Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Samantha cooks a delicious meal for Henry and Marty, complete with dragon’s beard candy. Henry is impressed; dragon’s beard candy is difficult to make. Samantha confesses she has been practicing for some time, wanting to get it right for him.

Samantha asks if Henry has ever thought of Keiko over the years and points out that she may still be alive. Henry dismisses this idea, saying he knew her such a long time ago. Marty suggests that even though years have passed and Keiko may be married with a family of her own, she may still be interested in getting some of her family’s possessions back.

Samantha falls asleep after dinner, but Henry and Marty continue their conversation. Marty has been trying to quit smoking, feeling especially guilty about the habit since Ethel died of lung cancer. He throws out a cigarette and grinds it to bits beneath his shoe. Marty again returns to the subject of his mother dying at home, saying that he has begun to understand his father’s reasoning: Even if home isn’t especially nice, the familiarity brings comfort. Henry reflects that he spent years loving Ethel and being faithful to her, even going far out of his way to avoid the area around