He has been on the road for fifteen years as a trucker. Now he is home for good and adaptation is necessary. He is all for settling down in the marriage but he senses her discomfort. "Since he has been home, he has felt unusually tender about his wife and guilty over his long absences. But he can't tell what she feels about him. Norma Jean has never complained about his traveling; she has never made hurtful remarks, like calling his truck a "widow-maker." He is reasonably certain she has been faithful to him, but he wishes she would celebrate his permanent homecoming more happily. Norma Jean is often startled to find Leroy at home, and he thinks she seems a little disappointed about it. He reminds her too much of the early days of their marriage, before he went on the road. They had a child who died as an infant, years ago. They!.
never speak about their memories of Randy, which have almost faded but now that Leroy is home all the time, they sometimes feel awkward around each other, and Leroy wonders if one of them should mention the child. He feels that they are waking out of a dream together- that they must create a new marriage, start afresh." Leroy is pretty observant of how his wife is feeling. He knows that this is a new way of living for both of them and he wants to start afresh to save their marriage. .
Throughout the story there are numerous symbols that point to the problems in their marriage and the eventual break up. First the truck is seen, "He will probably not be able to drive this rig again. It sits in the backyard, like some gigantic bird of prey that has flown home to roost." This truck has been the thing that has kept Leroy away from home for fifteen years. It is said to look like some huge bird at roost. Now it is home and it is a menacing thing to Norma Jean. She is used to her solitude and independence now this truck has returned with her husband and she is uncomfortable with this.