We're happy to see Sam thriving at the end of the novel, but there's a lot about the ending that leaves us scratching our heads. We have about a million questions about what happens between the present and the brief glimpse of the future we get to see. First, let's go over what we do know:
- Sam and Alicia have moved on and are dating other people.
- Rufus and Emily are thriving.
- Sam has a part-time job and is responsible.
Now for the messy stuff. Sam ends the novel by telling us this:
There was a lot of work to do, and arguments to have, and kids to take care of, and money to find from somewhere, and sleep to lose. I could do it, though. I could see that. I wouldn't be sitting here now if I couldn't do it, would I? I think that's what Tony Hawk was trying to tell me all along. (20.34)
So yeah, we have questions—we're curious about these arguments and children and money—but what Sam is getting at is that it doesn't really matter how he gets from point A to point B. At least he gets there. We're not supposed to hone in on the small details of how he and Alicia broke up or how he and his new girl met; instead we're asked to focus on the fact that everything is going to be okay. Sam ends up more responsible than ever before, complete with a girlfriend, a kid, and a job. What more could he ask for? The rest, as they say, is just details.