"Real Estate"

When I read this story I felt a sense of sadness when our characters are thrust into changes that they don't want and are not mentally prepared for. Ruth knows her husband was a scoundrel and for the most part accepted it. When his last relationship fails he punishes Ruth by insisting that they move, which I could not help wondering if it was to punish Ruth for staying with him. Ruth was in despair, her husband was a scoundrel, her daughter had disconnected from her - empty nest syndrome, she has been battling cancer and Terrence throws the final blow "lets move". Terrence is a douche bag, he pushed her to make the change to a new house and then disconnects again forcing her to handle mayhem. I think she stays with him because she is resistant to change, I understand this because I am resistant to change at times at well. I lost my mind when my son's girlfriend moved my furniture around and hid my things, I would have liked to have done what Ruth did to Noel on her for quite awhile. Her putting everything in similar places in the new house as she had them in the old place does not seem odd to me, because I have done the same thing.....my cupboards and drawers in the kitchen are set up exactly the way my mother's were in the apartment below mine. I will have to say that I would not have tolerate Terrence's crap though, I have a low tolerance for bs.

I thought at some point the author was setting up Ruth and Noel's bylines in order for them to connect in a positive way as they were both in despair and struggling with the changes in their lives. Imagine my surprise when she kills him! I was like OMG. For Ruth this must have been the very last straw when she shot Noel, she had been trespassed upon and violated for the very last time. Sometimes we get to the point where we just cannot take anymore, she had been pushed around and pushed down repeatedly and then this man comes in her home to violate her one more time. How unfortunate for Noel that he broke that last straw and how fortunate for Terrence that she didn't turn around and shot his pansy butt too.