Quote 1
Ruth sighed and said: "Well, they told us a few things, obviously. But"—she gave a shrug—"it's not something we know much about. We never talked about it really. Anyway, we should get going soon." (13.52).
Here, when Chrissie and Rodney ask about deferrals, Ruth responds with a big fat lie. The sad truth is, no one at Hailsham taught them about deferrals. Ruth risks getting Chrissie and Rodney's hopes up with this fib. Maybe that's why she's so eager to change the subject.
Quote 2
Then Chrissie said in a new voice: "You know, Ruth, we might be coming here in a few years' time to visit you. Working in a nice office. I don't see how anyone could stop us visiting you then."
"That's right," Ruth said quickly. "You can all come and see me." (13.24-25)
Chrissie and Ruth have this chat in Norfolk. Notice how Chrissie says that they "might" be visiting Ruth while she works in an office, but Ruth says they "can." What's the distinction between these two verbs? Sounds to us like maybe Ruth is getting a little too into this daydream. That could get dicey, fast.
"I was like you, Tommy. I was pretty much ready when I became a donor. It felt right. After all, it's what we're supposed to be doing, isn't it?" (19.61)
Here Ruth shows us just how much she's changed her dreams over the years. Back at the Cottages, she could talk for hours about her ideal future of working in an office. Now, her attitude is completely different. Working in an office may have been the dream job she hoped to have, but being a donor is what she's "supposed" to do.