In this way unwittingly the Widow-to-Be is assuring her husband's death-his doom. Even as she believes she is behaving intelligently-"shrewdly" and "reasonably"-she is taking him to a teeming petri dish of lethal bacteria where within a week he will succumb to a virulent staph infection-a "hospital" infection acquired in the course of his treatment for pneumonia. Even as she is fantasizing that he will be home for dinner she is assuring that he will never return home. How unwitting, all Widows-to-Be who imagine that they are doing the right thing, in innocence and ignorance!
The passage reflects on the tragic irony faced by the Widow-to-Be, who is unknowingly contributing to her husband's demise. While she believes she is making prudent decisions regarding his treatment, she is actually placing him in a risky environment filled with harmful bacteria. Her intention is to help him recover from pneumonia, but this leads to an unforeseen and fatal hospital-acquired infection.
This situation illustrates a common theme among those in similar predicaments, where their genuine desire to aid loved ones could inadvertently result in devastating outcomes. The widow's hope for a joyful reunion at home is starkly contrasted with the bleak reality of impending loss, emphasizing the fragility of life and the often-unrecognized consequences of seemingly reasonable actions.
