Café Moon
by Jack Dunphy

THE STORY: Monty has never loved anything in his life except a small turtle that died years before.

Now, an aging and disillusioned clerk, his only pleasure is in drinking his nights away at the Cafe Moon.

One evening a premonition of Death comes to him in the guise of a young dandy.

He finds himself stuck in the doorway with the young man, and try as he will, he cannot, or will not, move away.

He is attracted and repelled at the same time.

He takes one drink after another to quiet the terror of his premonition, while the young man, who has placed a bet on Monty's nightly habit of entering the bar, tries to persuade him to go in.

Finally, the young man changes his mind about the bet and leaves, returning to offer Monty love in the form of another small turtle.

But it is too late.

Monty is dead.