Loneliness

 In A Clean, Well-Lighted Place the ending is very different. The old waiter continues to say nada in the lords prayer. Nada means nothing and it represents the emptiness in his life. The old waiter is very much related to the old man. The bar is like a oasis for him. It is one of the few places he can be and not be alone. Even though the old waiter has everything in the world he has no one to love him. He thinks that there is nothing else in life to live for. He tells the young waiter to appreciate his life and be happy that he has a wife to go home to every night.