Characters

Alan Gillespie’s short story “The Arcade” focuses on an elderly man named Bill who is going on a first date with a woman he has met online. He has been married for a long time but has now lost his wife to illness. Bill is a playful and confident man who comes up with an idea to make the date more fun by pretending to be looking for an engagement ring for his date. 

Bill’s date, Gaynor, is an elderly woman who has dated several people after her short marriage ended. She is first reluctant to be part of Bill’s plan and to trick the sales assistants, but she ultimately joins in and ends up enjoying herself. 

Throughout their date, Bill and Gaynor tell the sales assistants made up stories about their happy, long life together. At the same time, they occasionally share brief information about their real lives with each other, but ultimately they fail to open up and form a connection. Particularly Gaynor seems hesitant.

You can read a full characterization of Bill and Gaynor on the following pages.