Mr. Parsons is a successful insurance salesperson visiting an unnamed city for business. Dressed impeccably in a gray suit and carrying a Malacca stick, he presents an image of refinement and upward mobility. He takes quiet pride in his self-made success, believing firmly in hard work and personal responsibility to overcome life's obstacles.

Markwardt is a shabbily dressed, visually impaired man who sells cigarette lighters to pedestrians. He aggressively rejects the label of beggar, instead relying on his tragic past in a chemical factory explosion to solicit sympathy and money from strangers. He harbors deep bitterness toward his former employers and relies on his practiced, dramatic storytelling to make a living.