The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker

A Princeton graduate three years out, Jonathan works as a Manhattan taxi driver and vents his disgust with the world by insulting passengers and kicking pigeons. He guards his emotions closely, allowing only occasional glimpses of vulnerability as he negotiates love with Jennifer. His detachment is tested by betrayals and blurred lines between affection and cynicism, ultimately pushing him toward a drastic escape.

A motorcycle-riding, leather-jacketed self-styled rebel who projects cool confidence. At 24, he remains a virgin, a contradiction that undermines his tough image and hints at inner vulnerability. He is part of Jonathan’s circle yet embodies the gap between surface persona and private longing.

A homosexual interior decorator who stages elaborate parties and tries to seduce his male guests. He embodies hedonism and social flamboyance, using spectacle as bait to entertain and manipulate his circle. His nightlife contrasts with the more intimate vulnerabilities of his friends.

A 21-year-old tenant in Jonathan’s building who travels to New York to ‘find herself,’ her openness draws Jonathan into a rare emotional connection. She proves understanding and patient, offering him a space to explore intimacy. Their relationship is tested by competing priorities and the realities of adult life.

A former bedmate with a lustful, impulsive streak who drags Jonathan into a bathroom encounter and invites him to join her in the tub. She embodies unrestrained sexuality and immediate gratification, challenging Jonathan’s emotional reservations.

A possessive, petulant mother whose insistence on control amplifies the generation-gap tension within the family. Her blunt scrutiny of Jonathan and his choices underscores the social expectations pressing on him.

A potential alcoholic stepfather whose presence in the Darien sequence highlights a fraught suburban home life. His fragility and pretenses contrast with Jonathan’s urban cynicism, intensifying the sense of disconnection.