Bill Whitman - "The Largesse of the Sea Maiden"

Bill Whitman is the narrator of The Largesse of the Sea Maiden. He is a former ad writer who now makes brochures for San Diego resorts. Originally from New York City, he was married and divorced twice in his twenties before meeting his third wife, Elaine. He and Elaine have two daughters, who they moved with from New York, to Denver, to Arizona, and finally to San Diego, where they settled down. Now in his sixties, Bill occupies his time mainly with his work, although he also has a strong interest in stories and folk tales.

Bill appears to feel a sense of dissatisfaction with the way his life has turned out. Unlike many of his colleagues from New York, he feels as though he has not done much of anything remarkable with his life since leaving the city. While...