SoGoPro's Book Club: The Ballad of the Sad Cafe

I have started reading The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers. The story starts off with an introduction of Miss Amelia Evans. Miss Amelia is a rich woman in town. She owns a store and makes her own alcohol in a still behind her house. She was married once, but only for ten days. No one will cross her.

One evening, late into the night, a hunchback shows up on her porch. He claims to be a relative of hers and introduces himself as Cousin Lymon. The townsfolk assume that this man is a fake and wants her money. Miss Amelia then does something she never does; she invites the stranger in and shares a meal with him.

Rumors begin to spread around town. A man with the "three day fever" believes that Miss Amelia has killed the hunchback and that is why they have not seen him. The men decide to stake out Amelia's home and barge in. The hunchback stands at the top of the stairs and calmly walks down to the shop. The men are astonished. The hunchback begins to make small talk with the men and soon many join them. Amelia begins selling them alcohol and crackers as they enjoy small talk. People begin to show up every night, something the town has never done. This is how the cafe starts.