I think that “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is a story about old age and loneliness. The old man at the bar waits until the cafe closes until he leaves, because he has no one to talk to. He stays at the café for as long as he can because he finds peace there. “Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be someone who needs the café.” The older waiter understands that the café is a solace for people, and in a way it is a solace for him as well, because he is lonely and does not want to go back home to bed.
