Bastard Out of Carolina Chapter 3 Summary

  • Glen starts coming over to visit. Usually, Anney goes out to the porch after his visits to smoke a cigarette and look off into the distance thinking deep thoughts. Anney worriedly asks Bone if she likes Glen.
  • Sometimes Anney takes Bone and Reese with her to the diner, and Bone watches the truckers and younger men flirt with her. The older ones compliment her on her daughters; one of them says that Reese looks like Anney, and that Bone must look like her father. Ouch.
  • When Glen comes to see Anney at the diner, he carries Bone and Reese out to the car, where Anney has made up a bed out of blankets in the back seat. Bone prefers it when her mother tucks her in, but Anney seems to like it when Glen does it.
  • Anney dates Glen for two years. Sometimes she takes Bone and Reese to the RC Cola plant where Glen works loading cases into trucks. Glen has a nice body, and it especially shows when he's doing heavy labor.
  • Even though Glen is slender, he has disproportionately large hands. Anney describes him as gentle, but her sisters don't seem to see it. Bone can tell that Anney is falling in love with Glen.
  • One day, while Anney and the girls are waiting for him to finish work, Glen comes over and declares his love for the three of them. He takes them all into an embrace and tells Bone to call him Daddy. He begs Anney not to say no, and though she seems unsure she relents and agrees. Glen whoops and swings Anney around the parking lot.
  • Granny doesn't like Glen. She says that there's something wrong with him.
  • Glen takes everyone to the lake for a picnic. Alma has a new camera, but Glen doesn't want his picture taken.
  • Earle thinks that something is off about Glen, too, like how he doesn't seem to mind when Earle bad-mouths Glen's people. Bone says that Glen is the quiet sort who "never fought in friendly style" (3.30).
  • While the family poses for a picture, Bone runs into the bushes and watches them from the porch. Everyone looks a little tense, except for Earle and Reese. Anney calls for Bone to stand with her and Glen, and Alma takes the picture.