Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other Stories Drugs and Alcohol Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Story.Paragraph)

Quote #4

[...] her liquor even finer than before, if that were possible. (Ballad.77)

We're wondering: does someone being in love actually make them better at distilling whiskey, or is it just that we're happy to see the romance?

Quote #5

That afternoon Marvin Macy took a quart bottle of whiskey and went with it alone out in the swamp while the sun was still shining. Toward evening he came in drunk, went up to Miss Amelia with wet wide eyes, and put his hand on her shoulder. (Ballad.93)

And thus sets in motion a beat-down that will only beget another.

Quote #6

[Henry Macy] was drinking a glass of liquor, which was unusual for him, as liquor went easily to his head and made him cry or sing. (Ballad.112)

Henry is as good as Marvin is bad, so what does it mean that he can't handle his liquor?