But despite what kind of mood he is in, the young waiter's true self is revealed when he states "I'm sleepy now. I never get into bed before three o'clock. He should have killed himself last week- (96). Because he is tired he has the audacity to openly state that he wishes the man were dead instead of alive and in the café. Hemingway gives us our impression of the young waiter early in the story so we know just what kind of person he really is. .
The first person mentioned in the story is the old man who is alone and drinking rum into the early morning hours in the café. And our impression of him is also given to us early in the story, but it is not a good one. We automatically know he is a troubled man who is going through hard times because of the first spoken words of the story: "Last week he tried to commit suicide- (96). But even before words are spoken, Hemingway tells us that it is late at night, and he is alone and getting drunk in a café, which would make anyone feel sorry for him. The foundation for this character is laid in the first paragraph and throughout the story it becomes clear that he is polite, and not out to cause any trouble. When the young waiter rudely makes him leave when he wants more to drink, he simply pays his bill and goes on his way. To contrast the young waiter, this man is patient and takes things in stride. .
Perhaps the most important character in the story is the older waiter who works at the café. He is the middle ground between the old man and the young waiter. He understands what the old man needs in the "clean and pleasant café- (98), and what the young waiter has in his life, that being "youth, confidence, and a job- (98). He believes that an hour is the same for everyone and that time is no more valuable for any one person. But despite Hemingway's attempts to glorify the older waiter, there are inconsistencies.