David Schwinghammer's Blog - Posts Tagged "in-laws"
Let Him Go
Winner of the 2013 Montana Book Award, Larry Watson sets his novel, LET HIM GO, in 1951 North Dakota, Montana.
Margaret Blackledge has just seen her daughter-in-law's new husband smear chocolate ice cream in her grandson's face to teach him a lesson for dropping his ice cream cone. She lost her son, James, Jimmy's real father, when he was thrown from a horse. Margaret decides she's going to get her grandson back, and she packs practically everything she owns, ready to go to Montana whether her husband, George, former sheriff, likes it or not. He'll follow Margaret to the end of the Earth, so he loads his old Hudson ,and they're on their way.
When they get to Bentrock, Montana, they meet the deceptively charming Bill Weboy, who they ultimately find has some sort of romantic relationship with Blanche Weboy, authoritarian head of the Weboy clan. He invites them to dinner. While they're out there, Blanche lets Margaret know in no uncertain terms that she's not about give up her grandson.
As the Blackledges explore Bentrock, they find out more about the Weboys. They're definitely on the wrong side of the law, but they never quite go overboard. Lorna, Margaret's daugher-in-law, works at the Montgomery Ward store in Bentrock. Margaret asks if she'd like to leave the Weboys and come live with George and her in Dalton, North Dakota. She seems to agree, but that same night there's a confrontation between Bill Weboy and the rest of the Weboy clan, three grown boys, during which George is humiliated.
George spends time in the hospital and he's running a fever, but he decides to return home to Dalton, or seemingly so. They've been invited to pitch their tent at Alton Dragsdorf's cabin; they made friends with this Indian boy during their first few days in Bentrock. In the middle of the night, George leaves in the Hudson. We know where he's going, but we have no reason to suspect he'll do what he does. He's badly outnumbered, after all.
He just wants Margaret to have what she wants, which is her grandson Jimmy. There's a weird scene where Jimmy looks into a dark closet and sees something there. He's only four years old. Will what he sees in that dark closet haunt him for the rest of his life?
Margaret Blackledge has just seen her daughter-in-law's new husband smear chocolate ice cream in her grandson's face to teach him a lesson for dropping his ice cream cone. She lost her son, James, Jimmy's real father, when he was thrown from a horse. Margaret decides she's going to get her grandson back, and she packs practically everything she owns, ready to go to Montana whether her husband, George, former sheriff, likes it or not. He'll follow Margaret to the end of the Earth, so he loads his old Hudson ,and they're on their way.
When they get to Bentrock, Montana, they meet the deceptively charming Bill Weboy, who they ultimately find has some sort of romantic relationship with Blanche Weboy, authoritarian head of the Weboy clan. He invites them to dinner. While they're out there, Blanche lets Margaret know in no uncertain terms that she's not about give up her grandson.
As the Blackledges explore Bentrock, they find out more about the Weboys. They're definitely on the wrong side of the law, but they never quite go overboard. Lorna, Margaret's daugher-in-law, works at the Montgomery Ward store in Bentrock. Margaret asks if she'd like to leave the Weboys and come live with George and her in Dalton, North Dakota. She seems to agree, but that same night there's a confrontation between Bill Weboy and the rest of the Weboy clan, three grown boys, during which George is humiliated.
George spends time in the hospital and he's running a fever, but he decides to return home to Dalton, or seemingly so. They've been invited to pitch their tent at Alton Dragsdorf's cabin; they made friends with this Indian boy during their first few days in Bentrock. In the middle of the night, George leaves in the Hudson. We know where he's going, but we have no reason to suspect he'll do what he does. He's badly outnumbered, after all.
He just wants Margaret to have what she wants, which is her grandson Jimmy. There's a weird scene where Jimmy looks into a dark closet and sees something there. He's only four years old. Will what he sees in that dark closet haunt him for the rest of his life?
