The speaker is an eight-year-old Black child taking a ride through a segregated Maryland city. Free from fear and full of wonder, the child perceives the world through a lens of innocence and expects basic equality in social interactions. This open disposition makes the child vulnerable to the reality of systemic and interpersonal prejudice.

The Baltimorean is a young white boy who resides in the city, standing exactly the same size and age as the speaker. He initially presents as just another local sight for the visiting child to observe. He quickly demonstrates his learned prejudice by sticking out his tongue and deploying a racial slur in response to a friendly greeting.