The Condor
Along for the RideThe Condor is the hotel Robert chooses for a temporary stay during a difficult period in his marriage to Heidi. It gives their separation a physical address without making it permanent: Robert tells Auden that he and Heidi need time to work things out, while insisting that they can still see each other every day.
Robert’s Temporary Stay
Robert explains that he will be at The Condor for a couple of nights, framing the arrangement as temporary and, in his view, better for the baby and the family. When he leaves, he picks up a bag Auden had not noticed by the stairs. The hotel thus marks a real departure from home, even as Robert presents it as a pause rather than a break.
Auden’s Visit
After about a week of awkward phone calls, Auden visits Robert in his room at The Condor. The shades are drawn, and Robert has a desert island-style beard; he flops onto an unmade bed, stretches out, and closes his eyes before asking Auden how his life is going without him. Auden resists the question and instead asks whether Robert and Heidi have talked. The exchange makes the hotel room a setting for their strained attempt to discuss a separation whose practical arrangements have not resolved the underlying conflict.
