Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant

Aged 17, Jenny appeared “skinny and severe and studious-looking” (60). Cody attends college, and Ezra must take a pause from his work in a restaurant as he has been drafted to fight in Korea. This means that Jenny is the only child at home. Her mother takes time to rent out Ezra’s room because “it still has his smell” (62). Alone, Jenny is “overwhelmed by so much empty space” (62). She studies hard, hoping to become a doctor. She makes small talk with her mother, conscious of Pearl’s violent temper. The boys write curt, infrequent letters. Jenny worries about Ezra.

As promised, Jenny checks on Mrs. Scarlatti, the owner of the restaurant where Ezra works. She glimpses the woman through a busy kitchen but does not go inside. She also checks on Josiah Payson, an extremely tall friend of Ezra’s with learning difficulties. She finds Josiah easier to talk to than she had expected. To her surprise, Josiah reveals that Ezra hopes to open a restaurant “where people come just like to a family dinner” (67). On her third visit to Josiah, he complains of being bullied at work and then invites Jenny for supper. She agrees and meets Josiah’s mother, learning that Ezra had helped their family a great deal when Josiah’s father died.