Both men (and all the other males in the town) had been symbolically stripped ("undressed") of their masculinity or phallic-strength mounted on their hips.Lorna and Riggs stopped at Murtaugh""s house - alertly suspicious when they saw camping gear in the living room, and smelled Chinese food.The good-hearted Athelny family was caring and affectionate, and warmly accepted Philip into their home.But after a short stint, he is laid off ("last in, first out").So he crisscrosses the country to find steady work.He travels by steamer down the East Coast, across the Lower Gulf states and the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans (where no jobs are available), and hen by train North to Oshkosh (and Lake Winnebago) in Wisconsin.