A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

Passage by Ernest Hemmingway
Image by Edward Hopper, Titled: Nighthawks

It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference. The two waiters inside the cafe knew that the old man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him.

"Last week he tried to commit suicide," one waiter said.
"Why?"
"He was in despair."
"What about?" "Nothing."
"How do you know it was nothing?"
"He has plenty of money."

They sat together at a table that was close against the wall near the door of the cafe and looked at the terrace where the tableswere all empty except where the old man sat in the shadow of the leaves of the tree that moved slightly in the wind. A girl and a soldier went by in the street. The street light shone on the brass number on his collar. The girl wore no head covering and hurried beside him.

"The guard will pick him up," one waiter said.
"What does it matter if he gets what he's after?"
"He had better get off the street now. The guard will get him. They went by five minutes ago."

The old man sitting in the shadow rapped on his saucer with his glass. The younger waiter went over to him.

"What do you want?"
The old man looked at him. "Another brandy," he said.
"You'll be drunk," the waiter said. The old man looked at him. The waiter went away.

"He'll stay all night," he said to his colleague. "I'm sleepy now.I never get into bed before three o'clock. He should have killed himself last week."

The waiter took the brandy bottle and another saucer from thecounter inside the cafe and marched out to the old man's table. Heput down the saucer and poured the glass full of brandy.

"You should have killed yourself last week," he said to the deafman. The old man motioned with his finger. "A little more," hesaid. The waiter poured on into the glass so that the brandy slopped over and ran down the stem into the top saucer of the pile."Thank you," the old man said. The waiter took the bottle back inside the cafe. He sat down at the table with his colleague again.

"He's drunk now," he said.
"He's drunk every night."
"What did he want to kill himself for?"
"How should I know."
"How did he do it?"
"He hung himself with a rope."
"Who cut him down?"
"His niece."
"Why did they do it?"
"Fear for his soul."
"How much money has he got?" "He's got plenty."
"He must be eighty years old."
"Anyway I should say he was eighty."
"I wish he would go home. I never get to bed before three o'clock.What kind of hour is that to go to bed?"
"He stays up because he likes it."
"He's lonely. I'm not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me."
"He had a wife once too."
"A wife would be no good to him now."
"You can't tell. He might be better with a wife."
"His niece looks after him. You said she cut him down."
"I know." "I wouldn't want to be that old. An old man is a nasty thing."
"Not always. This old man is clean. He drinks without spilling.Even now, drunk. Look at him."
"I don't want to look at him. I wish he would go home. He has no regard for those who must work."

The old man looked from his glass across the square, then over at the waiters.

"Another brandy," he said, pointing to his glass. The waiter who was in a hurry came over.
"Finished," he said, speaking with that omission of syntax stupid people employ when talking to drunken people or foreigners. "Nomore tonight. Close now."
"Another," said the old man.
"No. Finished." The waiter wiped the edge of the table with a towel and shook his head.

The old man stood up, slowly counted the saucers, took a leathercoin purse from his pocket and paid for the drinks, leaving half a peseta tip. The waiter watched him go down the street, a very oldman walking unsteadily but with dignity.

"Why didn't you let him stay and drink?" the unhurried waiter asked. They were putting up the shutters. "It is not half-past two."
"I want to go home to bed."
"What is an hour?"
"More to me than to him."
"An hour is the same."
"You talk like an old man yourself. He can buy a bottle and drinkat home."
"It's not the same."
"No, it is not," agreed the waiter with a wife. He did not wish to be unjust. He was only in a hurry.
"And you? You have no fear of going home before your usual hour?"
"Are you trying to insult me?"
"No, hombre, only to make a joke."
"No," the waiter who was in a hurry said, rising from pulling down the metal shutters. "I have confidence. I am all confidence."
"You have youth, confidence, and a job," the older waiter said."You have everything."
"And what do you lack?"
"Everything but work."
"You have everything I have."
"No. I have never had confidence and I am not young."
"Come on. Stop talking nonsense and lock up."
"I am of those who like to stay late at the cafe," the older waitersaid.
"With all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night."
"I want to go home and into bed."
"We are of two different kinds," the older waiter said. He was now dressed to go home. "It is not only a question of youth and confidence although those things are very beautiful. Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be some one who needs the cafe."
"Hombre, there are bodegas open all night long."
"You do not understand. This is a clean and pleasant cafe. It is well lighted. The light is very good and also, now, there are shadows of the leaves."
"Good night," said the younger waiter.
"Good night," the other said.

Turning off the electric light he continued the conversation with himself, It was the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant. You do not want music. Certainly you do not want music. Nor can you stand before a bar with dignity although that is all that isprovided for these hours. What did he fear? It was not a fear ordread, It was a nothing that he knew too well. It was all anothing and a man was a nothing too. It was only that and light was all it needed and a certain cleanness and order. Some lived init and never felt it but he knew it all was nada y pues nada y naday pues nada. Our nada who art in nada, nada be thy name thy kingdom nada thy will be nada in nada as it is in nada. Give usthis nada our daily nada and nada us our nada as we nada our nadas and nada us not into nada but deliver us from nada; pues nada. Hail nothing full of nothing, nothing is with thee. He smiled and stood before a bar with a shining steam pressure coffee machine.

