Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew Up... in Kansas with his single mother, who neglected him to focus on her own romantic relationships. Neil was sexually abused by his baseball coach, and although he came to enjoy his sexual relationship with his coach, this traumatic and confusing experience would follow him for the rest of his life.
Living… in New York City. Neil just recently escaped his small town for life in the big city, and he likes to think of it as a vacation from all his angst.
Profession… prostitute. Neil gets by mostly through petty theft and sexual favors for money. His sexual behavior is compulsive and he gravitates toward middle-aged wealthy men who make him feel like a little boy.
Interests… exploring the world, exploring his sexuality, and living in New York. Neil loves living life on the edge, and he felt trapped in his small town in the middle of nowhere. As he explains his move, “I am so sick of this stinking little buttcrack of a town!”
Relationship Status… complicated. Neil doesn’t spend much time with boys of his own age. He goes after mainly older gentlemen who would kill to have a young, attractive boy like him. But he can never really get close to anyone for long.
Challenge… getting beyond his past. Neil won’t be able to feel successful until he forgives himself for all of the immense anger he feels. He believes that escaping his small Kansas town for New York will give him a fresh start, but what he really needs is a vacation from himself. When his youth baseball teammate Brian Lackey, who was also sexually abused by the coach but has blocked out the memories, reaches out to Neil after they haven't seen each other for a decade, maybe the two of them can help each other come to some sort of peace.
Personality… sarcastic and angsty. Wendy describes Neil as “a bottomless black hole, that you fall into.” Neil doesn’t openly show affection or love and even the few friends he has fear that he will walk off the deep end one of these days. He does slowly soften as past memories, and difficult scenarios, force him to mature.
