Homesick for Another World

The narrator of this story is an 18-year-old aspiring actor who moves from Gunnison, Utah to Los Angeles, California with dreams of becoming a rich and famous actor. The narrator describes his daily life in Los Angeles, living in a rented room in a house owned by his landlady, Mrs. Honigbaum. The narrator buses tables in a pizza parlor at night and pursues auditions and acting opportunities during the day.

The narrator reminisces about his life in Utah and the reasons he wanted to leave. He had a strained relationship with his mother, who didn‘t understand his ambitions and frequently belittled him. He believes that Hollywood is the place where he can make something of himself and become a star. Before leaving Gunnison, his mother drives him to get a headshot taken at the request of a talent agent named Bob Sears, who, despite never actually seeing the narrator, assures him that he has the potential to succeed in the industry.

In Los Angeles, Bob Sears sends the narrator on a number of auditions that fail to result in work. Many of the auditions are in suspicious locations and end with casting agents taking pictures of the narrator shirtless. Mrs. Honigbaum offers the narrator comfort after his many rejections. He appreciates her kindness and attention and begins to see himself as her favorite tenant. Mrs. Honigbaum is becoming a kind of replacement mother for the narrator—one who offers him the kindness and encouragement he never received from his own mother. At the same time, she frequently encourages him to call his mother, sharing that she mourns for her own mother, who died in the Holocaust, every day.

As the narrator grows increasingly dejected, Mrs. Honigbaum gets him a big audition for a commercial. The narrator is initially excited, but the audition turns out to be a disaster. The director, a middle-aged and unkempt man, puts the protagonist through a series of unconventional and uncomfortable tasks during the audition. From reciting personal details and mimicking various actions to attempting to kiss two young girls, the protagonist feels increasingly out of his element. Eventually, he freezes up and fails to perform the requested actions, leading to his rejection for the part.

Following the rejection, the narrator seeks solace in Mrs. Honigbaum‘s office, needing her reassurance and understanding. Mrs. Honigbaum consoles him, dismissing the director‘s judgment and complimenting the protagonist‘s physical attributes, particularly his teeth and mouth. She caresses his face and prays over him. A few days later, she convinces the narrator to call his mother. Although his mother doesn’t answer, he leaves a message, which he finds upsetting. The story ends with the suggestion that, from that night on, the narrator and Mrs. Honigbaum sleep in the same bed, with Mrs. Honigbaum holding the narrator and praying over him as a mother would do.