonist about other people’s wax habits, including the fact that many women who get Brazilian waxes say their boyfriends ask them to do it.
