The Waitress Was New

Book excerpt: Pierre is a veteran bartender in a caf© on the outskirts of Paris. He observes his customers as they come and go - the young man who drinks beer as he reads Primo Levi, the fellow who, from time to time, strips down and plunges into the nearby Seine, the few regulars who eat and drink there on credit - sizing them up with great accuracy and empathy. Soon, however, the caf© must close its doors and Pierre finds himself at a loss. As readers follow his stream of thoughts over three days, Pierre's humanity and profound solitude both emerge. A moving portrait of human emotions.