Table for Two: Fictions

“Hasta Luego” stands out in the collection in the ambiguity of its ending, as Smitty and Jerry part ways without a clear resolution of the conflict of their interactions. Other stories in the collection end on an ironic button that brings the story full circle; for example, in “The Line,” Pushkin begins and ends waiting in line while Irina finds work in yet another biscuit factory. In contrast, “Hasta Luego” leaves Smitty’s alcohol dependence as an ongoing conflict, which will continue after he gets home, just as Jerry has gained insight into marriage and love.

Like “Timothy Touchett,” “Hasta Luego” shows a darker side to Following and Subverting Social Expectations, as Smitty excels at adhering to social norms, but also can’t help subverting them. Jerry describes Smitty as a “panda in the body of a polar bear” (78), a comparison of two kinds of bears that plays with their typical connotations. While Smitty is built like a tough and implacable predator—a polar bear—his mannerisms are cuddly and nonthreatening, as befits the popular image of the panda. Jerry notes that Smitty “had learned to modify his posture, soften his voice, and add a bit of fumbling to his gestures in order to put others at ease” (78). These modifications allow Smitty to easily fulfill social expectations, making him friendly, confident, and comforting. Jerry even pinpoints the tactic Smitty uses to befriend people: He asks where people are from, acts surprised, adds a wistful comment, and ends on a resolution. Jerry is impressed with how genuine each step of this process is, despite the fact that Smitty performs it so often. The honed routine fits with our understanding of Smitty as a successful salesman—his grasp of the social script allows him to quickly simulate friendship with strangers.

However, this skillful adherence to social norms is undermined by Smitty’s alcohol abuse disorder, which requires those who know Smitty well to enact socially bizarre but necessary steps such as taking Smitty’s shoes so he can’t go to the bar. When Jennifer asks Jerry to intervene in this way, Jerry is flabbergasted at the breach of social norms: “I’m not going to take another man’s shoes” (94), he says, layering on the social expectations of what it means to be a man, to have respect for other men, and the inappropriateness of interfering with other men’s freedom. Jerry lamenting the fact that Smitty needs to be restrained and empathizes with how humiliating being treated this way must be for Smitty. However, the end of the story, Jerry accepts that the duty of care with which he has been entrusted trumps social expectations. Jerry misses his flight to make sure Smitty gets on his plane, throwing aside the rules to society in favor of a moral imperative. Jerry feels obligated to help Smitty enough that he can overcome his embarrassment at infringing on Smitty’s autonomy.

The end of Smitty and Jerry’s hotel stay ties into Power, Money, and the Individual. Smitty enjoys the social power of buying everyone’s drinks at the bar. However, the next day, Smitty cannot actually pay for those drinks, which means that he benefited from the social capital of being seen as generous without having the financial capacity to back up this capital. The manager, discussing the $1,000 Smitty owes, casually notes that “Mr. Smith’s food and beverage voucher” covers only $50 of the bill (101), emphasizing again the disparity between Smitty’s social and financial status.