and once you start examining all the possible excuses ruth has for not showing up ( and after all , its not only ruby she stands up in this way ) , you have to ask yourself , ruby thinks , envisioning and even smelling the chicken and rice soup , which shes not allowed to have , however , because of her congestive heart failure and all that salt , you have to start asking yourself whether there isnt some level on which ruth doesnt really want to do all these things that she does helens cat box and the bran muffins she distributes all over the neighborhood and taking ruby mae to the grocery store , and even visiting her own husband in the regency place .