The story is told from the first-person perspective of Charlie, a dynamic protagonist whose perception of his father shifts considerably throughout the narrative. Because the story is in the past tense and begins with “the last time I saw my father” (518), the narrator is an older Charlie reflecting on a past event that led to a personal realization and transformation.

At the beginning of the story, Charlie idolizes his father. Upon the man’s arrival at the train station, Charlie views his dad in glowing terms and even describes his father’s smell as “a rich compound of whiskey, after-shave lotion, shoe polish, woolens, and the rankness of a mature male” (518). The boy’s association of these smells with maturity underscores his longing to be just like his dad. However, this does not mean that Charlie is a young child. Although the boy’s age is never explicitly stated, he is old enough to be traveling alone and to set up a meeting with his father. Additionally, he is served an alcoholic beverage and his age is questioned by a waiter. Therefore, it can be assumed that Charlie is a teenager.