Jack is the main character in Almost Friday. You don’t often hear his name because he’s the one speaking.
Jack was a pretty easy-going guy, but became tainted by contempt for the stupidity in the world around him. As a result, he’s quite cynical. He would like to be optimistic about his interactions with people at work and his neighbors, but they just keep letting him down.
He sublets his city apartment from an old lady who doesn’t seem to know its value, and his lease is fixed-rent. As such, his big claim to fame in the city is his large, cheap apartment, where his compatriots often gather to hang out.
Mary Ashby is one of Jack’s coworkers at Roberts and Watson - the one for which he may have the most scorn. She’s kind of frumpy and her voice, although not truly abhorrent, really grates on Jack’s nerves. Mostly because of what she usually has to say to him.
Oh the positive side, Laura Miho shares a cube wall with Jack at the work. She’s half-Japanese, and Jack admires her not just for her good looks but for her sly intellect. He would refer to her as his nemesis, only because they often compete for accounts at work, and she often wins out.
Bob is Jack’s best friend. Bob didn’t elect to go to college like Jack did when they graduated high school, but they met up coincidentally after Jack graduated, and have continued to be friends into their adulthood. Bob is a freespirit. His job at the drycleaner’s is just enough to pay his rent and afford the occasional donut. He and Jack enjoy discussing the events of the day, and Bob is always trying to put a positive spin on Jack’s situation.
The Blonde Bimbo - She’s the receptionist. She changes every week, it seems. Usually this position is filled by the current girlfriend of one the ad firm’s randier partners.
