Someone to Talk To

"Someone to Talk To" is a short story by American author and professor Deborah Eisenberg. First published in The New Yorker in 1993, it documents the experiences of pianist Aaron Shapiro, who, on the heels of a painful breakup, goes to an unnamed Latin American country to perform a concert. But once there, he learns that the promoters of the concert are associated with the country's authoritarian government, thereby putting Aaron in a moral and ethical dilemma. Eisenberg included "Someone to Talk To" in her 1997 short story collection All Around Atlantis.

The tale opens with Aaron's longtime girlfriend, Caroline, informing him that she is leaving him for an old boyfriend named Jim. She walks out of the apartment she and Aaron have shared for the last six years, telling him she will always care about him. Devastated, Aaron now only has Caroline's cat, Lady Chatterley, for company, since Jim has cat allergies.

Flash forward to a rundown hotel room in an unspecified Latin American country. Aaron wakes up thinking of Caroline and the series of peaks and valleys that led him to this place. Though once a burgeoning classical music star, Aaron never fulfilled what seemed like his destiny. Recently, he has had to give piano lessons to children just to pay his bills. This downturn in what was once a promising career triggered a long depression and a series of financial problems, which alienated Caroline and destroyed their relationship. Shortly before she left him, Aaron received the offer to come to Latin America to perform.



Aaron gets out of bed and goes to the hotel restaurant, where he meets with Richard Penwad. Richard is with the concert promoting group who invited Aaron to play. Richard is arrogant and highbrow, viewing Aaron as a member of the lower classes. He treats Aaron with a barely concealed disdain, much as he treats the indigenous servers who wait on them at the restaurant. Then, Aaron learns Richard's business is allied with the military dictatorship currently in power in the country. This revelation does not sit well with Aaron, but he needs the money this gig will bring.

After breakfast, Aaron has a rocky rehearsal with the orchestra. Initially, he thinks the orchestra isn't up to the task, but then he realizes it is the terrible acoustics in the concert hall. After rehearsal, Richard arranges for Aaron to have an interview with a journalist named Beale. Beale is a peculiar man who ends up talking about himself throughout the interview and sharing his views on the country, especially its shoddy treatment of the indigenous population. Throughout the so-called interview, Beale gets progressively drunker and more combative with Aaron.

The next morning, Aaron tours the city. He is scheduled to do this exact thing with Richard later in the day, but he cannot stand the thought of spending a second longer than necessary with Richard. Aaron sees the class divisions on full display as he walks around the city. The wealthy lead lives of privilege, while the poor barely get by in hovels. Aaron finds that he identifies more with the poor than with the wealthy, especially given his recent circumstances. He recalls the homeless back in America and how scared he is of them. He thinks then of Caroline, who wouldn't even give a second thought to the plight of the poor.



Aaron stops in a small café for some soup. Three men with guns sit nearby. When one of them notices him looking at them, the man stands and unscrews the lightbulb over the table, casting them in shadow.

That night, Aaron performs the concert as scheduled. One of the pieces he plays was once his trademark, the definitive interpretation of the song and a perfect presentation of his talent. Tonight, however, the song just hangs in the air, lifeless, a "block of suet."

After the concert, Aaron joins up with Richard and Richard's wife, Joan, outside the hall. They introduce him to a rich woman who is holding a reception for him later that evening in her lavish home. As Aaron talks to the woman and her snobbish son, Beale approaches them and apologizes for his drunken behavior during their interview. The woman's son tells Beale in no uncertain terms that he is unwelcome at their reception for Aaron. Beale, outraged, storms off. Before the group leaves for the reception, Aaron goes in search of Beale to see if he is all right. He finds him by a fountain, talking into his tape recorder about the party to which he was not invited. Beale also talks about the beauty of the country, especially of the indigenous children innocently playing nearby. As Aaron looks on, Beale then uses the tape recorder as a pillow, taking a nap on the edge of the fountain.