‘Part-time god’
Tender Branson parallels himself to a ‘part-time god’: “My job is most of the time I work for a housecleaning service. Full-time drudge. Part-time god.” Callers consult Tender Branson over phone as to whether they should terminate their lives or not. His inspiration elevates his to a god-like standing because religiously, God is credited with owning life. Tender Branson is equivalent to a shareholder in the lives of his callers; hence, his judgment on their suicides is contributory. The calls that he receives are analogous to the concluding prayers a human would make to God (Penance) before passing.
Messiah
The allegorical Messiah puts Tender Branson on the same standing as Jesus. Tender Branson explicates, “It's the same with these suicide girls calling me up. Most of them are so young. Crying with their hair wet down in the rain at a public telephone, they call me to the rescue. Curled in a ball alone in bed for days, they call me. Messiah. They call me. Savior. They sniff and choke and tell me what I ask for in every little detail. It's so perfect some nights to hear them in the dark.” The figurative Messiah deduces that the girls consider Tender Branson a spiritual figure that would shield them from their wretchedness. However, the girls are naïve because they are not cognizant that Tender Branson is far from a Messiah, he is a typical devil whose concern would be for them to terminate their reality. Evidently, they girls have not reservation about Tender Branson’s trustworthiness.
