Setting Chapters 9 & 10

Chapter 9
Setting:

The Quigley house

Chapter 9 starts out during the summer months around “…August the different shades of green that dominate the Kilvert summer now sport patches of yellow. The leaves become smaller; you can see further into the woods” (276). Toloki’s attempts to pry further into the Quigley family frustrates Ruth, “…I hear you come like a thief in the night for Mr. Quigley’s silly memories” and leads her to believe that he is trying to tear apart her family; “I hear Orpah is always in you RV. God knows what you do there. And Obed, we don’t see him no more ‘cause your meddling…” (269, 277).

The Community Center

Toloki has been spending a great deal of time in the sewing center making what Obed describes as “…them string art quilts…” that “…anything goes with…” (279). Toloki has been working on translating Orpah’s drawings of Mahlon and her memories into fabric.

Toloki’s RV

The relationship between Toloki and Orpah has been growing stronger and the two are occasionally visited by Obed. Toloki and Obed discuss the matter of finding his Grandmothers grave “He says he heard from Ruth that she has given me permission to locate his grandmother’s grave” (279). Obed reveals to Toloki that there is a man who works for the city of Athens Division of Water and Sewer by the name of Terry Gilkey who is “…well known as an expert on the mental asylum cemeteries at The Ridges” (280).

Nathan returns once with Obed and argues with Orpah, “I just want us back together”, and Orpah refutes him by saying “We was never together Nathan” (280). Toloki intrudes upon the argument and receives a few quick insults from Nathan before he leaves.

Toloki suggests traveling to Virginia in order to find a group of professional mourners to gain experience and tips on the subject, Orpah become ecstatic and wants to leave right away, when Toloki cannot she becomes infuriated and doesn’t see him for days.

Division of Water and Sewer

Gilkey is introduced and shares with Toloki his vast collection of records. They are unable to find Mahlon’s mother at first, they were looking for a Quigley, until Toloki calls Ruth and is told that the Quigley’s didn’t condemn her, “…’cause they didn’t recognize the marriage…”, Ruth tells Toloki that her maiden name was Tobias; Gilkey and Toloki locate her name and grave number (284).

The Ridges

Gilkey explains “Her grave’s gonna be at Cemetery Number 2”, the grounds there were well maintained and half the graves had only numbers on them the other having both names and numbers of the deceased. Men and Women were buried on different sides “no mixing and no hanky-panky even in death” (284). Toloki brings the Quigley family to the grave site and he mourns as never before; his act “incorporate[s] some of the movements [he] saw Mahlon perform through the window” with Orpah during their memory routines (286). The family is greatly pleased and Toloki receives endearment from Ruth and even Mahlon.

Chapter 10
Setting:

Court Street

The season has turned to fall, and after spending most of their September honing their mourning skills, Toloki and Orpah had decided to leave in early October to find the Virginia Mourners; it’s now October 31 and the parade of pagans has begun once again. Toloki and Orpah walk around and observe the many different costumes on display this year round. Toloki notices Orpah enjoying herself, he “… [had] never seen Orpah so carefree” (290). Orpah meets some old friends and winds up being lost in the crowd from Toloki, he encounters Obed and Beth and they walk him home to his RV.

Toloki’s RV

Orpah had begun choreographing their routine and had become, somewhat of an artistic director and manager. She was eager to perform their routine live, but Toloki insisted on waiting until after they had met up with the Virginia Mourners for they could then perfect their performance. The two spend much of their time together creating quilts and designs and are so carried away with each other that they had practically separated themselves from everyone else.

Tattoo Parlor

Orpah had not yet perfected the art of shedding tears at will and thus suggests getting tear drops tattooed on their faces, “One drop for [Toloki] would suffice, but for [Orpah] she needed two drops on each cheek…” (292).

The Community Center

While putting together one of Orpah’s collages, a man enters that the women there recognize as “one of the greatest dulcimer players in southeast Ohio” (296). He had come to the center in search of Orpah, for he wanted to recruit her to play at a fundraiser for hurricane relief, after much reluctance, Orpah decides to play and the night of the concert she does not return to Toloki’s RV.

Ruth’s House

Mahlon’s garden is once again host to living things, “Some mini flags were still there, planted on the grass, but most were now decorating the bushes” (297). Toloki finds Ruth using the rotary cutter he had gifted to her and received much flak for, when she sees him enter she attempts to hide it, but is unable to do so in time. Ruth tells Toloki about Obed, and how he has become a man of God by going to Bible school to become a preacher in hopes to one day run Brother Michael’s Church.

Orpah and Toloki have a slight falling out, she decides not to leave with him because Mahlon and her have began talking once again, Toloki makes the decision to go on without her and let her go completely, he tells her: “I don’t want to be let down again, Orpah. You use me like a tissue. When your tears are dry you will discard me like before” (307). Eventually Orpah makes peace with Toloki and her parents and is given the blessing by them to leave, and Toloki was simply unable to resist her.

The whole Quigley family comes together in order to send the two off on their way.

Ohio River

The two are incredibly excited about their adventure and cross the river “Exactly where Nicodemus and Abednego crossed, according to Orpah” (311).


Reflection Questions:

1. How is Toloki and Orpah's journey across the Ohio River a reflection of Abednego and Nicodemus' route to freedom, or is there any?

2. How could the profession of mourning be regarded as a 'hustler', how could it be regarded as enlightenment?