Men Under Water by Ralph Lombreglia
"Men Under Water" by Ralph Lombreglia unfolds in a Cleveland diner, where two men, Reggie and Gunther, grapple with their creative ambitions and personal conflicts while attempting to write a screenplay. Reggie, a struggling writer, finds himself working for Gunther, a newly affluent real-estate mogul who is eager to transition into the film industry. Their partnership is characterized by tension and imbalance, as Reggie is both a source of artistic talent and a victim of Gunther's exploitation. The narrative reveals complex dynamics, particularly through an incident involving Gunther's treatment of a Pakistani tenant, which ignites Reggie's moral struggle and strains his relationship with his wife, Tina.
The story explores themes of financial necessity versus ethical integrity, as Reggie navigates the challenges of working under Gunther's influence, leading to profound self-reflection. The relationship culminates in a compromise, where both men acknowledge their flaws while enjoying the material comforts of their collaboration. The closing scene, depicting them playfully submerged in a swimming pool, symbolizes their entrapment in both privilege and moral ambiguity, leaving readers to contemplate the deeper implications of their choices and the nature of their artistic pursuits.
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Men Under Water by Ralph Lombreglia
First published: 1986
Type of plot: Domestic realism
Time of work: The 1980's
Locale: Cleveland, Ohio
Principal Characters:
Reggie , a writer who works as an aide and scriptwriter-assistant to a wealthy manTina , his wifeGunther , a newly rich real-estate baronLuke , andOtis , members of the rock band Acid Rain and Gunther's tenants
The Story
In the Peter Pan Diner in Cleveland, Ohio, Reggie and Gunther struggle to write a screenplay. They are trying to make money and to create an artistic project, but they are also trying to make sense of their own lives. Their collaboration is marked by both a sense of desperation and a certain companionship, but their relationship is not one of equals. Reggie is a professional writer who, like the vast majority of his peers, cannot adequately support himself through his writing. Gunther is a newly wealthy real-estate baron who is seeking to parlay his riches into fame in cinema. Reggie originally answered an advertisement for a handyman, but when he revealed himself to be a writer, Gunther was determined to exploit his new employee's talent on behalf of his nascent ambition to make it big in motion pictures.
Gunther reveals his darkest aspects in an incident with a Pakistani woman. The woman, one of Gunther's tenants, complains that the heat is not working in her house but to no avail. As a way of striking back at Gunther, Reggie gives the woman her landlord's unlisted telephone number. This act is the high point of Reggie's resistance against Gunther and almost causes Gunther to sever the collaboration with Reggie.
Gunther's treatment of the Pakistani woman outrages Reggie's wife, Tina, and makes her realize she can no longer tolerate the tradeoff between the financial rewards her husband gets from Gunther and the loss of integrity these rewards entail. In other words, she feels she is stained by association because of Reggie's subordination to Gunther.
The members of the rock band Acid Rain live in a renovated Victorian mansion owned by Gunther. Luke, the band's lead singer, and Otis, its blind keyboard player, complain about the plumbing in their house in a petulant way that does not show them to their best advantage. Reggie persuades Gunther to call Roto-Rooter, the famous plumbing concern, admitting that he cannot handle the task alone and that he needs outside help to do the work. Otis, the musician, is not convinced that the problem will be solved, but Gunther and Reggie manage to make him accept this outcome without further confrontation. In the process, Gunther thinks of an idea for a motion picture—the ultimate film about a rock-and-roll band.
Gunther introduces Reggie to Joseph, an elderly Hollywood tycoon, and Willie, the tycoon's chauffeur. Gunther and Reggie pitch the idea for the rock-and-roll film to the men from Hollywood. They try to persuade Joseph that such a film would appeal to the average American moviegoer. Joseph, whose musical tastes lean more to classical works, appears unconvinced. However, Gunther holds out hope that his Hollywood ship will come in one day.
At the end of the story, Reggie and Gunther have come to a reluctant compromise. Gunther has admitted his wrongdoing with respect to the Pakistani woman. Reggie, for his part, has accepted his continuing status as Gunther's subordinate and has come to appreciate the material comforts Gunther provides. The story's final image, of Reggie and Gunther's splashing around in a swimming pool playing with a scuba tank, illustrates both their material comfort and their spiritual and moral submergence. As "men under water," they are protected by the same factors that confine them psychologically.