Hillbilly Elegy

trying to merge onto the highway after a
brief stop for gas. She didn’t pay
attention to the signs, so we found
ourselves headed the wrong way on a
one-way exit ramp with angry motorists
swerving out of our way. I was
screaming in terror, but after a U-turn on
a three-lane interstate, the only thing
Mamaw said about the incident was
“We’re fine, goddammit. Don’t you
know Jesus rides in the car with me?”
The theology she taught was
unsophisticated, but it provided a
message I needed to hear. To coast
through life was to squander my God-
given talent, so I had to work hard. I had
to take care of my family because