Summary

Meyer gets a small apartment for Lillian and himself on Second Avenue. He shows it to her, telling her how special their first night will be, and that he’ll be back at eleven, giving her $5 and a key. Lillian shops for an assortment of goodies including capon; cold potatoes with dill; white rolls; carrot salad; green grapes; and herring and sliced onions in cream sauce, and prepares them for Meyer’s return that night. She even manages to get the cookies he likes.

The room reminds Lillian of a stage set prepped for a romantic comedy. There had been many times at Frieda’s when she’d seen herself as part of a great tragicomedy and dreamed of being an American woman, getting up to have breakfast or tea, perhaps hoping to be with her boyfriend, donning makeup...