I See You Never by Ray Bradbury
"I See You Never" is a poignant short story by Ray Bradbury that explores themes of immigration, loss, and human connection. The narrative centers around Ramirez, a Mexican immigrant and tenant of Mrs. O'Brian, who is detained by police due to his illegal residency status in the United States. As he prepares to return to his hometown, Lagos, the story captures the emotional farewell between him and Mrs. O'Brian, who has come to appreciate his presence in her life.
Throughout their interactions, Mrs. O'Brian reflects on the social and economic disparities that lead to Ramirez's predicament. Despite his successful integration into American life during the war years—evidenced by his job in an airplane factory and the small luxuries he was able to afford—he faces the harsh reality of being forced to leave. The heartbreaking moment occurs when Ramirez expresses his sorrow over their separation, repeating the phrase "I see you never" as he bids farewell.
The story evokes a sense of empathy and highlights the profound sorrow that can accompany the immigrant experience, as well as the connections that can form across cultural divides. It serves as a reminder of the complexities of identity and belonging, making it a relevant and touching exploration of human relationships in the context of societal challenges.
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I See You Never by Ray Bradbury
First published: 1947
Type of plot: Psychological, social realism
Time of work: The mid-1940's
Locale: Los Angeles, California
Principal Characters:
Mrs. O'Brian , a fastidious and kindly landladyMr. Ramirez , a Mexican airplane-factory worker
The Story
Mr. Ramirez, the landlady's best tenant, is in the custody of two police officers, but he is initially unable to speak and therefore explain the reason for his arrest. Mrs. O'Brian knows his past: that he traveled by bus from Mexico City through San Diego to Los Angeles, where he found work in an airplane factory during the final years of World War II. Throughout this time and into the postwar period, he had roomed with Mrs. O'Brian. With his good salary, he was able to buy a radio, a wristwatch, and even a car, which was repossessed when he forgot to keep up the payments. He enjoyed going to restaurants, films, the theater, and the opera, occasionally with one of his few girlfriends.
Mrs. O'Brian eventually learns from Ramirez and the officers that her tenant had only a temporary visa and he had been an illegal resident for the last six months. Ramirez's reappearance at the boarding house is to let her know that he has to give up his room. He is there to collect and pack his belongings for his return to Lagos, his small hometown north of Mexico City.
Ramirez smells the pies that his landlady is baking and sees the kitchen table that she has set with shining silverware and carefully prepared food for her three sons and two younger daughters. After packing, Ramirez returns his house key to Mrs. O'Brian, who tells him what a good tenant he has been and how sorry she is that he has to leave. She once visited some border towns in Mexico and therefore has some sense of the impoverished world to which he is returning.
With deep feeling, Ramirez tells Mrs. O'Brian that he likes his job and life in the United States and that he does not want to go back to Mexico, but she can do nothing to change his situation or mitigate his pain. With tears streaming down his face, Ramirez clasps her hand desperately, shaking and wringing it, while saying in broken English, again and again, "Mrs. O'Brian, I see you never, I see you never!"
Ramirez picks up his suitcase and walks away with the police officers. Mrs. O'Brian closes the door and sits at the kitchen table. Despite the pleas of one of her sons, she lacks the appetite to enjoy her steak. When her sons asks what is wrong, she replies that she has just realized that she will never see Ramirez again.
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, ed. Ray Bradbury. New York: Chelsea House, 2001.
Bloom, Harold, ed. Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451." New York: Chelsea House, 2001.
Eller, Jonathan R., and William F. Touponce. Ray Bradbury: The Life of Fiction. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2004.
Reid, Robin Ann. Ray Bradbury: A Critical Companion. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000.
Touponce, William F. Naming the Unnameable: Ray Bradbury and the Fantastic After Freud. Mercer Island, Wash.: Starmont House, 1997.
Weist, Jerry, and Donn Albright. Bradbury, an Illustrated Life: A Journey to Far Metaphor. New York: William Morrow, 2002.
Weller, Sam. The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury. New York: William Morrow, 2005.