Lunch at the Gotham Cafe
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| Author | Stephen King |
|---|---|
| Country |  USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Drama, thriller |
| Released in | Six Stories (1st release), Blood and Smoke, Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales |
| Publisher | Philtrum Press |
| Media Type | Anthology |
| Released | 1997 |
Lunch at the Gotham Cafe is a short story published in Six Stories by Stephen King. It is also the tenth short story in the collection Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King.
[edit] Plot
A man named Steve Davis comes home one day to find a letter from his wife, Diane, saying she has left him and intends to get a divorce. He becomes depressed, especially since Diane's departure prompts him to give up cigarettes, and he begins to suffer nicotine withdrawal. Diane's lawyer, William Humboldt, calls Steve with plans to meet with the two of them for lunch. He decides on the Gotham Cafe and sets a date. Steve's lawyer is unable to attend due to a family crisis.
Before entering the Cafe, Steve impulsively buys an umbrella. Upon entering, he finds that the maître d', eventually revealed to be named Guy, is talking senselessly about a dog. When Steve tries to reignite the flame between himself and Diane, things fall apart. The maître d' then makes a surprise reappearance, drunkenly insane, chanting "Eeeee!" (relating the story to the demise of the Crimson King in "The Dark Tower" series) and stabs Humboldt through the head with a knife. Steve briefly fends off the lunatic with his new umbrella, but Guy chases Steve and Diane into the kitchen, and after giving the cafe's cook a grisly injury, proceeds onward. Diane almost gets Steve killed, but Steve is still able to incapacitate Guy by dousing him with scalding water and whacking him with a metal frying pan.
After finally escaping both the Cafe and Guy, Steve fails in trying to win Diane back, and she leaves him for good. As Steve sits on the curb and watches ambulances haul away both the victims and the heavily-restrained Guy, he is left wondering about Guy's private life, and the nature of insanity.
[edit] Adaptation
This story was adapted for a short film in 2005 with Stephen King appearing in a small role as Steve's attorney.
[edit] External links
- Gotham Cafe at the Internet Movie Database
- Stephen King's Gotham Cafe Gotham Cafe Trailer and Official Website
