The face of this diner is obscured by shadow – he has turned away from the window light to read his paper while he waits for his order to arrive. The shadows lend a quiet tone to the image and call attention to his gray hair, which, in turn, echoes the texture and color of the grayish grass in the western print just behind him. He is oblivious to the activity of the horses in that print, and he has tuned out the noise of the restaurant as well. He only has eyes for the news of the day.