A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

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why, and the younger tells him that he had no reason
to kill himself because he had "plenty of money." The older waiter lets the conversation drop after he hears this, because this statement shows the younger
waiter's perspective.

The older waiter seems to have empathy for the older patron, where the younger waiter has ill feelings to the customer. The older waiter seems to be more aware of a larger sense of existence where everyone plays their role, and the younger waiter seems to believe that he has to simply look out for 'number one' and really couldn't be bothered to go out of his way for the old man. The younger waiter quickly argued that the old man's justification for living should have been his money, and it is interesting to note that the younger waiter considers nothing else in his evaluation of the attempted suicide.

As the two waiters sit at a table, a soldier walks by with a prostitute. The older waiter comments that they'll get stopped by the local guard, and ...

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of fear for his soul.

The younger waiter questions the older about how much money the old man has, showing his assessment of what matters in life. The young waiter also expresses his desire for the old man to leave, saying how he wants to get home to go to bed. This shows the younger waiter's self-centered approach. He says that he's got a wife waiting for him, that old men are nasty, and that he old man has no respect for those that must work. This lets the reader see that the younger man's concerns do not extend past himself. The older waiter counters with the facts that this old
man is always a gentleman whom enjoys a drink in their cafe, showing his compassion for the older ...

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