The Ballad of the Sad Cafe

Martin Meadows boards the bus to return home after working in the city all day. While he usually enjoys the ride, today he feels trepidation. When he walks in the door, he finds his six-year-old son, Andy, and his toddler daughter, Marianne, playing in the living room. When he asks Andy if they ate dinner, the child complains that his toast was too hot. Martin takes a bite and realizes that his wife, Emily, mistakenly put cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon on the toast.

Upstairs, Martin finds Emily in their bedroom. When she sees him, she quickly puts a tumbler behind her chair and jumps up shakily to greet him. She kisses him, and he tastes sherry on her lips. Martin is disappointed in her. She pushes back, saying she only had one glass. Martin tells her that he will take care of dinner and that Emily should stay in their room, as he does not want the children to see her drunk. 

In the kitchen, Martin makes dinner, and reflects on Emily’s state. Before New York, they lived in Alabama, where Emily had lifelong friends and the support of her family in raising the children. When Martin’s company transferred him to New York, Emily struggled to adjust.