Plainsong

Guthrie is at Judy’s house. He smokes a cigarette and inspects his surroundings while she uses the bathroom. She emerges, “wearing a little nightgown and nothing under it” (162). They lie down in bed together; when Judy asks Guthrie why he answered her invitation, he admits that he was lonely. As she presses her body against his, Guthrie begins to ask about Roger, her previous partner. He changes the subject.

Guthrie remembers driving around before deciding to visit Judy. As he leaves her house, she asks whether he will visit again. By the next day, everyone in town knows what happened, including Maggie. Maggie confronts him, and he assures her that this it is “not going to be like this” (164). She accepts his explanation, calls him a “son of a bitch” (165), and leaves. 

At school, Victoria receives a note through an intermediary, telling her to meet outside. The note is from Dwayne. Victoria decides to meet him and finds Dwayne sitting in his car, smoking a cigarette. When he spots her, Dwayne tells Victoria that she “[doesn’t] look too pregnant” (167). He asks if she wants to go with him to Denver. Victoria considers Dwayne; “she didn’t want to feel anything at all for him anymore” (168). At his insistence, she sits in the car while they talk.

They drive out of Holt, and Victoria asks Dwayne not to smoke. He agrees. They ride “as they had ridden in the summer” (169) all the way to Denver. Victoria moves into Dwayne’s apartment in Denver but finds herself more alone than ever. 

The McPheron brothers drive to Maggie’s house to tell her that Victoria did not come home as usual, their words laced with anxiety. Maggie calms them and phones around Victoria’s friends, eventually learning that Dwayne collected Victoria from school. The brothers blame themselves but feel better when they learn that Dwayne is the father. They leave Maggie’s house and return home to “a heifer they’d noticed was showing springy” (174). They notice a problem and help the cow give birth to a calf. The brothers sit down at their kitchen table and talk about Victoria. 

Guthrie receives a warning call from Crowder: the Beckmans are “going to try to blindside you” (176). He drives down to the district office, where the school board is meeting. Guthrie sits and sees the Beckman family waiting. A woman complains about the school buses. Finally, Mrs. Beckman stands up and bemoans Guthrie for failing her son. The school board hears from Crowder, and Guthrie offers to show them the grade book. The board sides with Guthrie for the moment and suggests that Russell take American History classes with another teacher. When the decision is passed, Mr. Beckman stands up and says that he will “go to the law if I have to” (178) and insists that this is not the end of the matter.