It's Just Insomnia

At the end of "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" the old waiter, unlike the young waiter, does not want to lock the cafe because he is lonely and would rather stay at the cafe instead of going home. The old waiter then goes to the bar, but leaves quickly explaining to the bar tender that it is not a clean place. He thought that a bar would not work compared to the cafe because the cafe is a clean, well lighted place. The old waiter does have an epiphany at the end of the story. He dismisses religion, only taking comfort in well lighted and clean places. He sees his lonely future in the old man. The old waiter takes the side of the old man because he understands what it means to be in despair and hopes that someone will leave the cafe open longer for him when he becomes that old man.