Peace Like a River: The Curious Music That I Hear Summary & Analysis

Reuben tells the reader that while he was away, Jape Waltzer shot at the Ford and the house several times. Roxanna called the sheriff, Dr. Nokes, and God. Sara hid while Swede frantically searched Dad's closet for his shotgun. Reuben says that later he was told that he lay facedown while Dad propped himself on his elbow. Swede attended to Reuben while Roxanna tried to stop the bleeding from Dad's side. As Swede started crying that Reuben wasn't breathing, Dr. Nokes pulled up. He deemed Reuben gone and tried to revive Dad. County cars rolled in and Dad's eyes rolled back. A deputy then shouted as Reuben started coughing and spouting blood and water.

Weeks later, Dr. Nokes sits with Reuben and admits he doesn't know how Reuben was breathing. Since his trip to the "next country", Reuben's lungs have been perfect. Dr. Nokes tells Reuben that Dad shouldn't have died, because his wound wasn't that bad. Reuben then says that years later, Dr. Nokes told him that Reuben should certainly have died. His lungs were shredded as he lay in the driveway, though in the emergency room, the doctor said it looked as though they hadn't been touched. Reuben says that of course they'd been touched, and that he misses Dad.

Reuben says he must finish quickly, as Swede says that "drift is the bane of epilogues." Roxanna became the Land family's rock. Sara stayed with the Lands and Roxanna drew her slowly out of her shell while Reuben watched Sara from afar. Swede dropped out of school at 17 to write a novel that was never published, but today she's written four novels, a history of the Dakota Territories, and a poetry collection. Reuben deems the poetry collection fantastic. It all rhymes and parts are about cowboys. Reviewers didn't know what to do with it. One review made Swede angry enough to write a letter back to the reviewer. Their exchange was published and Swede's book landed on bestseller lists as a result.

Jape Waltzer was never caught, much like Valdez. Davy eventually tells Reuben that Waltzer bludgeoned Andreeson and rolled the body into the lignite vein. When Reuben was 25, Andreeson's adult son came to visit, but Reuben was too young to provide him any real comfort.

Reuben says that finally, the reader needs to know that one Thanksgiving when all except for Davy were home, they held hands around the table to pray. Swede released Reuben's left hand when the prayer ended, but Sara held onto Reuben's right.

Davy, meanwhile, shows up some years in a small hunting town in Canada. Reuben goes every year to see the geese migrate. Swede went with Reuben twice, but Davy never appears when she's there. The first time Reuben meets Davy in Canada, Reuben shares what happened in the "next country." Reuben says that it's hard to gauge belief in Davy. Davy asks to see Reuben breathe, which Reuben does easily.

Davy asks if Reuben ever doubts what happened. Reuben tells the reader that sometimes he does, but then he looks out his window of the house he built with Sara. He sees his daughter or his son, or Sara enters the room, and Reuben feels a sense of certainty. He tells the reader that he cannot press belief on anyone, but to "make of it what you will."