Main Characters
Shawn Thomas
Shawn was born in the Bayou but grew up in the Midwest with cornfields for a backyard. He graduated from one of the best Liberal Arts Schools in the country and had plans of leaving the country after graduation. Instead, he was hired to start and run a nonprofit in one of the most under-resourced counties in the country. After a year with the nonprofit, he moved to San Francisco to attend film school, a stark change from helping teenagers figure out their futures.
Shawn is too honest for his own good except when it comes to his sexuality. He’s gay but no one will find out until he comes out of the closet (for the second time) on his terms.
Bay City Tennis Club is his first minimum wage job since he was a teenager. He only applied so he could pick up tennis again and pay his bills. He’s always been cheap, but living in the Bay has taught him new tricks. He gains more tips and tricks from the most frugal person he’s ever met, Savana, a trainer at the Tennis Club.
He loves music which is how he and Ja'Ron connect. You’ll find them in the bar after closing listening to music from each others' childhood.
Ja'Ron Simmons
Ja'Ron is so Bay. He rocks with every sports team in the Bay no matter how bad they’re playing, but you’ll def hear about it. He’s born, raised, and still lives in the Filmore, the last vestige of Black culture in San Francisco. He needs this job to support his lifestyle and get in with the wealthy.
He’s an aspiring comedic actor but doesn’t speak much about it. The bar is his spot. He controls the environment and keeps everyone in high spirits despite his personal life. His older brother passed away a year ago and the mother of his nephew won't allow them to see each other. He's not sure why but spends a lot of time racking his brain about it.
He and Savana are in a situationship that nobody understands and nobody wants to acknowledge, especially Shawn.
Savana Martinez
Savana is a physical trainer and you can tell! She’s 38 but could pass for 25. She likes her job as a contract trainer for its freedom and her ability to live life on her own terms. She's a free spirit from Miami who is as frugal as they come. She’s lived in the same apartment in San Francisco for nearly 15 years, so you know her rent is cheap. If you watch her movements around the club, you’ll see how she takes advantage of all the amenities she can.
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Before joining Bay City Tennis Club, Savana worked in corporate advertising but realized the money wasn't worth the stress. She ran into a friend who was a trainer at the time and the rest is history. This upset her Afro-Cuban father who continually badgers her to return to corporate life.
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She's finally over Ja'Ron's games—she thinks.
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