The author talks about clues that give us the idea that there is a lot of symbolism and feminism in the story. Also, the author doesn't really tell the reader what's going on, but the reader has to figure it out. So, at the beginning of the story, the couple is sitting at a table waiting for a train, having a drink. Alcohol plays a big role in the story which symbolizes an escape or a tool used to gain the courage to speak out about something. In the story, they drink a lot because they think alcohol will help them talk about their situation. The couple doesn't seem to broach the subject at first because it just seems awkward to talk about it because they feel differently about the subject. The Reaper can tell right away that their relationship is falling apart. For example, she says, “I wanted to try this new drink. That's all we do, right: look at things and try new drinks? » (p. 182). It sounds like she's bored, not interested, unhappy with the relationship, or something has changed her mind about their relationship. While they are still drinking, they avoid talking about the problem. They dance around the elephant, which means they avoid the big one