Ruth's
parents' relationship is collapsing because her father is having an affair.
Ruth is living with Dennis when her father tells her that her mother is sick and they
need help with the store. Although she does not want to, Ruth returns to Suffolk for what she
believes is just a few weeks to help her mother. Unfortunately, when she arrives home, she
discovers that things are worse than she had thought.
Ruth's mother
is
"a good Jewish wife who (keeps) true to her
religious faith, and she let(s) a lot roll off her back...because her husband (isn't) worth a
dime and she (has) no choice. The way Tateh treat(s) her, they'd call her an 'abused woman'
today. Back then...a man could do anything he wanted to his wife in the South. He can yell at
her, make fun of her, curse her, slap her. He can even go out with another woman right in front
of her face".
Ruth's father does indeed have another
woman,
"a big fat white lady...as big as (the) living
room. She live(s) not far from us up the road. Her husband (is) serving time in the county
jail...for being drunk or some petty crime like that...she (has) four or five kids. Tateh would
talk to her in the store and try to act like it (is) casual; then on Friday nights (he) would go
out...pack a bag of groceries and throw them in his car while Mameh watched
him".
He would not return until Monday.
Ruth's father's affair becomes "full-blown" very quickly". He soon
demands a divorce, but Ruth's mother refuses, as she has nobody else to look after her.
Eventually, Ruth's father goes to Reno, Nevada and gets a "quickie divorce" despite
his wife's objections (Chapter 19).
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