Who is Gunther, narrator, wife from The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories and what is their importance?

Gunther in "Men Under Water" is the landlord of several properties and a would-be playwright, who is very ambitious and employs the narrator not only as a handyman but also as a writing assistant. Though Gunther seems to be generally good-hearted, he also has a very cheap and ambitious streak that disturb the narrator.