As usual, Crutcher has created, or in this case, often recreated a cast of well-developed characters. He provides them with motivation, an obstacle or decision, and then lets the characters work it out. In the short story format, there are fewer characters than in his popular novels. Each story features the main character (male) as the protagonist, a family member (a father) or peer (a bigot) as the antagonist, and a "moment of truth" in which the Crutcher character becomes a hero.

Angus Bethune is one of Crutcher's most unique creations: an overweight teenager with two sets of gay parents. Angus's story centers around his joke election as king of the senior ball which involves a dance with the queen, Melissa, a girl Angus has had a crush on for years. Told in first person, Angus's voice is one of almost constant bemusement, given...