Chapters 20-22 Summary

In Chapter 20 Augie returns to Acatla, which he finds now finds painful. He palls around for a while with a Cossack from Paris, who tells him odd stories about an uncle in Paris who goes to church dressed as a woman to scare people. When the Cossack becomes a pimp for the foco rojo, Augie drops him. When Augie gives up on hearing from Thea or Stella, he heads for Mexico City. Dead broke, because Stella fails to repay the loan, he gives in and phones Sylvester who, through Frazer, arranges him to live with a friendly, emotional Yugoslav journalist, Paslavitch, in exchange for English lessons. They have fine times drinking together and talking about French history and culture, which Paslavitch adores.

Frazer floats the idea of having Augie pose as Trotsky's traveling companion, incognito, to throw off the Soviet secret...