Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

A jazz musician and Henry’s good friend from childhood. As a black man, Sheldon struggles to find acceptance in the Seattle music scene, despite the fact that he is a talented saxophone player. Sheldon is open with Henry about how racism has limited his professional opportunities. Despite the prejudice he has faced, Sheldon retains a sense of humor, often making jokes to lift Henry’s spirits. Sheldon offers Henry frequent advice and encouragement in developing his blossoming relationship with Keiko; in Sheldon’s view, it’s always important to fight for love, and especially when broader societal forces are trying to quash that love. While not much is revealed about Sheldon’s past, Henry does know that Sheldon was born in Alabama and stayed there until he was five or six: “evidently,” Henry thinks, “[Sheldon]’d seen enough to never want to return.” Sheldon is a kind and loyal friend to Henry, and helps to protect him from school bullies when he can. Sheldon demonstrates his love for Henry most profoundly when he accompanies him to Idaho to search for Keiko at the internment camp where she’s been relocated with her family. Sheldon and Henry remain friends up until the day Sheldon dies. Even as Sheldon is in his final moments, he encourages Henry to find Keiko and repair his relationship with her. Sheldon and Henry’s friendship, which is interracial and bridges a considerable age gap, parallels Henry and Keiko’s love story in showing that love is a force capable of transcending difference and socially-prescribed division.