The man

The man is an important character in Dana Miltins’ story “You Are Here”. Like the woman and the snakecatcher, his name is not mentioned, which indicates that he might represent any man preparing to leave a relationship or not wanting to have any more children. 

The man has children by a previous girlfriend, to whom he pays 150 dollars a week in child support (ll. 35-36). He now works night shifts as a security officer in an outback resort (l. 11). He lives in an old caravan in the Australian desert and has put on weight since he moved there, three months ago (l. 26).

The man moves to the desert to be away from the woman, although he tells her differently: “He liked the idea of being alone. He wanted to try out the world without her. To see. He'd told her it was an opportunity to save. For a house, maybe. For the two of them.” (ll. 10-12). This suggests he is a liar. He makes her believe he is still invested in their relationsh...