Yet another "Identify this short story" thread. Sorry.

Cafe Society
1

Particularly since the details I remember are rather vague.

I know I read it online. I thought it was by Fitzgerald but my searches have come up dry. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t by F. Scott - just that I couldn’t find it - but perhaps it was by Maugham?

The synopsis as I remember it: A soldier (?) meets a precocious little girl (of the sort only found in short stories) in a cafe (train station cafe?). I think she gave him a watch. The end of the story is some sort of reflection on how much life sucks and how perfect the afternoon in the cafe was, even if she was a little snot.

I don’t expect to ring any bells on this but maybe someone will have a clue what I’m talking about…

2

Sounds like Salinger’s “For Esme, with love and squalor” to me.

3

Yup, got it in one. Been driving me nuts for a week now…merci. :slight_smile:

4

Glad to help. It’s a lovely story, one of my favorites. As are Fitzgerald and Maugham, btw. I think I’ve read almost every story every one of them has published, and they’re astonishingly good. In fact, I think I’ll read some stories tonight–I’ve had a few collections stacked up on my nightstand. Thanks for the reminder.