"What's yours?" asked the barman.
"Nada."
"Otro loco mas," said the barman and turned away.
"A little cup," said the waiter.

The barman poured it for him.

"The light is very bright and pleasant but the bar is unpolished,"the waiter said.

The barman looked at him but did not answer. It was too late at night for conversation.

"You want another copita?" the barman asked.
"No, thank you," said the waiter and went out.

He disliked bars and bodegas. A clean, well-lighted cafe was a very different thing. Now, without thinking further, he would go home to his room. Hewould lie in the bed and finally, with daylight, he would go to sleep. After all, he said to himself, it's probably only insomnia. Many must have it.

Dominós Strategy: Triangular Numbers

A successful and comprehensive dominoes strategy utilizes functions involving triangular numbers.

example: T4=10
.
..
...
....

T1=1, T2=3, T3=6, T4=10

Tn= [n(n-1)]/2

Applied to dominoes:

Quantity of tiles in a double set; where n = highest pip number
[(n+1)(n+2)]/2
example: for a double-six set, n=6 yielding 28 tiles

Total pip quantity in a double set; where n = highest pip number
[n(n+1)(n+2)]/2
example: for a double-six set, n=6 yielding a total of 168 pip (168 “dots” in a double-six set)

Highest possible pip quantity from a 7-piece draw; where n = highest pip number
1(n+n)+1(n+(n-1))+2(n+9n-2))+3(n+(n-3)) = (14n-14)
example 1: for a double-six set, n=6; thus, the highest possible pip count with 7 pieces is 70
example 2: for a double-nine set, n=9; thus, the highest possible pip count with 7 pieces is 112

No matter the set, 15 will always be the lowest possible pip count in a 7-piece draw.

With these numbers we can apply the high and low pip count to a normal distribution scale to find the probability of drawing a certain pip count in a 7-piece draw.

standard deviation for a 7-piece draw = 16.30951
mean for a 7-piece draw = 42.5

On a normal distribution scale:
100% probability that someone will draw a pip count between 15-70.
34% probability that someone will draw a pip count between 26-42.
34% probability that someone will draw a pip count between 42-59.
13% probability that someone will draw a pip count between 15-26.
13% probability that someone will draw a pip count between 59-70.

Applying these numbers to a strategy for a Block Game: Clearly, if you draw a pip count of 15, your opponent must have a higher pip count; therefore, you would attempt to block the game as soon as possible. If you draw a pip count of 70, you would alter your strategy to extend the line of play for as long as possible in order to avoid an early block. Basically, if you draw a pip count between 15-26, you want to play for an early block. Also, if you draw a pip count between 59-70, you would want to extend the line of play for as long as possible. Theoretically, you would also have a probable pip advantage if you draw between 26-42 and a probable disadvantage between 42-59.

Café Napolitain

Café Napolitain is on the main Boulevard of the Latin Quater in Paris. It was often frequented by the prominent ex-patriote circle living in Paris during the early nineteenth century, which included Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, and Ernest Hemingway. In fact, Hemingway references the cafe in his famous "lost generation" novel, The Sun Also Rises.

Boliche Auténtico

This recipe was handed down to my mother from my abuela. Despite its simplicity, people often struggle with the tenderness of the meat. An authentic Boliche calls for an Eye Round Roast, which is a tough and lean cut. Consequentially, I let the beef soak overnight in a bitter orange marinade. The enzymes in the juice will help tenderize the tough meat.

Ingredients:
2-2.5 lb Eye Round Roast
2 garlic cloves
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp oregano
1.5 tbsp cumin
3 cups red cooking wine
1/2 onion
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp bitter orange juice
3 tbsp olive oil
long chorizo susage
salt and pepper

Prepare the meat: Peirce the center of the meat using a sharp knife, creating a hole for the chorizo (do not insert the sausage yet).

For the Marinade: Mix the minced garlic, cumin, oregano, 1 cup red cooking wine, bitter orange juice, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Coat the beef and refrigerate overnight.

For a proper sear: It is important to properly sear the beef in order to lock in the flavors. Remove the beef from the refrigerator and allow it to sit for an hour and come to room temperature. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry (do not discard the marinade). Insert the chorizo. Heat the olive oil to a high temperature. Brown the beef on all sides.

Simmer the meat: I find the best way to increase the tenderness is to simmer the meat, not roast it in the oven. In the same pot add the 2 cups of wine, onion, 2 whole garlic cloves, and the remaining marinade (make sure the bay leaf is added). Add water until the meat is completely submerged. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and allow to simmer for 2-2.5 hours.

Garnish: Make sure the meat is properly seasoned with salt and pepper. To add more flavor you can garnish with olives, sauteed onions, and sauteed green or red bell peppers. In addition, some enjoy the richness of a tomato sauce with the meat.

Enjoy: Follow with café con leche and dominós.

The Sun Also Rises

"What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises...All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:5