The Chinese Wall

A lonely middleaged woman dines alone in a Chinese restaurant on her birthday She pays close attention to the other patrons imagining their relationships and personal situations She remembers her past lovers and child and broods on her bitter sense of loss and loneliness In an unthinking moment she announces to the waitress that it is her birthday and the entire social dynamic in the restaurant is altered An intensely moving bittersweet and realistic look at emotional loss and disconnection