LAST NIGHT AT THE LOBSTER

Restaurant manager Manny is good at his job but careless in his personal life. Then his Red Lobster has to close, and he must see it through its last day. A major snowstorm kills business, employees and liquor disappear, an unruly child vomits, and he must find a present for his pregnant girlfriend while stifling his feelings for one of his waitresses. Despite his flaws, Manny is a sympathetic character, and Jonathan Davis reads with appropriate sensitivity. Banter between employees, friendly or hostile, is delivered realistically as are encounters with picky diners and a Polish shop girl. In sum, Davis's narration captures O'Nan's almost poetic rendering of a few hours in a tawdry shopping center. This is a brief slice of life beautifully portrayed. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]