A Perfect Spy

A cabinet filled with papers, receipts, documents, and other items accumulated during a dishonest lifetime becomes Rick’s legacy for Pym. He tells his friends that, in the event of his death, everything they need to know about his business dealings is contained inside. Even throughout Rick’s trials and tribulations, as he loses cars, houses, and fortunes, he manages to hold onto this cabinet. The cabinet symbolizes an enduring idea of Rick; it’s the fundamental essence of the man that continues, even as he adopts new identities and characters. Whether Rick is in prison, running for Parliament, or embroiled in an insurance scam, his cabinet is always present. When Pym writes his letters to Tom and Jack, he takes care to point out that the cabinet is always present in his descriptions of Rick’s life. The cabinet is the throughline, the consistent part of Rick’s persona that can never be truly hidden or disguised. In a symbolic sense, the ever-present cabinet shows that the characters may adopt new identities and personas, but a fundamental part of them will always remain. For Rick, this fundamental identity is contained within the cabinet that reveals his debts and obligations.

Pym takes great interest in the cabinet.