The Caretaker by Ron Rash

It begins with the awful Korean War. Like all wars the heroism and the physical and emotional pain is insurmountable. At home,  Tennessee and North Carolina, Jacob's wife is waiting for the birth of their baby. It is ironic to read about the caretaker of a cemetery while still remembering the war and bringing a new baby into the world."The Caretaker" has a cozy feeling about it. A doctor everyone knows, the caretaker at the cemetery and the mention of Erle Stanley Gardner, personalized writing items and a soda shop. It is sad to read that Naomi is judged by the community. It is because she is expecting a baby at sixteen years old. Perhaps, it would have been better for the neighbors to have drawn  closer to Naomi by trying to answer her questions, giving her an idea what to expect in future months.  It is a traditional community.  Dr. Egan's secretary, Ruthie, has never called him by his first name and she has worked for him for thirty-nine years. 

I'm not sure our small towns in the twenty first century are anything like the ones Ron Rash writes about. Being a Democracy, perhaps, makes us more brave to throw out our thoughts wherever we want not caring to who is hurt. Very quickly the story becomes emtional. Ron Rash is able to hold the attention of any audience.