Ballad of a Sad Cafe
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In the short story The Ballad of the sad café, two of the main characters are Miss Amelia and Cousin Lymon. Miss Amelia was a lonely woman, with very masculine features who owned a liquor store and lived by herself. In the story a stranger appears in the town, which is highly un usual his name is Cousin Lymon. Cousin Lymon told Miss Amelia that he was indeed her cousin because their mothers were half-sisters. Cousin Lymon, also referred to as the hunchback had a rather strange physical appearance, he was very short, his legs were too skinny for his body and he had a hunchback. In addition to this no one in the town could tell if he was fifteen years old or fifty years old. Cousin Lymon was known to use his charm to connect with people and always be the center of attention.
Although Cousin Lymon stated that he is Miss Amelia’s cousin and was here in need of food and shelter, that is not the case. Cousin Lymon was sent to Miss Amelie by her ex-husband Marvin Macy. Miss Amelia and Marvin Macy were only marred for about ten days. Marvin Macy was in prison and was seeking revenge, so he had sent his significant other from prison to ruin Miss Amelia’s life. Cousin Lymon had stayed with Miss Amelia because he wanted to make their affair seem real. Cousin Lymon also loved the popularity he had been receiving from the towns people and loved being the center of attention at the café. Cousin Lymon had also stayed with Miss Amelia anxiously waiting for his true significant other Marvin Macy to be released from prison.
Cousin Lymon was known to be a very charming and social able individual. Miss Amelia had allowed him to turn her store into a café out of the love she had for him. To the towns people Miss Amelia’s relationship with Cousin Lymon was very strange and unusual, which is why they had always paid close attention to Cousin Lymon and his relationship with Miss Amelia. It states in the book that Cousin Lymon was a mischief maker, he was the one who set up fights and arguments for people in the café to enjoy watching
When Marvin Macy had returned back to the town Cousin Lymon’s behaviour towards him was very strange for the towns people as well as Miss Amelia herself. The book suggests that Cousin Lymon and Marvin Macy had maybe met before. Within a few days Cousin Lymon starts to follow Marvin Macy around everywhere he goes, as well as praise him in the café. Cousin Lymon would go around town attempting to impress Marvin Macy. He even invited Marvin Macy over to Miss Amelia’s residence without her permission.
In conclusion at the end of the novel it is revealed that not only had Marvin Macy and Cousin Lymon known each other, they were indeed lovers from prison. Marvin Macy had sent Cousin Lymon to his ex-wife Miss Amelia seeking revenge. Cousin Lymon was a very charming and interactive person which had made him perfect for Marvin Macy’s revenge plan. Cousin