Bob is a 71-year-old retired librarian living a quiet, heavily regimented life in Portland. He finds solace in literature and actively avoids unnecessary social interaction, viewing reading as a sufficient substitute for human company. Despite his solitary nature, he harbors a quiet curiosity about the world and maintains a polite, observant demeanor. His spontaneous decision to volunteer at a senior center challenges his lifelong habits of isolation.

Connie is a cheerful, quirky young woman who initially hides her vibrant personality under her zealous father's strict rules. She takes a genuine interest in obscure details about others and possesses a warmth that easily draws people into her orbit. Eager to experience life fully, she desires freedom from her oppressive upbringing and envisions a future where she can live openly.

Ethan is a highly charismatic, unsettled man who lives day-to-day without long-term plans. He effortlessly attracts romantic attention but struggles to maintain meaningful connections or steady employment. His spontaneous, chaotic lifestyle directly contrasts with his friend Bob's need for order, though Ethan genuinely values the grounding influence Bob provides.

Maria is the director of the Gambell-Reed Senior Center. She manages the daily operations and carefully monitors the well-being of the residents and day guests. She is protective of the seniors under her supervision and maintains realistic expectations about their interest in outside volunteers, though she eventually encourages Bob's presence.

Linus is a wheelchair-bound resident of the Gambell-Reed Senior Center. He enjoys discussing complex concepts like Schadenfreude and reminiscing about his youthful physical fitness. He maintains a sharp sense of humor and a willingness to break center rules for small adventures, offering Bob his first real friendship at the facility.

Jill is a nonresident day guest at the senior center who relies on the facility for social interaction. She frequently voices minor physical complaints and holds deeply superstitious beliefs, such as interpreting her faulty space heater as a foreboding oracle. She embraces moments of rebellion, treating a walk outside like skipping school.

Ida is an eccentric theater actor traveling to a coastal town to rehearse a two-person play. She possesses a dramatic flair and openly reminisces about her own childhood desires to run away from home. She approaches unexpected situations with practical curiosity rather than alarm, treating a runaway child as a natural addition to their troupe.

June is a practical theater actor trying to sustain her career alongside her partner, Ida. She takes a maternal approach to unexpected travelers and handles the logistical elements of their performances, including operating a hand press for advertising materials and contacting the local newspaper for coverage.

Mr. More is the proprietor of a declining hotel in Astoria and a former candidate for city council. He maintains an optimistic but slightly melancholy demeanor, taking great pride in small property improvements like his newly installed pea gravel while lamenting the town's slow decline.

Mr. Whitsell is a retired insurance salesman from North Dakota who permanently settled at Mr. More's hotel. He dedicates his time to cultivating a lush, humid tropical garden inside the hotel's conservatory, preferring the quiet company of plants over loud noises and unexpected disruptions.

Alice is Mr. More's niece who helps maintain the hotel by completing daily chores. She spends her free time waiting outside the local movie theater, holding out hope that a specific boy will show up to meet her, demonstrating a quiet, persistent romantic dedication.

Mr. Coleman is a local zealot and former aspiring clergyman who was rejected by the church for his social awkwardness. He imposes strict, oppressive rules on his household, requiring his daughter to wear a heavy cloak in public, and frequently engages in loud public altercations.

Bob's mother is a highly gregarious, unintellectual woman who struggles to understand her son's introverted nature. She leads an active social life completely separate from Bob and maintains a pragmatic, unsentimental approach to her own illness and past relationships.

Sandy is a middle-aged librarian who initially tries to deter young Bob from entering the profession. He misinterprets Bob's quiet nature and lack of dating history, leading to an awkward social encounter outside of work before they settle into a strictly professional dynamic.

Miss Ogilvie is a severe, authoritarian librarian who demands absolute quiet from all patrons. She actively supports corporal punishment for unruly children and uses undesirable shift assignments to exercise power over junior staff members, though she rewards those who respect her rules.

Eileen is a woman who meets Ethan while he works at a resort in Acapulco. She takes his casual marriage proposal entirely seriously and possesses a volatile temper that violently emerges when her relationship expectations are suddenly challenged.

Sam is a curious young man seeking to understand his parents' past. He is eager to gather photographs and firsthand accounts of his family, showing a deep appreciation for the historical details and personal anecdotes he receives about the people who raised him.

Sally is a friendly waitress at the local diner who quickly becomes a fixture in Bob and Ethan's daily routine. She observes their dynamic closely and feels comfortable enough to offer her own blunt opinions on their personal lives and romantic pursuits.

Mr. Baker-Bailey is the emotional and heavy-drinking boss of Bob's mother. He struggles significantly to process his grief over her sudden passing, completely dominating a memorial dinner with his tears and excessive alcohol consumption while failing to understand Bob's calm demeanor.