Customs of the Country by Madison Smartt Bell
"Customs of the Country" by Madison Smartt Bell explores the harrowing journey of a mother striving to regain custody of her son, Davey, after her past struggles with addiction and abuse have led to his placement in foster care. Set in rural Virginia, the narrative unfolds as the woman navigates the complexities of the social services system, facing numerous obstacles despite her efforts to demonstrate her capability as a parent. She resides in a modest apartment and works as a waitress at a truck stop, where she receives support from sympathetic coworkers while attempting to connect with her neighbors.
The story delves into themes of personal redemption, social isolation, and the impact of domestic abuse, as the protagonist observes a neighbor suffering from violence while grappling with her own feelings of powerlessness. Her occasional interactions with her son highlight the emotional strain of separation and the tough realities of foster care. Ultimately, the protagonist’s journey culminates in a moment of desperation, leading her to confront the cycle of abuse she witnesses. This narrative raises poignant questions about motherhood, societal judgment, and the challenges of overcoming one's past.
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Customs of the Country by Madison Smartt Bell
First published: 1988
Type of plot: Domestic realism
Time of work: The 1980's
Locale: Western Virginia
Principal Characters:
A young woman , the narratorDavey , her sonPatrick , her son's fatherSusan , her neighbor, an abused woman
The Story
"Customs of the Country" is narrated by a woman whose attempts to recover custody of her son lead her to settle temporarily in the rural Virginia countryside near Roanoke. The woman does what she believes to be all the right things to convince authorities of her fitness as a mother, hoping that the child will be removed from foster care and returned to her. She rents a small apartment in a cluster-housing development, where through the thin walls, she is able to hear her neighbors quarreling. Occasionally, she hears a man beating a woman, but she does nothing to stop him. Instead, she goes about fixing up her apartment with furniture and decorations so that authorities will judge it a fit place to raise her son, Davey.
To prove that she can care for Davey financially, the woman takes a job as a waitress at a truck stop near Interstate 81. The proprietor, Tim, and a coworker, Prissy, sympathize with her and assist her in her efforts to work through the social services system to secure a hearing before a magistrate. That process is complicated, however, and the woman meets one roadblock after another; even the attorney she hires to help her cannot seem to get social services personnel to cooperate. During the time the woman is working to gain back her son, she tries to befriend her neighbor Susan, who is abused by the man with whom she lives. The narrator's efforts are rebuffed, however, and she soon abandons attempts to be sociable.
The woman achieves some small success when she is granted the opportunity to visit with her son. In relating the story of her son's birth and childhood, the woman reveals that Davey's father, Patrick, is in jail, having been arrested for drug possession and sale. The woman herself had been addicted to drugs, relying on Patrick to support her habit. Patrick's arrest had occurred at a time when she was particularly dependent on drugs; the irritating behavior of her small son sent her into a frenzy, and she tossed the child against a wall, breaking his leg. Although she quickly realized what she had done and sought treatment for the boy, social workers at the hospital recognized the symptoms of abuse and managed to have Davey taken from her.
Although the woman has a good relationship with her son, it becomes clear to her that his foster parents, the Bakers, are providing him a good home and that they want to keep him. Nevertheless, she continues to plead her case with social workers. Finally, however, when she is given a chance to talk to her son's case worker, she realizes her efforts are hopeless. The woman does not even wish to visit the apartment to see where Davey might be living.
Disappointed and disillusioned, the woman returns home and packs her belongings. While she is packing, she hears the man next door beating Susan again. Something inside the narrator snaps; she takes a large skillet and goes to her neighbor's and hits the man across the face. As he crumples to the floor, she invites Susan to come away with her. Instead of doing so, however, Susan stoops to care for the man. Disgusted, the narrator rushes out to her car and drives away.