Tuesday, September 28, 2010

A clean well lighted place
In a dark corner in a café lurked an old man. The old man was drinking at a table that was bordered by a tree that had leaves cover the table in darkness. It was late at night and there were two waiters working. The old man stared blankly at nothing but the open air. He was drinking heavily like he was troubled. As the glasses started piling up one of the waiters a young waiter came over and said “its closing time” but the old man simply replied Another Brandy. His voice sounded with both demanding and despair. It was late at night the younger waiter wanted to go home. The older waiter questioned him and asked why he was in a hurry?
It was late at night the younger waiter impatient because it was late at night there was absolutely nobody in the café except for the old man who piles of drinking glasses in front of him. The younger waiter said that it was closing time and that the old man should leave. And so he did. He walked out of the bar unsteadily like a drunk person but with pride, dignity and honor. The old man use to have a wife said the younger waiter. She must’ve made him happy said the older waiter. Until she passed away that is.
The old man was lonely said the older waiter he needs a light. The younger waiter was growing angry with the older waiter due to the fact that he was in such a hurry he was ready to rocket out the door. The older waiter thought about the old man did he really have a wife that he loved so much but passed away? The older waiter was drawn into a state of curiosity. He kept thinking about the loneliness the old man felt and the same feeling he overcame. The old man locked up the café for the night and then went to a bar where the feeling grew stronger.
The older waiter started drinking his mind were filled with images of both the old man and himself. He knew that emptiness was filling him to the point of agony. He knew that he was himself and then the next minute he is gone. It took him a while to figure out how depression can lead you to do things such as drinking.

A clean well lighted place by Ernest Hemingway shows how one can vision themselves from the present to the future. The old waiter relates to the Old man for loneliness had a spouse and friends and possibly had friends. The old waiter shows that like the old man he has pride dignity and honor. Even though he ages everyday he knows that he might suffer the same fate like the old man

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