Part 2 Summary
As World War II begins, Thomas Hudson is living in Cuba with several cats and dogs. Boise, a special cat, stays away from Thomas Hudson when he is drunk, as do all but one of the other cats. Goats alone will approach him, lured by the magic word medicine. Boise becomes increasingly independent.
On a morning not long after his return from cruising the waters of the Gulf Stream on a reconnaissance mission, Thomas Hudson rises early, unable to sleep. There is little to eat because he was not expected to return so soon. He plans to take a four-day break from touring the region for German ocean craft. He observes Princessa, one of the older cats that reminds him of one of his lovers, an Italian princess whom he almost loved. Although she said she was in love with him, she resisted his advances at first. She was married but her husband was occupied elsewhere, so she and Thomas Hudson began an affair. Thomas Hudson had met the Prince on a hunting expedition in Africa, part of their trip around the world, and liked him. During the trip through the Holy Land, the would-be lovers were nearly desperate to find a place to make love. The Princess had never yet been unfaithful to her husband, nor did she want to hurt him, but she could not resist Thomas Hudson.
The Princess considered the possibility of getting pregnant by Thomas Hudson. Once they made love, she would have to sleep with her husband as soon as possible just in case. They went to Thomas Hudson’s cabin, and they made love three times. Afterward, Thomas Hudson returned to the bar and later had a drink with the Prince, who wandered by. In Marseilles, Thomas Hudson was informed that the Prince knew about his wife’s affair all along.
Back in the present, Thomas Hudson argues with Mario, the servant, about breakfast and the cats. After breakfast, he bathes and dresses for the day. He visits his numerous dogs (as well as the ever-present cats). His chauffeur drives Thomas Hudson through the village. He notices the squalor of the village, then they pass on to the highway. He suggests to the chauffeur that he might coast downhill to save on gas, but the chauffeur does not worry about this because it is government gas. Thomas Hudson reflects that he really does not like the chauffeur. They pass a spot where a horrendous murder had taken place some time before. Thomas Hudson had given up doing any work out in the country for fear of being accused of the crime. He carries a drink to get him through the deplorable, poverty-stricken areas of the town. He stops at the home of one couple to whom he had given twenty dollars. They had purchased a dog with it, but now the dog is not to be seen and the young girl does not seem too concerned about its disappearance, which upsets Thomas Hudson. The chauffeur tells him how bad the living conditions are among the people now that the war has started in Europe.
When they come to the open bay, Thomas Hudson decides to go to the Floridita, a favorite café, before he proceeds to the Embassy. However, he finds that the café is closed. At the Embassy, Thomas Hudson goes to see the Colonel but learns he is out and has left no message for him except to “stick around.” The warrant officer at the desk assures Thomas Hudson that the Colonel is not angry with him. As he leaves, Thomas Hudson...
(This entire section contains 1328 words.)
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runs into a Lieutenant Commander he knows, Fred Archer. They agree to meet for dinner later at the Floridita.
Thomas Hudson has the chauffeur take him back to the Floridita, which is now open. He sits and reads the war news. Ignacio Natera Revello joins him. He condemns the American ambassador, but Thomas Hudson does not want to hear it. They roll dice for drinks. Thomas Hudson reveals that his one remaining son, Tom, was killed in the war. He claims that he does not know any details concerning his death.
Some of the other café patrons strike up conversations with him. Willie is vulgar and antagonistic, but Honest Lil is a typical “prostitute with a heart of gold.” Having a sensitive heart, she can tell that Thomas Hudson is feeling sad, but he does not tell her the reason. He speaks of Tom but does not speak of his death. Honest Lil promises him that the Virgin is looking after Young Tom day and night. Thomas Hudson tells Honest Lil about the first time he took Tom to Europe as a small baby and how happy the boy was all the time, laughing during the crossing. Serafin, the waiter, challenges Thomas Hudson to break the record for drinking daiquiris, but he refuses. Henry Wood, another patron, invites him to join a group going to Alfred’s Sin House (a brothel), but he declines this as well.
Honest Lil asks him to tell her a happy story, so he shares some childhood memories of being in the outdoors. She is not impressed and asks for another one with love in it, so he tells about a trip to Hong Kong. When he concentrates on his impressions of the city, she objects that he still has not put any love into the story. She is tired of hearing about China and asks him why he did not stay there if he likes it so much. Thomas Hudson points out that the Japanese are set to invade at any moment. He tells her about a Chinese girl with whom he made love, though they never spent the entire night together. After an argument, Thomas Hudson returned to his hotel room and found three beautiful Chinese girls sent by a millionaire friend. The next morning Thomas Hudson felt hollow and went down to breakfast alone. When he returned to the room, the Chinese girls were gone. Honest Lil begins to cry because Thomas Hudson is so unhappy. She begs him to tell her what the matter is. She guesses that his son has been killed and cries harder.
Thomas Hudson begins a conversation with a local politician. They talk of an aqueduct being built in the area. Thomas Hudson comes up with several mock political slogans, all of which would ensure the politician would infuriate somebody.
In the men’s room, Thomas Hudson encounters the attendant, a black man who is studying for a religious course. He strikes up a conversation with him about different clubs to which he has belonged. Back in the café, Thomas Hudson looks out the window at a car that has pulled up. The door opens and he sees his ex-wife (Tom’s mother, the actress) step out with her secretary, Ginny Watson. Both are dressed in USO uniforms. Leaving Ginny to have lunch at the Floridita, Thomas Watson and his ex-wife drive back to his home. He asks her if she has found another man. She replies that she has, but she does not want to talk about him.
After they make love, they sit up talking, avoiding several touchy subjects about things that ended their marriage. She decides to plead illness and miss her plane. She asks about Young Tom, saying he has not written in three weeks. Thomas Hudson simply says Tom is fine. When she notices he is avoiding talking about Tom, she asks him if their son is dead. Thomas Hudson tells her that he is and holds her while she cries. She regrets that now there will be no evidence of their love. He does not tell her that Tom’s plane was shot down and his parachute caught fire, burning him to death. As they grieve, Thomas Hudson receives a summons to report to the Lieutenant for work. His ex-wife stays behind to read Tom’s letters.
