The speaker is an African man residing in 1960s England who is searching for a place to live. He is financially stable enough to afford the rent and possesses a sharp, educated wit. Aware of the discriminatory social climate, he preemptively states his African heritage over the phone to avoid future rejection. He uses dark humor, scientific terminology, and specific color comparisons to manage the prejudiced interrogation he faces.

The landlady is a white British property owner renting out an apartment separate from her own residence. Through the phone, she projects an air of high social status, leading the caller to imagine her speaking through a long, gold-rolled cigarette holder. Despite her supposedly polite upbringing, she immediately focuses on the caller's race, reducing him to a binary of light or dark skin.