Whatever his past, he is now part of the great human herd trying to make a living and survive. The author lets us see just how difficult it is to bring in a regular paycheck. Maybe more so if you are an unsung service employee. He uses the commercial kitchen, an orchestrated world of food preparation, to place M as a team player, who is good at what he does but different nonetheless. Let's say he is tolerated.
Home is little better.
The Minotaur is resident at the Lucky-U trailer park, where he lives in an underfurnished trailer shaped like a boat. On a good day, before work, he does errands, mends his few clothes, works on his ancient car and tries to be a good neighbor. It isn't easy. The couple next door live their lives in web chairs out in front of their mobile home. The landlord strolls the deck behind his house, in his boxers, surveying his domain.