After a brief exchange of dialog with “Grandi,” as I called him, I sat down
at the corner table of the now empty cafe, facing the window so I could
watch the street as the new waitress put away the last dishes and wiped off
the tables. She looked like someone who was in a losing battle with life
after too many bad experiences, but willing to continue the fight. Grandi
locked the door and shut down most of the lights, pointing to the new
waitress and saying, “Hey, meet Ellen, she’s a-starting tonight; she’s a
new in town” as he disappeared into the kitchen to help his wife finish up
the cleaning. The expresso machine complained loudly as it dripped out the
last cup of the night.