What metaphors are used in Loser by Jerry Spinelli?

In Chapter 12, the Waiting Man is clearly a metaphor. He stands stock still every day, as he waits for a family member who disappeared thirty years ago. Passive and quiet, he does nothing but watch. He shows no ability to make anything happen, or to even try. This man is a victim, and a warning. He symbolizes what can happen to those who become overwhelmed by events.